Luke Scull

Well met, friend, and welcome to my Boosty page! I'm Luke Scull, also known as Alazander in the Neverwinter Nights community. Neverwinter Nights is a hugely popular computer roleplaying game developed by Bioware and originally released in 2002. In addition to a 60 hour story-driven campaign and comprehensive DM tools, the game's revolutionary toolset enabled users to create and share their own adventures. In time, this led to the creation of literally thousands of user modules, some of which, such as The Aielund Saga and Swordflight, rivalled the length and quality of the official campaign.

Under the username Alazander, I created two highly successful modules set in the Forgotten Realms: Siege of Shadowdale in 2003 and Crimson Tides of Tethyr in 2005. Both were praised for their writing, level of technical accomplishment, and attention to setting lore, and were inducted into the Hall of Fame. The lead designer of the original NWN campaign subsequently hired me to produce a third module, Tyrants of the Moonsea, as a Bioware Premium Module. This was unfortunately cancelled by Atari, and I released a truncated version of the module in 2006.

Since 2007, I've been lead designer and writer for Ossian Studios. My credits include Mysteries of Westgate for NWN2 and The Shadow Sun for mobile platforms. In 2013, I published the first in a trilogy of successful novels. The Grim Company and its sequels have since sold 250,000 copies in nine languages, earning a starred Kirkus review and being shortlisted for the David Gemmell Morningstar award.

In 2018, Beamdog Entertainment released Neverwinter Nights Enhanced Edition for PC. This re-release fixed multiplayer, added many quality-of life-features, and, as of 2021, has substantially improved the overall look of the game. In conjunction with Ossian Studios, I was able to complete and release Tyrants of the Moonsea for NWNEE in 2019. This 20+ hour, high-level campaign is an ideal follow-on module to either Ossian's Darkness over Daggerford or Crimson Tides of Tethyr.

My 18-year journey with Neverwinter Nights been a constant source of joy for me and opened many doors. For my final great project, I am going to create a seven-part, 60+ hour story-driven sequel to the original Neverwinter Nights campaign. This campaign will be titled "The Blades of Netheril." Fans of my previous work may recognise this name as the proposed title of my fourth module in the series that began with Siege of Shadowdale. I've had a long think (roughly 15 years, in fact), and I've concluded that I can expand my initial idea into something that works as a direct sequel to the original campaign.

The player will once again become the Hero of Neverwinter, who mysteriously disappeared following the defeat of Aribeth de Tylmarande and the army of Luskan. Cast out in disgrace and erased from Neverwinter's history, the Hero will be thrust into an epic struggle between ancient powers that could ultimately rewrite the fate of Faerûn. Old companions will return alongside fresh faces as the player embarks on an epic quest that is both world-changing and deeply personal.

But that is not all. The Blades of Netheril will also serve as a sequel to the expansions Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark, as well as my previous trilogy of modules. I've had years to craft a story that I hope will do justice to the rich heritage of the entire line of official campaigns. Drawing upon my experience of the NWN toolset, my knowledge of the Forgotten Realms, and many years of planning, I intend to deliver a love letter to NWN - a huge and unforgettble Neverwinter Nights 1 campaign, which ties together all previous campaigns as well as the Ossian/Luke Scull-produced Premium Modules as part of the same continuity.

The first chapter begins in the legendary Icewind Dale. The player will get to visit many other locales later, but who wants to be spoiled this early on? Multiplayer is on the wish-list: I will be building the campaign with this functionality in mind. Yes, there will be romances! Plenty of the characters from the previous campaigns will be returning. 

Edit: Further to my post here, I can now confirm the campaign begins in Icewind Dale. Skullport will form the setting for the second chapter of the campaign.

To be blunt, I don't want to devote a substantial chunk of my life to something that does not equal or exceed the quality of my previous projects. This applies not only to story and design but also to presentation. This is not an official Ossian Studios or Wizards of the Coast-approved project. This is 100% fan-funded and produced. The campaign will be split into seven chapters, each with 5-10 hours of gameplay. The campaign will require a narrated introduction, several new monsters, new portraits, a gorgeous world map, and new music, all at a high level of professional quality. This will cost several thousand dollars. In order to voice important NPCs, the budget will grow substantially larger again. I need your backing to ensure my vision is realised and players receive a commercial-quality, official campaign-sized adventure that makes no compromises.

What benefits do supporters receive?

Firstly, it is important to note that the intention is to make The Blades of Netheril freely available to everyone upon its release. I'm currently targeting a release date of June 2022 for the first chapter. This date, as well as the delivery of the subsequent six chapters, will be somewhat dependent on the level of funding the project receives.

At the lowest tier, supporters will receive monthly updates charting the game's development. Higher tiers will provide an exclusive peak at the new assets being introduced in each chapter. The highest backer levels will provide the opportunity for supporters to submit their own items and NPCs to feature in the campaign. That's right, your level 23 halfling barbarian can be immortalised forever!

Everyone who contributes will receive a special thank you in the credits - and the blessing of Tymora for a long and prosperous life...

Wait - what happens if this project goes commercial?

The Blades of Netheril was conceived as a fan project and the intention is for it to remain that way. In the event there is interest in taking the project in a commercial direction, I will continue to fulfil every tier reward apart from the Minotaur tier, due to NDA restrictions. I also promise that everyone who contributes at least $20 to the project will receive a code for at least the first chapter of the game - and I'll pay for it out of my own pocket if necessary.

Thank you reading and I hope you're as excited about this project as I am. Feel free to contact me at creativetitan@gmail.com to discuss any aspect of this Boosty, and follow me on Twitter @Luke_Scull for updates, memes, and general silliness. You can also reach me at my website at www.lukescull.com. I look forward to your support!