There was no doubt that the sudden political confrontation and shadow of war in Baator had had a considerable impact on all of Faerun.
The civil war among the Red Wizard Council of Zulkirs that had erupted within Thay was merely one example.
Fzoul Chembryl, the tyrant of the Moonsea, had likewise begun his long-planned expansion.
He first used the Zhentarim's infiltration to launch offensives against Hantu and Imbutu across the strait from the Kingdom of Cormanthor, then backed proxies and attempted to send troops to take over several important coastal port cities.
The former had no unified government, only loose alliances of towns, and thus had no ability to resist Zhentil Keep's powerful military forces.
The latter was nominally a unified Kingdom, but its supreme ruler, the widowed queen—Sambryl—had no interest in politics. She considered governing the country dull, tedious, and boring, so she had delegated power to the noble council long ago.
Anyone familiar with parliamentary politics knew that this thing was nothing but a breeding ground for factional infighting.
Over time, representatives of every faction gradually argued without end over benefits and power, even repeatedly crossing the line by using poison, assassination, kidnapping, and other methods.
Coupled with the constant raids and invasions by the nomadic armies of the eastern Tukan Horde, refugees kept pouring in. Many poor and hungry people who arrived in Imbutu could only become bandits, pickpockets, and thieves to survive, causing public security to deteriorate sharply until government decrees were effective only within cities.
Once outside a city, it was basically a massive real-life battle royale. All kinds of "heroes" lay in ambush along roads large and small to join in the fun. Sometimes, two or three groups of Rogues would even rob the same merchant caravan together without interfering with one another.