EMBASSY

“I hate patrolling embassy row. Break up the wrong fist fight, and you might find yourself at war with a realm you’ve never even heard of.”

—Cholak, city watch rookie

Social Class: Upper.

Power Center: Often—nonstandard (foreign nobles).

Buildings: Embassies (10%), diplomatic residences (20%), fine lodging (14%), fine food (17%), exotic trades (7%), fine trades (15%), fine residences (15%).

Description: Most foreigners in a city dwell in the poorer quarters, limited by both local prejudice and lack of understanding of other customs—but few governments want to risk angering other nations. Thus, ambassadors, offi cials, and visiting nobles from abroad are often housed in an embassy district, if insuffi cient room is available in other upper-class neighborhoods. In some cities, the buildings here are of fi ne quality, but still designed in the local style. Particularly in cities that deal most often with one or two nations, builders make some effort to design in specifi c foreign styles, The ambient sound of the area is noticeably different from the rest of the city, due to the unusual languages and accents of the inhabitants, and exotic clothes and fashions abound. Embassy districts are well guarded, and people without legitimate business in the area are brusquely escorted elsewhere.

Plot Hook: An emissary of a country hostile to the PCs (or perhaps to a family member or ancestor of one of the PCs) has taken up residence in the embassy district. Since his or her arrival, the characters have encountered substantial political diffi culty and have been the targets of increasing “random” attacks in the streets. Is this the work of the foreign ambassador? And if it is, what can the PCs do about it? Even if he is proven guilty, the emissary might claim diplomatic immunity.