Sharn - City of Towers

CONTENTS Chapter 3: Chapter 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS
Power and Politics............ 107 Heroes and Magic ............ 157
Introduction...................... 7
The Government of Sharn .... 107 Feats ................................ 157
Chapter 1: The Dragonmarked Houses ... 112 Equipment ........................ 158
A Visitor’s Guide ................ 9 Foreign Powers................... 115
Alchemical Substances ...... 158
What Brings You to Sharn? .....11 Aerenal ......................... 115 Goods ........................... 158
Antiquities .......................12 Aundair......................... 116 Drugs............................ 159
Banking...........................12 Cyre ............................. 116 Services and Spellcasting ... 161
Commerce (General)..........12 Darguun ........................ 119 Prestige Classes .................. 162
Communication ................12 Droaam ......................... 119 Cannith Wand Adept ........ 162
Companionship.................14 Karrnath ....................... 119 Citadel Elite ................... 163
Criminal Purposes.............14 The Lhazaar Sharn Skymage................ 165
Dining ............................15 Other Prestige Classes
Education ........................17 Principa lities ............... 120
Employment .....................17 The Mror Holds .............. 120 for Sharn .................... 167
Entertainment ..................17 Riedra ........................... 120 Magic ............................... 168
Exotic Services ..................18 Q’barra ......................... 121 Spells ............................... 168
Find Someone ...................19 The Talenta Plains ........... 121 Magic Items ....................... 169
Gateway to Xen’drik ...........19 Thrane .......................... 121
Healing .......................... 20 Valenar.......................... 122 Chapter 7:
Hiding ............................21 Zilargo .......................... 122 Monsters and Encounters... 173
Hired Help.......................21
Legal Aid ........................ 22 Chapter 4: Nonplayer Characters .......... 173
Magic Items, Law and Order ................125 NPC Artificer ................. 173
Buying or Selling ........... 22
News .............................. 22 Using the Law .................... 125 Schemers in the Shadows ...... 175
Paying Taxes .................... 22 Breaking the Law ................ 127 The Aurum .................... 175
Pilgrimage Destinations ..... 22 The Dreaming Dark ......... 175
Places to Live ................... 22 Crimes of Aggression........ 127 The Children of Winter..... 176
Places to Stay.................... 23 Crimes of Deception......... 128 Cults of the
Research ......................... 23 Crimes of Property........... 128 Dragon Below............... 176
Spellcasting ..................... 23 Misuse of Magic............... 129 The Lords of Dust ............ 176
Storage ........................... 24 Treason ......................... 130 The Order of the
Transportation................. 24 Local Laws ..................... 130 Emerald Claw............... 176
Weather ......................... 24 The Fugitive from Justice...... 130 The Radiant Cults............ 176
Worship .......................... 24 Facing the Music ................. 131
Evaluation ...................... 132 Urban Monsters.................. 176
Buildings and Businesses ....... 24 Trial by Jury ................... 132 Feral Spirit........................ 178
Population and The Wages of Sin ................ 132 Forgewraith ....................... 179
Imprisonment ................. 132 Radiant Idol ...................... 180
Demographics .................. 26 Fines............................. 132 Rancid Beetle Swarm ........... 182
History of the City ............... 28 Hard Labor .................... 133 Rancid Beetle Zombie .......... 183
Festivals and Diversions......... 30 Branding ....................... 133 Roach Thrall ..................... 183
Mystical Punishment ........ 134 Spiretop Dragon................. 185
Chapter 2: Exile ............................. 134
Life in Sharn ................... 35 Outlaw .......................... 134 Chapter 8:
Execution....................... 134 A Sharn Campaign .......... 187
City Architecture................. 35 Special Services ............... 134
City Districts ...................... 38 The Forces of the Law .......... 134 Themes and Flavor .............. 187
Central Plateau ................... 38 Pace and Advancement ......... 187
Cliffside ............................ 50 Chapter 5:
Dura ..................................51 Guilds and Organizations... 145 Advancement
Menthis Plateau................... 66 and Treasure................ 188
Northedge.......................... 78 Adventurers Guilds ............. 145
Skyway............................... 85 The Circle of Song .............. 145 Nonmonetary Rewards ...... 188
Tavick’s Landing.................. 87 Wizards Circles .................. 146 Dynamic Setting.................... 189
The Cogs .......................... 99 Mercenary Services: ............ 148
City of the Dead.................. 103 House Deneith ................... 148 PCs as Citizens................... 192
Organized Crime ............... 149 Corpses ............................ 192

JA

In the City of Towers, a thousand
secrets whisper in the night, and a
thousand tales unfold before the
moons reach their zenith …

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION

A mission set up to guide the lost souls life. It is, nevertheless, a hotbed of activity, an ideal
of Lower Dura toward new, productive location to set an adventure or an entire campaign.
lives sells its most hopeless cases to a cult This book is your guide to the city, written to give
that needs victims for human sacrifice. life to a campaign set among the towers.
A wealthy scholar hires adventurers
to pick up a parcel for him at the waterfront, but Chapter One: A Visitor’s Guide offers an
another group of adventurers, hired by the rightful overview of the city, its wards and districts, its
owner of the stolen artifact, attacks them there. history and holidays. The bulk of the chapter is
A simple robbery in a nondescript alchemy a visitor’s guide to the city, providing an orien-
shop propels adventurers into the depths of the tation to the many goods and services available.
city in search of a ring of thieves with an interest As the saying goes, “If it can be bought, it can be
in releasing a long-forgotten demon lord. bought here.”
Agents of Droaam attack a Knight of the Cita-
del, and the dying knight begs the adventurers who Chapter Two: Life in Sharn discusses each
fought off the assassins to take a mystical talisman district of the city in detail. The chapter presents
to the Knight-Marshal. each ward in turn, provides some statistics about
A world-weary adventurer recruits allies for one each district in the ward, and highlights important
last expedition into the heart of Xen’drik, while the locations within each district.
Emerald Claw plans sabotage and revenge.
Every day, a hundred adventures unfold in the Chapter Three: Power and Politics discusses
City of Towers. Heroes arise and meet their doom; the role of the city council, the Lord Mayor, the
treasures are unearthed, stolen, and recovered; Brelish crown, and the dragonmarked houses in
and villains plot unending schemes of wickedness charting the course of events in the city. It also
to unleash upon the city. In districts from soaring touches on the adventuring possibilities of intrigue
Skyway to the sweltering Cogs, thousands upon and diplomacy.
thousands of people from every race and nation toil
and play, eat, drink, and die among the towers. Chapter Four: Law and Order discusses
Sharn is known by many names, including The the laws of the city as well as the Galifar Code
City of Towers, The City of Knives, The City of Lost of Justice.
Souls, The City of a Thousand Eyes, The Gateway
to Xen’drik, and The Gateway to Perdition. Chapter Five: Guilds and Organizations
The city inspires a range of emotions, from awe focuses on organizations that player characters
to disgust. Its architecture and the pervasive magic of might join or have significant interaction with.
flight, the bustling activity of its towers, the tremendous The benefits of membership are discussed alongside
array of cultural, culinary, and commercial delights sample characters.
it offers, and its proximity to the lost continent of
Xen’drik draw pilgrims and adventurers from around Chapter Six: Heroes and Magic presents rules
the world. Its crime rates, the debauchery offered options designed for player characters who make
among its many entertainments, the well-known their residence in the city. New prestige classes,
corruption of its leaders, and the threat of ancient feats, spells, and mundane and magic items open
monsters lurking beneath its sewers provoke fear and new possibilities for PCs.
censure from those of less adventurous spirit.
Sharn is the largest city of Khorvaire, though Chapter Seven: Monsters and Encounters
not the most important in its political or economic details nonplayer characters, organizations that
serve primarily as threats to player characters, and
several new monsters found within the city. It also
discusses the types of monsters that thrive in an
urban environment.

Chapter Eight: A Sharn Campaign includes
suggestions and information useful to the Dungeon
Master who wants to set a campaign in Sharn.

7

Gavir wanted the land and
gold promised to the winner
of the Race of the Eight
Winds, and he wasn’t about to let
some pegasus-riding human reach
the finish line ahead of him . . .

CHAPTER ONE A VISITOR'S GUIDE

A VISITOR’S
GUIDE

S harn, the largest city on the continent Most of Sharn’s neighborhoods are vertically
of Khorvaire and one of the defining stratified. For example, while Menthis Plateau is
locations of the nation of Breland, looms known as a center of entertainment, the type and
atop an inhospitable outcropping of rock quality of entertainment available varies among
near the mouth of the Dagger River. The the different levels of the towers. The upper levels
City of Towers rises high into the cloud-filled sky, (usually referred to as “Upper Menthis”) offer high
growing upward within the limited space available on art in the forms of opera, theater, and symphony,
a plateau bounded on the west and south by the Dagger as well as housing Morgrave University and a thriv-
River and its eastern tributary, the Hilt. To the north ing community of writers and other artists. The
and east, steep cliffs define the city’s boundaries, middle levels (“Middle Menthis”) house a thriv-
while deep chasms formed by volcanic action cut the ing theater district with more affordable shows, a
plateau into five distinct regions: Dura on the west, large number of professional minstrels, acrobats,
Tavick’s Landing on the east, Northedge to the north, and similar entertainers, and a year-round circus
and the Central Plateau and Menthis Plateau in the complete with animals. The lower levels (“Lower
center. Along the Dagger River at the western edge of Menthis”) contain a very different sort of theater
the city, the neighborhood of Cliffside is built upon district marked by burlesque shows, a red light
and into the steep riverside cliffs. Above the highest district, and a great number of taverns for cheap
towers, the neighborhood of Skyway floats over the and bawdy entertainment.
city. The city also extends underground, into sewers
and long-forgotten ruins, and deeper to the furnaces A long wall rings the Central Plateau at its lowest
and foundries of the Cogs. level, interrupted by towers along its entire length.
Inside the wall, structures rise higher and higher
Sharn sits within a manifest zone linked to toward the tallest towers near the middle, creating
Syrania, the Azure Sky (see Chapter 5: Magic in the a great artificial mountain at the heart of the city.
EBERRON Campaign Setting). This manifest zone enhances Mostly populated by the upper and middle classes, the
magic related to flying and levitation, which makes Central Plateau houses the seat of the city’s govern-
many of Sharn’s magical wonders possible. The vast ment, its wealthiest citizens, and its finest businesses.
majority of the magic items used within the city to Embassies from other nations, important represen-
facilitate flight only function because of the mani- tatives of the dragonmarked houses, and banks are
fest zone, and work less well or not at all beyond its found here as well.
boundaries. See Chapter 5: Heroes and Magic for
more information about the manifest zone. Menthis Plateau serves as the entertainment
hub of the city, and is home to Morgrave University

SHARN BY THE NUMBERS

Using the standard format for presenting city statis- 17% dwarf, 9% halfling, 9% goblinoid, 8% gnome,

tics, Sharn looks something like this: 7% elf, 5% half-elf, 4% shifter, 3% changeling, 2%

Sharn (Metropolis): Conventional (town orc and half-orc, 1% warforged, 1% kalashtar, 1%

council), Nonstandard (dragonmarked houses), other races).

Nonstandard (the Citadel), Nonstandard (criminal Authority figures within the city appear

guilds); AL N; 100,000 gp limit; Assets 1,125,720,000 throughout this book.

gp; Population 211,850; Integrated (33% human,

9

N

WE CITY OF
THE DEAD
and a variegated quilt of different races. Certainly
S NORTHEDGE the most trendy of Sharn’s quarters, Menthis is a pop-
ular tourist destination. No walls surround Menthis,
DAGGER though its tallest towers are spread along its outer rim.
RIVER The enormous dome of Morgrave University, ringed
by five tall, slender towers, stands near the center of
DURA the plateau.

CENTRAL Northedge, the most residential of Sharn’s
PLATEAU quarters, contains everything from towertop pent-
houses in the heights to tightly packed apartments
CLIFFSIDE TAVICK’S on the lower levels. Aside from a marketplace
LANDING district near the bottom of the towers, Northedge
is a quiet neighborhood with little commerce and
MENTHIS little crime.
PLATEAU
Dura, the largest quarter in Sharn, covers the
SHARN OVERVIEW THE great expanse of the western plateau from the cliffs
HILT overlooking the Dagger River to the crevasse of the
Western Cog. It is also the poorest, excepting the
Cogs, with even its topmost levels solidly middle class.
Dura mixes various businesses and housing, never
approaching a true residential district but holding
a number of apartments, tenements, and (near the
bottom) slums. The lower levels of Dura include a
large population of immigrants from Darguun and
Droaam, forming a neighborhood of goblinoids
and other monstrous residents.

Cliffside is a neighborhood perched precari-
ously on the side of the cliffs above the Dagger River
and Sharn’s waterfront. It includes the waterfront

A VERTICAL CITY

Sharn rises from five distinct plateaus. While each survive. Few windows and only the occasional bal-

plateau has its own unique feel and personality, you cony or skybridge can be found among these levels,

have to remember that the city also rises vertically where the tower foundations grow close together

into the usually cloud-filled sky. So, while the city and seem to merge with each other in ways almost

is divided into horizontal neighborhoods, it is also unimagined in the higher sections of the city.

divided and stratified vertically. Beneat h the Lower-City, the weight of Sharn’s

Take a typical tower block in the Central Pla- towers seems to crush all memories of the Depths.

teau. Starting at the uppermost level of the city, Sewer networks fill the upper regions of the Depths

Skyway floats above the Central Plateau’s tallest before giving way to the ancient ruins and forgot-

towers that actually touch the ground. The Upper- ten levels of earlier ages. Passages and shafts are

City sees the most light and enjoys the freshest air, neglected, and many have collapsed over the centu-

and consequently the most well to do members of ries, but who knows what wonders and horrors roam

society live and work among the skybridges and these vaults that have been abandoned by those living

platforms and balconies that extend from the higher in the city.

uppermost towers. At the very base of the city, beneath ground

Dropping down to the next section, we come to level, lies the Cogs, whose great foundries and

the Middle-City. This part of the city is a bit more massive forges fuel Sharn’s industrial economy.

enclosed than the section above it, but there are still Shafts and tunnels that bypass the Depths lead

open-air balconies and platforms here and there. A directly to the Cogs.

wide range of middle-class citizens live and work in In all, it’s hard to tell where one vertical sec-

this region. tion of the city begins and another one ends, and

Descending farther, we arrive in the Lower- it certainly isn’t a uniform division from one ward

City, where the poor must toil and struggle to to another.

10

the vertical city

businesses far below Dura, as well as towers built up upper Skyway
from the cliff face and a shantytown of caves dug into city
the sides of the southern cliffs overlooking the Hilt. the depths
The businesses of Cliffside are either directly related middle the cogs
to shipping or cater to boat crews, adventurers, and city
other transients. lava pools
lower
Tavick’s Landing, at the eastern edge of the city, city
is in some ways defined by being the terminus of the
Orien lightning rail line and trade road. The lower
levels cater to travelers and traders entering Sharn by
rail, and include an entire city district that has been
converted to provide housing for refugees from the
Last War. The middle and upper levels are broader
in their purposes, including a variety of trades,
services, and residential districts.

Skyway is magically suspended above the city
on gigantic disks of force, like Tenser’s floating disks
taken to a fantastic extreme. These disks are among
the many magic items and effects in the city that
work only because of the presence of the manifest
zone linked to Syrania. Not a cloud palace but an
actual extension of the city, Skyway includes some
of Sharn’s finest inns and restaurants, exotic and
upscale trades, and a number of mansions belonging
to the very richest citizens.

The Depths is the generic name for every-
thing that lies beneath the city’s main plateau,
excepting Cliffside and the Cogs far below. The
upper levels give way to active and inactive sewers,
some of which have their own inhabitants, as well
as the mostly forgotten ruins of earlier settlements
built long before the towers started to rise. Far
below and accessed by well-maintained tunnels
and shafts, the Cogs sit at the very base of Sharn
and serve as an actively populated center of indus-
try. In fact, the roots of modern Sharn’s towers lie
underground in some places, buried by the passing
of centuries.

The Cogs are the churning heart of the city,
full of forges and foundries powered by steaming
geysers, molten lava, and bound fire elementals.
Extending far below the foundations of Sharn’s
towers and built along the banks of the great chasms
that divide the city, the Cogs incorporate elements
of ancient ruins and natural caverns.

What Brings You

TO SHARN?

The sheer size of the city, the maze of bridges among
the towers, and the bewildering array of goods and
services available can quickly overwhelm first-time
visitors to Sharn. Adventurers usually come to the
city with a specific purpose in mind, to get one
thing done. Whether it’s to sell a magic item or
spend an enjoyable evening (and a good portion of
the loot from their last adventure) out on the town,

map not to scale

adventurers in a hurry need to know where to go to MARKETPLACE PERMITS
get what they need, or they could spend a lot of time
wandering the maze that is the City of Towers. Marketplace (Ward) Permit Cost

A VISITOR'S GUIDE ANTIQUITIES The Bazaar (Middle Dura) 3 cp

Whether characters are interested in viewing schol- North Market (Lower Northedge) 3 sp
arly exhibits of the latest finds from Xen’drik or
selling the items they find there themselves, Upper Tavick’s Market (Middle Tavick’s Landing) 1 sp
Menthis is the neighborhood to visit. Morgrave
University’s Dezina Museum of Antiquities houses Tradefair Market (Middle Central) 1 gp
the finest collection of Xen’drik artifacts in the
world. The uppermost level of Thurias Tower near Merchants interested in buying goods in bulk for
the museum (in the Seventh Tower district) is transport and sale in another city will likely find what
sometimes called “Little Xen’drik,” thanks to the they need in one of the city’s warehouse districts:
six competing dealers in antiquities that share that Cogsgate in Lower Tavick’s Landing, White Tower,
tower space. Precarious, or the Stores in Lower Dura. Each of
these districts serves as a repository for goods coming
BANKING into Sharn from river or Orien trade road or light-
ning rail, and also offers warehouse rentals for local
Characters bringing large amounts of valuable merchants collecting goods to ship.
treasure from their latest adventure can find the
banking services they need in the Upper Central Setting up Shop
ward. House Kundarak operates the largest bank
in the city, the Kundarak Bank of Sharn, located Characters might wish to purchase a business or other
at the top of Kundarak Tower (in the Korranath space in the city. A poor shop (for trades or services)
district). The districts of Korranath and Korran- costs 2d4×100 gp, including rough shelves, a sales
Thiven feature nine other banks, as well as a number counter, and a back room for storage. An average shop
of moneychangers, lenders, and providers of other costs 2d4×1,000 gp, including polished wood floors,
financial services. handsome shelves, a picture window, and glass cases.
An upscale shop costs 4d8×1,000 gp and has marble
COMMERCE (GENERAL) floors, locked display cases, leather chairs, and various
other luxuries.
Characters interested in carrying on trade can visit
any of Sharn’s marketplace districts: Tradefair in COMMUNICATION
Middle Central, North Market in Lower Northedge,
the Bazaar in Middle Dura, or Tavick’s Market in Sharn is a center for international trade, and
Middle Tavick’s Landing. Merchants must purchase communication is the lifeblood of commerce—not
a permit granting them permission to set up a booth to mention being an important commodity in its
or other presence in the marketplace. own right.

