The Embassies of the Southern Gate
The southern wall of the City of Shuttered Windows is host to the Twelve Embassies of the great nations. The embassies open outward from the city – they have been built into the southern side of the southern wall. The ambassadors of each embassy are required to enter through the South Gate and provide for their own protection.
The City of Shuttered Windows is considered the last bastion of civilization, a threshold opening into the so-called Shrouded Lands north of Keening Sea. Compared to the Twelve Nations, the lands from Shuttered to the Grey Mountains and beyond are savage and unruly.
Shuttered is also the largest and most important city that falls under the rule of none of the great nations. Yet, each of the Twelve have something of a interested in the City, and it’s delicate politics play one off of the other to maintain Shuttered’s independence.
Three of the embassies are empty and bricked up, two because the associated nations have fallen to barbarism. Alacoda, Empire of High Elves, remains extant but distinctly unwelcome, as the Alacodi are the favored peoples of the Green Lady. It’s a common game for Alacodi spies to try to infiltrate the City, and an even more common game to accuse political enemies within the City of having dealings with Alacoda.
The liveliest and most visited embassy by far is that of Grumluda, Domain of the Eternal-King-of-All-Orcs. The fighting schools (and gambling parlors) that have grown around that embassy are popular with travelers and citizens of the City alike. Ambassadors from Grumluda tend to be half-human and are given special dispensation to enter the city without taking on a geas. The Grumluda orcs are great patrons of the Wedding Band (30.15) and pay well for odd creatures to spice up the blood sport. The Grumludi are always happy to purchase creatures brought in from beyond World’s Edge – the most exotic of which are exported back to the Orc lands after being bloodied in the Band.
Connections:
- Due to a technicality, the temple of the Creche of a Million Young (29.14.05) is part of the grounds of the embassy of Grumlada.
- Captured elves sometimes are displayed (and killed horribly) in the fighting pits within the grounds of the Grumlada embassy (30.12.01).
The Sealed Embassy of Naros
Some fifteen years ago, the small but prosperous nation of Naros was placed under a devastating curse by the arch-lich Supendar. It was his last act of spite before falling beneath the blades of party of brave adventurers. The people of Naros vanished instantly, their animals were transformed into terrible beasts, and their lands became shrouded in perpetual twilight.
Since the embassy of Naros at the gates of the Shuttered City (29.14.11) was also technically part of Naros, the curse took effect within its walls as well. The ambassadors disappeared, the rooms took on a grey pallor, and the house cats, rats and livestock in the adjoining stable were turned into monsters. However, since the monsters showed a reluctance to leave the borders of the embassy, the Doge’s response was to have the entire building bricked up and ignored.
Today, the embassy remains dormant and forbidden. On dark nights, one can sometimes hear from within the hissing of the razor cats, the chittering of the plague mice, and the unearthly lowing of the vampire cattle. The other effects of the curse are relatively undocumented, but it is well-known that any region of Naros is an unhealthy place to be in. However, some adventurers have speculated about raiding the place. Rumor has it that just before the curse came down, the Narosi ambassadors had taken out a huge loan from the Hoard (33.00) in order to finance the ongoing war against the lich Supendar (which at the time they thought would go on for much longer). If this is true, then there is a serious amount of wealth to be found inside the accursed walls. However, two things have deterred prospective burglars thus far: breaking into the embassy would violate the Doge’s decree; and if the gold were extracted, there is no guarantee that the Hoard might not begin demanding repayments from the gold’s new owner.
There is one other reason to break into the embassy. Recently in the central district of the Shuttered City, a priest of an obscure cult has come forth, claiming that he will pay good money for sacrificial cattle afflicted with vampirism…
Connections:
- The Seal Library (29.14.50) contains the spell book of the Arch-Lich.
- Jiffon Soon, an exile from Naros who wished to remove from himself an unfortunate curse created the Geas Eater (29.14.16).
Hooks:
- What happened to these adventurers who slew Supendar? Are they still around?
- What became of the people of Naros? Did they simply die, or was their fate more subtle?
- Who on earth would want vampire cows for their sacred rituals? I mean, that’s just silly, right?