Trade Routes to the Sword Coast

[Lemernis]

Well, according to the 2nd ed. FRCS (A Grand Tour of the Realms),

 

The Ffolk and the Northmen have struggled throughout their history, and only in the past 20 years has there been peace between them under the rulership of High King Tristan Kendrik of the Ffolk. Recently, the Ffolk, Northmen, and Llewyrr have united to defeat a plot of the god Talos to dominate the isles. Tristan has since abdicated his position to join his wife Robyn in Myrloch Vale, leaving the reins of the government to his daughter, Alicia, and her husband King Keane.

 

That is 1368 DR. And the BG game begins 1 Mirtul, 1369.

 

I'm not sure precisely when "recently" is for the Ffolk joining forces with the Northmen to defeat a common enemy. But Tristan becomes king in 1346. Alicia is crowned in 1365. If I understand correctly (?), it is Alicia who overcomes Talos' plot. And from what I have gleaned (from the net, so take with a grain of salt), a period of prosperity (and presumably peace with the Northlanders) continues for at least 5 years thereafter.

 

There's a tension between the traditional earth goddess druids and proselytizing clerics of mainland faiths in the Moonshaes. Just friction, it does not typically come to violence. But Branwen's worship of Tempus is more in a shamanistic tradition (no doubt inspired by RL the Vikings) that should sit much better with druids.

 

Now timeline-wise, it depends on Branwen's age. If Branwen is 19, let's say, you could have her leaving home at the age of 15. As such she could have departed Seawolf just after the Ffolk and Northmen fought side by side to save the isles. An opportune time for her to offer her services to miltias of the Moonshaes, actually.

 

15 years old is not too young for her to have joined in that conflict, not for the Norlander culture, anyway. I would think she would have wished deperately to join in the great battle. But perhaps because of her "feminist" strivings to become a cleric, the village chieftain and shaman punished her by denying her the opportunity. That could have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Her family would have been shamed, etc.

 

Or you could make her 20 and have her leaving home at age 16, maybe that works better.

[EiriktheScald]

Now timeline wise, it depends on Branwen's age and when she left home. If Branwen is 19 and she left home at the age of 15, then she could have departed Seawolf just after the Ffolk and Northmen fought side by side to save the isles. An opportune time for her to offer her services to miltias of the Moonshaes, actually.

Kulyok guessed her in the 20-25 range. When she left is open to interpretation. Are you suggesting that her time on the Sword Coast was very short (i.e. most of that time spent roaming the isles)? My thinking was just the opposite.

[Lemernis]

Right before you posted, I ammended my post above to include a few more thoughts about the timing of her departure from Seawolf, and why she leaves. Not sure how well it fits with the Banter Pack material, though.

 

Yeah, one way you could do it is to have her spend around a year in the Moonshaes right during the crest of good feelings between the Ffolk and the Northmen. Anywhere from 6-18 mos. Maybe by around roughly 1366 she heads to the mainland. That gives her three years as a mercenary on the Sword Coast.

 

There's so much you could potentially do, having her spend a little time in the Moonshaes first is just one suggestion. But it might add to the feel of her a sort of person who feels perpetually displaced, one who feels they can never quite fit in or set down roots anywhere.

[EiriktheScald]

15 years old is not too young for her to have joined in that conflict, not for the Norlander culture, anyway. I would think she would have wished deperately to join in the great battle. But perhaps because of her "feminist" strivings to become a cleric, the village chieftain and shaman punished her by denying her the opportunity. That could have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Her family would have been shamed, etc.

 

Or you could make her 20 and have her leaving home at age 16, maybe that works better.

 

I just finished the game and it's still pretty fresh in my mind. It seemed, as you said, a conflict between the male clerics (battleguard) and her wanting to defy traditional roles in her culture. Would the king take sides in this issue? (another part of the plot). Her bio says that she was reviled by her own people. Could things change in that short time?

[Lemernis]

If I understand correctly Branwen is reviled by the people of Norheim because she's a young women wishing to assume a male role in a heavily patriarchal society, where that role is forbidden. I would think her defiance of the men, elders, shamans, etc., in pursuing that goal would lead to disgrace. It would bring shame upon her family, for sure. And out of love and respect to her family she knows she must strike out on her own. And highly motivated to redeem herself, in fact.

 

So that's her relationship to Norheim, though. She's a Norlander, a Viking type. The Fflok are very different, as we know. They're akin to the Celts, and have a culture rooted in druidism, which esteems the Feminine.

