Cormyr
The kingdom of Cormyr (Core-MEER) is old, yet strong and vigorous.
This civilized land carved itself out of a wilder territory through grit, bravery, and determination. Though the land has a reputation of goodly rule, sometimes Cormyr has had to make difficult choices to ensure its security. Its most contested border is along shadowy Netheril and gluttonous Sembia, though Cormyr also borders the hazardous Stonelands, the Tunlands, and the Stormhorns and Thunderpeaks.
Dominated by humankind, the Land of the Purple Dragon has been ruled by House Obarskyr for over fourteen centuries, with the strong backing of an army of heavily armored knights on Cormyrian destriers and magically potent War Wizards. A mystical connection exists between the land and the people and creatures that inhabit it, which is little understood but demonstrably real and powerful.
Settlements
Arabel: A major city in northern Cormyr. Eveningstar: A small town known for its many tressym. Immersea: The hometown of the noble house Wyvernspur. Marsember: A bustling trade port, and Cormyr's second-largest city. Suzail: The capital of Cormyr, and the seat of its monarchs. Thunderstone: A frontier town near Hullack Forest. Tilverton: Once a major city, Tilverton was destroyed in 1372 DR. Waymoot: A small town in the King's Forest. Wheloon: A city on the Wyvernflow river.Structure
Titles of Nobility for the Kingdom of Cormyr by Rank
King/Queen
Prince/Princess
Duke/Duchess
Marchion/Marchioness
Earl/Countess
Viscount/Viscountess
Baron/Baroness
Baronet/Baronetess
Knight
Demography and Population
Population: 1.4 million
Demographics:
Humans 85%
Half-elves 10%
Elves 4%
Other 1%
Territories
The Forest Country, as Cormyr is sometimes called, lies cradled between the nations of Netheril on the north and Sembia to the east. To the west, beyond the Sunset Mountains, Cormyr is bordered by Elturgard.
Borders
The southern border now stretches beyond the Dragonmere to the Giant’s Run Mountains. The largest city and royal capital of the kingdom is Suzail, named after Suzara Obarskyr, mother of the first king of Cormyr.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the underlying strength of the kingdom. Cormyr was once heavily forested, but generations of clearing and farming have reduced the
woodlands to the King’s Forest, Hermit’s Wood, and Hullack Forest. A small community in the King’s Forest called Dhedluk is home to farmers and woodcarvers. The wet, temperate climate creates rich green forests and healthy fields of grain.
Rivers
Cormyr has several rivers, both large and small. The most significant waterway is the Starwater, which runs from the Stormhorn Mountains through the King’s Forest and into the Dragonmere at Marsember.
Bodies of Water
The Dragonmere (also called the Lake of Dragons) offers Cormyr’s coastal cities access to the Sea of Fallen Stars. Fog is common along the seacoast and in major ports including Suzail, Marsember, and Teziir.
The Wyvernwater is an inland lake shaped something like a malformed starfish. Four major rivers—two of which are the Immerflow and the
Wyvernflow—empty into this lake. Small communities are found on the lake’s shores, including Immersea, Yeoman Bridge, and Sunset Hill.
Mountains
The central mountain range of the region is the Stormhorns. These storm-swept peaks cut off the main population centers of Cormyr from the wild lands beyond.
Cormyr frontier includes the wetlands of the Farsea Swamp and High Moors, and the desolate Goblin Marches and Stonelands.
Though Cormyr claims these territories, travel to and from the backcountry is difficult and perilous, which results in few Cormyrians living there.
Military
Purple Dragons (Imperial Army)
To enforce the royal word, Cormyr maintains a large standing army called the Purple Dragons. The force is named in memory of the adventuring band of the same name formed by Crown Prince Duar Obarskyr (thanks to legends of the dragon Thauglor) centuries past.
