High-Ups of Slaan

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High-Ups of Slaan

Location: Para-Elemental Smoke / Core Smoke / Slaan

This place ain’t like Sigil—it hasn’t got a Lady of Pain to frighten the mish-mash bunch of races that live here into tolerating each other. Without an omnipotent overseer, the cutters who live here have to try to run things themselves, and keep the city useful and liveable for its residents. It takes most cutters a little time to figure out how Slaan works, as it’s different from most other Inner Planar burgs, which tend to be ruled by a single group. Still, it’s not all that complicated, and any merchant who trades in Slaan on a regular basis can explain the whole set up, as can just about any true citizen. Basically understanding Slaan comes down to this: There’s the Council behind whom lurk the Shadow Rulers, then the Ambassadors, and finally there’s the Gladiators.

The Shadow Rulers

No one knows who’s really in charge of Slaan. The City Council is nominally in charge, and conducts the burg’s the day-to-day business—but members of this body seem to get their orders from somewhere else. Chant goes the Council are a bunch of glorified bureaucrats who quibble amongst themselves about orders handed down from this higher-up. Still, as much as the average citizen never notices it, sometimes orders do come down, and sometimes things happen on their own. If an horde of belkers is about to descend on the burg, the Council will quickly call up the militia. Likewise, the Council can choose who to appoint to negotiate with the efreet. But there appear to be laws that the Council does not have the power to change, such as the rules behind gladiatorial duels, the freedom of the city to all races save genies, and the allowance for all kinds of trade. Any Councillor who tries to change these rules, or anyone else who rocks the boat on those subjects for that matter, tends to end up dead.

Many wonder just who realy rules Slaan, and all kinds of conspiratorial theories on who secretly rules the lizard people have been proposed over the years. While some, like the rumour about the illithid elder brain hidden in the walls, or the one about a mysterious archdragon overlord, have long since been disproven, the mystery remains. Some suspect the rilmani, or a group of powerful smoke para-elementals, or a proxy of the draconic power Io. The one thing that is certain about the rulers, is that they give orders and the xantu listen. Though they are the least populous lizard race in the city, the xantu are perhaps the most dangerous, and anyone shamelessly flouting the city’s edicts ends up dead on a xantu knife or spell. It might not seem as inevitable as the Lady of Pain’s Mazes, but fugitives from the xantu have fled across whole planes, and still been tracked down and slain.

The Council of Slaan

The Council of Slaan runs the city’s business from day to day, and is empowered to make rulings that do not counteract those laws set in stone by the unseen rulers of the city. The Council sets trade and civic law, collects taxes, and runs ministries of necessary bureaucracy. It is the Council that ensures the farms are productive, the khaasta patrols are paid, and the water system continues to function.

The council meets only rarely, once a month at most, in order to consider business before it. Mostly this consists of setting trade tariffs, determining the fate of civic projects, and meeting with representatives from other cities and power groups. For the rest of the month each member of the council runs their own aspect of city affairs. The number of Council members never changes, and the structure of the ministries is never reorganised—though Council members may be dismissed by the mysterious city rulers and are apparently only raised to their status by those beings.

The Council has an unusual relationship with the Ministry of Duelling, the office that conducts Slaan’s gladiatorial practices. That minister may only vote when there is a tie within the rest of the council, and the basic rules of the ministry are not subject to review by the council, which leaves the Minister in a curious position of power. It seems that the rest of the Council believes that the Minister of Duelling is always a spy for the city’s hidden rulers.

Meetings of the Council are held in secret, but the identities of the councillors are known. Any civilian may be called before a meeting of the Council if it is considered necessary, but they must appear before the group alone. The Council never calls multiple people before it. The Hall of the Council is enchanted with a permanent zone of truth. Consequently, the reptilian members of the council rarely practice the kind of evasive wording common among the political types of Sigil.

There are eleven ministries in Slaan, and thus eleven members of the Council. While the rulers can appoint anyone they choose, in theory of any ancestry, for the past four centuries every council member has been of a reptilian race. The current Councillors are:

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE: Kler (iruxi commoner [he/him] / NG) is the least political member of the council, having been nothing more than a simple farmer before his unexpected appointment by the rulers. Kler was however, one of the best farmers anyone had ever met, having brought in successful harvests for thirty straight years, despite the vagaries of Smoke’s strange climate. He was appointed to the council five years ago, and has gradually settled into a policy designed to ensure that the city is consistently fed. With the cautious pessimism common to all Smoke farmers, Kler tends to be defensive, worried that his policies will be overruled and that the people will starve. He is a relatively kind lizard, and among the most trustworthy council members, but often defers to other more politically experienced representatives.

