OOC - Graverended Grimoire (House Millithor in the City of the Spider Queen V)

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

I'll finish it this weekend. I am having some difficulties with writing up a good background for him, though. You have to kill a lot of people to get to 20th level and it's hard to do that without having an impact on the setting (especially if you're that kind of character who has a focused agenda and really wants to make an impact). In other words, my character will have changed the world in some way or another, and I don't know if you will allow any changes to the setting.

The character is a pretty loyal Banite who has been working out of Zhentil Keep for most of his career, fighting the enemies of Bane in the Dales-Sembia-Cormyr area. He's focused particularly on eradicating the Harpers and plotting to turn the upper classes of the region to Baneism (elitist, darwinistic capitalism with a strong imperialistic tendency), sometimes by acting as an assassin against the rivals of his converts. He's tried to help the banites in the area build a powerful politic-economical cartel and make himself and his organization (Leadership Feat) an integral part of it's leadership. His long-term goal is to unite the region into a theo/magicratic Banite Empire by mostly peaceful means (and well-targeted acts of terrorism).

I need you to rule, in order to write my background, on just how much he has managed to civilize the region.

Well, I'm not going to say you managed to take over the entirety of Sembia... but a good chunk of it nevertheless. Your tireless efforts over the years have driven the Harpers far from your borders, and your careful assassinations have taken out most of the soft-hearted nobles that would have objected to your policies. With flattery and reward, you've managed to turn most of the nobles to your way of thinking, and established a powerful theo/magicratic country, with yourself the head of the ruling Mages' Council (with the High Priest of Bane and his church as the other half of the government).

Your secret police force helps keep the laws as much as your more visible guards do, and your elegant, peaceful political takeover and current (overtly) non-violent adgenda has kept your neighboors off your back. The basic trade structure and whatnot of Sembia hasn't changed too awfully much, and as long as the peasants kowtow to your new order, they accept it as just one more ruler. The neighboring countries don't yet have reason to try to make war on you, but you're already making war on them, from the inside. Within the few years, you will be ready to expand your empire into their weakened countries. Not even Thay was able to be so effective.

How does that work for you Serpenteye? But I would also need some connection between your country and the remnents of House Millithor and House Morcane. Both houses have managed to rebuild in the wake of the Graverending, absorbing the other, shattered houses, and are becoming the dominant power in the Underdark in their region.

 

[Serpenteye]

Well, I'm not going to say you managed to take over the entirety of Sembia... but a good chunk of it nevertheless. Your tireless efforts over the years have driven the Harpers far from your borders, and your careful assassinations have taken out most of the soft-hearted nobles that would have objected to your policies. With flattery and reward, you've managed to turn most of the nobles to your way of thinking, and established a powerful theo/magicratic country, with yourself the head of the ruling Mages' Council (with the High Priest of Bane and his church as the other half of the government).

Your secret police force helps keep the laws as much as your more visible guards do, and your elegant, peaceful political takeover and current (overtly) non-violent adgenda has kept your neighboors off your back. The basic trade structure and whatnot of Sembia hasn't changed too awfully much, and as long as the peasants kowtow to your new order, they accept it as just one more ruler. The neighboring countries don't yet have reason to try to make war on you, but you're already making war on them, from the inside. Within the few years, you will be ready to expand your empire into their weakened countries. Not even Thay was able to be so effective.

How does that work for you Serpenteye? But I would also need some connection between your country and the remnents of House Millithor and House Morcane. Both houses have managed to rebuild in the wake of the Graverending, absorbing the other, shattered houses, and are becoming the dominant power in the Underdark in their region.

It works very well, better than I had dared to hope actually .

The best way to unite two groups is almost always to give them a common enemy. The Empire of Sembia's greatest enemies are probably The Harpers (who are weakened too much to be a threat and have a lot of other concerns everywhere), The government of Cormyr (covertly, with officially decent relations. Their monarch is young and weak) and Shadowdale with Elminster (he may be powerful and well-connected enough to know about my operations in his sphere of influence but he's old and insane and may well ignore the issue until it becomes more pressing).
I will have tried to establish good relations with the City of Shade and the Red Wizards of Thay, but the thieves-guild organizations will either have been recruited into the secret police (and kept carefully monitored) or been targeted for eradication. The Cult of the Dragon definately falls in the latter category.

So, common enemies... Perhaps the Heroes of the Sword Coast in the employ of Elminster have been harrassing both my operations on the surface and the Drow's consolidation of power in the underdark. Less powerful groups sent against them have returned unsuccessful or been resurrected at great expense, leaving us (both groups seperately) forced to take care of the matter personally. We could perhaps meet each-others at the site of a raided caravan or burned-out temple, seconds after the Heroes have fled with the loot.

I would also be an enemy of most of the disruptive Chaotic religions in the region. The Empire strives to coexist with most of the lawful faiths, and might even cooperate with some of the LG, NG, LN and N ones on occasion to fight a common CE enemy.
We are ruthless and our laws are harsh, but we strive to create a generally prosperous and stable society with enough inherent unity that it will not collapse even if our military power is diminished in a conflict. Taxation is hard on the common folk, but not heavy enough to drive them past the breaking-point. Craft and industry are encouraged, and taxed less severely, but most of it is in the hands of the Cartel. Corruption is regulated, a privilige given only to the most powerful and only when it is expedient. We provide a fundamental degree of social security, to keep people from starving to death (and to keep them productive), but only to those who have earned it.

