Mulmaster
Mulmaster (pronounced: /ˈməlmɑːstɛr/ MUHL-mah-ster), also known as the City of Danger, was an independent city-state found in the harsh Moonsea region of north Faerûn. While Mulmaster controlled no land beyond its city walls for much of its history, it remained an indominable fortress extolling imperialist ideals, standing among the greatest powers that imposed its will over the surrounding settlements and city-states.
Structure
Governance of Mulmaster was carried out by a ruling council of sixteen individuals known as the Blades, also known as the Council of Blades, led by ruling High Blade. Throughout the city's history, the High Blade threatened or otherwise coerced the other members of the council, along with the Mulmasterite nobility into supporting the High Blades goals and wishes. Entrance into the Blades required a confirmation vote by a majority of the council's members.
Culture
Mulmasterites, or Mulman, as people from the city were known, could perhaps best be described as stubbornly willful, determined to accomplish that to which they set out or give up their life in the process. The were exceptionally competitive, opportunistic, and by and large exhibited one of the finest virtues of those that sought out commercial, industrial and political success in life: patience.
Despite their resolute outlook on life, the unjust and harsh nature of Mulmaster led to a pessimistic attitude within its people. While they strived for success within in their own city,1 Mulmasterites were particularly antagonistic towards outsiders
History
The settlement of Mulmaster was founded in the Year of Fell Wizardry, 934 DR, as a secured trading fort linking the Moonsea region and the Dragon Reach via the River Lis.
Mulmaster was among the Moonsea powers to contribute men and resources to repair and retake the ruined Citadel of the Raven in the Year of the Crumbling Keep, 1276 DR.
After scores of adventurers went missing in Ironfang Keep for years on end, an expedition was sent from Mulmaster to investigate in the Year of the Roaring Horn, 1288 DR. This act was ultimately futile, serving only to around and incense bands of local gnolls, causing them to direct raids and assaults on the city for the next 50 years.
In the Year of Thunder, 1306 DR, Mulmaster began a campaign of conquest across the Moonsea region, that came to be known as the Moonsea War. The city-state was soundly defeated by an alliance of other powers, including Phlan, Hillsfar, Melvaunt, Sembia, and Zhentil Keep.
Reign of the High Blades
Circa the Year of the Wandering Wyrm, 1317 DR, Mulmaster was ruled by the monarch Nesker, a sorcerer who died of old age with no apparent heir. The power vacuum created by his death led to The city's first High Blade ascending to power. He was a cold and calculating man named Amdrauth Telsnaer that went to rule for a mere seven years, before being poisoned by a political rival. The next thirty years would see six different High Blades each reign over Mulmaster for a period of time, before meeting a brutal and violent death, some times at the hands of their successor.
Selfaril Uoumdolphin rose to power either the Year of the Bright Blade, 1347 DR, or the Year of the Spur, 1348 DR, when he destroyed the reputation of the previous High Blade Rualph Blackbuckler, challenged and slew the man in combat, and assumed the title of ruler for himself.
High Blade Selfaril faced a resounding military defeat in the Year of the Bow, 1354 DR, when its "New Fleet" was utterly destroyed in battle by the Zhent navy.
Some time before Year of the Worm, 1356 DR, Selfaril his quest to seek out a suitable bride, in part to form political alliances to strengthen Mulmaster's standings in the Moonsea. At first Selfaril directed his importuning towards the Simbul of Aglarond, but finally accepted her declination when she rained down fireballs upon the Towers of the Blade. After that abject failure, he began to pursue Dmitra Flass, Tharchioness of Eltabbar and First Princess of Thay.
The decade-long courtship proved fruitful for Mulmaster, as the two were finally set to wed in the Year of the Staff, 1366 DR. Some time before the ceremony, High Blade Selfaril was murdered by his twin brother Rassendyll Uoumdolphin, and his soul was place within the gem of the new ruler's sword. Rassendyl assumes rulership of Mulmaster under the guise of his brother's identity, and carries on with the marriage to Dmitra Flass, securing the alliance with Thay.
Unfortunately the public demonstration of love and coming together of different nationalities, not to mention the deft political maneuvering and fratricide, did not sit well among the Mulmasterite people, that resent growing Thayan influence within the city. The tension came to a head in Alturiak the following year when a crowd of native citizens assailed a Red Wizard delegate of Tharchioness Flass for committing some unknown transgression within the city. The Mulmasterite mob set the Thayan wizard on fire, chased down a number of other Thayan nationals, and nearly burnt down the local temple of Waukeen. A great magical battle erupted between the the city's Cloaks and the Red Wizards, with reported casualties in the hundreds.
