Introduction to the region
The Moonsea, also known as the Sea of Dragons, lies nestled between Thar to the north, the Dalelands and Sembia to the south, and Vaasa to the west. The natural barriers - The Moonsea, The Galena Mountains, and the vast forest of Cormanthor - prevent casual contact between the opposing regions. The Moonsea is a cold, clear, deep lake, the color of dark amethyst, with frequent storms and turbulent water that mirrors its turbulent past and present. It is a place where unwary adventurers can either make a name for themselves or be buried under the dark and hungry waves. The Moonsea is a harsh place; the people themselves have become harsh in order to survive. Suspicion, greed, brutality, and political treachery have become the meat and drink of the regions inhabitants. The Moonsea's shores harbor a list of cities whose fame and notoriety is well known throughout the Realms: Zhentil Keep, Hillsfar, Phlan, Melvaunt, Mulmaster, Thentia. But for every city that thrives on the shores of the Moonsea, there are three that are not so fortunate; the region is dotted with ruined towns and cities, castles and fortresses. It takes more than bold ambition and lofty dreams to survive on the Moonsea. The Moonsea is a place where names and legends are created and undone.
History
The history of the Moonsea begins with Northkeep, the first large, truly civilized human endeavor on the Moonsea. Settled in 348DR, the island citadel of Northkeep rapidly grew into humanity's shining light, an important trade point for all things Moonsea and the hope of men everywhere. It grew at a frightening pace, frightening at least, to the local humanoids, and the powers of Thar. To them, Northkeep represented the inexorable march of the humans - more cities, more walls, more laws, more humans. In the year 400DR, these humanoids - this Dark Alliance - swept in on Northkeep in a show of strength not often seen by such creatures. Their fleets of black sailed ships and flights of black dragons sacked the city. Following this, forty thousand humanoid priests and shamans gathered on the banks of Northkeep. Offering prayers to their dark gods, they completed the destruction of Northkeep. The city sank beneath the Moonsea's purple waves. However, all things have a cost, and this act was no exception: the forty thousand faithful were also consumed by the sea. This act became known as the First Turnabout. For centuries afterwards, humans would build cities on the Moonsea only to see them demolished by the Dark Alliance. However, they kept coming, the lure of wealth and the challenge of taming the region driving them onward. Humans rebuilt what was destroyed, and today there are many cities on the Moonsea, and the power of Thar is but a shadow of its former self.
Recent History
The Recent history of The Moonsea is that of the struggle between Hillsfar and Zhentil Keep over Yulash, the Cyrinishad Debacle, the destruction of Zhentil Keep, the re-emergence of Bane, and Zhentil Keep's subsequent rise back into prominence.
Civil war in Yulash: In the year 1355DR the once-proud city state of Yulash descended into civil war. Seeking greater power within the region, the Forces of Zhentil Keep moved into the city. The natural response from Hillsfar was to oppose Zhentil Keep. In 1370DR the forces of Zhentil Keep finally pushed Hillsfar out of what remained of Yulash.
The Cyrinishad Debacle and the Destructon of Zhentil Keep: In the year 1368DR, Cyric "The Mad God" set about a plan to increase his divine power. He had commissioned the creation of a powerfully enchanted book: one that when read would make the believer a follower of Cyric. In addition to this plan, and to further enhance his standing amongst the followers of Zhentil Keep who read this book, he was to destroy an army of humanoids intent on sacking the city - humanoids he himself manipulated into attacking the city. However, Cyric had many enemies - Mystra, Ohgma, and Mask, just to name a few - and they all conspired to undo his plan. The resulting intrigue led to the sacking and near destruction of Zhentil Keep.
The Re-emergence of Zhentil Keep: For some time now, Zhentil Keep had been teetering on the brink of destruction. However, the power of the Zhentarim is not in the city itself, but in the network of wizards, merchants, and spies scattered all across Faerûn. Secret dealings in Mulmaster, combined with divine intervention in the resurrection of Bane, have all lent a hand in the re-emergence of Zhentil Keep as the pre-eminent power on the Moonsea.
Oserion's Haven
Seated between the ruins of Sulesspryn and the powerful city-state of Mulmaster lies Oserion's Haven. The city of Oserion's Haven is a bustling port town of twelve thousand natives and perhaps another thousand or so travelers, merchants and mercenaries. Oserion's Haven was founded several centuries prior by an entreprenurial adventurer named Oserion as a small trading outpost for the Gemhammer Clan Dwarves. Over the course of the centuries, the city grew rich from trading dwarven goods and gems, while the Dwarves of the Gemhammer Holds declined in number and strength. Finally, their underground kingdom was sacked by Duergar and assorted creatures of the Underdark in the year 1287DR. The remnants of the Gemhammer clan found that they were now more dependent on the humans above them than the humans were of them. Rather than wait for the humans to begin to use their newfound leverage on their own accord, the ever-practical Dwarves offered a new deal: they would join with the city above and pay taxes to Oserion's Hall, but have their own laws, governance and militia. So then, what was once two, functioned as one for the benefit of all.
Recent History
The recent history is filled with turmoil, as is much of the recent history on the Moonsea. Rival city-states vie for power against each other: Thentia, Zhentil Keep, Mulmaster, Melvaunt.... The recent surge in the power of the Zhentarim and Zhentil Keep as well as the ominous behavior of Mulmaster has put everyone on edge. Since coming to power, The High Trader Randall Kent's deft political maneuvers have kept Oserion's Haven from falling under the control of any of the great powers, but recently he has been playing a very dangerous game with them. He has formed a military Alliance with Melvaunt and Thentia, a trade pact with Mulmaster, and has allowed a church of Bane to be constructed in the mountains just beyond the city's border. He allows slavers to dock at his ports, but doesn't allow slavery itself in the city. In addition to this, he has funded a haven for Harpers in the area within the walls of the Old City.
Tensions and conflicts
Randall, High Trader, tries to be all things to all people within the region; by making his city necessary to the other powers in the region, he hopes to secure its safety against all. It's the year 1377DR, The Year of the Haunting, made ominous enough by the shattered remains of Northkeep rising up from the depths of the Moonsea. In this year, however, the best laid plans of mice and men begin to unravel. Thentia and Melvaunt arm for war with Mulmaster, Banites and Harpers slay each other in back alleys and cloistered halls, and crime and corruption seeping from the boats of smugglers and slavers begin to take root within the city itself, rotting it from within. The Orcs of Thar are beginning to stir as some mysterious and charismatic leader has risen among them. Pirates roam the Moonsea, looking for anything they can loot. The Duergar have renewed their raids and skirmishes with the Gemhammer clan. If all of this wasn't enough... deep below the earth, in the abandoned reaches of the Underdark, something dark and terrible has awakened, and it threatens to consume the city from below.