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Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6352 Posts

Posted - 05 Feb 2014 : 20:07:51

So I'm not going with the spell plague or anything beyond 1370 DR really since it was mostly novels and RSE's that didn't do anything for me.

So I'm developing things on my own and I'm a bit stuck as to what I should do with Sembia.

Nothing ever really happens in Sembia (until whole cities disappear in blackness and they become part of an empire of flying cities which I wont be using).

And at first glance it appeared that there wasn't much info on Sembia but after some digging I've got some info and a few ideas but nothing concrete.

So we have what looks like a brewing civil war in Sembia between Miklos and Mirabeta Selkirk. It looks like this has happened in the past in 1254 and 1256 DR (according to Cult of the Dragon).

So I was thinking of having the same thing happen again. What starts as a few intrigues and petty squabbles between family members vying for the position of Overmaster soon gets nasty and we have fighting in the streets between various factions.

The Red Wizards of Thay are involved in a slaving organisation called the Eyeless Mask. The Zhents are involved with a thieves guild called the Night Knives.

Both would use these organisations to try and have their candidate selected for Overmaster and get a few of their members on the council where the real power lies.

Add into the mix is a very strong cult of the dragon presence that basically see Sembia as their homeland. They even control the city of Daerlun through the magical influence of the man that rules the city behind the scenes.

So we have each Sembian council member working for his own interests and doing whatever he can get away with in order to make as much money as possible, that probably includes selling himself out to the highest bidder (zhent, thay, cult, etc). The secret societies will be bribing, threatening, extorting, and murdering their way into power and profit.

I'm picturing a gradual degradation of stability that erupts into open warfare nation wide with individual cities consumed by their own chaos until a single individual unites one behind his banner then the cities face off against each other until one is the victor.

The thing is I don't really know who to have win.

Miklos or Mirabeta seems to obvious and easy.

If Miklos wins he will seek to become king so none of the council are going to really help him and neither would the secret societies. The common people however may well be on his side since his mercenaries would be working to maintain order and stability which is good for business.

Mirabeta is evil and grasping and an ideal choice for greedy merchants and secret societies, and I think her main problem is that she will sell herself to all of them and come unstuck as they each discover her lies.

So how should it end.

I have been thinking about mirroring the civil war of 1254 where Augloroasa used her secret agents in the Night Knives to assassinate and manipulate events for her own ends.

I think Augloroasa's ends include a stable Sembia (so that she can grow rich off raiding them and their shipping) but destabilising the cult of the dragon. Augloroasa quite often looks to work against the cult in her region so that they have to turn to her out of desperation and she charges them a fortune in tribute.

So I'm thinking Augloroasa's agents let the Zhents severely weaken the cult of the dragon. Her agents in the Night Knives then eliminate the Zhents. THe Red wizards are only really minor players given the distance so they don't matter. And to eliminate Miklos she just has to let leak that he is a pirate and he is immediately forced to flee or be killed (piracy being punishable by death in Sembia).

So that leaves Mirabeta in charge who might possibly be killed right at the end by the Zhents, Red Wizards, and Cultist just for double crossing them.

So who should be Overmaster? Should I leave Kendrick Selkirk as overmaster and his son Miklos as the new Immurk the invincible.

Anyone have any other ideas for interesting events in Sembia. Any other factions that might get involved. Cormyr has its own problems so I figure they will steer clear. Maybe Archendale might get a minor role, perhaps Westgate and Orbak will infest a city with vampires.
I'm thinking maybe having a phaerimm involved secretly behind the scenes (since I will be doing the return of the arch wizards differently as well).

The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1842 Posts

Posted - 05 Feb 2014 : 23:21:35

No one really has to become Overmaster unless you just want one in place. In the early Realms, Sembia was really just a collection of city-states. You could finish off your events with each faction taking control of a city or two and maintaining a balance of power that way. Or mayhap you have a few phaerimm in place, each controlling a faction from behind the scenes and working in concert with each other (and against each other). Also, factions such as the Harpers and other 'good guys' can have a city. Then, of course, there is the impact of PCs, should you ever go that route.