The Speaker’s Guild of House Sivis specializes
in swift communication. The most economical
form of communication is the speaking stone. House

QUARTERS, WARDS, AND DISTRICTS

The city of Sharn is divided into smaller units: variation in individual wards. The wards of Sharn
quarters, wards, and districts. The smallest unit is are grouped vertically as well as horizontally, so
a district. Equivalent to a neighborhood, a district there are upper, middle, and lower wards in each
has a population ranging from 1,400 people to over area of the city. Upper-class districts tend to be
4,000 in the larger districts of Dura. Businesses of found in upper wards. Examples of wards include
similar types tend to cluster in districts, giving each the Upper Central Plateau (known simply as Upper
district a particular character as well as a definite Central), which includes Sharn’s financial and
social class (upper, middle, or lower). In general, civic districts, and Lower Tavick’s Landing, which
the most densely populated districts are the lower- includes businesses catering to merchants arriving

class districts. Examples of districts include Highest in Sharn by Orien caravan or lightning rail.

Towers, the civic center of Sharn, and Dragoneyes, Quarters, the largest divisions of the city, gen-

a red light district. erally consist of three wards apiece and are divided
A ward consists of three to nine districts. To based on the actual topography of Sharn’s plateaus.
Examples of quarters include the Central Plateau
an extent, districts of similar type and social class and Tavick’s Landing.
cluster together in wards, though there is some

12

Sivis has established message stations in most of A courier with the dimension leap ability can often

the major cities and towns of Khorvaire, and for speed up delivery by teleporting across bridges

5 gp you can send a 1-page message to any of these and between levels. Overland flight and dimension door

stations. If you are sending a message to a large allow far faster delivery. And at the top of the line, A VISITOR'S GUIDE

city, you can pay an additional 15 sp to have your teleportation costs 10 gp per mile of delivery, with a

message delivered to a specific address in the minimum charge of 300 gp.

city; otherwise the House Orien also

recipient must come maintains a mail

to the message sta- service that runs

tion to pick up through all major

the message. cities and towns

Sharn con- connected by the

tains a number of lightning rail.

message stations, It costs 1 cp per

as merchants and mile to send a

tradesfolk often message through

use them to send the mail. How-

messages within the ever, mail sent in

city. Message stations this manner is held

can be found in the at the Orien enclave.

following districts: If the customer wants

Central Plateau: a message or parcel

Ambassador Towers, to be delivered to a

Boldrei’s Hearth, Dragon specific address, he

Towers, Korranath, Korran- must add the usual cou-

Thiven, Highest Towers, rier costs to the price of the

Sword Point. mail transport.

Dura: Clifftop, Dagger- Over the last few years, a

watch, Precarious, Redstone, new force has arisen to chal-

Highhold, the Bazaar. lenge House Orien’s monopoly

Menthis Plateau: Den’iyas, Breland over the courier trade. House

University District, Warden Towers. Coat of Arms Vadalis has built up a small but

Northedge: Oak Towers, Holdfast, highly effective group of gargoyle couriers.

North Market Currently, it costs 5 gp to have a gargoyle

Skyway: Azure, Brilliant. deliver a letter or small package within Sharn, with

Tavick’s Landing: Copper A rch, Deathsgate, an additional charge of 1 gp per mile outside the

Terminus, Twelve Pillars, Wroann’s Gate. city. However, there are only eighteen gargoyles in

The largest message station is located in service, compared to eighty Orien couriers. The

Dragon Towers, attached to the House Sivis gargoyles roost in the Vadalis outpost in the Bazaar

enclave. This is the only place where a message of Middle Dura, as well as on towers throughout

can be sent via sending, though this service is often the city.

unavailable. Only two gnomes in the enclave

bear the Greater Mark of Scribing, and even with COMMUNICATION PRICES

dragonshard reservoirs the power can only be used a few

times each day. Service Cost

If a character is in a desperate hurry, he can try House Sivis message station 5 gp/page

to get a House Sivis heir to use whispering wind to relay a Including courier service +15 sp

message to the nearest message station. Each heir has House Sivis: whispering wind 50 gp

a three word identifying code that must be included House Sivis: sending 250 gp

in the message so the station can track payment, so House Orien: unmarked courier 5 cp

the whispering wind message is limited to twenty-two House Orien: Least marked courier 1 gp

words. This service usually costs 50 gp, on top of House Orien: Lesser marked courier 25 gp

the cost of using the message station. +1 gp/mile

Courier services provided by House Orien House Orien: teleport 10 gp/mile

have stations in Azure, Dragon Towers, and Kor- (300 gp minimum)

ranath. The cost to deliver a message or small House Orien mail service 1 cp/mile

package varies by the talents of the courier, and House Vadalis gargoyle courier 5 gp

thus the speed at which the message is delivered. +1 gp/mile

13

COMPANIONSHIP COMPANIONSHIP COSTS

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Few people enjoy being alone in an unfamiliar city. Companionship Cost
Sharn offers a number of opportunities to find com-
panionship, from paying for company to attending Evening in a bordello 5 cp
social clubs, guilds, and other places to meet people Sharn’s Welcome 8 cp
with similar interests. Dragoneyes 12 cp
Firelight 25 sp
Sharn’s several red light districts sell sex and
companionship on the cheap, catering primarily to Escort service (one evening) 13 gp
sailors, merchants, tourists, and other transients Adventurer’s guild membership (per year) 12 gp
or outsiders. Sharn’s Welcome, in Cliffside, caters
to waterfront customers but is crime-ridden and Clifftop 20 gp
dangerous. Dragoneyes, in Lower Tavick’s Landing, Deathsgate 12 gp
is slightly more reputable. Firelight, in the lower Dining club membership (per year, average 15 gp
part of the entertainment hub of Menthis Plateau, cost, meals not included) 10 gp
has a reputation as an acceptable location for an Upper Central 8 gp
all-around good time. Middle Central 25 gp
Upper Menthis
Subtler and far classier, a handful of escort Upper Tavick’s Landing
services sell companionship at much higher rates Upper Dura
in Middle Central’s embassy district, Ambassador Sky way
Towers. Though they target wealthy diplomats who
need educated, intelligent companions for public CRIMINAL PURPOSES
functions as well as private encounters, these ser-
vices have customers in all of the wealthier neigh- The reach of the law begins to fade as one travels down
borhoods of the city and attract well-off adventurers, the levels of many of Sharn’s towers, and in some areas
merchants, and others with more discerning tastes of the lower levels it is almost nonexistent. It is a well-
in companionship. known fact that the City Watch is thoroughly corrupt,
and the problem is nowhere more visible than in the
Companionship of a less carnal nature can be Cogs and Lower Dura. Characters who come to the
found as well. Adventurers might well find adven- city in order to fence stolen goods, hire a burglar or
turing companions in Clifftop (in Upper Dura) or an assassin, or engage in other criminal pursuits can
Deathsgate (in Middle Tavick’s Landing), two city usually find what they need in these wards, though
districts that particularly cater to the adventuring criminal activity occurs everywhere.
crowd. Each features a guild of adventurers named
after the district, and the two guilds have an ongoing Most illegal activities in Sharn occur under the
rivalry that swings between friendly and violent. True supervision of one of four criminal guilds or gangs,
to its name, the Deathsgate Guild tends to attract which also have fingers in legal but shady activities such
more violent, freewheeling adventurers, while the as gambling and prostitution. The House Tarkanan
Clifftop Guild generally attracts people with more of criminal “family” has structured itself in mockery of
a moral compass. Both guilds provide a fine source of the dragonmarked houses. Though mostly human,
adventuring companions and cohorts, and refer their it includes members of all races. Its headquarters are
members to other services and hirelings as well. in Dragon Towers in Middle Central. The Tyrants is
an organization of changelings concentrated in the
Dining clubs provide a popular form of social Dragoneyes district of Lower Tavick’s Landing. Its lead-
circle, particularly in upper-class neighborhoods. ers are said to be doppelgangers. The Boromar Clan,
A large number of such clubs flourish in Upper and a predominantly halfling organization, is strongest in
Middle Central, Upper Menthis, Upper Tavick’s Little Plains in Middle Menthis, but very influential
Landing, Upper Dura, and Skyway. (Any district in Lower Menthis and Lower Dura as well—especially
with upscale food listed among its buildings probably in the Hostelhome district. Though its leadership is
includes at least one dining club.) Dining clubs are almost entirely halflings with connections to House
open to members only, offering a fine dining expe- Ghallanda, members of all races work for the Boro-
rience among an intimate circle of social peers. mars, knowingly or unwittingly. Finally, a gang called
Daask, which includes a great number of monsters, has
Finally, characters can always find others who gained a strong foothold in the criminal underworld of
share their specific interests. Social groups based the Cogs. Goblinoids, ogres, minotaurs, harpies, and
on racial, ethnic, or national origin exist in almost a large number of humans work for this organization,
every neighborhood, trade and craft guilds offer which is rumored to have ties to Droaam.
social contact for their members, the dragonmarked
houses offer extensive networking opportunities, In addition to illegal activities, characters might
and Morgrave University hosts academic societies find themselves turning to these guilds for such
with a wide variety of interests and specialties. purposes as borrowing large sums of money to pay
off a debt (particularly a gambling debt incurred in

14

a casino with ties to the guilds), to find certain kinds have views as stunning as the Celestial Vista’s, food

of information not readily accessible elsewhere (such no less impressive, and generally smaller crowds. All

as secrets of prominent personages), to have spells three restaurants in Skyway serve all of their food

cast that might arouse suspicion (such as having a purified by House Ghallanda. A VISITOR'S GUIDE

nightmare spell cast on an enemy, or a curse removed A very different, but no less striking, view can

that was acquired in the commission of a crime), or be had at the Lava Pit, an up-and-coming restaurant

for help in hiding (see Hiding, page 21). in—of all places—Tavick’s Cogs, in the heart of one

of the city’s industrial districts. True to its name,

CRIME DOESN’T PAY? the Lava Pit overlooks a gigantic forge powered by

molten rock, suffusing the place with lurid red light.

Criminal Purpose Typical Cost The restaurant began as little more than a hole in

Fence stolen goods 15% of item value the wall with an interesting location, serving a vari-

Burglary 20% of stolen goods’ value* ety of barbecued meats in a Shadow Marches style.

Assassination 300 gp per level of target* Its popularity has grown tremendously, allowing

Purchase forged documents the restaurant to improve its facility and expand its

Identifi cation papers 10 gp menu (though spicy Marches barbecue remains its

Letter of marque 25 gp specialty), making it by far the most upscale estab-

Traveling papers 5 gp lishment of any kind in the Cogs.

Loans up to 20% interest per week For variety of cuisine, no region of the city can

Information 1 gp × Gather Information DC match the Menthis Plateau, with its diverse popula-

Spellcasting, no questions asked 125% normal cost tion. Culinary purists argue that the only place to

sample halfling cuisine is in Little Plains, and like-

* Costs increase by as much as 5 times for extraordinarily wise for the other racial neighborhoods in Menthis,

difficult missions; not all missions will be accepted. but most people agree that the University district in

DINING Upper Menthis is the best place to sample the wide
variety of cuisines Sharn has to offer.

In Sharn, the saying goes, even the Halfling specialties, gnome delights,

poor eat like kings, elf cuisine, Karr-

and good food is nathi fare, and

usually readily even exotic Riedran

available. With the food are all avail-

exception of purely able in the University

residential districts, district. University

nearly every district in students and faculty

Sharn includes some are fond of dining at

number of dining the Commons, a large

establishments, usu- open-air plaza near

ally at least one in a the top of one of the

given tower. Nearly a Morgrave University

thousand restaurants towers where food ven-

in all, not count- dors bring carts and

ing street vendors wagons daily to serve

and inns that also up a smorgasbord of

serve food, offer an ethnic offerings.

almost endless vari- Of course, some-

ety of dining options times the need for

to natives and visitors quality overshadows

alike. Among these many spectacular views and culi-

locations, Sharn offers a few nary variety. A few of the

unique dining experiences. generally acknowledged

Striking views enhance best restaurants in Sharn

a meal, and for that purpose include Sannid’s in the

no restaurant can compete with Platinum Heights district of

the dozen or so establishments in Sharn Seal Upper Central, known for its

Skyway. Of those, perhaps the best known is extensive wine collection; Galdin’s Garden

the Celestial Vista Restaurant, a tourist attraction. in the Seventh Tower district of Upper Menthis,

In-the-know locals celebrate special occasions at the surrounded by a towertop garden featuring roses

Cloud Dragon or the Azure Gateway, both of which and orchids; The Oaks in the Shae Lias district of

15

Upper Northedge, serving elf and Brelish cuisine
in an elaborate open-air pavilion surrounded by oak
trees; and Olladra’s Arms in the Hope’s Peak district
of Upper Dura, notable for its banquet-style seating
and generous portions.

Finally, as in many cities across Khorvaire, House
Ghallanda offers heroes’ feasts in the city as often as
demand allows. Ghallanda does not have a major pres-
ence in the city. Unlike in some eastern cities where
such feasts occur weekly, in Sharn they usually occur
no more than once a month, in rotating locations—in
the House enclave in Dragon Towers (in Middle Cen-
tral), in the huge Ghallanda Hall Inn in the Under-
look district of Middle Dura, and in the open-air
market in Little Plains (in Middle Menthis).

See also the discussion of dining clubs under
Companionship, on page 14.

DINING PRICES

Dinner Quality (Example) Cost per Person

Outstanding (Celestial Vista) 75 sp
Includes fine wine 40 sp
35 cp
Excellent (Sannid’s) 19 cp
Includes good wine 12 cp

Good (Besimir’s Folly)
Includes common wine or ale

Common (The Commons)
Includes ale

Poor (street vendor)
Includes watered ale

A Friend at the Bar

Dozens of inns and taverns dot Sharn’s landscape.
Some of these vary only in name. Others offer unique

services or have unusual clientele, and these are
highlighted in the descriptions of each district.

Traditionally, many adventurers retire to the
tavern between adventures, and a tavern is a time-
honored place to meet with an employer. The PCs
may choose to crawl from one pub to another, never
settling in one place—but there are a number of
advantages to be gained by declaring one tavern as
your personal watering hole.

When a character becomes a regular at a tavern, he
makes friends and gets to know the locals. People talk
over drinks, and he gets to know how people react to
different situations. As a result, he gets a +2 circum-
stance bonus on all Gather Information or Knowledge
(local) checks made in the same ward as the tavern,
and he gets a +3 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy and
Sense Motive checks made involving other characters
or NPCs who are also regulars at the pub.

Choice of tavern also affects the way that the
characters are perceived and the type of work they
are offered. A group that drinks on Lower Dura
gets a chance at a lot of quick and dirty deals; it’s a
good place to meet a pickpocket, but the Aundairian

ambassador won’t be dropping by. On the other a character’s adventuring career. It is possible for A VISITOR'S GUIDE
hand, Dragon Towers makes an excellent choice for a player character to keep in contact with former
characters who want to get involved in the intrigues mentors and to draw on them as a resource, at the
between the dragonmarked houses. DM’s discretion.

The PCs don’t have to spend all their gold at the EMPLOYMENT
same place; they can drink at Moraggan’s one night
and Shamuukar’s the next. But they can only receive Much like education, finding employment often
the benefit of being regulars at one tavern—and the depends on connections to one of Sharn’s trade
DM is always free to revoke those bonuses if they guilds. Characters seeking to exercise their Craft or
aren’t spending enough time at the bar. Profession skills can either strike out on their own,
or seek employment through the guilds. The latter
EDUCATION option generally offers better prospects, particularly
in the long term. Characters seeking other kinds of
Educational opportunities abound in Sharn, though employment, particularly of a more adventurous
not to the extent that they do in Korranberg, with kind, might find leads at one of the adventurers’
its prestigious university and library. Morgrave guilds in Clifftop (in Upper Dura) or Deathsgate (in
University (as described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting) Middle Tavick’s Landing), at Morgrave University
is a second-rate university, apparently as interested (in Upper Menthis), or the Wayfinder Foundation
in selling antiquities from Xen’drik as in studying (in Upper Central). Another strong possibility is
them. Nevertheless, some prominent scholars sit work for the Sharn Inquisitive, the city’s local chronicle.
on the faculty of Morgrave University, and it is an Haftak ir’Clarn, the chronicle’s publisher, fre-
excellent resource for characters seeking educational quently hires adventurers to bring him exciting sto-
opportunities. If your campaign uses the rules for ries. His residence and offices are in the University
training to learn skills and feats (from Chapter 6 of District of Upper Menthis.
the Dungeon Master’s Guide), characters can find tutors to
train them in Knowledge skills, Decipher Script, and ENTERTAINMENT
Speak Language at Morgrave. In a less formal context,
a patron from Morgrave might be able to serve as a Whether a character seeks nothing more than a fun
trainer for field-useful skills such as Disable Device, evening on the town or wants to witness a great per-
Search, Survival, and Use Magic Device. formance by a renowned artist, Sharn offers abun-
dant entertainment on a nightly basis. The hub of the
Formal schooling in the remains of the Five entertainment industry in Sharn is Menthis Plateau,
Nations is considered a right and a necessary part and from the towertops down to the Cogs this quarter
of every child’s training. Children are encouraged is a bustle of activity from sundown to sunup.
to attend public schools from the age of 6 to the age
of 10, though attendance isn’t mandatory. The Torchfire district in Lower Menthis occu-
pies the bottom of the entertainment ladder in Men-
From the age of 11, the most common form of this, but remains a fine place to enjoy inexpensive
educational instruction in Sharn, as elsewhere, is entertainment. The Ten Torches Theater gives this
apprenticeship. The best way to learn Craft and Pro- district its name, and it has become something of an
fession skills is to practice them under the supervision institution in Lower Menthis. Its offerings focus on
of a mentor, and the guilds of Sharn monitor this the bawdy, with a strong dose of music and comedy, all
formal process. The guildhalls in Dragon Towers are presented in a crowded, smoky atmosphere. The low
the headquarters of these guilds (some of which have price of admission and the raucous entertainment
connections to the dragonmarked houses, many more of the shows combine to pack its seats every night.
of which do not), and that neighborhood is thus the
best place to discover such opportunities. Typically, a Gailan’s, a restaurant in Torchfire, enjoys a repu-
guildhall takes the name and contact information of tation for bringing the best up-and-coming talent
a prospective apprentice, and then polls its members to its stage—musicians, actors, and other performers
to find a master willing to take on a new apprentice. who often go on to play more prominent venues in
The master then contacts the apprentice directly. the higher levels of Menthis. The food is good but the
entertainment—offered in the round—is the reason
Some practitioners of other skills (including for going. The proprietor has claimed for years that he
stealthy or criminal skills such as Hide, Move Silently, is looking for new cooks and planning to build up an
Forgery, and the like) take on apprentices in a similar impressive wine cellar, but such improvements remain
manner, though it is often more difficult to locate for the indeterminate future.
such a master. The criminal organizations discussed
under Criminal Purposes, page 14, certainly offer Across the plateau, in the tavern district of
such training opportunities, but are not easy to contact Downstairs, a new theater offers the Ten Torches
unless one already has an in with the organization. its first dose of local competition in ages. Called the
Diamond Theater, it features a large stage and spa-
In general, apprenticeship takes place from the cious seating—at least compared to the Ten Torches.
age of 11 to 15 or so, generally before the start of

