Quatar
In the glory days of the Nehekharan Empire Quatar was also known as the White Palace and it served to guard the holy Valley of the Kings, which today is known as the Charnel Valley or, as the nomads call it, the Valley of the Dead. It was a great place famous for its gigantic, towering monoliths of the venerable Nehekharan gods and kings of the past. As such the ruler of Quatar was not only its Priest King but also its Grand Vizier. The Valley of the Kings had to be protected from the heathen desert dwellers and from the ubiquitous goblinoids and it was a most religious calling.
Quatar palace itself, today known as the Palace of Corpses, is built into the canyons walls of the valley itself. Great pillars have been carved from the valley rockface and line the hundreds of steps that lead to the palace gates. Long ago pilgrims from all over the empire flocked to this place and prayed before the statues of the gods and kings. Most of the pilgrims journeyed to the palace bare footed and did not rest once they got there but climbed the hundreds of steps where they received the blessing of the Grand Vizier. Even nobles made the journey to Quatar but most of them did not choose to walk, let alone go bare foot, though a few of the pious ones did. Any ruler who took the pilgrimage to Quatar was certain to make himself very popular with his people.
Despite Quatar's place in the heart of all Nehekharan's as a most holy place, the Grand Vizier did not hesitate to impose rather hefty duty on everyone and everything passing through the Valley of the Kings, as indeed it was the only safe means by which anyone could reach the eastern empire of Lahmia, Lybaras, Rasetra and Mahrak; the only other ways of course were to traverse the dangerous and narrow passes in the World's Edge Mountains or by sailing around the coast of the Southlands and port at Lybaras. Naturally the taxes gained were necessary to provide for the Vizier's army, the upkeep of the White Palace, and of course for the great holy monoliths that guarded the valley's entrance. Quatar's coffers were rarely low on funds and as a result the Grand Vizier and his priesthood lived in extreme luxury.
Popular Nehekharan legend said that the statues of the Valley of the Kings would come to life should it look like Quatar would fall. This in fact prevented the other Priest Kings from moving against it because they feared not only the monoliths would come alive but feared the wrath of the gods should they sack the holy palace. The Grand Vizier and his priesthood were only too happy to play on these fears. However, today the monoliths do indeed seem to have a life of their own thanks to Quatar's last Grand Vizier who was Sehenesmet. Not surprisingly he believed in the afterlife and had all of the previous Grand Viziers' bodies destroyed so that when the time of awakening came he would be the only one to rule Quatar and he cared little for the consequences for his actions. When Nagash unleashed the dreadful plague everyone died in Quatar, including the Grand Vizier. As he lay dying Sehenesmet took it that he was being punished by the gods for destroying the bodies of the other Grand Viziers but it was after he awoke after death that he learnt of Nagash's treachery and his dreadful sorcery and swore that he would have his revenge one day.
Sehenesmet was appalled to find his beautiful palace, and not least the monoliths, nothing but shattered ruins; the byproduct of a thousand years of neglect. Now an immortal Undead creature, the Grand Vizier of Quatar has had plenty of time to rebuild his palace and hulking monoliths. He also began to learn other incantations that would allow him to animate and subsequently control Quatar's statues; hieroglyphs of awakening and binding were inscribed on every monolith. It is said that he has even animated the great stone guardian of Quatar, shaped in a hybrid form of lion and eagle. The stories of the priest of Quatar and his walking statues has reached the lands of Araby to the west but those who talk about it do so in hushed tones. Not even the goblinoids of the mountains dare enter Quatar or the Charnel Valley for they are terrified of the towering monoliths whether they walk or not. All who enter the valley are lost forever.