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6352 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 08:24:21

Actually it looks like Sembia has never been without an overmaster.

The city states were granted independence in 902 DR.

Rauthauvyr the Raven united the states into a single state and forced the elves to allow the creation of his road which runs to the Moonsea.

He refused to become king and instead ensure the creation of the title of overmaster which was elected by the merchant council (which looks like it has always been at 22 strong; i wonder why?)

So sometime after 913 DR the first overmaster was elected, probably within the first few years of Sembi'a creation (nations dont do well if they arent stable, and without knowing what form of government they have it wouldnt be stable.

The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore

1842 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 08:54:58

Ah I see, as I've never played 'in' Sembia I did not know that. I just recall the OGB making a reference to it being a bunch of city states (or something similar). But then, they've always been in league with one another so a council makes sense.

So let's see. I'm reading the Sundering novels and it seems that Thay has its hands in everything these days. Granted, you're not going with the whole Spellplague fiasco and your timeline seems to be pre-1400s...but even in those days Thay was increasing its influence through its Enclaves. So I would say they could/should become a major faction.

The Cult and the Zhents are a different animal. The Cult has always had a strong presence in Sembia and, despite its tendency to use 'cells' as opposed to central authority, I've always gotten the sense that the Sembian Cult was a bit different. They seem to have a more centralized structure and have been more successful in the Merchant Kingdom.

The Zhents, on the other hand, were often portrayed as almost comical in their inability to make headway (in the novels). If it were me, the Zhents would have a very strong leader in Manshoon and they would be a true force to be reckoned with. But in Sembia they've got stiff competition in for form of the Cult in addition to their traditional enemies.

I don't know much about the Night Knives (are they the group that was ousted from Cormyr?) but if they are strong enough to have a presence THROUGHOUT Sembia (as opposed to just a city or two) then they have to be pretty strong. This also means they are another faction in competition with the Zhents as I would presume they are in league with the Cult to stay in power.

I say all of this to get to a final point. Both of your antagonists will need allies to beat each other yes? Whichever one you want to lose (flip a coin if you're unsure which) would most likely be backed by Thay (a foreign power) and the Zhentarim (also a foreign power) whereas the Cult and the Knives are part of Sembian culture and thus have a 'home field advantage' in the conflict. Keep in mind also that the Zhentarim and Thay may be overreaching themselves by acting in several places in Faerun at once.

Of course, to make things interesting you can mix this up (Miklos/Thay/Cult v. Mirabeta/Zhent/Knives or something) with the fallout being almost haphazard. I like the inclusion of a dragon(s) and the phaerimm too. In fact, they could be acting behind all of the factions with no one any wiser (though the Cult would be aware of the dragon). Anyway, the phaerimm could become sort of a Twisted Rune power group in Sembia...perhaps they actually control the Cult's dragon ally?

I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one.

Fendrikor
Learned Scribe

Australia
189 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 15:21:31

Spice it up abit.

Evil will win, unless the party is sucessful over a series of win or lose adventurers to help Miklos.

The Zhents sponsor the night knives, and are currently vieing with Sembia for Scardale. Perhaps their mind is more on attempting to get the Sembians to lose their focus on Scardale to the north so they can swoop in and claim it while the Sembians are distracted. Perhaps, the Zhents dont care 'At All' really when it comes to Sembia. aslong as they acheive some of their Goals in Conquering the Dalelands.

So no matter what happens, the Twist may be - the sembians stall plans to send men out to Scardale, and the Zhents simply take Scarport.

Meanwhile in Sembia, the Zhents have won 'something' without actually leaving the Scene on the ground in Sembia.

As for the Thayans. Moneyyyy... and power. I can see them backing either or to be honest - as the Thayans seem just as interested in Semi-secret if not Open trade than anything. Have them Back Mirabetta until the Players take on a Thayan Enclave - then in the final confrontation have the Thayans simply Flip Flop to Miklos, with some sort of agreement that favors them.

