For Cormyr

A campaign based around Cormyr and the annexation of the Stonelands region.

Overview
A long-term campaign based around the conquest, subjugation and settlement of a wilderness region in the north of Cormyr, aptly named the Stonelands. Of crucial importance to the security of Cormyr’s northern borders, and trade from the Moonsea and Daleland regions. This frontier is plagued by all manner of creatures, preyed on by bandits and is sure to become a hotspot for political upheaval should the adventurers succeed in not being driven out of this hostile land by the local inhabitants.

Chronology
This campaign began during the Midsummer festivities in Waterdeep in the year 1373dr.

The Beginning.
Sparked by her need to change the course of her life, Captain Cianier Dy'Nien harassed and harangued Lord Réne Bastien, of Cormyr, into telling her about the Stonelands, where he had spent much of his youth as a Purple Dragons in service to Cormyr. It took her a week to irritate him to the point where he listened to her and, eventually, agreed to return home. His primary reason was that he refused to allow a foreigner to march into Cormyr and (possibly) succeed at one of his life’s goals.

By now a week into the month long (informal) celebrations, Bastien and Dy’Nien began a recruiting campaign and laid out plans amongst a handful of trusted associates. They left within days of the recruitment drive commencing, with a mind to reach Cormyr and begin making preparations for a campaign that has eluded the Cormyrian throne for centuries.

The Journey.
At the end of the Midsummer celebrations a column of adventurers and peasants set out from Waterdeep to make the long, overland journey, to Cormyr. They set out with much pomp and ceremony.

Minutes prior to this march, a dozen adventurers are called out from the column and taken to the newly refurbished and outfitted ‘Amastacia’. A magically enhanced Brigantine under the command of Captain Argus Galven. Amastacia sets sail with her magical hold filled with supplies that had been intended for Ten Towns, in Icewind Dale.

Already in Cormyr, René acquires the charter and the right to (tentatively) call himself Baron of the Stonelands. Once he establishes an outpost there. Cianier runs into a little trouble with the War Wizards and is greeted with suspicion. She agrees to work with them and is informally accepted into their ranks. René, meanwhile, runs afoul of an old rival – Lord Astier. The resulting drama sees him confronted by his father’s friend, and his old commander. Lord Rallyhorn and René make a pact. René pretends to flee Suzail while Rallyhorn pretends that he is ‘wanted for questioning’. Effectively getting Bastien away from the drama-nest that is the royal court.

The land-train ran into a trouble outside Dragonspear Castle. With their scouts coming under attack and killing what they believed to be a bandit, only turned out to be a local hero, they had to stall for a day or two to help the garrison at Dragonspear hunt down the local outlaws. Which they did, before going on their way.

The Amastacia took a shortcut through the Underdark. The route is one known, in full, only to Cianier and Argus. The voyage was peaceful, but for a clash as the Amastacia stopped over at a small island, on which, Cianier’s small tower and lab sat. The crew and adventurers, through a misunderstanding, ended up fighting both the Duergar ambushers, and the tower’s guardian – Cianier’s younger apprentice and a former friend of Argus’s who did not believe that the Argus he was seeing was genuine. Near a dozen crew died during the skirmish. The tower was secured with the death of the Duergar and the killing of the apprentice, its contents stripped and it was destroyed before the Amastacia continued on its way.

The Amastacia stopped for a few days in Marsember, registering with the Cormyrian authorities, picking up supplies, a few recruits, and sorting out a few loose ends before making ready to sail up, into the Wyvernwater. Samantha Holloway joined the crew, and shortly after, Captain Galven was attacked in an alleyway, after his conversation with the young wizard was overheard by a mysterious stranger.

Stillwater Keep was secured and Lord Astier's conspiracy undercovered in full by the endeavours of her inhabitants. The ancient evil lurking beneath the keep was defeated and finally, Lord Bastien, led a small contingent of Purple Dragons, as well as militia-like townsfolk and elves north, toward Arabel.

Presently.
With summer drawing to a close, the three prongs to this campaign begin preparing to set out along the final leg of their various journeys, aiming to rendezvous in Arabel before marching into the Stonelands.


 * The Amastacia, currently docked in Marsember, is soon to sail north, into the Wyvernwater. It is presently delayed as her captain, ship-wizard and ship-bard, have teleported in to assist the Land Train.


 * The Land Train, its progress slowed by rough roads and their obligations at Dragonspear Castle are currently under attack.


 * Lord Bastien and Cianier Dy'nien have made their way to Arabel, ready to rendezvous with the rest of their company. However, they are greeted by the local Lord, with suspicion and both Bastien's rebuke of Cormyr, and Cianier's clash with the War Wizards, catches up with them at last.

Joining the Campaign
There are a few points where joining has been, and many where joining will be, possible.

