| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| prototype00 |
Posted - 18 Nov 2021 : 15:43:01
So I'm thinking of making a character from Sembia and I'm wondering what currently and historically a typical Sembian is stereotypically like?
I'm aware in 3rd and 3.5 edition there was a big to do about Miklos Selkirk setting out to make a "national order" on the scale of the Harpers known as the Silver Ravens, but I'm guessing being absorbed into Shade put paid to that?
And now following the fall of the Shadovar (who are still listed as residents of Sembia in the wiki, I wonder how true that is?), Sembia is now once again an independent nation, are they still going for the whole ambitious merchant republic feel?
(For reference, it's a Halfling Cleric of Tymora, would that fit there?) |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lord Karsus |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 19:29:20
-Given the influence of Volumvox prior to the arrival of the Shadovar, the obvious connection to the City of Shade post-annexation, I would assume that there was always something of a Shar underground there. I would assume that the Church of Shar has a much stronger foothold in the country among non-Shadovar than it did before, not necessarily the doom-and-gloom, nihilistic, nothing-matters-and-all-will-be-returned-to-nothingness aspect of Shar, but the having secrets and knowledge that others might not have aspect. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 15:32:44
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote:
Originally posted by prototype00
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Well, since Sembia only became free 7 years earlier, people would very likely still be recovering from the Netherese imposed culture so things may not be that close to what it was previously. One thing to consider though is that Daerlun was freed in 1439. That was only 39 years of Netherese control and they would have very likely reverted to their previous culture. That would probably make them the heart of Sembian culture by the time the rest of Sembia is freed in 1488. If your halfling is from there, the previous information about Sembian culture would probably apply in 1495. Plus, the worship of Tymora may have grown there if a respectable portion of the population believes that it was her blessing that let them gain freedom from the Netherese before the rest of Sembia.
Ah, thanks for the illumination concerning Daerlun,I went on the wiki and it seems that when the occupation of Shade went down, Daerlun was freed earlier and broke away as an independent state? And presumably when the rest of Sembia was freed, it joined back as the cultural heart?
Now I need to go read up about what Daerlun was like, I like to boil down my descriptions of NPCs to three or four words, like for Elminster it's Wise, Meddling, Ancient and Tired. What would you say the three word or four word descriptor for current Sembia would be like?
I do like the idea of Daerlun attributing it's good fortune to Tymora, I'll see if I can work that in.
Those 7 years between 1488 and 1495 are likely to be very chaotic for Sembia. You would have several factions that would be fighting to fill the power vacuum left: those that were thriving under Shade's control (they probably had an "in" with those in charge) so they want things to change as little as possible, those that felt repressed by Shade and it's taxation ("taxation without representation" folks), the Daerlun-inspired "lets go back to the way it was and remove anything Shade related", and finally the "lets make something better that what we have ever had" folks. It is likely that it is going to take decades for that to shake out (if ever) in the negotiations between the separate city-states that make up the Sembian Coalition now.
Each city-state is going to have it's own "flavor" so one could be very different from the next. But, for an over-all descriptor, it would probably be hopeful, weary, and wary.
Also, some of those places may be questioning the viability of "Sembia" itself. Do they NEED to still be part of the country, or should they revert to city states for instance? This might be more along the edges, but some places might consider being a part of the dalelands council. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 14:38:55
quote:
Originally posted by prototype00
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Well, since Sembia only became free 7 years earlier, people would very likely still be recovering from the Netherese imposed culture so things may not be that close to what it was previously. One thing to consider though is that Daerlun was freed in 1439. That was only 39 years of Netherese control and they would have very likely reverted to their previous culture. That would probably make them the heart of Sembian culture by the time the rest of Sembia is freed in 1488. If your halfling is from there, the previous information about Sembian culture would probably apply in 1495. Plus, the worship of Tymora may have grown there if a respectable portion of the population believes that it was her blessing that let them gain freedom from the Netherese before the rest of Sembia.
Ah, thanks for the illumination concerning Daerlun,I went on the wiki and it seems that when the occupation of Shade went down, Daerlun was freed earlier and broke away as an independent state? And presumably when the rest of Sembia was freed, it joined back as the cultural heart?
Now I need to go read up about what Daerlun was like, I like to boil down my descriptions of NPCs to three or four words, like for Elminster it's Wise, Meddling, Ancient and Tired. What would you say the three word or four word descriptor for current Sembia would be like?
I do like the idea of Daerlun attributing it's good fortune to Tymora, I'll see if I can work that in.
