Freeport in the Forgotten Realms

[Mr_Spicoli]

Looking for a good place to put Freeport in the Realms. The adventure has been on the Sword Coast so that would be one of the areas preferred. However the Inner Sea sounds ok to with the pirate activity there.

Places considered so far:

Mintarn: Seems to be a good place with no vivid description of the capital city, allowing Freeport to be placed somewhat easily here.


Lantan: Has a capital city and others already described. However the tech level for ships and firearms would fit Freeport realy well. Lantan's culture would mix in with Freeport being a coastal city where piartes once ruled in days of yore.


Nelanther: The Pirate Isles, are still ruled by pirates unlike Freeport & have no large capital city as described in the official texts.


Inner Sea: This location might work as there is plenty of pirate activity. A large capiatl city is somewhat up for debate though.

Anyone with insight or experience on placing Freeport in the Sword Coast or Inner Sea?

 

[ericlboyd]

Nelanther: The Pirate Isles, are still ruled by pirates unlike Freeport & have no large capital city as described in the official texts.

Not true. The pirate city of Skaug lies in the heart of the Nelanther. See Lands of Intrigue. (Free downland available here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads )

Inner Sea: This location might work as there is plenty of pirate activity. A large capiatl city is somewhat up for debate though.

There are several small cities in the Pirate Isles. Find "FOR3 - Pirates of the Fallen Stars" [2e] and the recent novel "Queen of the Depths."

Additionally Serpent Kingdoms and Shining South two additional pirate ports. Narubel, on the southern shore of the Shining Sea is a yuan-ti influenced city of pirates. (Look here for the map: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mapofweek/Dec2005/02_SerpentKingdoms_72_ppi_cv2891.jpg )

Then there's the Bay of Pirates east of Halruaa.

--Eric

 

[Mr_Spicoli]

Excellent input, will look those up, thanks

 

[Brakkart]

I'd put Freeport (and the Serpent's Teeth) to the west of Chult, that way Valossa can be part of Chult that sank in ancient times, a sister state to the old Yuan-ti/Sarrukh empire of Serpentes. Would then put the city in a good place to trade with the ports of the Sword Coast/Shining Sea as well as those of the Shining South, whilst having the city in a good strategic position to be able to sever trade between those areas.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I don't know enough about the Forgotten Realms to give you a specific location but I suggest that you place it where it is right in the middle of all sea trade. Near possible warring nations could be good too.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Arnwyn]

Anyone with insight or experience on placing Freeport in the Sword Coast or Inner Sea?

Indeed! Within the Forgotten Realms, I put Freeport on the Whamite Isles, in the southern portions of the Inner Sea (east of Turmish).

The benefits of placing it there include: there is very little information on the Whamite Isles, the geography of the isles fit the Serpent's Teeth islands around Freeport, it's (slightly) southerly location somewhat fits with Freeport's warm climate (though the Whamite Isles aren't that far south to be tropical, or even sub-tropical), the fact that piracy is common in the region, and the unlikeliness that the Whamite Isles will ever see detail in future FR products.

 

[Mr_Spicoli]

I'd put Freeport (and the Serpent's Teeth) to the west of Chult, that way Valossa can be part of Chult that sank in ancient times, a sister state to the old Yuan-ti/Sarrukh empire of Serpentes. Would then put the city in a good place to trade with the ports of the Sword Coast/Shining Sea as well as those of the Shining South, whilst having the city in a good strategic position to be able to sever trade between those areas.

Are there any maps available to show this area to the west of Chult, or do I need to purchase Serpent Kingdoms and Shining South? Are there any islands t the west of Chult?

 

[Cthulhudrew]

My first thought was Lantan/Pirate Isles region, too, but the recommendations about near Chult actually do make a lot more sense, given the history of Freeport. In fact, I'd probably replace the serpentines with Yuan-ti/Sarrukh altogether. The Serpent Empires sourcebook would make a great companion piece for such a campaign.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Are there any maps available to show this area to the west of Chult, or do I need to purchase Serpent Kingdoms and Shining South? Are there any islands t the west of Chult?

There's Lantan, of course. Don't know how much if any information has been given about Tharsult and its island, but that's a possibility.

Here's a map on the Wizards site- it's the FRCS map.

There are also some blown up maps of the region, but nothing that really adds much in the way of additional islands or anything.

The more I look, the more it seems Tharsult might be a good location.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

I plunked it down among those islands in the middle of the Inner Sea already known for piracy.