Power2the1
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SHADOWS OF UNTHER
A 3.5 Forgotten Realms campaign
A 3.5 Forgotten Realms campaign
PLOTS AND RUMORS:
Across Faerun, the call is rapidly spreading among adventuring circles of great opportunities to be had in the East! Those responding to these tales are enticed to the once mighty kingdom of Unther, a land steeped in ancient lore and tyrannical rulers, a land once fabled for its mighty armies and imperialistic prowess. Yet, no matter how one remembers Unther, those memories greatness are no more.
Unther is now a shadow of it's former glory, only consisting of four notable cities: Messemprar, the capitol and main port of Free Unther, it is controlled by the Northern Wizards; Mourktar, a trading city known for it's gladiator pits and modest harbor facilities; Thamon, a small town known for its proximity to both the River of Metals and The Riders to the Sky Mountains mining communities; Sadamzar, the southernmost town under the control of Free Unther and closest to the Mulhorandi forces, and a collection of tiny villages and rural communities not yet under foreign occupation. Suffering through the loss of their mighty god-king, Gilgeam, and the chaotic aftermath, a large scale invasion at the hands of Mulhorand has shrunk Free Unther significantly. Mulhorandi forces show little sign of putting an end to their ambitions of eventual conquest. Seeking safety in the north of their much reduced empire, the branches of Unther's Mulan aristocracy, it's enclave of Northern Mages, and even clerical establishments have recently begun to seek out any who would join with their respective faction and assist them with their separate ambitions concerning the issue of Mulhorand, freedom, and reform. Outnumbered, and constantly under the threat of internal collapse, those that remain loyal to Unther face hardship.
To counter these recent events Untherite leaders, under the most secret of meetings, lay out plans and objectives to trusted parties with orders to sabotage, perform 'fifth column' clandestine activities, and stir up unrest through undercover operations against the Mulhorandi (and often other Untheri), and their logistical operations in the occupied lands against Mulhorand. Other adventuring parties and groups of hired people are sent on less martial objectives to negotiate aid from Thay, Algarond, and other nearby territories for foodstuffs, supplies, the hiring of more mercenaries, weaponry, and other items crucial to Unther's survival both powerful and mundane.
As it stands, Free Unther is beset by rival factions, all pulling in seeming opposite directions.
Perhaps the largest faction in Unther, and one with the most support in popularity, are those that wish to cease hostilities and seek a favorable peace treaty through an alliance with with Mulhorand. With the Pharaoh's army drawing nearer, more and more flock to this cause, if only to live and seek a better life for themselves and share the ensuing peace and freedoms of a victorious army. With an alliance could come either full annexation, annexation of only the occupied areas, or the formation of a puppet state in Unther under Mulhorand's control, leaving those left in power the freedom to unleash their forces upon rival factions in Free Unther. The nobles and converted clerics of this faction can preserve and guarantee their positions of power under a new regime while the commoner can hope for a return to a normal peaceful life far removed from the levels of misery suffered previously under the Gilgamite regime. The Northern Wizards, who control Messamprar, the capitol of Free Unther, are a part of this faction, but stand ready to fight Mulhorand if anything goes sour. This faction needs most of all adventurers with good intentions, diplomatic finesse, and political insight to help drawn this war to a close and save whats left of the population before war and hunger further decimates the region. Anyone that can achieve peace and control of Free Unther, through peaceful means or at sword point, would forever have the Pharaoh's ear in matters, and greater access to the coffers and resources of the Mulhorandi kingdom.