MINISTER OF CITIZENS: Fersam (iruxi fighter [she/her] / N), the Minister of Citizens is a wild card on the council, for considering her formal position of oversight of the permanent residents of the city she appears not to care very much about their fates. A former enforcer for the construction groups in the city, it is unclear why she was picked eight years ago to serve on the council. The bureaucracy beneath her continues its tasks of monitoring and labour, but it is becoming steadily less effective at its duties. The entire public health aspect of this Ministry has been subsumed into the Ministry of Water, and the charitable coordination performed by this office is gradually coming under the reluctant control of the Minister of Religion. Many believe that the rulers will eject Fersam, who is still relatively young, from the council soon.

MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION: Tolar (iruxi expert [he/him] / N) is a proactive minister who wishes to improve Slaan and make it the cleanest and brightest planar metropolis in existence. While this goal is probably unattainable, Tolar constantly pressures the Council for money to fund public works projects, and employs far more personnel than did his predecessor. This has made him a bitter enemy of the Minister of Monies. Tolar is also the primary advocate on the council for the rights of xulgath and kobolds, since he employs many of them. They often come to his ministry with complaints, which has caused friction with both the Ministers of Citizens and of Justice even in the three short years since Tolar was appointed. Tolar is a middle-aged iruxi who formerly worked as a high ranked administrator within the Ministry of Construction.

MINISTER OF DEFENCE: Decai Sce VI (scel fighter [he/him] / LN) is the sixth scel by the same name to hold this position. All have been members of the same family in a dynasty that has lasted almost two hundred years. In almost no way different from his father who previously held the post, Decai Sce VI is a conservative but competent officer who worked his way up through Slaan’s garrison army, and now serves as its Commander-in-Chief. Though he’s been minister for eight years, it has not yet been necessary for Sce to call up the city militia to combat an outside foe. This lack of experience causes many to be sceptical of Sce, but his vote is often courted, since few policies actually affect his ministry, and he is free to vote his feelings. The scel dislikes being manipulated however, and considers it his obligation to abstain if a vote has no bearing on his ministry. It is expected that barring death in combat or some massive display of incompetence, Decai Sce VI will have a long service as Minister of Defence, since the rulers apparently appreciate his family.

MINISTER OF DUELLING: Nil (xantu assassin rogue [ gender unknown] / N?) – Six months ago the former Minister of Duelling, an elgar, was found to be in violation of the magical augmentation provision of Slaan’s duelling rules, and when this was examined more closely a number of other cases of corruption were uncovered. Despite fleeing immediately to Hoard in Mineral, the Minister was tracked down and killed by a xantu assassin within three days. The assassin, Nil, was then appointed Minister of Duelling in his place. Nil is a strange being, a wild card whose personal views are completely unknown. They seem to do absolutely nothing to run the Ministry, relegating all tasks to the ranking official, a mon’varan warrior named Viriom. Nil has yet to be presented a tie in which to cast a vote—indeed it seems the other ministers have actively worked to prevent this from happening—and is believed to be simply an interim minister until the rulers of Slaan determine someone else. Viriom is currently hiding behind Nil’s authority, and suspects he will never be appointed Minster, as too many of his elgar subordinates despise him. The situation is in flux, and considered by many citizens quite dangerous.

MINISTER OF JUSTICE: Leessha (khaasta fighter [she/her] / LE) is a vicious, patroller who is in charge of keeping the peace within Slaan. Hardened by fifteen years of street patrol under brutal commanders, she now runs the ministry runs with a scaly iron fist. Her purview includes the khaasta patrols as well as the court system, which is dominated by iruxi and pogdrac. The result is a system of extremely harsh immediate enforcement, with lighter formal punishments. Many criminals fear the beating they will receive from khaasta patrollers far more than the sentence they will get from a judge, and surrender immediately. Leessha has tried to get harsher judges appointed, but many in the city resent having a khaasta as Minister of Justice at all. Still, if she considers it important enough, she’ll make sure a case gets assigned to one of the few hardline judges in the system. Because of links between justice and duels in Slaan, Leessha hopes to ally with Nil, as she had with the former Minister of Duelling, but the xantu has so far resisted her advances. Leesha has been Minister of Justice for eight years, appointed at the same time as Fersam and several others, when a crop of older ministers was collectively dismissed.

