The Merchant Princes of Port Nyanzaru
Seven merchant princes rule Port Nyanzaru, each one with an equal vote in matters of state. All are Chultan. Their single qualification is that they’re the seven richest people in the city. Their seat of governance is Goldenthrone, an old, regal Amnian palace overlooking the bay. A merchant prince who retires can yield his or her position to a family member or someone else of immense wealth agreed on by the majority.
The merchant princes surround themselves with loyal family and underlings, but they also employ foreign mercenaries both as city guards and as personal guards. Most of these mercenaries are Zhents, and where one finds the Zhentarim, one can also find Harper spies.
The merchant princes have specific monopolies on all merchandise sold in the city. Characters in need of gear or supplies must deal through these individuals directly or their consortiums indirectly. The only alternative is to resort to the black markets in Malar’s Throat or Tiryki Anchorage.
Ekene-Afa
A popular gladiator that rose to political prominence during the Chultan rebellion against the Amnians, Ekene-Afa led the Chultan rebels in the rebellion. After the successful revolution, Ekene-Afa remained in the city as one of the seven Merchant Princes. She would have the support of the populace if she decided to make a bid for the complete rulership of Port Nyanzaru, but she does not have any interest in that role.Ifan Talro'a
Once beholden to the Amnians, Ifan Talro'a betrayed his Amnian masters by assisting the rebellion by negotiating an alliance with the Flaming Fist. For his assistance and influence over the meat and beast trade, Ifan took his place as one of the seven Merchant Princes. In the years since the revolution, Prince Talro'a has profited greatly from his commercial empire and trade with Baldur's Gate and the Flaming Fist.Jessamine
A quiet and attentive woman, Jessamine is the most mysterious of the Merchant Princes. She says little about her past, but she is of Chultan decent and has formed an undercity empire built on her own knowledge and expertise. She sells rare plants, dyes, and spices, but her real profits come from her sale of information. While she spends a great deal of time managing her spy network, she also has a family that she will do anything to protect.Jobal
A former jungle guide who ventured back to Port Nyanzaru with a great deal of treasure, the scarred Jobal is the least princely of the Merchant Princes. Unlike his peers, Jobal rose to his position through intimidation and employs many deplorable individuals. He maintains a firm control over the mock-court of the Beggar Princes and employs some of the capable and reliable gangs of the city.Kwayothé
Merchent Prince Kwayothé was barely a teenager when she caught the eye of one of the wealthiest Amnian merchant lords of Port Nyanzaru. After years of humiliation and abuse by the Amnian merchant lord as his concubine, she finally took her chance for vengeance during the revolution. She betrayed her master to her kinsfolk and seized his mercantile assets. In a truly ironic turn of fate, she took her master's role as political leader and merchant prince of Port Nyanzaru, though she loathes aristocracy in all forms. In the years since the revolution, she has become a devout follower of the fire god Kossuth and zealously practices the rituals sacred to that faith.Wakanga O'tamu
As the surviving student of Mezro's arcane traditions, Wakanga O'tamu was persecuted under the Amnian rule of Port Nyanzaru. In a bid for freedom to practice his art, he aided the revolution in a pivotal capacity and was rewarded with the position as one of the seven Merchant Princes of the city. This role has suited his aims well, as he has been able to protect his business interests by remaining the only magical artisan of Port Nyanzaru.Zhanthi
Of royal lineage and wise demeanor, Zhanthi is a skilled trader and political diplomat. The matriarch of ancient and wealthy Chultan family, Zhanthi is acutely aware of her elderly disposition and seeks to use her remaining prestige to secure her family's future. Her son Shago has proven to be a competent and well-measured man so Zhanthi has no concern for her line's future under his stewardship, but she is distrustful of her peers. She has her disturbing rumors concerning Chultan royalty since the events of the Death Curse and has played the political game long enough to know that several of her peers may look to use her death as an opportunity to seize her family's future.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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