The Foreign Canton

The shell of the compound is tall, about fifty feet high, and constructed primarily of ruststone quarried from Thaymount. It is shaped like a large gold brick, trapezoidal on the sides, with less area on the roof than the foundation; a smaller, similarly-shape brick sits atop the other. The second tier comprises about ten feet of the structure's overall height. The larger brick shape is indented in several places, mostly for stylistic purposes. Blackened steel braces the corners, and buttresses the second tier, again, mostly for architectural license.

There is only one entrance to the compound. From the main thoroughfare, a road stretches over 200 feet, with 15 feet of width, to the outer wall of the city. Where it meets the wall, there is a gate into the compound. The entire road is covered by grated iron arches, through which it is impossible for anything larger than an insect to fly (though hummingbirds have been known to squeeze through to sample the flowered vines that drape the inside of the arches).

The gate itself is triply redundant. Two heavy iron portcullises, interlocking such that neither can be opened without the other first being closed, make for the primary security. A third gate, of solid adamantium, can slam down between the two, when the need arises. It is powered by a focused reverse gravity spell, which can be suppressed by any of three lever-switches in three different observation rooms throughout the compound. Very few people know the correct incantations to cause the gate to rise back into its slot in the wall.

Walls of Force are embedded permanently in the ruststone walls of the compound. The entire interior is dimensionally locked. The only person known to have the ability to bypass this lock is The Tharchioness, though it is assumed any Zulkir could as well.

The interior of the compound is laid out like a city block. Large skylights illuminate the walkways inside the compound, as wide as roads and similarly paved. The dusky light on the shell's interior is usually augmented by Everburning Braziers provided by The Church of Kossuth.

The embassies are closest to the entrance, in an area of the canton known as The Plaza. This area consists of a large square plaza, encircled by two concentric square "rings" of interior road. The plaza and the roads serve as a duty-free, unregulated foreign marketplace. Due to space considerations, merchants must pay a hefty fine to set up shop, and pay by the hour, with deals negotiated no longer than one day in advance. The fine is balanced to keep the marketplace reasonably full without overcrowding.

In addition to foreign embassies, there are several public and private forums to access in this area. These are usually used for business or government meetings with foreign officials. There are also a number of high-rent domiciles within The Plaza, usually occupied by foreign nationals.

Furthest from the entrance is the Hall of Ways itself.