MINISTER OF MONIES: Vec (helod wizard [she/her] / NE) – while the Minister of Duelling may be frightful, and the Minister of Justice harsh, it is nevertheless the Minister of Monies who is most hated by the rest of the Council. Vec is a cruel helod wizard who seems possessed by tremendous greed. She has a fondness for imposing high tariffs seemingly arbitrarily, and sees no reason why she shouldn’t control every penny that comes in the city. Most of the other ministers, even the uncaring Minister of Citizens, dislike her, as she actively holds up their own works and causes problems. Budget cutting by Vec has made the city fiscally conservative in her eight years in office, but her tenure may not be for much longer as the former tax officer is becoming elderly. Her recent efforts to property taxes have not been successful so far, as the powerful Minister of Trade has no intention of allowing such ‘follies’ and will simply run roughshod over her.

MINISTER OF OUTSIDERS: Yallian (iruxi rogue [she/her] / CG) – The kindest and most pleasant of the Ministers, this career bureaucrat is something of a xenophile. She sticks up greatly for those passing through Slaan, despite this not being her responsibility. While the Ministry of Outsiders officially deals only with disputes among outsider matters, land distribution in the Mouth, transportation, and access rights to portals, Yallian is something of a citizen advocate. She believes the complete dominance of the city exclusively by reptilian races is bad for business, and should be worked against. While many among the non-reptile population, particularly merchants, love her, the more experienced consider her naïve. The crusading efforts of Yallian have made her many enemies, especially the Ministers of Trade and Justice, and the majority lizard population is none too fond of her either. Still, she can take some credit for prospering trade in the past eight years, and only this fact has kept the Minister of Trade from crushing her in the Council.

MINISTER OF RELIGION: Hilcyon (pogdrac druid [she/her] / N) – For as long as anyone can remember in Slaan the Minister of Religion has been a pogdrac druid, and Hilcyon is the proud member of that trend. Welcoming any beliefs into the city so long as the balance remains secure and the druids’ conservatory agenda is not threatened, she is a popular cutter, and has made allies out of traditional adversaries in the powerful faiths of the dragon gods, elemental lords, and even Ptah. While Hilcyon tries to plot a middle course in the Council, and has for the most part succeeded in her eight years, she willingly takes unpopular stands when she considers them right, and may vote contrary to the entire council on occasion. One such example was in the Council’s unexpected decision to allow worshippers of the Elder Elemental God into the city—her lone opposition vote was later vindicated when the temple was attacked by angry mobs. On non-religious matters Hilycon often takes her lead from the Minister of Trade, who she recognizes as a talented expert, if a biased one, who has made the city successful.

MINISTER OF TRADE: Rarlshar (iruxi expert he/him] / LN) may be the most visibly powerful being in Slaan, and he is quite aware of it. Ralshar is an orderly cutter who believes in free trade for the purpose of maximum profit. However, it seems he only considers that profit is only important if it benefits lizard-kind. While fully aware of the consequences of restrictive trade laws, and that the rulers intend trade to be open, Rarlshar uses his keen sense for the market to get pocket filling taxes passed at exactly the right time. Having served as minister of trade for twelve years now, Rarlshar is confident in his position, and becoming increasingly cutthroat. He is more than willing to muscle through temporary changes in trade law to ruin a non-lizard rival even knowing the council will repeal it. Still, he is not malicious, and does not seek to harm the common citizen, only other rich outsider traders of the city. Rarlshar is an extremely skilled politician, and the city has prospered with him in his position, despite some complaints. Many other Ministers will ally with him against the Minister of Monies or Outsiders on economic matters. His greatest nemesis on the council is the Minister of Outsiders, who is close to the arcane, Rarlshar’s greatest trade foes.

MINISTER OF WATER: Opolin (ipsosaur ranger [he/him] / N) – Eight years ago seven elderly ministers were replaced (the six mentioned and the Minister of Duelling at the time) clearing the Council of older politicians and appointing a number of younger bureaucrats to their place—a move that has happened many times in Slaan. However, one Minister, the then seventy-five year old Opolin, was not replaced. To this day, the Minister of Water continues to serve as a vigorous eighty-three year old. This is rather unprecedented, but the rulers made a shrewd choice to leave Opolin in charge. Time has apparently decided that the Minister of Water is outside its grasp for now, even though Opolin has chosen to begin training a successor—a curious moloch’phryn named Jr’Phire. While the Minster of Trade is considered by some to be the most powerful cutter in Slaan, Rarlshar acknowledges Opolin outclasses him in almost every category. The Minister of Water is not interested in the exercise of power outside of his sphere, but his encyclopaedic knowledge, parliamentary skill, loyal staff, and history of success mean he’s looked up to by all the other members of the Council. Only the Ministers know that Opolin has conducted three wars in his sixty year tenure, beating back two aquatic attacks by sahaugin and one by ixitxachitl to conquer Slaan’s Depths, with nothing more than his ministry’s staff and some hired mercenaries. Opolin has made it the rule of his tenure that Slaan’s water shall remain pure and flow uninterrupted, and there will always be enough money provided to do this. When he finally tkes his place in the dead-book, Slaan will undergo great change, and among those in the know, it is considered that it will almost certainly be for the worse.

