| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Icelander |
Posted - 23 Sep 2008 : 03:53:35
I have a pretty good idea of what to import to Unther in DR 1373. Food, armour, weapons, battlemagic and mercenaries all command many times their price in peacetime. Battletrained horses, medical supplies and magic with auxiliary uses useful in combat likewise carry a high premium.
But what does the enterprising merchant take away from that wartorn place? What do the various factions in embattled Messemprar have to fill the holds of the ships that slip past the Mulhorandi blockade?
Slaves is one obvious answer and the Zhents, for one, are probably happy to buy them in bulk. They can be resold on the Pirate Isles, in Thay or the Vilhon Reach; or they can be moved home and put to work.
The Untheric forces are also likely to have 'saved' a great amount of treasure when they retreated, so they'll have gold bullion, coin and art of great value (most likely formerly of religious significance). But that's not heavy cargo and a canny merchant hates to sail with a half-empty hold.
What else is there? What can the Untherites sell cheaply that someone else will pay a great deal of coin for?
Does free Unther mine metals, precious or otherwise? Do they have vast quarries full of unsold marble waiting for customers too timid to sail wartorn waters? Do their craftsmen have worshops full of urns, statuettes and various trinkets that are now in very little demand due to the poverty of most of their fellow citizens?
And would any of these items be in demand in Thay?
What can my fellow scribes think of here? |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Icelander |
Posted - 05 Nov 2015 : 21:41:26
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
The way I figured it was Ruduk's association with the Red Wizards was secret,
Of course it is secret.
But you can't exactly pretend to be just a random, average 9th level wizard with no particular background. Nor can you expect that no one should ever worry about whether you could be casting spells to influence them if you reveal that you could, theoretically, do this.
The moment Ruduk reveals that he can cast spells, it's incredibly suspicious that he happened to be involved in a slave rebellion. Mages are not generally slaves and if they are, they are kept rather more secure than field hands or house slaves with no combat training.
Not to mention that Ruduk will always be a stranger to the Northern Wizards. Unlike the vast majority of the others in the Northern Wizards, he did not grow up in the city with everyone else, learn from the same masters and probably have a lot of ancestors and history in common. A 9th level mage has a lot of magical education behind him. The Northern Wizards know where each of their fellows received their education, and, in most cases, probably can tell funny stories about their first failed cantrips.
A stranger, not from Messemprar and not vouched for by any mage that the Northern Wizards know, is by default someone to distrust. It's paranoid to assume that he's a Red Wizard. It's perfectly reasonable to assume that he's a rogue magic-user of some sort who has fled or been exiled from his home and master.
Much safer to pretend be a former slave without any magical abilities. A scribe, to account for the fact that he can read and write and also to explain why he'd spend time closeted with Lord Dama and the other leaders of the Non-Slaves. But certainly not a threat or someone mysterious.
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
and in fact Ruduk was not particularly happy with his Red Wizard masters.
It's important to keep in mind that Thay has no unified foreign policy and can hardly be said to have a domestic one either. The Red Wizards are the nobility of that realm and in practice, it's best to imagine them as being the nobility of a balkanised feudal polity where there is no king and little law, just compacts and agreements between the most powerful nobles that constantly change and shift.
While Zulkirs can theoretically command other Red Wizards that fall under them, in practice Zulkirs who rule by decree instead of warily avoiding offending anyone too powerful are usually removed by their ostensible underlings when these have amassed enough power or managed to plot in unison for a while.
So Ruduk doesn't answer to the Red Wizards. He answers to Zulkir Lauzoril and is presumably meant to be working toward the private goals of Zulkir Lauzoril. The other Zulkirs are not informed or consulted about these goals. Lesser Red Wizards will only happen to know about what the Zulkir of Enchantment does in Unther if they are themselves involved in some scheme with Lauzoril that Ruduk is working toward and it is absolutely vital that they know the identity of Lauzoril's agent.
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
So gradually during the course of Messemprar's rebellion he insinuated himself with the Northern Wizards (who were helping run the show with Dama) and who would probably be glad of another powerful wizard to help them out (in earlier editions 9th level was considered really rather powerful).
There's no question that he'd have been accepted as an ally if he revealed himself as a 9th level mage interested in helping them fight off Gilgeam's forces, the invading Chessentans and the sahuagin. But there's a wide gap between accepting someone fighting mutual enemies with you and trusting him in the same way that you trust people from your home, whose families you know and whose histories and background are familiar to you.
Most people will always distrust magic-users to some degree. They could be messing with your perceptions, your mind, at any given moment and you have no way of knowing. Just revealing that you are a magic-user capable of Charm Person, Suggestion, ESP/Mind-Reading, Illusion spells, etc. will cause a lot of people to distrust you from that moment on and expect that all you do and say is part of some devious scheme.
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
So Ruduk was gaining himself additional allies in case the Red Wizards decided to throw him to the wolves.
Now that's a really interesting spin on Ruduk. If he's been thinking about throwing his lot in with the Northern Wizards and Free Unther for real... there's a lot of interesting possibilities there.
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
The Northern Wizards gained a bit of extra firepower in a difficult time. And everyone overlooked his tendencies to turn attackers into ashes at every opportunity because war is hell and does strange things to people. Plus nothing builds trust like being comrades in battle.
The Northern Wizards have been a paramilitary organisation, by necessity if not choice, for 16 years. For most of those years, they've been at war and people have been trying to assassinate their leaders.
It's very probable that Ruduk is less ruthless in battle than many of the battlemages among the Northern Wizards. He's a specialist Enchanter, a spy and a manipulator. As the secret advisor and manipulator of Dama and his successors, there is no reason that he'd have inflicted direct violence on anyone within the past two decades.
Being able to deceive, betray or harm people you've grown close to and trust you demands an entirely different set of mental adaptations than being able to rain carnage on strangers. Plenty of callous and abusive parents or vindictive and manipulative lovers would not be able to kill a bunch of strangers with a flamethrower, even to save their lives. Certainly most real-world spies couldn't.
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
I do like your way though, Belzarbi would be Ruduk's entry into the Northern Wizards during the rebellion for me, Ruduk then builds upon that entrance to become a fully fledge member and starts making himself useful while manipulating Belzarbi into creating a group of wizards within the Northern Wizards that are more militant and follow more of the Red Wizard philosophy that Ruduk secretly controls (through Belzarbi) and keeps as an ace under his sleeve in case his affiliation to the Red Wizards is discovered (and to try and mould the Northern Wizards towards his vision).
The way I see it, the moment Ruduk reveals his powers, he pretty much admits to having been a plant inside the Non-Slaves from the start. Because no 8th-9th level mage would have been a part of an ordinary slave population and since Ruduk was working secretly behind the scenes at influencing political events on behalf of Zulkir Lauzoril, using Charm spells on the leaders of the slave rebellion, he certainly did not tell those leaders from the start that he was a mage.
So he'd only do this if he was really breaking with Lauzoril and was prepared to prove his new allegiance. |
| Gary Dallison |
Posted - 05 Nov 2015 : 20:56:06
I like the intrigue, I might even use it when I revisit the Old Empires.
I believe I originally took Ruduk joining the Northern Wizards from a timeline that Eric Boyd kindly shared here. In fact quite a lot of my events for the Old Empires were inspired by that timeline.
The way I figured it was Ruduk's association with the Red Wizards was secret, and in fact Ruduk was not particularly happy with his Red Wizard masters. So gradually during the course of Messemprar's rebellion he insinuated himself with the Northern Wizards (who were helping run the show with Dama) and who would probably be glad of another powerful wizard to help them out (in earlier editions 9th level was considered really rather powerful).
So Ruduk was gaining himself additional allies in case the Red Wizards decided to throw him to the wolves. The Northern Wizards gained a bit of extra firepower in a difficult time. And everyone overlooked his tendencies to turn attackers into ashes at every opportunity because war is hell and does strange things to people. Plus nothing builds trust like being comrades in battle.
