robi rob @aerothgow@TheEdVerse
hello. i've been wondering, who are the most powerful military nations of faerun ? i'm guessing the lords alliance even tho not a nation is up there— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 26, 2020
1)
Well, there’s mobilized/aggressive/acting, and then there’s potential.
For instance, Thay could be crushingly strong, militarily, but is currently not invading anyone because doing so harms other realms and city-states for… 2)
…economic exploitation. Calimshan and Tethyr are also potential powerhouses but not mobilized; Chessenta is mobilized but its city-states are so often skirmishing with each other that they are weakening each other constantly.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 26, 2020
3)
And so on.
And then there’s the difference between reputation and what happens when boots hit the ground. The Zhentarim have a fearsome reputation, but entire Zhent armies have in the past been wiped out by one irked wizard… 4)
…whose magical studies they interrupted.
So that’s a hard question to answer.
Ask anyone in the Realms, and you’re likely to get a propaganda answer: if I worship Torm more fervently than others, then Torm’s paladins will sweep… #Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 26, 2020
5)
…all before them.
On the other hand, if I cleave to Silvanus, the forest fey can wipe out all the glittering cavalry you muster to thunder onto the battlefield.
The Lords Alliance is just that: an alliance. “Nation” means a… 6)
…people who identify as a group, not a land, so the term fits—but the trouble is, the Alliance stays as one when going up against rival factions, like the Zhentarim; on other issues/conflicts, the Alliance is quite likely to…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 26, 2020
7)
…squabble fiercely, internally, so any armies members can field might end up fighting each other.
Or as I so often begin Realmslore replies, “Well, it depends.” ;}#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 26, 2020