The Commonwealth

## **Diplomacy at the Speed of Magic**

The ***Commonwealth of the Charter of Light*** (CCL) is a constitutional royal federation behind the executive leadership of House Stonehearth. As of 1489, the organization counts three members:

* **The Stonehearth Sovereign Marquisate**

* **The Union of the Houses of Lantan**

* **The Kingdom of Halruaa**

The internal politics varies between the three, though with the common charter, integration is tightly woven. With executive guidance and legislative voting rights expressed by all three members, this is essentially a modified three-nation federal republic.

While each of the components has implemented varied executive, judicial and legislative systems, the overall ethics and objectives are guided by the Charter of Light. Whatever their internal parliamentary procedures, the three come together to form the Commonwealth Congress. The Congress has two houses, with a lower house hosting parliamentary representation (usually a Prime Minister type), and an upper house of executive representation (a Presidential or royal type). At the moment, there are only three components, but that is expected to grow.

## The Origin of *the Commonwealth*

From Stonehearth's days in the early 1300s, when the House's biggest impact was from the magical science and engineering of the merchant company, the Baldur's Gate powerhouse earned prominent allies: the collective Houses of Lantan and the monarchy of Halruaa.

When the Spellplague erupted in 1385 DR, the *House* existed but the marquisate hadn't yet been chartered (and North Point hadn’t been founded). As merchant nobles in Baldur’s Gate at the time, Stonehearth mobilized resources to search and assist the inhabitants of the mysterious, mechanically-inclined island – even finding and building portals between Toril and Abier. Not long after, the ships of House Stonehearth found the sundered land of Halruaa.

Even on another world, they found a way to help their allies. The bond forged wasn't simply between the high Houses, but the people of the lands.

### Formalizing the Relationship

The *Commonwealth of the Charter of Light* (CCL) was founded in 1462, while two of the Commonwealth partners were still transposed in the world of Abeir.

With the Stonehearth Marquisate as the anchor member, the Union of Lantan was the first addition, making the CCL an organization that spanned two worlds. Halruaa joined shortly after, making it a tri-party organization.

In Abeir, the Marquisate led the CCL in defense and diplomacy, making new allies and coming in regular conflict with the Abolethic Sovereignty. The Sovereignty was studying the Spellplague for weaponization, and both Lantan and Halruaa were targeted as test subjects.

Over the next two decades, the CCL turned the tide against the Sovereignty.

### Optics of the Return

In 1482, the trio brought the missing pieces back to Toril – staying just ahead of the Second Sundering. The lands that had been torn away just shy of a century prior were now carefully reunited.

That level of power had not been seen since the days of Netheril – or the elves of Evermeet before them. The Stonehearth Coronet was subdued on the matter, but *moving whole lands between worlds* upstaged the old courtly rumors of magical artillery.

It was a cause for joyous celebration, though behind closed doors, trouser-soiling concern. If Stonehearth could bring a kingdom back, could they make another disappear...?

## Faerûn Politics: *the Commonwealth*

As if un-sundering the world wasn't enough, the Lords' Alliance soon learned that Stonehearth had built common-use portals to instantly traverse the distances between the Commonwealth components. Suddenly virtual neighbors, brisk trade between the trio was building a level of commerce that had no precedent in the world. The portals connected the lands in road, gold, heart and soul.

Further, the portal network brought a new power to the common defense. These weren't treaties that threatened retaliation for attacks on an ally, these portals allowed instant mutual aid – whereupon that feared magical artillery would be there in minutes rather than months.

Perhaps more than transporting actual lands, portaling between them marked a seismic shift in the scale of Stonehearth power.

### Political Structure

The executive of all three components have surrendered the claim of absolute monarchy over their sovereignty to a common charter. Further, House Stonehearth retained executive weight by nature of an increased GDP percentage contribution to the operation of the Commonwealth.

The CCL was now a three-state royal republic with common taxes and a common defense.

When House Stonehearth acts on behalf of the Commonwealth, rather than Marquisate, the command structure is referred to as the *Crown of the Commonwealth* (or "CrownCom" for short).

### Whispers of Empire

Given the federal structure to a third-party crown, this technically classed the Commonwealth as an empire. To some, Stonehearth had bypassed the Royal only to embrace the Imperial. The *Coronet* maintained that reality wasn't as grandiose, though given their "**Duty to Act**" precepts, suspicions weren't without merit.

By 1489, with Stonehearth assuming former Netheril, certain neighbors feel they are looking down a smoking magical barrel. Others see an opportunity to become part of something larger and achieve true peace and prosperity within their lifetimes.

In pubs from Tethyr to Cormyr, blood and beer spilled in arguments over the greater good versus the lesser evils. One way or another, change was coming...