Help me start a civil war in Cormyr!

[MojoGM]

Hey all,

I need the help of some Cormyr scholars to shake up the Realms a bit.

Here is my train of thought:

Awhile ago I read about some story about the Royal Family of England and how there was a first child way back in the line that should have been the next to get the throne, and if you followed the line down it made some truck driver from Wales the true king.

Nothing ever happened with it (that I recall seeing) but it got me thinking:

What if in the past there was a first-born child that for some reason did not grow up with the family. Maybe he was thought dead, and raised by another noble family? It doesn't have to be true, just feasible. And there can be some written proof that pops up (again, whether it is genuine or a forgery is an open question).

Anyway, it just so happens that if you follow this revised line, the real king would be this noble who just so happens to be building support.

I can see all sorts of cool adventures centering around the documents themselves and the unrest and challenge to the throne.

At this point I'm still in the planning stages, but would like to start planting the seeds for this.

Thus, I come to you for help. What do you all know about the royal line? How far back can the anomaly occur, and what family do you think could fit the bill?

Any ideas would be appreciated! (because I'm not sure where to go with this)

Thanks!

~Chris (MojoGM)

 

[MojoGM]

No love for the civil war in Cormyr thread?


Oh well, it was worth a shot.

 

[diaglo]

No love for the civil war in Cormyr thread?


Oh well, it was worth a shot.

three novels come to mind.

cormyr being the first one.

 

[Swordsage]

Umm, I know the entire lineage of Cormyr and most of the 'elder' sons are pretty much accounted for. Your best bet is to have a hidden son of King Boldovar (a monarch mentioned in the novels). He reigned (off the top of my head) in the 180s DR or so. He also became a ghazneth and featured in the novels "Beyond the High Road" and "Death of the Dragon".

-- The Swordsage

 

[Rabelais]

Purple Dragons vs. War Wizards. If you can divide the loyalties of the central groups then you've started a war.

 

[twofalls]

The problem I see (particularly in the magic rich environment of the Realms) is that a mix-up like this is extremely unlikely. With powerful divinations available and the well known nature of the nation you are discussing...

But then hey, these are YOUR Forgotten Realms...

 

[humble minion]

As others have said, all the divination magic available to the authorities of Cormyr makes things problematic. A couple of suggestions though:

- Magical duplication of Alusair. Nothing so magically simple as cloning - make it a genuine fission process (epic spell?), so that according to all divination magics etc, both Alusairs will register as being the original. Alusair is a somewhat hot-headed, abrasive, and occasionally ruthless, and will no doubt rub herself the wrong way in no short order. Not to mention that everyone will be wondering the who/what/whys of the spell in the first case - nice possibilities for paranoia there, and factionalism as both Alusairs try to get rid of the 'imposter'.

The true ruler, Tanalasta's infant child whose name escapes me, is discovered to have half-fiendish blood. Yes, I know his/her father only became a ghazneth after the conception - it's magic, ok! A slight taint could be hidden, but the horns, red scales, bat-wings etc become increasingly apparent as the heir matures. Good churches balk at confirming the succession. Evil churches rejoice. The common populace freaks out. Chaos ensues.

 

[BlackMoria]

Your first problem is that the currently ruling family is popular with the common people and I just don't see some unknown heir gaining enough support for a civil war.

A more likely scenario is certain "out of favor' nobles being wooed by Sembian interests and wanting to put their own man on the throne. Of course, these 'out of favor' nobles are well supported by Sembia both militarily and with lots of money. Have the favored noble particularly charismatic so that he can gain a ground swell of local support.

Now you have the makings of a civil war. Of course, if you want the favored noble to be a decendant of the 'proper' ruling line.....even better.

 

[Jupp]

One or two summers without rain should do the trick. People without food get angry quite fast I think. Throw a very heavy winter into it and lots of folks will probably start to get even more angry. Now put that child in front of the movement. If the lack of rain and the heavy winter is his doing or not is up to you

 

[MojoGM]

three novels come to mind.

cormyr being the first one.

I've read those...very helpful.

I'll probably do a quick read-through of Cormyr again just to refresh though.