Your characters have recently returned from a military campaign supporting Amn. Led by Lord Richard of Corsi, eldest son of the Aurelian Duke Eldred of Corsi (this will make more sense when you see the setting stuff below). The campaign took you south from Shilmista forest, through Tethyr, and into Calimshan, near the Forest of Mir and on the foothills of the Marching Mountains. Though ostensibly the purpose was to suppress a legion of Gnolls disrupting the southern trade routes, there were plenty of skirmishes with the common folk along the way (which may or may not have had something to do with a foreign army demanding food, supplies, and lodging from them). It was a long, brutal campaign - hard marching, hard terrain, and vicious foes in an unwelcoming foreign land. A few specific notes:
Think about why your character chose (or was forced) to “take the green.” I’ve given some common reasons below but there’s a lot of opportunity to make this your own.
Part of my goal with this structure is plot related, but a bigger part is giving the PCs a better sense of unity and cohesion than we had in Frostmaiden. I actually loved how often the party was in internal conflict, but want to avoid some of the “why are you here again?” moments.
This is a mix of homebrew and the lesser-documented parts of Forgotten Realms.
South of the Sword Coast, and east of Amn are the Aurelian Duchies - an alliance of noble families and wealthy landowners that control the river and overland trade routes linking the Shining Sea, Sword Coast, and Cormyr. Despite its pride, wealth, and vast tracts of land Aurelian is a vassal state of Amn, almost fully dependent on the Merchant Domain’s trade routes for taxes and goods. The he Aurelian lands are not particularly rich or fertile. Certainly not enough to support the expectations of the Dukes and their hangers-on in the capital of Aureltaran. Amn provides trade, supplies, and grants the Aurelians the right to levy taxes on the merchants who move through their lands. In exchange, Aurelian adopts and enforces the laws and contracts of Amn, musters soldiers in defense of Amn’s interests, and provides a geographic buffer from the wilds of Nathlan and the Lake of Steam.
For the common folk of Aurelian military service provides stability, income, and relief from the otherwise oppressive taxes of the Dukes. It also offers a path to citizenship for foreigners, and an alternative to prison or execution for convicts. Regardless of how one finds their way to the military, the reward for completed service is considerable. Anyone who survives ten years of peace or three of conflict is granted Aurelian citizenship, the right to purchase land, and a meager pension. For those lucky enough to survive conflict, “spoils of war” are also an opportunity. Soldiers are expected to provide their own weapons, armor, mounts, and anything beyond the simplest rations. The only thing provided by Aurelian is a basic dagger and padded, green doublet – hence, joining the army is frequently referred to as “taking the green.”
Humans overwhelmingly dominate the Lands of Intrigue, making up over 90% of the population. Halflings make up the next largest racial group, largely concentrated in the cities of Amn, followed by Elves, Half-Orcs, and a long-tail of other races from there. Though there are few de facto laws limiting the rights of non-humans, the combination of rarity and mistrust means they are unlikely to find a warm reception in many places.
Following the laws of Amn, the use of Arcane magic is outlawed in Aurelian except when in the employ of a Duke’s court. Practitioners of arcane magic are allowed to pass through Aurelian provided they are not caught practicing their arts. Divine magic does not have the same legal restrictions, but most temples are staffed by believers who have not been granted that blessing from their gods. Expect to be offered a poultice of herbs far more than a Cure Wounds.