Queen's Personal Guard
Raedra's personal standard is a purple dragon on a black field. The Queen recently carried the ensign of the Purple Dragon, which can be borne only by a blood Obarskyr, into battle. Today, while the queen is the ultimate commander of the armies of Cormyr, Lord Paertrover is the Lord High Marshal of the Realm.
Blue Dragons (Imperial Navy)
The two score ships of the navy of Cormyr—known colloquially as the Blue Dragons—sails often out of Suzail, Teziir, and Palagarr (on the isle of Prespur) to patrol the Lake of Dragons, the Neck, and the waterways that lead into Cormyr’s domain. The Warden of the Port in Teziir, Duke Penfold Dauntinghorn, is considered the high commander of these forces, though he officially commands only the fifteen ships that dock in his home port.
Cormyr's official naval vessels were all named after Cormyrian monarchs, such as Valashar's Bane (after Azoun I) and Queen Besmra, whereas the corsairs and privateers used vessels named for the weapons possessed by these rulers, such as Drake's Tooth and Undying Gaze.
War Wizards
From the founding of the kingdom, mages have been important to Cormyr in warfare as well as other matters. Mages loyal to the crown sign an agreement with the king and make a secret oath, thus becoming War Wizards. These wizards are an integral component of Cormyr’s military, and they are respected and feared across the land.
Religion
Generally, there is complete religious freedom to the good and neutral gods of Faerun. As with most nations in Faerun, Evil religions are outlawed as they generally espouse turmoil, death, and destruction.
Chauntea, Lathander, Lliira, Oghma, Malar, Milil, Selûne, Silvanus, Tempus, Tymora, Waukeen, Helm, Deneir. Tymora has a special relationship and following in Cormyr.
Agriculture & Industry
The nobility of Cormyr were composed of the most wealthy and influential households. There was an annual ceremony at the beginning of the summer where each noble house came to Suzail to meet and see the monarch and discuss their achievements over the previous year, before retiring to their summer residences. Nobles swore allegiance to the crown on the sword Symylazarr. Nobles owed the king of Cormyr a certain number of troops, in lieu of their military service, under Cormyrian law.
Near the end of his reign, Azoun V signed the Suzail Writ, in which the King agreed to be bound by law, and which gave “free citizens” inviolable rights; notably trial by jury of peers. The Writ restricted the nobility and elevated the common folk. Most nobles have accepted the new status quo, but a few still scheme to gain enough influence over the throne (or gain the throne itself) so that they could then return the noble houses to their “rightful prominence.” King Foril remains a staunch defender of the Writ.
Farmers
Farming is the largest occupation in Cormyr and the foundation of the Forest Country’s conservative and civilized society. A typical farmer lives a simple life, farming the land quite a distance from any town of size. Farmers are extremely loyal to King Foril and readily volunteer to join the Purple Dragons in times of emergency, as was the case in recent conflicts against Netheril and Sembia. Cormyr’s monarchy has never permitted serfdom. No farmer is anything but a free citizen or hired “crofter” working and living on lands owned by another and paying rent to the owner in the form of either coin or a portion of the crop yields. Landless farmers are in no way bound to the fields they work in and are free to move on after a term or harvest season is complete. In upland Cormyr, crofters are the norm. Except in strips of land fronting along all major roads and in
the most remote locales, almost all the tilled land is owned by one wealthy family or another. In “download” Cormyr (roughly: south of Immersea
and Waymoot), wealthy families might own large numbers of farms, but their properties are among the small-holds of independent Cormyrian citizens (“free citizens”).
Farmland is by no means monopolized by nobles or rich folk, however. If lands are fallow, anyone can walk up, till the land, and, if they are there for a sufficient number of seasons, gain clear title. Local lords do however have the power to commandeer portions of local crop yields from the farms under the local lord’s protection (and in some cases “yeomen warriors” from among the farmhands) when the rare
need arises.
