The Sekedra Dilema

[Snakes in the Tiki Lounge]

With the reconstruction and resettlement of the City Beyond the Narrows, our alliance will eventually be free to deal with our xenophobic, exiled friends, the Sekedra.

What we actually set out to acheive, however, should be dependent on several factors.

So to that end, this thread shall record and collate the questions that I'd like the answers to before planning goes too far. Izzlin has had plenty of time to gather such information from his original Sekedran aquaintance, and any historical information can be double-checked with the Sekedra who was found in the Time-Crystal.

Note - The point of creating this as a thread rather than a PM is so that if the rest of you have questions, you can add them to the mix. It also allows the DM to drop answers in at his leasure, as and when he gets time and inspiration.



1. Military resources.
I'd be interested in knowing the general structure of the military forces that the Sekedra can draw on. For example, do they have a standing army? Is it formed by the draft, or from the private forces of various noble sub-houses? What kind of troop numbers can they muster, and how quickly?

Secondly to this question, what is the general quality of the troops?

2. Military Tactics.
How do the Sekedra usually approach War and the Battlefield? What are their most noteworthy historical acheivements, and their biggest historical failures?

We are currently aware of a long running military issue between the Sekedra and the Bugbear tribes. How did this start and why?


3. The Royalty.
I understand that the Sekedran who Candra gave to Izzlin had originally come seeking the hiding-place of the Tear of Corellon in order to seek aid, to resolve a problem with King. If I recall, he had become increasingly paranoid about opposition.
I'd like to know a little about the Royal Family, it's history and noteworthy traits. I'd also like further information on the current situation, what exactly is life like for those in the Royal sphere? How has the current King's madness affected life for the lower classes and the general Nobility?

How entrenched is the Royal Family in Sekedran society? Is it merely the current reigning dynasty, or can it trace a genuinely unbroken line all the way back to the split with the rest of Drow society?

4. Political Structure.
What are the main power-groups and noteworthy Interest-Groups in Sekedra society? If an external force was to force change on the Sekedra, or in some way become involved, what groups or individuals would be best placed and most likely to resist?

5. Sekedran Society.
What is the general shape of Sekedran society? How does their judicial system function? How do they stand on Law and Order in general; Is there a lot of Illegal activity and clandestine organisations? What quality of life can the average Sekedra expect?

6. Religion.
The Sekedra were driven out for heresy and worshipping Corellon. How do they stand in reguards to Religion in the present and how, if at all, does this differ from shortly after they were driven out?
How does Sekedra society interact with Religion? What noteworthy practices do they indulge in? Do they embrace religious freedom or enforce the worship of Corellon?
Have there been any subsequent splits or theological schisms since the rift with the rest of Drow society?

[Dat]

We are currently aware of a long running military issue between the Sekedra and the Bugbear tribes. How did this start and why?

- I thought this was because of Bugbears/Sekedra crossing the valley into each others' territory. ..As far as i remember.

[EvilGinger]

1. Military resources.
I'd be interested in knowing the general structure of the military forces that the Sekedra can draw on. For example, do they have a standing army? Is it formed by the draft, or from the private forces of various noble sub-houses? What kind of troop numbers can they muster, and how quickly?

Historically the S'kedra maintained a small but highly trained standing army mostly of infantry or mounted infantry whose numbers where supplemented by a levy of house militias in time of war & the long strider's an elite group of mostly rangers who where the border guard & eyes and ears of the kingdom.

More recently the size of the standing armed has increased but its quality decreased with large body's of spear and pole arm armed troops being fielded alongside the original bow and sword armed infantry and mounted infantry. The long strider's are now reduced to border guards and to launching savage punitive raids against the adjacent bugbear tribes.

Secondly to this question, what is the general quality of the troops?

All S'kedra standing troops are well trained by any standard but only the units descended from the original standing army are at all tactical flexible and not all of them the rest have become close order missile support troops for the blocks of spear and pole arm armed troops. The reduced house militias are now of rather poor quality if very expensively equipped.


 Ginger