The Beggar's Nest comprises the southeast quadrant of the city of Neverwinter, and its name comes from the district being the home of most of the city's poor. Large portions of this district are devoted to the Neverwinter Academy and the Great Graveyard. Other named locations that feature in the original campaign are the Shining Serpent Inn, a temple to Helm, Thomas' Wheelwright, and Siril's Bakery.
Original campaign, chapter 1[]
This district is where the Wailing Death first appeared, shortly before the start of the original campaign. By the time chapter one starts, the Beggar's Nest is infested by undead, the streets filled by zombies that attack citizens (weak zombies for low-level player characters; zombie warriors or even ghoul lords at high levels). This is a result of a Waterdhavian creature, the yuan-ti called Gulnan, taking over a cult devoted to Cyric and getting access to their necromantic focus. Gulnan used that focus and the nearby Great Graveyard to create an army of undead.
There are two named non-player characters in center of the distict — Mattily and Aldo. They are waiting for Hector, who was supposed to bring them wagon parts. There is a 100 experience point reward for bringing Hector to them, provided neither of them die first.
At Helm's shrine, Bertrand is waiting for his brother Marcus. Giving him evidence (items) of his brother's fate can shift alignment towards good, but demanding more gold results in (more gold and) a shift towards evil.
Pursuing the main quest in this district requires entering the Great Graveyard and eventually the Warrens of the Damned, where Gulnan resides. But, the main gates to the graveyard are locked. Instead, access can be found through a warehouse or a strange building housing snake cultists. Once Gulnan is killed and a player character takes her heart, the main gates of the graveyard will be unlocked.
Inside the Great Graveyard is a second prominent tomb (in addition to the one used to find Gulnan). This is one of "Never's tombs". It opens when the ceremonial shield (obtained in the Peninsula district) is placed in the chest in front of its door. Inside are a (hostile) mummy, a trapped sarcophagus, and the Ancient Chronicles of Haluleth Never.
The interior of the Neverwinter Academy, though the setting of the campaign's prelude, cannot be accessed in chapter one. The wizard lab (for the Cloaktower quest) is in the northwestern part of the district.