D&D 5E 5th Edition and Cormyr: Flexing My Idea Muscle and Thinking Out Loud

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule. Third day of the third tenday.

Rumor has found a destination for one of the mysterious crates unloaded from a ship on Suzail’s docks two nights ago, in the form of Tanreth’s Fine Paperworks on Pendle Street. Tanreth’s is known as a modest provider of paper for bookbinders, papers suitable for fine scrollwork, and single pages for folding into chapbooks. Folk say that a nighttime delivery guarded by Purple Dragons surely means Tanreth herself has won the favor of the Crown, and will likely supply parchments for spell scrolls, and perhaps even spellbooks, to the war wizards.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule. Fourth day of the third tenday.

News of an orc attack on Mouth O’ Gargoyles has shocked the residents of Suzail. Such a brazen attack has not occurred since the fall of the dragon Nalavarra, when the Steel Regent rallied Cormyr’s defenders to sweep through the King’s Forest and slay any orcs and goblins that dared linger in the wood. Of note to sages and folk curious about the village of Mouth O’ Gargoyles is the story of how the orcs were routed. It was not vigilant Purple Dragons nor the heroic efforts of local adventurers that saw the orcish warband defeated, but a pair of enormous two-handed swords that flew out of the entrance of the House of Fine Coffers to butcher every orc within reach. According to the manygoods peddler Telmra Ormshield, once the last of the orcs fled into the wood the blades returned to their mounts on the shop’s wall, leaving fresh orc blood to drip onto the floor.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule. Fifth day of the third tenday.

Merchants, caravan masters and their wagons, peddlers, the wandering priests of several deities, and the retinues of nobles have gathered at Jester’s Green in preparation for Shieldmeet. Suzail is expected to fill to overflowing with celebrations and gatherings, and to see numerous open warehouses with goods for sale.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule. Sixth day of the third tenday.

As nobles arrive in Suzail for Shieldmeet and to answer Queen Raedra’s call, word of events big and small in wider Cormyr arrives with them. Talk within Harbrittur's Librium is focused on the Immer Inn, of Immersea. A place known for its superior wine cellar and expansive (and expensive) suites, the Immer has apparently expanded its cellars and installed a small library of rare tomes, according to one noble’s servant. That same servant claims there is an additional room where nobles gamble and play “games of consequence” to keep their minds sharp, such as the board game castles. The Immer’s library includes several books on the art of playing castles, including two copies of Variations of the Masters of Old Impiltur by Andurandar Yemrevven of Soorenar.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule - Summertide
Eighth day of the second tenday
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

Servants brawl in Suzail

SUZAIL - A fight erupted yestereve between regulars of The Servant Exalted and nobles’ servants turned away from The Three Ravens and Hrelto’s. The presence of Cormyrean nobility in Suzail for Shieldmeet and the Queen’s Council has filled the city with an excess of nobles’ servants, many of whom were caught unawares by the recent shift in clientele at the Exalted, which now caters exclusively to the servants of middle-class merchants and members of Suzail’s guilds. The unusually violent brawl left one dead and a half score injured.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule - Summertide
Ninth day of the third tenday
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

THUNDERSTONE - The barrel rate for Hawklin’s Best has doubled in Thunderstone on the news of the brewhouse located within Hawklinforce being shuttered. In Suzail, the barrel rate is expected to soar beyond four times the normal asking price.

SUZAIL - A kidnapping was thwarted in Suzail today. Brigands disguised as adventurers newly arrived in Suzail attempted to abduct one Belenar Daerdrover of Hultail, a seller of draft animals. The kidnappers separated Belenar from his family by swordpoint and were tying him up for transport when members of Gormigal’s Bravehearts happened upon the scene. According to Belenar’s brother Randarl, the six severed heads that trail behind the Bravehearts were quick to spin about the brigands, spitting curses and weaving “some strange enchantment that caused every one of the bullyblades to drop their swords, sit down on the ground and start wailing and crying.” That watch Dragons summoned to the scene were shown the Bravehearts’ charter upon request of the Lionar in charge came as a surprise to no one; this is not the first instance where dark deeds have been attempted in Suzail by folk posing as adventurers, nor by folk claiming to “act as adventurers would” when faced with danger.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Flamerule - Summertide
Tenth day of the third tenday
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

