Cormyr

Cormyr (), also known as the Forest Country and the Land of the Purple Dragon was an independent nation in interior Faerûn. It was historically one of the most prosperous countries of Faerûn.
As of 1372 DR, the country was under threat from all sides and struggling to hold onto order. Nobles bickered over land rights, Sembian merchants and a Cult of the Dragon cell tried to gain a trading foothold, and there was a Zhentarim presence. The city of Shade and the ruins of Myth Drannor both posed a threat.
Around 1372 DR, the country felt the effects of the Goblin War and the death of King Azoun IV. Bandits inhabited the roads and remnants of orc and goblin armies inhabited the forests. The town of Tilverton was destroyed in a battle against the Shadovar, leaving the strategically important northeast of the country open to raiders wishing to invade.
The ruler as of 1372 DR, Regent Alusair Obarskyr, had her hands full dealing with all of these threats. She had the experienced Purple Dragons and War Wizards at her disposal.
As of 1486 DR, Queen Raedra Obarskyr ruled the country and focused on rebuilding after the past few years of war.
Adventuring was frowned upon without an official license, but adventurers could likely lend a tremendous amount of aid to the overstretched Cormyrian military. Lady Alusair was known to offer land in exchange for services rendered to her country, so this was a place adventurers wanting to make a name for themselves tended to flock to.
==History==
Cormyr was founded in the . Its first king was Faerlthann Obarskyr, son of Ondeth Obarskyr and Suzara Obarskyr. The kingdom was initially formed because the elves and humans in the region needed to get along with each other. Since that time, Cormyr grew by absorbing the realms of Esparin and Orva and claiming the Stonelands as its own.
Some time between 376 DR and 432 DR, Cormyr was invaded by many dragons, including Thauglor, the Purple Dragon, so-called because his scales went purple with age, who laid waste to virtually all of the settlements in the country. It was then raided by orcs from the Stonelands, who occupied the King's Forest until they were finally driven out in the , by King Duar Obarskyr. By the , many noble families had left Cormyr for either the Dalelands or Waterdeep, or split into small factional bands. The city of Suzail was sold to Magrath the Minotaur and his pirates by a traitor to the crown around this time, and it was after Magrath's death that the Purple Dragon was adopted as the nation's official symbol.
In the , Gondegal, also known as "The Usurper King" and "The Lost King", attempted to establish a separate kingdom centred on the city of Arabel. He was overthrown, after only eight days in power, by an allied army composed of forces from Tilverton, Sembia, and Daggerdale, along with the Purple Dragons, led by King Azoun IV.
The Goblin War begun by the elf-dragon Nalavara did significant damage to the kingdom, resulting in the deaths of King Azoun IV and his heir, Tanalasta Obarskyr in 1371 DR. This began the Steel Regency of Alusair Obarskyr, until Tanalasta's newborn son Azoun V could take the throne.
The Spellplague did not spare Cormyr, but it survived relatively unharmed, save for the loss of a third of its War Wizards. The Wailing Years were not so kind to all its neighbours, and many would join the budding empire as Cormyr reluctantly grew to counter the Netherese vassal-state of Sembia. Tensions between Cormyr and its neighbors Netheril and Sembia were constant, further fueled by the assassinations of Cormyrean royalty.
Between 1484 DR and 1486 DR Cormyr fought a war on two fronts as it mustered troops to defend the Dalelands against Sembia's invasion and its own borders were invaded by Netheril. King Irvel Obarskyr was killed during the Siege of Suzail and was succeeded by his daughter Queen Raedra Obarskyr. By the end of the war Cormyr had successfully reclaimed its land from the Sembian and Netherese forces and turned its focus to recovery.
==Government==
Cormyr was a hereditary monarchy, having followed that government type since its foundation at around 26 DR The royalty and monarchy was synonymous with House Obarskyr, who held the throne in an unbroken line of succession since its establishment.Although, around 1370 DR there was some sentiment that the nation should be run by a council..
The royal court was the nation’s center of power, and was located in the nation’s capital, Suzail. The king governed the nation at large through the fealty the landed nobility owned to him, and by the appointment of local lords. Nobles held government and courtly positions, as well as lands and noble titles. They served a variety of function’s, and their main responsibility was to enact the monarch’s visions and goals for the country’s rulership. 
