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Marquant Volker
Learned Scribe
Greece
273 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Feb 2007 : 14:38:21
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Since there is very little lore about it in FRCS i want to ask the fellow sages and scribes to share the lore and/or their experiences about using this organization
One of my concerns is the structure of the Alliance, where is its headquarters?
I also believe there must be people working for the organization,
any lore on what professions they have? the hierarchy? or perhaps a head coordinator? someone would sponsor them i guess so from where are the gold pieces flowing?
I believe (non-canon) that the nations forming the Alliance are sponsoring the organization with gold (anyone knows the numbers? i cant believe that there is a set amount for all. Waterdeep should give more than Beorunnas well for example)
FRCS doesnt introduce all the city/nation members (it names some) of the organization, i am searching for a complete list of LA (Lords Alliance) members, is Amn a member? The Local Baron of Western Heartlands? Cormyr? if not, why's that?
Another question comes with the power LA have, how much can interfere with the affairs of its members or outside factors? How are wars be dealted when the organization's diplomats fail? Against outside factors? A war beetween members?
Finally how do you introduce LA to your players? a good-for-nothing-paper-only kind of Alliance? a Swift and Decisive Powerhouse? strong but kind slow-to-react (after all it makes sence for all those members and paperwork  )
Of course there are powefull and enlighted NPC in the head of LA but i assume the vast numbers of other members and their political intrigues, friendships and rivalries makes the organization kind of slow, so instead of being swift and decisive about inside and enviromental matters is more like a passive reaction-based organization
I am waiting for your replies, thanks for reading 
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Edited by - Marquant Volker on 04 Feb 2007 14:39:57
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 04 Feb 2007 : 15:15:04
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To be honest - all those things you mentioned where reasons for me NOT to introduce the Lords alliance in my campaign.
However, I did some thinking on this and I would most likely use the group only as the power group behind the scene, having only an agent consulting the PCs and playing it low profil.
Furthermore, due to the very reason that it is a group consistend of various hihg power people with differnt mind sets and goals to me it is pretty obvious that the group as a whole would only contact an adventurer's band that they have a concensus of trust in and arre convinced that they will be able to handle the job. Also they would only make such an arrangement AFTER they have taken the proper steps to agree on such actions.
Don't know if this is help to you at all, or if I even expressed myself in an understanable manner. Hope so, though!
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"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31774 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 00:11:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Marquant Volker
FRCS doesnt introduce all the city/nation members (it names some) of the organization, i am searching for a complete list of LA (Lords Alliance) members, is Amn a member? The Local Baron of Western Heartlands? Cormyr? if not, why's that?
I don't recall a complete listing being published. Off the top of my head:-
Waterdeep
Baldur's Gate
Elturel
Berdusk
Irieabor
Silverymoon
Sundabar
Neverwinter
Golden Fields
Leilon
Longsaddle
Fireshear
Mirabar
Everlund
Daggerford
And there is Alliance influence in Triboar as well. There may be something in Loudwater as well. Although there is no specific mention... given the Black Network's past influence in the town, the Lords' Alliance is bound to have some interest in this locale.
quote:
Another question comes with the power LA have, how much can interfere with the affairs of its members or outside factors? How are wars be dealted when the organization's diplomats fail? Against outside factors? A war beetween members?
In the Sword Coast North, the Lords' Alliance has for some time served to avoid all-out war.
You'll find various details on the Alliance and the cities that are part of it in nearly all of the the various 2e sourcebooks that deal specifically with the North -- the two Volo's Guides in particular (being Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast and Volo's Guide to the North) being the more relevant. The North boxed set and Silver Marches also. There's a tidbit or two in Power of Faerun as well.
Ed also provides some details on the Alliance in his Candlekeep '05 replies.
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood
Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 03:30:46
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| Also, I'll bet the lack of detail is partly intended, so DMs can fill in whatever they would like to. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 03:43:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
You'll find various details on the Alliance and the cities that are part of it in nearly all of the the various 2e sourcebooks that deal specifically with the North -- the two Volo's Guides in particular (being Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast and Volo's Guide to the North) being the more relevant. The North boxed set and Silver Marches also. There's a tidbit or two in Power of Faerun as well.
