D&D General Any Realms-Heads Know About The Politics of The Sword Coast?

[Bolares]

Not wrong, but extremely complicated if stiking to canon. As I said earlier, if I was DM and a player had this concept, I'd change canon. I was trying to think within the parameters set in the OP, which makes for a steep climb.

I don't think @doctorbadwolf wants to "stick to canon" as much as they want to use canon as a jumping point to create a compelling story.

About the open lord... She is a centuries old elf. Even if she is good, she has to be disconnected to the plights of the young and poor of waterdeep. Disconnection from their people is a great way to fuel a rebellion, no matter the leader's alignment.

 

[Blue Orange]

Well, of course the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide says the Open Lord is good and chosen by the gods and there is no scarcity! We all know Wizards has been bought off by Silverhand...perhaps she's charmed Peter Adkison? (The official D&D cosmology includes multiple worlds and some individuals such as Tasha/Iggwilv have been to a few...perhaps the Lords of Waterdeep are spreading propaganda in our world!) Are they going to talk about the way vagabonds are taken off the streets and slaughtered for the dark rituals that fuel the Masked Lords' power? Are they going to talk about the slave trade that made the noble families' power and wealth? Are they going to talk about the way opponents to the Lords' power are frequently arrested and executed on trumped-up charges?

Wait? That's not in the official material? Well, of course it isn't! You think the venal, corrupt Lords of Waterdeep want you to know about all their crimes?

Maybe the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide isn't Lonely Planet...maybe it's Fox News. (You tell me your group leans left.) I'd say read a couple of those lefty treatises on how the official story favors the groups in power (or just read a few issues of Jacobin), and then deconstruct the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide.

Heck, you can draw from both ends of the spectrum. QAnon always struck me as a Call of Cthulhu plot that someone took seriously. It's your game. Nobody says Laeral Silverhand isn't drinking the blood of poor children to maintain her youth and making orcs and humans hate each other to maintain the position of the ruling class.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Indeed. If you want to stick to canon, Waterdeep is ruled by the good guys. If you don't want to stick to canon, Waterdeep can be ruled by the bad guys. But you can't both stick to canon and have Waterdeep ruled by bad guys, because canon says Waterdeep's rulers are good guys.

But the OP was asking about canon...

 

[Blue Orange]

Indeed. If you want to stick to canon, Waterdeep is ruled by the good guys. If you don't want to stick to canon, Waterdeep can be ruled by the bad guys. But you can't both stick to canon and have Waterdeep ruled by bad guys, because canon says Waterdeep's rulers are good guys.

But the OP was asking about canon...

Excellent point. I think the 2e Forgotten Realms Adventures book had 'Who Rules' and 'Who Really Rules' sections for each city if you want to feed your antinomian mind.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Indeed. If you want to stick to canon, Waterdeep is ruled by the good guys. If you don't want to stick to canon, Waterdeep can be ruled by the bad guys. But you can't both stick to canon and have Waterdeep ruled by bad guys, because canon says Waterdeep's rulers are good guys.

But the OP was asking about canon...

Waterdeep Dragon Heist does point out that a handful of Masked Lords are under the influence of Manshoon, or are targets of blackmail from Manshoon. So although the Masked Lords overall are "canon good" there is also a faction within them being influenced by a "definitely not good" wizard.

 

[Blue Orange]

Sounds like the OP's group really wants to do 'Jacqueries or French Revolution in D&D' though. Aren't the Red Wizards of Thay an evil empire again as of 5e?

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

Sounds like the OP's group really wants to do 'Jacqueries or French Revolution in D&D' though. Aren't the Red Wizards of Thay an evil empire again as of 5e?

Evil, yes, Empire, not really!

They are mostly fighting among themselves and are still unable to conquer Rashemen or Aglarond. There's no sign of the enclaves they had in the Neverwinter woods in 4e.

And it's pretty far from where the OP is having their campaign.

 

[Blue Orange]

BTW, I don't know if I'd see Alexander Hamilton as a great example for your group--he was against slavery, but he proposed a president-for-life and supported the establishment of the central bank, as well as a strong national government supported by a strong national army and navy. You might consider Thomas Paine.

I liked the musical too (and I'd hate to throw away my shot), but the Jefferson-Hamilton debate doesn't really map onto modern ideas of left-right.

 

[aco175]

I got a lot of mileage out of this book. It is a 2e book, but the evil organizations and intrigue among the Sword Coast is good. If you do not care about canon and 5e, this would help plan a great campaign.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

"We will impose democracy on these people, whether they want it or not!"