Gladiatorial Combat: The Duels of Slaan

The Ministry of Duelling has one purpose only, to enforce the etiquette of Slaan’s gladiatorial combat. While Slaan has a fully functioning system of law enforcement and legal code, tempers still flare hot between its inhabitants, especially when fiends come to town. The reptilianraces in particular are fond of settling quarrels with fist and weapon and so it has always been a policy in the city to allow for duels. And why not capitalise on this natural tendency, and put them in arenas?

The rules of the duelling system are complicated and prevalent, as duels form one of Slaan’s major public attractions. The Ministry of Duelling operates arenas both in the Mouth, Blacksands, and the Boggylands, though only duels in the Mouth may involve non-reptilians of the city. The rules for running duels are complex and steeped in tradition. The Ministry has a detailed set of written by-laws for edge cases, but the main rules for challenges are simple. Anyone may challenge anyone else, but acceptance is totally voluntary—no one may be forced into a duel. Blackmailing someone to duel is also forbidden, and to prevent it from happening illegitimately accusations of blackmailing someone into a duel are investigated seriously, and can face capital punishment. Duels are not a method of legal enforcement, and trials by combat are not part of the legal system.

While the specifications of duels vary, there are several ironclad systems set into place:

• I. Duels are allowed only by completely voluntary agreement of both involved parties.
• II. All duels are one on one only, no other numbers shall be permitted, creatures such as animal companions and familiars are considered to break this rule if found participating.
• III. The level of lethality involved shall be agreed upon by both participants, or set by the duelling authority in the absence of agreement.
• IV. The outcome of a duel shall not involve any transfer of spoils of any kind between participants or bystanders save official bets placed with the Ministry of Duelling, and the Ministry alone.
• V. A duly appointed representative of the Ministry of Duelling shall oversee all duels.
• VI. While the Ministry of Dueling and the participants may agree on what items and equipment by brought to the dueling arena, there shall be no ongoing magical effects at the start of a duel (for example but not limited to fortifying spells, drinking potions before duels, and so on).
• VII. True dragons, but not half-dragons, drakes, or related creatures, are expressly forbidden to participate in duels. [The reason for this prohibition is unknown.]

Within the boundaries of these restrictions the Ministry of Duelling tends to allow just about any sort of duel. They’re interested less in fairness, and more in putting on a good show and making money for the burg. However, duelling officials make sure they know what is going into a duel, such as the magical items combatants possess, the relative ability of spellcasters, and the relative capabilities of races. However, they stress that duels should resolve disputes only as agreed upon by the participants. It’s a tradition that reptilian races understand inherently, but that can cause some difficulty among other races.

Vindictive duels to settle scores are fairly small part of the system. While the same rules hold, the Ministry of Duelling conducts the majority of its fights in public sport duels, also known as the Gladiator’s Cup. The Ministry runs both an amateur’s circuit and a champion’s circuit. Anyone with the skill can participate in these duels, but the rules are strict. Duel structures exist both for non-lethal and lethal duels, and for several different types of combat: Unarmed; Unarmoured with one non-magical weapon; Armoured with any non-magical gear; and Freestyle where any and all equipment is permitted. The champion’s circuit allows only non-lethal duels armed and armoured in non-magical gear, although Freestyle duels can be lethal. While anyone can enter the champion’s circuit, there is a 2000 jinx deposit to the Ministry of Duelling, which is returned once a cutter win their first duel on that circuit. Anyone participating in sporting duels must accept their opponent. Magical spells are not allowed in sporting duels.

The current leader of the Champion’s Circuit is a topaz half-dragon samurai named Hirei, an utter master of the spear. The all time duelling champion in Slaan is a tsnng ronin named Knnkkttt, who returns to Slaan every decade or so to challenge all comers. In over a thousand matches against the best the city has to offer, he has never been defeated.

