Trade Routes to the Sword Coast

[EiriktheScald]

Glad you asked. Actually I'm working on background material for an NPC Skald. The idea is that he's journeyed to TSC from the Moonshae Isles, in search of Branwen. To find her, he must track her movements. All that we know from the existing material, is that she desired to join the Battleguard and was forced to flee her home isle. Well, I started thinking about that. Friends and family may be able to help her get from one isle to the next; but how does someone, on the run, get to the mainland by herself? You're talking an 8-day journey at least. Then it hit me; the trade routes! I did some reading and found that trading partners of the Moonshae kingdoms include Calimshan, Amn, Tethyr and Waterdeep. That means she probably travelled to either Amn or Waterdeep and began her journey to Nashkel from there. The map below shows three possible routes:

 

 

A. North Kingdoms to Waterdeep

 

The most direct route. From here, longships strike northward to the distant port of Waterdeep. From the moonshaes, the northmen send slaves and weapons. She is tall in stature and quick with a weapon. Could she have been hired on to a slave ship as a guard?

 

B. Callidyrr to Mintarn

 

This route leads to the island of Mintarn off the Sword Coast. The ship builders of Mintarn get their timber from the Moonshaes and sell the ships they build to any of a dozen buyers along the sword coast. Could she have sought passage from a buyer? He would need a crew to man his new vessel.

 

C. Callidyrr to Amn, Calimshan and Tethyr

 

Callidyrr is the largest and most accessible port on the islands. The Calishites trade for weapons and the metal to make them, furs and timber. Athkatla is Amn's only remaining free port. This route seems the least likely, to me.

 

If you were her, which route would you most likely take?

[Avenger]

Branwen as slave guard?

[berelinde]

She's a cleric. She could have hired on to any ship with that background.

 

But I think the lumber/furs route to Amn is more likely.

[Rabain]

I think the most logical thing would be to find the nearest stronghold of the Battleguard and it is probably likely she would have tried to head there or to the closest port.

[EiriktheScald]

@Avenger: A rhetorical ? If she went north, it would be difficult to stow away on a longship. How might she get hired on?

 

@berelinde: I struggled with that idea. Would she want to draw attention to herself? You know how news travels.

 

@Rabain: The closest port would take her north to Waterdeep.

[Lemernis]

Since the NPC bard questing to find Branwen is a Skald, I'm assuming that he is a Northman. Is he also from Branwen's home of the village of Seawolf? I would think that would almost have to be... Otherwise how could he even know of her, or have an interest in her fate? Though perhaps Branwen gained some noteriety throughout the Moonshaes by standing out from the crowd. As she is presumably at least the protagonist's age, and would have adventured some by the time BG's story begins.

 

For reference sake here is Branwen's Bio:

 

Branwen reveals that she left her home of Seawolf in the Norheim Isles at an early age. She was apparently reviled by her own people for wanting to become a priest, a station reserved exclusively for the men of the village. She harbors no resentment, realizing that her faith must face such tests or be worthless. She traveled the coast, offering her services to local militias, and eventually came into the employ of an adventuring troupe in the Nashkel area. Branwen had no idea that the group was participating in banditry however, and on their first raid, she balked at attacking a caravan of unarmed merchants. She rebelled and a mage named Tranzig turned her to stone in the ensuing fight. Despite the unfavorable outcome, Branwen feels that Tempus views her actions approvingly. To attack those that are unarmed is the basest of villainy.

 

I can't quite remember how Branwen's backstory is embelished upon by the BG1NPC Banter Pack, but I would try to keep the details of your new story consistent with that.

 

With Branwen leaving her home village at an early age and "offering her services to local militias" I wonder if she might have made a short hop first before eventually making her way to the mainland.

