Necropolis

In the Valley of Tombs, Necropolis is truly the prize jewel in the pale crown of this nation of the dead and undead. Humans still live here, though they tend to be sickly and malnourished, barely eking out a living from the scant arable land closest to the coast. Most of the nation-state of Necropolis is still, save for the cries of the doomed and the restless dead. It is ruled by the most powerful of the undead, who form a loose council with membership that changes regularly, as schemes and jockeying for position and power bear fruit and end the unlives of members that were not cunning of strong enough to maintain their places among the strong. The only exceptions to this infighting are the mummies, who are considered above all politics, their duty being to convey the will of the Nightmare King, and to keep order. Since the Nightmare King has indeed been known to strike down those mummy lords that do not obey his will, it is generally accepted that these undead are the leaders of Necropolis and its environs.

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Major Races: Undead, jackal-type beastfolk, humans.

Government: Theocratic necroarchy.

Nation Alignment: Lawful Evil

Major Cities:
Necropolis: The city of the dead itself. Necropolis is a place that none of the living dare to tread for very long, even if they could survive the harrowing that comes from the terrible Sea of Dust. However, it is considered one of the highest honors in most of the world to be interred in Necropolis, as the undead, surprisingly, do not disturb those laid to rest in its tombs, calling instead upon the dead found in the vast numbers of crypts to be found in the rest of the Valley of Tombs, and none know how to treat the dead better, or keep them more safe, than the guardians of Necropolis (this does not mean, however, that especially evil individuals cannot rise to undeath after internment, which does happen in Necropolis with surprising frequency). This is the primary trade that Necropolis has with the rest of the world, as well as a brisk trade in under-the-counter magic items.

Bonesnap: Set in the Sunset Range foothills to the south of the Sea of Dust, Bonesnap is the primary permanent dwelling place of the jackal beastfolk. Ruled by the oldest and most cunning jackal lords, Bonesnap acquires a surprising degree of wealth by trading with Necropolis and its surrounding cities of the dead for various ancient treasures buried in its dust, in exchange for whatever items the dead and undead might require. They are also the intermediaries that prepare and transport the bodies of the wealthy and great to Necropolis for proper internment. Few mortals anywhere know as much about the preparation and preservation of the dead as do the jackalfolk of Bonesnap, or know death so well in all its many guises.