Crafters
Cormyr has a long reputation of crafters, who are respected for being gifted by the gods with talents to transform worldly materials into products that are useful or decorative (or both, in the finest cases). Several towns in Cormyr are centers for particular types of crafts.
Adventuring Companies
Surprisingly for such a damp place, the Adventuring Companies By definition, adventurers are well armed and magically capable beings who are incredibly dangerous to their enemies . . . and not always healthy to be around, even for their friends. Despite the possibilities for peril inherent in having adventurers around, most residents of Cormyr are well disposed toward adventurers of good heart. They know that adventurers live daily with risks they would never be willing to face themselves Royal Charter. In Cormyr it’s not just advisable to obtain a charter, it’s the law. Cormyr has a keen interest in keeping close tabs on those who walk the countryside bearing arms and who seemingly have no higher purpose than to merely “seek adventure.”
Wyrund family out of Mouth o’ Gargoyles (population 800) is famed for its exquisite cabinetry and woodcarving. The community of Gladehap (population 1,100) is a refuge for silversmiths. Minroe (population 500) is the absolutely best place in the kingdom to find affordable, high-quality jewelers and gemsmiths. Each town usually has at least one crafters guild, which looks after the interests of their members by combating taxes and trying to improve working conditions, supplies, and sales opportunities. Unlike in some countries, these guilds are not particularly powerful; they more closely resemble benevolent fraternal organizations and not political entities. The concept of a “labor union” is unknown in Cormyr.
Merchants
The most powerful class outside the nobility, merchants exert considerable influence, which grows steadily. Cormyr’s contact with other nations of Faerûn is primarily due to the activity and influence of wealthy merchant houses. The most powerful of these organizations include the Seven Suns Trading Coster, the Trueshield Trading Priakos, the trading families of Skatterhawk, and Glanend. King Foril vigorously eradicates all attempts to
form thieves’ guilds and smuggling cabals in the nation’s largest cities. The presence of Cormyte merchant ships on the Dragonmere once escalated the amount of pirate activity there, but this has largely ended since the expansion of the Imperial Navy. Blue Dragon flotillas commonly escort merchant ships back and forth to the Neck.
Mythology & Lore
Tymora has a special relationship and following in Cormyr.
Tenets of Faith
Generally, there is complete religious freedom to the good and neutral gods of Faerun. As with most nations in Faerun, Evil religions are outlawed as they generally espouse turmoil, death, and destruction.
Chauntea, Lathander, Lliira, Oghma, Malar, Milil, Selûne, Silvanus, Tempus, Tymora, Waukeen, Helm, Deneir.
"And in this land I'll proudly stand Until my dying day, sir; For whate'er king o'er all command, I'll still be a Cormyte brave, sir."
— The Cormyte's Boast, Master Bard Chanthalas
— The Cormyte's Boast, Master Bard Chanthalas
Founding Date
26 DR
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
Forest Country, The Land of the Purple Dragon
Demonym
Cormyrian, Cormyrean, or Cormyte
Leader Title
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Coinage and Currency
A coin’s value is expressed firmly in the weight of the precious metal used. In Cormyr, coppers are called thumbs, silvers are falcons, gold are lions,
and platinum coins are tricrowns.
Cormyrian coins bear the visage and name of King Foril on the face, and a date, denomination, and mint mark on the obverse. The mint mark designates either a Suzail (a great three-decker, four-masted carrack) or High Horn (two parallel crescent moons, horns to the dexter) minting. Cormyrian coins are of pure metal and heavy.
After around 1300 DR, coins in Cormyr were minted in either the Royal Mint in Suzail or the mint in High Horn. Older coins existed that were minted in the Elder Forest Kingdom but these were not minted in the 14th century DR.
Thumb: Copper Piece
Falcon: Silver Piece
Blue Eye: Electrum Piece
Lion: Gold Piece
Tri-Crown: Platinum Piece
Talents: Bars of platinum, gold, silver or electrum with the Royal Seal of Cormyr stamped on them. They are the size of an ingot.
