Selgaunt

Selgaunt, formerly known as Chancelgaunt, was a large merchant port on the Sea of Fallen Stars and the capital of the nation of Sembia following the destruction of Ordulin in the late 14 century DR.

Description
The city earned its newer name following the death of the great Sembian merchant-king Selgar, who had been interred beneath an ornate sepulcher within the city.

Selgaunt's most notable feature was its memorable buildings design and intricately decorated homes. The city was teeming with grand beautiful mansions surrounded in parks, topiaries, statuary, decorative pools, and a vite variety of complex fountains. The crown jewel of the city was the Palace of the Hulorn with its numerous spires seen from afar. The Hunting Garden was the Hulorn's privated enclosed wildlife preserve. It was only acessible to the Hulorn, the royal family, and guests of the palace.

The city had sveral chaotically scattered districts, some of which were quite unremarkable warehouse zones. One notable feature that greeted travelers entering Selgaunt throught the northern Klaroun Gate was the spacious High Bridge over the Arkhen River. The bridge itself had homes, buidings, a tavern, and a fishmarket, tigtly built on both sides with Galgorgar's Ride separating both rows of houses. Galgorgar's Ride stretched from the gatehouse to the Rauthauvyr's Road that led to Ordulin.

Geography
Selgaunt was built at the mouth of Arkhen River, which emptied into the Inner Sea, sometimes referrred to as the "Selgaunt Bay" by uneducated indicituals. Just several miles east from the city laid the beaches of Selgaunt. These stretches of ugly and scraggly coast were unfit for farming, unappealing to the eye, and the only notable thing about them were small fishries and docks. The actual coastline in the city was not much different in appearace.

Flora & Fauna
The waters of the so-called "Selgaunt Bay" were commoly saw schools of dolphins but also held at least three kuo-toa majoir lairs and sahuagin attacks often menaced the coastal stretch to the south of the city. Sharks were yet another aquatic danger of the "Selgaunt Bay". Sandy shores near Selgaunt were also home to a deadly and venomous species of an awuatic beach snake that hid in the tidal pools after tides receded. This creature was unique to the "Selgaunt Bay". The waters of the Arkhen River were a home to agressive water weirds.

Government
For many years, until the late 14 century, Selgaunt was led by a hereditary merchant-prince known as the Hulorn. However, in the, other factions held the real power. These included the Knights of Selgaunt, who answered to the authorities in the capital city of Ordulin, and the influential and independent local noble merchant houses.

Trade
A new fad emerged in 1367 DR. A sweet milky alcoholic bevarage known as Selgite ice wine, or simly "ice wine" becan being sold by Ghalivar Braceltar. The wine quickly gained popularity across Sembia and captured tastes of people from across the Sea of Fallen Stars. During the same time, Selgites wer attempting to crack the recipe for the unique kuo-toa glue, used on the fish-folk's shields. The attempts were only half-sucesesful. The glue's adhesive qualities and strength were on par with the kuo-toan substance, however it quickly dried out and became useless. This kuo-toa glue imitation foun use as a severe restraining method for especially rowdy prisoners.

Society
Possibly the wealthiest city on all of Sembia, Selgaunt was an exciting metropolis that featured the high fashions, pageantry and brashness that was so often found in the Eastern Heartlands. The Selgauntans viewed themselves as the epicenter of sophistication, and saw their city as the heart of civilization in all the planes of existence.

Culture
Selgaunt had a rich and active community of artists, dancers, and musicians. New performances of plays, highlighted by choreographed dances and choral arrangements were regularly put on within the city. Paintings, sculptures, carved statues were readily available throughout the city, were highly prized and often exported in trade with other cities.

Music was especially prevalent throughout the city, as most Selgauntans could artfully sing and whistle complex melodies. Live performances could often be found in taverns, inns and the houses of noble families. Glaurs, zulkoons and thelarrs were popular instruments during the mid-14 century.

Relations
The citizens of Selgaunt saw those from the Sword Coast in the west, northerners from the Dalelands and North Faerûn and those southern-folk from the Dragon Coast down to the Lands of Intrigue as filthy, barbarous savages. They thought worse of the people of Calimshan, as they were pretentious on top of everything else. They saw the kingdom of Cormyr as adorable country bumpkins who, despite their "royal" family, lacked proper breeding and sophistication.

They even looked down on the other cities of Sembia as disadvantaged, depressing collectives; Ordulin was unfortunately insignificant, full of small-time merchants who were too busy counting their meager coins and Saerloon was a tired, apathetic city that was well past its prime.

Defenses
The combined city guard/armed forces were known as Scepters. They were 9,000 strong during the mid-14 century and maintained a strong fleet of three dozen ships.

History


In Ches of the, Captain's Strauph Omerehellin's trade caravel from Selgaunt, the Ratclaw, disappeared while traveling to Hillsfar. The ship carried southern dates, nuts and olive oil. The reason for its deisapearace was never uncovered, however some blamed pirates, ice, or even more outlandish culprits. Selgaunt was rumored to prepare a search fleet headed for the Pirate Isles. In Eleasis of the same year, gemstone smuggled out of Cormyrean mies in the High Horn surfaced in several cities, including Selgaunt.

