Seeking info: Scarlet Brotherhood in Verbobonc - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Seeking info: Scarlet Brotherhood in Verbobonc

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
ajs
Dec 09, 2005 9:17:59 The Scarlet Brotherhood is supposed to have subtle influence just about everywhere, and I'm thinking of involving them in a campaign I'm running. So my question to those steeped in the lore is this: What influence does the Brotherhood have in Verbobonc according to cannon and/or other sources?

More specifically, I'm focused on how they might recruit operatives locally and how they influence indirectly.

One thought I've had is the distribution of high-ego intelligent magic items to key individuals. Useful items at first which slowly insinuate their "special purpose" of furthering the Brotherhood's goals.

Still, I'd like to know what's already in place before I layer my ideas over that. I'm still working on buying the old campaign suplement for the Brotherhood, and once I get that, perhaps some of my questions will be answered.
#2
Mortepierre
Dec 09, 2005 9:37:36 According to the SB accessory,

a) Sheldomar Valley: apart from working on destroying the city of Jurnre and gaining permanent access to Slerotin's Tunnel, the SB leadership feels it's too distant to conquer or hold militarily. Area watched by spies.

b) Western Nyr Dyv: Too many powerful potential adversaries here. Spies only + parties of young SB adventurers sent to the Cairn Hills area.

Not much more, I am afraid.
#3
max_writer
Dec 09, 2005 11:04:55 According to "The Adventure Begins" by Roger Moore, in 587 CY, Viscount Wilfrick dies in his sleep. His successor, Sir Fernwood Left-Handed pulls patrols closer to the city and offends the gnomes of the Kron Hill, who then declare independence form Verbobonc. Papers are soon found proving Fernward a Scarlet Brotherhood agent and he is killed by the captain of the guard.

I don't have the supplement with me and am just referring to my own Timeline. I seem to recall, however, that Fernward was framed, possibly by the present Viscount (the half-elf Langard of the Gnarley Border).
#4
zombiegleemax
Dec 12, 2005 22:03:01 My recollection is that agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood are definitely intriguing in the Viscounty.

Because I never obtained the RtToEE, I'm unsure if they featured there, but its proximity and the SB's reported original complicity in the abduction of Prince Thrommel suggest that they've been interested in Verbobonc for some time--probably due to its strategic vitality in terms of international trade and the relationship between the Kingdom of Furyondy and the Archclericy of Veluna.

From earlier game products, we learned that the SB tended to use multiple and mutually-ignorant cells of agents in metropoli like the City of Greyhawk. However, unlike in the former Great Kingdom, these cells tended to act in coordination. Also, killing the Viscount and replacing him with someone loyal to the SB is par for their course. Cf. the Lordship of the Isles.

Finally (for me, for this post), I call your attention to the cult of Vecna, which VL! described well and sited in and around Verbobonc. Mixing agents of the SB and cultists of the Whispered One would be a great move, IMO, sure to bewilder the PCs and useful for representing the "grey in the 'hawk."
#5
zombiegleemax
Dec 13, 2005 6:59:01 One of the disappointments of the SB supplement is that SKR obviously kicked to touch on the SB's future plans. Their supposed plots in the various parts of the Flanaess were extremely limp.
I would feel free to overwrite these and give them more muscular goals.

Given the death of the previous Viscount, it's possible that the new Viscount is an SB puppet (or that someone close to him is).
Alternatively, given the Reds under the bed hysteria that swept the Flanaess in the wake of the Greyhawk Wars, it's possible that someone independent of the SB offed the Viscount for their own ends and dressed it up as the Scarlet Brotherhood to throw people off the scent...

Another thing to remember is that the Temple of All Consumption isn't far from Verbobonc, so any SB agetns may in fact be Black Brotherhood.
#6
Amaril
Dec 13, 2005 9:45:49
Another thing to remember is that the Temple of All Consumption isn't far from Verbobonc, so any SB agetns may in fact be Black Brotherhood.

I've considered this myself as I'm running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I think I'm just going to designate various charcters (sorcerers, wizards, clerics) within the Outer Fane of the ToAC as agents of the Black Brotherhood, and possibly make The First an agent as well.