 

"Moonshae" by Douglas Niles features a section on pp. 12-13 entitled "Economies of the Moonshaes" which includes a map of the local trade routes in the Moonshaes. According to the local routes, she would have departed from Hammerstaad on the other end of her home isle. From there she could have traveled to Rogarsheim on Norland, Iron Keep on Oman Isle, Narhelm on Alaron, or north to either Ruathym or Waterdeep. The nothern route might include stops at some of the small islands of the Korinn Archipelago.

 

Niles says the following about the trade from Norheim:

 

The ports and fortress cities of Rottesheim, Norheim, Iron Bay, and Gnarhelm provide the major stopping points to the lands of the northmen. From here, longships strike northward to the distant port of Waterdeep, and the nearer isles of Ruathym.

 

The trip to Waterdeep requires about 8 days when sailing north, 10 days when sailing south. From the Moonshaes, the northmen send slaves and weapons of the Ffolk that they have gained through combat or trade. In return, the northmen receive the amenities of life from more civilized lands--oil, gold, woven cloth, and exotic liquors.

 

So Branwen might have traveled around for quite some time locally in the Moonshaes before heading to the mainland. There's an extensive network of ports.

 

The main trade routes from Caer Callidyrr to the Sword Coast detailed in "Moonshae" includes Waterdeep, Mintarn, and Calimport. My impression is that Mintarn conducts most of its trade with Callidyrr. Amn is mentioned as a trading partner with the Moonshaes kingdoms. Presumably the same sea lanes beginning toward Camiport branch off at some point toward the Amnian port cities of Athkatla and Murann.

 

It could make for a colorful tale to have Branwen recount her exploits within the greater Moonshaes, as long as there isn't so much of it that it become a chore to read.

[NiGHTMARE]

There's another route not mentioned above: Callidyrr to Waterdeep. This route sees steel from the Moonshaes traded for spice, oil and cloth from the Sword Coast.

 

I'd say this is the most likely route for Branwen.

[EiriktheScald]

Since the NPC bard questing to find Branwen is a Skald, I'm assuming that he is a Northman.

That was the idea.

 

Is he also from Branwen's home of the village of Seawolf? I would think that would almost have to be... Otherwise how could he even know of her, or have an interest in her fate?

You're very perceptive Yes, I have a few plot ideas I'm currently hashing out.

 

Though perhaps Branwen gained some noteriety throughout the Moonshaes by standing out from the crowd. As she is presumably at least the protagonist's age, and would have adventured some by the time BG's story begins.

Kulyok indicated to me that Branwen might be slightly older than the PC. You make a good point; she starts the game as a level 1 cleric. I had the impression that she served in the local temple in Seawolf.

 

I can't quite remember how Branwen's backstory is embelished upon by the BG1NPC Banter Pack, but I would try to keep the details of your new story consistent with that.

Not much is said of her journey to TSC, which I think is important to my NPC. She ends up parting with the PC at the end -- I want give her a reason for leaving.

 

With Branwen leaving her home village at an early age and "offering her services to local militias" I wonder if she might have made a short hop first before eventually making her way to the mainland.

My impression was that she joined militias after she arrived on TSC; given all the raids. Another interesting question is why the sword coast? Could she just hop over to another island and remain there? She does give the appearance of being very homesick.

 

"Moonshae" by Douglas Niles features a section on pp. 12-13 entitled "Economies of the Moonshaes" which includes a map of the local trade routes in the Moonshaes.

I found the same information in an old TSR module called "The Moonshaes"

 

So Branwen might have traveled around for quite some time locally in the Moonshaes before heading to the mainland. There's an extensive network of ports.

Interesting idea. Perhaps they travelled together until she sorted things out.

 

The main trade routes from Caer Callidyrr to the Sword Coast detailed in "Moonshae" includes Waterdeep, Mintarn, and Calimport. My impression is that Mintarn conducts most of its trade with Callidyrr. Amn is mentioned as a trading partner with the Moonshaes kingdoms. Presumably the same sea lanes beginning toward Camiport branch off at some point toward the Amnian port cities of Athkatla and Murann.

