Eltabbar

*I suppose that under other circumstances, Eltabbar would be beautiful. Its broad canals unique in all Faerûn spread across the city in an intricate network, often decorated with floating flowers, and lined with tall, elegant stone walkways and baroque buildings. Its wizards' residences are graceful, fluted towers built of many colorful and exotic materials. The River Eltar pours down from Thaymount in a foaming white waterfall, then spreads throughout the city, following the canals before flowing through the city watergates and into Lake Thaylambar. The lake itself spreads its blue-green blanket beyond the city, periodically ruffled by the wind and roughened by catspaws, the white sails of ships visible in the distance. Eltabbar's public parks are manicured collections of flora from a dozen lands, some seen nowhere else in Faerûn. Colorful birds flit from tree to tree, filling the air with song. Privileged Thayans wander the gardens, contemplating the beauty around them, scarcely noticing the miserable slaves who tend the trees around them.*

***- from Heino's report***

## Demographics

### Population

115,000

Eltabbar is a huge city with a population varying between 80,000 and 100,000 (the second largest in Thay). Over half of these are slaves; nowhere in Thay is the grim institution of slavery more evident. Eltabbar was the capital of Thay up until about 100 years ago.

There are many strange things about Eltabbar. First and foremost is its exact layout. Until recently, no one knew precisely what the city looked like, since owning a map of Eltabbar was at one time punishable by instant death. For some reason this restriction has relaxed recently, and several maps of the city exist. Still, the Red Wizards maintain their assertion that maps are to be kept out of the hands of the general public for security reasons, and unauthorized possession of a map of Eltabbar lands its owner in a Thayan dungeon.

Eight months ago, a massive earthquake did considerable damage to the city, and the widespread destruction of buildings and flooding drove many residents away. Since then the city has been largely rebuilt with labor provided by Szass Tam's zombies. The tharch's ruler, the woman known as the Tharchioness, has gained considerable authority and power since that time.

The ruler of Eltabbar is Tharchion Dmitra Flass. Of all the tharchions and zulkirs, she is by far the most diplomatic. Without her considerable skills, the zulkirs might have fallen into open civil war long ago. (Szass Tam's intimidating style of rulership might work well with most Thayans, but his fellow zulkirs aren't so easily impressed.) Eltabbar is also the capital of its home tharch, a long stretch of land that wraps around the northern side of Thaymount. Flass is often too busy with intrigues at home to worry about the rest of the tharch, but she makes up for it with relatively enlightened methods of governing.

Eltabbar is the center of the nation's slave trade, as well as a political center. Thousands of slaves are brought into the markets here every year and auctioned off in the bloodstained public blocks. Once dispatched to their new assignments, most can look forward to at best a few months of backbreaking labor followed by a quick death.

## Inhabitants

**Dipren Qarto:** Leader of the City Guard

**High Flamelord Iphegor Nath:** Leader of Kossuth's faith in Thay.

**Dmitra Flass:** Tharchioness of Eltabbar

**Kwinset Tanzirk:** Slave Market Administrator

**Bilhar Sentolan:** Master of the Thieves Guild

**Ukulsid:** Military Commander

***Living*** ***Army:** 1,193; **Undead Army:** 6,420; **City Guard:** 3873; **Militia:** 3185*