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Pinjata
2016-01-19, 11:30 AM
I'm setting up a short campaign in Baldurs' Gate region and am reading Sword Coast Adventurers' Guide but there is one problem for me: It is not concrete enough. I need to know what powers reside in the mentioned region from bottom to top. Basically: On who's toes might PCs step?

The lowest bottom are villages, village chiefs. Some roaming kobolds, bugbears, bandits, volves, direvolves, vampiric volves. Occasional ogre, ogre mage, a sirine. Perhaps some doppelgangers.


There are a few good temples in the region with clerics and acolytes that might respond to funny stuff. Possible a few evil cultist cells of various origins.

Then, a few tiers up is Lords' Alliance with its Flaming Fist that also patrols nearby settlements and is, as per canon "also filled with "retired" adventurers". Connected to it are some extremelly powerful casters that can do pretty much anything.

In the region is also Candlekeep a library-fortress with exceptional defensive position, several hundred well trained monks along a few high-tier casters and connection in high places. You do not want to piss them off, but probably also can not.

Who else?

GloatingSwine
2016-01-19, 11:40 AM
The main power is going to be the Grand Dukes in Baldur's Gate itself. They probably own a good deal of the surrounding countryside, as nobility tends to do.

That said, the Sword Coast is supposed to be a bit of a frontier area, not very civilised at all, really. So there aren't really a lot of "big" players outside the city until you hit Amn in the south or Waterdeep in the north. Candlekeep is insular, Beregost is a mid sized town with little control over the surrounding country, and there's not much else going on that isn't "here be adventure!"

Ettina
2016-01-19, 11:41 AM
Check out the Murder at Baldur's Gate campaign - it has a lot of detail about the politics of the city Baldur's Gate, including several major NPCs who are political powers for different factions.

Pinjata
2016-01-19, 12:35 PM
This is all cool, but should the region not be, for an example, divided by dragons at least? Perhaps also beholders, etc.?

russdm
2016-01-19, 07:51 PM
My suggestion would be to do the following and then modify it up a bit to suit:

Make a number of Half-Dragon Orc/Ogre warlords, then give them a few tribes under their support, then have them compete to claim the largest territory and riches for either Tiamat or the Draconic parent. Have them divide out the land or just have them fight for the different chunks.

Or make them human half-dragon warlords with groups of followers. Totally go for a "Mongol Genghis Khan invades the Sword Coast" feel, and have them hit the area to claim it. There aren't any powers that I know of that have a widespread power, so it would be easy for one or more Khans to get setup with ideas of conquering a huge swath. You could even have the Khans driven off conquering by losing land further east and so they decided to claim parts of the Sword Coast for their own. It has to have some kind of wealth.

Maybe the lawless nature of the Sword Coast convinces some kind of nearby or somewhat more distant ruler to impose their authority. You could then have them taking steps to assert control and dealing the local powers to convince them to step aside. Maybe run the Sword Coast area like the Holy Roman Empire was for a while until change happened that shattered it well.

Invent some dragons maybe.

LibraryOgre
2016-01-20, 01:32 PM
Because Baldur's Gate is a port city, and sort of THE port city for the Western Heartlands, including for Cormyrean trade, consider that a lot of stuff East of the sea is going to funnel down to here. If you're trading between the Sea of Fallen Stars and Waterdeep, chances are you're going through Baldur's Gate... from anywhere on the Sea to Westgate or Teziir, the overland to Iraebor, then down the river to Baldur's Gate is the best route provided you want to go to Waterdeep, Neverwinter, or Luskan (since it avoids the Anarouch and the long overland trip).

That's going to see groups like the Red Wizards with an interest in the region, as well as the Zhents, the Iron Throne (if you're pre-BG), and any trade-oriented group. Consider which religious groups will also be in the area... Umberlee, Valkur, Waukeen all have trade interests in the area, and Oghma and his crew have influence among traffic bound for Candlekeep.

And the relatively open wild lands might see some other groups... humanoid armies turning into nations, for example.

GloatingSwine
2016-01-20, 07:01 PM
Overall, the message is "The Sword Coast is intended to give you quite a lot of leeway to make things up."

Pinjata
2016-01-21, 05:16 AM
Overall, the message is "The Sword Coast is intended to give you quite a lot of leeway to make things up."
Indeed.

Would it be over the top if entire region outside Baldurs' Gate is ruled by a chromatic dragon? Not as "there is a dragonborn checkpoint every half a mile" but in a way that this guy has his hand in everything in this region. I always liked an idea of dragon similar to powers of colombian drug lord.

Talyn
2016-01-21, 08:03 PM
It's your campaign, mate, go for it!

That sounds awesome. Your players will know that, eventually, they will need to face the evil dragon, but while they are low-level they will need to gather resources, support, and power first...

endur
2016-01-25, 08:02 AM
Firkgaark, Red Dragon from BG2 computer game.