ForgingtheRealmsArchive|2/11/2014

TheSkalanturScandal
ByEdGreenwood

HowandwhereandwhendidtheForgottenRealmsstart?What'sattheheartofEdGreenwood'screation,andhow
doestheGrandMasteroftheRealmsusehisownworldwhenherunsD&Dadventuresfortheplayersinhis
campaign?"ForgingtheForgottenRealms"isaweeklyfeaturewhereinEdanswersallthosequestionsandmore.

nanygoverningsystem,corruption(andeventualscandal,whenmisdeedsarefoundout)becomesmostrifewhen
checksandbalancesbreakdown.InCormyr,forexample,thecourtiersoftheRoyalCourtarepittedagainst
noblesandwealthymerchants,andtheWizardsofWararewatchdogsoverboth(withtheHighknightsandthe
highestrankingcourtiers,abettedunofficiallybytheHarpers,servingaswatchdogsovertheWarWizards).

Inmattersofstate,it'sdifficultforanyoftheseopposedbutsharingthesameboatgroupstocolludewitheachother
inlargenumbersormajorwayswithoutsomeoneswiftlyfindingoutandbecauseeveryonehasaninterestinthe
outcomesofCrownpolicy,swiftlymakingpublicwhatthey'velearned.

Whenmattersaresmallerinscaleandimport,though,covertcollusioncananddoeshappen.TheSkalanturScandal
oftheearly1380sDRisoneexampleofthis.Allittookwasaparticularcourtiergettingtoocozywithaspecificnoble,
andthetwoofthembefriendingandpayingoffajuniorWizardofWarwhowassupposedtobeonthewatchto
preventsuchcoziness.

Ithappenedlikethis...

RoadworkFinancing

Inthe1350sand1360s,manyCormyreannobleshadcomplainedthatalthoughtheywerequitepreparedtomaintain
publicroadsborderingandrunningthroughtheirlands,theywerebeing"swiftlybeggared"(inthewordsofLord
LangarlIroncastle)bythehighcostsofrepairingbridgesandculverts,andtheywantedtheCrowntoatleastpayhalf
(andpreferablymoreorevenall).Alltheworktheyneededtohavedoneincludedpavingand"potholing,"even
rebuildingroadbedsafterspringfloodwashouts,andofcourse"brushing,"orperiodicallycuttingbackshrubsand
treesthatimpingedontheroadwayandprovidedcoverforbrigandsanddeerthatwereapttospringoutandcollide
withpassingwagons.
Someyearsintoherregency,theSteelRegent(AlusairObarskyr)agreedwiththem,andinthespringof1374DR,the
Crowntookoverfullpaymentofthecostsofbridgeandculvertbuildingandrepair,withtheprovisothat"anofficerof
theRoyalCourt"(acourtier)wouldoverseeeveryworksitetoensuretheworkwasdoneto"asafeandacceptable
standard."Otherdutiesincludedmakingsurethatappropriatesignagewaserectedandmaintained(nobleswere
notoriousforprovidingmisleadingsignageornoneatall,andevenremovingCrownsignage,todissuadethecurious
andtodiverttravelerstonobleownedinnsandbusinesses),andthatnooneatalltriedtolevytollsfortheuseof
"Royalroads"(somethingelseasmallbutpersistenthandfulofunscrupulousnobleshadrepeatedlyattemptedtodo,
withoftenviolentresults).

Whatthosecourtiersreallyintendedtodowastocutdownonnoblesprovidingtheirownworkgangstodofence
repair,barnrepair,andanyotherworkontheirownestatestheydesiredtohavedone,andbillingitalltotheCrown
pursebypassingitoffasbridgeandculvertwork.Mostnobleswerefairandhonorableaboutsuchthings,butas
AlusaironcesaidinopenCourt,"There'salwaysfourorsixtoomanywhosuccumbtohumannature,iftheythink
consequenceswillbelightenough."

WhereThingsWentBad

Inarealmwheremaintenanceisminimalandfewothermatters(suchaswarsortechnologicaladvancesthatresultin
eitherunrestorswiftmercantilechange)distractcivicattention,fiscalskullduggeryishardtoconceal.Whenmany
overlappingprojectsareonthegoinabackgroundofswiftchangeandrearmingorconstantmilitaryreadiness,
however,hidingthingsbecomeseasierandwhenopportunitygetscombinedwithgreedandpersonalneedor
indebtedness,misdeedsbegintohappen.

