How secured are the Cormyrean borders ? [Archive] - Wizards Community

How secured are the Cormyrean borders ? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ced666
06-16-07, 10:27 AM Hello fellow DM's

As some of you might know, I'm planning an adventure that will take place in Cormyr. My players are currently outside the Cormyr and I have some idea that they'll probably try to enter it without being seen (they are tracked down). I know that the Cormyr has frontier outposts on the roads to enter the Cormyr. But I suppose that there are also some patrols in the wild ?
Any suggestions for that ?

Thank you
Kantor Brightblade
06-16-07, 12:58 PM Depends on how you want to look at it.

You could treat the harsh times that Cormyr has suffered the last several years as a diversion to border security.

Let's say El Paso TX was suddenly a smoldering, demon, ghost infested crater. Pretend, try hard.

Do you think, that the rest of the border would be more secure or less secure based off that kind of catastrophe?

I think you can do it 2 ways. Either the borders are more patrolled based off the not-so-good infrastructure of Cormyr....OR....it's an absolute cakewalk with a marching band and an Elephant Tea Party walking into Cormyr because attention is being directed elsewhere....just a thought.:cheer:
msatran
06-16-07, 02:30 PM Usually, I hate to say this, but that means that your border patrols would likely be patrolled by...umm...adventuring groups.

That's usually what nations do when they run low on military manpower in D+D.
Mr_Miscellany
06-16-07, 03:10 PM If you're talking post-war, even 1-2 years after, I'd say Cormyr's borders are secure from a geographical standpoint. The roads that lead into Cormyr through those barriers (Storm Horns, Thunder Peaks, swamps) are still well patrolled and defended.

However, the mountains were also the source of the Orc Hordes that decimated so much of Cormyr. If a foe of Cormyr could learn the paths these orcs took (or the portals they were perhaps sourced from) in the mountains to avoided notice from Cormyr's royal foresters while their numbers swelled to the size of an army....well then those mountains are no better than Swiss cheese in terms of keeping enemies out of Cormyr.

IIRC, according to Ed Greenwood (via Candlekeep), Cormyr is trying to re-settle its north eastern corner (up to Halfhap ??), but doesn’t have a military presence deep into those lands beyond road patrols and Castle Crag.

The Shadovar essentially ‘own’ Tilverton and its environs, but remain behind the scenes, eager to snatch up anyone that shows magical prowess in defeating Tilverton’s many dangers. One could slip into Cormyr by that route, so long as one was quiet and efficient in dispatching the undead dangers in the like that might be encountered along the Moonsea Ride.

Similarly, the Shadovar are the biggest threat in the Stonelands, though they have elected not to interfere with the Zhentarim, who believe themselves the biggest player in that region. The Stonebolt Trail and the Gnoll Pass are possibilities, though I wouldn’t try the later due to its proximity to Castle Crag.

Lastly, the Hullack Forest is as wild as ever. According to Ed, while Cormyr has teamed up with the Harpers to cleanse the King’s Forest and much of the rest of Cormyr of monsters and the like that would make nights a terror for those who lived in Cormyr’s open lands after the war, the Hullack itself remains highly dangerous.

Thus, I you choose an overland route, I would recommend sneaking into Cormyr by way of the Thunder Gap, with the option to turn off into the Hullack Forest, where little or no Royal Forrester (or Harper) will be around to bother you. A’course there’s the People of the Black Blood and veteran orc warriors that survived the war in the Hullack....but then it wouldn’t be adventure if one avoided all the dangers to be faced, now would it? ;)

Best of luck to you and your campaign! (Mine’s set to return to Cormyr in full once I’ve adapted Cormyr: Tearing of the Weave for Epic Level Play.)

We should use this forum to compare notes and help each other out when we can...if you like?
Mr_Miscellany
06-16-07, 03:12 PM oooh, almost forgot: The Regent comes down really harsh on wild blades that aren't registered and/or don't have peace bonded weapons. On the other hand as msatran points out one will probably see adventurers at the front lines of the wilder places, with Purple Dragons turning a blind eye to their efforts so long as adventurers are helping the local populace.
MarkusTay63
06-16-07, 03:44 PM I would say that Cormyr's borders are as well defended as the U.S.'s with Canada - barely adequate. If you try to cross at a road you'll be stopped, but there's nothing to stop you from crossing in somewhere in the wilderness without being detected.

Unless a country has a huge wall around it, its absurd to think that it could patrol every square inch of it at any given time.
Mr_Miscellany
06-16-07, 09:17 PM Unless a country has a huge wall around it... Note Cormyr has exactly this, on three sides. Throw in its southern water boundary, and you have a nation well suited to defense from without.

It's the dangers within that are most troublesome.

