Moonsea Current State of Affairs
From Toosigma
Melvaunt:
Current Political Situation:
- The most powerful mercantile houses Nanther, Leiyraghon, Bruil, and Nurian are all vying for the position of Lord Envoy. The Bruils are being the most aggressive politically, diplomatically, and rumor has it militarily as well increasing tensions with the city guard.
- Foreign Mercenaries have been streaming in to the city since the Bruils aggressive politicking began.
- Melvaunt is as unfriendly and cold of a place as it has always been albeit with more soldiers, more murder, and definitely more mercenaries. Crime is more abundant than ever in most areas and the secret black market of slaves and slave trading is more successful than ever before. More traders and merchants are coming to the City of Swords because it is farther away from the Zhents, the hostile forests, and rebellions in all areas of the Zhentil occupation.
Current City Rumors
- Dire Rats have been pouring out of the drains in the north part of the city.
- Both the Zhents and the Red Wizards are trying to infiltrate the city with spies and merchants.
- A green-robed wizard has rented a house near the docks and a strange creature has been flying from its roof in the middle of the night.
- Several temples are buying slaves off the black market including those captured in raids to the south near Elventree.
- An assassin from the east with glowing eyes prowls the streets at night.
Glister and Thar
- Orcs raids have become very frequent in Thar and along almost every road of the desolate north. Mercenaries and adventurers have streamed into the area as the cold war between the Zhents and the other city states continues.
- Glister is under the control of Melvaunt’s army and has a sizable militia as well as several groups of mercenaries guarding the city. Something has been found among a construction site that has been corned off and shielded from the general public. Whispers and rumors have been carried on the backs of merchants and guard returning from the city.
Zhentil Keep, Yulash, and HIllsfar:
Current Political Situation:
- The Zhentil Army still controls HIllsfar under Lord Baxxan Rokh. Although there is a sizable garrison in Hillfar, the Zhents do not control all of the city. Harper rebels and those still loyal to the deposed First Lord control certain areas.
- The Red Plumes are little more than a police force forced to patrol the city streets and made to do the dirty work of the Zhents. Something has the strings and leash of the Red Plumes tight as they are more loyal to the Zhents than they ever were to the First Lord
Current City Rumors
- The rebellion of the citizens and First Lord militia may be joining forces to wrest the city from the Zhents.
- Elven crusaders have been spotted twice at the forest edge throwing out the bodies of Zhent scouting parties.
Myth Drannor, The Crusade, and Cormanthyr
Even before the Weave Shock that turned most of the Anauroch into a dead magic zone to Weave magic, some ancient magic had awakened in the old forest homes of the elves. Cormanthyr, th Yuirwood, Ardeep Forest, and the High Forest all seemed to be restless. The magic began to stir after the Time of Troubles as the death of so many deities rumbled through the world.
After the crusaders had taken back the forest and Kael Akhavan left for the Stornlands, the forest grew more and more hostile to non-elves. Most of the Army of Mystra and the KNights of Myth Drannor returned to Cormyr mysteriously on Hammer 12 of 1376. Eight days later the aftershock from whatever happened in desert fully awakened the whatever ancient elven magic was stirring. Dozens of treants, Elven Warders, and Balenorn were seen in the forest and non-elves fled out of the trees as the forest began to reclaim its ancient borders. Trees sprouted up overnight and most of Shadowdale and Battledale were reclaimed by early 1377. Moander's Road, Halfate Traril, and most used trails were obliterated by the forest by mid 1376. Even the roads of the Moonsea Ride and Rauthauvyr's Road have narrowed and the forest seems to creak and rattle around the road almost like it was ready to reclaim the road for trees. Warders, treants, and other dangerous elven guardians seem to have multiplied in numbers and the drow survivors of the crusade have vanished or been found in great piles of untouched corpses. The only mark left behind on the bodies are the words "The Forest Lives" in ancient elven glyphs.
As the forest expands, The Crusaders of Myth Drannor retreat into the City of Beauty where they begin a period of isolation and rebuilding. The armies of Evereksa return to their stronghold in the Grey Hills and the elves from the High Forest return as well.As the forests around Faerun expand and reclaim their ancient borders.
The Zhents and others who use the trails decide to construct roads around Cormanthor and other affected areas.
By late 1379, the forest has reached the outskirts of Elventree, Hillsfar, and the shores of River Arkhen. Most of Harrowdale has been abandoned except for Harrowdale Town as has most of Mistledale with the exception of The Abbey of the Golden Sheaf and The Abbey of the Sword as the hostile forest has made few exceptions to where it retook land.
No known elven diplomats or from any other races has been exchanged in the great forest and no one really knows what is going on inside the borders.