I do like your way though, Belzarbi would be Ruduk's entry into the Northern Wizards during the rebellion for me, Ruduk then builds upon that entrance to become a fully fledge member and starts making himself useful while manipulating Belzarbi into creating a group of wizards within the Northern Wizards that are more militant and follow more of the Red Wizard philosophy that Ruduk secretly controls (through Belzarbi) and keeps as an ace under his sleeve in case his affiliation to the Red Wizards is discovered (and to try and mould the Northern Wizards towards his vision). |
| Icelander |
Posted - 04 Nov 2015 : 10:01:45
I've been thinking about Ruduk, the Red Wizard servant of Lauzoril, the Zulkir of Enchantment, who was sent to manipulate the 'Non-Slaves' of 'Lord' Dama, the former gladiator. Canonically, we know that he established great influence over Dama himself and consequently, the Non-Slaves. On the other hand, that influence might have waned after Dama himself was slain by Shurupakk.
Clearly, Ruduk did something for the fifteen years after the Time of Troubles until the current era in my campaign. Now, dazzlerdal,in his thread on the Old Empires and Unther, has him infiltrate the Northern Wizards.
While I don't doubt that this would be a worthy goal for him, I always saw his influence on the Non-Slaves being predicated on no one realising that he was a spellcaster. People would be a lot more suspicious of a mysterious mage who hung around a lot of people whose views slowly changed to match Thayvian interests than they would be of a powerless 'non-slave' scribe without any magical abilities in the same situation. So I always assumed Ruduk avoided having people know that he was a wizard.
That would prevent Ruduk from infiltrating the Northern Wizards, at least personally. On the other hand, nothing prevents Ruduk from having a cat's paw to expose himself on his behalf. It is much more suitable for a servant of the Zulkir of Enchantment to raise and train a devoted ally for a given purpose than it is to risk himself doing something directly.
So, in my campaign, I'm leaning toward Ruduk having picked out an orphan with magical potential among the 'Non-Slaves' of DR 1357-1358 and raising him/her to be his loyal apprentice and spy. It would be almost impossible to keep it a secret that he has a relationship with the young 'non-slave', but he'd pretend that it was a quasi-parental one, with a broken-down ex-slave scribe teaching a bright street kid to read and write, instead of a master-apprentice one of two wizards.
Ruduk would then arrange for the magical potential of his secret apprentice to be noticed by some Northern Wizards, preferably ones without much class prejudice and ideally someone who might have an emotional response to an orphaned former slave child with a desire to better himself and learn the mysteries of magic. Thus, the secret apprentice of Ruduk would become an apprentice and initiate of the Northern Wizards.
Lauzoril (and presumably many of his servants) is all about emotional manipulation. From a practical standpoint, magical control, financial inducements or threats could hardly be relied upon to ensure loyalty of a deep-cover agent for many years. For these reasons, Ruduk took care that not only would his secret apprentice regard him as a familial substitute, but also seduced his prospective agent physically and emotionally.
Using subtle magical manipulation when the child was young enough not to resist or notice, Ruduk aimed to establish such utter dominance over his young charge that by the time s/he had learnt enough magic to make it unsafe to use any form of magical manipulation on him/her, his secret apprentice would be bound to him by silken ties of love. Their relationship will be deeply dysfunctional, of course, with Ruduk being abusive, controlling and insanely manipulative, but after fifteen years, it's implausible that the emotional attachment is exclusively one-sided.
Rolling randomly for gender, I come up with a male apprentice, whom we will name Belzarbi. Belzarbi was raised on an outlying noble farm estate close to Messemprar, the child of a female house slave and a male field hand. After running away* shortly before the riots of DR 1357 in Messemprar, Belzarbi gravitated toward the 'Non-slaves' primarily to avoid being returned to his owner. He'd have been somewhere between eight and eleven when he escaped. Let's say that he was born in DR 1348.
I imagine Belzarbi became an apprentice to the Northern Wizards sometime after the many upheavals of DR 1357-1359, when the wizards had been thrust into a role as a part of a de facto civic government and defenders of their home city, at a time when their numbers had been depleted by civil war with Gilgeam's supporters, Assuran's invasion from Chessenta, dragonic attacks and a war with the sahuagin. So, he'd have been made an apprentice around DR 1360. This means he was an adult with almost a decade of magical education behind him when he fought in the sahuagin war of DR 1369. That war or the year after it is probably a good time for him to become a journeyman mage.
Rolling randomly for it, I discover that Belzarbi was apprenticed to a Mystra-worshipping Northern Wizard. He was not taught exclusively by one master, but Enheduana of Mystra and mages taught by her were his primary instructors. At age 25, he's no longer an apprentice (in D&D terms, he is an 8th level mage) and, in fact, has two junior apprentices of his own; children of the 'Non-Slaves' who have demonstrated magical aptitute.
Belzarbi is a sincere worshipper of Mystra, a proud citizen of an independent Messemprar and a passionate opponent of slavery, oppression, famine and poverty. He has a natural sympathy for the weak and disenfranchised, especially children. Belzarbi has great magical gifts and a quick mind. No one who has been through what he has been through could ever be naive and in many ways, Belzarbi is cynical about the world. He does, however, genuinely believe in the ability of Mystra and the Northern Wizards to improve the position of common people.
Unfortunately, Belzarbi trusts Ruduk implicitly and by playing skillfully on Belzarbi's cynicism and fears, Ruduk has caused Belzarbi to see threats and conspiracies among the Northern Wizards, even where none exist. Belzarbi constantly seeks the help of his secret master to navigate what he thinks are troubled waters of political intrigue and conspiracy among the Northern Wizards, with ruthless and wordly infiltrators using factions among them to work against the true purpose of that wonderful brotherhood.
*As those who are born slaves, to parents who were born slaves, are actually not all that likely to run away, it is likely that a said tale of abuse lies behind Belzarbi's decision to escape. Such a past might have predisposed Ruduk to pick him, in fact, as early psychological scarring might have provided him with levers that made manipulation easier, especially for someone who could use magic to explore the psychological trauma and even replicate certain trigger events. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 30 Oct 2015 : 21:08:18
Do the scribes of Candlekeep have any thoughts on women in Unther who might have prestige and appeal for conservative Untheri?
I'm searching for candidates for a dynastic marriage which would benefit someone seeking power in a post-war Unther.
Gilgeam could have had any number of female children from concubines in his royal harem, but I'm not sure whether they would have prestigious status or not in the Unther of DR 1373. In my opinion, it would take more than merely their divine blood; presumably shared by many in Unther. They'd need to be from ancient lineages and they would have to have retained at least some wealth, allies, contacts and position after the fall of Gilgeam. It would help if they had living relatives of political power and wealth.
The alternative would be a scion from one of the old families of Unther. Someone who can trace her lineage back to the neight of the Empire under Enlil and whose house is still respected and rich.
Any suggestions? Thoughts? |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 21 Jun 2015 : 04:43:42
quote:
Originally posted by Icelander
Crafting political slogans and ideals like 'Remove the Scourge of Slavery from Untheri Soil Before We Castigate Others for their Societies' would be a good use of Ruduk's influence. Even 'Let Slaver Fight Slaver and the Non-Slaves Rejoice.'
I see what you did here. 
quote:
On one hand, having a counterweight to the resurgent Mulhorandi Empire is important enough so that almost any economic sacrifice on the part of Thay seems justified. On the other hand, immense short-term gains might be realised through allowing Free Unther to self-destruct in a civil war between the worst factions there, all of whom would compete for Thayan aid and be willing to sell any captives into slavery at cut-rate prices.
On the third tentacle, Lauzoril is not about short-term plans.
Thay is not desperate on either account, but strategically, Unther is not the only source of slaves, while it obviously is their best shot at keeping Mulhorand busy with its flanks - and perhaps making their other enemies (like Harpers) split the efforts.
Some parties will want short-term gain for themselves, of course but there are others with different motivations. Skimming the cream off burning Unther would indeed bring in lots of slaves too easily... but do Thayan high-ups in general really want this?
It would have the same effect as sudden influx of any other goods: dropping prices, big splash in closely connected parts of economy, maybe even all-out crash of the market. And quite likely end up upsetting status quo among both the slave traders and major consumers (land owners). Does the big fish in either group want this, and do Zulkirs and Tharchions really want an extra upheaval?
Thus, "strategical interests of Thay!" is a great pretext to push for preservation of status quo. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 18 Jun 2015 : 18:05:37
quote:
Originally posted by Ilmarinnen
Pleased to see that your campaign goes on!
