[FR] Stonelands Barrony: Have you or your players tried for it? Opinions?

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

Hey Guys and Gals,

I’ve got a Zhakaran-born 20th level Aasimar Paladin/Purple Dragon Knight in my campaign that has after much thought and consideration decided to build and maintain a keep in the Stonelands north of Cormyr.

While the in-game challenges of such an undertaking might seem obvious what with Shade to the North and Orcs and Goblins displaced from the war running around in the Stonelands, I wanted to get your wise opinions and ideas on how to run it ––especially if you as a player have tried to become Barron or are the DM of a player who has tried.

Note that ideas on courtly intrigue and interference, notions of the limits of authority on what a Barron of Cormyr can and cannot do under Cormyte law, wild and crazy ideas (like a resurgence of Goblins in the Goblin Marches or the return of Gondegal) –whatever– are all most welcome.

Thanks in advance!

J. Grenemyer

 

[Jeremy E Grenemyer]

pitty bump

 

[Eremite]

This is an interesting idea. The Zhents spring to mind as a threat. I wonder if this could be a battleground for the western and eastern Zhentarim factions? Coming between the two factions would be more interesting than a straight fight against the (Banite) Zhentarim, IMO.

Perhaps the two factions are manipulating the various tribes and these clashes are spilling over into Cormyr proper. The new baron (one "r") is charged with crushing the orcs and goblins but soon finds that he is in the middle of the clash between the Cyricist and Banite factions of the Zhentarim... perhaps with the Shades also manipulating things here and there.

 

[The Amazing Dingo]

I'm not a real FR fan, however I do remember an older thread from probably one to two months ago when someone (I can't remember her name, just remember her little picture...err!) was starting a very similar, if a lower level, campaign in the Stonelands. You might want to check out there for some specific and general ideas that might be useful.

If someone can help me with the name, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Fenes]

I'd hit the baron with some neighbouring nobles eager to marry off a daughter or two (maybe complete with ancient bloodfeuding rivals, family curse, parents-in-law from hell (literally) or all together. A marriage would be the perfect opportunity to get all those old friends and enemies together the party accumulated during the 20 levels before this.

Fellow nobles and purple dragon knights dropping of a problem offspring for the hero to "straighten out, I tried everything", with the problem ranging from headstrong kids set on becoming adventurers and not lords/ladies to kids involved with seedier people, or lovers of zhents or shades.

Some crafty but greedy stonemason/enterpreneur with some creative ideas on designing a keep can also add spice to the keep building.

Trade organisations like the iron ring trying to take the barony over economically.

Rival churches viewing for influence, trying to get the baron's ear (and the population).

An ancient ruin/cave system gets discovered, and adventures flock to it, the new baron having to deal with the usual crop of anti-authority, mouthy, obnoxious adventurers from hell - just use some alter egos of the same party you grew up in.

Mage fair in town.

Rival barons striving to undo the efforts of the new baron, and one-up him, leading to competition over where that famous bard passes the winter, f.e.

 

[diaglo]

our DM, Olgar Shiverstone, has had this as an option for us since level 3.

read the story hour in my sig.


i don't think my character is gonna take a crack at it though. mostly cuz he is a nomadic kender like hin.

but the idea of fame and fortune and a title have been intriguing.

insert Thay market of magic items

insert Sembian traders peddling the Thay

insert disgruntled nobles of Cormyr who want the baron's backing for a new King instead of the steel reagent or baby ruler.

insert zhents

insert drow battles spilled over from the Dales due to the CotSQ

insert Adventures from Dungeon Magazine. like the one with the Gargantuan Basilisk.

 

[J_D]

According to published Realmslore, the stonelands are primarily badlands terrain, and there are no civilized settlements of any note there. This means there are no guilds, no churches, and no markets. A Baron of the Stonelands is basically a baron of nothing except the responsibility preventing Zhents and goblinkind from using the area as a staging ground for trouble in Cormyr.

The following is a recent posting to the REALMS-L mailing list which describes the problems in more detail:

Responsibilities? Primarily one - keep the Stonelands free of
Zhents and goblinkind.

Rights? You have title to the land, for all the good that will
do you. The terrain is primarily badlands, an arid place that
has primarily scrub vegetation with occasional stands of trees.
It's the next best thing to desert. It is often subject to the
stonemurk, a visibility-reducing northerly wind bearing sand
from the Anauroch. When a really good stonemurk sets in, you
get a "brownout" with almost zero visibility. The sand
eventually settles out when the wind meets the northern side of
the Storm Horns and accumulates at the foot of those mountains.

The land is singularly unsuited for agriculture, so any
settlement there will not be self sufficient; food will have to
be continually brought in. About the only thing that would
make any settlement in the Stonelands viable would be the
discovery of mineral riches there or in the northern foothills
of the Storm Horns. Short of that, the only reason anyone
would even want to be Baron of the Stonelands is for the
goodwill and acclaim that would come from the Crown for
clearing out the Zhents and goblinkind. That will get you
kind words and gladhanding in Royal Court, but will it feed
the people you settle there or earn you a living?

As far as economics goes -- actually getting some value out
of the land to make a title worthwhile -- the Stonelands are
pretty much a losing proposition. My bet would the that's
the reason why the offer of the title is still open, and that
there isn't a flood of adventurers seeking it.

 

[dagger]

This would be an excellent opportunity to use Fields of Blood by Eden Studios.