The North and Volo's Guide to the North are both available for free from the Wizards downloads page. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 18:51:18
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| I always pictured the Lord's Alliance to be more of a Trade Alliance, rather than a formal alliance. Much like the WTO. |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Marquant Volker
Learned Scribe
Greece
273 Posts |
Posted - 05 Feb 2007 : 23:35:05
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| Thanks to all for both the interest and the replies, i will do a little research on the sources pointed by the Sage. If i find anything of interest i will post it here. |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 00:44:24
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| The Lords' Alliance is an alliance of lords -- not really an organization in its own right, and I doubt it has a centralized headquarters. "The agents of the Lords' Alliance are varied, and usually swear their loyalty first to one particular lord, then to the Lords' Alliance as a whole." |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 04:19:07
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Faraer has (as usual) got it "spot on" correct.
The Lords' Alliance is just that: an alliance of lords who generally share the same goals. They have spies and go-betweens/envoys who work for them (swearing personal allegiance to a particular lord), as information gatherers and sharers between the lords. Think of it as behind-the-scenes diplomacy, where they report a political event or outbreak of raiding or fighting to each other, and often decide on a united position to take regarding the event.
So, Marquant: no headquarters, no formal meetings, no badges and uniforms, and so on. The "structure" you're looking for just isn't there. This isn't the EU or the UN; it's more the Bildenberger Group or a "Red Phone" or "Hotline" network among various heads of state.
The public knows about the Alliance because of the peace its members work to maintain and the trade alliances and easy flows they foster (generally in the Sword Coast North and father south down the Sword Coast and east along the Heartlands trade routes).So, yes, they are the ultimate "behind the scenes" power group.
I hope this helps to explain the Alliance a bit better. How do I know all of this? Because we Knights (of Myth Drannor; my PC and other PCs) briefly found ourselves used as "go-betweens" to guard-and-carry items and documents from Lord to Lord, in Ed Greenwood's "home" Realms campaign (or as I like to think of it, THE [real, original] Forgotten Realms).
love,
THO |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 06 Feb 2007 : 10:15:55
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Ain't it always sweet to have THO drop by to tutor us?!
I just love it.... thanks for those moments of enlightenment, THO. |
"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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MerrikCale
Senior Scribe
USA
947 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2007 : 02:25:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Wenin
I always pictured the Lord's Alliance to be more of a Trade Alliance, rather than a formal alliance. Much like the WTO.
I think its a little more formal than that. And I believe its more military than trade per se. It busted up Luskan's control over Rauthyn if I recall correctly |
When hinges creak in doorless chambers and strange and frightening sounds echo through the halls, whenever candlelights flicker where the air is deathly still, that is the time when ghosts are present, practicing their terror with ghoulish delight. |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 07 Feb 2007 : 04:16:56
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It's military strength comes from its members. In this way it can be used like NATO. Port Llast is suppose to have "Lords' Alliance" troops stationed there, to ward off Luskan. It is only 20 troops, but it includes soldiers from Baldur's Gate. So if Luskan messes with Port Llast, they essentially mess with Baldur's Gate.
But the Alliance doesn't have any kind of formal military.
Yeah you're right that they aren't like the WTO, as they aren't about making things "fair". The alliance was built to keep the influence the Zhents in check... if not squash it. |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Marquant Volker
Learned Scribe
Greece
273 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2007 : 13:30:51
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| Thank you fellow Scribes and Sages for your answers. Lady THO your post was exacly what i was looking for. It seems that there is no question hard enough, nor secret unrevealed here in Candlekeep. I thank you all,my questions were well asnwered. If someone has any more tit-bits of lore about LA feel free for further posting. |
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AlorinDawn
Learned Scribe
USA
313 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2007 : 19:15:34
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Marquant Volker,
While I cannot provide anything other than my personal use of the Lord's Alliance, it is used heavily in one of my campaigns and I will share some of my insight. As stated above I used the LA as a heavy political machine who acts to secure trade and safety in trade routes. Each city or town has agents who are loyal to the powers that be.
In my campaign one of our high level fighter is a marshal for the LA whose main contact are the Lord's of Waterdeep. This marshal is sent far and wide within the Alliance to "put out fires". This provides TONS of adventure hooks and some good role-playing as the group tends to interact with the lords of this or that city doing their bidding to protect trade and safety of trade routes. I use marshals who are in employee of most of the leaderships of member cities and a few high marshals who roam within the alliance cities and have quite a bit of authority as long as they report and work with the leadership of whatever area they are in. All member cities contribute to a central fund to employ a certain number of marshals.
Some of the fun role-play moments I've had with this are watching a generally aggressive warrior of high level be snubbed and out maneuvered by far lower level NPCs who rule in this or that capacity. Hope some of this helps.
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Edited by - AlorinDawn on 09 Feb 2007 19:16:57 |
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Lord's Alliance