17

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Perhaps more important, it claims a serious young Four major theaters operate in Upper Menthis:
playwright as its artist-in-residence, who lends an the Art Temple (known for cutting-edge, avant-
air of sophistication to the theater with her dra- garde plays), the Grand Stage (presenting a mixture
matic, sometimes tragic works. The plays of Luca of classic repertoire and modern works in classical
Syara attract attention even in Upper Central, and style), the Stargazer Theater (an open-air towertop
a popular Menthis pastime is speculating on what stage with an extensive summer season of classics),
upper-level theater will snatch her up when her and the Khavish Theater (aimed at a more main-
contract with the Diamond expires. stream audience, incorporating more music, more
risqué elements, and more comedy without sinking
As with most things, offerings in Middle Menthis to the depths of the Ten Torches’ burlesque). With
are a step above those in the lower levels, figuratively the exception of the Khavish, located in the gnome
as well as literally. Middle Menthis’s theater district, neighborhood of Den’iyas, these are all within a
called Smoky Towers, offers an ironic comment on the stone’s throw of Morgrave University.
Torchfire district immediately below it. Performers
who get their first big break at Gailan’s move on to any THE COST OF A GOOD TIME
of several similar venues in Smoky Towers—dinner
theaters such as Third Tier, the Starfire Dragon, or Entertainment Cost
Mizano Rupa’s; recital halls such as Thovanic Hall
or the Atrium; and the ornate Classic Theater. Lower Menthis 6 cp
Ten Torches (one ticket) 32 cp
The theater scene in Smoky Towers labors Gailan’s (dinner and a show) 9 cp
under some controversy. The Classic Theater, the Diamond Theater (one ticket)
only major theater in the district, is devoutly com- 45 cp
mitted to performing only the classics of dramatic Middle Menthis 19 cp
repertoire, perhaps motivated by fear of being too Dinner theater (dinner and a show) 30 cp
closely associated with the likes of the Ten Torches. Recita l hall (one ticket)
Its extremely traditional productions include no Classic Theater (one ticket) 24 sp
plays written since the start of the Last War. Many 22 sp
people appreciate this stance, looking to the ancient Upper Menthis 17 sp
heritage of Galifar for strength and comfort in the Kavarrah Concert Hall (one ticket) 11 sp
wake of the Last War. Others seek more contempo- Sharn Opera House (one ticket) 8 sp
rary fare, including Luca Syara’s plays (several of Theater ticket (excellent seat)
which wrestle very seriously with issues derived from Theater ticket (good seat)
the war), in other districts. Theater ticket (balcony seat)

The entertainment offerings in Upper Menthis EXOTIC SERVICES
are concentrated in the University District, and are
in a class by themselves. The finest musical perfor- Exotic ser vices include any ser vice that is not common-
mances in the city occur in Kavarrah Concert Hall place in a Brelish city such as Sharn. For example,
and in the Sharn Opera House. it is traditional for halfling warriors from the Tal-
enta Plains to recline in couches while servants rub

GREAT PERFORMANCES

Player characters trying to earn money using the Great Performance (Perform DC 20): Any
Perform skill need to find venues appropriate to of the venues in Smoky Towers will take characters
their talents. making this kind of Perform check. Theaters in
Upper Menthis—certainly the Khavish, which is the
Routine Performance (Perform DC 10): least discriminating—will take actors of this caliber
Routine performances are best confined to well- as well, though probably not in leading roles.
trafficked bridges in the lower tower levels, with
an open instrument case for donations. You need Memorable Performance (Perform DC 25):
to be better than this to get into Gailan’s. Playing Kavarrah or the Sharn Opera is the dream
of most musicians, and a performance this good is
Enjoyable Performance (Perform DC

15): A Perform check this good can land a char- worthy of such a venue. The stars of the dramatic

acter a gig at Ten Torches, the Diamond Theater, stages in Upper Menthis routinely make checks of

or less well-known venues in Torchlight. Gailan this difficulty as well.
might take a character making this kind of check, Extraordinary Performance (Perform DC 30):
particularly if she can hit a DC of 18 to 20 with
some regularity. Kavarrah widely promotes performances of this class
as its major events each season. This is the big time.

18

scented oil into their hair, but a Talentan warrior from amateur sleuthing to powerful magic. Gather A VISITOR'S GUIDE
cannot easily find a place in most Brelish towns that Information might work to find a specific individual.
caters to that particular custom. In Sharn, however, However, it is usually only possible to learn the where-
he or she need only visit the Little Plains district abouts of a person within a single district—asking
in Middle Menthis and find the Rider’s Rest to feel around Highest Towers trying to find someone
right at home. hiding in Precarious is doomed to failure. If the
person sought is located in the same district as the
Sharn’s racial and ethnic neighborhoods are the person seeking, a successful check against DC 20 to 30
best locations to find these sorts of exotic services. (depending on how noticeable the character is, how
These neighborhoods include Little Plains in Middle carefully he is hiding, and similar factors) can at least
Menthis, Den’iyas (a gnome neighborhood) in Upper narrow down the hiding person’s location. Naturally,
Menthis, Holdfast in Middle Northedge and High- spells such as locate creature and know location are the most
hold in Upper Dura (two dwarf neighborhoods), Shae effective means of finding people.
Lias (an elf neighborhood) in Upper Northedge, and
Overlook, which includes an enclave of kalashtar as Hiring an Inquisitive
well as humans from Adar. Significant populations
of Lhazaar, Karrnathi, and Cyran immigrants make An inquisitive’s rates vary from person to person.
Middle Menthis a particularly diverse ward, a large In general, they range from 10 sp to 20 sp per day,
contingent of Karrns live in Graywall in Middle plus expenses. (This is comparable to the results of
Tavick’s Landing, and a small Eldeen minority a Profession check.) For exceptionally difficult or
inhabits Skysedge Park in Upper Central. dangerous cases, inquisitives usually increase their
rates by as much as 100% and insist on receiving an
Pricing Exotic Services: As a rule of thumb, advance for several days’ work.
assume that an exotic service costs about the same as
a meal (see Dining Prices, above). A service offered An inquisitive who brings magical resources
in a luxurious setting in an exclusive neighborhood to bear in the course of a case charges typical rates
(such as Skyway) compares to an outstanding meal at for spellcasting:
the Celestial Vista (75 sp). A service of fine quality
offered in a quality establishment in an upper-class Spell Minimum Cost*
neighborhood compares to an excellent meal (40 sp).
A good-quality service in an ordinary establishment Clairaudience/clairvoyance 60 gp
in a middle-class neighborhood is equivalent to a
good meal (35 cp), and so on. Discern location 1,200 gp

FIND SOMEONE Locate creature 280 gp

A city as large as Sharn offers plenty of places to hide Locate object 60 gp
(see Hiding, page 21). Consequently, it also supports a
sizable number of inquisitives who specialize in find- Scrying 280 gp
ing people who might prefer not to be found, or just
people who don’t know someone might be looking for *The minimum cost assumes the lowest caster level that allows
them. There is no single district where inquisitives
tend to set up shop; any given district can only support casting the spell. Higher-level casters produce better results
so many. Middle-class districts of a certain flavor are
the most likely areas to find an inquisitive—places such and charge correspondingly more.
as Underlook in Middle Dura, Deathsgate in Middle
Tavick’s Landing, and Warden Towers in Middle GATEWAY TO XEN’DRIK
Menthis. The best inquisitives—particularly when
it comes to finding what’s lost—are those associated Many adventurers come to Sharn solely to get some-
with the Finders’ Guild of House Tharashk. Four place else, using the city as a launching point for an
Tharashk inquisitives with the lesser Mark of Find- expedition to the ancient ruins and trackless jungles
ing head agencies in different parts of the city: Kurt of Xen’drik. Morgrave University and the Wayfinder
Karr’Aashta’s Investigations in Deathsgate, Informa- Foundation both send teams to Xen’drik on a regular
tion Acquisition in Underlook, Thuranne Velderan’s basis, and Sharn hosts a thriving antiquities market
Investigative Services in Warden Towers, and Globe that provides demand for items recovered from
Information Agency in Dragon Towers. The dragon- Xen’drik by both official and amateur expeditions.
marked heads of these agencies generally work only on
the most important or difficult cases, but their staffs The Cliffside ward is a good place to find ship
are among the best inquisitives in the business. captains experienced in the passage to Xen’drik,
who have contacts with the sahuagin of Shargon’s
Do-it-yourself types who don’t want to (or can’t) Teeth and can secure safe passage through those
pay an inquisitive have other alternatives, ranging straits. The journey from Sharn to Stormreach is
about 1,500 miles and takes a little over a month by
sailing ship. The usual cost of passage is about 300
gp. It is sometimes possible to hire an elemental gal-
leon for the journey, which takes only three or four
days but costs 3,000 gp. A House Lyrandar sailing
ship (without elemental power) can make the trip
in 11 days and costs about 1,500 gp. Airships do not
normally make the trip from Sharn to Xen’drik.

19

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Stormreach, a rough-and-tumble frontier com- These guides—often very young individuals—are
munity where giants often trade in the marketplace, inexpensive and tend to highlight the great tourist
is an essential stopover for most expeditions before attractions of the city, which is sufficient for many
proceeding farther into the wilds of Xen’drik. visitors’ purposes.

Expedition Arrangements City guides of a different caliber can be found
in Ambassador Towers. Most of the escort services
If a group of adventurers manages to secure employ- in this district emphasize companions who are
ment on an expedition to Xen’drik, they can expect knowledgeable about the city and its attractions as
the following terms: well as being enjoyable company in other ways (see
Companionship, page 14).
• The organizer of the expedition secures letters
HIRING A GUIDE
of marque for the characters.
Guide Service Cost
• The organizer usually arranges for transportation
House Tharashk guide to Xen’drik 1 gp per day
to Xen’drik, though this is not always true. Unmarked 3 gp per day
Dragonmarked (least mark) 1 sp per day
• The organizer provides rations and mundane 25 sp per day
City guide, ordinary
equipment, usually consisting of anything in City guide, escort
the “Adventuring Gear” category of goods from
Table 7–8 in the Player’s Handbook. HEALING

• The organizer has the right to claim any trea- House Jorasco operates houses of healing throughout
the city, though they are concentrated in middle-
sures that the adventurers recover on their class neighborhoods (any district that includes
expedition, presumably for research purposes average services might include a Jorasco house of
or for display in the Dezina Museum. The healing. The headquarters in Sharn is in Dragon
adventurers may keep or sell any items the orga- Towers (in Middle Central), and characters in
nizer does not claim, and the organizer typi- need of a heal spell or similar magic need to find
cally offers a guarantee of a minimum amount their way to the main enclave rather than to one of
of gold. This amount is typically ten times the the smaller houses elsewhere in the city. Prices for
average treasure value for an encounter of the House Jorasco healing services are provided in the
party’s average level, as shown on Table 3–3 in EBERRON Campaign Setting.
the Dungeon Master’s Guide, divided by the number
of characters in the party. The clerics of Khorvaire are not merchants.
Adepts devoted to Boldrei often work with House
For example, a group of six 3rd-level char- Jorasco, but adventurers who go into a church and
acters would receive a guarantee of 1,500 gp each, treat the priest like a common merchant or healer
since the average treasure value for a 3rd-level will be thrown out; divine magic is a gift of the
encounter is 900 gp (900 × 10 ÷ 6 = 1,500). gods, not a commodity such as arcane magic. In
particular, raise dead is rarely used on Khorvaire, and
• Sometimes an expedition organizer accompa- it is highly unusual to find a cleric or adept who has
the spell prepared. Followers of the Silver Flame
nies the characters on the expedition, while believe that warriors who die in holy service join the
other organizers prefer to remain in the relative Flame after death, while the Valenar elves believe
safety of Sharn. When the organizer accom- their dead join with the spirits of their ancestors.
panies the expedition, it is assumed that the Even among the followers of the Sovereign Host,
adventurers give highest priority to protecting using raise dead is viewed as a challenge to the will and
the organizer’s life. wisdom of the gods. This does not mean that there
is no hope for heroes who fall in battle—but it is not
Guides just a matter of tossing 5,450 gp at the local priest.

As the gateway to Xen’drik, Sharn has a number of Only a few people in the city can raise the
residents who sell their services to adventurers and dead, so finding one of them is the first step. The
prospectors planning expeditions to that mysterious Dragonmark of Healing can only help the living,
continent. As with investigators, House Tharashk but the Great Healing Hall in Dragon Towers
dominates this field, making use of their magical employs two adepts, both priests of Boldrei,
dragonmark abilities (know direction and find the path) capable of casting raise dead. Other people capable
as well as their extensive, if more mundane, skills of casting the spell—including Archierophant
and experiences. The House’s grand hall in Dragon Ythana Morr (Silver Flame), High Priest Phthaso
Towers is its most prominent public face, but better Mogan (Sovereign Host), Mayne Jhaelian of Shae
deals and sometimes better guides can be found in
their enclave in Clifftop (in Upper Dura).

Sometimes visitors to Sharn need guides within
the city itself. City guides are easy to find: they
usually cluster around arriving Orien lightning
rail coaches, airships, and river vessels, hoping
to solicit business from newly arrived visitors.

20

Lias (Undying Court), and Lan Hazal (Blood of sometimes it means pretending to be a noble and
Vol)—rarely have the time or desire to deal with the living the high life in Upper Central.
needs of adventurers.
A booming business can’t be carved out of
After finding a capable spellcaster, it is neces- hiding; it’s mostly just something people do, or try
sary to persuade the character to help. The spell- to do. However, certain of the criminal elements in
caster must have a helpful attitude, and must hear the city do occasionally accept payment in exchange
an excellent explanation of why the victim must be for helping people create new identities. Naturally,
returned to the world of the living. Even if the priest the changelings of the Tyrants, the criminal gang
agrees to cast the spell, gold alone is not sufficient concentrated in the Dragoneyes district of Lower
payment. The spellcaster usually demands that the Tavick’s Landing, excel at this practice. For a
raised character pay for his life by performing a (quite large) sum of money, they employ magically
special service on behalf of the god. enhanced surgical techniques to permanently alter
a client’s appearance, provide forged identification
There are no priests in Sharn who can cast papers and other documents that might be needed
regeneration or resurrection. Access to this magic would to establish a new identity (a university diploma or
entail a trip to Flamekeep in Thrane or a holy site of professional certification, for example), and use
similar importance, and would undoubtedly require their own agents to create at least a temporary cast
a great quest on the part of the beneficiary. of supporting characters in the drama, as needed.
The cost for this unusual service varies depending
HIDING on the new identity to be created, but ranges from
500 gp (for a relatively simple new identity) to 5,000
One of the benefits of a large city is the anonymity gp or more (for an elaborate new life).
it affords to those who live in it. It is much easier to
lose oneself in Sharn than in a tiny farming village HIRED HELP
in rural Aundair, to lie low, avoid attention, or other-
wise escape pursuit of any kind. Naturally, the best Adventurers seeking hired help in Sharn, on either a
place to hide in the city is where searchers are least short-term or a long-term basis, should at least begin
likely to look. Sometimes this means unobtrusively in the adventurers’ quarters of Clifftop (in Upper
taking up residence in Lower Dura or the Cogs;

21

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Dura) and Deathsgate (in Middle Tavick’s Land- in opposition to King Boranel. Haftak’s position
ing). All of the hireling services shown on Table 4–1 on his cousin’s radical politics aside, you can find
in the Dungeon Master’s Guide are available (at the given critics who claim that the Inquisitive goes out of its way
price) in those two districts, and hirelings in those to support or attack the Brelish crown.
districts are accustomed to working with adventur-
ers. Professional services are clustered in Sharn into Readers generally turn to the Inquisitive for local
two districts in Upper Tavick’s Landing as well as the news (which some say reads more like idle gossip)
Dava Gate district of Middle Central. and the opinion pages, which regularly feature
heated debates on important city issues. For news
LEGAL AID from beyond Sharn, most educated citizens rely on
the Korranberg Chronicle.
Barristers (often called advocates or councilors) are
among the hirelings commonly employed by adven- Keeping up with the News
turers, and barristers specializing in adventurers’
concerns keep shop in Clifftop and Deathsgate. From A subscription to the Sharn Inquisitive costs 3 gp per
property disputes and charges of plundering (for year. Though the publication is not normally avail-
bringing artifacts from Xen’drik without a letter of able for sale by single issues, it is usually easy to find
marque, for example) to robbery charges and wrongful a discarded copy a few days after publication.
death suits, these barristers are experienced with the
variety of problems encountered by adventurers in the PAYING TAXES
city. Rates may increase significantly for particularly
difficult or high-profile cases. Characters who come to Sharn from the surround-
ing region to pay their annual taxes owed to the
The most expensive and high-powered barris- king can do so in any of four locations. There are
ters in Sharn—many of them connected to House tariff offices in Cogsgate (in Lower Tavick’s Land-
Sivis—have offices in Dava Gate (in Middle Cen- ing), Grayflood (in Cliffside), Precarious (in Lower
tral), near the edge of the Dragon Towers district. Dura), and Warden Towers (in Middle Menthis).
They work closely with most of the dragonmarked These offices collect tariffs and duties on trade as
families, embassy personnel in Ambassador Towers, well as other annual taxes.
and the financiers of Upper Central.
PILGRIMAGE DESTINATIONS
MAGIC ITEMS, BUYING OR SELLING
Sharn doesn’t draw pilgrims the way that Flamekeep
Sharn boasts some dozen magic item dealers of vari- draws followers of the Silver Flame, but the city con-
ous specialties, located in various areas throughout tains a few attractions for those of pious inclination.
the city. The adventurer’s quarters in Upper Dura Three sites sacred to the Sovereign Host exist in the
(Clifftop) and Middle Tavick’s Landing (Deathsgate) city: the Pool of Onatar’s Tears in Khyber’s Gate
are fine places for lower-level adventurers to acquire (in the Plateau Cogs), the Great Hall of Aureon
and sell magic items. The options are limited for in the University District (in Upper Menthis), and
high-level characters, however, because of the gold the Korranath in the district that bears its name (in
piece limit in those districts (35,000 gp in Deathsgate Upper Central).
and 40,000 gp in Clifftop). Other options include a
few dealers in the Seventh Tower district in Upper The Shrine of Fathen the Martyr in North
Menthis (limit 70,000 gp), one exclusive shop in the Market (in Lower Northedge), attracts those devoted
Platinum Heights district of Upper Central (limit to the Silver Flame. During the church’s crusade
100,000 gp), and of course several dealers in the against lycanthropes in 832 YK, Fathen was torn to
magic district of Middle Menthis, Everbright (limit pieces by wererats in the middle of North Market;
100,000 gp). Dealers in Everbright are far more the shrine rests on that site.
willing to buy used or salvaged items than those in
Platinum Heights and Seventh Tower, which cater to Kalashtar and human followers of the Path of
wealthy but not necessarily adventurous collectors. Light from across Khorvaire often visit Sharn to
A feature unique to Platinum Heights, however, is a see Enlightened Havakhad, a powerful monk who
magic item auction house, Aurora Gallery. lives in a small shrine in Overlook (in Upper Dura).
Believed to have oracular powers, the Enlightened
NEWS One’s tremendous wisdom grants him deep insight
that helps those seeking guidance.
The Sharn Inquisitive, the city’s local chronicle, is the
best source of local news. The Inquisitive appears PLACES TO LIVE
weekly on Sul and is distributed via city mail. Its
publisher, Haftak ir’Clarn, is a distant cousin of For a city of over 200,000 inhabitants, Sharn has
Lord Ruken ir’Clarn, a member of Breland’s parlia- plenty of housing. From apartments in its busi-
ment who often expresses viewpoints and opinions ness districts to townhomes and estates in quieter
residential neighborhoods, Sharn has places to live
to match most tastes and every budget. Northedge
has a reputation as the most residential of Sharn’s

