Nepal is a mountainous landlocked country between India and Tibet. The border with Tibet is along the line of the Himalayan mountains and Nepal contains eight of the world's highest mountains. The single highest mountain, Everest, lies half in Nepal and half in Tibet. The Nepalese Sherpa people are skilled mountain guides.

The terrain and climate of Nepal varies with altitude, the Southern plains being relatively low-lying and lush, with the Northern highlands being cold and arid.

Nepal was granted its independence from the British Empire in 1923 after a long history of supporting the British in conflicts ranging from the Sepoy rebellion to the Great War. Despite this friendship Nepal has long been closed to foreigners, and those who do enter, such as diplomats and trade representatives do so by invitation of the Nepalese government and rarely see any of the country outside the capital, Kathmandu.

Nepalese culture is influenced by Tibetan culture in its Northern provinces, but these are sparsely populated and the vast majority of Nepalese are Hindu with a culture very much like that of India. Despite this Hindu domination, Nepal was the birthplace of the Buddha, Prince Siddharta, and there is a sizable Buddhist minority in the North.

In the North of the country can be found the little-known, sparsely populated kingdom of Mustang, which is the likely destination of Malcolm Quarrie's Pilgrimage of Grace.

In occult circles, the mountains of Nepal and Tibet are said to be the location of the fabled plateaus of Tsang and Leng.