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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dazzlerdal" data-source="post: 7922668" data-attributes="member: 6695391"> <table style='width: 100%'><tr><td>Moving on from the Men of the Basilisk to the Purple Dragons of Cormyr. I realise they arent exactly a clandestine secret organisation, but they are quite large and they are potentially an organisation that PCs can fight or join. So first thought / question. When were the purple dragons founded. I realise that there has been an armed forces in Cormyr for a long time, but has it always been called the Purple Dragons, and when did Cormyr first have a centralised army under the control of the Crown (typically feudal realms raise levies and require nobles to field an agreed number of soldiers from their household, its a big reason why a nation creates nobility). I have a few thoughts. It seems like King Duar fought Magrath the Minotaur with 20 companions that were known as the Purple Dragons. I reckon that name remained in history but was not applied to the military for many years after. In this time it is possible that the Crown had a permanent military force larger than most noble houses but only really big enough to guard Suzail and the Crown estates. Now by 900 DR, King Galaghard leads an army (known as the Glory of Cormyr) against the forces of the Witch King. This is a fight for survival on home soil and is the kind of driver necessary for the creation of a national army (nobles tend to automatically resist any attempts for the King to create a large military force under his direct control). The fact that the army has a special name says to me that it was a special creation to fight the Witch King and an achievement of note. After the war it would be easier to keep the army going and thus keep a permanent national army of considerable size. By the time of the Kingdom of Esparrin it seems clear that Cormyr has a national military that secures and patrols its territory, although its size is still up for debate. Then in 1286 DR we have King Salember the Red Dragon battling the forces of Crown Prince Rhigaerd which are known as the Purple Dragons, i'm assuming King Salember named his army the Red Dragons. I would peg this as the official date of the naming of the Purple Dragons as the armed forces of Cormyr. Anyone have any thoughts or firm dates regarding the Purple Dragons</td></tr><tr><td></td></tr></table></blockquote>

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