22

quarters, and its topmost levels (including the dis- located in the city’s poorer districts (primarily A VISITOR'S GUIDE
tricts of Oak Towers, Crystal Bridge, and the elf slums and tenement districts in Lower Dura and the
neighborhood of Shae Lias) include some of the Cogs). Though lodging here is free, such places are
finest townhomes in the city. Middle Northedge has notoriously dangerous.
quiet townhomes that are less expensive than those
in the upper districts, and Oakbridge contains some RESEARCH
of the nicest middle-class housing in Sharn. Even
the apartment districts in Lower Northedge are Sharn’s Morgrave University, while not the most
more pleasant than their lower-class status would respectable institution of higher learning in Khor-
indicate, maintaining something of a small-town vaire, has an extensive library with definitive collections
feel within the bustle of the city. in certain fields, particularly arcana, dungeoneering,
geography, and history. Characters seeking knowledge
For those who prefer to live closer to the heart of in any field should be able to find resources in the
the city, Mithral Tower (in Upper Central) features library to assist their search. The university is an excel-
spectacular townhomes, and Platinate (in Upper lent resource for hiring sages on a short- or long-term
Menthis) housing rates as only slightly less grand. basis. Even sages with no connection to the university
Housing in the Highwater district (in Upper Dura) tend to cluster around it, establishing their homes and
comes in as very affordable, while Ocean View (in businesses in the University, Den’iyas, or Ivy Towers
Upper Tavick’s Landing) provides the most desirable districts of Upper Menthis.
and exclusive housing on the east side.
Another important resource for certain kinds of
COST OF LIVING research is the City Archive in the Highest Towers dis-
trict of Upper Central. The Archive contains exhaus-
Residence Cost tive historical records of Sharn; birth, death, and
marriage records; and copies of legal documents such
Upscale residence (rent) 2d8×10 gp/month as identification papers and letters of marque issued in
Average residence (rent) 1d4×10 gp/month the city. Access to these records is more limited than
Poor residence (rent) access to the Morgrave library, however.
Upscale residence (buy) 1d4 gp/month
Average residence (buy) 2d8×2,500 gp Characters pursuing more hands-on research
Poor residence (buy) 1d4×1,500 gp might find what they seek in the Depths, where sewers
and tunnels snake through the ruins of two ancient
1d4×100 gp cities. Similarly, the crypts of the necropolis might
be a source of relevant historical information.
PLACES TO STAY
SPELLCASTING
For those planning shorter stays in Sharn, the city
offers abundant inns, hostels, and boarding houses. As with magic item dealers, spellcasters-for-hire offer
No less than five inn districts provide lodging in all their services throughout the city. Spellcasters experi-
areas of the city, all concentrated in the lower levels. enced with providing for the needs of adventurers can
Hostelhome in Lower Dura, High Walls and Danc- be found in abundance in Clifftop and Deathsgate.
ing Shadows in Lower Tavick’s Landing, Boldrei’s These spellcasters usually have spells prepared that
Hearth in Lower Central, and Underlook in Middle are useful to adventurers, including remove curse, remove
Dura together offer over six hundred inns and hos- disease, break enchantment, divination, and similar spells.
tels to travelers and other visitors. That said, almost
every business district in the Sharn has some type of Magewrights and adepts of all levels can be
inn, and upscale districts such as Platinum Heights found throughout Sharn, but there are only a hand-
and Highest Towers (in Upper Central), Seventh ful of other spellcasters of 9th level or above, and
Tower (in Upper Menthis), and Skyway feature the these powerful individuals rarely sell their services
best lodging in the city. for gold.

House Ghallanda offers a secure shelter, a lodging Spellcasting Costs
option popular among adventurers. The dragon-
mark heirs of the house establish these shelters in The table below summarizes spellcasting costs depend-
North Market (in Lower Northedge) or The Bazaar ing on the class of the spellcaster and the minimum
(in Middle Dura) whenever demand requires. level required for a character of that class to cast a spell
As described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting, these shelters of the desired level. There are no resident NPCs in
cost 280 gp, or 35 gp per person if the maximum of Sharn who can cast spells of 7th level or higher, and
eight people share a shelter. Adventurers should note the few who can cast 6th level spells, such as Archiero-
that city law prohibits erecting a Leomund’s secure shelter phant Ythana Morr, are unlikely to exchange their
within 1 mile of Sharn without a permit, and House services for gold, dealing instead in favors and ser-
Ghallanda holds the exclusive permit. vices. As a general rule, characters can only purchase
spells of 5th level or below. Finding higher-level spells
Cha racters without money to pay for lodging should be part of a quest or adventure.
can find shelter in one of the many almshouses

23

Spell —————————————————————— Minimum Cost ——————————————————————
Level
Cleric, Druid, Wizard Sorcerer Artificer, Bard Adept, Magewright Paladin, Ranger
0
1 5 gp 5 gp 5 gp 5 gp —
2
A VISITOR'S GUIDE 3 10 gp 10 gp 20 gp 10 gp 20 gp
4
5 60 gp 80 gp 80 gp 80 gp 80 gp

150 gp 180 gp 210 gp 240 gp 150 gp

280 gp 320 gp 400 gp 480 gp 280 gp

450 gp 500 gp 650 gp 800 gp —

STORAGE WEATHER

House Kundarak’s role in the financial world takes Most of the year, Sharn’s weather varies from hot and
a back seat to its role in providing security for ware- humid to hot and rainy, with brief periods of warm and
houses, businesses, and private locations who can dry conditions. It doesn’t rain constantly in the City
afford their services. Foremost among the secure of Towers, but it certainly rains more often than not,
storage facilities they provide in the city are the and few days pass that boast no precipitation at all.
Vaults that occupy the lower levels of the Kundarak
Bank of Sharn in Upper Central’s Korranath dis- Rain aside, Skyway and the Upper-City enjoy
trict. The Vaults, designed primarily to store small more pleasant weather, and a cool breeze blows
items of great value, feature unparalleled security. across these levels most of the time. The Middle-
House Kundarak also guarantees the security of a City and below feel the brunt of the hot, humid
number of warehouses in Lower Dura and Lower conditions that regularly visit the region.
Tavick’s Landing, which are convenient to the major
trade routes through the city. WORSHIP

TRANSPORTATION Temples can be found in every quarter of Sharn,
though not in every district. This abundance of
New visitors find that getting around Sharn provides temples, dedicated to every deity, guarantees the citi-
almost as much entertainment as the many sights zens of the city a place of worship close to their homes.
and wonders the city has to offer. Skycoaches— Most of these temples are little more than small shrines
resembling small boats that range from rowboat- dedicated to a single deity, but the four temple districts
sized skycars to longship-scale tour coaches—dart of the city all contain great houses of worship dedicated
through the air of the city, transporting people to the Sovereign Host (as a pantheon) and the Silver
from place to place. Skycoaches can be found at the Flame. Shae Lias (in Upper Northedge) contains a
Orien lightning rail station in Cogsgate (in Lower number of shrines to the Undying Court.
Tavick’s Landing), at the waterfront in Cliffside,
and at the airship docks in Highest Towers (in Upper Buildings and Businesses
Central). Skycoaches can also be summoned from
larger balconies on towers throughout the city. The district descriptions in Chapter 2: Life in Sharn
list building types in general categories—trades, ser-
Other ways to get around include soarsleds, flying vices, food and lodging, temples and shrines, and resi-
disks that flit rapidly through the air, and glidew- dences. These categories cover a wide array of possible
ings brought to the city by Talenta halflings living businesses. Use the lists below as a general guideline
in Little Plains (in Middle Menthis). A few citizens of the sorts of businesses found in each district.
ride more exotic flying mounts, ranging from grif-
fons and hippogriffs to giant eagles and owls, but If the player characters seek a certain kind of
these are hard to stable in most areas of the city. business in a single district, first consult the district
(Skyway is the only ward with ample accommoda- description to determine whether it includes the
tions for large flying mounts.) right type of businesses. For example, if they are
looking for a sage, listed in the Services—Upscale
Of course, not all travel in Sharn involves flying category, check the district description to see
through the air. Magic lifts move people vertically whether it includes upscale services. Dragon Towers
from the Cogs to the Upper-City. Mule-drawn wagons (in Middle Central) includes such businesses, while
carry loads along the suspended roads and skybridges Seventh Tower (in Upper Menthis) does not.
that crisscross the city. Horses move among the towers,
either carrying riders or pulling carriages, and many Certain district types indicate specific types of
people walk from place to place whenever possible. businesses in their entries. For example, the Uni-
versity District in Upper Menthis includes explicitly
Skycoach Fares literary upscale trades and lists sage among the specific
businesses. If the characters seek a sage in the University
Skycoaches charge a standard rate of 1 sp per mile District, they have come to the right place.
through the city. Thus, it is possible to get from Lower
Tavick’s Landing to Upper Dura for about 6 sp. Assuming that the desired business could exist
in the district, assign a percentage chance based

24

on the number of businesses in the district of the tailor, tapestry maker, taxidermist, thatcher, tile-
correct type: maker, tinker, weaponsmith, weaver, wheelwright,
whipmaker, wigmaker, woodworker.
Number of Businesses % Chance A VISITOR'S GUIDE
In addition to the indicated trades, average trades
1–20 5% might include fine crafters of the types listed under
poor trades, selling masterwork versions of their
21–60 15% goods. There are not many masterwork basket weavers
in Sharn, but they would be found in districts with
61–120 30% average trades, not poor trades.

121–240 50% Also, average trades might include inferior crafters
of the types listed under upscale trades, selling inferior
For example, Dragon Towers has 20 businesses goods at lower cost (80% normal). Using inferior tools
is better than using no tools at all, but still imposes a
offering upscale services, giving a 5% chance that –1 penalty on checks made with such tools.

one of those businesses is a sage. Highest Towers (in Trades—Poor

Upper Central) has 75 such businesses, giving a 30% Bait and tackle shop, basketweaver, brickmaker,
broom maker, candlemaker, charcoal burner, dyer,
chance that one of them is a sage. firewood seller, fishmonger, fuller, leatherworker,
livestock, lumber, miller, netmaker, tanner.
If a business of the desired type exists in a dis-
In addition to the indicated trades, poor trades
trict, characters can learn its location with a success- might include inferior crafters of the types listed under
average trades, selling inferior goods at lower cost.
ful DC 10 Gather Information check, which takes
SERVICES
only 1d4 minutes and costs 1d4+1 copper pieces.
Not all services represent established places of busi-
TRADES ness. Many—particularly criminal services such as
assassins, burglars, and fences—are individuals who
Most trades, especially the exotic and upscale pro- live in residences in the district and whose services
prietors, operate out of an established shop. Most are available for hire to those who know how to con-
poor trades operate out of stalls in open markets or tact them. Depending on the nature of the service
set up tents in the streets, skybridges, or common desired, locating such individuals might require a
areas of towers. Gather Information check against DC 15 or 20.

Trades—Exotic Similarly, professionals such as architects,
bookkeepers, and guides may not have a fixed place
Alchemist, art dealer, calligrapher, costume shop, of business, but might work from their homes or
imported goods, magic armor dealer, magic item travel to their employer’s place of business when
dealer (general), magic weapon dealer, pet store, potion they have a contract. Finding such professionals is
dealer, rare wood merchant, scroll merchant, soap usually much easier than making a criminal contact,
maker, spice merchant, trapmaker, wand merchant. however, since most rely on advertising or extensive
word-of-mouth to get new business. A successful
Trades—Upscale Gather Information check against DC 10 or 15
(depending on the nature of the service) is sufficient
Antique dealer, bookbinder, bookseller, candy to locate these professionals.
maker, clockmaker, cosmetics dealer, curio dealer,
dice maker, distiller, fine clothier, gemcutter, Services—Upscale
glassblower, glazier, goldsmith, inkmaker, jeweler,
mapseller, papermaker, perfumer, pewterer, sculp- Animal trainer, apothecary, architect, assassin, bank,
tor, seal maker, silversmith, toy maker, trinkets barrister, bounty hunter, cartographer, dentist,
shop, vintner, wiresmith. engraver, illuminator, kennel, masseur, mews, money-
changer, sage, scribe, spellcaster for hire, tutor.
In addition to the indicated trades, upscale
trades might include fine artisans of the types listed Services—Average
under average trades. As the masters of their trades,
these artisans sell items of fine quality at increased Auction block, barber, bookkeeper, bordello,
prices, including masterwork goods. For example, clerk, engineer, fortuneteller, freight shipper,
Sharn’s finest weaponsmiths would be found in dis- guide, healer, horse trainer, interpreter, laundry,
tricts with upscale trades. messenger, minstrel, navigator, painter, physi-
cian, public bath, sharpener, stable, tattooer,
Trades—Average undertaker, veterinarian.

Armorer, baker, bazaar, blacksmith, bonecarver,
bowyer, brewer, butcher, carpenter, carpet maker,
cartwright, chandler, cheesemaker, cobbler, cooper,
coppersmith, dairy, fletcher, florist, furniture
maker, furrier, grocer, haberdasher, hardware store,
herbalist, joiner, lampmaker, locksmith, mason,
merchant, music shop, outfitter, potter, provisioner,
religious items dealer, roofer, ropemaker, saddler,
sailmaker, seamstress, shipwright, stonecutter,

25

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Services—Poor ethnic neighborhoods, such as the dwarf neighbor-
hood in Upper Dura. Most nonhumans are fully
Acrobat, actor, boater, buffoon, building painter, integrated into every district of the city.
burglar, carter, fence, gambling hall, juggler, laborer,
limner, linkboy, moneylender, nursemaid, pawnshop, Dwarves (35,000) make up the largest racial
porter, ship painter, silo, teamster, warehouse. group in Sharn, after humans. A small proportion
(about 7%) of these live in two dwarf neighborhoods:
OTHER TYPES OF BUILDINGS one in Middle Northedge and the one in Upper
Dura. Many dwarves live in the wealthiest residential
In addition to trades and services, Sharn hosts all districts of the city, including the Central Plateau’s
kinds of businesses and buildings. Remember that prestigious Mithral Tower neighborhood. Many
most of these aren’t freestanding structures; instead, of these, as well as much of the rest of the Central
they occupy one or more floors in a tower or large Plateau’s dwarf population, are affiliated with House
building. Some are freestanding structures built on Kundarak and work in the city’s finance districts.
the platforms, balconies, and skybridges that form
the “ground” of the higher levels of the city, or jut Sharn has almost as many halflings (22,000) as
out from the side of a larger tower or building. dwarves. Roughly 8% of these live in the so-called
Little Plains district, a strongly ethnic halfling
Lodging neighborhood in Middle Menthis, where the archi-
tecture strongly resembles the stone-carved city of
Almshouse, boarding house, hostel, inn. Gatherhold in the Talenta Plains. Many more half-
lings live in integrated neighborhoods throughout
Food the city, particularly in the city’s many inn and
tavern districts. House Jorasco has a prominent
Club, eatery, restaurant, tavern. establishment in the Dragon Towers on the Cen-
tral Plateau, and their houses of healing are located
Temples and Shrines throughout the city.

The Sovereign Host (and specific deities), the Silver Goblinoids, including goblins, hobgoblins,
Flame, the Path of Light, the Undying Court (in and bugbears, are another large minority in Sharn
areas with elf populations). Sharn has no overt (20,000). While some (particularly the larger races)
temples to the Cults of the Dragon Below, and its are immigrants from Darguun, many of the goblin
one temple of the Blood of Vol is specifically detailed families have lived in Sharn for over a thousand years,
in the Graywall district of Middle Tavick’s Landing. dating back to before the time of Galifar. Many of
A few hidden shrines to the Dark Six do exist. these folk cluster in two areas in Lower Dura and the
Plateau Cogs, while most of the rest live in the other
Residences neighborhoods of Lower Dura and the Depths. Some
labor in the forges and foundries of the Cogs, while
Many businesses are also residences, but residences many more are unemployed and live in squalor.
indicated in district descriptions are single-purpose
dwellings. Upscale residences are generally large and A sizable population of gnomes (17,000) calls
spacious, although those located in Northedge and Sharn home, with perhaps one-tenth of these living
Upper Tavick’s Landing are larger and more like in Den’iyas in Upper Menthis. A significant number
mansions than comparable residences in the heart of these, as well as many other gnomes living in Upper
of the Central Plateau or Menthis, which are more and Middle Menthis, have ties to Morgrave Uni-
like penthouse condominiums. The largest resi- versity, or else to Menthis’s bustling entertainment
dences might occupy an entire level of a tower near industry. House Sivis has a hall in Dragon Towers,
its summit. Average residences are comparable to a and the most prominent members of the house live in
smaller condominium or townhouse. Those on the that neighborhood. It also has a larger headquarters
outskirts of the city are generally larger than those in the University District in Upper Menthis.
downtown. Poor residences are small apartments
crowded close together. Sharn contains a somewhat smaller (13,000)
population of elves. Some 11% of these live in Shae
Population and Lias, a neighborhood in Upper Northedge, though
DEMOGRAPHICS few have any connection to the University. Shae Lias
is known as a quiet neighborhood of elegant taste,
With over 200,000 citizens, Sharn is Khorvaire’s and is a popular shopping destination for those
largest city. Like most metropolises in Khorvaire, seeking artistic items and fine woodwork, including
its racially diverse population is only one-third furniture. House Phiarlan has a small headquarters
human (70,000), and includes not only the standard in Dragon Towers, with another several hundred
character races but also a number of goblinoids and elves attached to it. The rest of the elves live in
other monstrous creatures. No more than 10% of integrated neighborhoods, though they tend toward
the city’s nonhuman population lives in specifically upper-middle class status.

26

The city’s half-elves (10,000) are fully integrated The remainder of the population (2,500) con- A VISITOR'S GUIDE
into neighborhoods throughout the city. Both sists of monstrous creatures, such as ogres, dop-
House Lyrandar and House Medani have halls in pelgangers, medusas, minotaurs, and a few fiends.
Dragon Towers, and significant numbers of half- Many of the larger creatures (particularly ogres and
elves dwell there and in neighboring areas of the minotaurs) came from Droaam under contract
Central Plateau. to House Tharashk to work in the Cogs. Most of
these creatures live in the undercity districts of the
Shifters make up less than 5% of Sharn’s popu- Northedge Cogs and the Plateau Cogs. A few live
lation (8,500), concentrated in Lower Northedge, higher in the city, either hiding their monstrous
Middle Tavick’s Landing, and the Depths. There are nature or putting it to good use in their work.
no shifter neighborhoods, but the shifters do tend
to live in small clusters. About 8% of Sharn’s populace are members of
player character classes.
Changelings are a minority in the city (6,500).
They do not cluster as shifters do, but gravitate indi- WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE?
vidually to red light districts and tavern districts. A
large number of changelings are found in the goblinoid Characters of various classes—both PC classes and
neighborhoods of Lower Dura and the Plateau Cogs. NPC classes—fill a tremendous variety of roles
within a city, and neither roles nor titles often neatly
Sharn’s orcs and half-orcs (4,250) are almost correspond to a given class or level. Two people with
all connected to House Tharashk, which maintains the exact same rank and function within the city
a grand hall in Dragon Towers. Expeditions to guard might be a 5th-level warrior and a 3rd-level
Xen’drik, especially for the purpose of prospect- fighter. The “high priest” at one temple might be a
ing for dragonshards, has grown into a booming 12th-level cleric while a 3rd-level adept or a 6th-level
business in Sharn, and House Tharashk thrives on commoner fills the same role at another temple.
this trade. The house maintains a prominent pres- Multiclassing only muddies the waters further: a
ence in the Upper Dura neighborhood of Clifftop, 4th-level cleric/6th-level fighter might serve a pri-
which has a reputation as an adventurer’s quarter. marily clerical function, she might be a member of
A significant number of inquisitives tied to House the city guard (who supports the guard with divine
Tharashk also operate in the city. magic), or she might be a templar charged with
defending a temple against attack. The following
The kalashtar in the city (1,600), mostly made lists are intended to help you imagine what roles
up of a small group of recent immigrants, live in NPCs of various classes might fill within Sharn and
Overlook, an apartment district in Upper Dura. other towns and cities across Khorvaire.