Zhent Control
After the destruction of Zhentil Keep in the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, waves of refugees left their ruined city for Mulmaster.24 The As a show of force, the Mulmasterite navy blockaded the ruined city at sea, contributing to the Keep's considerable number of woes.70 The following year, Fzoul Chembryl formed an alliance with High Blade Rassendyll,68 while outwardly it appeared that "Selfaril" had actually been a long-time and high-ranking agent of the Zhentarim.70
In 1369 DR, a pool of radiance emerged in Mulmaster, starting to consume lives of the city's residents71. The spawn pool originated from the ruined city of Myth Drannor where it was corrupted and abused by the Cult of the Dragon. Kya Mordrayn's cult cell spread tentacles of her corrupted pool, feeding it on cities across the Moonsea, empowering it. Subsequently the Cult's plans were shattered and its leaders slain by the Veiled Ones. With the main pool of radiance gone, Mulmaster was saved.72
In a twist of fate, Fzoul Chembryl and Rassendyll expertly choreographed a second great defeat of the Mulmasterite navy, presenting to outsiders a decisive victory by the Zhents. After selectively slaughtering certain members of the city's Blades council, the Zhentarim had essentially taken over as masters of Mulmaster. This secret alliance consolidated power for the two city-states, with an edge given to the Zhents.70
In the Year of Rogue Dragons, 1373 DR, an army of giants, ogres, and orcs led by two fire giants, formed in the lands east of Mulmaster in the Galenas.73 They launched increasingly flagrant attacks against travelers, and began to disrupt overland trade to the city.74
15th Century
In the Year of the Nether Mountain Scrolls, 1486 DR, the Blades worked together with local Tymoran priests to reclaim the lost mine of Point Iron from its duergar residents. Atop the site they built the stronghold of Fort Iron, to secure the rich natural resources found within.
Show SpoilerDemography and Population
Population: 50,000 (96% human, 2% halfling, 1% dwarf, 1% other)
Nobility
Members of the 49 noble houses of Mulmaster were called Zor for men, and Zora for women. The head of a noble house, regardless of gender, was a referred to as Lord. While nobility was acquired through a combination of familial wealth and length of time spent living in the city, each conference had to be approved by a vote behind closed doors, taken by a select few members of the city's most elite citizens
Military
The Blades commanded the armed forces known as the Soldiery, numbering about 6,000 well-trained soldiers as of the the mid–14th century DR. These soldiers were recruited from among the Mulmaster's native population for service lasting at least six years, provided with excellent weaponry, training, and given exceptional pay compared to what could be earned by the city's commoners. Unlike those in some other cities, Mulmaster's citizens seldom if-ever grew lackadaisical or complacent.
All the branches of Mulmaster's armed forces were commanded by the city's eight Battlemasters. One each of these generals directed armed patrols outside the city, took command of the state's navy on the Moonsea lake, and oversaw protection of the city's trade caravans and dedicated bodyguards. The Watchmaster of the City served as the head of Mulmaster's city guard, while the Hawkmaster directed the activities of the city's information gathering organization. The final three Battlemasters served as seconds to the more senior of Mulmaster's generals.
When the goals of the High Blade or the rest of the council could not be achieved by means of force, they relied on the secret group known as the Hawks. This clandestine organization comprised a select group of spies, assassins, and saboteurs that traveled all across the Realms to help ascend Mulmaster's standing in the world.
Religion
By the late 15th century DR, the church of Bane had become the dominant faith in the city, as its clergy offered their backing to Mulmasterite nobility.
While Mulmaster historically beat down and tormented devotees of the deity Ilmater, the city was one of only a handful in the Realms that tolerated the open worship of Shar.
Foreign Relations
While the city of Mulmaster was firmly entrenched in the politics of the Moonsea,10 they were widely distrusted for years due to their apparent unwillingness to hold true to their political treaties and constant expansionist mindset.
Laws
The City Watch of Mulmaster served as little more than hired goons for those wealthy enough to afford their services. They regularly extorted their fellow Mulmasterite for "protection fees" and acted as purveyors of violence throughout the city's streets.
As of the mid–14th century DR, no thieves' guilds were permitted to operate within the walls of Mulmaster. Criminal organizations that attempted to garner renown or accumulated wealth were readily hunted down by agents of the Blades. Despite the city's crackdown, the poor were afforded no such protections and corruption was very much an everyday occurrence in Mulmaster.
Lower-leveled thieves, hired killers and black market traders could be found in every corner of Mulmaster. Petty crime and other lawlessness, including drug use, continued to be pervasive throughout the entirety of the city well into the late 15th century.
Mulmaster was infamous for its taxes. Even for actors it was illegal to perform without an official city permit with which came the theater tax.
Magic Regulation
Practitioners of magic were heavily regulated within Mulmaster, as all native spellcasters of certain power were required to join the city's official mage's guild, the Brotherhood of the Cloak. These mages and other practitioners of the Art were pressed into service as social overseers, using invasive magic to look into the minds of every day citizens to ensure their devotion to the city's ruling powers. Each of the Cloaks, as they were individually known, reported to the Cloak Council, that comprised the Mulmaster's High Blade, two councilors of the Blades, and all members of the Brotherhood of the Cloak deemed to possess power enough to garner such responsibility. Those that left the organization were named traitors of the state and deemed too much a threat to be allowed to live.
Trade & Transport
Considering the city was originally founded as a fortified trading post, commerce governed the lives of the Mulmasterite people. The city exported armor, weaponry, ships and interestingly enough jewelry to outsider towns and cities, whiling importing food, liquor, cloth and items of luxury for its own people.
Mulmaster fed its citizens by and large through the efforts of its large fishing fleet and were offered protection from its navy.
Mulmaster suffered from a tremendous gap in wealth inequality. The powerful nobles hoarded nearly all of the city's wealth offering little else to the city's commoners who were left to live in poverty. Despite the disparity, the Mulmaster's nobility as well as its temples each had to a pay a tax of 100 gp. A 10 gp tax was imposed on each sponsored caravan, while ships were levied double that fee. The nearly 100,000 individuals employed by the 10,000 Mulmasterite merchants each paid a 6 sp "head tax" every year to continue to work, lest they no longer have a head with which to be taxed.
Arms, armor, ships, jewelry
Foodstuffs, cloth, liquor, luxury items
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