Eberron rising from the last war

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SHAR N , C ITY OF TOWERS

I 'VE BEEN HERE A WEEK, AND IT'S STILL HARD Sham stands above the Dagger River and its eastern
not tofeel overwhelmed by the city. The towers tributary, the Hilt. It's an important port for anyone deal­
ing with Aerenal, Xen'drik, or Sarlona. Mountains line
rise up until they disappear into the clouds. Lights the shores of the Dagger, and Sham can't spread out. So
instead it has grown ever upward.
gleam in a thousand windows. Slrycoaches work
The city is primarily made up of these quarters:
their way through the maze of bridges connecting the tow­
• Central Plateau
ers, and up above I can see the burning ring of an elemen­ • Dura

tal airship. Menthis Plateau
• Northedge
Distracted by the sights in the slry, I nearry walk into a • Tavick's Landing

warforged as it brushes past me. It's myfirst time seeing At the hub of each of these quarters is a cluster of
enormous core towers. A web of bridges and platforms
one, but then there are so many things I've never seen in connects many of these vast spires, and smaller turrets
sprout from the edges of the core towers. The district of
this place. Over there, a tattooed elf haggles with a masked Skyway floats above the highest towers, while the tun­
nels of the Cogs stretch out below the lower city.
haI.fling, arguing about the price of lizard meat. Beyond
In between those extremes, each of the quarters is
them, a gargoyle watchesfrom a high perch. Igather my divided into an upper ward, a middle ward, and a lower
ward. Each ward is made up of a number of districts, so
senses and keep moving. that the location of a place in Sham can be expressed
with a combination of a ward name and a district name.
It's not until I reach the lift that I realize the warforged More information about each of the wards and the dis­
tricts in them appears later in this chapter.
stole rryr purse.
AFTERMATH OF WAR
-A newcomer to the big city
Far from the front lines, Sham never fell under siege
All the major themes of Eberron are manifest in the during the Last War. Regardless, the war's impacts af­
great city of Sham. It's a place of magic, with sky­ fected the city's citizens and continue to even today.
coaches circling mile-high towers and mystic forges toil­
ing endlessly in the bowels. It's a place of adventure and PHYSICAL DAMAGE
intrigue. A fallen angel is gathering minions in the ruins
below the city. A gang war is gaining strength in Calles­ Although Sham was never subjected to a sustained
tan. The corpse of a murdered aristocrat has just been assault, it didn't avoid damage. On many occasions,
discovered in a floating mansion. A Cannith artificer is commandos and saboteurs launched significant attacks
experimenting with a planar gateway-and something is inside Sham. The most infamous of these was the
about to go terribly wrong. All of these adventures and a Aundairian attack that brought down the floating Glass
hundred more are waiting in the City of Towers. Tower, devastating the district now known as Fallen. In
any of the lower or middle wards, you might encounter
This chapter details the city for players and DMs alike. evidence of the conflict in the form of a shattered bridge,
The DM can find additional information about the city in a building collapsed by an arcane explosion, or an area
chapter 4. some say is haunted because of the large number of peo­
ple killed there during the war.
THE SHAPE OF SHARN
PSYCHOLOGICAL SCARS
Sham i s the largest city i n Khorvaire, with a population
of half a million people. Humans make up about a third There are places in the city that house people who suf­
of that number, and dwarves are a sixth of it; the rest is fered because of the actions of other nations. For exam­
a blend of every race found across Khorvaire. Halflings, ple, many of the residents of Dura hold all Aundairians
elves, and gnomes all have a significant presence in the responsible for the destruction of Fallen. In another
city, but even kalashtar and changelings have communi­ district, folk could hate the Karrns for an undead attack
ties in Sham. Beyond the permanent population, tens of that occurred during the war, and a different group
thousands of people pass through Sham every day. Ref­
ugees from the war still find their way to the city, along
with tourists, spies, merchants, and folk hoping to find
their fortune in the grandest city in Eberron.