The warforged residents of Sharn (1,500) con- Artificers: Adventurer, alchemist, construct
tinue to seek a place and a purpose since the end of dealer/repairer, court wizard, magic item dealer, sage,
the Last War. Many were built for the war but never scholar, scribe, student, teacher, troubleshooter, tutor.
used, since the fighting ended before they could
be shipped to one of the fronts. With the Treaty of Barbarians: Adventurer, bandit, bodyguard,
Thronehold, the warforged have become free citi- bounty hunter, freedom fighter, gladiator, guide,
zens rather than property. Even so, many labor in mercenary, soldier.
virtual slavery in the Cogs.

COMMONER OR EXPERT?

Is the blacksmith in Dunstan Tower a commoner or the largest concentrations of non-commoners

an expert? In game terms, it makes no difference as in the world, but even in a bustling metropolis

far as the smith’s ability is concerned—a commoner teeming with PC-classed characters, experts, and

and an expert of the same level probably have the aristocrats, commoners make up 80% of the popu-

same number of ranks in Craft. lation. Most craftspeople don’t need six skills—one

In terms of the game world, commoners usually or two are enough to make their living. These are

serve as menial laborers than master artisans. In a small the background characters of Sharn, the teeming

village, the lone blacksmith might be a commoner, but masses from whom the PCs and important NPCs of

a commoner can’t compete in a big city with plenty of the city stand out in sharp relief. When you create

expert blacksmiths. The expert blacksmith may have new NPCs for the player characters to interact

commoner apprentices and a number of commoners with in a meaningful way, it’s okay to make them

who tend his forge and carry his firewood. experts, aristocrats, or members of player character

The majority of the humanoid population con- classes—the NPCs that matter in the city are not

sists of commoners, not experts. Cities represent likely to be commoners.

27

A VISITOR'S GUIDE Bards: Acrobat, actor, adventurer, adviser, History of the City
alchemist, ambassador, assassin, buffoon, courier,
diplomat, diplomatic aide, freedom fighter, herald, Over the course of ten thousand years, the city by the
jester, juggler, messenger, minstrel, music instructor, Dagger River has risen and fallen time and again.
teacher, tutor. The many scars of history can be seen everywhere—
each representing a score of dangers to threaten the
Clerics: Acolyte, adventurer, adviser, ambas- present-day inhabitants.
sador, bounty hunter, chaplain, cultist, diplomat,
diplomatic aide, healer, high priest, knight, priest, DUUR’SHAARAT
teacher, templar, tutor.
Thousands of years before humans came to Khor-
Druids: Acolyte, adventurer, adviser, bounty vaire, the land belonged to the hobgoblins. One of
hunter, cultist, guide, herbalist, hermit, high the greatest cities of the Dhakaani Empire was the
priest, priest, templar. hobgoblin metropolis of Ja’shaarat (“Bright Blade”),
nestled by the edge of the Dagger River. The early
Fighters: Adventurer, assassin, bandit, body- Dhakaani architects carved their city into the stone
guard, bounty hunter, champion, city guard, free- instead of raising towers above the ground, and the
dom fighter, gladiator, knight, lord, mercenary, halls of Ja’shaarat extended beneath the surface of
officer, soldier, templar, thug, trainer. the land. The goblin miners pushed into Khyber,
discovering a vast lake of fire that burned with a
Monks: Acolyte, adventurer, adviser, assassin, supernatural heat. The blades and armor of the
bodyguard, cenobite, city guard, cultist, hermit, greatest Dhakaani warriors were forged here, and
high priest, officer, priest, trainer. tempered in khaar draguus, the blood of the dragon.
Later, they raised great monolithic buildings that
Paladins: Adventurer, adviser, champion, jus- covered each of the plateaus and would later serve
ticar, knight, lord, soldier, templar, trainer. as the foundation for the City of Towers.

Rangers: Adventurer, bandit, bodyguard, When the alignment of the planes brought the
bounty hunter, freedom fighter, guide, mercenary, daelkyr and their armies of horrors to Eberron, the
scout, soldier, templar, trainer. Dhakaani empire fell before them, and Ja’shaarat
was devastated. The empire never recovered from
Rog ues: Adventurer, ambassador, assassin, the conflict and the great city was never restored.
bandit, burglar, crime lord, cultist, cutpurse, dip- The goblin tribes that hid in the ruins renamed
lomat, freedom fighter, mayor, security consultant, their home Duur’shaarat, “Blade of Sorrows.”
scout, spy, thug, trapmaker, troubleshooter.
SHAARAT
Sorcerers: Adventurer, adviser, alchemist,
assassin, battlecaster, bodyguard, cabalist, court In time, the humans of Sarlona began to explore
wizard, cultist, fortuneteller, magic item dealer, across the ocean. A wave of humans followed the famed
spellcaster for hire, tutor. explorer Lhazaar to Khorvaire’s eastern shores. The
humans didn’t stop there, however. They pushed
Wizards: Adventurer, adviser, alchemist, assas- inland and explored the northern and southern coasts
sin, battlecaster, bodyguard, cabalist, court wizard, seeking land to settle and kingdoms to erect. As a
cultist, fortuneteller, magic item dealer, sage, result, Malleon the Reaver discovered the inlet of the
scholar, scribe, spellcaster for hire, student, teacher, Dagger River twenty-five years after Lhazaar’s historic
troubleshooter, tutor. undertaking. Malleon enslaved the goblins and built a
fortress within the ruins on the bluff above the river.
Adepts: Acolyte, alchemist, cabalist, cultist,
fortuneteller, high priest, magic item dealer, priest, Malleon, a superstitious man, hoped to make
sage, scholar, scribe, spellcaster for hire, student. peace with whatever spirits remained in the ruins.
He sealed off the deeper levels of the goblin-made
Aristocrats:Adviser, ambassador, business mountain-monoliths that had been home to the
owner, bureaucrat, diplomat, diplomatic aide, majority of the hobgoblins, and he named the city
knight, lord, mayor, plantation owner. Shaarat, deriving the name from the stories told by
his goblin slaves.
Commoners: Apprentice, artisan, barkeep,
farmer, fisher, innkeeper, journeyman, laborer, Over the next six hundred years, Shaarat grew
merchant, servant, serving staff, shopkeeper. into a powerful and wealthy city. Breggor, first ruler
of the nation that would eventually bear the name of
Experts: Acrobat, actor, adviser, apprentice, Breland, demanded that Shaarat bow to his author-
artisan, barkeep, buffoon, bureaucrat, caravan ity. Malleon’s descendants refused. A long siege fol-
leader, diplomat, fisher, guide, innkeeper, jester, lowed, ending when Breggor ordered his wizards to
juggler, journeyman, magic item dealer, merchant, rain destruction on Shaarat.
minstrel, professional, sage, scholar, scout, scribe,
serving staff, shopkeeper, student, teacher, tutor.

Magewrights: Apprentice, artisan, magic item
dealer, merchant, professional, sage, scholar, student,
teacher, tutor.

Warriors: Bandit, bodyguard, city guard,
mercenary, soldier, templar, thug, trainer.

28

SHARN AND THE his queen seized control of Sharn, turning it into a A VISITOR'S GUIDE
bastion for the aberrant marks.
WAR OF THE MARK
In the end, Tarkanan simply didn’t have the
Breggor wanted the city on the Dagger River for his numbers to overcome his enemies. The battle con-
own, and he didn’t allow the place to remain ruined tinued for another four years, but Tarkanan and his
for long. Within a decade of the siege of Shaarat, forces were slowly beaten back to Sharn. As House
Breggor renamed the city Sharn. For the next eight Cannith, House Deneith, and the armies of pre-
hundred years, the towers began to rise and the city Breland closed in, Tarkanan and the Lady of the
flourished along with the Five Nations. It was during Plague called upon the full power of their aberrant
this time that the dragonmarked houses began to dragonmarks and released horrific magical forces.
grow and prosper. Between the pure marks, the Terrible quakes caused parts of the city to collapse,
mixed marks, and the frequently appearing aber- and rivers of lava flowed up from the fiery lake deep
rant marks, the more powerful houses saw a threat below. Those who escaped the flames were devoured
to their growing wealth and economic power. The by swarms of vermin or stricken down by deadly
houses began to argue, and soon strong and angry plagues. The War of the Mark was over—but Sharn
words led to full-scale battle. War had come to the had suffered greatly and was abandoned.
dragonmarked houses.
For over five hundred years, superstitious folk
The War of the Mark, a terrible and bloody con- shunned the ruined city, muttering about the curses of
flict, changed the face of Khorvaire, firmly establish- the aberrant lords. Despite the superstitions, the loca-
ing the dragonmarked families that hold power to this tion had considerable strategic and economic value.
day. The pure families and their allies outnumbered When Galifar I took control of the Five Nations, he
those possessing aberrant and mixed dragonmarks, sent a force to rebuild the ruined city. House Cannith
but the aberrant marks held considerable destructive played a critical role in the reconstruction, and to this
power. At first it was a simple purge, as the aberrants day House Cannith remains one of the most influen-
were hunted down one by one. But in the third year tial forces in Sharn. Dwarf engineers were brought in
of this inquisition, Lord Halas Tarkanan gathered from the Mror Holds, and a few of the Brelish nobles
his aberrant kindred. Tarkanan, a brilliant tactician, invested a great deal of gold in the city. Chief among
used his military skills and the power of the aberrant these was the ir’Tain family. The ir’Tains are known
dragonmarks to turn the tide of battle. Tarkanan and as the slumlords of Sharn, and over the centuries

The ruins of ancient goblin cities hide in the Depths. FT

A VISITOR'S GUIDE the family has made a fortune from its many tene- engrained into secular life, and affect the timing of
ment properties. Today, the ir’Tains are one of the government appointments, apprenticeship terms,
most powerful noble families in Breland; Lord Hass and other things.
ir’Tain is an influential member of the Breland Par-
liament, and his mother Celyria is the unquestioned Sun’s Blessing (15 Therendor): The 15th day of
leader of high society in Sharn. Other powerful Therendor, the festival of Dol Arrah, the Sovereign of
families and merchants flocked to the new city, and Honor and Light, is a day of peace, a time for enemies
Sharn prospered and grew. to set aside their differences and commune. This tra-
dition continued throughout the Last War, when most
When work began, only a few towers remained armies kept the peace on Sun’s Blessing. However, in
standing above the ancient goblin foundations and 916 YK the armies of Thrane conducted a great assault
human ruins. It was believed that the curse of the Lady on the Brelish city of Starilaskur on Sun’s Blessing,
of the Plague still lingered in the darkness, and the and many Brelish curse Thrane on this holiday.
remnants of the old cities were quickly sealed away.
In time they were forgotten, lost in the shadows of the Most of Sharn observes Sun’s Blessing, and a
new towers that stretched toward the sky. Occasionally grand celebration takes place at the Pavilion of the
treasure-hunters venture down into the haunted levels Host in Sovereign Towers. It is one of the safest days
that lie between the Lower-City and the Cogs, but the to wander the city, and a time when rivals often try
vast majority of the citizens know little or nothing to resolve their conflicts peacefully. However, the
of the ruins that lie in the Depths. followers of the Mockery and the Shadow may go out
of their way to cause pain and suffering as an affront
Today,Sharn stands as a center for trade, diplo- to the sun goddess.
macy, and intrigue, a city with an important role to
play in the future of Khorvaire. When dealing with Aureon’s Crown (26 Dravago): The Five
Sharn, remember that the city has an ancient and rich Nations observe the festival of Aureon. It is a cel-
history, and that as you descend you are effectively ebration of knowledge, when the elders of the com-
traveling through time. The lowest levels of the oldest munity share their wisdom with the young at evening
towers are over ten thousand years old, and the build- feasts. Throughout the day, priests of Aureon gather
ings within them have gone through many changes. at the Great Hall of Aureon in the University Dis-
What is now an apartment complex might once have trict in Upper Menthis, providing sermons and lec-
been a cathedral. A tavern might have been a hobgoblin tures on a host of topics, from history to philosophy
armory. This sense of history and change can add a and the nature of the gods.
great deal of color to an otherwise simple location.
Like many of the holy days of the Sovereign Host,
Festivals and Diversions Aureon’s Crown has become a secular holiday that
does not require any particular religious devotion.
As one of the largest cities on the continent, Sharn Aureon’s Crown is the traditional time for students
hosts some of the grandest celebrations and spectacles to graduate or advance, and this is true even at the
in Khorvaire. Many people travel from across Breland monastic schools of the Silver Flame.
to join in Olladra’s Feast or to pay their respects to
the fallen on the Day of Ashes, and the Race of Eight Brightblade (12 Nymm): Brightblade, the holy
Winds draws tourists from across Khorvaire. day of Dol Dorn, the Sovereign Lord of Strength
and Steel, sees festivals occur in all of the temple
In an ongoing campaign set in Sharn, festivals districts of the city. Prizefights, wrestling matches,
can serve a variety of different purposes. Religious archery contests, and jousts occur throughout the
holidays and events commemorating the Last War day, culminating in a contest of champions at the
help to immerse the characters in the setting. Sport- Cornerstone arena in Middle Tavick’s Landing. The
ing events provide characters with an opportunity to champions receive generous prizes, and a fortune
make a little extra gold or to lose their chain shirts. can be made gambling on the contests.
A special event may provide an excellent starting
point for an adventure. Occ asionally, even more fantastic conflicts
have been staged on Brightblade—full-scale battles
The following holidays demonstrate a few of the held on the training grounds of Daggerwatch,
most important or colorful events. Each deity has free-for-all melees with hundreds of contestants,
at least one holy day, and each race and nation has a and similar spectacles.
host of traditions and festivals. Some of these events
are unique to Sharn, while others are celebrated The Hunt (4 Barrakas): The 4th day of Bar-
across Breland or Khorvaire. rakas is dedicated to the Sovereign Balinor. While
followers of Balinor are taught to live in harmony
HOLY DAYS with nature, 4 Barrakas celebrates his role as Lord of
Horn and Hunt, the hunter who protects his people
While these are primarily religious holidays, many from marauding predators. Both rural communi-
of the holy days of the Sovereign Host have become ties and in greatest cities of Khorvaire observe the
Hunt. In Sharn (and many other metropolises), the
priests of Balinor arrange to have a dangerous beast

30

transported to the city. The City Watch cordons off of Middle Central), but the faithful pray at all of the A VISITOR'S GUIDE
an area of the Lower-City, and on 4 Barrakas the city’s temples. In addition to attending the ceremony
beast is released into the Depths. Anyone who wishes and sermon, the faithful seek ways to contribute to
can participate in the Hunt by making a donation of their community on Ascension Day.
5 gp. Hunters receive the blessing of Balinor, and
enter the Depths to track down the beast. Whoever Wildnight (18–19 Sypheros): The Fury, the
returns with its head receives a prize of 500 gp, fame Sovereign of Passion and Madness, the mistress of
throughout the city, and the blessing of Balinor. unbridled emotion, reaches the height of her power
during the month of Sypheros. When the sun sets on
While the quarry of the Hunt is generally Wildnight, emotions run high, and people find it dif-
referred to as “the beast,” over the years the Hunt ficult to restrain their natural impulses. The shy and
has taken different forms. Sometimes multiple the superstitious usually stay indoors on Wildnight
creatures participate, and the victor is the hunter and avoid public places. But many see the night as an
who gathers the most skins. During the Last War, excuse to cast aside their inhibitions. The streets fill
rumors persist that a city in Karrnath used prison- with raucous revelry. From the depths of the Cogs to
ers of war as the quarry in the Hunt. the highest towers of Central Plateau, wild celebra-
tions last well into the night. But for all the joy and
Fathen’s Fall (25 Barrakas): Fathen’s Fall honors revelry, it is a dangerous time. Riots, brawls, and
the memory of one of the heroes of the Silver Cru- crimes of passion are all too common.
sade, the great purge of lycanthropes that occurred
over 150 years ago. Fathen exposed scores of lycan- Long Shadows (26–28 Vult): When the Sov-
thropes in Sharn, but on 25 Barrakas a pack of ereign Lord Aureon created the first arcane spells,
wererats tore him limb from limb on the streets he brought a source of darkness into the world—a
of North Market. In observance of this event, the sentient force of pure magic that stole his shadow to
faithful gather at the Shrine of Fathen the Martyr serve as its vessel. According to myth, the Shadow
(in the North Market district of Lower Northedge) lurks in the dark spaces of the world, spreading
to listen to a sermon given by the priest of High dread and despair, spawning foul monsters and
Hope; followers traditionally donate 1 silver piece granting power to those who use magic for corrup-
in memory of the crusade. tion or evil purposes. Regardless of the truth of
these tales, there are three days in Vult when dark
Shifters in general have an ambiguous feeling magic dominates—the three nights of Long Shadows.
toward this holiday. While they have ancestral ties to For most people, this is a time to stay indoors and
lycanthropes, many shifters actively participated in huddle around a fire. For the minions of darkness,
the Silver Crusade. Some shifters are comfortable it is a time to rise up and leave the shadows, preying
with their ancestors’ participation in the Crusade, on the weak and foolish who ignore the legends.
while others view it as a dark mark on their heritage.
As a result, tensions run high within Sharn’s shifter In Sharn, the primary worshipers of the dark
communities and between shifters and the faithful of deity are the monsters of Droaam. Human followers
the Church of the Silver Flame on Fathen’s Fall. of the Shadow are usually wizards and sorcerers, and
it is possible that a mage would need to complete a
Boldrei’s Feast (9 Rhaan): Boldrei’s Feast is particular arcane experiment—such as the construc-
a time for the community to come together and tion of an eldritch machine—during Long Shadows.
strengthen its ties. House Ghallanda and local
merchants donate goods and services for a great feast SECULAR FESTIVALS
that is held at the Pavilion of the Host. Traditionally,
the wealthiest members of a district throw grand The Last War has had a tremendous impact on the
parties, competing with one another and seeking to psyche of the people of Khorvaire. Most of the events
improve social standing through these astonishing described in this section are memorials commemo-
and extravagant displays. rating particular events of the war. Many more festi-
vals take place that are not described in this section.
In addition to these celebrations, Boldrei’s Feast Galifar’s Throne (5 Nymm), for example, celebrates
is the traditional day for elections and government the foundation of the kingdom of Galifar, but today
appointments, as Boldrei oversees the forces that only Q’barra openly commemorates the event.
hold a community together.
The Tain Gala (first Far of each month):
The Ascension (1 Sypheros): The Church of Balls, galas, and feasts occur throughout the year, as
the Silver Flame was born from the sacrifice of Tira ambassadors, nobles, and dragonmarked heirs wine
Miron, who gave her life to serve as the Voice of the and dine their relatives and associates. However, the
Silver Flame. On 1 Sypheros, members of the church Tain Gala has become an institution in Sharn. The
gather to reaffirm their faith and to give thanks to ir’Tains, one of the oldest and most powerful families
Tira for her holy gift. Over the course of the day, in Sharn, owns many towers and their wealth rivals
followers of the Flame attend a blessing ceremony; that of the Kundarak clan. The guest list of the Tain
the grandest ceremony occurs at the Cathedral of the Gala defines the social order of the city. The families
Cleansing Flame (in the Sovereign Towers district

31

A VISITOR'S GUIDE with permanent invitations to the Gala, the Sixty, are an exotic competition involving different sorts of
the royalty of Sharn. magical and fantastic beasts.