As for Sembia - It has its own answer to the Harpers, the Silver Ravens. Play them up as perhaps HIREING the Pc's to get into this Underworld and shift events to make Miklos come out the victor.

Perhaps at one point have the Threat of him being revealed as a Pirate come up, Prompting the PC's to have to make some Bribes again.

A Dirty backroom politics campaign. With Magic. And Evil people all over the shop.

Good times

'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'

Fendrikor
Learned Scribe

Australia
189 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 15:31:52

As for the Cult of the Dragon, i would look at their motivations. I dont see it as 'Beyond' their capacity to do something Drastic such as - Pit the players (from a point of secrecy) against a Dragon in the Thunderpeaks, only to swoop in at the last minute to rescue the Dragon and drive off the players, and then 'Bribing it' with Dracolichdom in exchange for its help in Asassinating Miklos (Ala what happened to poor old Aencar the Mantled king when HE got eaten by a dracolich).

Perhaps their goals are just as simple as, Mirabeta asks the Cult to kill of Miklos in exchange for their share of their power. Their goals float or sink with the Dracolich.

'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'

Fendrikor
Learned Scribe

Australia
189 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 15:39:27

Just one more for the road before i go to bed -

Realising they stand to lose Scardale, perhaps the Silver ravens will become Privy to the Zhentarim plans and ask the players to 'investigate activitys' in some port city where the troop ships are laden, where Night Knives are planning a spectacular 'Dragon Fire' style scenario (ala Stannis's fleet at Kings Landing in Game of Thrones) to Scuttle Sembias fleet so that it cannot move into Scardale.

Perhaps this threatens, unexpectedly, the Thayans who 'Want' that fleet to aid them in a foreign endevor they are attempting to secure with Mirabetta or Miklos, additionally the Thayans have a hand in Scardale aswell with a small enclave. Perhaps the True victors of that entire little subarch could be Thay - who will then Tithe Scardale to one power or the Other in exchange for whatever the hell they want.

'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup'

Mapolq
Senior Scribe

Brazil
466 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 19:20:04

Awesome stuff. I'm having to brush up some in 1370s Sembite politics for my Vilhon Reach campaign, since there's lots of Sembite interests working within Chondath and vice-versa in my campaign.

Never sleep under the jackfruit tree.

Tales of Moonsea - A Neverwinter Nights 2 Persistent World. Check out our website at http://www.talesofmoonsea.com and our video trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am304WqOAAo&feature=youtu.be, as well as our thread here at Candlekeep: http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12955

My campaign thread: http://www.forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16447

Edited by - Mapolq on 06 Feb 2014 19:20:47

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6352 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 19:54:21

Now the Vilhon Reach is somewhere I haven't looked at yet but I bet there are plenty of close links there to exploit.

However I'm starting with the small places first and working up. So Sembia and Dalelands are in progress and Cormanthor is next.

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6352 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 20:07:25

I'm thinking that any Sembian civil war should be full of double crosses.

So I was thinking that the whole thing gets kicked off by Augloroasa who either masquerades as the dragon Nevaralich or forces Nevaralich himself to attack the council while it is in session and kills many of them.

This causes tensions to appear as people vie to replace those on the council (I figure the existing members vote for replacements but it really isn't stated how new members are chosen).

Then the Cult, the Zhents, and the Red Wizards all start getting involved to get their own boys on the council so cue much fighting, murdering, kidnapping, blackmailing etc.

Meanwhile Miklos and Mirabeta launch their own bids for Overmaster in the absence of their father (who may yet live but be held captive by Augloroasa's agents).

Miklos and his silver ravens will obviously get the party to help but generally are interested in maintaining law and order and working for the common people while trying to keep the foreigners out of Sembia.

