dreaded_beast
First Post
Last session happened a few days ago and my players finally got to see the King.
What I've sort of decided, but may change in the future, is that the Stonelands will be divided up into hexes, using the map from the 2nd ed Campaign Setting and the clear hex grid overlay. Each hex may or may not have a ruling faction that controls that particular hex. In order to make sure that the hex is "safe", the PCs must deal with the ruling faction either through force of arms, guile, or diplomacy. "Safe" is a relative term however, since although the ruling faction is taken care of, there are still a few "wandering monsters" lurking around the area. "Safe" is used more or less to determine whether or not the PCs can count that hex towards the goal of clearing the Stonelands. Ruling factions may be anything from an orc war tribe, to a hidden village of druids, etc.
Basically, the players must be able to clear out a sizeable amount of the Stonelands and keep it "safe" for a year. Once that year has passed and the players have been able to keep the Stonelands safe, they will have proven themselves to the King. The King will grant one of the players (or maybe all) the official title of Baron and will send a small contingent of Purple Dragons to aid the PCs in running their barony. However, the players must swear fealty to the King and Cormyr (I'm not sure what this will entail yet though).
The players must swear allegiance to the King, then they may set about the task of clearing the Stonelands in an official capacity. Once the year has passed then they will officialy be made Barons after swearing fealty to the King.
If anyone can give me some info on "fealty", in a DND campaign sense, that would be cool.
On another note, the players have hired a mercenary company to aid them in clearing the Stonelands. The mercenary company are the Red Ravens, who are native to Cormyr. They have the services of 110 1st/2nd-level fighters who have been hired to patrol and clear the Stonelands around their stronghold. The players are expecting them to have a great impact on their attempts to clear the Stonelands.
On one hand, I don't want the clearing of the Stonelands to be something as simple as hiring mercenaries and having them do all the work. On the other hand, I think it is fair that the players expect the Red Ravens to have some beneficial effect. My concern stems from the fact that the Red Ravens and Purple Dragons have been patrolling and attempting to clear the Stonelands for years without any great success. My players are always disbelieving when I tell them the Red Ravens have not been able to clear out the Stonelands by any meaningful amount. I've been trying to think of a plausible explanation why the Red Ravens/Purple Dragons have been unsuccessful and why the players will be if they tackle it themselves.
Any ideas are much appreciated!
What I've sort of decided, but may change in the future, is that the Stonelands will be divided up into hexes, using the map from the 2nd ed Campaign Setting and the clear hex grid overlay. Each hex may or may not have a ruling faction that controls that particular hex. In order to make sure that the hex is "safe", the PCs must deal with the ruling faction either through force of arms, guile, or diplomacy. "Safe" is a relative term however, since although the ruling faction is taken care of, there are still a few "wandering monsters" lurking around the area. "Safe" is used more or less to determine whether or not the PCs can count that hex towards the goal of clearing the Stonelands. Ruling factions may be anything from an orc war tribe, to a hidden village of druids, etc.
Basically, the players must be able to clear out a sizeable amount of the Stonelands and keep it "safe" for a year. Once that year has passed and the players have been able to keep the Stonelands safe, they will have proven themselves to the King. The King will grant one of the players (or maybe all) the official title of Baron and will send a small contingent of Purple Dragons to aid the PCs in running their barony. However, the players must swear fealty to the King and Cormyr (I'm not sure what this will entail yet though).
The players must swear allegiance to the King, then they may set about the task of clearing the Stonelands in an official capacity. Once the year has passed then they will officialy be made Barons after swearing fealty to the King.
If anyone can give me some info on "fealty", in a DND campaign sense, that would be cool.
On another note, the players have hired a mercenary company to aid them in clearing the Stonelands. The mercenary company are the Red Ravens, who are native to Cormyr. They have the services of 110 1st/2nd-level fighters who have been hired to patrol and clear the Stonelands around their stronghold. The players are expecting them to have a great impact on their attempts to clear the Stonelands.
On one hand, I don't want the clearing of the Stonelands to be something as simple as hiring mercenaries and having them do all the work. On the other hand, I think it is fair that the players expect the Red Ravens to have some beneficial effect. My concern stems from the fact that the Red Ravens and Purple Dragons have been patrolling and attempting to clear the Stonelands for years without any great success. My players are always disbelieving when I tell them the Red Ravens have not been able to clear out the Stonelands by any meaningful amount. I've been trying to think of a plausible explanation why the Red Ravens/Purple Dragons have been unsuccessful and why the players will be if they tackle it themselves.
Any ideas are much appreciated!