In addition to these aristocrats and wealthy The Race of Eight Winds is primarily a test of
gentry, Lady Celyria ir’Tain does her best to invite a speed and skill through a course that weaves around
few unusual celebrities to entertain her guests—art- and through the spires of the city. While the beasts
ists, poets, and sometimes adventurers. Aside from may use any natural weapons that they possess, the
fantastic food and drink, such guests receive gen- riders may not use spells, psionic powers, dragon-
erous gifts and a temporary increase in status; for marks, magic devices, or alchemical items. Anyone
the next month, the attitude of any member of the who breaks these rules is immediately disqualified
Sixty is increased by one category when dealing with and probably torn apart by an angry mob. The
the celebrity. An adventurer known to be a friend only weapon a rider can use is a sporting crossbow,
of Lady ir’Tain often receives invitations to other equivalent to a light crossbow but with an 80-foot
events or other forms of special consideration. range increment and 1d3/1d4 damage. Competi-
tors may carry a dozen quarrels, allowing the rider
Crystalfall (9 Olarune): While Sharn was never to hinder the progress of another racer but making
besieged during the Last War, sabotage was a con- quick kills unlikely.
stant threat. The most devastating event of the war
occurred on 9 Olarune 918 YK. A team of abjurers The Race of Eight Winds brings spectators, tour-
destroyed the enchantments supporting the Glass ists, and gamblers from across Khorvaire, and it also
Tower, one of the city’s oldest floating citadels. Over presents a host of opportunities for adventurers.
the last few decades, a tradition has built up around The victorious rider receives a 500 gp purse at the
this day. Crafters carve ice sculptures, creating beau- end of the race, as well as a grant of land elsewhere in
tiful miniature towers, and then hurl them into the Breland, donated by one of Sharn’s noble families.
Dagger River. Some see this as morbid, but for most
of the participants, it is a way to remember what was Thronehold (11 Aryth): On 11 Aryth 996 YK,
lost—creating something beautiful and unforgettable, the signing of the Treaty of Thronehold formally
and then watching as it is destroyed. While carvings ended the Last War, bringing a century of bloodshed
occur throughout the city, the largest and most pres- to a close. As might have been expected, the day has
tigious gathering of sculptors occurs in Sunset Park become an important holiday celebrated throughout
in Ocean View (in Upper Tavick’s Landing). A few the Five Nations. It is a new holiday, celebrated for
of the city councilors judge the sculptures, and the only the second time this year. The Lord Mayor of
winner receives a purse of 150 gp. Sharn intends to hold one of the most extravagant
celebrations ever seen, and tourists and celebrants
The Day of Mourning (20 Olarune): The are likely to attend from across Khorvaire.
Last War was a time of horrors. With every passing
decade, deeper scars were carved into the surface of SPORTING EVENTS
Khorvaire. But through a century of war, nothing
had prepared the people of the Five Nations for the As a metropolis catering to people of all cultures,
events of 20 Ollarune 994 YK—the day when the Sharn hosts all kinds of sports and athletic events.
nation of Cyre was destroyed, leaving the Mourn- The Race of Eight Winds only occurs once every year.
land in its wake. The nature and cause of the cata- Other events occur on a daily, weekly, or monthly
clysm remains a mystery, but on 20 Olarune those basis. Shifters hold informal hrazhak competitions
who survived the fall of Cyre gather to remember every night in Lower Northedge. The ogres of the
their lost kingdom. Some tell stories of the dead, Cogs are fond of tugs-of-war, arm wrestling, and
while others teach the history of the nation to the similar simple tests of strength. People wishing to
young or perform traditional Cyran songs and bet on sports can usually find a gambler willing to
dances. Others remember only the war, cursing the set odds in Firelight, Callestan, Cornerstone, or
other nations for refusing to accept Mishann’s claim Hareth’s Folly. Three exotic sports practiced in the
to the throne of Galifar. city are described below.

The Race of Eight Winds (23 Lharvion): Dura, Hrazhak: Two teams of seven shifters play
one of the oldest and poorest quarters of Sharn, hrazhak, a rough, full-contact sport. Each team
contains inhabitants swept in from all corners of carries a wooden idol. To score, a team must steal
Khorvaire. They may not have gold, but the people of its opponent’s idol and place both idols in its goal.
Dura have the Race of Eight Winds. According to the Obstacles such as trees, streams, and piles of rubble
commonly accepted—if somewhat unlikely—legend, play a major role on a hrazhak field, requiring the
King Galifar II was fascinated by the use of aerial competitors to make full use of their inhuman jump-
scouts and cavalry. It’s said that he used Sharn as a ing and climbing abilities. Idols can be thrown or
proving ground to test the merits of different flying carried, and there are no limits on contact between
beasts, granting land and gold to exceptional cava- participants, although only natural weapons are
liers. Over the centuries, this activity evolved into allowed. There is no required structure to a hrazhak
team, but most include two runners, climbers, and

32

The memorial ceremonies
of Crystalfall.

renders. Renders and biters can inflict serious inju-
ries on their opponents, and a low-level druid or
adept is usually on hand to provide healing; however,
any competitor who receives healing is removed from
play for the remainder of the match. Competitors are
not allowed to use magic or psionic abilities.

The only formal hrazhak arena in Sharn is
located in Cornerstone, where it is a spectator sport
and a source of gambling. However, shifters have
created ramshackle hrazhak fields in the slums and
warehouse districts of the city, and shifter youths
often play impromptu games in the parks.

Skyblades: Common jousting is popular enough
throughout Breland. In Sharn, the sport has taken to
the air. In a formal skyblade match, the goal is to knock
the rider from his saddle—attacks against the mounts
are forbidden, along with use of magic or psionics.
Formal matches take place in one of Sharn’s two aerial
arenas, located in Cornerstone and Hareth’s Folly.
However, informal matches occur throughout Lower
and Middle Dura, Tavick’s Landing, and Menthis
Plateau. An informal match may be drawn out across
an entire district, with competitors weaving between
towers and around bridges. Rules for an informal
match are set before the start, establishing whether
magic can be used and mounts can be targeted. Sky-
blade jousters typically ride hippogriffs and carry
blunted lances that deal nonlethal damage.

Six Stones: Six Stones, a Droaam tradition
brought to Sharn by immigrants, involves seven
competitors who each pay a base stake. The seven are
then sealed in a large chamber with a cockatrice. The
match ends when six of the competitors have been
turned to stone, at which point the survivor receives
the majority of the stakes (with a share being set aside
for the organizers). A medusa handler monitors
the competition to ensure that rules are followed.
Contestants carry no arms or armor, and no magic
or psionics may be used. Additionally, no one may
attack the cockatrice. The challenge lies in defeating
the other contestants or luring them into the path of
the cockatrice. The battleground varies. It may be
completely barren or chocked with rubble and cover;
there may be light, or it may be pitch black.

Six Stones matches are run by the monstrous
organization known as Daask. The sport is highly
illegal, but the matches are confined to the Dura
Cogs and well hidden from the eyes of the Watch. Six
Stones usually only occurs once every few months.
Sometimes participants voluntarily enter the arena,
but most are debtors who have been offered a chance
to clear their loans. Daask takes bets on the out-
come, and usually earns a tidy sum.

Currently Daask has four cockatrices in Sharn
(5 HD, 5 HD, 6 HD, and 8 HD), all of which were
carefully trained in Droaam. A medusa named
Karyale (NE female medusa expert 2) handles
the cockatrices.

ED

Captain Harthon swung his He had to get there before the
airship toward the docking gargoyles caught them. He had
tower, heedless of the ship’s to get his passenger to safety or
excessive speed. everything would be lost . . .

CHAPTER TWO LIFE IN SHARN

LIFE IN
SHARN

T he City of Towers is hardly a typical 600 feet in diameter at the top. Some have narrower
fantasy city as described in the Dungeon spires extending farther upward.
Master’s Guide. Almost all of its buildings
stretch hundreds of feet into the sky, Ever y tower is built of magically reinforced
and some are built among the clouds. stone, with hardness 16 and AC 3. Climbing a tower
Great bridges span the space between towers, most wall requires a DC 22 Climb check. A typical Lower-
of them lined with businesses. Massive cranes City exterior wall is 15 feet thick, with 2,340 hp per
haul freight up from the wharfs to the warehouse 10-foot section. In the Middle-City, exterior walls
districts, while magic lifts carry the wealthiest are 10 feet thick, with 1,440 hp per 10-foot sec-
citizens around their towertop neighborhoods. tion. In the Upper-City, exterior walls are only 5
And things fly—from skycars carrying a dozen pas- feet thick, with 900 hp per 10-foot section. Interior
sengers to soarsleds carrying one, flying carpets, walls also consist of stone construction. Some serve
airships, and any number of personal magic items, important structural functions and are as thick as
the inhabitant make great use of Sharn’s manifest exterior walls, but most are only 1 foot thick, with
zone. Sharn is unique, and most of its features differ 90 hp per 10-foot section.
significantly from the city features detailed in the
Dungeon Master’s Guide. In general, a tower has one story per 10–12 feet of
height. Ceilings tend to be lower (and stories packed
City Architecture more closely together) at lower levels and higher toward
the top levels, but there are certainly exceptions (ware-
Sharn consists of a number of common elements that house towers, for example, usually have high ceilings).
take on amazing proportions within the city’s dizzying Stories might also be subdivided: a popular residential
heights. These features are described below. design features an open central plaza, 20 feet or more
in height, surrounded by two-story homes built as if
TOWERS hanging off the wall of the tower. A minor variation
on this design has even higher ceilings and three-story
The towers of Sharn range in height from about 100 units surrounding the plaza, with the bottom story
feet to nearly a mile tall, but their basic construction of each unit housing a business.
resembles that of a traditional castle or other stone
building. Extensive magic goes into their construc- Most towers are studded with balconies, riddled
tion, from the spells used to lift blocks of stone to with windows, and connected to neighboring towers
such enormous heights to the magic that strengthens with bridges.
and supports the towers, allowing them to stand
despite all probability. Even with such magic in place, BALCONIES
the towers are generally broad at the bottom and
narrow at the top, many of them peaking in elegant Balconies range from simple ledges with protective
spires or domes, while others are crowned with flat railings where a homeowner can step outside to
platforms that hold parks, pools, or small estates. enjoy the sunset, to large platforms where skycars
The streets of the ancient city have been swallowed can land to discharge passengers. Most towers have
up as towers were built upward and lower walls thick- at least one balcony per story; many towers have
ened, to the point that now the towers tend to merge many more balconies, at least at certain levels. Since
at ground level into a solid maze of walls, jumbled flying is so prevalent in the city, any balcony is a
together with no discernable pattern. potential entry point to a tower. Balconies opening
into businesses or residences can be secured by some
Most towers are roughly 800 to 2,500 feet in means, ranging from a simple door or portcullis to
diameter at the bottom, narrowing to about 200 to magical means such as a wall of force or an alarm spell.
A great number of balconies, particularly the larger
ones, open into public space.

35

LIFE IN SHARN STREETS at lower levels, ramps wind around the inside or
outside of large towers to get wagons from level to
Streets run through the towers of Sharn, allow- level, but at higher levels special levitation devices
ing horses, mules, and wagons to travel in a fairly carry passengers and even cargo up and down within
normal fashion within the city. Unlike the streets the towers.
of a typical city, most of these streets are broad
thoroughfares rather than twisting alleyways, either FALLING
suspended high above the ground, arcing around
towers, or constructed through the center of a tower Falling from potentially deadly heights presents a
or other building. As described in the Dungeon Master’s constant danger in the City of Towers. Whether a
Guide, these streets are 25 feet wide with 5-foot-wide character is bull-rushed over the side of a bridge,
walkways on either side. knocked from a soarsled, or thrown off a balcony, the
sudden stop far below can have deadly consequences.
Because the streets of Sharn are almost entirely Fortunately, Sharn has precautions in place to reduce
indoors, most are artificially lit with everbright lanterns the number of deaths that result from falls.
or everburning torches. In general, the upper levels have
the best lighting, while torches in the Cogs are spaced The city offers a standard reward of 25 gp to a
so far apart as to leave large spaces of darkness. spellcaster who casts feather fall on a falling person. The
reward is large enough, and the risk of falling real
BRIDGES enough, that spellcasters who can cast feather fall almost
always keep one prepared on a daily basis. Watch patrols
Most bridges connect the streets running through usually carry a wand of feather fall, but few members have
the towers, allowing wagons and pedestrians to cross sufficient ranks in Use Magic Device to activate it.
from one spire to the next. As such, they are generally
as wide as the streets. Low walls along the edges of a Bridges in the Upper-City and Middle-City are
bridge prevent people from falling accidentally. Major also warded with permanent feather fall effects to pro-
bridges can be as wide as 50 feet across, and actually tect those using them from falling bodies and other
have structures built along the edges, crowding the large objects. Such wards are triggered automatically
roadway down to a width of 10 feet or so. Such bridges when an object approaches within 30 feet of the top or
are popular sites for street fairs and open markets. sides of a bridge. This is effectively a magic trap that
resets automatically and immediately.
A great number of narrower bridges span the
gulfs between towers as well, not designed for carrying A popular magic item among those that can
wagons but for facilitating pedestrian traffic. These afford one, a feather fall talisman is a single-use item con-
bridges are five to ten feet wide and almost always taining a feather fall spell. The trick to using this item
have low walls or railings. is timing. Because it works only once and lasts for a
single round, it must be activated within 60 feet of
LIFTS the ground in order to protect its wearer from falling
damage. Since falls in Sharn can involve heights of
One of the most important uses of magic in Sharn a mile or more, this is not always easy to accomplish.
is in the creation of magic lifts to facilitate verti- A DC 10 Wisdom check can be used to determine if a
cal travel between the levels of towers. Particularly character successfully times activation.

GETTING WHERE YOU’RE GOING

Travel in Sharn can be unpredictable. Residents joke Mode of Travel and Destination Travel Time*
that it takes about an hour to get anywhere, whether
it’s just down three levels in the same tower or all Foot Travel 3d6 minutes
the way across town. Of course, skycoaches reduce Destination in same district 6d6 minutes
Destination in same ward

the time dramatically compared to walking from Destination in adjacent ward 3d6 × 5 minutes
place to place, and characters who really know their
way around (as well as characters who are willing to Destination farther than adjacent ward 6d6 × 5 minutes
ask for directions frequently along the way) can get
to their destinations more quickly than newcomers Flying Travel
who refuse to display their ignorance.
Destination in same district 1d6 minutes
If it becomes important to know how long it
Destination in same ward 2d6 minutes

Destination in adjacent ward 1d6 × 5 minutes

Destination farther than adjacent ward 2d6 × 5 minutes

takes to get from one place to another, use the fol- * A party can reduce this time by one-half if one character

lowing rules of thumb: makes a successful DC 15 Knowledge (local) or Gather

Information check.

36

N Dragon Crypts

Necropolis

WE Clifftop
S
Adventurers’ Quarter
Shae Lias
Highwater
Elf Neighborhood
Average Residential
Oak Towers
Hope’s
Peak Wealthy Residential

Temple District

Crystal Bridge

Wealthy Residential

Overlook Redstone Platinum Heights

Apartments Shops Fine Shops

Korranath Korran-Thiven Halden’s
Finance District
Finance District Tomb

Mithral Tower Silvergate Necropolis

Wealthy Residential Fine Shops Pinnacle

Highest Towers Temple District

Daggerwatch Civic District Skysedge

Garrison Park

Park District

Highhold Deniyas Twelve Pillars

Dwarf Neighborhood Gnome Neighborhood Professionals

Ivy Towers Copper Arch

Average Residential University Professionals

Seventh Tower District Platinate

Wealthy Neighborhood

Fine Shops

Sunrise Dalan’s Refuge

Average Residential Wealthy Residential

OceanView

Wealthy Residential

UPPER WARDS

LIFE IN SHARN City Districts UPPER CENTRAL PLATEAU

The following section provides a more in-depth tour Population: 8,400
of the city, from the Upper-City to the Lower-City, Social Class: Upper class
to even the Cogs far below, this section explores Character: Upscale downtown, bustling and frenetic
Sharn from a native’s viewpoint. Districts: Civic district, finance district (2), fine
shops, park district, wealthy residential
The web enhancement for the Dungeon Master’s Businesses: Exclusive, exotic, and exceptional; gold
Guide, “Building a City,” presents a method of piece limit: 100,000 gp
generating cities based on districts. Sharn is built Key Personalities: Lord Mayor Cathan ir’Demell
using this system, with some modifications: each (LN male human aristocrat 12); Councilor Javan
district in Sharn is as large as four districts in that Tomollan (LN male human expert 8); Daphanë
system. The districts of Sharn presented here offer d’Kundarak (N female dwarf expert 7/dragonmark
plenty of distinct flavor and diverse attractions, heir 4); Kalphan Riak (NE male human expert
while remaining manageable for both the DM 5/sorcerer 5); Hendra ir’Kavay (NG female human
and players adventuring in the city. We multiplied aristocrat 3/rogue 6).
each district’s population numbers by 4, while the
building numbers were slightly tweaked, and a few The Upper Central ward is the most exclusive and
districts were combined. Sharn also includes a new expensive area of Sharn’s towers, surpassed in the
district type, the industry districts found in the city only by Skyway. It is home to some of the most
Cogs. These are equivalent to tannery districts in powerful individuals in Breland, though it is far
“Building a City.” from the kingdom’s seat of government. More wealth
flows through this single district than many cities
Central Plateau ever see. With this great power comes enormous
corruption, however, and more evil is done (or at
Central Plateau is the heart of Sharn. Its top levels least ordered) in Upper Central than a casual look
include the seat of the city’s government and its would suggest.
bustling finance districts. Its middle levels host the
enclaves of the dragonmarked houses (which some Highest Towers
describe as the real government of the city) and
embassies of the other nations of Khorvaire. Its District Type: Civic district
location makes its residential neighborhoods highly Buildings: Council hall, bureaucratic offices,
desirable and its marketplace perhaps the busiest in monument/memorial, guard post, temple (Bold-
the city. rei), upscale lodging (15), upscale food (25), exotic
trades (40), upscale trades (60), average trades (60),
Watch Detail: 504 guards of the Watch: 152 on upscale services (75)
day shift (122 patrol, 30 stationed), 176 on evening First Impression: The lofty and ornate towers of
shift (141 patrol, 35 stationed), 176 on night shift (141 this district offer panoramic views of the surround-
patrol, 35 stationed). These guards are responsible ing city. People stride along well-lit streets and
for Northedge as well as the Central Plateau.

