Marsember

My current campaign is placed in the Forgotten Realms. To be more precise, it is currently located in Marsember, Cormyr. This post is a summary of my online research into this city.

I really like the Forgotten Realms campaign guide. At the macro-level, it contains a wealth of information that helps me bring the setting alive. At the micro-level however, it's sometimes leaves too much to my imagination. Things like city maps, important buildings and important NPCs are described briefly, if at all.

Internet to the rescue!

After the Spellplague

Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide
The only current sourcebook on the Forgotten Realms. The section on Cormyr contains two paragraphs about Marsember and a small map severely lacking in detail.

Forgotten Realms Player's Guide
The player's companion to the Campaign Guide. The small section on Marsember contains some nice flavor text.

Backdrop: Cormyr
Released in Dragon magazine #365, it only mentions Marsember. It does contain up-to-date information on Cormyr as a whole, and the map of Cormyr is excellent.

Before the Spellplague

Volo's Guide to Cormyr
It's written for AD&D 2nd edition, fifteen years old, and describes the city as it was before the Spellplague. A good starting point however and as far as I know, it contains the only official Marsember map ever released. Thank you WotC for providing it on your website.

Enhanced map of Marsember
I love it when people share their hard work. It's basically a detailed version of the official map, and much more readable. Still, it's a map from before the Spellplague.

Forgotten Realms Wiki
A Wikipedia-like site about the Forgotten Realms. The article about Marsember only contains pre-Spellplague information.

Putting it all together

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. The Spellplague has changed a lot, but cities are hard to change.

"Many of the higher canals are now planted with crops, or allowed to grow wild [...] Newer facilities nearer the lowered Sea of Fallen Stars keep alive Marsember's status as a hub of trade, though the volume of items moving through the port is much reduced [...] The navy never returned to that moorage.".

This quote from the Campaign Guide implies that the harbor-section of the maps will have to be redone completely. Some of the canals will have to be erased, and it's probable that some new islands have appeared. Starwater Keep and the Naval Drydock probably still exist, but what is their new purpose?

On the other hand, I think it's unlikely the city walls have moved, or that the King's Tower has suddenly disappeared. Looking at real history, it also seems likely most of the establishments remained; in some cases though, they might have a new patron or new clientele.

Bringing Marsember to the Era of Upheaval will take some work. I will keep you informed.