C HAPTER 3 I SHARN, C ITY OF TOWERS

could blame Thrane for the siege of Vathirond. These You live up high,you can touch the sky. In the middleyou
kinds of sentiments can shape the feelings of an entire
district, but in the city as a whole there are far more can still see the sun. Down on the inside low, all we have is
people who have personal burdens to carry than those
who feel resentment toward particular nations. For gloom and the constant drip, water and worse descending
instance, on an individual level, most members of the
Sharn Watch might not care about a gnoll being seen in from the city above us.
a neighborhood, but a guard who fought on the Droaam
front during the war might be out for revenge. War­ -A street urchin describing Sharn
forged are sometimes also the targets of this sort of prej­
udice; a person whose friends were killed by warforged Sharn is the most cosmopolitan city on the continent.
soldiers might resent all such creatures. Describing all the activities and offerings in the city
could fill an entire book. Here's a summary of what you
S H ORTAGE S need to know to appreciate the city to the fullest.

Because the ink is barely dry on the Treaty of Throne­ WATC H YOUR STEP!
hold and relationships between the signatories are
still being normalized, Sharn doesn't currently benefit As befits the City of Towers, Sharn i s also a city of
from a lot of commerce with other nations. Problems bridges and balconies. These thoroughfares and out­
could arise from a short supply of any imported goods, croppings can be extremely narrow or comfortably wide.
whether this manifests as inflated prices, the need for Although most of them are bounded by walls or railings,
rationing, or certain items being simply unavailable. The there's always a chance that during your time in Sharn,
factors of supply and demand also play into smuggling you or someone you know will go over the edge. So, how
and the black market; some desirable goods might be do residents cope with this risk?
available only through the Boromar Clan.
Those who can afford it usually carry a feather to-
REFUGEES AND VICTIMS ken as insurance. No token? Don't panic! Because of
the maze of bridges and spans connecting the towers,
Cyran refugees have filled the district of High Walls in there's an excellent chance that you won't fall more
Lower Tavick's Landing beyond capacity, and Sharn is than a hundred feet before impacting on a lower bridge.
also home to a significant number of refugees from else­ Though this alone might seem like small comfort, it's
where in Breland-people whose homes and villages also true that the major bridges in the upper and middle
were destroyed during the war, and who have come to wards are enchanted with feather fall effects that trigger
Sharn in search of new lives. The city also has its share automatically, keeping you from crushing an innocent
of other people harmed during the war, soldiers and ci­ passerby in your descent.
vilians with severe physical or psychological injuries. All
these folk are most likely to be found in the lower wards. Many different outcomes could follow a lengthy fall.
They aren't just poor; they're suffering-and they might The Falling in Sharn table presents a few possibilities.
seek vengeance against those they blame for their pain.
FA L LI N G I N S H A R N
GUIDE TO THE CITY d8 Result

WHEN YOU LIVE ON THE INSIDE LOW, YOU NEVER SEE You fal l h u n d reds of feet before stri king the ground at
the base ofthe towers.
the sun. People hear "towers, " they think ofgraceful little 2 You fal l 3d6 x 10 feet before stri king a bridge. A major
bridge i n a n upper or a m i d d le ward will h ave a feather
spires, the sort of thingyou see poking up in the corner of fall enchantment; otherwise, it's going to be a hard
landing.
your lord's keep. We've got those, and lots of 'em. But the 3 You fal l 2d4 x 10 feet and land in a passing skycoach,
possibly i njuring a passenger.
foundation of the city is the core towers. The walls of these 4 You fa l l 4d4 x 5 feet and strike an outcroppi ng, flag­
pole, or projecting statue. Ifyou survive, you're still
towers are so thickyou couldfityour lord's castle in one. precariously perched on the edge of a tower or bridge.
5 You fal l past a hippogriff- m a ke a successful DC 1 5
You'vegotyour outside districts whereyou get the open Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to catch its leg!
6 A gargoyle or giant owl catches you-then threatens
air, built on the bridges and platforms that connect the to d rop you if it doesn't get a reward.
7 You can fly! Actual ly, a nearby wizard or artificer casts
core towers together. You 've got the little turrets, built featherfall to save you , but for a moment it felt l i ke
you can fly. And now the spel lcaster wants payment.
on the core tower walls and the bridges between. You 've 8 You strike a small a i r elemental that was d rawn to the
city. Doing this cush ions your fall, but now you're on
got thefolk in the middle, who live and work in the walls top of an air elemental.

