Hell, instead of jumping Arabel to another place, jump a city from another place next to Arabel or something.
I like this…and why jump a city from another place...Sembia isn't THAT far away....a city rised out of the desert and wants/needs the farmlands around Arabel... make it a starting location during character creation...you can start in Arabel, or in city X....where you start determines what side your on.... not sure if its doable, it would require a whole new area of a similiar size to Arabel (which would be a HUGE undertaking...quests needed, merchants, everything) but it'd be fun :)