There was a large recruitment drive, in Waterdeep. Where the leaders were named and the objectives stated. Of course, Waterdeep is a long way from Cormyr, let alone the Stonelands. While many signed up, with promises of low tax on homesteading, adventure and recognition for deeds along that distant frontier (a fresh start, for many), many others did not. Perhaps preferring to make their own way to Cormyr and see, for themselves, what the tales are about before committing.


 * The Amastacia has not been shy in spreading the news in Baldur’s Gate.


 * Kril’s land-train has spread word along the main trade-ways running south and west from Waterdeep.


 * Rene’s return to Suzail has heard whispers as to his reason – The Stonelands – spring up throughout the capital and spread, from there, to the usual rumour-mongers throughout Cormyr.

Actually Joining
Consists of undergoing a short interview headed by one of the campaign’s leaders. Many spells are kept in place throughout the interview and magic, as well as skill, is used to weed out those with malicious intent. As of yet, no spies have managed to infiltrate the company. All interviews with those of evil alignment, or intending to do harm to the campaign, must be roleplayed – we won’t deny entrance outright and players are free to try various tricks and such to get involved in a negative fashion. Be forewarned, the campaign leaders are experienced in such matters and are thorough in their investigations.

All persons joining are paid a retainer’s fee according to their stated profession. It is, initially, a little lower than they could charge in major cities and the like, though their rate of pay will be adjusted, according to the work that they do once in the Stonelands.

Adventurers are granted the right to pillage, though are expected to tithe a portion of their takings to the Lord Bastien, in exchange for the safety of his camps, and the information that his networks can supply.

Lord Rene-Audric Bastien
Something of a black sheep to the Bastien family line – he was the last of three sons and was never meant to inherit the leadership of his family. A former adventurer, purple dragon and cavalier in service to the throne, his brusque manners, lack of patience and anti-social airs have ensured that he is amongst the least liked of the nobles. He is respected for his skills in war, and the horses that his lands breed are amongst the finest in the realm, but his social influence is almost non-existent. Especially after he turned his back on the Steel Regent and left Cormyr in late 1372, washing his hands of her intrigues and the corruption of her nobility that exists even within the royal tiers.

Reputation

Within Cormyr, Rene is well known and respected as a warrior and loyalist to Cormyr, one of the few born nobles to actually join, and serve, in the Purple Dragons, he is popular amongst the soldiery of the nation. He is not, however, liked and is often ridiculed by his peers (though never to his face). He is a fearsome warior, devout follower of Torm and the last of a long-line of nobles who trace their origin to the very founding of Cormyr.

Archmage Cianier Dy’Nien
Cianier comes from a family that has ancient ties to the Crown Wars and is known to have been around during the founding of Myth Drannor. They have a knack for magic and produce many High-Mages. Cianier is known amonst appropriate circles as being one of the few sun elves to leave Evermeet in response to the officialising of The Order to Retreat which has drawn so many elves away from the mainland. A very successful adventurer between the years 1332-1352, the last that was heard of her in recent years places her as retiring in Waterdeep with a half-elven Sembian. She disappeared, entirely, in 1354. Some rumours link her to Argus, and claim she has been, for the last two decades, evading authority and engaging in piracy though most who know of her early life decry such rumours as farsical.

Reputation

Cianier is a powerful wizard made wealthy and successful by her adventuring years. She keeps peculiar company at times, that seems ill-suited to her race. She is known to stand against the Elven Retreat. Her most recent feat was to (it is assumed) sieze control of Argus Galven’s vessel and lead the elven frigate ‘Sea-Wraith’ into battle against a Nethander pirate flotilla. She won, despite engaging two dozen hostile vessels.

Argus Galven
First became known in 1355, a young lad who sailed with a pirate crew. By 1360, it is assumed that he was either an officer of captain of the ships that he sailed with. By 1368, it is thought that he, somehow, managed to capture an elven frigate and was using that as his home-vessel.

He is known as a gentleman pirate, though for all his manners and his sense of roguish honour, it is understood that to cross him is to vanish. His crew are tight-lipped and disciplined. He is often accompanied by a hooded wizard though, in the past, has been seen, often, in the company of Cianier Dy’Nien.

Reputation

Primarily known along the sword coast and south, along the coasts of Amn and Calimshan.

To cross Argus is to disappear. To engage him, at sea, is to lose. Argus has a knack for finding lucrative targets, engaging them, and winning. Many merchants from Calimshan chose to simply furl their sails and lay down their arms when he raises his colours after his masterful defeat of an aggressive Calimshan frigate and the slaughter of all naval personnel, bar one, who were aboard. He is known to show mercy to those that do not resist, and is a man that respects some form of honour-code that nobody, outside his circle, is yet aware of the limits of.

It is not known that he only recently (1373) took over captaincy from Cianier. It is believed that he has been in charge for years.