themselves. And then you 've got those of us on the in­

side, our districts entirely contained in the hollow well

of a great tower. Whenyou look up in Callestan,you see

twinkling lights, to be sure. But those aren't stars, and that

isn't the sky. You 're looking up through a mile of bridges

and platforms crossing the well, looking up at the districts

aboveyou.

1 52 C HAPTER 3 I S HARN, C ITY OF TOWERS

-- THE --

SMA�n �nou�S�l�W�

WATCH FO R

FALLI NG DRU N KS

Just this week a Brelish woman in Middle Central was
squashed to death when a drunk Cyran man fell on
her from the upper wards. He survived. A good Brelish
woman, a veteran of the Last War, cushioned his fall!

This incident isn't the first of its kind. Last month a
clumsy warforged crushed two innocent halfling lovers.
Before that, a shifter thief fell from a tower, injuring an
unsuspecting griffon. I propose a new law: No traveling
the middle or upper wards without a feather token. These
affordable trinkets are all that stand between our safety
and death caused by some rat who would rather spend
gold on drink.

C OMM UNICATION SERVIC E S

Need to get a message to someone? I fyou're not in a
hurry, the Orien post has boxes throughout the city;
you can mail a letter for 1 cp. Hiring a courier generally
costs between 5 cp and 5 gp, depending on the size of
the package and where you need it delivered. You can
find Sivis message stations in almost every upper and
middle ward, and if you absolutely have to contact some­
one instantly, the Sivis enclave in the Dragon Towers
district (Middle Central) can perform a sending spell
for 200 gp.

House Tharashk has brought an innovation to mes­
sage delivery in Sharn: the use of gargoyles. Tharashk
has several of these creatures in its employ, and these
flying couriers are a quick way to get a message across
the city. If you spot a gargoyle without a burden, you
can flag it down, and it costs 5 gp to deliver a letter or a
small package.

SPELLCASTI NG SERVICES

Magewrights and adepts can b e found i n every district
of Sharn, selling their services. Standard prices are
summarized on the Magewright Casting Fees table.

MAGEWRIGHT CASTING FEES

Spell Level Price

1 st 25 gp
2nd so gp
3rd 100 gp

These costs can vary depending on the spell and the
spellcaster, and they don't include the price of expensive
components. People who can cast higher-level spells are
rare, typically found only in the dragonmarked houses
or the wizard circles; the cost and availability of such
services varies based on the caster.