Mirabeta sides with any and all who pay her money and agrees to enclaves in whichever city she resides in and probably rules by now. She lets the cult of the dragon run rampant with crime and drugs and she lets the zhents begin enslaving those who cant pay debts.

The Zhents and the Night Knives or the cult of the dragon probably win the battles for the council places (the red wizards are kept out by miklos and his pirate allies).

Miklos with the pc's help wins the battle for overmaster. Otherwise Mirabeta wins and is then assassinated by the cult or zhent or red wizards that she betrayed.

So Miklos becomes overmaster eventually and that's when Augloroasa strikes. She reveals Miklos's secret as a pirate lord and he flees into exile (obviously the revelation comes through secret intermediaries). The Night Knives who are really working for Augloroasa (probably 50% of their number) then miraculously discover where the main cult of the dragon estates are and so the zhents appear to win by almost completely annihilating the cult of the dragon.

Even with reinforcements from the well of dragons the cult still can't beat the Zhent stranglehold and so approach Augloroasa for help with tributes worth several countries. Augloroasa then uses her agents in the Night Knives to eliminate the Zhent presence in Sembia and everything suddenly calms down.

Life returns to normal. The Zhents have a minimal presence. The Red Wizards have a minimal presence. The Cult of the Dragon are free to establish themselves in the country again (since their council members were not eliminated, only their "businesses") and Augloroasa gets fabulously rich out of it all which is what she wanted in the first place.

And it shows just how puny and insignificant humans are compared to dragons who are really pulling the strings.

TBeholder
Great Reader

2384 Posts

Posted - 06 Feb 2014 : 22:56:40

quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal

Nothing ever really happens in Sembia (until whole cities disappear in blackness and they become part of an empire of flying cities which I wont be using).

More than one merchant cabal in one place - let alone "all of them" - is more than enough for some "hilarity". But other than this...
Well, there were some events... then there's old Cult of the Dragon infestation. And external affairs - trade, clashes with those who want to control it (like Zhents and Iron Throne), enmity with Cormyr, partnerships and rivalries with Westgate. Then there's always some Red Wizard or three mucking around...

quote:
If Miklos wins he will seek to become king so none of the council are going to really help him and neither would the secret societies.

At least Rot Grubs would.

quote:
Mirabeta is evil and grasping and an ideal choice for greedy merchants and secret societies

Heh. If a lot of these could ever agree on anything, a family rivalry between Selkirks won't be a big issue.

People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch

Gary Dallison
Great Reader

United Kingdom
6352 Posts

Posted - 07 Feb 2014 : 08:44:19

Well the Rot Grubs are secretly Zhent sponsored anyway so either Mikos knows about the Zhent sponsors and would keep away from them, or the Rot Grubs activities would actually promote unrest and instability in the country which would work counter to Miklos' aims and he would be forced to sever his contact with them.

I'm pretty sure i read somewhere about Zhent's changing focus from actively conquering places to taking charge by subversion.

Because of this i reckon there will be no outward signs of conquest, it would merely look like a civil war. However a closer inspection would reveal foreign mercs hired by certain merchants (Zhent or Red Wizards). And all parties are attempting to get their own candidates onto the council.

Found some more info in Elminster's Forgotten Realms. It looks like its the 22 richest merchants that get a seat on the council (or at least is was alluded to in that way).

So merchants would band together to form houses and costers to make one member rich enough to be on the council. That position would then be used to ensure they keep themselves (and their house/coster) the richest while decreasing the fortunes of their rivals.

So through criminal activity and warfare the civil war will be all about money. Ruining rivals while trying to keep ones own pockets lined.

Normally with 22 members of the council this kind of activity is subdued because there would be a wide gap between the richest and the poorest council member, and everyone would have secret alliances with each other to protect their interests.

When the number of council members decreases (due to Augloroasa's dragon backed assassination) the alliances breakdown and it's every man for themselves. And as the sourcebooks say, the council members will do anything they are not physically prevented from doing. Since they run the country there really is no one to stop them from doing anything other than each other.

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