Local government was often overseen by local lords, which were appointed representatives of the crown for the administration of towns, groups of towns and villages. The main functions of these local lords was collecting taxes and tithes, peacekeeping and dispensing the king’s justice, as well as defending farmland and serving as the eyes and ears of the monarchy. Lords were allowed up to 40 men-at-arms and 6 guides, who were mostly rangers, and could be used as a town guard. Lords also had assistants, who held public office through the title of herald. Also referred to as king’s heralds, they were trained clerks and record keepers.
Inside the royal court, noble courtiers received various internal duties from the monarch. Key advisory positions were the most coveted, as they provided the chance of having the crown’s ear and influencing policy. Among these titles, one of the most prestigious was the Sage Most Learned of the Royal Court, or simply the Sage Royal. In the 14th century DR, this office was held by Alaphondar Emmarask, and by 1479 DR, would be held by Ossani Eveningspire. .
The ruling monarch had another advisor, who had the title of High Wizard, also known as the Royal Magician (among other titles), and who was in charge of the War Wizards.. Though they were separate organizations, the War Wizards were seen as synonymous with another group known as the Council of Mages, who advised Cormyr’s rulers on matters related to magic, and wrote the kingdom’s laws regarding magical incidents in the Forest Kingdom. . 
===Laws of the Kingdom===
By 1368 DR, the following laws had been posted at all major entry points to Cormyr.
# "All persons entering Cormyr must register with the officials of a border garrison."
# "Foreign currency can only be used in certain locations. Please exchange your coins for Cormyrean golden lions at your first opportunity."
# "Adventurers must acquire a charter before undertaking any operation as a group."
# "All weapons must be peace-bonded. The only persons exempt from this law are members of chartered adventuring groups and members of mercenary groups that can offer proof of employment."
# "Harming cats is forbidden."
# "Bow your head to royalty and the local nobility."
# "Purple Dragons have the right to search you upon request."
# "Hunting on private land is forbidden."
Apart from acting as part of Cormyr's military, the Purple Dragons and local militias, as well as the War Wizards, acted as the kingdom's law enforcement. The purple dragons in particular were seen as enforcers of the "royal word".. 
In the 15th century DR, King Azoun V put in place the Suzail Writ, which reformed Cormyrian law. Among other provisions, the Writ limited the powers of the nobility and granted inalienable rights to commoners, such as the right to a trial by jury.
==Society==
Cormyte society was divided between commoners, the military, and the ruling class. The last one was in turn was divided between the monarchy and the nobility.
===Nobility===
For a list of houses, see: Category:Cormyrian houses
The nobility of Cormyr were composed of the most wealthy and influential households. There was an annual ceremony at the beginning of the summer where each noble house came to Suzail to meet and see the monarch and discuss their achievements over the previous year, before retiring to their summer residences.. By the 15th Century DR, there were two dozen major noble houses, and an oscillating number of more obscure ones. Nobles were born, not made, but there were exceptions in the form of local lords. 
Local lords, appointed to govern localities in the name of the crown, were a subclass in relation to the Cormyrean noble houses, referred to as the "landed nobility" in order to distinguish the two. While it was true that people appointed as local lords were commonly members of the noble houses, that wasn't necessarily the case. The crown could appoint a notable commoner, who has either distinguished himself or been recommended by the townspeople, or someone who is the default ruler of a particular place by their personal influence alone. However, because local lords must be nobles, the appointment of a commoner serves to ennoble the individual, who is granted a noble title (if they didn't already have one). Myrmeen Lhal was an exemple of this, after being named king's lord of Arabel.
The landed nobility generally had positive relations with local lords, but many noble houses treat the crown's appointed servants as mere lackeys, involved with the petty affairs of commoners.
Cormyr's laws were explicitly written to reflect that the noble houses enjoyed their lands and titles at the "favor of the crown", meaning a family could lose their lands and titles if they were disloyal to the nation, as was case with House Bleth, and for a time, House Cormaeril.
Among the major noble families, three were particularly distinguished, sharing the label of "royal houses" with the Obarskyrs themselves. These were House Crownsilver, Huntsilver, and Truesilver, and are considered to be royal due to their historic blood ties to Cormyr's royal line, as they are descended from the silver brothers, whose offspring married into the Obarskyr dynasty. However, by 1368 DR there was a law that only someone with Obarskyr blood could take the throne.
Nobles swore allegiance to the crown on the sword Symylazarr. Nobles owed the king of Cormyr a certain number of troops, in lieu of their military service, under Cormyrian law.
