Neverwinter's latest module, Northdark Reaches, acts as an exciting connection between the first and second books in the Way of the Drow trilogy of novels. The Way of the Drow is the latest series from longtime best-selling author R.A. Salvatore and is the latest adventure in his long-running Dungeons and Dragons collaboration.
Northdark Reaches is the MMO's 24th module and the narrative for the content bridges the gap between Starlight Enclave and Glacier's Edge. Reading the novels is totally optional for Neverwinter players, but fans who love DnD lore might be interested in understanding exactly where the events sit in the larger Forgotten Realms timeline.
Luckily, Game Rant recently had a chance to sit down with Neverwinter's Narrative Director, Winter Mullenix and Principal Lead Game Designer, Randy Mosiondz to talk about the collaboration with the Salvatores. During that chat, we discussed the optimal playing and reading order for lore lovers...
Winter: And I should add that the story is accessible in and of itself. So if you do meet those requirements, you don't have to read the books to understand the story - it's self-contained. That said, it does have connections ot the stories that are much more gratifying for the lore lovers if they read the books. They'll catch a lot more of what's going on. Nobody needs to fear about being out of the loop. You will get it.
Game Rant: So the ideal lore lover experience would be read the first novel, play Northdark Reaches, read the second novel, play module 25 when it releases, and then read the third novel?
Winter: I would say - read the first book, play Northdark Reaches, read the second book, replay the module with the context of book two, and then move forward.
Optimal Reading and Play Order
- Read Starlight Enclave
- Play Module 24
- Read Glacier's Edge
- Replay Module 24 with context from Glacier's Edge
- Get ready for Module 25 to drop next year
- Play Module 25
- Read book 3
It's good to know that the events of the game will stand on their own for players who aren't interested in checking out the novels, but considering the popularity of Salvatore's previous content, it seems pretty likely there will be a large crossover audience between fans of the book series and Neverwinter players.
The Northdark Reaches content is now live on PC, so be sure to check back in the comings days for more news, updates, and strategy guides.
Neverwinter is free-to-play on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. Northdark Reaches launches on November 8, 2022 on PC.