Betting is allowed, both on punitive and sporting duels, but only with the appointed gambling masters of the Ministry of Duelling. The Ministry polices all matches, sets odds, referees conditions, monitors against cheating and performs all the other actions necessary for the blood sport. Corruption is their biggest enemy, and they struggle continuously against it. The Ministry also cracks down on illegal duels held under duress—an impossible challenge—because the distinction between a suicidal duel accepted for the sake of pride and a duel forced upon a berk can be hard to police. Viriom, who is currently the Vice Minister of Duelling runs the operations of the Ministry, in the absence of any leadership from Nil. This has unfortunate consequences, for while Viriom is a skilled administrator with a finger on the pulse of goings-on, and a strong sense fairness, the mon’varan comes into conflict with the many elgar members of the Ministry. Fierce elgar warriors make up the majority of duel judges and referees, and also most of the betting and payroll guards. It seems they detest being led by a mon’varan, and while they tolerated the state of affairs while an elgar was the actual minister, they’ve become even disillusioned given Nil’s distinct lack of leadership. For the moment matters are contained to grumbling, but if the rulers don’t act swiftly to appoint a new minister, some elgar malcontent may try and take matters into their own hands.

The Ambassadors of Slaan

The council may rule the day-to-day government of Slaan, but plenty of other cutters have a say in its politics too. Guilds, for example, as well as trading companies, or the factions and sects that come to the city. These groups don’t have a formal place in the burg’s hierarchy, but some other groups do: ambassadors, religions, and the criminals.

As a sovereign city, Slaan interacts with many outside power groups. While many dealings are handled by trade policy and the attention of the Ministry of Outsiders, something more formal is sometimes required and a system was long ago put into place. Slaan hosts ambassadorial representatives from those interested.

This system has caused much of the outsider and sectarian power in Slaan to cluster around the Ambassadors, who with their official status can intercede with the council and perform other critical duties. They pursue their own agendas beyond simply reporting and conducting negotiations between their home state and Slaan. Power concentrates around them, and the Ambassadors may be able to direct shifts in the groups they represent, especially in the outsider-dominated Mouth district.

The number of ambassadors fluctuates as parties chose whether to maintain formal representation—the most extreme case of this is the sect known at the Opposition, who have been known to declare or remove an Ambassador almost weekly. Some ambassadors, such as those who represent Archomentals, play no real part in the city’s politics. The offices of ambassadors are generally located in the Boggylands, near the Ministry buildings. Many ambassadors also have private residences in the Mouth.

AMBASSADOR TO ADRIFT: Alison Mareket (human expert [she/her] / LN) is a trader, pure and simple. Her home city of Adrift, in the slightly more hospitable plane of Steam is a peaceful place, but one that seeks to emulate the vibrancy and wealth of Slaan. However, it lacks many of Slaan’s unique features, and is heavily dominated by djinn influence. Adrift seeks to grow its trade contracts, and especially contacts for its business of exotically-flavoured waters and wines. Ambassador Mareket is trying to channel as much new business as possible into Adrift, and she really doesn’t care what kind of business it is.

AMBASSADOR TO THE ANATOMISTS: Dr. Joll Nascsa (iruxi rogue-wizard [he/him] / CN) is an inquisitive iruxi native of Slaan, and became the Anatomist ambassador simply by virtue of being the only member living in the burg who was also a qualified physician. The decision has turned out to be wise, as the Anatomists have won some goodwill by putting a reptilian representative in charge of theie sect in the burg. Nascsa’s key achievement to this point has been getting a provision passed that allows Anatomists to purchase xulgath and kobold cadavers from willing next-of-kin—representatives of other races have yet to accede to such a request). Otherwise the young sect holds few political activities and doesn’t challenge any major rulings.

AMBASSADOR TO THE CINDERFORMED: The burn-but-be-not-burned ones recognised the Plane of Smoke as their headquarters, and actually headquarter the whole sect in Slaan. However, the sect’s leader keeps to the Cinderformed compound, and doesn’t serve as ambassador. That duty falls to one of the Unburned, a cutter named Hestat Fero (fire genasi wizard [he/him] / CG ). He has a burning temper, but is a decent fellow otherwise. Fero dislikes the efreet greatly, and enjoys not having to see them in Slaan, so he rarely leaves. Due to the large numbers of Cinderformed sect members in the city he wields a significant power, but only before the Council. The secretive rulers of the burg bypass him completely, seemingly having a direct line to the sectol when they have something to discuss with the Cinderformed. Hestat’s current obsession is trying to keep the number of Pyros in the city as low as possible.