 

I wonder if Branwen, though loathe to admit it, when she is just striking out at such a tender age might not want to get too far from home. Not just yet anyway. Perhaps she hopes to redeem herself in Norheim yet by demonstrating her fighting prowess in the Moonshaes and returning one day to Seawolf triumphantly.

 

How would someone like her be received in the Moonshaes?... I don't know but that if a Moonshaes local miltia captain and the town's druidic community heard her story, that they might not be rather sympathetic. Although there is a fresh peace with the Northmen, and recent victory fought together with them, there's still a centuries long history of the Northmen raiding, pillaging, plundering, and enslaving the Ffolk. Taking Branwen on within the local militia, and giving her an opportunity to prove herself as a warrior priestess, kind of 'sticks it' to the warrior leaders of Norheim.

 

Likewise Moonshaes druids (many--most?--of whom are female) might have a similar feeling about supporting a woman from Norheim pursue her dream to become a shamanistic priestess--much to the chagrin of the shaman community in Norheim. I would think there'd be some kinship between shamans and druids in a shared disdain of clerics of organized religions seeking to gain converts. Anyway there is some common ground.

 

Still, within around a year I see Branwen coming to terms with a growing sense that she doesn't quite fit in with the Fflok. And that she never really will. So she heads off to find herself on the mainland.

 

In the Moonshaes Branwen would be liked by some, and hated by others. Even though a peace exists, there have to be unhealed wounds. Eg, militia members whose grandparents were killed by Northmen raiders, and so on.

 

People that leave home early like this under traumatic circumstances often develop a strong sense that they simply cannot afford to make themselves dependent or vulnerable. It can often go way beyond healthy independence to being unable to form bonds. Apologies if that's too psychobabblish. But anyway, I see someone with a history like that becoming a kind of quintessential wanderer.

[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.

 

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

 

Kazgaroth was a creature which served Bhaal. As far as we know from the novels, he was unique.

 

Interestingly, owlbears were also creations of Bhaal and are described in the same novel series, although newer source material does not seem to mention Bhaal as their creation.

[EiriktheScald]

If I understand correctly Branwen is reviled by the people of Norheim because she's a young women wishing to assume a male role in a heavily patriarchal society, where that role is forbidden.

Yes, but we can't forget her motivation. I see her more as a Jeanne d'Arc figure.

 

I would think her defiance of the men, elders, shamans, etc., in pursuing that goal would lead to disgrace. It would bring shame upon her family, for sure. And out of love and respect to her family she knows she must strike out on her own. And highly motivated to redeem herself, in fact.

There is no hint of defiance; the BG1NPC romance indicates that rumours were spread about her, which forced her to flee. That doesn't suggest a defiant attitude.

 

So that's her relationship to Norheim, though. She's a Norlander, a Viking type.

From what I have read, viking women learned to manipulate laws in order gain higher social standing. Women were never able to conduct lawsuits but they did manage to get the justice they demanded by having a male relative argue the case for them. If Branwen had men of standing support her, things might work out differently. At least that's my vision.

 

Still, having her spend a little time in the Moonshaes first would add to the feel of her as someone who is perpetually displaced. This does fit in with my first impression of her being homesick.

[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

 

Kazgaroth was a creature which served Bhaal. As far as we know from the novels, he was unique.

 

Interestingly, owlbears were also creations of Bhaal and are described in the same novel series, although newer source material does not seem to mention Bhaal as their creation.

 

I picked up used copies of the first and second book from amazon. I was planning to read them -- will they help?

[Lemernis]

This sounds like a fun mod, btw. I'll be interested to hear more about the Skald and why he's on a quest to find Branwen.

[EiriktheScald]

And I thank you, as well as those who have taken the time to contribute to this discussion. It has helped me decide where I want to go with this character.

[BigRob]

I picked up used copies of the first and second book from amazon. I was planning to read them -- will they help?

 

They could do. There is some background material on the Northmen in there, but they do mostly revolve around the Ffolk.

[Andyr]

They're not particularly wonderful, but I also got them second-hand so for that price they were worth it. The author's style--I'd say they're aimed at young teenagers--makes Bhaal generally look a bit inept, an opinion which seems fairly common on the Wizards of the Coast forums.

[Avenger]

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.

This was the point of my 'rhetorical' question.

[EiriktheScald]

The Battleguard is mentioned several times (there's even a G3 kit mod for Branwen) but I cannot find any background information on them. Does any exist?

[Rabain]

http://www.gamebanshee.com/icewinddaleii/c...ardoftempus.php

 

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=43927