sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11821 Posts |
Posted - 20 Sep 2024 : 15:55:47
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The previous Lords of Imphras II could all trace lineage back to the crown as descendants of the kings several generations back, and presumably that was still the case in the 1350's. As such, they were much more like a council that served to guide the king. Given that the Council of Lords changed its name to "The Grand Council", I'd imagine there were also changes in the type of leadership. For instance, per the 4e FRCG, Behroun Mahrana of house Mahrana is on this Grand Council. By his name, I'd bet "not a kindred of Imphras II". I'd bet it more likely that rich and/or mercantile houses started to gain "nobility" in the wake of a lack of a monarchy. Some of them may even have links to other countries (for instance, New Sarshel capitalized on "links to Telflamm" to raise itself out of the muck and make itself respectable), such that some of the noble houses may be people that moved in to take over mansions of families that died in the spellplague or fell to poverty because their head of household that knew how to run things died.
I definitely wouldn't say that Impiltur could still be considered a holy realm/theocracy. Its infested now with demon worshippers. Its common folk yearn for a return to a monarchy, and presumably most folk with even a close hint of royal blood must have died out, or else said "distant cousin" would be on the throne. Its city councilors rule ineptly. With the fall of Tyr and Helm near/after the spellplague, those two religious groups likely were floundering. Torm's and Ilmater's churches would still be about mind you, but just what kind of a hold they still have would be questionable. The country in essence is losing its identity. This isn't necessarily what I would want to see for the realm mind you, but that's what I see "as per canon", and it wouldn't take too much of a rewrite to introduce a returning king with a host of "half-brothers and sisters" and "cousins from his mother's side" to quickly return some kind of "camelot style" story to the realm again. After all, the king's kin that he reinstitues as nobility don't have to trace their lineage to Imphras II... just to the new king. It could even be something where the king that fell had a love child with a noble of Cormyr, and thus a Cormyrian noble house with no blood ties to the Cormyrian monarchy essentially is what comes over to restore Impiltur. Since at least a hundred years have passed since the Spellplague, this "returned king" might be quite old even OR it could be the grandson/great grandson that traces back to the love child... and maybe the grandfather only revealed his heritage on his deathbed, because he had lived his life in fear that he'd be hunted down and killed.
from 4e FRCG Several members of the Grand Council reside in New Sarshel, including the influential head of House Marhana, the wizened and little-seen Behroun Marhana. Tavern talk has it that magic, perhaps of a sinister nature, sustains Lord Marhana’s life. All know that his rise to power occurred roughly eighty years ago, during the decades after the lowering of the Sea of Fallen Stars.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
Edited by - sleyvas on 20 Sep 2024 15:58:25 |
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