So it does. There is even more Realms-shattering news:
Further update of military situation in Unther in the spring of 1373 DR in my personal campaign:
The capture of Red Haven was such a tremendous blow to the logistical chain of the Mulhorandi armies in the Methtir (north of Unther) that Jmj-r Mas Lord Nekhet Ir-en Ramathant felt justified in bypassing Shussel with his tired Re division and taking them on an immediate forced march to Red Haven, sending orders that the supplies were to follow them. Lord Nekhet is certain that his cavalry can reach Red Haven in a day and a half and if they alone cannot take it, the rest of the army will catch up before three days are up.
The supreme commander of the war in Unther, Jmj-r Mse Wr
('General of all the Armies') Lord Khemenhet Mese-en Helcaliant; Sword of the King, Torchbearer of the Eternal, Beloved of the King, Sole Companion, was concerned that the Re division had been sustaining a fairly high operating tempo for the past tenday on half rations, and its horses were worked to the bone, but as is his practice, he defered to the general on the scene. Lord Khemenhet contended himself with organising and leading a strong relief column from Unthalass to Red Haven, bringing plenty of food, feed for the horses, remounts and siege equipment.
While exhausted men and horses of the Re division rested over the darkest period of night, after some sixteen hours of hard marching on very little food, their commander got shattering news. Shussel, less than 20 miles behind the rearmost elements of the Re division, had been invaded from the sea. The garrison proved unable to hold the walls and retreated into an inner keep. The walls of Shussel and most of the city therefore belongs to Free Unther and Purple Reign.
The Rumatheb division is 46 miles away from Shussel by coastal road. While light units without supply wagons could easily make that march in two days, the deliberate Jmj-r Mas ('General') Lord High Priest Rakhnan Ir-en Ramathant; Defender of the Faithful, Hammer of the Sky, Third Prophet of Anhur, is much more likely to take his time and arrive with his entire command in good order in the evening of the fourth day.
That is, if Lord High Priest Rakhnan decides to march at all. The Re division is closer to Shussel and the general in charge of it, Lord Nekhet, has greatly downplayed his supply difficulties and the exhaustion of his men and horses in reports to the high command and his fellow generals. Unless Lord High Priest Rakhnan has privileged information from the headquarters of his fellow Anhur-worshipper at the head of the Re division, he may not realise that the most powerful field army of Mulhorand is on its last legs.
On the other hand, last legs or not, the army outnumbers the invaders of Shussel by almost five to one. Where we last broke off the session, it was early morning and the PCs could already see the clouds of dust as the vanguard of the Re division rushed back to Shussel. The cavalry will be there before noon and the least-exhausted infantry will start arriving a couple of hours after that.
Purple Reign now has a significant cavalry force of their own, which was dispatched from the Methwood a few days ago to take up a waiting position and graze on the Methtir, near the Enlil Road between Shussel and Red Haven. Assuming that the officers left in charge were competent, the horses were as healthy as they seemed and no unforseen problems with remounting the volunteers and forming them into units have arisen, the PCs should dispose of some 3,000-4,000 more-or-less fresh cavalry to match against the 1,000 exhausted cavalry of the Re division.
If the cavalry officers chosen by the PCs are exceptional in iniative and ability, the cavalry of the Re division will arrive even more exhausted, due to having to cover the flanks of the marching army from cavalry raids. The foremost of these officers, Amir naib Saleh ben Rana, is a veteran career soldier in the service of the Emir of Zindalankh and has a formidable reputation as commander of the guard cavalry of his master and pitiless hunters of rebels and bandits. It will be interesting to see how he does playing raider, rather than hunting them.
The Free Unther/Purple Reign cavalry, as well as a force of hobgoblin mercenaries hired by Purple Reign, will link up with Shagina ('General') Azam Bahadur Oriseus and some 3,000 of his men to the north of Shussel. They will hopefully be in position to attack the Re division on the dawn of the next day. Of course, even linked up with the cavalry, Shagina Oriseus' army is far too weak to break the Re division in a proper field battle. Shagina Oriseus' hope is that the Re division will be strung out, tired to death and impossible to rally into any semblence of a battle formation.
Until then, some 3,000 men of Purple Reign or Free Unther will have to prevent more than 5,000 prisoners and more than 15,000 civilians from making trouble inside Shussel, keep a lid on the inner keep where some 500 Mulhorandi still reside and defend the southern gate and wall from assaults. That promises to be a lively time. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 09 Mar 2015 : 14:21:51
quote:
Originally posted by Icelander
Lord Dama's Non-Slaves, Ruduk and the Intentions of Zulkir Lauzoril in Unther
With the death of Lord Dama, Ruduk the Red Wizard spy of Lauzoril has slowly increased his sway over the surviving members of Lord Dama's Non-Slaves. Using both magical suggestion, strategic Charm spells on weak-willed members and regular political maneuvering, Ruduk has become the most powerful member of the faction, though he prefers to rule from behind the scenes.
Over the years, I imagine that the militant ad hoc organisation of former slaves and revolutionary opponents of slavery which the Non-Slaves began as has by necessity taken on a less ad hoc format. I imagine that they've formed a ruling council to control the parts of Messermprar where they hold sway (much of the docks) and that they have spokesmen whom they send to deal with the other factions in the city.
The Non-Slaves were, in my campaign, not represented on the Shibutu*, but instead have gotten a lot of informal concessions from the PCs of the Purple Reign and the Northern Wizards, who appear to be moving towards an abolition** of slavery in Free Unther. The PCs have hired Marius the Valiant*** to be their general in the field and are recruiting soldiers among the Non-slaves, paying and treating those who have the skills as any other middle-class professonals, regardless of their legal status and slave marks.
Ruduk has, in the years from 1357-1371 DR, presumably used his influence among the Non-Slaves initially to aid the cause of rebellion and seperation from Gilgeam's Unther. Once Gilgeam had fallen, anti-slavery agitation in Messemprar still served a useful purpose for Thay and Lauzoril, in that it weakened the rump-regime of former Gilgeamite nobles in Unther and reduced the chances for any unified Unther.
With the invasion of the Mulhorandi, however, destabilising Unther no longer serves the purposes of Lauzoril or Thay. Strengthening the cause of Free Unther and resistance to the invasion, however, does. So, ironically, both before and after the invasion of Unther by the Mulhorandi, the evil foreign influence of Lauzoril on the Non-Slaves had the effect of making Ruduk the foremost champion for Non-Slaves support for the Northern Wizards in Messemprar.
As a side project, I imagine that Ruduk deserves quite a bit of the credit for somehow ensuring enough tolerance among the fairly xenophobic Untheri for them to allow the large, powerful and comperatively well-regarded Thayan Enclave we see in Messemprar in The Alabaster Staff.
The most likely path for reducing Non-Slave opposition to Thay would be to focus their anti-slavery agitation on Unther. Crafting political slogans and ideals like 'Remove the Scourge of Slavery from Untheri Soil Before We Castigate Others for their Societies' would be a good use of Ruduk's influence. Even 'Let Slaver Fight Slaver and the Non-Slaves Rejoice.'
Of course, it is entirely possible that Ruduk has developed goals and desires of his own in all the long years he has been Lauzoril's spy in Messemprar. It would, if anything, be fairly implausible if he did not. Should those goals not accord completely with Lauzoril's, however, the Zulkir of Enchantment is a dangerous man to cross.
What about Lauzoril's goals now? What does he desire to do with his political influence over just one of Messemprar's political factions, neither the most influential, powerful nor dynamic?
Does he desire Ruduk and the Non-Slaves to continue helping the Northern Wizards and the Purple Reign, earning their political goodwill in hopes that he will find some use for it later?
Does he continue to do this even if there seems to be some realistic hope for a Free Unther victory which might leave the Northern Wizards and their allies ruling much of north Unther?
And that they might desire to end slavery there?
How important is it to Lauzoril that northern Unther should be a source of slaves for him and the rest of Thay, vs. any hypothetical advantages that would result if they are a neutral polity and trade partner for everything other than slaves?
On one hand, having a counterweight to the resurgent Mulhorandi Empire is important enough so that almost any economic sacrifice on the part of Thay seems justified. On the other hand, immense short-term gains might be realised through allowing Free Unther to self-destruct in a civil war between the worst factions there, all of whom would compete for Thayan aid and be willing to sell any captives into slavery at cut-rate prices.
On the third tentacle, Lauzoril is not about short-term plans.
Still, it seems somewhat unfairly serendipitious for my PCs that a political faction that they have chosen to champion should be infiltrated by an evil Red Wizard spy who more-or-less runs it behind the scenes, but through mercilessly pragmatic real-politik, actually decides that loyal and efficient service to the PCs' goals best serves the interests of his mysterious master.
