The Conquest of Sembia (The Bloodless Takeover)

While the Shadovar were busy melting the ice of Anauroch, they recognized that the merchant-nation of Sembia was the key to continental dominance. Rather than a military invasion, the Netherese utilized a "Shadow Subversion." They leveraged ancient debts, magical blackmail, and the promise of arcane secrets to turn the ruling merchant houses into vassals of the Empire of Shade.

By the end of 1372 DR, Sembia was a "conquered" nation in everything but name. The Netherese "High Ambassadors" moved into the opulent villas of Selgaunt and Ordulin, dictating trade policy and military recruitment. This conquest provided the Netherese with a deep-water navy and a massive tax base, effectively funding the century of expansion that would follow and ensuring that the Shadow Weave had a foothold in the most influential markets of the Sea of Fallen Stars.

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