NWN2: Mysteries of Westgate Developer Diary #1

RPG Vault is featuring the first in a series of developer diaries about Ossian Studios’ upcoming NWN2 adventure pack Mysteries of Westgate. Lead designers Luke Scull and Alan Miranda introduce us to the game and the city of Westgate.

For the purposes of this adventure, the city is split into four major districts. The Harbor Loop is the grimy, rough docks area of Westgate, and the Black Eye tavern, owned by three hulking brothers, is one of the first locations players will want to visit after docking in the harbor. The most dangerous part of the district, the Warrens, is a crawling maze of alleys where the most destitute and wretched of the poorest citizens face a daily fight for survival. Unfortunately for them, nobody outside the area cares for their plight.

The Market Triangle is the bustling center of trade in the city. Here, one can find all manner of goods peddled by merchants from every corner of the Realms. One of the most notable shops is Mintassan’s Mysteries: Curios From Very Far Away Places, owned by the planar-traveling archmage, Mintassan. Here, adventurers can find magical goods obtained from the farthest reaches of the planes. At the center of the district is the Tower, Westgate’s center of mercantile and hence political power.

The Arena District is named after the Quivering Thumb, a gladiatorial enterprise recently arrived from Unther. This sandpit arena is a popular spot for adventurers looking to win gold and infamy by testing their mettle against other combatants. A number of temples can be found in this area, the largest of which is Morningstar Haven, dedicated to the god Lathander. The priests there spare no expense in their lavish displays of devotion to their deity, and it has been said – although rarely… this is Westgate after all – that perhaps such wealth might be put to better use in helping the city’s poor.