Nulbish

Sixteen thousand folk inhabit this city, which has increas ingly become something of a military garrison. Nulbish's flotilla of heavy cogs and riverboats bristles with well armed and vicious troops, and many have a mage on board as well. Harnnad has shown an awareness of the value of mages, not least because the city's military commander, Magistar Vlent, is a fighter/mage who has become something of a heroic figure after his skilled defense of the city during the wars.

Two months ago, Vlent's right-hand man was exposed as a traitor and spy for the Scarlet Brotherhood by Vlent himself. None doubt the man's guilt (it needed only minimal torture to extract a confession), but many whisper that Vlent himself should be suspected by association. Harnnad has the wisdom to see that this is exactly what the Scarlet Brotherhood would want him to think; Vlent is a fine commander, and his loss would be irreplaceable. However, what worries the prince is that somehow the information about the spy became common knowledge, and he cannot discover who leaked it. Because that leak has caused public concern, bordering on unrest, he is fairly sure that it must be the work of the Brotherhood. Which, in turn, suggests they have another spy in his court.

Nulbish still has war-damaged city walls and perimeter guard towers which are currently being repaired before the winter. Behind those defenses, the city lacks the grandeur of Kalstrand or Jalpa, and city life has a tenser, more rushed quality than in those other cities. The priesthood of Hextor is strong here, though they have no leading priest of real charisma or power. Harnnad makes sure that their loyalty is to him, and not to Ivid, but that means that he must maintain constant spying on them. Among the mercenary forces brought to reinforce Nulbish after Osson's siege and the departure of the Glorioles Army are no few orcs, half-orcs, and ex-penal militias—tough and brutal creatures Harnnad is proving unwilling to release from service. Nulbish has more places to avoid than most Darmen cities, and a violent, brutal slum quarter filled with exiles and army deserters. Even the city watch does not often go there, so one takes one's life in one's hands visiting there, especially after dark.