LORD MAYOR CATHAN IR’DEMELL

(LN male human aristocrat 12) If Hostile: Orders characters imprisoned,

with or without cause

The Lord Mayor is a rotund, bored-looking bureaucrat dressed in If Unfriendly: Grants no favors, scolds char-

fine clothes well tailored to his great bulk. His bald head shines with acters for approaching him at all, and orders them

sweat, and his pale blue eyes have a somewhat glazed appearance. out of his sight

He has no visible weapons, but he carries a heavy golden scepter as If Indifferent: Listens to characters, grants

his badge of office and wears a golden circlet. easy favors, hastens the conclusion of the audience

If Friendly: Grants reasonable favors, commits

Starting Attitude: Unfriendly city resources to a problem

Modifiers: Party includes an agent of the If Helpful: Grants extraordinary favors,

Citadel (+2); presents letter of introduction from a including legal pardon, commits personal resources

councilor (+2); presents expensive gift (+4); shows to a problem, invites characters to come back with

arrogance or expectation of praise (–4); the Citadel future requests

brings the party to him as troublemakers (–2)

38

gracefully arcing bridges with an air of importance Kundarak Bank, perched high
and the smell of great wealth. atop Kundarak Tower.
Social Class: Upper class

Highest Towers is the seat of Sharn’s government
and includes all the city offices, the council hall, and
other civic features.

Council Hall: Sharn’s seventeen-member city
council meets at the top of Sun Tower. Surrounded by
a colonnaded gallery and crowned by an observation
deck, the council hall offers some of the most spec-
tacular views in the city. The council meets weekly,
and an elite troop of soldiers (privately employed
by the council) guards the hall during meetings.
When the council is not in session, the hall is a tour-
ist attraction, though aides and lesser bureaucrats
bustle through its lower halls unceasingly.

City Archive: This large, windowless building
near the top of Vasha Tower contains the nearly end-
less legal and historical records of Sharn. Copies of
birth records, marriage rolls, and death certificates
are kept in the archives, as well as property records,
copies of letters of marque, and records of identifi-
cation papers issued in the city. Agents of the Citadel
have unrestricted access to the records, and other
characters with contacts in the government or in a
dragonmarked house might be able to gain access to
a specific set of records for a single use by calling in
a favor.

Airship Docking Tower: Airships arriving from
elsewhere in Khorvaire dock at the top of Lyrandar
Tower. Skycoaches linger here to carry arriving pas-
sengers to other destinations in the city, along with
guides hoping to win contracts for work in the city.
Of Sharn’s three arrival points (including the water-
front and the Orien lightning rail station in Lower
Tavick’s Landing), this is by far the least busy, as
well as the safest.

Korranath

District Type: Finance district
Buildings: Banks (5), moneychangers (30), temple
(Kol Korran), upscale food (40), exotic trades (24),
upscale trades (100), upscale residences (80)
First Impression: There doesn’t seem to be anyone
here who is not wealthy, and the whole district
seems to be set up as a shrine to money itself. Every
shop sells only the finest goods, each huge house is
impeccably maintained, and the sound of money
changing hands fills the air. Even the guards—who
are everywhere—seem well off.
Social Class: Upper class

Korranath, one of Sharn’s twin financial districts, is
also the seat of the Aurum’s power in the city. Named
for the great temple of Kol Korran that lies at its heart,
Korranath is utterly dedicated to the darker side of the
god of wealth—the pursuit of wealth at any cost.

HL
&
AW

LIFE IN SHARN The Korranath: The grand temple of Kol their business ventures while inserting their fingers
Korran is one of the most incredibly ostentatious into every possible aspect of commerce in Sharn and
and elaborate structures in Sharn. Surrounded by greater Breland.
a grand colonnade, the interior of the temple rises
in a grand dome a hundred feet across covered with Korran-Thiven
gold leaf and studded with precious gems. The tiles
in the mosaic floor are made of precious stones as District Type: Finance district
well, and all the sacral objects inside the temple are Buildings: Banks (5), moneychangers (30), temple
solid gold. Sightseers and pilgrims regularly crowd (Kol Korran), upscale food (40), exotic trades (24),
the Korranath, milling under the watchful eye of upscale trades (100), upscale residences (80)
the temple soldiers employed to protect the fabulous First Impression: Armed guards stand near just
wealth inside. about every storefront and on every balcony in this
district, wearing the livery of private security compa-
The high priest of the Korranath, appointed by nies. The buildings are clean and ornately decorated,
the mayor on an annual basis, is rarely a cleric though and money seems to be changing hands everywhere.
he carries out rote ceremonial functions. The current Social Class: Upper class
high priest, Kalphan Riak, is a leader of the Aurum.
See Riak Mansion, below, for more information. Korran-Thiven is the other twin of Sharn’s finan-
cial districts, similar in many ways to Korranath but
Kundarak Bank of Sharn: The Kundarak with a harder edge. Its name means “Korran’s Blade”
bank, operated by the dwarven dragonmarked in Dwarven, and the district seems more obsessed
House Kundarak, is the largest and most important with protecting wealth than with acquiring it.
bank in Sharn. Kundarak holds more loans than the
other nine banks in the city combined, including Wayfinder Foundation: The Wayfinder Founda-
many loans supporting key building projects, past tion has a relatively small office in Sharn, but it is a
and present. From its perch at the top of Kundarak vitally important one for many of the adventurers who
Tower, the bank wields a great deal of behind-the- operate in Sharn’s depths and Xen’drik. The Founda-
scenes influence over every part of politics in Sharn. tion liaison in Sharn is Hendra ir’Kavay (NG female
Daphanë d’Kundarak (N female dwarf expert 7/ human aristocrat 3/rogue 6), a wealthy socialite whose
dragonmark heir 4) is the leader of the Kundarak interest in ancient history is largely financial.
Enclave in Sharn and the president of the bank.
She divides her time between the house enclave in Mithral Tower
Dragon Towers (in Middle Central) and the bank,
but favors the bank. District Type: Wealthy residential
Buildings: Upscale residences (250), average
The Vaults: The lowest levels of the Kunda- residences (30)
rak Bank are known as the Vaults, and are almost a First Impression: The homes in this district are
separate business entity from the bank proper. House large and well kept, showing clear signs of great
Kundarak offers storage space for small- to medium- wealth. True to the district’s name, many of the
sized items of great value with the highest possible houses boast mithral filigree.
security, at a cost of 15 gp per month (which includes Social Class: Upper class
insurance against theft). These are for long-term
storage, not for short-term like the safe-deposit vaults Mithral Tower is Sharn’s most desirable down-
described in the EBERRON Campaign Setting, and thus can’t town residential district, comparable to the more
be collected magically from other sites. suburban Oak Towers and Crystal Bridge districts
in Upper Northedge.
Riak Mansion: Kalphan Riak (NE male human
expert 5/sorcerer 5) is an example of Khorvaire’s new Tomollan Estate: Mithral Tower’s most note-
breed of nobility. Not descended from a noble family worthy resident is its representative on the city
or a dragonmarked house, Riak made his fortune in council, Javan Tomollan (LN male human expert
the arms trade during the Last War, putting his busi- 8). Tomollan made his fortune working for House
ness savvy and his innate magical ability together to Lyrandar arranging trade agreements, but he no
make enormous profit through sometimes unscru- longer maintains friendly contacts with that house.
pulous deals. His tremendous wealth has earned him He remains one of Sharn’s wealthiest citizens, and
a mansion at the top of Andith Tower (just on the the Aurum actively seeks to recruit him for their
edge of Mithral Tower), with open pavilions, sprawl- Platinum Concord—so far, unsuccessfully.
ing quarters, and even a small garden growing on the
towertop. Riak has investments throughout the city and Platinum Heights
controlling interests in six of Sharn’s ten banks. Per-
haps more importantly, he is a member of the Aurum’s District Type: Fine shops
Platinum Concord, and conspires with his fellow Buildings: Upscale lodging (15), upscale food (25),
Aurum members to ensure maximum profitability for exotic trades (40), upscale trades (120), upscale
residences (80)

40

First Impression: Stores, restaurants, hotels, and a expert 5) is the third-generation owner and head LIFE IN SHARN
few homes in this prosperous neighborhood are all chef of the restaurant, a sophisticated and charming
high-priced and lavish. middle-aged woman with silvered auburn hair.
Social Class: Upper class
Skysedge Park
Platinum Heights is the finest commercial district
in Sharn, home of the most exclusive businesses, District Type: Park district
from restaurants to magic item dealers. Buildings: Parks (3), temples (Arawai and Balinor),
druidic site (Gatekeepers), upscale taverns (25),
Aurora Gallery: Aurora Gallery is a unique exotic trades (20), upscale trades (40), upscale services
establishment in Sharn, a magic item auction house. (70), upscale residences (120)
Items worth as much as 130,000 gp market price can First Impression: A park seems impossible in this
sometimes (20% chance) be found at Aurora Gallery. city of towers, but grass and trees actually grow from
When buying items at auction, characters should the tops of a few towers in this district. A colossal
expect to pay between 80% and 140% (2d4+6 ×1× 0%) iron statue looks over the entire area.
of normal market price. Aurora Gallery buys goods Social Class: Upper class
at the normal rate (50% of market price), and buys
items worth up to 130,000 gp. They do not usually Skysedge Park is Sharn’s only park district, though
buy or sell charged items, but exceptions have been Shae Lias (in Upper Northedge) is similar in some
made in the past. ways. Here, three large parks occupy the top floors of
some of the largest towers—grass and trees grow in a
Gray Dragon Inn: A luxurious inn near the deep layer of earth atop the towers, artificial ponds
pinnacle of the Tower of Gold, the Gray Dragon carved into the surface shimmer invitingly, and the
offers elegant suites to visiting dignitaries and noise of the city are magically dampened.
others with wealth to spare.
The population of Skysedge Park includes a
Sannid’s Restaurant: Known for its extensive small minority (around 400 people) of immigrants
wine collection, Sannid’s is one of Sharn’s finest from the Eldeen Reaches, struggling to maintain
restaurants. The cuisine is mostly spicy Brelish fare, something like their traditional lifestyle in a city
with selected entrées representing the best of Khor- that defies the encroachment of nature.
vaire’s other cuisines, including Karrnathi sausage,
Aundairian veal with tomato gravy, and Mrorian Skysedge Park: The largest of the three parks in
stroganoff. Its wines come from all over the world, this district gave its name to the whole district. Skys-
and Sannid’s proudly offers Aerenal spirits to its most edge Tower stands near Highest Towers and Mithral
selective customers. Jaetha Sannid (N female human Tower, and contains upscale businesses just below

LORD KELLAS IR’MORAN

(N male dwarf aristocrat 5/fighter 2) Valenar raiders and suffered a devastating defeat.

While his physical injuries were soon healed, Kellas

This old dwarf must be well into his second century. His long beard is never truly recovered from the battle. He resigned his

white as marble, and his muscles are lean and weathered beneath his commission and returned to Sharn, and he remained

deeply wrinkled skin. He wears the dress uniform of a high-ranking hidden in his family estate for decades.

officer in the Brelish Army of the East, and a ceremonial broadsword With the end of the Last War, Lord ir’Moran

in a jeweled scabbard is slung across his back. He fixes you with a steely has finally returned to public life. Most people have

gaze, and for a moment he has the bearing of a mighty warrior; then forgotten the precise role he played in the war, and

he smiles widely, and the aura of menace and power melts away. he is simply known as “the General.” He cheerfully

exchanges war stories with other veterans and regales

Starting Attitude: Indifferent youngsters with his exploits, but any mention of the

Modifiers: Character served in the Brelish Day of Ashes produces an icy silence. Kellas has

military (+5); character served in any other military never forgiven the Valenar for his defeat, and over

force (–5); character is an elf or from Cyre (–5); the years this mania has expanded to include all elves

character mentions the Day of Ashes (–5) and Cyrans. On the surface he seems like a kindly,

The ir’Morans are an ancient family with a proud doddering old man, but he is still a brilliant tactician

tradition of military service. For the first 40 years of and member of the Sixty. He has considerable wealth

the Last War, Lord Kellas served as the commander and has retained his contacts in the Brelish military;

of the Brelish Army of the East. Then came the Day he may use this power to threaten elf characters or

of Ashes. On 3 Dravago 943 YK, Kellas engaged the to stir up trouble on the Day of Ashes.

41

LIFE IN SHARN the park. The park is beautifully landscaped, with Buildings: Embassies and consulates (9), diplomatic
gently sloping earth and well-tended grass, small residences (60), upscale lodging (35), upscale food
fruit trees, and three small ponds. At the entrance (50), exotic trades (30), upscale trades (55), upscale
to the park, a 100-foot-tall iron statue stands watch. residences (40)
Called the Iron Guardian, it was crafted centuries First Impression: The flags of most of Khorvaire’s
ago by the artisans of House Cannith. Legends tell nations fly in this district, hanging in front of
that it is a construct crafted for use in the War of monumental embassy blocks in this district. The
the Mark, but it has not been seen to move in the crowds include people of all races and many different
recorded history of the modern city. ethnic backgrounds.
Social Class: Upper class
The Gatehouse: In Carosten Park, near the edge
of the plateau, stands a small stone building. Passersby Ambassador Towers, Sharn’s embassy district, is
generally assume the building belongs to the park care- home to embassies and consulates from eleven for-
takers and pay it no heed, but it is actually a sacred site eign nations: Aundair, Cyre, Karrnath, the Lhazaar
to the sect of druids known as the Gatekeepers. From Principalities, the Mror Holds, the Talenta Plains,
this small shrine in the midst of a “natural” site in the Thrane, Valenar, Zilargo, Aerenal, and Riedra. A
City of Towers, the Gatekeepers monitor the manifest single consul or ambassador heads each embassy.
zone, the sewers and ruins below, and the activity of These dignitaries are usually aristocrats or experts
powerful spellcasters in Sharn to ensure that no dan- of medium level (5th–10th), sometimes multiclassed
gerous planar breach appears in the city. They are not with a PC class such as rogue, bard, or sorcerer,
overly concerned with ordinary summoning spells and and sometimes with the spymaster prestige class
have little worry that the angels of Syrania are planning (described in Song and Silence and Complete Adventurer). The
an invasion of the Material Plane, but they are deeply rest of the embassy staff consists of bureaucrats and
worried about recent events in the Depths. clerks as well as diplomats, negotiators, and spies. In
the minds of Khorvaire’s diplomatic community, the
MIDDLE CENTRAL PLATEAU Last War might not be over—a few years of peace could
be nothing more than a brief hiatus from a conflict
Population: 10,400 that lasted a century, and hostilities could erupt again
Social Class: Middle class (1 upper class district) at any moment. Best to be prepared.
Character: Bustling and fast-paced downtown.
Districts: Embassy district, garrison, guildhall dis- Cyre’s embassy was established here long before
trict, marketplace, professionals, temple district the Last War, and its staff continues to advocate
Businesses: Solid, respectable, somewhat overpriced; for the interests of the villagers of New Cyre, in
gold piece limit: 40,000 gp eastern Breland.
Key Personalities: Knight-Marshal of the Citadel
Sir Banarak Tithon (LN male human fighter 7/citadel The Brelish Museum of Fine Art: Breland’s
elite 5); High Priest of the Sovereign Host Phthaso national museum is located in Farhaven Tower, near
Mogan (NG dwarf male cleric 10); Archierophant the Bazaar Bridge leading to Middle Dura. It has two
Ythana Morr of the Silver Flame (LE female human main areas of emphasis: art representing the Brelish
cleric 11); Merrix d’Cannith (LE male human arti- spirit (which primarily means any artwork created
ficer 9/dragonmark heir 3); Yevgen Torrn (N male by a Brelish artist) and antiquities from Xen’drik,
half-orc expert 5/master inquisitive 3/dragonmark which certain people in the Brelish government
heir 1); Solia d’Lyrandar (N female half-elf expert 7/ would like to view as a colony of Breland. Its Brel-
dragonmark heir 4); Daphanë d’Kundarak (N female ish art collection is unequalled, and includes some
dwarf expert 7/dragonmark heir 4); Solirion Torralyn world-famous works by great masters of antebellum
d’Sivis (N male gnome magewright 6/dragonmark heir Galifar. Its collection of antiquities is also impres-
5); Thora Tavin (LE female human expert 3/rogue 6); sive, though it is small in comparison to that of the
Councilor Sorik Senso (LN male half-elf expert 11) Dezina Museum at Morgrave University.

The home of Sharn’s dragonmarked families and an The Citadel: An imposing, fortified structure
abundance of foreign ambassadors, the Middle Cen- near the middle levels of Andith Tower, the Citadel is
tral ward rivals its upper neighbor as a seat of power both the headquarters of the local Knights of the Cita-
in the city. In fact, that rivalry is quite literal, as del and the city jail. A great balcony on the outside of
Councilor Senso is a bitter personal rival of Coun- the fortress is guarded by knights but allows easy access
cilor Tomollan of Upper Central. Middle Central to this seat of Brelish law in Sharn. Unexpected visitors
lacks the wealth of the upper ward, but makes up for to the Citadel rarely receive a warm welcome.
it in political connections across Khorvaire.
Athania’s Companions: One of several “escort
Ambassador Towers services” providing companionship to visiting dip-
lomats in Ambassador Towers as well as well-to-do
District Type: Embassy district clients in all of Sharn’s best neighborhoods, Atha-
nia’s Companions is unique in at least one respect:

42

N

WE

Tumbledown

Tenement District

S Broken Arch
Average Residential

High Hope

Temple District

Hareth’s Oakbridge

Folly Average Residential

Tavern District

Holdfast

Dwarf Neighborhood

Underlook Tradefair

Inn District The Bazaar Marketplace

Marketplace

Ambassador Towers Sovereign Towers

Embassy District Temple District

Stormhold Dava Gate Cornerstone
Professionals Sword Point
Average Residential Tavern District
Garrison
Rattlestone Tavick’s Market
Dragon Towers
Apartments Marketplace
Guildhall District

Deniyas Graywall’s

Gnome Neighborhood Average Residential

Warden Towers Dancing Shadows

Garrison Everbright Inn District

Cassan Bridge Magic Platinate
District
Wealthy Neighborhood

SShhooppss

Kenton Deathsgate

Apartments Adventurer’s Quarter

Little Barrington

Average Residential

MIDDLE WARDS

LIFE IN SHARN it is also a spy ring in the business of collecting, Dragon Towers
cataloging, and selling secrets. Athania (N female
elf rogue 8) runs both businesses. The fact that District Type: Guildhall district
she is a dragonmark heir of House Phiarlan is her Buildings: Dragonmarked house enclaves (12), trade
own best-kept secret; not even the majority of her guild halls (20), average lodging (20), average food
employees are aware of her family connection. The (35), upscale trades (20), average trades (50), poor
escorts of Athania’s are women and men of beauty trades (15), upscale services (20), average services
and intelligence, trained in the arts of conversa- (35), poor services (13), average residences (120)
tion, seduction, and deception. After spending time First Impression: Wealthy and important-looking
with a client, they prepare an intelligence report people parade through this district with escorts of
for Athania, who finds interested buyers for any sycophants and well-armed guards. The sigils of the
significant items. Some secrets she keeps to herself, dragonmarked houses are in abundant view.
holding them in reserve to use as leverage when her Social Class: Middle class
cover is finally broken.
Enclaves belonging to the thirteen dragonmarked
Dava Gate houses can be found in this district. Of the thir-
teen, the most important in Sharn are House Tha-
District Type: Professionals rashk, House Cannith, House Kundarak, House
Buildings: Temples (Olladra and Onatar), shrine Sivis, and House Lyrandar. Those five families
(Boldrei), average lodging (15), upscale food (11), have the largest enclaves in Dragon Towers, as well
average food (25), exotic trades (11), upscale trades as smaller outposts in the areas of the city where
(15), average trades (40), upscale services (40), aver- they do most of their business.
age services (80), upscale residences (40), average
residences (80) Tharashk Enclave: The sprawling complex of
First Impression: Small businesses cluster in Tharashk Enclave occupies several levels of three towers
towers surrounded by residential areas, and look near the Sword Point district. A significant percent-
little different than the homes around them. age of Sharn’s half-orc population lives in this com-
Social Class: Middle class plex. Yevgen Torrn (N male half-orc expert 5/master
inquisitive 3/dragonmark heir 1) leads the enclave, and
Dava Gate is a quiet district where professional operates as a very expensive inquisitive-for-hire.
services outnumber trades. Architects and cartog-
raphers, barristers and sages, healers and fortune- Globe Information Agency: This inquisitive
tellers all coexist in Dava Gate’s small business agency run by Kava Velderan (N female human expert
parks. These clusters of professionals are sometimes 6/master inquisitive 3), a dragonmarked heir of the
themed by the type of service offered—for example, House of Finding, has ties to House Tharashk. Kava
one floor of Calsin Tower includes a number of prides herself on her ability to find anyone, any-
services devoted to animals: an animal trainer, a where. Her agents escalate cases to her attention only
kennel, a mews, a stable, and a veterinarian—but when they prove to be nearly impossible to solve.
others are not.
Cannith Enclave: Cannith Enclave inhabits
the whole of Cannith Tower. In both Highest Towers
(Upper Central) and Granite Halls (Lower Central),

CALLING IN A FAVOR

Characters with the Favored in House feat are cer- House Jorasco: Free long-term healing care for up

tain to find themselves in Dragon Towers at some to a month (DC 15).

point, hoping to win a favor from someone highly House Lyrandar: Half-fare passage on an airship

placed in their house. The DM can use the following anywhere within Khorvaire (DC 15); passage on

guidelines to determine the scope of possible favors an airship beyond normal routes (DC 25; normal

for such characters. cost applies). Free passage on a Lyrandar galleon

General Favors: Free use of a least mark (DC (DC 15).