AMBASSADOR TO THE CITADEL OF ICE AND STEEL: The djinn’s ambassador is a mighty basher called Gravelthunder (cloud giant adept [she/her] / CG). She’s thunderous, proud, imposing, and a silver-tongued orator–just the kind of person the djinn would want to convince people in Slaan to support them and to favour their policies over those of the cruel efreet. Gravelthunder gets the job done admirably, and her in-your-face method has a lot in common with the blunt openness of the lizardkin themselves, so they tend to get along. However, some of the other members of the city find the giant uncultured, and the more trade-oriented ambassadors simply find he focus on war irritating. This has limited her ability to work against the efreet’s ambassador somewhat.

AMBASSADOR TO THE CITY OF BRASS: The ambassador to the efreet ambassador is a suave bastard, but still a bastard. Jiessen Scaldingbrand (salamander noble rogue [he/him] / NE) is cruel, vicious, and cutthroat, but he can also make one hellishly good-sounding bargain. The efreet know they aren’t much liked in Smoke, but they try to accumulate power in spite of it by offering too-good-to-be-true deals and paying outrageous prices for mercenaries. They also offer rights to loot and plunder. Jiessen is most interested in scoping out and working against any plan put forward by djinn interests, finding a way to let his masters into Slaan, and discovering who the city’s true rulers are. He’s not popular with the rest of Slaans political powers, and has piqued the suspicion of the rilmani most heavily of late. Some are beginning to wonder if the xantu will take decisive action if the salamander starts to get too close to the truth about the secret rulers.

AMBASSADOR TO THE CITY OF GLASS: The largest city on the Inner Planes has sent a skilled ambassador to Slaan. While Kliev Hevast (water genasi aristocrat [he/him] / CG) is a generally personable and friendly cutter, he deals mostly with mind-numbing trade policies at the dealing table with the Minister of Trade. While the relations between their two cities are appear cordial, in truth, Kliev and Rarlshar are fierce foes over every piece of gold that passes between the cities. Their schemes never spill out into the general populace, but among the other ambassadors, ministers, and major trading groups, both cutters constantly cajole and swindle for support. While Kliev doesn’t subscribe to Rarlshar’s business as survival of the fittest philosophy, he’s cutthroat when he needs to be, and doesn’t believe in those who don’t work as hard as he thinks they should.

AMBASSADOR TO THE SMOKE ELEMENTALS: There is only one smoke para-elemental that actually lives within the smokeless confines of Slaan, and that’s Kurlvapor (smoke para-elemental [they/them] / N) the ambassador for the lord of smoke, the surprisingly intelligent mephit, Ehkahk the Smouldering Duke. Kurlvapor is understands his master’s need to keep relations cordial with Slaan. His job is not all that intensive, mostly negotiating over vague disputes of justice or the bits and pieces of trade conducted by the Smoke Lord. He also opposes genie meddling in the plane, and the para-elemental ambassador is always looking for intelligence to pass on back to Ehkahk about the genie races.

AMBASSADOR TO THE GREAT DISMAL DELVE: Most people wonder why the dao bother sending an ambassador at all, and why they appointed such a person as Hisckat (tso aristocrat [he/him] / LE) to be their representative. It’s no secret that the dao and always seeking to expand their slaving enterprises, and in Slaan this is no exception. The tso lobbies for slavery to be legalised in Slaan, to allow punished criminals to be sold to the dao, or any number of other, pro-bondage reforms. The Council adamantly refuses any such things, and cautions the tso often, but Hisckat is canny enough to know just how far he can push—especially given that keeping him sweet is important whenever Slaan needs large quantities of earth for building projects. For now the tso simply enables the illegal slave trade as much as possible. He thinks the council and the rulers don’t know, but in truth they’re are fully aware of his activities, and simply choose not to shut him down.

AMBASSADOR TO HOARD: Noritai Blankscale (human fighter dragon samurai [he/him] / LN) may be the most respected politician in Slaan, and certainly the most respected human. The ‘Last Honourable Man in Slaan’ is respected by all, admired by most, and feared by his enemies. A warrior of the ancient dragon samurai tradition, he has become a rock steady political battler who is absolutely incorruptible and tremendously alert to the pulse of the city. Many in power consider him an obstacle, but the common reptilian populace loves the man. Hoard is Slaan’s sister city in almost all respects, and Noritai is kept busy with trade agreements, social policies, and the policing of fugitives who try and move things between the cities. While Noritai is responsible for keeping the substance of the relationship cool, as his draconic lords instruct, the veteran soldier has willingly shed blood to defend Slaan himself. He fights corruption in the politics of both cities equally, following the teachings of his sapphire dragon mentors, that all are equal under the rule. Even when he cannot take action in the political arena, Noritai has been known to make rousing speeches to the public, and his word, trusted absolutely by many, can sway crowds in a way that few men can.

