Factional/Fractional Change

The Five Churches of Tiamut are wreaking havoc across the Sword Coast, destabilizing communities,  disrupting economic activity, and forcing people to become refugees.  The Coast currently has a potent mix of regional politics and local millitias which preclude a unified response. This has emboldened the Churches, who rally ever greater numbers of chromatic dragons. The pontiff Severin plans ever bolder attacks on cities and towns. The Churches have not as yet followed their raids with permanent occupation or governance, but their attacks have had profound effects on the governments and institutions of the Sword Coast.  Dragons make everything worse, with few exceptions. This is a list of some of the affected groups, and how their trajectory will look if the heroes do nothing.

Daggerford

Crest of Daggerford

Pwyll Greatshout, the Duke of Daggerford, was killed in a Church attack on his city. The town was largely ruined, the outer gates melted and much of the town guard and millitia killed.  Greatshout was known as a capable military commander with a diplomatic touch.  Daggerford couldn't muster very many soldiers itself, but was known to have an outsize role in politics within the Lord's Alliance as a result of Greatshout's leadership.  His daughter and heir, Thalia Greatshout, was rescued from a burning building by Faelyn, an elf bounty hunter.  She is only seven, but her survival indicates the possibility for uninterrupted succession in Daggerford as it rebuilds, an invaluable advantage the Churches were eager to snuff out.

The Dwarves of the North

Tomb planning is becoming more important for dwarves as part of their legacy

 The dwarves of Mithral Hall, Citadel Felbarr and Citadel Adbar speak with one voice, a result of centuries of intermarriage and cultural homogeneity.

Dwarven birthrates were always low, but in the current campaign time a child has not been born to a dwarf mother in 27 years.   Around 6 years ago, dwarf women started disappearing into the rocky tunnels and crypts below their citadels with no explanation.  Those who remain are confused, scared, and feel betrayed by the gods.   Dwarf society is turning inward, and this notion haunts them: we shall be the last dwarves.  The stonespeakers seem to have become isolationist in response to draconic threat and are loathe to leave their northern homelands.  They fortify their citadels but are unwilling to commit troops elsewhere.  Their conservative tenancies remind them each dwarven life is precious, and cannot be wasted. Other races of the North are used to looking to the dwarves for leadership, and have been surprised to find them absent.

Are the dwarves truly sterile?  Rumors of 'stonechildren,' naked dwarven teenagers who emerge from the rock itself have so far been unsubstantiated.

Stonechildren