*Council of Elders, more-or-less an appointed council of Northern Wizards and representatives of other powerful factions in the city who has the same authority in Messemprar as a Governor/Great Lord appointed by Gilgeam used to have.
**Though the Northern Wizards are not unanimous on the subject themselves and, at any rate, are far from having enough political clout to be able to enforce any such huge societal change in Messemprar, let alone anywhere outside it.
***From Gold and Glory.
Like this. I especially like the one piece you mention near the end, because that's EXACTLY where my mind went.
"all of whom would compete for Thayan aid and be willing to sell any captives into slavery at cut-rate prices"
Yes, this "reformed" country may abhor its own people being turned into slaves and/or having their enemies as slaves within their own borders. However, they are corrupt enough that I could see them quietly turning over captives to Thayans for the purposes of mind-reaming them for secrets (and letting the Thayans keep them as payment). The question is, what would the Thayans do with these essentially useful soldiers? I don't see Lauzoril taking perfectly useful warriors and turning them into slaves that you grind to nothing in mines. Especially not the leaders. Might they be enchanted with powerful mind controls in place, then turned back over to their homeland, to serve as spies within the ranks of the Mulhorandi. Maybe they are imbued with powerful magics (and the spells to hide such) and sent back as living bombs to explode within the Mulhorandi houses of worship? Maybe they are sent back to assassinate and/or kidnap key members of the royal families (maybe the children who are not old enough to have developed any combat skills)? Maybe they are simply sent back to gather information and leave it in notes at specified collection points? What are some other uses that Lauzoril might find for such individuals beyond simply using them as soldiers? |
| Ilmarinnen |
Posted - 07 Mar 2015 : 09:29:07
Pleased to see that your campaign goes on!
|
| Icelander |
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 12:38:20
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
A long (but welcome) time between drinks. Nice lore.
-- George Krashos
Thank you.
Yes, I haven't exactly been updating the scholars of Candlekeep on recent events in my campaign.
Current Military Situation in Northern Unther in the spring of 1373 DR in My Campaign
Wyrm Princess Shudu-Ab, Breat of the Red Ravager, ably aided by the PCs, a large number of Northern Wizards and the Great Bone Wyrm, the Dragon King of Old Unther, won a great victory near Sadamzar, as one of the three field armies of the Mulhorandi (the Ramman division) was shattered.
The true mastermind of the strategy behind the victory is a fairly young green dracolich in the service of the Great Bone Wyrm, the short version of whose name is Chlorthanaca. She has a gift for military strategy and while dragonic cavalry is not a new idea, her use of dragons to ferry elite troops behind enemy lines and to poison water sources and attack logistics units was certainly entirely beyond the imagination of the Mulhorandi commanders.
The largest field army of the Mulhorandi, the Re division, was unable to resist the lure of a large Untheri army marching to meet them over the old Enlil road from Shussel to Messemprar. Despite concerns over the logistical situation, they marched to meet them and the day after the defeat of the Anhurites in the west in the Battle of Sadamzar, the Re division won a resounding victory over Reshbel (Lord/Count) Belsarra-usur Mar-Igmilum ('Son of Igmilum'); sa Hay-Gudea (of the House of Gudea), a young and impatient lord among the senior military men who had finally managed to get Lord Ungred to approve offensive operations.
Some six thousand Untheri fell on the battlefield, while only five hundred Mulhorandi died in the battle. Among the dead was Kamran Shaahzaadeh el-Gilgeam, one of several self-proclaimed sons and heirs of Gilgeam, as well as several hundred of his fanatical followers. Reshbel Belsarra-usur also fell in the front lines, along with all of his personal guard and the remnants of his regiments.
Three acknowledged heirs to ancient Untheri noble houses and two claimants to estates whose legal heirs profess allegiance to the Mulhorandi invaders were also killed in the disastrous battle. All of the slain noblemen were young and courageous to the point of impetuousness, which is why they were leading their men in the vanguard and why they did not fall back when the more seasoned parts of the army started to retreat in good order.
While Ba'al Ungred, Sepah-Salar and Sardar e-Azam of all the armies of Unther, lost some two thousand men who had sworn him personal allegiance, many of those were officered by nobles who chafed under his calm and reasoned approach to warfare. And while Sardar e-Methtir ('Governor-General of the Methtir') Horat contributed the same amount of soldiers to the composite army which marched against the Mulhorandi Re Division, the losses among his men were much more severe than those among Ba'al Ungred's men. All in all, while the defeat on the Methtir Imperial Road was a disaster for Untheri arms, it has left Ba'al Ungred in an even stronger political position than before.
After the Battle of the Methtir Enlil Road, the Re division attempted to pursue the defeated Untheri army. Both combatants disposed of almost 20,000 men before the battle, so the Mulhorandi had a substantial advantage in men after it. The divided loyalties of the Untheri command and elite troops meant that Jmj-r Mas ('General') Lord Nekhet Ir-en Ramathant; Lance of Victory, Conqueror of Greenfields, believed he could shatter the Untheri entirely and reduce their resistance to scattered ship-bourne task forces around the coast and the Methmere, formiddable perhaps, but unable to meet an army in the field.
As about a fifth of the Re division are native Mulhorandi, either from the Pharoah's army or temple guards of Horus-Re, and another fifth are long-serving Chessentan mercenaries who speak fluent Mulhorandi and have a vested interest in Mulhorandi culture, the Re division is even stronger than its bare numbers would indicate. The fact that the Untheri have no cavalry with their field army and the Re division is spearheaded by 500 Royal heavy cataphract lancers riding Raurin chargers and also have 300 mercenary lancers (from Durpar and Sespech) and 200 mercenary light cavalry (from the Wizard Reach), means that the retreat of the Untheri was a dicey proposition at best.
On the other hand, the Mulhorandi Re division did not have the logistical train to give extended pursuit. While there were many oxen, mules, pack horses and wagons stockpiled in Shussel for a spring campaign, the damage to the harbour there and the subsequent blockade had caused the military transport system and attendant labourers to be repurposed to help local farmers take in the harvest, which became a vital military necessity once grain, beer, legumes and rice from Mulhorand could no longer be shipped in.
For several days, cavalry and light infantry from the Re division followed the retreating Untheri main army, cutting down stragglers and attempting to ride over the rear guard. Skilful handling by a young Untheri noble who succeeded to command of the army and his veteran advisor prevented any further disaster, however, and the skirmishing merely succeeded in exhausting both sides.
The Re division was already heading back to Shussel, to requip and rendervous with their wagon train, when their supplies were further interrupted by attacks on supply wagons by flying mages and archers. Having been on half rations for several days, this infuriated the soldiers, but high morale and good discipline prevented any riots or mutinies. Shussel is fairly bursting with supplies and while oxen are beginning to be scarce, there are plenty of horses and mules collected there.
---
In the meantime, the Rumatheb division of the coast has fortified its position just south of Ishkur Bay, where the small fishing village of Nanshe is located about two or three days march north of Shussel up the coast. They are facing an about equal number of Untheri and Purple Reign mercenaries, who have also fortified their position, a strong natural fortress of a series of caves in a mountainside by the sea. The Free Unther forces are supplied from the sea, through the natural harbour of Nanshe, but the volume of traffic is much more than just supplying them would require.
Unknown to the Mulhorandi, the Free Unther forces have been steadily reducing their garrison in Nanshe and finally leave only some 400 veteran light infantry and 400 less seasoned light troops in place, with orders to march around and give an illusion of great activity. As 800 men could never hold Iskhkur Bay against almost ten thousand, they have strict orders to fall back immediately if they face a serious attack.
---
The reduction of the garrison at Iskhkur Bay and the absence of some 5,000 of the best troops on the Free Unther side in the field battle on the Methtir Enlil Road both have the same explanation. It is no part of the strategic plan of the Free Unther forces to fight the Mulhorandi army to army on an open field. The goal is to starve the enormously powerful field armies of the Pharoah out of the Methtir by blockading their harbours, seizing their supply towns and raiding their logistics.
Just last session, in an ampibious assault where some forty ships and almost a hundred boats were used, the Purple Reign mercenary company, aided by the mercanary company Hardeth's Hammers and allied with the Untheri General Azam Bahadur Oriseus and some of his men, both Untheri and Chessentan mercenaries under a man named Commander Nikolaos Bloodmane, seized the Mulhorandi-held port of Red Haven.
