Faction: The Citadel Council

[Mr.Moloch]

Faction: Citadel Council

The Citadel Council is an alliance of individuals appointed by King Azoun V to restore the glory and grandeur of Arabel. Its members wish to enrich the city, restore the lands, and strengthen ties with Suzail itself. Their work is cut out for them, the poor and impoverished ruins of Arabel, now called Old Town, are a mix of dissidents, madmen, and outright rebels resisting the city's lawful authority and highly limited resources. The ill-patrolled trade routes are the prey of pirates, bandits, and monsters. And the Council itself is fraught with controversy, Lord Malcolm Hardcastle and Lord Lady Myrmeen Lhal disagree strenuously on goals and means; Hardcastle sees the pursuit of profit as intrinsically benefiting the city regardless of harm to the land or nature and is betting the future of Arabel on the mythalite mines, elemental thaumaturgy, and an alliance to powerful nations such as Thay. While Lhal favors doing more to restore farmsteads, move impoverished workers back to the land, and seek connections with friendly neighbors such as the Dalelands. Between these two extremes lay a variety of personalities and opinions.

The Citadel Council's goals in general are as follows, though individual members disagree about the best routes to these goals:

1). Ensure the rebuilding and improvement of the Citadel.
2). Attempt to reign in the banditry of Old Town gangs.
3). Restore trade and diplomacy to Arabel.
4). Ensure the safety of the city and its lands.

Race Limits: None, though non-human races would have to do more to prove themselves in a human city and human kingdom.
Class Limits: None, though druids would have to justify working with a city council.
Alignment: None, though tending toward lawful.
Preferred Deity: None, though tending toward Congress of Faiths deities, Waukeen, and Tyr. (ie: Arabel's current main faiths.)
Other Requirement: None

Affiliation with this faction is open to any players who go through and pass a scripted event. Individuals affiliated with the group, or who apply for membership pre-character creation, may be sponsored by an NPC member of the faction. These characters are expected to pursue the goals of the faction while promoting the interest of their NPC sponsors who will reward them with additional gear and privileges.

Faction sponsors include:

Lord Malcolm Hardcastle, zealously protective of his monopoly on mythalite, he hopes to exploit the lands [including even the spreading Helmlands whose sands are being used to produce magical glass items] for every profit he can while harnessing the essence of elemental beings to fuel his weapons and machines. He seeks alliances with Thay, Shadovar, Dalelands, Zhentil Keep, and any other force or power that could bring stability and wealth to Arabel and Cormyr. Many in Arabel owe their lives, livlihood, and even freedom to him. He has regularly purchased slaves from Thay, granting them their freedom immediately, while using them as indentured workers in his factories and mines until they can repay their debt to him.

Lhal, zealously protects the city and its natural environments, promoting the good aspect of Tyche's faith and supporting adventurers who can restore the lands, turn back the spread of the Helmlands, and restore the lands to independent farmsteads and homes. She believes Cormyr and the Dalelands must form a strong mutual alliance against the Shadovar and Sembians.

The Unknown Counselor oversees the Citadel's spy networks and Agents. An unknown woman, she communicates with fellow counselors through intermediaries, is rumored to be almost insanely paranoid, but extraordinarily skilled. City Agents often are given tips indirectly, or orders through her relays and spies. The safety of the city rests in her hands more so than any other; but the secrecy around her identity has led to a wealth of strange rumors and tall-tales.

Archmage Aldek, magical master of the city, he wishes to study the Helmlands to determine if they are inherently dangerous or more like a fire–which when tamed can be useful to mankind, he often finds a balance between the views of Lhal and Hardcastle, and wishes to promote alliances/trade with Myth Drannor over other nations to follow in the footsteps of his hero Isodore Maleen. Like Lhal he favors and sees himself as a sponsor of adventurers, but while Lhal clearly pushes for a goodly agenda, Aldek is more utilitarian and neutral in his goals.

Commodore Ariannhe, representative of Cormyr's military forces and the King. Aims to promote a stronger Cormyrian presence, despite obvious push back from Lhal and Hardcastle (both of whom have their own reasons for not wishing a strong Cormyr in Arabel). A very no nonsense woman, she is well trusted by Azoun V, she avoids politics and instead focuses on direct threats to the city while demonstrating a great deal of distrust for any foreign power though she has several times suggested that Cormyr should annex the Dalelands and make Sembia a protectorate to keep it safe from the Shadovar Empire.

Valiant Kraliqh is the city's legal counselor and chief bureaucrat. He often handles day to day business. He is mocked for a mild stammer and lisp in upper society, but is considered by most to be an absolute master of legal theory and hailing from a family that made its wealth in banking, a fair accountant as well, who works closely with the Councilor of Coins. He believes the best governed city, is the least governed city, and that provided people pay for and regulate any abnormal behaviors the city will ultimately prosper. He has long been proposing legislation that would permit people to engage in a variety of behaviors if they first paid sufficiently for the privilege; from incorporating a fee for carrying citizenship papers for non-humans and especially strange little trusted races, to fees for forming adventuring companies, merchant slips, and even permits for the use of necromancy. He appears to be focused solely on the finances and orderly operations of Arabel, without any real regard to morality (and some claim reality).