Angchrapur

Angchrapur is a city of lies. Founded as a vassal port of the Gnomes of Richtbaai, it did small-scale trade with the local Vóreachóra (Anemoi) and Thlai (human) populations for several centuries, and later expanded trade once Aimaur migrants arrived nearby. Although the city itself was of great strategic value, its located along a swampy, mangrove-choked coastline prevented it from growing large. The city's location and natural defenses did protect it from trollish raids, however, allowing it to serve as a (relatively) safe port along the coast.

Once the Divinity of Bēlqūašdu grew powerful and their reach long, the Anghrapuri pivoted towards trade with them, and soon gained special import rights. The road from the port to Bēlqūašdu's tributaries to the city became a well-guarded frontier, giving Anchrapur a wider reach. Angchrapur's population soon swelled as Aimaur caravan guards and other traders made permanent homes in the city, including tribes seeking a better life than the troll-infested hinterlands. By leveraging their commercial contracts, Anghchrapur became an independent city-state, cutting out their former overlords in Richtbaai, and prospered for centuries as a port dealing mainly in exports of rice, incense, and spice. However, with prosperity came corruption, and with little oversight by the primarily mercantile government, piracy. Combined with a decline in the power of the Bēlqūašdu, the port fell on hard times, and piracy began to rise. Soon, these pirates became a menace to the entire region, and this led to the consolidation of wealth into the hands of a few, who became known as the cabal. The cabal sought other forms of propping up their economy, so they cut a deal with the pirates of the region- leave the commerce alone and they had a free port where they could repair, drink, and gamble. Over time, Angchrapur became famous for this, and the local economy became more oriented towards crime and gambling instead of exports, though these still remain a large portion of the cabal's income. When Bēlqūašdu finally collapsed and withdrew from the region, it had little effect on Angchrapur because of this pivot to illicit activities.

The city of Angchrapur sits close to sea level at the mouth of the short tbd river and has a statue of an Adhavāda figure carved into a small rock outcropping into the bay, a symbol of better times. The city's docks are old and worn, crowded with pirates and smugglers, all of whom are eager to invade the cities bars, brothels, and gambling establishments. Naturally, thieves abound, hoping to prey upon those too drunk to resist. It is not a city for the unwary and undangerous.

Sikaur Street is known to be a favored haunt of demons, large and small. At the end of the street, the Palace of Shadows may be found, in which Avarice, Lord of Shadows has gathered most of the forces he has on the mortal plane. Avarice hopes to take control over the city and use its resources to pass into the mortal plane, and to destroy the republic of freed slaves set up by Talu Three-Arm over 50 years ago. From there, he plans to work backwards in killing and torturing all those who have wronged him. Avarice selected Angchrapur because he knows its denizens would barely notice the difference between his rule and the elite until it's far too late...