The nobility of Cormyr were fond of playing board games and were known to keep gaming tables in the parlors of their homes..
===Common folk===
In Cormyte society, everyone who wasn't from a noble family or a local lord was considered a commoner. Commoners were divided between farmers, crafters and merchants. Commoners also filled most of the ranks of the Purple Dragons and the militias.
Farmers were the foundation of the kingdom's conservative society, and farming was Cormyr's largest occupation. They mostly lived simple lives in land quite a distance from towns. Cormyrian farmers tended to have a strong sense of unity amongst themselves, more so then compared to most places. They also tended to be loyal to the Crown and the monarch, having promptly volunteered to join the military in times of crisis, such and when Gondengal threatened to break the realm apart and during the conflicts against Netheril and Sembia in the 15th century DR.
There has never been serfdom in Cormyr. Its farmers were all citizens, who either independently owned the land they cultivated, or were landless crofters (the norm in upland Cormyr) who farmed land owned by someone else while paying rent, through either coin or a yield share. These landless farmers were in no way bound to the land, and could move if they wished.
Cormyr's crafters also had a long reputation and tradition, and were respected for being blessed by the gods with the ability to transform materials into goods, either useful or decorative, ideally both. This group encompassed all kinds of artisans and builders, with different towns and cities being a centre for a particular type of craft. Unlike in other regions, crafter guilds were not particularly powerful, and resembled fraternal organizations. The concept of labor unions was mostly unknown in Cormyr. The exceptions to these rules were certain guilds of constructors that had discovered they could exert quite a bit of political influence by the 14th century DR.
Finally, merchants were the most powerful social class outside the nobility. This group had became quite powerful, and their riches surpass even that of some noble families. Merchant influence was usually seen when a merchant house saved a noble family from financial trouble in exchange for behind-the-scenes control of a government post held by such nobles. Despite their power, the merchant class almost always maintained the interests of the nation and of the royalty above their own. This loyalty was due in part to the favorable mercantile conditions maintained by Cormyr's rulers. Their political influence grew steadily by the 15th century DR . 
==Trade==
===Coins of Cormyr===
After around 1300 DR, coins in Cormyr were minted in either the Royal Mint in Suzail or the mint in High Horn. Older coins existed that were minted in the Elder Forest Kingdom but these were not minted in the 14th century DR.
By around 1479 DR, Cormyrian coins bore the visage of King Foril I. They aged well and were made of pure metals with good weight. Coins were designated in regards to the Royal Mint that produced them by their mint mark. The marks were a three-decker, four-masted carrack for the mint in Suzail and two parallel crescent moons for the one in High Horn. 
Coins were referred to by the following names:
* Thumbs: copper pieces
* Falcons: silver pieces
* Lions: gold pieces
* Tricrowns: platinum pieces
=== Trade Organizations ===
Cormyr's contact with other regions of Faerun happened primarily through the activities of powerful and wealthy merchant organizations. The most powerful of which were, as of 1479 DR, the Seven Suns Trading Coster, the Trueshield Trading Priakos, as well as the Glanend and Skatterrhawk trading families.
==Geography==
Often referred to as the "Forest Kingdom", Cormyr was once covered in thick forests. Due to commercial logging and clearing for farming, however, the once-great forests became restricted to the King's Forest in the west, the Hullack Forest in the east, and the relatively small Hermit's Wood to the south between Wheloon and the Dragonmere. The Dragonmere, an expanse of water connected to the Sea of Fallen Stars, bordered Cormyr to the south. The Storm Horns mountains formed a boundary to the north and west of Cormyr, with the Thunder Peaks to the east. The Vast Swamp separated Cormyr from Sembia in the southeast. The Wyvernwater was a large lake in the middle of Cormyr. Cormyr itself was dotted with beacon towers, used to quickly relay messages across the land.
== Military and Defenses==
As a key power in Faerun, whose domain was originally built from a much wilder land, Cormyr has had to defend it's security and borders from threats throughout its history. To that end, as well as to maintain royal authority in the realm, Cormyr has maintained a powerful military which it has been known for. The military is comprised of a professional standing army, as well as other military forces such as the local militias. 
In regards to their standing military, the crown has historically divided its military between an army, a navy and the War Wizards. Due to their centralized hold on power, the Obaskyr's have generally preferred to disallow religious armies and large forces of mercenaries in the kingdom. 