L I FESTYLE A N D STA N DA R D S OF L I V I N G The Panaceum has an altar that can be used to per­
form raise dead, but this service isn't without its risks.
I n Sharn, a s i n any large com m u nity, d i fferent segments Sometimes the wrong spirit returns to a body, or ma­
of the population occupy different places in the economic levolent ghosts or wraiths might escape from the neth­
spectrum. The terms that D&D uses to quantify lifestyle erworld along with the person being raised. Before the
expenses-wretched, squalid, poor, modest, comfortable, healers take gold to perform a resurrection, a jorasco
wealthy, and aristocratic (see " Expenses" i n chapter 5 of adept will first cast augury. If this divination indicates
the Player's Handbook)-are also used in this chapter as looming disaster, the adept will reject the request.
an indicator of what it costs for someone to live in a given
area, and also of the costs of goods and services there. A few divine spellcasters in Sharn can raise the dead,
notably the high priest of the Undying Court in Shae
For i nstance, a restaurant that i s said to serve food Lias. These devout clerics rarely sell their services,
of comfortable qual ity is one where a patron who lives however, and the high priest would need a compelling
a comfortable lifestyle (or better) can afford a nyth ing reason to help someone who has different beliefs.
on the menu.
HOLI DAYS
EDUCATION AND RE SEARC H
There's always a celebration happening or about to hap­
Morgrave University, though not the most respectable pen in Sharn, whether it's a parade in a single district or
institution of higher learning in Khorvaire, has an ex­ a festival that ranges across the entire city. Here are a
tensive library that boasts definitive collections of lore few special occasions to put on your calendar.
in certain fields, particularly arcana, dungeoneering,
geography, and history. Characters seeking knowledge THE TAI N GALA (FIRST FAR OF EACH MONTH)
in any of these fields or others ought to be able to find re­
sources in the library to aid their search. The university The ir'Tains are the richest and most powerful family in
is an excellent source of sages who hire their services Sharn. Each month, Lady Celyria ir'Tain holds a ball at
out on a short- or long-term basis. Even those who pro­ her Skyway mansion. The guest list defines the current
fess to be sages but have no connection to the university social order of the city; those families who hold perma­
tend to cluster around Morgrave, with their homes and nent invitations, known as the Sixty, are the de facto roy­
businesses almost all located in the University, Den'iyas, alty of Sharn. Celyria does invite unusual guests and at­
and Ivy Towers districts of Upper Menthis. tractions each month, and an up-and-coming entertainer
or a renowned folk hero might catch her notice.
Another important site for certain kinds of research is
the City Archive, in the Highest Towers district of Upper CRYSTALFALL (9 0LARUNE)
Central. The archive contains exhaustive historical doc­
uments of Sharn; birth, death, and marriage records; During the Last War, saboteurs caused a floating tower
and copies of legal documents such as identification to fall into Lower Dura. This devastation can still be
papers and letters of marque issued in the city. Access seen today in the district now known as Fallen. On 9
to these records, however, is more restricted than to the Olarune, people gather to remember those who were
contents of the Morgrave library. lost that day. Many of them carry on a tradition of craft­
ing elaborate ice sculptures and throwing them into the
Those who want to further their research through Dagger River.
some hands-on experience might find undiscovered lore
in the lowest regions of Sharn, where sewers and tun­ THE DAY OF MOURNING (20 0LARUNE)
nels snake through ancient ruins. Similarly, the crypts
of the City of the Dead might hold some relevant histori­ The nation of Cyre was destroyed in 994 YK on this
cal information. date, known as the Day of Mourning. Although that
event had an impact on everyone in Khorvaire, this day
SHOPPING CENTERS of remembrance is especially significant to Cyran sur­
vivors. It is a time when Cyrans come together to recall
Sharn contains a number of major shopping districts. their lost kingdom. Some tell stories or sing traditional
The Tradefair district in Middle Central focuses on songs, ensuring that their culture isn't forgotten. Other
top-quality goods-everything you'll need to maintain a survivors still seethe with anger at the enemies who
wealthy or aristocratic lifestyle. North Market in Lower brought Cyre down, and thus far the holiday has been
Northedge has a fine selection of common goods. Al­ marked by a brief upturn in violence.
most anything can be found in the Bazaar of Middle
Dura, as long as you're not concerned about the origin of SUN'S BLESSING (15 THERENDOR)
secondhand goods. Tavick's Market in Middle Tavick's
Landing is a center for produce and other goods brought The festival of Doi Arrah is a day of peace and a time
in from the farms and artisan workshops outside Sharn. when enemies are urged to find a peaceful resolution to
their conflicts. It's one of the safest days in the city for
HEALING visitors and residents alike.

House Jorasco operates houses of healing throughout AUREON'S CROWN (26 DRAVAGO)
the city, largely in the middle and upper wards. The
Panaceum in Dragon Towers (Middle Central) is the Elders share their knowledge with the young during
primary Jorasco enclave. The houses' services use the this celebration. Morgrave University holds its graduate
prices in this book's introduction. services on this day, and a day-long schedule of public
lectures is presented at the Great Hall of Aureon in Up­
per Menthis.

1 54 C HAPTER 3 I SHARN, C ITY OF TOWERS