The Shunned Street

The Shunned Street was the name given to a particularly dangerous alley in Urmlaspyr, Sembia, circa the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR. It earned this bad reputation because it was the entrance to a secret enclave of the Red Wizards of Thay who guarded it very strictly. Beggars and street thieves were the first to take note of how often people entered the alley and never came back out, and they coined the name.

Location
The Shunned Street was located in the warehouse district of Urmlaspyr. Buildings on both sides of the alley were owned by the Red Wizards. The back sides of the buildings were a short walk down to the first bend in the lane.

Structure
The building on one side of the alley contained the safe house, while the building on the other side was rigged with traps for the overly curious.

Interior
The entrance to the "safe" building was a very wide door in the center of the back wall that opened inward. Inside was a single room that was as wide as the warehouse but only a few paces deep. A solid wall separated this area from the rest of the building, forming a false back wall to the warehouse space. To the left of the entrance at the end of the room was a large crate for holding prisoners or potential slaves. It was outfitted with chains, manacles, and gags. From there to nearly the other end of the long room was storage space for goods, contraband, supplies, and rations. At the far right end of the room was an illusory wall made to look like a dirty stone wall with cobwebs. Beyond this illusion, about one foot (30 centimeters) deep, was a portal to a citadel in rural Thay called Thardaunleiyar.

One of the support pillars in the safe house had a concealed drawer that contained some small, useful magic items. These included three cure moderate wounds potions and scrolls for casting obscuring mist, magic missile, wall of stone, screen, and rope trick.