=== Purple Dragons ===
The Purple Dragons were the main standing force of Cormyr, whose name and banner coincided with Cormyr's crest. They were a large professional army, composed of highly trained, skilled, and loyal warriors, garrisoned in major cities and fortifications. The Purple Dragons were royal soldiers, sworn to the crown and the monarch. In the 14th century DR, the Dragons numbered at more then 12.000 soldiers. 
They were trained warriors, having been known to be armored men-at-arms, guards, archers, as well as acting as horsemen and even hippogriff riders. No matter their role, they were trained to work as a cohesive unit. In the 15th century DR, they were divided into companies.
Special among the army were the similarly named Purple Dragon Knights, a group so heroic that the reputation of the entire institution was deserved partly due their exploits. These were leaders and high ranking officers among the Purple Dragon, regarded for their leadership, and skill. A Purple Dragon Knight could command from ten to over a hundred regular Purple Dragons. Being included in their ranks was a great honor, and promotion into knighthood was only granted to an exceptional few. 
=== Navy & Seafaring ===
The navy of Cormyr was called the Blue Dragons.
Cormyr's official naval vessels were all named after Cormyrian monarchs, such as Valashar's Bane (after Azoun I) and Queen Besmra, whereas the corsairs and privateers used vessel named for the weapons possessed by these rulers, such as Drake's Tooth and Undying Gaze.
==Notable Locations==
===Regions of Cormyr===
====The Heartlands====
The Heartlands consisted of the King's Forest and the surrounding lands, home to the oldest cities in Cormyr and innumerable smaller settlements. It was bounded by the foothills of the Storm Horns and the shores of the Wyvernwater and Dragonmere. It included Suzail, Arabel, and Marsember, making it the most urbanised and densely populated region of Cormyr.
====The Coast====
The Coast was a broad term that referred to the pastoral and long-settled coastal lands east of the Starwater River, along the Way of the Manticore up to the border of Sembia at the Vast Swamp and Darkflow River. It largely consisted of rolling plains and small villages, punctuated by the large town of Wheloon and the forest of the Hermit's Wood.
====The East Reaches====
The East Reaches of Cormyr were the great frontier of wilderness that lay to its east and north. It was made up of all the lands between the Wyvernwater and the Thunder Peaks, as well as the lands north of Arabel as far as the Stonelands and Tilver's Gap. The Hullack Forest sat in the center of this region, home of bandits, monsters, and ancient ruins.
====The West Reaches====
The West Reaches encompassed the western Storm Horns, marked with perilous trails that linked the isolated villages and keeps, including the famous High Horn. It was sparsely populated and considered the most dangerous region of Cormyr, thanks to the constant threat of brigands, monsters, and violent weather. Further west, the reaches claimed the Tunlands, Veilstone Peaks and Farsea Marshes, though the control was tenuous at best.
===Other Regions===
Cormyr sent Purple Dragons and adventurers into neighboring regions to claim new land, clear out monsters and bandits, and further the interests of the Crown. The realm's control of these lands was tenuous at best, if it were ever achieved in the first place. This claimed territory included the Stonelands, Goblin Marches, and High Moors, as well as other distant parts of the east and west reaches.
The Dragon Coast fell under Cormyr's control following the Spellplague when the city-states there pleaded for assistance during the Wailing Years. In this time, Elversult, Ilipur, Pros, Proskur, and Teziir joined Cormyr by various means.
During the 15 century DR, Cormyr struggled militarily and politically with Netheril and Sembia. Through this war and intrigue, Cormyr actively protected and influenced the lands between them, with Daerlun, High Dale, and Urmlaspyr taking part in this shifting of allegiances.
==Appendix==
===Trivia===
* Cormyr was introduced to the wider world by Ed Greenwood in the article More Pages from the Mages: The latest words of wisdom from Elminster the Sage, published in Dragon #69.
===Further Reading===
* 
* 
* 
===Appearances===
===Gallery===
Cormyr Map 2e.jpg|A 2e map of Cormyr.
Cormyr DDO.png|A partial map of 15 century Cormyr.
===References===
de:Cormyr
fr:Cormyr
pl:Cormyr
Category:Countries
Category:Monarchies
Category:Human locations
Category:Locations in Interior Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril
Category:Locations
Category:Imports glass
Category:Imports ivory
Category:Imports spices
Category:Exports armor
Category:Exports textiles
Category:Exports weapons
Category:Exports food and drink
Category:Exports timber
Category:Exports coal