This also helps to explain Thrommel's presence in the ToAC.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 ajs Dec 09, 2005 9:17:59	The Scarlet Brotherhood is supposed to have subtle influence just about everywhere, and I'm thinking of involving them in a campaign I'm running. So my question to those steeped in the lore is this: What influence does the Brotherhood have in Verbobonc according to cannon and/or other sources? More specifically, I'm focused on how they might recruit operatives locally and how they influence indirectly. One thought I've had is the distribution of high-ego intelligent magic items to key individuals. Useful items at first which slowly insinuate their "special purpose" of furthering the Brotherhood's goals. Still, I'd like to know what's already in place before I layer my ideas over that. I'm still working on buying the old campaign suplement for the Brotherhood, and once I get that, perhaps some of my questions will be answered.
#2 Mortepierre Dec 09, 2005 9:37:36	According to the SB accessory, a) Sheldomar Valley: apart from working on destroying the city of Jurnre and gaining permanent access to Slerotin's Tunnel, the SB leadership feels it's too distant to conquer or hold militarily. Area watched by spies. b) Western Nyr Dyv: Too many powerful potential adversaries here. Spies only + parties of young SB adventurers sent to the Cairn Hills area. Not much more, I am afraid.
#3 max_writer Dec 09, 2005 11:04:55	According to "The Adventure Begins" by Roger Moore, in 587 CY, Viscount Wilfrick dies in his sleep. His successor, Sir Fernwood Left-Handed pulls patrols closer to the city and offends the gnomes of the Kron Hill, who then declare independence form Verbobonc. Papers are soon found proving Fernward a Scarlet Brotherhood agent and he is killed by the captain of the guard. I don't have the supplement with me and am just referring to my own Timeline. I seem to recall, however, that Fernward was framed, possibly by the present Viscount (the half-elf Langard of the Gnarley Border).
#4 zombiegleemax Dec 12, 2005 22:03:01	My recollection is that agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood are definitely intriguing in the Viscounty. Because I never obtained the RtToEE, I'm unsure if they featured there, but its proximity and the SB's reported original complicity in the abduction of Prince Thrommel suggest that they've been interested in Verbobonc for some time--probably due to its strategic vitality in terms of international trade and the relationship between the Kingdom of Furyondy and the Archclericy of Veluna. From earlier game products, we learned that the SB tended to use multiple and mutually-ignorant cells of agents in metropoli like the City of Greyhawk. However, unlike in the former Great Kingdom, these cells tended to act in coordination. Also, killing the Viscount and replacing him with someone loyal to the SB is par for their course. Cf. the Lordship of the Isles. Finally (for me, for this post), I call your attention to the cult of Vecna, which VL! described well and sited in and around Verbobonc. Mixing agents of the SB and cultists of the Whispered One would be a great move, IMO, sure to bewilder the PCs and useful for representing the "grey in the 'hawk."
#5 zombiegleemax Dec 13, 2005 6:59:01	One of the disappointments of the SB supplement is that SKR obviously kicked to touch on the SB's future plans. Their supposed plots in the various parts of the Flanaess were extremely limp. I would feel free to overwrite these and give them more muscular goals. Given the death of the previous Viscount, it's possible that the new Viscount is an SB puppet (or that someone close to him is). Alternatively, given the Reds under the bed hysteria that swept the Flanaess in the wake of the Greyhawk Wars, it's possible that someone independent of the SB offed the Viscount for their own ends and dressed it up as the Scarlet Brotherhood to throw people off the scent... Another thing to remember is that the Temple of All Consumption isn't far from Verbobonc, so any SB agetns may in fact be Black Brotherhood.
#6 Amaril Dec 13, 2005 9:45:49	Another thing to remember is that the Temple of All Consumption isn't far from Verbobonc, so any SB agetns may in fact be Black Brotherhood. I've considered this myself as I'm running Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. I think I'm just going to designate various charcters (sorcerers, wizards, clerics) within the Outer Fane of the ToAC as agents of the Black Brotherhood, and possibly make The First an agent as well. This also helps to explain Thrommel's presence in the ToAC.