Sembia Although once a wealthy , independent collection of city - states , Sembia was , as of 1479 DR , a vassal state of the Netherese Empire . Only the cities of Urmlaspyr and Daerlun remained independent . Prior to the Spellplague , Sembia was a young country of considerable wealth and prosperity governed by its merchants . It was located on the north - western coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars , which put it in the path of many trade routes . Sembians were not particularly war - like , preferring to keep to themselves and their money , but they did go to war with the Dalelands and Elves in Cormanthor , allied with Hillsfar and Zhentil Keep . In the middle of the war however , they switched sides and fought with the elves against human and infernal armies alike . Miklos Selkirk was responsible for this shift . A person from Sembia was known as a Sembite or a Semmite . Sembite is used more commonly in the north of Sembia and the Dragonreach , whereas Semmite is used more commonly in the south . Selgaunt , a large city on the coast of Sembia , was governed by merchant lords called the Old Chauncel , comprising of prosperous households such as the Uskevren , Foxmantle , and others . History . Sembia was founded in 913 DR by Rauthauvyr “ the Raven ” , a human war - leader who gathered and commanded a standing army to police the roads of the fledgling human territory . A civil war was fought in the mid - 1370s which weakened Sembia considerably . The Netherese took advantage of the situation and claimed the realm as a free protectorate . By 1400 DR , the Netherese had fully consolidated Sembia into their empire . In 1484 DR , cracks began to appear in the shroud of darkness that covered Sembia . This was due to the destruction of the Ordulin Maelstrom which had covered Sembia in darkness since the end of the Twilight War . After the fall of Netheril , Sembia regained its independence and swiftly began building itself back up to the economic power it once was . Cities and towns . 1479 DR . Daerlun was a free city state of 40 , 000 souls which gained independence from the Netherese in 1439 DR due to Cormyrian plots . Rather than become a part of Cormyr , the Daerlunians declared themselves a free state . Daerlun ' s most notable feature was a magical 500 foot tall curtain wall erected by the Netherese . The former capital of Ordulin was obliterated when a planar rift tore away part of the Shadowfell . The area where the city stood became a swirling black whirlpool of shadow material . A Shadovar citadel on an earthmote hangs over the city and was the site of Netherese experiments to restore the Shadow Weave . Saerloon was a port city with a population of 50 , 000 and was considered to be the least politically stable of the Sembian cities . Selgaunt was the capital of Sembia and has a population of 60 , 000 . It was considered the flagship city of Sembia by the Netherese and had the largest temple of Shar in all of Sembia . The port city of Urmlaspyr suffered greatly under the Netherese . The city resisted the Netherese attempt to outlaw the worship of any gods other than Shar and was severely punished for its recalcitrance . Conditions improved since the city threw off the Netherese yoke although shadow creatures continued to haunt some areas of the city . Yhaunn was nearly annihilated by the Spellplague when the cliffs towering over the city broke away from the land and became earthmotes . The Netherese rebuilt the city which boasted 25 , 000 residents . 1372 DR . The Sembian metropolis of Daerlun ( population 52 , 000 ) was the closest to the nation of Cormyr to the west . The hub city of Ordulin ( population 36 , 000 ) was the location of Sembia ' s mint and a site of great political importance . Saerloon ' s gothic architecture was a result of its origins , having been created by Chondath an colonists , while Selgaunt was the wealthiest of Sembian cities , having been ruled by merchants . Urmlaspyr and Yhaunn were also major cities of Sembia . Navy and seafaring . Sembian vessels were all named after types of coin , like Bicentan Sail , Three Falcons Volant or Yulthaari Hunter . Laws . Fishermen fishing in Sembian waters were required to pay the local authorities . Since Netherese rulership , Sembians were required to give the netherese a percentage of their earnings by trade . This was primarily done through Sembian ports . Events . By 1479 DR Sembia was a vassal state of the Shadovar , after losing its independence during the Twilight War of 1374 DR . They were also frequently at odds with the nation of Cormyr .