Those 7 years between 1488 and 1495 are likely to be very chaotic for Sembia. You would have several factions that would be fighting to fill the power vacuum left: those that were thriving under Shade's control (they probably had an "in" with those in charge) so they want things to change as little as possible, those that felt repressed by Shade and it's taxation ("taxation without representation" folks), the Daerlun-inspired "lets go back to the way it was and remove anything Shade related", and finally the "lets make something better that what we have ever had" folks. It is likely that it is going to take decades for that to shake out (if ever) in the negotiations between the separate city-states that make up the Sembian Coalition now.
Each city-state is going to have it's own "flavor" so one could be very different from the next. But, for an over-all descriptor, it would probably be hopeful, weary, and wary. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 03:23:46
quote:
Originally posted by prototype00
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm not sure Sembian culture would have been terribly impacted by the Shades.
Sure, the Shades were in charge, but as I understand it, they wanted Sembian money -- so they would have left things alone to keep the money flowing.
And there were way, way more Sembians than Shades.
I think that overall, Sembians may have become more cautious and/or secretive about what they did or said, but otherwise, nothing much changed.
Keep in mind, though, that I avoided most 4E stuff, aside from the FR supplements, so there could easily be novel material that contradicts this.
Hmm, interesting, so the general Merchant Republic Vibe (so the skullduggery of Renaissance Venice for example) coupled with a general aversion/hatred of oppressive and secretive empires, shadow magic and Shar wouldn't go amiss would it?
That's how I'd play it. |
| prototype00 |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 02:01:10
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I'm not sure Sembian culture would have been terribly impacted by the Shades.
Sure, the Shades were in charge, but as I understand it, they wanted Sembian money -- so they would have left things alone to keep the money flowing.
And there were way, way more Sembians than Shades.
I think that overall, Sembians may have become more cautious and/or secretive about what they did or said, but otherwise, nothing much changed.
Keep in mind, though, that I avoided most 4E stuff, aside from the FR supplements, so there could easily be novel material that contradicts this.
Hmm, interesting, so the general Merchant Republic Vibe (so the skullduggery of Renaissance Venice for example) coupled with a general aversion/hatred of oppressive and secretive empires, shadow magic and Shar wouldn't go amiss would it? |
| prototype00 |
Posted - 19 Nov 2021 : 01:58:06
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Well, since Sembia only became free 7 years earlier, people would very likely still be recovering from the Netherese imposed culture so things may not be that close to what it was previously. One thing to consider though is that Daerlun was freed in 1439. That was only 39 years of Netherese control and they would have very likely reverted to their previous culture. That would probably make them the heart of Sembian culture by the time the rest of Sembia is freed in 1488. If your halfling is from there, the previous information about Sembian culture would probably apply in 1495. Plus, the worship of Tymora may have grown there if a respectable portion of the population believes that it was her blessing that let them gain freedom from the Netherese before the rest of Sembia.
Ah, thanks for the illumination concerning Daerlun,I went on the wiki and it seems that when the occupation of Shade went down, Daerlun was freed earlier and broke away as an independent state? And presumably when the rest of Sembia was freed, it joined back as the cultural heart?
Now I need to go read up about what Daerlun was like, I like to boil down my descriptions of NPCs to three or four words, like for Elminster it's Wise, Meddling, Ancient and Tired. What would you say the three word or four word descriptor for current Sembia would be like?
I do like the idea of Daerlun attributing it's good fortune to Tymora, I'll see if I can work that in. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 18 Nov 2021 : 18:27:07
I'm not sure Sembian culture would have been terribly impacted by the Shades.
Sure, the Shades were in charge, but as I understand it, they wanted Sembian money -- so they would have left things alone to keep the money flowing.
And there were way, way more Sembians than Shades.
I think that overall, Sembians may have become more cautious and/or secretive about what they did or said, but otherwise, nothing much changed.
Keep in mind, though, that I avoided most 4E stuff, aside from the FR supplements, so there could easily be novel material that contradicts this. |
| TheIriaeban |
Posted - 18 Nov 2021 : 17:58:27
Well, since Sembia only became free 7 years earlier, people would very likely still be recovering from the Netherese imposed culture so things may not be that close to what it was previously. One thing to consider though is that Daerlun was freed in 1439. That was only 39 years of Netherese control and they would have very likely reverted to their previous culture. That would probably make them the heart of Sembian culture by the time the rest of Sembia is freed in 1488. If your halfling is from there, the previous information about Sembian culture would probably apply in 1495. Plus, the worship of Tymora may have grown there if a respectable portion of the population believes that it was her blessing that let them gain freedom from the Netherese before the rest of Sembia. |
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