1406

## **Northern Momentum**

### **Baldurian Inertia**

House Stonehearth were the catalysts of Baldur's Gate politics. The gulf of money and power between the House and the rest of the patriar collective was unquestionable, but that drew a slight majority of the Baldurian Court together against the behemoth in their midst.

There were other patriars that held land elsewhere, from Neverwinter to Waterdeep, from Cormyr to Tethyr, and some of them even held noble titles to go with those possessions. None of those houses, though, were willing to rock the Baldurian Boat the way Stonehearth did. Then again, none of them suffered as many attacks, had as much to lose, or had so many depending on them – especially now, in these *Times of Troubles*.

After decades of obstructionism, with anti-Stonehearth patriars cutting off their nose to spite their face, Stonehearth had reached the threshold of their tolerance. While there were large-scale plans, there was flexibility in those plans depending on the roll of the realpolitik. By 1406, abandoning the Gate was a real possibility.

### **Survey Says**

House Stonehearth had been running military expeditions and cartographic surveys around the Baldurian frontier for decades. Once they knew they were going to rebase, they'd been circling closer to the ruins of the pirate village of Lathtarl's Lantern for the better part of a decade.

Remote development was nothing new to Baldurian enterprises, and especially not to Stonehearth, who had properties scattered all over Faerûn. As the SMC didn't go halfway on anything, it wasn't surprising that there were years of development on a place so far from the gate. But *this* level of development took it to a new level.

### **"We Don't Discuss Security Plans"**

The concept of a "company town" wasn't new to Faerûn, but the resources flowing north had tipped past a sentry tower to something more substantial. There was a new suspicion that Stonehearth might be building their next home – and taking their money with them.

Considering Stonehearth tax accounted for an average of 31% of the city's budget over the last decade, the loss of Stonehearth was a deep concern even to most of the House rivals. When one heard the quote: *“This wealthy port metropolis, who according to many accounts, exceeded that of Waterdeep…”* they were talking about Stonehearth.

Others were ecstatic that Stonehearth might be leaving. The House didn't acknowledge claims that they were the Baldurian shadow government, but they *were* they ones guiding the Flaming Fist to be law enforcement rather than the patriar's enforcers (to the deep resentment of certain nobles). Critically, there was currently no Eltan-style “Archduke,” leaving the House to wield nearly as much effective power as the four "Grand Dukes" combined.

The allies and the Grand Dukes, to whom ~30% of the budget was irreplaceable, saw the possibility of loss as *grave*. When they approached the House for clarification, Stonehearth rebuffed them. It was pressure from the dukes that eventually brought the House to the negotiating table.

## **Stonehearth is chartered as a Baldurian March**

### **The Birth of a Polity**

While the general public didn't see any of the House turbulence, behind closed doors, there were fights over keeping a presence in the Gate or pulling out completely. By the time the House met the Council of Four in the High Hall, proceedings were formal but contentious.

## A Difference in Diplomacy

While the House was writing the book on etiquette and protocol – putting the “court” in Courtesy – the decorum ran counter to the mindset of the Baldur’s Gate leadership. Beyond regal airs, their current management style was more akin to four slumlords.

One way or another, *Stonehearth was rebasing*. The Gate could profit or be left behind. Ultimately, and unsurprisingly, the Grand Dukes chose "profit." The agreement resulted in an unprecedented expansion of formal Baldurian reach, but was limited in that Stonehearth would be treated as an autonomous vassal, chartered as a sovereign march defending the northern frontier.

Within the march, Stonehearth was the sovereign authority. In the Gate, Stonehearth was granted expanded authority: not quite that of a duke, but that due a marquess. Effectively, it amounted to greater ability to respond to threats within the city walls and the immediate Baldurian footprint (a 25-mile radius half circle surrounding the Gate, north of the River Chionthar).