;)
XHereticX
06-16-07, 09:25 PM About as secure as a redneck's welfare:P

And Cormyr is still in a pretty pitiful state following the whole Return of the Archwizards scandal.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ced666 06-16-07, 10:27 AM	Hello fellow DM's As some of you might know, I'm planning an adventure that will take place in Cormyr. My players are currently outside the Cormyr and I have some idea that they'll probably try to enter it without being seen (they are tracked down). I know that the Cormyr has frontier outposts on the roads to enter the Cormyr. But I suppose that there are also some patrols in the wild ? Any suggestions for that ? Thank you
Kantor Brightblade 06-16-07, 12:58 PM	Depends on how you want to look at it. You could treat the harsh times that Cormyr has suffered the last several years as a diversion to border security. Let's say El Paso TX was suddenly a smoldering, demon, ghost infested crater. Pretend, try hard. Do you think, that the rest of the border would be more secure or less secure based off that kind of catastrophe? I think you can do it 2 ways. Either the borders are more patrolled based off the not-so-good infrastructure of Cormyr....OR....it's an absolute cakewalk with a marching band and an Elephant Tea Party walking into Cormyr because attention is being directed elsewhere....just a thought.:cheer:
msatran 06-16-07, 02:30 PM	Usually, I hate to say this, but that means that your border patrols would likely be patrolled by...umm...adventuring groups. That's usually what nations do when they run low on military manpower in D+D.
Mr_Miscellany 06-16-07, 03:10 PM	If you're talking post-war, even 1-2 years after, I'd say Cormyr's borders are secure from a geographical standpoint. The roads that lead into Cormyr through those barriers (Storm Horns, Thunder Peaks, swamps) are still well patrolled and defended. However, the mountains were also the source of the Orc Hordes that decimated so much of Cormyr. If a foe of Cormyr could learn the paths these orcs took (or the portals they were perhaps sourced from) in the mountains to avoided notice from Cormyr's royal foresters while their numbers swelled to the size of an army....well then those mountains are no better than Swiss cheese in terms of keeping enemies out of Cormyr. IIRC, according to Ed Greenwood (via Candlekeep), Cormyr is trying to re-settle its north eastern corner (up to Halfhap ??), but doesn’t have a military presence deep into those lands beyond road patrols and Castle Crag. The Shadovar essentially ‘own’ Tilverton and its environs, but remain behind the scenes, eager to snatch up anyone that shows magical prowess in defeating Tilverton’s many dangers. One could slip into Cormyr by that route, so long as one was quiet and efficient in dispatching the undead dangers in the like that might be encountered along the Moonsea Ride. Similarly, the Shadovar are the biggest threat in the Stonelands, though they have elected not to interfere with the Zhentarim, who believe themselves the biggest player in that region. The Stonebolt Trail and the Gnoll Pass are possibilities, though I wouldn’t try the later due to its proximity to Castle Crag. Lastly, the Hullack Forest is as wild as ever. According to Ed, while Cormyr has teamed up with the Harpers to cleanse the King’s Forest and much of the rest of Cormyr of monsters and the like that would make nights a terror for those who lived in Cormyr’s open lands after the war, the Hullack itself remains highly dangerous. Thus, I you choose an overland route, I would recommend sneaking into Cormyr by way of the Thunder Gap, with the option to turn off into the Hullack Forest, where little or no Royal Forrester (or Harper) will be around to bother you. A’course there’s the People of the Black Blood and veteran orc warriors that survived the war in the Hullack....but then it wouldn’t be adventure if one avoided all the dangers to be faced, now would it? ;) Best of luck to you and your campaign! (Mine’s set to return to Cormyr in full once I’ve adapted Cormyr: Tearing of the Weave for Epic Level Play.) We should use this forum to compare notes and help each other out when we can...if you like?
Mr_Miscellany 06-16-07, 03:12 PM	oooh, almost forgot: The Regent comes down really harsh on wild blades that aren't registered and/or don't have peace bonded weapons. On the other hand as msatran points out one will probably see adventurers at the front lines of the wilder places, with Purple Dragons turning a blind eye to their efforts so long as adventurers are helping the local populace.
MarkusTay63 06-16-07, 03:44 PM	I would say that Cormyr's borders are as well defended as the U.S.'s with Canada - barely adequate. If you try to cross at a road you'll be stopped, but there's nothing to stop you from crossing in somewhere in the wilderness without being detected. Unless a country has a huge wall around it, its absurd to think that it could patrol every square inch of it at any given time.
Mr_Miscellany 06-16-07, 09:17 PM	Unless a country has a huge wall around it... Note Cormyr has exactly this, on three sides. Throw in its southern water boundary, and you have a nation well suited to defense from without. It's the dangers within that are most troublesome. ;)
XHereticX 06-16-07, 09:25 PM	About as secure as a redneck's welfare:P And Cormyr is still in a pretty pitiful state following the whole Return of the Archwizards scandal.