Phlan

Phlan is a city-state on the southern coast of the Synari Peninsula. It is currently a city in chaos, in the process of being rebuilt and under martial law.

## Overview

In the aftermath of Lord Regent Ector Brahms's ascension to the Cinnabar Throne, Phlan has fallen on hard times. Today, the people of Phlan are kept mostly in line by fear, having as they do the Black Fist for a city watch. The Black Fist, a mercenary gang in truth, cares more for lining its own pockets than doing justice in Phlan, and as such the mercenaries are usually willing to overlook even serious crimes so long as they do not affect the Black Fist. Conversely, they are known to be tyrants as concerns their own affairs, punishing even minor infractions with death if the crime makes the Black Fist look "weak."

The reign of the Black Fist has had an adverse effect of the average citizen of Phlan. The faithful of Phlan pray to their gods for guidance and aid, yet are powerless to do much else. The Labor Guilds of Phlan vie for control over a shrinking market, while prices soar and wages diminish. The local thieves' guild, the Welcomers, have focused their efforts on the merchants of the Labor Guilds, accusing the guildfolk of abandoning the citizenry out of pure greed. In response, the Black Fist declared the Welcomers to be outlaws, and any person caught dealing with a Welcomer is imprisoned, tried, and hanged.

And so it seems that, although Phlan has survived centuries of attacks at the hands of its enemies, Phlan stands on the brink of ruin by its own hand.

## History

The founding of Phlan ultimately dates back to the days of the Synari Empire. When the Age of Winter came to Andaria, many Synari settlements fell. Phlan was no exception.

More than a thousand years later, the ruins of Phlan would be discovered by colonists from Proud Synar. Throughout the years, Phlan has been repeatedly rebuilt and once again decimated: once by a horde of orcs, once by a dragon, once in the course of the Lordsleague War, and once by pirates and reavers. Yet time and time again, like a phoenix from the ashes, Phlan would rise again, more determined than ever to carve for itself a place in the world.

In recent years, barbarian attacks in the Serpentspine Mountains to the north led to an influx of refugees to Phlan. Even as Phlan's population swelled, the death of the former Lord Protector, Anivar Daoran, created a power vacuum in the city, as Lord Protector Daoran left no heirs. In an effort to prevent Phlan from falling into full-fledged anarchy, Knight Commander Ector Brahms of the Black Fist declared martial law, naming himself Lord Regent of Phlan and seating himself upon the Cinnabar Throne.

## Locations

### Government Buildings

* Stojanow Gate: Headquarters of the Black Fist and Phlan's prison.
* Valjevo Castle: The largest structure in Phlan, castle-home of the Cinnabar Throne and currently occupied by Lord Regent Ector Brahms.

### Inns & Taverns

* The Laughing Goblin, located on Phlan's docks
* The Cracked Crown, located on Podol Plaza
* Nay Wyler's Bell
* The Bitter Blade
* The Velvet Doublet, located just off of Podol Plaza
* Madame Freona's Tea Kettle

### Temples

* The Bitch Queen's Shack: A shrine to Umberlee located on Phlan's docks.
* The Burnt Lyceum: A ruined temple formerly dedicated to Bael, now occupied by the Quiet Faithful of Lathander.
* The Dawn Fane: A cathedral dedicated to Amaunator, and the largest place of worship within the walls of Phlan.
* The Shrine of the Frostmaiden: A shrine dedicated to Auril, located in an alley off of Podol Plaza.
* Valhingen Graveyard: Phlan's cemetery and headquarters of the Faithful of Kelemvor.

### Landmarks

* Denlor's Tower: An abandoned, uninhabitable mage's tower, sealed with magical wards.
* Kuto's Well: A large, sealed well located in the center of Podol Plaza.
* Podol Plaza: The central trading market of Phlan.
* Sokol Keep: A lighthouse seated upon Thorn Island, lightly garrisoned by members of the Black Fist and House Sokol.

## Organizations

**The Black Fist:** A mercenary group and the law in Phlan. Captained by Ector Brahms, the current Lord Regent of Phlan, and tasked with keeping law and order in Phlan--a task at which they are failing.

**The Labor Guilds:** A collection of guilds that control most of the business activity in Phlan. Lately, some in Phlan have alleged that the guilds' practices, combined with the tyranny of the Black Fist, have led to severe economic hardship in the city.

**The Quiet Faithful of Lathander:** Housed in what was formerly the Black Lyceum of Bael, the Quiet Faithful of Lathander serve their god and the poor folk of Phlan through acts of charity and healing.

**The Faithful of Kelemvor:** Tenders of Phlan's massive Valhingen Graveyard, the Faithful of Kelemvor aid the deceased of Phlan in their transition to the next life. Kelemvor's Faithful generally wish to stay neutral in the political affairs of the city.

**The Welcomers:** Phlan's thieves' guild. In recent years, the Welcomers have been declared outlaws by Lord Regent Ector Brahms, and now lash out from the shadows against their rivals, the Black Fist and the Labor Guilds.