Inthisparticularcase,theingredientswereayoungWarWizardhightJhaerakSkalanturwhowasdisgustedatthe
successionofseedyrentalaccommodationsthatwereallhecouldfindandaffordinboomingSuzail,butwhohad
noticedthatquiteafewsuitesofniceroomswereavailabletosomeonewillingtopayabouttwicewhathisbudget
couldruntoanoverworkedandjadedCourtclerknamedAunroeburMahalwyndwhoseadequatebutlowsalaryhad
matchedhislazinessyearsagoandshowednosignsofrisinganytimesoonanda"wastrelyoungerson"nobleby
thenameofChaerezneth"Chess"Arcantur,whosawanopportunitytoquicklymakealotofcoinbybuyingup
crumblingwarehousesinwesternSuzail,razingthem,andbuildingnewwarehouseswithseveralfloorsofsmallbut
palatialrentalsuitesabovethestoragefloors.He'ddothisbydivertingcoinspaidoutbytheCrownforroadrepairson
hisruralestates(minimalpavingrepairsthatwerebilledasmajorbridgereconstruction)tobuythewarehousesand
payfortherazingandnewbuilding).Allthreeconspiratorswouldgainfree(andrentfree)roomsforthemselvesplus
therentalmoneyfromtwoothersuites(rentedoutintheusual,legalmannerbyArcanturaslandlordtotenants
entirelyunawareofthecollusion),andtheCrownwouldunwittinglypayforitall.

BadGoesToWorse

Beginninginthedepthsofthewinterthatstarted1376DR,theyhatchedthescheme,andinthespringthatfollowed,
major(andalmostentirelyfictitious)repairsbegantotheArcanturlandbridges),andtheyoungLordArcanturquietly
becamealandowneroftwo(andthreebythefallof1376)westendSuzailanproperties.Inlateryears,thebillings
shiftedtoculverts,presumablytoavoidattractingattentiontomultipleandveryexpensiverepairsbeingnecessaryto
thetwolargeandfoursmallbridgesinvolved.RebuildingonthefirsttwowascompletebythebeginningofMarpenoth,
and1377DRsawthethreeconspiratorsallenjoyingnewaddressesandincome.

ThatsecondyearofcollusionsawtheCrownpayingforthepurchaseofsevennewpropertiesandthreerebuildings.
Bythewinterof1378DR,twoadditionalpropertieshadbeenacquired,andallofthemnowhostednewbuildings
providingrentalincome.Bythen,Mahalwyndwasstronglyadvisinghisfellowconspiratorsthattheschememustbe
wounddowntoavoiddiscovery,butSkalanturandArcanturbothwantedtoderivemoreincome,andthereforebuy
moreproperties.MahalwyndsecretlybegantoworkonwaysofvanishingfromCormyrtoBaldur'sGateorsomewhere
farthersouthalongtheSwordCoast,andbeginninganewlifebecausehe'dalreadyhadtomurderhisimmediate
superior,SeniorClerkDerethTlaelfence,topreventaninvestigationintotheincreasinglysuspiciousbillings,and
becausehedoubtedSkalantur'sabilitytoconcealanythingfromhisfellowWarWizards.Skalanturthreatened
Mahalwyndwithhismagicwhenthecourtierbecameinsistentonthematterof"makingthisallquietlyfadeinto
history,"andArcanturtriedtoconvincebothSkalanturandMahalwyndtoparticipateinevenmoreambitiousplans,
involvingpurchaseofswiftmerchantshipstobebasedinWestgateandsoescapeallCormyreanattention.Bothof
theothermenknewthatmerelyusingWestgateasahomeportwouldaccomplishnosuchthing,butArcanturwas
convincedthatifhesetupaSembiancompanyasthepurportedownerofthefleet,itwouldconcealwhatwasgoing
onfrom"theCourtofSuzailwhohasnobusinesslookingbeyondtheboundariesofwhereitsrightfuljurisdiction
ends."AsElminsterdrylypointedout,"Revealuntomearulerwholooksonlysofarashisrightfuljurisdictionruns,
andI'llshowyouanexrulerorsoontobeso."