Mintarn would have a shipyard. Ships are built for buyers all along the sword coast.

 

It could make for a colorful tale to have Branwen recount her exploits within the greater Moonshaes, as long as there isn't so much of it that it become a chore to read.

A little bit of detail goes a long way.

[EiriktheScald]

There's another route not mentioned above: Callidyrr to Waterdeep. This route sees steel from the Moonshaes traded for spice, oil and cloth from the Sword Coast.

 

I'd say this is the most likely route for Branwen.

 

Waterdeep does seem to be the logical choice. But the route I chose is more direct. What were your thoughts about a less direct route?

[NiGHTMARE]

It's the choice of goods rather than the route. IMHO the only way Branwen would be on a slave ship is if she herself were one of the slaves.

[EiriktheScald]

It's the choice of goods rather than the route. IMHO the only way Branwen would be on a slave ship is if she herself were one of the slaves.

 

That would be a good reason for my NPC to follow her... the battleguard throw her on a slave ship to get rid of her. Not sure it fits with the existing material though.

[Lemernis]

Branwen's bio states that she leaves her village to pursue becoming a priest of Tempus, and in so doing she offers her services to local militias (presumably as a kind of battle priestess). As an ostracized expatriate of Norheim I would think she might look first to the local militias of the Ffolk. There are militias all over the Moonshaes. The Ffolk would seem to have no issue at all with female clerics--most of them worship an earth goddess to begin with.

 

The life of a mercenary battle priestess could lead almost anywhere, really. It's up to your imagination. There's plenty of ways for her to get to the mainland. It does seem most likely she'd eventually depart for the mainlaind from Callidyrr, though.

 

Since Amn is one of the most civilized lands in Faerun, and very status conscious, and the frontier Sword Coast is more down to earth and egalitarian, and I think Branwen would probably be drawn more toward the culture of the Western Heartlands. So Waterdeep makes sense in that respect. In terms of her personality, I mean.

 

I don't see Branwen staying in a metropolis like Waterdeep a second longer than necessary, though. Per her faith, she'd be lookng for ways to test herself, and Waterdeep certainly affords that. But I have trouble picturing her as an urban adventurer. With her rural background I see her more comfortable out roaming the countryside.

[EiriktheScald]

Branwen's bio states that she leaves her village to pursue becoming a priest of Tempus, and in so doing she offers her services to local militias (presumably as a kind of battle priestess). As an ostracized expatriate of Norheim I would think she might look first to the local militias of the Ffolk. There are militias all over the Moonshaes. The Ffolk would seem to have no issue at all with female clerics--most of them worship an earth goddess to begin with.

What exactly is the relationship between the Northmen and Ffolk? My understanding is that the Northmen are seen as raiders. The slave trade is usually captured Ffolk. I hear what you're saying about their tolerance of women, but would she be accepted there? And there would be no denying her heritage; the nothemen are very different in appearance.

 

I don't see Branwen staying in a metropolis like Waterdeep a second longer than necessary, though. Per her faith, she'd be lookng for ways to test herself, and Waterdeep certainly affords that. But I have trouble picturing her as an urban adventurer. With her rural background I see her more comfortable out roaming the countryside.

Waterdeep would just be a port of entry. I had thought of daggerford, it's smaller. They would need militia, and they would most likely buy ships from Mintarn. It also has a temple to Tempus.

 

Thank you all for these discussions-- they are very helpful.

[Andyr]

IIRC the Ffolk and Northmen didn't get along, until they realised that Bhaal was causing a lot of their troubles. Now he's dead I'm not sure what the situation's like.

[EiriktheScald]

IIRC the Ffolk and Northmen didn't get along, until they realised that Bhaal was causing a lot of their troubles. Now he's dead I'm not sure what the situation's like.

 

Bhaal is definitely a talking point with the PC. Was there some connection between Bhaal and Kazgaroth? It sounds like travel to the southern isles might not be an issue for the Northmen.

 

Thanks