This has put the Re division and the Rumatheb division of the coast in northern Unther in a very precarious supply situation. Basically, they are now entirely dependent on seaborne supply through Shussel and given the recent firebombings of the port there and the Purple Reign patrols of the sea lanes that lead there, it is doubtful that enough food can make it through.
The Mulhorandi might have to significantly reduce the food they supply to their Untheri work force and the Untheri slaves they have made temple slaves. This would probably cost them what little popular support they have among the conquered Untheri and result in terrorism and revolution spreading even in those provinces where the Mulhorandi have previously considered themselves safe. |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 11:53:18
A long (but welcome) time between drinks. Nice lore.
-- George Krashos |
| Icelander |
Posted - 28 Jan 2015 : 11:10:39
Lord Dama's Non-Slaves, Ruduk and the Intentions of Zulkir Lauzoril in Unther
With the death of Lord Dama, Ruduk the Red Wizard spy of Lauzoril has slowly increased his sway over the surviving members of Lord Dama's Non-Slaves. Using both magical suggestion, strategic Charm spells on weak-willed members and regular political maneuvering, Ruduk has become the most powerful member of the faction, though he prefers to rule from behind the scenes.
Over the years, I imagine that the militant ad hoc organisation of former slaves and revolutionary opponents of slavery which the Non-Slaves began as has by necessity taken on a less ad hoc format. I imagine that they've formed a ruling council to control the parts of Messermprar where they hold sway (much of the docks) and that they have spokesmen whom they send to deal with the other factions in the city.
The Non-Slaves were, in my campaign, not represented on the Shibutu*, but instead have gotten a lot of informal concessions from the PCs of the Purple Reign and the Northern Wizards, who appear to be moving towards an abolition** of slavery in Free Unther. The PCs have hired Marius the Valiant*** to be their general in the field and are recruiting soldiers among the Non-slaves, paying and treating those who have the skills as any other middle-class professonals, regardless of their legal status and slave marks.
Ruduk has, in the years from 1357-1371 DR, presumably used his influence among the Non-Slaves initially to aid the cause of rebellion and seperation from Gilgeam's Unther. Once Gilgeam had fallen, anti-slavery agitation in Messemprar still served a useful purpose for Thay and Lauzoril, in that it weakened the rump-regime of former Gilgeamite nobles in Unther and reduced the chances for any unified Unther.
With the invasion of the Mulhorandi, however, destabilising Unther no longer serves the purposes of Lauzoril or Thay. Strengthening the cause of Free Unther and resistance to the invasion, however, does. So, ironically, both before and after the invasion of Unther by the Mulhorandi, the evil foreign influence of Lauzoril on the Non-Slaves had the effect of making Ruduk the foremost champion for Non-Slaves support for the Northern Wizards in Messemprar.
As a side project, I imagine that Ruduk deserves quite a bit of the credit for somehow ensuring enough tolerance among the fairly xenophobic Untheri for them to allow the large, powerful and comperatively well-regarded Thayan Enclave we see in Messemprar in The Alabaster Staff.
The most likely path for reducing Non-Slave opposition to Thay would be to focus their anti-slavery agitation on Unther. Crafting political slogans and ideals like 'Remove the Scourge of Slavery from Untheri Soil Before We Castigate Others for their Societies' would be a good use of Ruduk's influence. Even 'Let Slaver Fight Slaver and the Non-Slaves Rejoice.'
Of course, it is entirely possible that Ruduk has developed goals and desires of his own in all the long years he has been Lauzoril's spy in Messemprar. It would, if anything, be fairly implausible if he did not. Should those goals not accord completely with Lauzoril's, however, the Zulkir of Enchantment is a dangerous man to cross.
What about Lauzoril's goals now? What does he desire to do with his political influence over just one of Messemprar's political factions, neither the most influential, powerful nor dynamic?
Does he desire Ruduk and the Non-Slaves to continue helping the Northern Wizards and the Purple Reign, earning their political goodwill in hopes that he will find some use for it later?
Does he continue to do this even if there seems to be some realistic hope for a Free Unther victory which might leave the Northern Wizards and their allies ruling much of north Unther?
And that they might desire to end slavery there?
How important is it to Lauzoril that northern Unther should be a source of slaves for him and the rest of Thay, vs. any hypothetical advantages that would result if they are a neutral polity and trade partner for everything other than slaves?
On one hand, having a counterweight to the resurgent Mulhorandi Empire is important enough so that almost any economic sacrifice on the part of Thay seems justified. On the other hand, immense short-term gains might be realised through allowing Free Unther to self-destruct in a civil war between the worst factions there, all of whom would compete for Thayan aid and be willing to sell any captives into slavery at cut-rate prices.
On the third tentacle, Lauzoril is not about short-term plans.
Still, it seems somewhat unfairly serendipitious for my PCs that a political faction that they have chosen to champion should be infiltrated by an evil Red Wizard spy who more-or-less runs it behind the scenes, but through mercilessly pragmatic real-politik, actually decides that loyal and efficient service to the PCs' goals best serves the interests of his mysterious master.
*Council of Elders, more-or-less an appointed council of Northern Wizards and representatives of other powerful factions in the city who has the same authority in Messemprar as a Governor/Great Lord appointed by Gilgeam used to have.
**Though the Northern Wizards are not unanimous on the subject themselves and, at any rate, are far from having enough political clout to be able to enforce any such huge societal change in Messemprar, let alone anywhere outside it.
***From Gold and Glory. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 01 Jul 2013 : 03:38:24
My campaign, is, as noted earlier, set in the year 1373 DR. It's now spring and the events of the Alabaster Staff have taken place, more or less as depicted in the novel*.
The actions of the PCs and their allies have also significantly improved the strategic situation for Free Unther, in that Messemprar is no longer besieged. Instead, it forms the center of an explosion of trade and economic activity, as shipping controlled or encouraged by Purple Reign** moves in incredible amounts of foreign experts, weaponry, food and a variety of goods necessary for the projects going on there.
In turn, Messemprar exports the treasures hoarded by the leaders of various factions and whatever they can capture from the Mulhorandi, but the fragile coalition of faction-leaders (led by the Northern Wizards) need a more permanent source of income soon. Before that can happen, they'll have to somehow stop the war, ideally without giving up so much of what used to be Unther that they cannot feed their own population.
Given the much improved strategic situation, the expected spring offensives of the Mulhorandi are unlikely to succeed. It is, in fact, all but impossible that they should take Messemprar this year and any sober and realistic Mulhorandi commander will realise this. On the other hand, if Sadamzar falls, the Mulhorandi will control the Methmere and what remains of Free Unther will essentially be reduced to a city-state with a strong navy, but ultimately too little hinterland to survive.
So out of the three offensives that the Mulhorandi planned, the one aimed to take Sadamzar, at least, will go on as planned. And Messemprar has no choice other than to send a relief force, even if Rasid Uhl, the governor of Sadamzar, is not a part of their fragile coalition yet and, indeed, is not acceptable to many members there.***
The relief column will be a joint effort of the Church of Tiamat, a few nobles who have rejected the Gilgeam regime, the Zhentarim and iindividuals supported by the Banites of Mourktar as well as the Great Bone Wyrm. These were the forces with enough mobility to go immediately, as well as connections in the area.
Yes, I'm aware that this will probably not go well, but that's what you get when you have fragile coalitions.
Given the events of the Alabaster Staff, Tiglath is no longer in charge. Shudu-Ab is. This changes a lot and she has brought some of the priests who were previously behind Mulhorandi lines to Messemprar with her in order to press her claim to the leadership of Free Unther.
Due to PC action, her strong right hand, Kedrak Gilbane, Lord High Marshal of the Knights of the Five-Thorned Rose, has been killed. His proposed replacement has also died of PC-related injuries, mostly due to having been a front-runner for reasons of personal prowess rather than intellectual rigour.
The Knights of the Five-Thorned Rose therefore need a new Lord High Marshal. This one will be selected by Shudu-Ab for his abilities as a general and commander, rather than personal enforcer. I expect her to have a rather reduced pool of applicants, having lost the top two from the Knights, but there must be a young and likely lad among them who can be groomed for military greatness.