SUZAIL - In lieu of grand carriages pulled by fantastic beasts, the heads of noble houses are arriving in Suzail on horseback in the company of hired adventurers--the later adorned in their finest weapons, armor and found treasure. Even famous retired adventurers like The Company of the Bottled Fiend have been called upon to accompany their former noble patrons (in this case Lord Irlake Keskrel). Of course several noble heads arrived in Suzail previously, making today’s arrivals an act of ceremony and a display of power and influence. Folk lined up on the Promenade and paused their work to mark which adventurers are accompanying each noble lord.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Midsummer Holiday
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

SUZAIL - A grand day of festive celebration has unfolded across Cormyr. In Suzail, the homes of certain nobles, guildmasters, and the well to do have been opened up to guests. The sound of bard song can be heard emanating from taverns that have thrown their doors open early, while minstrels paid by the Crown wander the streets, their song interspersed with reminders of the many festival locations in the city. Behind the scenes, preparations continue for Shieldmeet on the morrow, and the Queen’s council soon after. Several offices in the Royal Court are closed for business, though adventurers late to attain adventuring charters may still do so. A grand revel is planned for this evening in the Royal Palace, which is expected to host the representatives of trade envoys, the heads of noble houses, and important courtiers. Similar, albeit smaller, gatherings are planned to take place throughout Suzail.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Shieldmeet
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

SUZAIL - From the walls of the Royal Palace, trumpet fanfare greeted the day as Suzail and all of Faerûn awoke to Shieldmeet. Offices in the Royal Court opened promptly to admit all manner of Cormyreans seeking courtiers to apply their signatures as witness to agreements and contracts. Queen Raedra is expected at Court to formally receive oaths of loyalty from young nobles come of age, and later to officially confirm alliances and trade pacts negotiated by high-ranking courtiers with envoys from other lands over the last tenday. Suzail’s temples have thrown their doors open to worshippers desiring to affirm their faith. Priests of Deneir and Oghma have planned ritual observances for the evening where folk may receive blessings on contracts made and pay a small fee to have copies of contracts secured in temple vaults for safekeeping. Minstrels continue to roam Suzail’s streets, reminding folk of the many theatrical performances, musical performances, open warehouses, spell tournaments, and more that are open to the public. Of surprise to these same minstrels are the presence of adventurers that have taken to following along, the magically talented among them casting illusions of knights in armor, nobles on their steeds, depictions of fair locations in the city, and more.

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Eleasias - Highsun
First day of the first tenday
1500 DR - Year of the Sea's Secrets Revealed

Highsun is upon all of Cormyr

SUZAIL - Daily toil has returned to Suzail and wider Cormyr. Visitors to Suzail for Shieldmeet and the Midsummer holiday are departing for home through Horngate and Eastgate in long ranks of carts, coaches, and on horseback. However, Cormyr’s nobility and their chosen adventurers remain assembled in the capital, the former awaiting the Queen’s call to Council. Speculation across the city is focused on where in Cormyr and the wider Realms Queen Readra will call on the nobility to send their sponsored adventurers. Most folk agree that the mysterious keeps appearing and disappearing on the edge of the Stonelands, attacks by ranks of zombies on Cormyr’s outermost fortresses, and the hostile movements of hobgoblins nigh the Farsea Swamp will surely draw the Queen’s attention. Gossip emanating from the Royal Court tells of the renewed concerns (rightly termed “complaints”) shared by Cormyr’s local lords stationed on the northern reaches, who’ve reported increasingly contentious meetings with town burghers in Tyrluk, Eveningstar, Arabel, Halfhap, and Immerford over the Crown’s seeming lack of concern for all that is taking place close by. Worried conversation between land owners in Suzail is focused on which nobles will exploit the Queen’s call for adventurers to settle scores and conduct dark deeds under the cover of “rightful adventuring.”