### **Retaining the *House***

The negotiations were a best-of-both-worlds feather in the cap of the Grand Dukes. The concessions on authority were minor against both lowering Stonehearth turbulence while keeping their tax revenue in the city. It was a “happy ending” to at least one set of intrigues influencing the city.

## Noble Intentions

The “Grand Duke” title had originally been created in jest by four captains that overthrew the agricultural nobility (who, in turn, had financed themselves with Balduran's cash).

It was rare that the elected-for-life Dukes pulled rank on the "mere patriars" of House Stonehearth. but it did happen. Generally, the House rep "normalized" relations with a gentle if slightly humiliating reminder of that history.

For all the fears of an outright coup...? Yes, it actually had been considered. The "greater good" made it a strong consideration (and the Order of the Gauntlet supported it), but unless Stonehearth was using a rain of geas spells, it would be bloody. There was too much vested money in the way things were to make substantive changes, and despite the paladins' opinions, the bloodshed wouldn’t be worth what little progress it made among the patriars.

Stonehearth would retain their business in Baldur’s Gate and continue to pay tax, essentially their form of homage, while defending the city’s northern frontier. More specifically, they'd be running regular patrols through the Trollclaw Hills, lowering risk for the inland Trade Way.

### **A Martial March**

Therein lie the danger of an independent Stonehearth: it was a distinct probability that a legitimate marquess could simply turn around and annex The Gate. The Stonehearth Arms weren’t simply another mercenary force based in the city, they were a *chartered military force* (circa 1297).

Having chartered five decades before the now-famous Flaming Fist, the Arms were who the Fist called when they needed backup.

By defusing the current pressure – and the danger of a more immediate coup – annexation was an issue that the Council of Four was absolutely ecstatic to kick down the road to somebody else.

### **Open Recruitment**

Having chartered themselves and declared as such, they were in full recruitment mode.

20 years had passed since the refugees had resettled, but Stonehearth still had their allegiance. There was a wave of volunteers to follow the House north.

In addition to growing the Arms, they needed every type of professional possible to run a noble House, a keep and a city. Clerks, administrators, laborers, specialists and so on.

Over the next two years, those professionals were trained to the same standards and were overlapping house logistics there in Baldur’s Gate, looking for gaps and how to fill them for the upcoming move.

Stonehearth was recruiting, indoctrinating, educating, training and conditioning future march soldiers who would also double as sheriffs – and would require not just martial skills capable of engaging and defeating trolls, but able to execute expanded policing functions.

The Arms weren’t moving north, they were *expanding north*. All the facilities in Baldur’s Gate (as well as the ships) *still needed to be in Baldur’s Gate*. The family seat was moving north, but they would retain all of their local assets in and those required an active defense.

Unlike most mercenaries that were a business card away from being brigands, this was a chartered military force. There was no shortage of willing bodies ready to be a professional soldier for Stonehearth, but the marquisate needed their hearts and minds just as much as their bodies.

## **Character of the Demographics**

As for the northern expansion, there was a diverse crowd in this House.

Stonehearth was ruled by a human family with modified absolute primogeniture rules of succession, but there were officer positions that were held by elves, half-elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes. Half-orcs had made a name for themselves within the House, as had a few other more exotic races.

The one thing that united them: the mantra of efficiency. This wasn’t about biology, it was about mindset. It was another expression of the collaborative nature of Stonehearth. Indeed, when only the best will do: bring in the best, learn from the best, and become the best.

That held true for every facet of House endeavors. They are primarily scholars and soldiers, but they work with the specialists and find a way to make them part of the family. Stonehearth wasn’t afraid to share the wealth: that was simple, *long-term* efficiency. And it built life-long bonds. Bonds that wanted to do more than recreate previous strengths, but to surpass them.

In that respect, House Stonehearth became the next-level melting pot of the Sword Coast.

## Timeline Exploration

* Go back to the Primal Magic timeline...
* Check out 1406 in the Forgotten Realms original timeline...