I'm looking for suggestions on what kind of character I should introduce as the new candidate for Tiamat's top military commander in the field. Obviously, Shudu-Ab will have the actual prestigious title and in the years between the rise of Tiamat and the invasion of Mulhorand, she gained some experience at this sort of thing, but she's a priestess and not a military man. She needs a strong right hand, chief training officer, assistant strategist, subordinate general, etc.
The odds are very high that he'll have experience in leading Tiamat forces in Unther, either dating all the way back to the war between Tiamat and Gilgeam, or at least during the period between 1358-1371, when Unther was essentially divided between rival warlords, some of whom were fighting for Tiamat.
She'll also be looking for intelligence and leadership quality, more than personal prowess, having learned her lesson. It wouldn't hurt if he looked likely to develop into a popular hero figure to the common people, but I'm guessing if the Cult of Tiamat had anyone with great gifts in that line, they'd have used him already. Still, she'd be willing to bet on a young prospect that looked like he could maybe develop into something, rather than go with a known quantity that would be adequate from the start, but never anything more.
I'm also looking for suggestions on mid-ranking commanders in her force. I think that several bandit lords and a lot of the pirates in Untheri waters might fight under Tiamat's banner and for this relief column to Sadamzar, they are all being called together.
So I'll aim to have one pirate "admiral", a canny and politically astute corsair who has survived from Gilgeam to the current era by being simultaneously more ruthless and more cautious than his rivals. Someone who might have embraced Tiamat's teaching due to it providing benefits for someone already outside the law, but come to believe in it through long association, at least somewhat. Haven't fleshed him out and would welcome suggestions.
I also want at least three and probably more bandit lords. Ideally around six major figures, bringing more than four hundred men to the column and commanding more which haven't come down from the highlands. Some will lead mountain or highland tribes which have always been regarded as bandits by the "civilised" Untheri of the lowlands, others will lead bands united less by ethnicity than by being outcasts from society around them.
Does anyone care to propose ideas for these NPCs? I don't care much about stats, just about the "fluff" that makes them unique. Names, appearance, histories, personalities, allegiances, rivalries, goals, etc.
*The PCs were elsewhere at the time, having visited Messemprar just before and just after the novel took place.
**The trading company, mercenary company and all-around powerhouse controlled by the PCs. The founders have Sembian and Cormyrean roots; but the merchant house is headquartered in Ravens Bluff and has important bases in Impiltur (they handle a huge volume of trade through Lyrabar), in Telflamm (with close connections to the Shadowmasters), on the Pirate Isles (on the newly captured Isle of Tan), in the Vilhon Reach (Reth is their main recruiting station for mercenaries) and smaller bases spread around the Inner Sea from the Dragon Coast, throughout Sembia (with a small base in Marsember) and the Wizard Reach. They also have outposts in Thay and those are expected to grow fast, as they have a good relationship with the more sensible and mercantile elite among the Red Wizards.
***Under the Gilgeam regime, he was a mere stableboy, of despised Shaaran-descent, in the royal chariotry. He rose to the status of a junior officer for courage on the battlefield under the loyalist regime that endured in southern Unther after Gilgeam's death and in the battles after the Mulhorandi invasion, he distinguished himself and collected a strong force of loyal freedom fighters. Unfortunately, he also murdered the legitimate general of the army in taking over the remnants. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 20 Nov 2011 : 22:44:23
Very interesting.
Ziyatum-saltaneh hasn't appeared much in my own campaign. The PCs refused him a meeting* the last time they were in Messemprar and he didn't get a council seat. That being said, old Alasklerbanbastos is set to become very important to the city, as he offers help in the form of flights of dragons. So I have no doubt that my players will make his acquintance. So far, Alasklerbanbastos has communicated with Messemprar through Tiamat priests, but the Cult of the Dragon/Tiamat tangle means that people in Unther who worship dragons might belong to any of at least three factions... or all of them.
I put an 'orthodox' faction of Dragon Cultists in the Uthangol Mountains. These belong to the Peleveran cell and are there to convince several dragons to become dracoliches. It will be interesting to see how they deal with the Banite-dominated Mourktar cell and the Tiamat-dominated Untheri cells.
*They were besieged by supplicants, some seeking gifts of food, some seeking passage out of the city, some wanting to hire foreign mercenaries; and they had no way to know which of them were important. So they only met with those who had impressive titles that they could verify or those who had letters of introduction from someone they were already doing business with. |
| MalariaMoon |
Posted - 20 Nov 2011 : 09:09:00
The PCs in my Threskel campaign spent a year as the guardians of a nascent gold rush town (called Golden Greaves) located on one of the wilder stretches of the River of Metals. As news of the town’s wealth spread, various different powers tried to exert their authority over it (geographically it existed in the untamed no-man’s land between Threskel and Unther).
One of these intrigues involved Ziyatum-saltaneh, who initially made diplomatic overtures towards Golden Greaves. These included the gift of a beautiful harem girl to the Lord of the town – a girl whose beauty was so potent (via magical assistance) that she was accepted even though it seemed obvious she was a spy. After falling in love with one of the PCs (who was himself an escaped slave of Unther) her loyalties changed, but this in turn caused a rift between the PCs and the Lord of Golden Greaves, who was quite obsessed with the slave girl.
After attempts to influence Golden Greaves through politics and intrigue (via rabble-rousers amongst Golden Greaves’s population of rough and ready prospectors) failed, Ziyatum-saltaneh sent a small army up the River of Metals with the blessing of Gilgeam (ostensibly to reclaim lost slaves, who made up a significant proportion of the town’s population). With the help of magic and some well-judged rockslides, the PCs were able to rout Ziyatum-saltaneh’s force. However, Golden Greaves was destroyed a few months later by a rampaging dragon. The campaign hasn’t made much progress beyond this point
The eventual intention is to develop Alaskerbanbastos as the main villain in the campaign. At present, my campaign is pre-Time of Troubles; Gilgeam has not fallen and Messemprar is not besieged. I noted Ziyatum-saltaneh’s connections with the Great Bone Wyrm, and his mining interests - he seemed a good fit for an off scene protagonist who could reappear (years) later in the campaign as a proxy of Alaskerbanbastos.
|
| Icelander |
Posted - 18 Nov 2011 : 13:43:23
quote:
Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Once again Icelander, thanks for sharing your incredibly detailed look at Messemprar. One of your NPCs even found his way into my Threskel campaign!
May one inquire what NPC that was? |
| MalariaMoon |
Posted - 18 Nov 2011 : 11:45:29
Once again Icelander, thanks for sharing your incredibly detailed look at Messemprar. One of your NPCs even found his way into my Threskel campaign! |
| Icelander |
Posted - 17 Nov 2011 : 14:43:47
Shibutu of Messemprar
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Shurlash, Defender of Messemprar (Wiz15th/ArcDev3rd (Mystra)). A man of average height and build; bald with white sideburns, with a striking aristocratic face deeply lined with experience. Shurlash exudes a tangible aura of power and authority. Capable of secrecy and even ruthless action, he is nevertheless unused to politics or the manipulation of others.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Nimrud el-Ishtar (Wiz15th). Running to fat, passions for food and lechery somewhat obvious from his leering countenance. Pessimistic by nature, but believes that one must seize pleasure when one can, as the future may well be worse.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Ubarum Bronzehand (Wiz6th/HavocMage5th/ArgentSav5th; 13th CL). Was a mild-mannered youth among the senior apprentices when the slave uprising started in 1357 DR. Now he's a hardened battlemage of thirty winters; having stood against Shurupakk the Reaver, the armies of Unther, Chessentan mercenaries, the forces of Tiamat, the Gray Ghosts of Furifax and the armies of the Pharoah. His right hand is an enchanted prosthetic of bronze, the relic of Shurupakk's rampage against the Northern Wizards, and countless other battles have lined his handsome Mulan face with scars and weary caution. Always accompanied by his blink dog, Urimi.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Khazara of Greenfields (Wiz12th/Cle2nd). Buxom woman in her forties, apple-cheeked and blond haired. Worshipper of Ishtar in her bountiful aspect and as the mistress of loving marriage. Married to a lay worshipper of Ishtar (Meskalamdug; Fig8th/DivChamp5th; handsome golden man with dark hair); now the commander of the temple guard as well as work parties of the faithful.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Tammuz the Charmed (Wiz13th). Young man in his thirties with brownish red curly hair and a boyish face. Impulsive, light-spirited and overconfident.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Enheduana of Mystra (Wiz8th/ArcDev5th (Mystra)); former apprentice and lover of Larsa. Gorgeous (Persian) slim beauty with glittering dark eyes and high cheekbones. In her early thirties.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Amata el-Ishtar (Exp2nd/Wiz10th); long-time lover of Nimrud, leader of a cult of sacred prostitutes. In her early forties, extremely long and luxurious wavy black hair, daring see-through silk robes and graceful, statuesque body. Warm hazel eyes like molten honey.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Dadanum (Exp2nd/Wiz5th/Loremaster4th). Old man more concerned with his researches than with politics or even attaining the rank of Wizard. Irascible if disturbed, but otherwise disinterested and immersed in arcane intricacies of the religious practices of the ancient Turami. Has some slight Turami blood and cuts his beard in a squarish pattern, as well as painting two circles on his forehead.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Bashaa (Wiz9th); sole surviving apprentice of Ziusudra. Young man in his thirties who looks prematurely aged by cares and a hard life, thinning black hair and a downy beard. Looked upon as a coward by his peers, but secretly burns to shed that label and avenge the inglorious death of his master to Shurupakk (while begging for mercy as a hostage). Offers to Mystra and Ishtar, but feels no strong connection to either.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Gemakaa of Ishtar (Wiz7th/Cleric3rd/MysTheur1st). Beautiful dusky lady who is a former apprentice of Nimrud; then of Khazara and Utuhegel.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor Ishme-qusu (Wiz5th/Loremas4th). A brilliant scholar who has studied under Shurlash, Larsa and even Isimud of the Enclave. Specialises in portal and transport magics. Rather small and slight man in his early forties, bald and pale, with deep-set dark eyes. Deeply conservative and distrustful of foreigners. Refuses to speak Common, but deigns to converse in any ancient tongue.