Rebellion and crime will not be tolerated. Laziness is a vice and, if taken too far, a crime. The wilderness will be cleansed of monsters and brigands. The people will have stability, a fair (but merciless) judicial system, a conditional guarantee against starvation and security. In exchange they will obey the laws, pay their taxes, be ready for conscription (the nobility and merchant-elite are exempt from Conscription, so are clerics of allied faiths) and say their prayers. (The worship of Bane is not compulsory, but highly encouraged)

Loyalty and mutual self-interest shall be the foundation of our great society. We do not create a house of cards built only on the fear of our
people.


--
Which groups or churches might be sympathetic and cooperative with our government as portayed in the post? Which would be violently hostile? I don't know a lot about the Realms.

 

[Dalamar]

Velina and Velasha (was that their name? I'm trying to memorize them) Have too small HD marked on their character sheets, since undeadness does not increase die size by one, it changes it to d12. Did you count their hit points with the d8s, Isida?

 

[Uriel]

Fun poke at Serpenteye

Are we playing D&D or Diplomacy...?

It works very well, better than I had dared to hope actually .

The best way to unite two groups is almost always to give them a common enemy. The Empire of Sembia's greatest enemies are probably The Harpers (who are weakened too much to be a threat and have a lot of other concerns everywhere), The government of Cormyr (covertly, with officially decent relations. Their monarch is young and weak) and Shadowdale with Elminster (he may be powerful and well-connected enough to know about my operations in his sphere of influence but he's old and insane and may well ignore the issue until it becomes more pressing).
I will have tried to establish good relations with the City of Shade and the Red Wizards of Thay, but the thieves-guild organizations will either have been recruited into the secret police (and kept carefully monitored) or been targeted for eradication. The Cult of the Dragon definately falls in the latter category.

So, common enemies... Perhaps the Heroes of the Sword Coast in the employ of Elminster have been harrassing both my operations on the surface and the Drow's consolidation of power in the underdark. Less powerful groups sent against them have returned unsuccessful or been resurrected at great expense, leaving us (both groups seperately) forced to take care of the matter personally. We could perhaps meet each-others at the site of a raided caravan or burned-out temple, seconds after the Heroes have fled with the loot.

I would also be an enemy of most of the disruptive Chaotic religions in the region. The Empire strives to coexist with most of the lawful faiths, and might even cooperate with some of the LG, NG, LN and N ones on occasion to fight a common CE enemy.
We are ruthless and our laws are harsh, but we strive to create a generally prosperous and stable society with enough inherent unity that it will not collapse even if our military power is diminished in a conflict. Taxation is hard on the common folk, but not heavy enough to drive them past the breaking-point. Craft and industry are encouraged, and taxed less severely, but most of it is in the hands of the Cartel. Corruption is regulated, a privilige given only to the most powerful and only when it is expedient. We provide a fundamental degree of social security, to keep people from starving to death (and to keep them productive), but only to those who have earned it.

Rebellion and crime will not be tolerated. Laziness is a vice and, if taken too far, a crime. The wilderness will be cleansed of monsters and brigands. The people will have stability, a fair (but merciless) judicial system, a conditional guarantee against starvation and security. In exchange they will obey the laws, pay their taxes, be ready for conscription (the nobility and merchant-elite are exempt from Conscription, so are clerics of allied faiths) and say their prayers. (The worship of Bane is not compulsory, but highly encouraged)

Loyalty and mutual self-interest shall be the foundation of our great society. We do not create a house of cards built only on the fear of our
people.


--
Which groups or churches might be sympathetic and cooperative with our government as portayed in the post? Which would be violently hostile? I don't know a lot about the Realms.

 

[Endur]

Name your character Fzoul.
(hint from the peanut gallery)

I'll finish it this weekend. I am having some difficulties with writing up a good background for him, though. You have to kill a lot of people to get to 20th level and it's hard to do that without having an impact on the setting (especially if you're that kind of character who has a focused agenda and really wants to make an impact). In other words, my character will have changed the world in some way or another, and I don't know if you will allow any changes to the setting.

 

[Endur]

Velina and Velasta.

You'll also need to make up a story as to how they became vampires and were converted by Torellan.

After being slain by the party and having their bodies shredded, Irae T'sarran brought them back as Revenants and sent them after Torellan, Quertus, and the remainants of House Millithor to finish you off (since Revenants can find you no matter where you hide).

So when they led a large undead force against you, presumably House Millithor somehow defeated them and somehow converted them from revenants into vampires.

(Its part of the module that after they are slain by the PCs, Irae transforms them into revenants and sends them after the PCs again)

 

[Xael]

I have university entrance exams next tuesday, so my posting might be a bit sloppy, though I'll probably manage the copy & paste operation of Quertus' background and stuff.

It's more probable that I throw the books to some dark corner and surf the internet though...

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Velina and Velasha (was that their name? I'm trying to memorize them) Have too small HD marked on their character sheets, since undeadness does not increase die size by one, it changes it to d12. Did you count their hit points with the d8s, Isida?

Yes, I counted their hit points with d8s. And you can increase their class hit dice to d12s. However their bonus ECL hit dice that I gave them stays at d8s.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Velina and Velasta.

No these aren't the drow twins that got killed these are Avariel, winged elves from the races of the Faerûn, twins but I would still like to see the story.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Yes, these are entirely new vampire cohorts I created for Dalamar, and he's "strongly encouraged" to come up with some additional history for them.