Lords' Alliance
The Lords' Alliance, also known as the Council of Lords, was a partnership of merchant cities founded in the early 14th century DR. Its members were from the Sword Coast, the North and Western Heartlands, including Waterdeep, Silverymoon, Baldur's Gate, and Neverwinter, as well as other free cities and towns in the region, which made up the bulk of the organization. It was formed to oppose the growing influence of the Black Network in the North, the Shadow Thieves of Amn, rampaging hordes of orcs, and Northlander raiders.
“For a century and a half, and more, the Lords' Alliance has stood as the most important and influential group in the North. Its power has kept towns safe from the predations of larger powers, has kept the ambitions of Luskan in check, and has taught the rulers of many cities that it is better to cooperate, even for a time, then to merely shut one's doors and allow the storms to rage outside.” — Andew Cururen, a Lords' Alliance agent of note.
Organization
Depending on who was asked, the Lords' Alliance was considered either a strong coalition, or unsteady pact of political powers. While the Alliance was said by some to be a collective of aggressive and self-serving figureheads, others insisted they were among the most secure governing bodies in the west. The truth, as it usually was, lay somewhere between the two extremes. While the members often held opposing views and held interests that conflicted with their peers, these rivalries were set aside when true danger emerged to threaten their collective safety and prosperity. The true strength of the alliance, it was said, manifested when its members banded together on collaborative endeavors.
While some of these cities and city-states held more influence than others, they aligned their goals for the greater good and prosperity of the whole alliance. Collectively they believed in the preservation of civilization for the better of their people.
The alliance's emblem was a golden crown set over a field of red.
Alliance Members and Leaders
These were the member states and their leaders as of 1489 DR.
- Amphail: Lord Dauner Ilzimmer
- Baldur's Gate: Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate and Marshal of the Flaming Fists Ulder Ravengard
- Daggerford: Duchess Morwen Daggerford
- Longsaddle: Dowell Harpell
- Mithral Hall: Queen Dagnabbet Waybeard
- Mirabar: Marchion Selin Ramur
- Neverwinter: Lord Protector Dagult Neverember
- Silverymoon: High Mage Taern Hornblade
- Waterdeep: Open Lord Laeral Silverhand (she was also the leader of the Alliance)
- Yartar: Waterbaron Nestra Ruthiol
Activities
Member-states of the Lords' Alliance served to better the collective regions of the North and the Western Heartlands as a whole. They achieved this through well-wrought mercantile treaties and official pledges to ensure their collective safety,[16] especially along prominent trade routes.[11][17] The collective group bargained with foreign trading partners and even regulated preferred relations and treatment of certain groups long-feared by many people of the Coast and the North, such as goblinoids and orc tribes.
The alliance often took charge whenever it was necessary to take military action in campaigns that arose across the North or the Heartlands.
The Lords Alliance also maintained the prison of Revel's End, an isolated panopticon in the Frozenfar that housed some of most heinous criminals from across the North and Sword Coast.
Tactics
The alliance usually hired adventurers to work for them in the past for tasks ranging from gathering simple information, or even for use in raids against Zhentarim strongholds and outposts. Local adventurers could quickly gain status, as well as powerful friends by helping the alliance, but can just as easily make enemies of the sinister Zhentarim as a result.
Relationships
Among the orders with which the Lords' Alliance maintained a pledge of mutual assistance in times of need were a group of spellcasters known as the Guardians of the Weave.
The Order of Tye was the prestigious knightly organization that served as guards for ranking Lords' Alliance members during their travels outside the walls of the allied cities and accompanied them on dangerous mission. Lord Peneshay led the organization circa 1372 DR.
While they did not view the Red Wizards of Thay as enemies, the Lords' Alliance treated the Thayan spellcasting society with much mistrust.
History
14th Century
The Lords' Alliance was formed in the Year of the Great Harvests, 1325 DR, when a collective of towns and cities across the Sword Coast North banded together to oppose overreach from the powerful merchant houses of Amn. Interest in joining the alliance was strongest in the North at first, but gradually spread south over the course of the following years.