AMBASSADOR TO THE PRIMALS: The ambassador for the mysterious Primal sect, if she can even be called that, known only as Helen (elf? wizard [she/her] / N), has only one political concern. Slaan and its portals must remain open and free for the use of the Primals, and any attacks on members of the sect cannot be allowed. Since Slaan has many others who’d react quickly against discrimination toward any one sect, she is almost never called upon. Indeed, Helen has only been summoned by the Council twice in the past fifty years, both times to get Primal processions that were clogging the streets out of the way—which she may or may not have actually done anything about.

THE CONGLOMERATE OF SERPENTINE OFFICIALS: The organisation claims to represent the united interests of every yuan-ti and naga on the Inner Planes, and occasionally beyond. While the races in question are certainly not unified, the group does apparently speak for enough serpentfolk that the ‘yuan-ti ambassador’. Currently a rather irritable halfblood named Kissha Vassnair (yuan-ti psychic [she/her] / NE) serves in this position. The yuan-ti don’t seek to openly advance any position in Slaan, they prefer to perform their subversion as secretly as possible. Instead, Kissha’s job is to run interference when anything is going wrong for yuan-ti schemes and to provide protection for key operatives who get in trouble. Of course, neither the Council or the rulers are foolish enough to allow the ambassadorship to exist simply for this purpose, and they constantly bargain for punitive trade agreements and tariffs whenever Kissha tries to do anything. Still, the Conglomerate is the most recent form the yuan-ti ambassadorship has taken, as they are periodically exiled from the city. It remains to be seen how long it will endure.

AMBASSADOR TO THE HIDDEN CITY: The name of the ambassador to the Hidden City is unknown, since they never leaves their compound. The Council apparently calls upon this person, who is rumoured to be a highly skilled diviner, periodically to determine if there are any threats to the secrecy of the Hidden City. It seems that there must be some secret agreement between the Hidden City and the rulers of Slaan, although no one knows what it is. Those who enter the Embassy of the Hidden City never come out again.

AMBASSADOR TO YUHNMOAG: The illithid ambassador is Fyrsslaud (illithid [it/its] / LE). Many wonder why Slaan accepts the presence of the illithids, until they realise a permanent and stable portal to Yuhnmoag exists within the city. While the illithid city is hardly hospitable, the mind flayers there, like their spelljamming brethren, have learned to coexist in at least some fashion with other races. The ambassador is a quiet figure, who intervenes only rarely in city politics, and spends most of its time involved in supporting the illegal slave trade. There is also a steady market, both legal and illegal, in illithid psionic items, many of which end up making their way to Mineral—something that is considered the only reason the ambassador of Hoard hasn’t tried to bar illithid passage through the city. Hard-fought political battles have bought the illithids the right to move around the burg freely, though very few ever exercise it—perhaps since Slaan itself is evidence of one of their greatest strategic failures, few illithids can stand to look upon its streets in their present state.

The Two Most Interesting People in Slaan, and How they Got to Be that Way

Wax Face

Around like two hundred years ago a strange entirely white being, wearing a bisected mask, showed up in Slaan. They dominated a kobold and through it announced their intention to take enter the professional duelling circuit. When the Ministry of Duelling told them that they required a name for all entries, the unusual being said they could be called Wax Face (white ethergaunt [they/them] / NE), and has gone by it ever since. At that time they were one of the only ethergaunts anyone had ever seen—as the Etherfarer Society had not yet been formed. Their history is unknown, just like their real name—if ethergaunts even use names. Over the years, Wax Face has been involved in deals outside of the duelling circuit that have caused rumours, such as they are monitoring the interactions between Slaan’s rulers, the ethergaunts, and the dragon rulers of Hoard. Whispers claim that that Wax Face is planning a double or triple cross on them all. Wax Face of course will say nothing on the matter.

Most of the city knows of Wax Face only as an impressive duellist on the Champion’s Circuit, in which they have always done well, but never outright won. Long-lived cutters remember an incident about one hundred and fifty years ago where Wax Face challenged several score people to death duels, seemingly at random, killed everyone who accepted, and then ended up duelling a dozen abiorach rilmani in succession, defeating them all but actually killing none. That bizarre incident was what sparked the rumours that the etherguant was up to something more significant than than just sharpening their combat skills.