[Northern Wizards] Councilor: Shaqilat (Soc9th). Former apprentice of Asshurat the sorceress. Beautiful woman of Turami ancestry in her mid-thirties, with brown hair and eyes and a voluptuous body. Always on the watch for traitors from within, but not averse to a peace settlement that would see the citizens of Messemprar safe. Offers to both goddesses, but feels slightly more resonance with Mystra.
[Military] Councilor: General Ba’l Ungred, Sardaar-e Unthalass (Arist6th/Fig4th). Ba’l Ungred is the highest ranking military man that survived the summer campaign. He was previously commander of the Unthalass militia and reserves and thus commanded the largest group of soldier in the beaten Untheri army. He's an educated minor nobleman whose courtly manners are better than most of the high nobles, well-groomed and very literate. He's seen more than seventy winters, but his health is still good and he still has an eye for nubile maidens to be his wives, good wine and poetry. He wants to preserve the glory that was Unther and to that end he strives to keep the disparate noblemen and military officers under his command united.
[Military] Councilor: [Great Lord] Belbanda Horat Annunakizâde; Sardaar-e Messemprar (Arist5th). The third son of the previous Great Lord of Messemprar (slain by Shurlash of the Northern Wizards), this petty, vindictive man wields great power simply because of his appointment shorty before the ToT as the General of Messemprar's armies. He is fundamentally timid man and hopes that someone else will take the initiative in difficult matters. Consequently, he has nagged endlessly to Ba'l Ungred on the subject of seizing power in the city from the Northern Wizards. Horat is short and pudgy, with a smooth and fresh face that makes him look younger than his thirty years. He is cultivating a plaited beard to go with his long perfumed hair, but it is still sparse everywhere except on his neck and jawline.
[Military] Councilor: Reshbel Ekurzakir Mar-Shu-Turul; sa Hay-Hasmanu. A noble from the vicinity of Firetrees. In his forties, fat and indolent, perfumed and oiled. Gold rings in his black beard. Horrified by foreign gods and foreign customs; wishes to live as he did before the war, insulated from all the disgusting things in the world.
[Judicial] Councilor: Bel Dayyanu Tudmaratu-al-Mamaalek; sa Hay-Sapalulme. Tall, imperious man with a stony countenance dominated by a hook nose and a carefully groomed beard. Devoted to the ideal of the law, specifically the gruesome punishment of the guilty, but utterly without personal foibles. Seeks a new Unther under a new En-Lugal (God-King), who is Untheric and respects the law and traditions. Careful not to voice his personal feelings, only speaks to safeguard the law and the customs.
[Judicial] Councilor: Dayyanu sa sarri Mirza Arghisti Mar-Keret. Oily little man with long black hair and carefully groomed moustache and goatee. Started his service to Gilgeam as a judicial scribe, but rose to his current position on the strength of his agile mind and flexible morality. Has been influencing his decisions according to financial inducements and, in the name of a crony (Ur-Shulgi; a merchant of the artisan’s quarter), owns several slave enterprises, including four brothels, several pottery shops, a livery and porter concern and a street cleaning enterprise.
[Judicial] Councilor: Ishram-al-Mamaalek, sa Hay-Thamorutu, Sardaar-e Thamor (Aristo2nd/Fig10th). Ambitious scion of an established family who wants to carve out a place in any Unther that will remain, preferably a large piece. Indifferent as to how large Unther will be or how it will be ruled, except inasmuch as it will reflect on his prize. Worshipper of Bane and wants an influx of Zhentarim trade and is not averse to other trade as well. In his late forties, looks very military with his imposing height, disciplined strong body, groomed black beard and handsome lordly face.
[Religious] Councilor: Breath of the Red Ravager Shudu-Ab; Wyrm Princess of the Dark Scaly Ones; High Priestess of the Altar of Scales in Unthalass and the Secret Hoard in Messemprar (SpecPriest18th). A vicious woman of darkly regal and icy beauty, Shudu-Ab intends to use her position at the head of Tiamat’s church in Unther to the fullest. Unther has always been ruled in the name of deities and now that the Nemesis of the Gods has succeeded in overthrowing Gilgeam, it is time for the Dark Lady to rule.
[Religious] Councilor: Nin-dam Utuhegel of Ishtar (Cle6th/Wiz3rd/MysTheu5th). Middle-aged mother figure who is weary of seeing her flock starve and die for the old nobility of Unther. Wants to take any help that is offered and is secretly for a peace at any price, even concessions of independence to the Pharoah.
[Religious] Councilor: Sipu Anaepada; Ensi of the Old Faith (SpePriest11th). Very old man who radiates calm benevolence and wisdom. Spends much of his time among the common people, listening to their woes and soothing their pain. Extremely conservative, but harkens back to a past before Gilgeam’s fall from grace and thus in favour of removing some of the newer changes to Unther’s legal system. By the tenets of his faith, rejects Tiamat absolutely, and condemns Thayans and the followers of Assuran. Shaves his head and face, wears a white wraparound kilt with runes of azure (Enlil), scarlet (Girru), orange (Utu), silver (Nanna-sin) and gold (Marduk). Carries a brilliantly shined sapara (Untheric khopesh) that functions as his holy symbol. Cannot use powerful spells (4th and higher), but is exceptionally adept with many lower level ones. Is able to imbue himself with a powerful presence that makes him seem even wiser and more charismatic without casting a spell.
[Citizen] Councilor: Ea-Nasir; Resh Tamkari (head merchant) of Mylitta’s Gardens (Aristo15th). Merchant prince from an old family in Messemprar, specialising in objects of beauty, art, fine clothes perfumes, oils and delicacies. Handsome man of middle age with shoulder-length curling black hair and perfumed beard who is refined, polite and considerate. Employs several dangerous slyblades and a personal mage (Mirza Emmebaragisi; Wiz14th) who has warded his home with great cunning.
[Citizen] Councilor: Ubar Saqapurvatta; Nawab of Northwaves Chaka (Exp5th/Wiz1st/MerchPrinc5th [adjusted to +1/level of existing spellcasting class]). The eight of his name to helm this trading chaka that has historically focused on shipping to and from the Wizard Reach, Ubar retains some mannerisms and terminology from Estagund, but is more than three quarters Untheric and has never even been to the Shining South. Short, fat, darker in hue than most, clean-shaven, glittering dark eyes, effeminate. Keeps very quiet about his little magical learning, good for some little tricks that might make him harder to kill than anticipated.