Within the exclusive Mulani bred aristocratic circles of the old order under Gilgeam, another powerful group seeks to fight to the bitter end, preserving the remaining empire and power to the last. The vast majority of these people are generals, captains, soldiers, Gilgamite priests and their hardened temple guards who are all in league together with nobles and their own highly trained retinues. All share the uncomfortable sense of complete doom if they fail, standing to loose everything should Mulhorand, or another rival faction, ultimately succeed in toppling their centuries long Mulani domination of Unther. However powerful they are on the field, the combined numbers of temple guards, noble retinues, and Chessentan mercenaries number only a few thousand - not enough to challenge the 20,000 strong Mulhorandi army directly in pitched battle. Recognizing their shortage of trained and veteran warriors, they seek small, powerful adventurer groups employed for furious hit and run tactics to disrupt the enemy and strike them where they are most vulnerable. Many groups seldom make it back so dangerous are their missions. If discovered and caught, a heinous torture from the Pharaoh's own such unlucky persons under employ of this faction are displayed as trophies on the borders where Free Unther and occupied Unther meet s a grisly warning against others seeking to fight against the Pharaoh. *The PC's will begin their adventuring under the employ of this faction.*
Concerning other factions with notable influence in the region, a third group of this war preaches a drastic goal: send Mulhorand's army back across the River of Swords into their territory, and also destroy every remnant of Gilgeam's influence, theocratic vestiges, along with the clergy that still worships him, and through fire cause Unther to be reborn in a completely new light apart from former times of tyranny. It is rumored that in the undercity of Unthalass is providing backing for these groups in hopes of expanding their kingdom to the world above, with armed lamias, were rat soldiers, and other monsters commanded by the mysterious Queen of Tortures. The majority of those espousing this extreme idea are slaves and servant of the middle and upper classes, driven by a fanatical zeal for victory, and blinded by their hatred of all things Utheric.
In addition to seeking adventurers to help stem the tide of recent misfortunes, many factions in Free Unther are reaching out to the commoner and slave, many supporting a new system of governmental reform should they drive Mulhorand away. They promise a break from the old systems of slavery, hardship, and abuse, seeking instead a just theocracy unlike than that of old, although many followers of various deities - namely those worshiping Tiamat, Anhur, Mystra, Tchazzar, Bane, and Tempus, all jostle for position among the hearts and souls of the people. Understandably, slave populations are skeptical of this offer from the nobility. Centuries of toil and hardship have made their hearts rather obstinate and they believe little, if anything, coming from their masters having to do with the idea of continued servitude and toil under their rule. In fact, for many of the lower class and slave peoples, submitting to Mulhorand is tempting. Many having already come over to the side of Mulhorand to serve under the less burdensome rule of the Pharaoh and his priest, not caring who wins the war or what the repercussions will be. Yet many slaves who remain in Free Unther could, in time, be made to cast their lots in with their beleaguered masters should much needed success occur at the expense of Mulhorand and the tide begin to turn the other way. Bitter divisions and factionalism are everyday concerns hampering the people, both free and occupied.
Though few witnesses remained alive after the power of the Alabaster Staff briefly brought Gilgeam back into the world, tales of those events have caused the few remaining adherents to Gilgeam to become driven with the aim of returning him to his place at the head of all Unther. Interest in the deity has begun to resurface. Many wish to restore the old ways since seeing Gilgeam's short return as a prelude for greater things.
Despite such alluring offers for adventurers to cast their lots in with the clerics of Unther, the Pharaoh of Mulhorand seeks to gain any and all skilled newcomers into his own side working against Unther by killing off leaders and wreaking havoc upon their means to resist. He is offering many rewards, mighty weapons, and even claims of governorships of territory, further dividing the will of those who wish to fight for their freedoms. It is clear that the fortunes of Unther and the ambitions of Mulhorand are upon the actions of the brave who find themselves drawn to the East, under the shadows of Unther.
About me: I'm 31, and returning to Forgotten Realms 3.5 after a long time away, around 4-5 years. Its been a while since I have played and/or DM'ed, but I am familiarizing myself with the rules each day and getting back into the groove. I would consider myself a narrative style DM looking for players that value role playing, having moral dilemmas and decisions placed in front of the party, and events originating off of their actions. I'm not really into constant combat. Ultimately I feed off the player's styles and tastes and tailor a campaign around the players abilities, classes, and the like through trial and error. Just to keep things moving, I will at times grant characters actions, information, and the like without having to roll for each little thing. I do ask that players keep a good track of their abilities, food, arrows, feats, etc... I have no problems with allowing someone else to DM now and I welcome mature new and veteran players.
More info at Giant in the Playground as well: [3.5] Forgotten Realms Unther & Mulhorand. Rusty DM needs players! - Giant in the Playground Forums
