Prologue

"The late 15th Century DR brought with it great tumult and strife. The Second Sundering, the War in Heaven, and the Blood War all wrought devastation across the world from which many did not think the Realms would ever recover. Islands now float in the sky as Earthmotes, the Jungles of Chult are revived and reborn, and life for so many became nasty, brutish, and short. In 1494, at the climax of the War in Heaven, many leaders of the West turned to the Abyssal Forces and sought to undermine life for so many for nothing but personal gain. Both Baldur’s Gate and Elturel, capital of Elturgard, were dragged into hell itself. Thanks to the efforts of a small group of traveling adventurers, though, the War in Heaven closed with the final death of the Archdemon Zariel, and life in the Realms returning to a somewhat normal nature, but the great leaders of the West agreed that something needed to be done in order to prevent this from happening again.

In 1497DR, representatives of the West gathered in Mintarn to reorganize the world as they knew it to adapt to the new environment. New lands were created, some city-states united to form confederations and even federations, lands previously unclaimed fell under banners of new and growing nations. Most famously, the Sword Coast was divided into three new nations: in the North, Neverwinter emerged around the city of the same name, stretching its arms wide; in the South, Baldurgard took shape around Baldur’s Gate; and in the center, Waterdeep expanded from a city into a new oligarchic nation of merchants and traders. Osraun, Gulthmere, and the Confederation of the Arnock emerged as new nations, perhaps even commanding some respect in doing so. Sadly as some rose, some nations also fell, such as the reclusive Yuan-Ti nation of Najara, which was swallowed up by Baldurgard, Everska, and Elturgard. All in all, twenty-three nations came to Mintarn in the Autumn of 1497, a new system was in place, The Balance of Power, which established checks and balances for and against all nations to dissuade war and guarantee peace. Should any nation attempt to disrupt this Balance, other nations would intervene and aid the offended party, restoring order and peace where it would otherwise be lost. Because of the Balance, Cormyr agreed to give up the region of Teziir to the new nation of Gulthmere.

In 1498, a year following the Council of Mintarn, Sembia invaded Cormyr, and the new Balance of Power was put into action with Cormyr, the Dalelands, Vesperin, and Cormanthyr united to crush Sembia, granting Cormyr all lands south of the River Arkhen, including the capital of Sembia at Selgaunt. After the capital was moved to Yhaunn, a man came to Sembia and led them out of their dark despair, promising them that better days would come and foretold a divine reward for all humanity. He was called a Prophet, and the people of Sembia heard his every word, with even the Lord High Governor yielding to his whims. The Prophet reigns in Sembia in all but name. The Prophet called for the people of Sembia to reorganize themselves in service to his nameless god, who has led the people of Sembia to a new age of religious fervency and devotion. Processions went into the streets singing songs in strange tongues, loud praises came to be heard at all hours, and it seems that the now-humbled Sembia had become a nation of its own. But where once a council of squabbling plutocrats tugged at the Lord High Governor’s ears, now stood the Prophet, who stood with the ear of a nameless god. Sembia, once a corrupt and warlike slum of a nation, was now on the path to peace and purity.

In The Claw of Storms (April) of 1499, Thavius Kreeg was still in command of the newly-expanded Elturgard as High Overseer, his true demonic appearance hidden behind a magic façade with only his subtle shadow to betray his nature. After selling the nation of Elturgard to Zariel for promises of power, no one knew of his deal except him and Zariel, and now that the latter was dead, the former was free to live free of consequences...or so he thought. While meeting with representatives of the Council of Five of Amn, a man in a black leather coat and a broad black hat interrupted the meeting. This man was the Grandmaster of the Order of Blood Hunters, a mysterious and cryptic monster-hunting organization that use Blood Magic to keep the peoples of the world safe from the evil abominations that stalk the night. As Kreeg attempted to welcome the Grandmaster, the Grandmaster revealed his purpose for being there: he knew who and what Kreeg was and what he had done, and it was his duty to execute him. Kreeg panicked, revealing his true form―an amnizu―and tried to attack the Grandmaster with infernal magic. The Grandmaster easily shrugged off the attack, bound him to his chair and branded a Sealing Rite onto his face using blood magic, then launched his lightning-infused spear into Kreeg’s throat, killing him in front of the representatives of the Council of Five and attendants of Kreeg. The Overseer’s Guards tried to stop the Grandmaster, but were dispatched easily. The Blood Hunters were then seen as heroes by some and monsters by others, but Elturel’s fate was now stable as the Council of Cardinals elevated.

In The Rotting (November) of 1499, mere months after the execution of Thavius Kreeg, the People of Amn rose up in revolt against the Council of Five, led by the Four Champions of the People: The Huntsmistress, the Forgemaster, the Harvestmistress, and the Vox. The Champions led an armed militia into the streets of Athkatla during the Red Night, fighting the Council of Five’s forces and beating them back, then chasing them out of the city and killing three of the Council of Five; Tessarch Zakhed of House Dannihyr was shot in the back of the head with an arquebus in his study by the Vox, while Iltarch Rahish of House Ophal and Pommarch Sedgal of House Nashivaar were both dragged into the streets and hanged from a makeshift gallows to the ecstasy of a cheering crowd. The next morning, called the Red Dawn, the Revolutionary Army successfully fought off a loyalist counterattack led by Namarch Nadaf of House Alibakkar, who was run down by the Revolutionary Army and stabbed with pikes as he tried desperately to flee. Only the Meisarch, Aelfrith of House Selemchant, survived the slaughter and escaped into the Eastern Hills. Even so, the Four Champions and the Revolutionary Army declared victory for the people, flying their new banner, a crimson field with a gold sunrise on it, atop the Council House. The new People’s Council, made up of representatives from every settlement in Amn, took up the government in Amn, redistributed land and food, and stabilized Amn under a new, equal way of life.

We stand at the cusp of The Melting in 1500, the turn of the 16th century DR. Blood Hunters wander the continent in groups of two, nations eye each other for dominance, and deep in the Underdark are whispers of a new day coming, one that was foretold long, long ago where the sun will go black, and monstrosities that would drive even the most learned mind in Candlekeep insane will walk Toril and destroy all. These are just stories, though, and the world is ready for an era of peace. And an era of peace will come to it."

-DM