Unapproachable East.pdf - The Forgotten Realms

Government
“Loose” is a generous description of the governments of Aglarondan
towns and cities. They are chiefly concerned with only
one thing: staving off invasion by Thay. In many ways, Aglarond
is not a nation so much as a defensive league—one reason
the people of Altumbel and many of the cities along the
nation’s southern coast consider themselves independent. With
the rest of Aglarond between them and Thay, they are confident
of weathering any Thayan storm.
A lady or lord governs each Aglarondan community. Hereditary
nobles hold many of these positions, while others are
awarded by acclamation (whether given willingly, extracted by
blackmail or force, or taken simply because no one else wants
the thankless job). The chief duty of an Aglarondan lord is to
represent the community on the Royal Council. Some eschew
this to set themselves up as petty lords answerable to no one,
but most take their duties seriously.
The Royal Council meets once a month, so local rulers
spend a great deal of time traveling to Velprintalar and back.
Some live in the capital most of the time and come back every
other month or so to report what’s happening in the court and
to check on events at home.
Those who have earned the Simbul’s trust carry out most
of Aglarond’s administration. While the Simbul does not intervene
in the selection or accession of council members, she
is not above dispatching one of her apprentices or elite captains
to act as her surrogate in a town, thus circumventing
troublesome individuals. Some view the Simbul’s willingness
to ignore the council as tyranny and worry about the precedent
she is setting.
Enemies
Aglarond’s relative isolation should mean potential enemies
pass it by, but that hasn’t been the case. A number of different
organizations would love to see the downfall of the Simbul
and her people. Four of the most prominent are described here.
THE RED WIZARDS
The Red Wizards of Thay are by far the most consistent
thorn in Aglarond’s side. They have tried to invade at least
ten times since King Brindor began his rule, and three of
those attempts have come during the Simbul’s reign alone.
For more details on the Red Wizards and their plots, see
Chapter 11: Thay (or the Lords of Darkness campaign accessory,
if you have that book).
The Thayans have chosen commercial expansion over military
conquest, but that doesn’t mean they no longer covet
Aglarond. Their desire to conquer this land stems from two
reasons. First, the zulkirs believe they can’t attack other parts
of the world while leaving their western flank exposed. And
while Aglarond may not have much of a navy, the Red Wizards
would gladly clear-cut the Yuirwood to build one. They see
Aglarond as the perfect base for further advances, providing
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Thay not only the needed routes and resources, but also a
buffer against any retaliation from the western powers, which
would have to fight through the peninsula to reach Thay.
The current Thayan plan is to cozy up as close to the Aglarondans
as the Simbul will permit. The zulkirs hope that the
Simbul will be impressed by the benefits of trade and allow
Thayan enclaves in Aglarondan cities. Then, when the time is
right, the Red Wizards can attack Aglarond from within.
CULT OF THE DRAGON
The Cult of the Dragon has a secret cell in the village of
Glarondar. These evil souls venerate Nartheling, the fang
dragon of Umbergoth, and hope to persuade the wyrm to
become a dracolich. Small bands of cultists regularly make the
pilgrimage from Glarondar to the top of the icy peak, bringing
the dragon news of the town and opportunities to enrich
itself by providing information on caravans and patrols.
The current leader of the Glarondan cell is a half-elven
necromancer by the name of Winn Kardzen (CE male halfelf
Nec7). He is plotting an attack against the fortress at
Glarondar by reanimating corpses in the Umber Marshes to
simulate a Thayan attack. This is designed to draw the patrols
from the Watchwall, giving Nartheling a chance to ravage the
town while the army is off chasing decoys.
THE NILSHAIS
Sinister creatures from some far dimension, the nilshais are
alien sorcerers who have constructed dark gateways into
Sildëyuir, the extraplanar refuge of the star elves. Worse yet,
some of the elven realm’s portals linking it to the Yuirwood
have fallen into the hands of the nilshais, and the invaders
have dispatched marauding bands to scout out the ancient
forest and learn more about the world beyond. The nilshais are
contemptuous of Material Plane life and hunger for new lands
to conquer; it is only a matter of time before they gather their
strength for a major incursion, bringing madness and vile sorcery
to the green haven of the Yuirwood.
THE SONS OF HOAR
The Sons of Hoar are a newly formed group that aims to
peacefully remove the Simbul from her throne and install a
“normal” person on the throne. In their parlance, “normal”
means a high-born human noble of Velprin’s old line, preferably
one who isn’t a spellcaster. This group plays on Aglarondans’
natural distrust of magic, even that used by their
neighbors. They want a real hero on the throne, one of the
people, not someone catapulted to power through pacts with
unnatural forces.
The Sons of Hoar have great support in the nominally independent
regions of Aglarond, particularly in Altumbel and
the Fang. While some of the Sons are cynical racists acting out
of naked ambition, they have also attracted misguided idealists
to their cause. The cold, hard core of the secret society