[FR] Could there be Peace between Dalesmen and the Drow? (my players stay out!)

[Mystery Man]

If I were a player in your group I would start a campaign to wipe out the surface drow. I would push for an accord between the Dales and Cormanthor to unite and push them back down their hole, never to see the light of day again.

 

[Arravis]

Well, if you were a player in my campaign you'd know that the House Jaelre drow had actually helped you a bit in the past (as noted on the first post). So, I'd be somewhat surprised if you suddenly turned around and attacked them without direct provication.

 

[Mystery Man]

Well if I were a player in your group you would know that in my past my family was wiped out in a drow raid and I would have never accepted help from them!!

Okay now I'm just messing with you.

Seriously I probably still would try to defeat them regardless. One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel and all it would take is one rogue band of drow raiders to upset the whole balance. If I were a Dalesman I would look to my fellow citizens first.

Ah one more thing. Lolth wouldn't have it. She would whip them up into a blood thirsty frenzy, she would hold her clerics powers hostage to do her will. She would stop at nothing to get her agenda back on track. Changing the nature of the drow would mean centuries of deprogramming Lolth's infuence.

 

[BlackMoria]

Arravis - it is possible, given the conditions you presented, for the Dalesmen to accept a treaty.

It is unlikely that the remaining Cormanthan elves would accept a treaty with the Drow, Vhaerun worshippers not withstanding. The Cormanthan elves have a long memory of dealings with the drow (supported by FR canon concerning the Dalelands). Secondly, the Cormanthan elves have long held the position that the forests of Cormanthyr are their ancestorial holdings (again, supported by canon). Therefore, these drow are invaders - pure and simple. Short of the withdrawal of the drow out of the forests, the elves are simply not going settle for anything less for a treaty.

Complicates things, yes? The dalesmen says yes, the elves say no - so what happens to the accord between the dalesmen and the elves in that case?

 

[Arravis]

Yeah, I agree that I don't see the elves agreeing to the treaty except in the most dire of circumstances. Unfortunately the elves aren't really a power in the Cormanthor anymore... their rights are more of a token then a reality it would seem. The Dalesmen will likely deal with whomever is influential in the area right now.

How would the elves react to this? What would they do? I don't know... would Evermeet or Evereska get involved? With all that's recently happened in Evereska, I would think all their resources would be tied up there though.

 

[BlackMoria]

Assuming the drow and dalesmen finalized a treaty, I can see the elves withdrawing out of the existing Dales pact in protest. The elves will withdraw to their bastions of defence in Semberholm and the Elven Court and will viciously protect these enclaves against all comers.

It is likely they will send a delegation to Evermeet to consult with the Queen and will try to drum up what aid they can. They will also likely appeal to the Chosen (there is a relationship with the Chosen and the elves going way back), mostly likely Storm Silverhand and Dove - who will certainly use their influence on the other Chosen.

I can see a call going out for help to other elven enclaves. No one is going to send a army but I can see elves from all over coming in small groups to help in whatever way they can.

They will appeal to the clergy of Shevarash, who will put out a call to the faithful. Given a chance to kill some drow, the faithful will come in great numbers for a chance to 'wet their blades'

I would think the Cormanthan elves could possibly double or triple their number of defenders. Not enough to push the drow out of the forests but enough that the drow would need significant resources to challenge the elves.

In short, the drow and elves will be stalemated, allowing the other bit players a chance to make some headway - like the Zhentarium and Sembia (both sides still have designs on the Dalelands)

 

[Arravis]

Yeah... for some time I have been thinking about Sembia's role in all this. I think that strife between the Dalesmen, the drow, and the elves would be to their benefit. A long term political gamble that might be to their benefit would be the following...

Support in what ways they can the peace treaty, with the intention of creating a split between the elves and the Dalesmen. The elves have long been a thorn in Sembia's side, with their goals of logging and other such acitivies.

After some time has passed, with the treaty between the drow and the Dalesmen in place and the elves are no longer allied with the Dalesmen, Sembia will then encite a war between the Dalesmen and the drow. This may be done by any number of means, either by assisting the drow, or by making it look like some attacks were their doing, etc... shouldn't be a difficult task either way.

Once the war has begun once again, the Dalesmen will find themselves without their elven allies, and that's when the Sembians offer their assistance. An army happens to already be prepared near their borders... and they'll be glad to come in with overwhelming numbers and stop the drow. Of course, at the end of this the Sembians might wish several dales as their own... and if the Dalesmen wish help with those pesky elves, they'll be glad to assist.

Yep, pure evil.

 

[BlackMoria]

And when Sembia makes it move, you can count on the Zhentarium to make some sort of foil move in response.

Both the Zhentarium and Sembia are bitter rivals in trade within the area and the Zhentarium are NOT going to simply let Sembia freely develop its aspirations in the Dalelands without some response on their part.

Instability in the Dalelands will threaten to draw those with some interests in the area into the conflict. Will Cormyr simple stand by while Sembia annexes most of the southern dales? Despite the ruin visited upon Cormyr with the 'Death of the Dragon', the Steel Princess can't simply let Sembia freely gobble up the dalelands and gain even more power.

Great fun for all.

As Kosh says in a episode of Babylon 5 "Once the avalanche begins, it is too late for the pebbles to complain..."

 

[Arravis]

Hmm... the Zhents could ally with the drow, and if Cormyr brings in forces some of the dales could go with Sembia, some with Cormyr. Is it in Cormyr's interest to keep the Dales independent? Would they be interested in expanding east a bit? They may not have a choice to keep the Zhents and Sembia from taking over the area. And how about Hillsfar... hmm....

 

[Hand of Evil]

You know that chaotic evil just does not lend itself to a lasting peace...I figure the drow could offer it and then kill everyone when signing the papers.