Nathlekh

Nathlekh, called the City of Cats, was a city on the Dragon Coast and the capital of the Shou nation of Nathlan around 1479 DR.

Geography
Located at the western edge of the Gulthmere Forest on the shores of the Lake of the Long Arm, Nathlekh was built around a granite plug, atop which the Pride of Nobanion stood, seemingly as an extension of the rock.

History
It was originally populated by feline lycanthropes worshiping Nobanion and Sharess. It had a significant population of mundane cats (including lions) and its mysterious rulers were known as the Cat Lords. All of these factors certainly earned it its moniker.

In 1386 DR, the Spellplague caused the ground underneath the Shou ward of the city to rise several hundred feet higher then the rest of the city. This destroyed much of the non-Shou parts of the city.

In 1394 DR, the city outlawed refugees and fey from entering the city.

Settled by more and more immigrants from Kara-Tur over the centuries, by 1479 DR, the city had become populated almost entirely by Shou and the small nation of Nathlan had grown up around it. The citizens of Nathlekh were suspicious of outsiders. They forbade anyone not of Shou descent (especially non-humans) from taking up residence in the city and restricted visitors to a single, special section of the city.

Law & Order
Under the Cat Lords, a trio of lammasu judges passed judgement once a week on lawbreakers.

Notable Locations

 * Sky District
 * This was the name given to the Shou ward of the city that rested on the high ground. During the events of the Spellplague, a slow but inexorable earth movement thrust a majority of the district several hundred feet higher than the rest of the city. Hundreds of structures along the edges of the fault were destroyed. A decade after the cataclysm, the changed landscape was known as the Sky District.


 * The Dragon Bridge
 * A wide and thick stone bridge that went from the ground near the piers on Long Arm Lake and rose in a diagonal line up to the Sky District. The bridge was so named for its supporting arches, each of which took the form of a sculpted, sinuous stone dragon. Each successively larger stone dragon statue bore the weight of its span differently. A series of three massive, gated checkpoints guarded the bridge.


 * City of the Dead
 * The so-called "city of the dead" was the graveyard district, where the deceased were interred. The area was decorated with countless clay markers and, hardened clay structures resembling beehives. The granite entry arch adorned the entrance into the graveyard.

Foreign Quarter

 * The Bear Pit
 * A western-style warehouse that hid an underground gambling den and fighting arena where bets were placed on captured dogs and other animals. The White Petal tong, who ran the establishment, occasionally had people who crossed them fight the animals. The building backed onto a confusing maze of alleyways.


 * Chiang Emporium
 * The main base of a Shou trading coster that operated along the Dragon Coast and the Sea of Fallen Stars. It was owned and operated by the Chiang Clan, a powerful family that seemed to consist entirely of women.


 * Flying Tiger Inn
 * On the outside, this inn appeared to have been built in the western style but inside, it was decorated exclusively in Shou style. It was owned and operated by Master Woo, a small bald man with a very long white mustache.


 * Four Winds tea house
 * A traditional Shou tea house owned by the influential Neng Clan. Propriety was important here and those who offended Shou social norms were asked to leave.


 * Ho Fan Dye Works
 * This old factory on East Street, located at the edge of the industrial area in the Foreign Quarter, was an old building that acted as the White Petal tong's headquarters. The tong's elderly Grandmaster Tsui Shoku lived here, well-protected by guards, traps and other defenses.


 * House of Flowers
 * The local temple of Kelemvor. Although not a Shou god, this temple was where the annual Night of Fallen Petals occurred in the city.


 * Ironhand's Forge
 * A high-quality smithy run by the shield dwarf Elmund Ironhand, who opened his business in 1469 DR and enjoyed the company of the Shou despite their haughtiness and pride.


 * Lo-Yun's butcher's shop
 * This otherwise average-looking and smelly butcher's shop stood atop a soundproofed dojo operated by the White Petal tong. Lo-Yun's pigs were quite accustomed to being fed human meat.


 * Mak Won Emporium
 * Next door to the Flying Tiger, this shop sold everything an alchemist could ever need. The owner was an elderly Shou man named Yu Mak Won.


 * Mensyn's Wares
 * A cobbler's and leatherworking shop owned by the eccentric and incredibly rich halfling Jonster Yate, one of the Seven Burghers of New Velar.


 * Snow Blossom gambling house
 * A traditional Shou building laquered in red, green, and gold with a sleeping stone dragon reclining on the roof. This popular gambling den was operated by Tak Mei as a front for the White Petal tong but its games were rigged being run by expert cheats and con men. The criminals used debts accrued by the patrons to blackmail them.


 * Temple of Tymora
 * A beautiful building run by a priest named Markle. Brother Berak (originally from Westgate) and a Shou man known as Brother Mu, helped Markle.


 * Yi Amahl's shop
 * A prophet from Almraiven sold coffee and Calishite trinkets here with his apprentice Petec.