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xRazoo
Acolyte
5 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Jul 2013 : 17:42:59
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I just started my first campaign in the Forgotten Realms. I've never read any of the novels, but have read some of the sourcebooks. So in comparison I have very little knowledge of the Realms. Hopefully I can get some ideas and help here.
The beginning of my campaign has some focus on the nobility of Waterdeep, specifically the houses with connections to trade. I am looking for information on which houses are allies or rivals. I have the City of Splendors boxed set which has the list of the noble houses, but doesn't have too much information on relationships with other houses.
I'm very close to the year 1372 as I am mostly using the 3.5 Edition Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book.
As I'm sure I will be asking a lot more questions on here for my campaign thank everyone in advance for the help.
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The Arcanamach
Master of Realmslore
1842 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2013 : 20:43:06
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I don't know of any major rivalries between Waterdeep's nobility. Note that I say major (as in longstanding feuds and/or bloodletting b/w them). Such behaviors were essentially put down long ago and haven't been allowed to resume AFAIK. As to mercantile rivalries each house should have a list of its primary business ventures. This could give you an idea of which families might be 'allies' and which may fall under 'rivals' with each other. So, a family whose primary interest is procuring gemstones may be 'allied' with a family who sells them on the open market while two families who procure them would be 'rivals.'
Can you provide more information on what you intend with these rivalries? |
I have a dream that one day, all game worlds will exist as one. |
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xRazoo
Acolyte
5 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2013 : 21:58:17
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Currently my group is unknowingly entangled in some of the Shadow Thieves plots to slowly take more control of Waterdeep. I plan to use Waterdeep trade as one of the key points of the Shadow Thieves plan. So I intend to have blackmail, assassinations, and other schemes to give more power to traders the Shadow Thieves have control over or are allies with.
If I had an rivals and allies list it would be very easy to pick and choose what houses the Shadow Thieves are infiltrating or allying with and which ones they are harming.
Hopefully that all makes sense. |
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Ze
Learned Scribe
Italy
147 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2013 : 23:57:34
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Take into account the many obscure and less obscure factions of the city, then.
Some are involved with noble houses, but some are not.
Surely the Knights of the Shield, the Unseen, the Iron Ring, most of the Guilds (a real power base in the city that you should never underestimate) and many others would oppose the unbalance you plan.
And on the other side of the fence, there are a number of organizations that would oppose the Shadow Thieves for different reasons, even though with a not so different approach - think about the Red Sashes, the Tel'teukiira, and so on.
Some nobles are involved in the above, whether directly or not, and they all form a net, such that even a small shift in balance in one point, resonates through the whole net, leading to a number of consequences, some of which not immediately obvious.
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xRazoo
Acolyte
5 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2013 : 01:37:37
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I really like the net metaphor, and you are right I should probably be focusing on the factions of the city rather than just the nobles.
If I'm looking for a target for the Shadow Thieves to gain some power, who or what do you think I should be looking at? |
Edited by - xRazoo on 18 Jul 2013 01:38:09 |
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Ze
Learned Scribe
Italy
147 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2013 : 06:03:29
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The final goal of the Shadow Thieves is certainly to strike at the Lords of Waterdeep, stripping them of their power (and the Blackstaff too). But that should be obtained on the long run, by slow and methodically planned steps.
I understand you are asking for trade-related targets, that might give some amount of economic/politic power to the Shadow Thieves, but still keeping a low profile.
Since you are playing in 1372, my advice is to stick to canon: we know that by the end of 1374, "The guild has slowly come to dominate criminal activity in Dock, South, and Trades Ward, and its fingers are reaching into the northern wards of the city as well.".
Marune though came back only in 1369, and the Thieves' new rise begins in 1370. In two years they are probably half way from the situation quoted above, and they are likely gaining influence in several Guilds active in the mentioned Wards.
If you have access to the City of Splendors boxed set, the Guilds descriptions in it are very useful, as well as the general concept of the 4 city factions, identified as the Ruling Faction (Lords, Nobles, Guards), the Guilds, the Temples, and the Independents (all the others).
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2013 : 08:27:36
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quote:
Originally posted by xRazoo
I really like the net metaphor, and you are right I should probably be focusing on the factions of the city rather than just the nobles.
If you wish to include merchants, there is the greedy trader Rastigur Stornont, who trades in sundry wares in Dock Ward.
Stornont has caused chaos among bands of thieves, nobles and rival merchants be engineering feuds, swindles and thefts amongst them, via multiple groups/layers of adventurers.
As Ed Grenwood writes, "adventurers are Stornont's favorite weapons."
Stornont's rival is "Scartongue" Sardron Thandarn. Sardron was formerly a pirate before switching careers. He's now a successful trader based in Trades Ward.
quote:
Originally posted by xRazoo
If I'm looking for a target for the Shadow Thieves to gain some power, who or what do you think I should be looking at?
One of Stornonts planned thefts involves stealing a huge sum of coin from the City of Waterdeep, via hired adventurers.
Should the Shadow Thieves catch wind of this, they might be able to get the PCs to be Stornont's hired hands to invade Castle Waterdeep and do the deed.
Note: This info comes from the Eye on the Realms article "Rastigur Stornont" in Dungeon #184.
As to Waterdeep's nobility, I'm not sure who are open rivals, but I can tell you that the Eagleshields are pretty much friends with everybody. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
Edited by - Jeremy Grenemyer on 19 Jul 2013 08:38:10 |
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Rivalries of Waterdeep Noble Houses
