| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Enwy |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 17:14:26
Hello everyone! I hope I'm putting this in the right place.
I'm currently writing up a 4th Edition campaign that will be taking place in Amn (focusing primarily on Athkatla for a time), and while brushing up on some changes made to the region post-Spellplague, I stumbled across something I missed originally: The "Council of Six" has been cut down to Five. My head proceeded to explode.
I know that the Council is no longer as anonymous as it once was, what with the five houses of the Council being known, at least. However, the previous sixth position of the "Dahaunarch" is absent. Does anyone know of any canon reason as to why the Council was cut down a member, or have their own theories? I'm wondering if perhaps I overlooked something.
Considering that the Council doesn't want to return to a six-seater out of greed, I'm reasoning that the Dahaunarch was removed personally or politically due to being "expendable" (and also at the bottom of the Council's food-chain), or for having botched something in the past. I'm trying to gather a little more theoretical detail. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Rils |
Posted - 16 Feb 2012 : 23:53:33
Hi all, sorry to necro an old scroll, but I was searching for the Cowled Wizards, found this, and realized I could add to it.
There actually is canon background info for this, but you have to go back through some old campaign guides to correlate it(which I just happened to have done earlier today, which is why it's fresh in my memory).
The 2e FR "Lands of Intrigue" set (#1159) has a broad overview of Amn, and the "Amn of Today" section has this to say for the month of Eleint in 1370DR: "By the first day of the month, the Council of Six is in disarray: Tessarch Phaan Colwyvv is trapped in the besieged city of Murann! While they can control Amn among the five of them, not a few worry that he might grow desperate and reveal more than he ought in order to save himself (just as they would themselves). Two separate efforts by the Council to get the Tessarch out of the city (one by the Shadow Thieves, the other by magic) fail, and even communications are blocked. His fate is as yet unknown." (page 25 of the Amn book)
Fast forward then to the 3e FR Campaign Guide, under the "Plots and Rumors" section: "One of the Council of Six was in Murann when the city fell to monsters and has not been seen since. He is presumed to be the prisoner of the ogre mages and perhaps is being tortured for information. Anyone who rescues the missing leader would be well received by the rest of the Council and become a national hero in Amn." (page 155). I believe 3e was set in 1372DR, so the Tessarch was still missing two years later.
Now, fast forward even farther to 4e, where the FRCG tells us this regarding the (now) Council of Five: "...Each of the High Houses (whose leaders make up the council) sponsors a number of smaller client houses. The mercantile cabals constantly feud, each wanting a bigger piece of the pie and working to insinuate their members into good positions. In theory, a highly successful independent house could claim a spot on the council and make it a Council of Six as it once was. Right now, about the only thing the leaders of Amn agree on is that there’s no reason to cut the take six ways." (page 92).
As 4e is set in 1479DR, it looks to me like the Tessarch was never recovered from the Murann wars, and the remaining Five decided over time to consolidate rather than seek a replacement. The lowest position was eliminated (the Dahaunarch), everyone under the Tessarch moved up a notch, and they are now splitting things 5 ways instead of 6.
So sorry, nothing as insidious as you might have been hoping for... :) I was looking this up in prep for an adventure in Amn involving the Council, and circumstance brought me to this scroll. Hope that helps! (although by now, its probably too late, oh well). |
| scererar |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 02:28:03
my first thought of a council of 5 in general over 6, would be no ties during votes for stuff 
edit for FRCG reference and my 2 coppers
It sounds almost like a higher level adventure/ campaign hook as the only reasoning.
page 92 FRCG
POWERS OF AMN
Amn’s Council of Five includes the Meisarch, Tessarch, Namarch, Iltarch, and Pommarch. Although these positions were once anonymously held, they now openly belong to the houses Selemchant (from Athkatla, sponsors of the Cowled Wizards), Dannihyr (from Eshpurta,secret masters of the Shadow Thieves), Alibakkar (from Athkatla), Ophal (from Crimmor), and Nashivaar (from Esmeltaran, strongly allied with the Church of Cyric),respectively.
Each of the High Houses (whose leaders make up the council) sponsors a number of smaller client houses. The mercantile cabals constantly feud, each wanting a bigger piece of the pie and working to insinuate their members into good positions. In theory, a highly successful independent house could claim a spot on the council and make it a Council of Six as it once was. Right now, about the only thing the leaders of Amn agree on is that there’s no reason to cut the take six ways. |
| Quale |
Posted - 27 Oct 2010 : 00:14:53
I don't have the 4e book, just speculating without it, some of the possibilities are ...
the Dahaunarch title was changed to a colonial governor, or even viceroy, so he reports to the Council but is not involved in local politics
the old Dahaunarch was a follower of Leira, maybe the seat is left unclaimed, until his return, something similar was in the First Law novels
the old Dahaunarch eventually converted to Cyric, his crimes became public and his position was so tarnished they had to get rid of it forever
the Council was closed off to new nobles, similar to what happened in medieval city-states
the Council became exclusively Athkatlan, there was an attempt from other cities to reduce their power through this position |
| Calmar |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 21:39:11
Are the Syphillitics still around? That's quite amazing, considering these guys started their attack on Amn in 2E. |
| Enwy |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 17:37:55
Markustay, thank you. I almost spit my tea when trying to not laugh about the STDs. xD
And true, I can technically just jot down whatever, but I tend to be a wee bit canon-obsessed when I can be, so I wanted to be sure~! |
| Markustay |
Posted - 26 Oct 2010 : 17:28:50
If there is no canon, I would spin so that he did something against the rest of the council.
That could be anything and have resulted in any number of outcomes (including still being around, and perhaps working against the other still).
This theoretical 'schism' may have been because of the Dahaunarch's own evil machinations, or for whatever reason having had a 'change of heart'.
Or maybe the Dahaunarch joined the Syphilis Empire and took the position of 'High Gonorrhea' in-charge of STD's (Surreptitious Troll Deployments).. 
You can really spin it any way you want (even if there is a canon reason why - 4e is built to do whatever you want to it). |
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