At some point before 1367 DR, a rich and powerful wizard Osper Linthalam used his staff of power to incinerate a pirate ship in the docks of Selgaunt. The pirates were attempting to raid the merchant's warehouse at the same time as he was invetorizing his goods. The impresive display of wizardly powers was well remembered by the Selgites.

saw a concerning rise of Eyeless Mask abductions in cities of Saerloon and [elgaunt. The shadowy organization was raising funds to expand into Daerlun. One of the Eyeless Mask's victims was a Blanchard Wyvernwalk who was murdered during a botched abduction attempt. Some of the noble families Saerloon who monetarily supported the Cult of the Dragons demanded protection and retaliation from their clandestine allies.

Rumors & Legends

 * The tomb of Selgaunt's namesake, the great Sembian merchant-king Selgar, was rumored to hold unspeakable treasues, burried alongside the famed leader. Even though the treasure remained a mystery, it was known for sure the tomb was filled with deadly traps and guardins that killed several ambitious thives over the course of the city's history.

Notable Locations

 * Foreign District: This area was dominated by warehouses and taverns frequented by merchants and adventurers. It was well-patrolled by the Scepters of Selgaunt.
 * Oxblood Quarter: the city-quarter located two blocks away from Selgaunt western gate.
 * Warehouse District: the industrial dostrict to the city's south-east.

Landmarks

 * Palace of the Hulorn:
 * Hunting Garden: was a walled up private plot of wildwoods used by the Hulorn as the private hunting ground, sticked with mundane game and dangerous magical beasts.

Taverns & Inns

 * The Black Stag: A small and dark establishment favored by the more unsavory residents of Selgaunt.
 * Green Gauntlet: A cheap inn located on the northern end of the city's docks.
 * Outlook Inn: A clean and moderatley-priced inn built in the 14 century DR.
 * Silver Lion: Deep in the Foreign District, at the intersection of Veset Street and Colls Way. Mostly frequented by merchants, drovers and caravan guards, it was infamous for the beef stew they served.

Shops & Mrchants

 * Boldnose Locks & Finework, a humble metalwork and lockmith shop on the Duskvale Street, ran by Oelin Boldnose circa 1367 DR.
 * Sheathed Dagger Coster, a trading coaster that moved between Selgaunt and the Dalelands.

Temples & Shrines

 * Firehair's House: This holy house of Sune was served by Aumraeya Ulmdrin and over two dozen priestesses.
 * Hallowed House of Higher Achievement: A notable temple of Deneir, located on the Avenue of the Temples.
 * House of Song: The temple on Dunsar's Lane dedicated to the Lord of Song Milil, this church was led by High Songmaster Ansril Ammhaddan.
 * Palace of Holy Festivals: A large temple of Lliira overseen by High Revelmistress Chlanna Asjros and considered to be the philosophical center of the Church of Lliira.
 * Sanctum of the Scroll: This temple of Oghma had a large library of magical scrolls, some of which were offered for sale on occasion.
 * Temple of Istishia: A minor temple to the Water Lord.
 * Temple of Shar: During the 15 century DR, Selgaunt had the largest Sharran temple in all of Netheril-controlled Sembia, a symbol of the rule of the Netherese overlords.
 * In additional to big centers of worship, the city had minor shrines to Lathander, Tymora, and Waukeen.

Residences

 * Stormweather Towers: The manor of the House Uskevren..
 * Sarntrumpet Towers: The manor of the Soargyl family.
 * Whitebirch Manor: The manor of house Isterin.

Notable Organizations

 * Eyeless Mask, one of the two major thieves' groups in the city. Mask's goal was enslavement or destruction of all wizards, clerics, and nobility.
 * Harpers had several agents active in the city in the late-14 century DR, mamely Orsar Foxwind and Oelin Boldnose.
 * The Hunt, an adventuring group that was based out of Selgaunt with regular forays into Sembia, Cormyr, the Dalelands, and the Moonsea regions, actinve in the 14 century DR.
 * Moonstars, the organization maintained presence in Selgaunt via sage Deior Rasthavin in the late-14 century DR.
 * Night Knives a prominent indipendant thieves' guild.
 * Red Wizards of Thay had the leader of covert operations, Naglatha, in the city under the quise of a simpe antique dealer until her fall from grace in 1373 DR.
 * Six Coffers Market Priakos, a wealthy merchant organization based out of Waterdeep, Silverymoon, Priapurl, and Selgaunt. In the mid-14 centry DR Ultramm helmed the Selgaunt's branch.
 * Zhentarim, the Black Network had presense and maintained influence in Selgaunt and wider Sembia.

Notable Individuals

 * Askarran, a Master Sage of Selgaunt circa 1362 DR.
 * Chaspra, a manipulative and ambitious wizard who played with politics and men's hearts in the late-14 century DR.
 * Garth the Gimble, a well-connected rogue, active circa 1358 DR.
 * Nalabar of Selgaunt, a traveling minstrel, active in the late-14 century DR.
 * Naglatha, a businesswoman, a spymaster, and a ranking member of the sisnter Red Wizards of Thay in the late-14 century DR.
 * Narve Dwarfkin, a renowned dwarven adventurer in the late-14 century DR.
 * Flame, a mysterious thief and arsonist circa 1358 DR.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Tymora's Luck &bull; The Crimson Gold