15), lesser mark (DC 20), or greater mark (DC 25). House Orien: Free passage on an Orien caravan

The services of a dragonmarked hireling for one day as far as Thrane or the eastern reaches of Breland

(DC 25). (DC 15). Half-fare passage on the lightning rail to

House-Specific Favors: A few houses offer any location (DC 15). Free passage on the lightning

specific services that members of that house can get rail to a neighboring nation (DC 20).

for free or reduced rates. The DM can extrapolate

from these services to other houses’ services.

44

members of House Cannith’s Fabricators’ Guild oper-
ate artisans’ shops (upscale trades) in the tower. Merrix
d’Cannith (N male human artificer 9/dragonmark
heir 3) leads House Cannith’s Sharn enclave.

Lyrandar Enclave: The Lyrandar Enclave in
Dragon Towers is relatively small, but only because so
much of the house’s operations are housed elsewhere
in Sharn. They have several offices in the waterfront
districts of Cliffside and Lower Dura to manage the
house’s shipping interests, and a large office near the
airship docking tower at the top of Lyrandar Tower,
in the Highest Towers district, manages the house’s
air transport business. Though House Orien controls
the land shipping in and out of the city, House Lyran-
dar has offices in Lower Tavick’s Landing to facilitate
trade between the two houses. Solia d’Lyrandar (N
female half-elf expert 7/dragonmark heir 4) oversees
the enclave and supervises the operations of all the
smaller offices, as well.

Kundarak Enclave: Kundarak Enclave can be
found in Sivis Tower, as the house commands a major
presence in the Korranath district (in Upper Central),
where the Kundarak Bank is located. Even so, Kunda-
rak Enclave is large and impressive, with marble col-
umns supporting lofty ceilings with dazzling mosaics
of precious metals and stones. Security, as one might
expect from the House of Warding, is extremely tight.
Daphanë d’Kundarak oversees the enclave, but spends
most of her time at the Kundarak Bank.

Sivis Enclave: The Sivis Enclave, tightly
enclosed in Sivis Tower, shares space with the
dwarves of House Kundarak. It has equally grand
architecture and ornamentation, though motifs of
writing and calligraphic engraving run through the
decoration of the Sivis locations. Solirion Torralyn
d’Sivis (N male gnome magewright 6/dragonmark
heir 5) is the head of the enclave, and supervises the
Speakers’ Guild operations in Sharn.

House Tarkanan: House Tarkanan is a criminal
organization structured in mockery of the dragon-
marked houses. Its leader, Thora Tavin, is not related
to the dragonmarked houses, though she does have
an aberrant mark—a fact that she keeps secret from
even her closest associates. Thora’s residence, a spa-
cious mansion nestled among the towers of the house
enclaves, serves as the secret headquarters of her orga-
nization. From here, she personally directs a range of
criminal and questionable activities throughout the
city, with a particular focus on burglary, assassination,
forgery, and loan sharking.

Sovereign Towers

District Type: Temple district
Buildings: Temples (10: each of the Sovereign Host
and the Silver Flame), shrines (Aureon, Dol Arrah,
Onatar, The Traveler, The Undying Court), upscale
lodging (5), average lodging (15), upscale food (15),
average food (30), exotic trades (20), upscale trades

The Pavilion of the Host, in Sovereign Towers.

LIFE IN SHARN (20), average trades (40), upscale services (40), aver- in honor of the church’s role in cleansing Khorvaire
age services (100), upscale residences (20), average of the stain of evil, ironically may also be its most
residences (80) corrupt holy institution. The Archierophant of
First Impression: This district regales all things the region, Ythana Morr (LE female human cleric
holy, or at least their representation in art and archi- 11), helps foster this corruption, while many of the
tecture. Statues, paintings, and mosaics of deities and clergy and other staff simply covet privilege, power,
saints are everywhere, and great temples stand out and material wealth. The Archierophant, however,
among the lesser buildings. actively cooperates with the rakshasa Zathara, who
Social Class: Middle class lives in the Central Cogs district of Khyber’s Gate.

The Central Plateau’s temple district houses some of Sword Point
Sharn’s greatest monuments of faith. Unfortunately,
too often these monuments seem cold as the faith District Type: Garrison
that inspired them evaporated long ago, replaced by Buildings: Garrison building, temple (Dol
ritual or even a deep corruption. Arrah), average lodging (20), poor lodging (4),
upscale food (8), average food (15), poor food (15),
Pavilion of the Host: The largest temple com- upscale trades (15), average trades (33), poor trades
plex devoted to the Sovereign Host in Sharn, the (28), average services (40), average residences (160),
Pavilion of the Host consists of a grand open tower poor residences (40)
ringed by temples dedicated to each of the nine dei- First Impression: Officers of the Watch march to
ties in the pantheon. In the central pavilion, sacri- and fro, others stand at attention, and still others
fices offered in major festivals and on important holy drill for combat. Shouted commands and marching
days honor the pantheon as a whole. The ranking songs fill the air.
priest in Sharn, High Priest Phthaso Mogan (NG Social Class: Middle class
dwarf male cleric 10), leads most of these rituals and
sacrifices. Homes for the many clergy working here Sword Point houses the Sharn Watch garrison respon-
occupy several tower levels below the Pavilion. sible for maintaining order throughout the Central
Plateau and Northedge, with just over 500 guards in
Cathedral of the Cleansing Flame: Sharn’s residence or assigned to duty in the district.
most important temple to the Silver Flame, named

ARCHIEROPHANT YTHANA MORR

Female human cleric (Silver Flame) 11; CR 11; Possessions: +2 half-plate, +2 light steel shield, +2 morning-

Medium humanoid; HD 11d8+22; hp 75; Init –1; Spd star, periapt of Wisdom +2, potion of barkskin (+5 natural armor

20 ft.; AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 21; Base Atk +8; bonus), potion of shield of faith (+4 deflection bonus).

Grp +8; Atk +11 melee (1d8+2, +2 morningstar); Full

Atk +11/+6 melee (1d8+2, +2 morningstar); SA Spells, The priestess is a tall, stern woman who wears full plate

rebuke undead; AL LE; SV Fort +9, Ref +2, Will +11; armor as part of her mostly ceremonial vestments. Her silvery-

Str 10, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 14. gray hair surrounds an unlined face and her eyes still shine bright

Skills and Feats: Concentration +8, Diplomacy +16, with the zeal of youth.

Gather Information +12, Knowledge (local) +9,

Knowledge (religion) +15, Spellcraft +7; Ecclesiarch, Starting Attitude: Indifferent

Leadership, Spell Focus (evocation), Spell Focus Modifiers: None

(necromancy), Weapon Focus (morningstar). If Hostile: Screams that the characters are

Languages: Common, Draconic. heretics and orders them out of her sight

Cleric Spells Prepared (caster level 11th): 0—create water, If Unfriendly: Ends the audience quickly and

detect magic (2), light, mending, purify food and drink; 1st—com- orders the characters watched

mand (3), comprehend languages, detect evil, obscuring mist, sanc- If Indifferent: Feigns polite interest and con-
tuaryD; 2nd—augury, calm emotions, eagle’s splendor, enthrall, hold cern, makes empty assurances, but takes no action
person, magic circle against evilD; 3rd—dispel magic, prayer, remove
curseD, remove disease, searing light, wind wall; 4th—discern lies If Friendly: Feigns polite interest and concern,
(2), divination, sending, spell immunityD; 5th—greater command, makes empty assurances, and expends as little effort
dispel evilD, scrying; 6th—antimagic fieldD, word of recall. as possible to follow up

If Helpful: Shows some genuine interest and

D: Domain spell. Domains: Exorcism (force feigns deep concern, expends a minimum of effort

possessing spirits out of bodies), Protection (generate to follow up on her promises

protective ward).

46

Sword Point Garrison: This sprawling complex The Lower Central ward seems to exist in blissful LIFE IN SHARN
links five adjacent towers into an enormous fortress- ignorance of the power struggles raging above it. A
like structure. Thick walls crowned with battlements hotbed of cutting-edge artistic expression and unusual
connect the towers along the periphery, while a huge ideologies, Lower Central serves as a countercultural
platform connects all five towers to form an open contrast to Sharn’s busy downtown.
yard for drills, all a half-mile above the ground.
The ranking officer at Sword Point, Commander Boldrei’s Hearth
Belew Yorgan (LE male dwarf warrior 3/fighter 5),
is a harsh but effective leader. He tries to curry favor District Type: Inn district
with the Citadel, the dragonmarked houses, the city Buildings: Temples (Boldrei, Silver Flame), aver-
council, and the temple leadership all at the same age lodging (60), poor lodging (75), average food
time. As a direct result, he commits most of his (45), poor food (55), average trades (40), poor trades
resources and attention to the Upper and Middle (43), average services (35), poor services (45)
Central districts, leaving Lower Central under First Impression: Hotels, inns, and rooms for rent
protected and Northedge practically ignored. seem to be everywhere in this district.
Social Class: Lower middle class
Tradefair
Boldrei’s Hearth holds the Central Plateau’s larg-
District Type: Marketplace est concentration of hotels, inns, and other forms
Buildings: Open-air market, temple (Kol Korran), of lodging. It doesn’t offer the elite hotels that are
average lodging (9), average food (45), exotic trades found in Highest Towers, Platinum Heights, and
(15), upscale trades (50), average trades (140), poor Ambassador Towers, but a great number of very
trades (40), upscale services (20), average services comfortable rooms are available.
(60), poor services (20)
First Impression: This district is awash in colorful Marquan’s Rooms for Let: A respectable, if
signs and tents. The shouts of barkers rise above the a bit run-down, option for longer stays in Lower
noise of shoppers, and a dozen scents—from sweet Central, Marquan’s offers private rooms with a
perfumes to sizzling meats—fill the air. common dining room. The building is decorated
Social Class: Middle class with paintings, sculpture, and pottery produced by
local artists, all of whom are past or present resi-
Tradefair, the mercantile hub of the Central Plateau, dents of Marquan’s. Kielsten Marquan, the owner
boasts the quarter’s only open-air marketplace, along and sole employee, no longer keeps the place up as
with a thriving collection of trades and services. well as he used to. This is because Kielsten runs a
small cult devoted to a radiant idol (see Chapter 7:
Tradefair Market: Tradefair Market, the open- Monsters and Encounters), and his attention to his
air marketplace, operates daily during daylight business has slipped as his activity and responsibili-
hours. In contrast to other marketplaces in the city, ties within the cult have increased.
Tradefair has regulations about stall spacing that
ensure relatively straight, wide, and open (though Kielsten’s cult holds meetings in a large
crowded) aisles for customers to walk through. The private room at Marquan’s. Here, the cult mem-
goods available in Tradefair are generally of high bers pay homage to their patron, a radiant idol
quality, and an abundant number of House Can- that calls itself Zotharr, Idol of Death. Zotharr
nith tinkers can be found to make repairs through demands gifts as part of these ceremonies, and
mundane or magical means. A permit to sell in its demands have become increasingly extrava-
Tradefair Market for one day costs 1 gp, which cer- gant with the increased loyalty of its cultists. The
tainly guarantees a certain level of quality among cultists have been seduced into acts of robbery,
the merchants present, and keeps the market from kidnapping, and—most recently—ritual murder to
becoming overcrowded. please their patron. Kielsten assumed leadership
of the cult in the last month, after the previous
LOWER CENTRAL PLATEAU leader balked at performing a human sacrifice
and Zotharr killed him for his disobedience.
Population: 11,600 Kielsten is nervous but sadistically excited about
Social Class: Middle class his new responsibilities.
Character: Artistic and eccentric downtown
Districts: Average residences (2), shops (2), tavern Granite Halls
district, inn district
Businesses: Upscale food and lodging, boutiques District Type: Shops
and galleries; gold piece limit: 40,000 gp Buildings: Temple (Arawai), shrine (Kol Korran),
Key Personalities: Councilor Sava Kharisa (NG average lodging (15), average food (40), exotic trades
female human expert 7/wizard 3), Kielsten Marquan (15), upscale trades (50), average trades (140), poor
(NE male dwarf expert 3/rogue 3) trades (40), upscale services (10), average services
(40), poor services (8)

47

LIFE IN SHARN First Impression: Quirky boutiques and art galleries Social Class: Middle class
stand out among a host of more mundane shops.
Social Class: Middle class Myshan Gardens is an unremarkable residential
district. Its downtown location in Lower Central
Granite Halls is one of Lower Central’s two mercan- makes it particularly attractive to younger residents,
tile districts. Compared to North Towers, it has more particularly those with an artistic bent, radical
art galleries and fewer bookstores, but otherwise the political ideas, or untraditional lifestyles.
two districts are very similar.
North Towers
Sava’s Gallery: Sava Kharisa (NG female human
expert 7/wizard 3) owns this trendy art gallery and District Type: Shops
serves as the city councilor for the Lower Central Buildings: Temple (Aureon), shrine (Kol Korran),
ward. Unlike many councilors who are appointed average lodging (15), average food (40), exotic trades
based on their economic position in their home (15), upscale trades (50), average trades (140), poor
wards, Sava seems to have won her seat on the council trades (40), upscale services (10), average services
purely by virtue of her excellent reputation. She is (40), poor services (8)
extraordinarily well connected, with good friends First Impression: Quirky boutiques and small
and close contacts throughout the city, and she bookstores stand out among a host of more
maintains excellent relationships with most of the mundane shops.
merchants of Granite Halls. She keeps in touch with Social Class: Middle class
some of Lower Central’s wilder political factions,
and is by far the most radical voice on the council. It North Towers is one of Lower Central’s two mer-
may be that her only enemies in Sharn are her fellow cantile districts. It has a higher concentration of
council members. bookstores than any other district in Sharn except
the University District.
Myshan Gardens
Olladra’s Kitchen
District Type: Average residential
Buildings: Upscale residences (40), average residences District Type: Tavern district
(280), poor residences (40) Buildings: Temple (Olladra), average lodging (44),
First Impression: Orderly collections of townhouses poor lodging (50), average food (45), poor food
ring the towers of this quiet district. Children play (80), poor trades (40), poor services (40), poor
in the streets, couples stroll arm in arm. residences (80)

KIELSTEN MARQUAN

Male dwarf expert 3/rogue 3; CR 5; Medium This dwarf is very short and very broad, with a well-trimmed

humanoid; HD 3d6+6 plus 2d6+4 plus 1d8+2; goatee and fine clothing.

hp 36; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 14, touch 10, f lat-

footed 14; Base Atk +4; Grp +5; Atk +4 melee Starting Attitude: Indifferent

(1d8+1, masterwork dire flail); Full Atk +2 melee Modifiers: PCs ask too many questions (–2) or

(1d8+1, masterwork dire flail) and –2 melee (1d8, mention the cult or its activities (–4)

masterwork dire flail); SA sneak attack +1d6; SQ If Hostile: Attacks characters if he perceives them

evasion, trapfinding; AL NE; SV Fort +3, Ref as weak, or plots against them if they are strong

+4, Will +4; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 15, Wis If Unfriendly: Yells at the characters to get out

8, Cha 12. of his sight; calls for the Watch if they refuse to leave

Skills and Feats: Appraise +8, Bluff +10, Diplomacy his premises

+10, Disguise +4(+6 acting), Gather Information If Indifferent: Is willing to deal with the char-

+8, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (local) +10, Knowl- acters on a purely business level, answers no questions

edge (the planes) +4, Move Silently +2, Profession about anything other than business

+5, Sense Motive +8, Use Magic Device +4; Combat If Friendly: Is willing to deal with the characters

Expertise, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (dire flail), on a shallow personal level, makes polite conversation

Improved Disarm. beyond business

Languages: Common, Dwarven, Gnome. If Helpful: Is willing to deal with the charac-

Possessions: Masterwork dire flail, +1 studded leather, ters on a shallow personal level, considers recruit-

potion of good hope, elemental gem (earth), potion of cure moderate ing them into the cult if he feels they are open to

wounds, potion of shield of faith +2. the idea

48

N

WE

Malleon’s Gate

Goblinoid Tenements

S Old Keep Longstairs

DAGGER Apartments Apartments
RIVER
Gate of Gold Stonegard
Grayflood
Tenement District Apartments
Waterfront
District Precarious Line

Warehouse District North Market ing Rail
Trade Road
Marketplace

Callestan North Towers Lightn

Inn District Shops

Myshan Gardens Boldrei’s Hearth Orien

Average Residential Inn District

Vallia Towers Wroann’s Gate
Average Residential Olladra’s
Caravan District
Kitchen
Terminus
Tavern District
Caravan District
Granite Halls
The Stores
Shops
Warehouse District

Torchfire Cogsgate

Theater District Warehouse District

Forgelight Towers Center High Walls

Sharn’s Average Residential Refuge Tenements
Welcome
Bridge Firelight
Red Light
District Downstairs Average Red Light District
Residential
Ship’s Tavern District
Towers
Fallen Dragoneyes
Waterfront
District Slum Red Light District

Foundation Black Arch

Apartments Garrison

THE

Mud Caves HILT

Slum

LOWER WARDS