ItallcollapsedverysuddenlywhenArcanturgotintoaduelwitharivalnobleandthereforeattractedpublicnotice,a
WarWizardnamedRelligoGrelhauntbecamesuspiciousofTlaelfence's"accidental"death(fallingdownaflightof
stairsandbleedingcopiouslybutsomehowleavingnobloodstainwherehisbodywasfound),andathoroughly
frightenedMahalwyndfledthecountryindisguise,withanoverlandcaravanboundforBerdusk.Skalanturtriedtotake
careoftheproblembyusinghisspellstoslayGrelhaunt,butfailed,andamanhuntbytheWizardsofWartocatch
oneoftheirownendedinSkalantur'scaptureandinterrogation.

Arcanturdeniedeverything,buthisguiltwasobviousfromthepapertrailofdeedsandmatchingmonetaryamountsin
theflowsofmoney("ifhe'djusttakenandusedlessthanthefaceamountsoftheCrownbillings,"Elminster
commented,"he'dhavehadsomeslendergroundsfordenialyetIdosay'if'and'slender'").Whenadventurers
trackeddownMahalwyndinBerdusk,andafterhewas"roughlyquestioned,"headmittedeverything.Interestingly,his
faterevealedtoeveryonewhocaredtothinkthroughitsimplications(mostCormyreannoblesandmerchants,it
seems)thatCormyrcovertlyhadadventurersonretainerincertainlocationsacrossFaern,whoreportedtovisiting
HighknightsandseniorWizardsofWar.

Retribution

ThescandalbecameattachedtothenameoftheWarWizardinvolvedlargelybecausethecitizenryofCormyr
expectedbothnoblesandcourtierstobecorrupt,andbecausetheydeeplyresentedtheWarWizardsasspies(while
atthesametimetakingcomfortintheprotectiontheyprovided,whichiswhythecommonfolkofCormyrdon'topenly
hatetheWizardsofWar).

TheSteelRegent,AlusairObarskyr,reactedtotheSkalanturScandalbymakingallCrownpayoutsinvolvethree
courtiersandherself.SheinstitutedasystembywhicheveryWarWizardwatchingoverCourtproceedingshadtwo
backupscheckingonthemaformalonetheywereawareof,andanunknownperson(perhapsafellowWarWizard,
perhapsaHighknight,andperhapsevenapaidbyAlusairontheslyfreelancersuchasanadventurer,mageforhire,
orevenaHarper)watchingoverbothWarWizardandbackup.
ShealsomadeformalthehabitofforfeitingthepropertiesofcertainsortsofmiscreantstotheCrown,byhavingthe
DragonThronetakeoverownershipofthepropertiesacquiredbythethreeconspirators,underanewlawthat,
paraphrased,comesdowntothis:Ifinthejudgmentofathreepersontribunal(ahighrankingcourtier,asenior
memberofaguild,andafarmer,allofthemhavingnodirectinvolvementinthecase,andallofthemreceivingalump
sumfeefortheirservicesfromtheCrown)apropertywasacquiredthroughanyprocessthatinvolvedmisuseof
CrownfundsorfinancialmisrepresentationtotheCrown,orthatresultedinshortpaymentornonpaymentof"rightful
andproper"taxestotheCrown,thatpropertyisforfeitedtotheCrown,immediatelyandforever.

Thissetnoblesandsomewealthynonnoblelandownersintoanuproar,butAlusairremainedfirminthefaceoftheir
fury,andshepointedoutthat"thehonesthavenothingtofearfromthis,andthesoonerthedishonestdepartourfair
realmforelsewherethebetter."Aftersomebittercriticism,thingsdieddownagain,andthelastingeffectwasthatsuch
deceitsdieddownandshiftedalmostentirelytobeinghandledthroughSembiancompaniesasfronts,somethingthat
continuestothisday,whichbolsterstheCormyreanperceptionthat"allSembiansarecrooked."

AbouttheAuthor

EdGreenwoodisthemanwhounleashedtheForgottenRealmssettingonanunsuspectingworld.Heworksin
libraries,andhewritesfantasy,sciencefiction,horror,mystery,andromancestories(sometimesallinthesame
novel),butheishappiestwhenchurningoutRealmslore,Realmslore,andmoreRealmslore.Hestillhasafewrooms
inhishouseinwhichhehasspacelefttopileuppapers.

19952014WizardsoftheCoastLLC,asubsidiaryofHasbro,Inc.AllRightsReserved.