In addition, Wax Face does strange dealings sometimes as an ‘arcane consultant’, always speaking through a dominated kobold, which they only occasionally remember to feed (actually they can’t possibly fail to remember something, but the affectation serves them well). Wax Face also will occasionally hire adventurers for missions that seem to make no sense, and often ends up killing whoever took them up. All of the city’s power brokers are peery of Wax Face and whatever influence they may have. The illithid ambassador seems positively terrified of Wax Face, for some reason it refuses to reveal. Wax Face seems to increase their own influence by revealing nothing, never speaking directly, and acting as if it would be better if everyone in the city were dead. They abide by the law in public, but place no value on the lives of others—and make this quite clear when they talk through kobolds.

Over the decades many have sought to eliminate Wax Face, but with the exception the duel they almost lost against the abiorach Valsha, none have even come close. Wax Face always seems eight or nine steps ahead of everyone else, positions pawns ahead of time, controlling everything from kobold refuse gatherers to highly skilled adventuring parties to a whole efreet regiment, in one case.

Outside of the duelling arena Wax Face rarely acts directly, except against attempts on their life, but they seemingly have tendrils of influence and confusion strewn everywhere. To human or lizardfolk eyes the ethergaunt’s actions usuaully seem to make no sense, such as when he ordered a red ethergaunt subordinate to visit the city and then allowed the Anatomists to cut it up. But behind the mask seemingly lurks a face that can shatter minds and an intellect of incredible brilliance. Slaan is more turbulent just for having Wax Face within it.

Smoig’Phlar

They call him the Monk of Burning Vapours, a moloch’phryn with a vision that cuts through the smoke outlines beyond the walls of Slaan to see the truth, or at least something close enough to it to touch the cold reptilian hearts of those he speaks to.

Smoig’Phlar (moloch’phryn monk [he/him] / N) was born on the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Dust, under a different name. He was a child in one of the desperate colonies established in that hellish place by the burning desert lizards, colonies that live an existence of constant struggle against the disintegrating sands. Life was extremely hard for the young moloch’phryn, but he did not find it without reward. Like many of his people he gazed out into the shiftin, crushing patterns of dust and saw a deeper meaning there, a sense of purpose in the endless swirling particles. He took up the path to seek out that meaning and to find his own equilibrium with the currents of the multiverse as a moloch’phryn monk.

The youth took to the monk’s path with a will few could match. He demonstrated great dedication, insight, and a mind that would not accept answers unquestioned. Soon he was among the most learned monks in the nearby communities, but he was not satisfied. He began to realise that dust was not the only way, not the only answer; it could not show him everything. So with a heavy heart and sharp mind he left his home to journey the planes.

The trail is hard to follow from there. The young moloch’phryn left his home with a gobinhu ruvoka guide. Ten years later he arrived on the plane of Smoke with the name Smoig’Phlar. His family will not divulge his previous name, and he himself will not answer questions about his past, saying that gazing backwards within is not a path to truth. What little information can be gleaned about his travels indicates he spent extensive amounts of time studying with ruvoka tribes on several Inner Planes, and performed great services for them. He is known to have visited the Negative Energy Plane and stopped at the Fortress of the Soul, where he apparently debated Factol Skall himself for several days. CHant goes that Smoig’Phlar thwarted an attempt to betray the mazuku ruvoka of Smoke by an efreet, that his mere presence cowed the frightful Cryonax of Ice, and that Zaaman Rul of Fire owes him a life boon. Whatever the case of these tales Smoig’Phlar is a monk of tremendous enlightenment and vision, his Path of Burning Vaporus is both difficult and extremely powerful, and he may be the most potent moloch’phryn monk to have voyaged the planes in centuries.

These days he resides in Slaan. While Smoig’Phlar has not yet deigned to teach others his way of the Burning Vapours, he has no shortage of acolytes and followers. The moloch’phryn of Slaan are proud of him in their quiet way. Inspired by the complex and seemingly chaotic order found in the movements of hot gases, the goals of Smoig’Phlar are strange and difficult to perceive. He has immense personal power, and a personal presence to match an ultraloth. Combined with his keen sense of the world around him, the blood can exert vast influence with a few words or gestures. A single sentence he utters can cause a vast cascade of chant and speculation through the city, as if some great truth had been revealed.

Smoig’Phlar claims he is resting before going to journey the multiverse once again. The Cinderformed swarm about him seeking wisdom and debating the nature of smoke. For now this monk waits, but all wonder where and when he will move, and how it will change the Plane of Smoke.

Source: Inner Planes [2e] p13 (brief mention), expanded upon by Mechalich, edited by Jon Winter-Holt. Canonwatch: ‡ The expanded details for this location are homebrew and were rescued from the dead-booked Planewalker.com site.