Just over three decades later, in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the Lords' Alliance of Waterdeep expels Luskan troops from Ruathym by using both military and diplomatic pressures. They were forced into outright military conflict just three years later, when Luskan finally conquered the island off the coast.
The Lords' Alliance committed their forces to combat the forces of evil during the Second Dragonspear War in the Year of the Wyvern, 1363 DR. Following the war, the Lords' Alliance redoubled their efforts to make safe the Trade Way, and ensure commerce along the coast went unimpeded.
When a number of Waterdhavian vessels were sunk during their voyages from the Sword Coast to Maztica, in the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, the Lords' Alliance worked diligently to collect evidence against the suspected culprits: the nation of Amn.
After the Sharn Wall beneath Evereska was breached in Nightal of the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, the Last Home of the elves was rapidly overrun. An army of the Lords' Alliance led by Laeral Silverhand marched to the city in relief. Unfortunately, they did not arrive at Evereska for some months.
15th Century
When Cult of the Dragon plot to release Tiamat in Faerûn, in the 1480s DR, the Alliance was one of the many factions who rose up to oppose the dragon goddess attempt at freedom. During the crisis, the Lords' Alliance dispatched seven of its members to the Council of Waterdeep.
Around that same time, members of the Alliance took note of strange goings-on in the regions of the Underdark beneath the North and the Sword Coast. Many places of note within ceased communication with each other and the surface world. The little information that did come out, revolved around cults of demon-worshippers.
When the ordning of the giant-kind of Faerûn collapsed, rumors circulated that the Lords' Alliance was responsible for the disappearance of Hekaton, king of the storm giants.
Following the collapse of the Silver Marches, in the Year of Dwarvenkind Reborn, 1488 DR, the Lords' Alliance focused inwards and began restricting new members from beyond the borders of the North.
Some time during or around the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, Lords' Alliance agents operating in the Moonsea region began looking into unusual activities in and around Mulmaster. Their involvement in city business led production talks with members of the city's Blades, and the Hawks, which they hoped to leverage into the admittance of Mulmaster into the alliance, or at least adherence to its tenets. When the Cult of the Eternal Flame set off explosions in the city, agents of the Lords' Alliance sprang into action to help restore order.
Members
Admittance into the Lords' Alliance was permissible in certain cities, depending on citizenship and personal history. It was, for example, possible to join the Alliance as a Waterdhavian citizen with a criminal history, so long as one could prove their loyalty to the city.
Member States
The following cities and towns were part of the Lords' Alliance: Amphail, Baldur's Gate, Berdusk, Daggerford, Elturel, Everlund (for a time), Goldenfields, (unofficially as of about 1370 DR), Gundarlun Island, (only island member of the alliance) Iriaebor, Leilon, Longsaddle, Mirabar, Mithral Hall, Neverwinter, Silver Marches, Silverymoon, Sundabar, Waterdeep, and Yartar.
Individuals
All manner of goodly folks joined the Lords' Alliance as agents and representatives. They came from all walks of life, and included erudite bards, battle-hardened warriors, powerful spellcasters, and even righteous holy paladins.
Notable Members
- Queen Dagnabbet Waybeard, ruler of Mithral Hall.
- Lord Eravien Haund, a half-elven lord of Tethyrian heritage who hailed from the great metropolis of Waterdeep.
- Flip Franklines, an agent who infiltrated the traveling Wandering Emporium of Avernus in the Nine Hells.
- Lady Laeral Silverhand, Open Lord of Waterdeep.
- King Melandrach, elven monarch of the Misty Forest and High Forest.
- Naxene Drathkala, agent of the Lords' Alliance and personal spy for Lady Silverhand.
- Sildar Hallwinter, a former adventurer and retired member of the Waterdhavian Griffon Cavalry.
- Taern Hornblade, High Mage of Silverymoon.
- Vuhm Yestral, Guard Commandant of the Red Plumes in Hillsfar.
- Zora Rosealine Culkin, the Lords' Alliance agent who operated in Mulmaster as of the late 15th century DR.