[Citizen] Councilor: Reza Ostad, Hegemon of Artisans (Exp9th). Frail old man who is increasingly bewildered by the changing times in Unther. Deeply conservative in his thinking. Wishes merely to protect his people and weather the storm somehow, but has no plan for how that is to be accomplished. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 17 Nov 2011 : 13:58:11
New developments in my campaign in Messemprar include a decisive victory over a Mulhorand expedition on the banks of the River of Metals and a concurrent naval victory over some thirty ships sent to support that force. This means that the Mulhorandi blockade is shattered for the foreseeable future and that regular traffic of Thayan, Wizard Reach and Chessentan trading craft can commence.
Of course, ship owners may still be reluctant to risk their vessels and cargo in wartorn waters and Mulhorand might employ their Sultim-based warships as commerce raiders, but given the threat from sahuagin in Sultim, the constant presence of the Thayan navy on the Alaor and the fact that galleys make very poor patrol vessels (no endurance on station), any threats to ships sailing to Messemprar ought to be fairly minor. The Purple Reign Trading Group intends to guarantee the value of any ship and cargo (up to 30,000 gp) lost to Mulhorandi naval action while sailing to Messemprar, at any rate, so that ought to assuage such fears.
The de facto government of Messemprar, the Northern Wizards, have also received 12,000 tons of fine wheat. This makes the immediate supply situation much less acute and drives down the price of food. In another month or so (after Greengrass, 1373 DR), the harvest will begin to come in. While the harvest can only feed some third of the people in and around Messemprar, it will still mean a further reduction in food prices. City morale, therefore, is way up, perhaps higher than it has been since the beginning of the war.
Making use of their newfound popularity, the Northern Wizards have publicaly announced the result of years of diplomacy. The Northern Wizards are planning to establish a Shibitu (Council of Elders) to govern Messemprar (ostensibly, but in reality it will have authority over all Free Unther). They plan to have 24 seats and take 12 of them for themselves. Three will go the military, three to the judiciary, three to leading citizens of Messemprar and three to leading religious figures.
The military posts go to General Ungred, General Horat and the highest noble among those putting their forces at the army’s disposal, Reshbel Ekurzakir Mar-Shu-Turul; sa Hay-Hasmanu.
The judiciary posts go to the chief judge and the other two of the three senior judges. In a surprise move, Dayyanu sa sarri Mirza Rim-Warad, one of the other two judges declines his appointment and proposes Ishram-al-Mamaalek, Sardaar-e Thamor, in his stead, as the council should not overlook the true and loyal nobility of old Unther. Zhentarim gold is suspected behind the move, especially as Ishram is a scion of a relatively minor branch of the old Sihrubel family there.
The three leading citizens are two merchant lords of good blood and long tenure in the city and the Hegemon of the Hegemony of Artisans, Reza Ostad.
One of the religious figures will be Shudu-Ab of Tiamat (meant to be Tiglath, but she resigned shortly before the announcement), one will be Utuhegel of Ishtar and one will be an ensi of the Old Faith.
Shurlash imagines that with 13 seats belonging to the Northern Wizards and their ally Utuhegel, they will win all votes and be able to rule, but the participation of the other factions will give an appearance of their consent. The council will have executive power and the power to appoint the civil service. The cost of the judiciary allowing it to serve as the court of last appeal, however, was deciding that reversing a decision made by them required a 2/3 majority. They also demanded that legislation and the firing or appointing of senior officials required that same majority. With these concessions won, they accepted that the Shibutu could wield the powers of a sakin temi (governor) of Messemprar. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 17 Nov 2011 : 13:48:19
quote:
Originally posted by glitter
In my campaign, I use another faction, the ensi.
http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0204c&L=realms-l&D=1&F=&S=&P=7968
They must have access to some very old temples with what you can imagine inside, sculptures, books or magical items.
I've introduced the ensi into my campaign, but given the extreme length of time that passed since there were last temples to these gods, I find it unlikely that the ensi have much access to treasures from them in the modern day.
For more than a thousand years, Gilgeam outlawed these gods and would have looted any temples of them that still stood.
For all that, a charismatic ensi might have relatively widespread popular support. Given that Unther has no democratic tradition and the disenfranchised common people don't exactly have much to offer in terms of wealth or power, of course, this is not very useful. Still, the Northern Wizards might throw some sops to the ensis to try to court public opinion. |
| Kno |
Posted - 21 Aug 2011 : 16:23:43
Not even one to keep as a trophy, to parade around on the national day of the revolution? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 20 Aug 2011 : 14:36:35
quote:
Originally posted by Kno
I find hard to believe they didn't keep any old devices, they were real fanatics
It's not unreasonable to assume they did, but that those devices have since been destroyed, worn out, melted down, buried in long-forgotten caches, etc. |
| Kno |
Posted - 20 Aug 2011 : 12:13:11
I find hard to believe they didn't keep any old devices, they were real fanatics |
| glitter |
Posted - 28 Jul 2011 : 12:31:38
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
Now factor in that some of these items might date back to Imaskar. Antiquities would be something people would be looting and trading for essentials.
I have a hard time to imagine that the mulan slaves, now free, walking with manifestation of their gods would spend some time to find Imaskari artworks among the rubble.
but of course, we still can imagine that. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 16 Jul 2011 : 19:53:43
quote:
Originally posted by Icelander
But what does the enterprising merchant take away from that wartorn place? What do the various factions in embattled Messemprar have to fill the holds of the ships that slip past the Mulhorandi blockade?
What else is there? What can the Untherites sell cheaply that someone else will pay a great deal of coin for?
think modern day Egypt. How many ancient relics that collectors would just LOVE are there. Now factor in that some of these items might date back to Imaskar. Antiquities would be something people would be looting and trading for essentials. |
| MalariaMoon |
Posted - 13 Jul 2011 : 17:10:01
Sure as sure things get complicated in Messempar. I wonder how my PCs will fair (if they ever get there!). |
| glitter |
Posted - 13 Jul 2011 : 12:37:17
quote:
Originally posted by Icelander
Very kind of you, thank you.
Does anyone have any other ideas?
In my campaign, I use another faction, the ensi.
http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind0204c&L=realms-l&D=1&F=&S=&P=7968
They must have access to some very old temples with what you can imagine inside, sculptures, books or magical items. |
| Icelander |
Posted - 18 Apr 2011 : 00:26:34
quote:
Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Cool stuff. I know that in Old Empires Shurupakk was dispatched to deal with the Northern Wizards. Is the outcome of that confrontation canon or one of the gaps you filled? I'd love to know more about that!
It's canon that there are still Northern Wizards and that Shurupakk still lives after this confrontation. Thus making it inevitable that the outcome was a draw of some sort.
Any details are probably mine. |
| MalariaMoon |
Posted - 17 Apr 2011 : 18:20:09
Cool stuff. I know that in Old Empires Shurupakk was dispatched to deal with the Northern Wizards. Is the outcome of that confrontation canon or one of the gaps you filled? I'd love to know more about that! |
| Icelander |
Posted - 17 Apr 2011 : 17:58:37
quote:
Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Out of interest, is breakdown of the factions in Messemprar canon or homebrew?
It incorporates all canon that I could find, but I made up names and characters to fit into any obvious gaps.
Also, the recent events, such as a battle on the River of Metals, are events from my campaign, obviously. |
| MalariaMoon |
Posted - 17 Apr 2011 : 11:26:00
Hi Icelander - this is interesting stuff as my current campaign is taking place in a small goldrush town on the River of Metals in 1352 DR. The River of Metals empties near or at Messemprar (it's difficult to be certain from the large scale map in 'Dragons of Faerun'. Deposits of gold and other precious metals can be found in its muddy waters, which presumably enter the river system from lodes in the Riders to the Sky mountains. As you've mentioned, this trade is controlled by Alaskerbanbastos, particularly in your time period, but in my campaign this wealth was easily harvested by gold panning at certain spots along the river. There could be a large number of adventurers and lone prospectors ready to risk the notice of the Bone Wyrm's draconic minions in order to take advantage of this gold, which in turn could have a small but significant impact on Messemprar's economy.
Out of interest, is breakdown of the factions in Messemprar canon or homebrew? It's really interesting, and I haven't come across it before, although I haven't read the Alabaster Staff or the Shadow Stone novels. I'm adding it to my campaign notes. You might be interested in a homebrew NPC I posted in the Valuable Villains thread (page 3); Caeloth Malphoros - Alaskerbanbastos' human emissary to the governments of the Old Empires. He might be of use in your campaign. |
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