Major Exports
Armor, carved ivory, cloth, coal, food, swords, timber
Major Imports
Glass, ivory, spices
Legislative Body
The monarchy works with the noble houses of Cormyr and the Guild of Constructors to rule the country. Technically, the queen rules alone but in actual fact, she has weekly meetings with all of the noble houses.
Judicial Body
The queen functions as the high court in major disputes. There are regional magistrates to deal with all other crimes, problems, etc.
By 1368 DR, the following laws had been posted at all major entry points to Cormyr.
All persons entering Cormyr must register with the officials of a border garrison. Foreign currency can only be used in certain locations. Please exchange your coins for Cormyrean golden lions at your first opportunity. Adventurers must acquire a charter before undertaking any operation as a group. All weapons must be peace-bonded. The only persons exempt from this law are members of chartered adventuring groups and members of mercenary groups that can offer proof of employment. Harming cats is forbidden. Bow your head to royalty and the local nobility. Purple Dragons have the right to search you upon request. Hunting on private land is forbidden.Near the end of his reign, Azoun V signed the Suzail Writ, in which the King agreed to be bound by law, and which gave “free citizens” inviolable rights; notably trial by jury of peers. The Writ restricted the nobility and elevated the common folk. Most nobles have accepted the new status quo, but a few still scheme to gain enough influence over the throne (or gain the throne itself) so that they could then return the noble houses to their “rightful prominence.” King Foril remains a staunch defender of the Writ. Peacebonds Persons legally bearing weapons must wear peacestrings about their sword hilts (to prevent quick unsheathing). These strings are colored and tasseled cords, and it is an art to tie them in ornate knots. The best of such knots appear complicated, but can be undone with a single tug to free the weapon. If the Purple Dragons spot anyone bearing weapons that aren’t peace-bonded, they stop such individuals and inform them of Cormyr’s “custom.” Persistent violators are imprisoned and their goods seized. Adventuring & Adventuring Companies Adventuring was frowned upon without an official license, but adventurers could likely lend a tremendous amount of aid to the overstretched Cormyrian military. Queen Obyrskyr was known to offer land in exchange for services rendered to her country, so this was a place adventurers wanting to make a name for themselves tended to flock to. By definition, adventurers are well armed and magically capable beings who are incredibly dangerous to their enemies . . . and not always healthy to be around, even for their friends. Despite the possibilities for peril inherent in having adventurers around, most residents of Cormyr are well disposed toward adventurers of good heart. They know that adventurers live daily with risks they would never be willing to face themselves. The Adventuring Royal Charter In Cormyr it’s not just advisable to obtain a charter, it’s the law. Cormyr has a keen interest in keeping close tabs on those who walk the countryside bearing arms and who seemingly have no higher purpose than to merely “seek adventure.” The military history of Cormyr is one of guerilla ambushes and running skirmishes, rather than “setpiece” battles, and the Court is thus sensitive to the presence of armed folk within the kingdom. Adventurers or mercenaries cannot operate within Cormyr without permission of the Queen in the form of a royal charter. Without a charter, “Lawless freeswords” can be apprehended by any force representing the king, including the Purple Dragons and local militia. A charter can be obtained through the Lord Commander at High Horn, Rauolas Cormaeril; the Warden of the Eastern Marches in Castle Crag, Warvred Emmarask; or Crown Prince Irvel Obarskyr at the Royal Court in Suzail. Basic charters can be had for the annual cost of 25 gold pieces. Hand-lettered, gold-leaf foil charters personally signed by Cormyr’s ruler cost 1,000 golden lions, with an annual tax of 300 golden lions. Charters are customarily given to a “company of adventurers.” Such a company cannot number more than thirty persons at any one time. All members of the chartered company must wear the arms or badge of their company at all times when armed in Cormyr.
Executive Body
The queen and the noble houses.
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Comments