Sharn

I've been here a week, and it's still hard not to feel overwhelmed by the city. The towers rise up until they disappear into the clouds. Lights gleam in a thousand windows. Skycoaches work their way through the maze of bridges connecting the towers, and up above I can see the burning ring of an elemental airship.   "Welcome to Sharn," said a devious-looking halfling, watching from the shadows.     "How do you know I'm new here?"     The halfling merely responded with a wicked smile.  

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Sharn is a place of magic, adventure, and intrigue. A fallen angel is gathering minions in the ruins below the city. A gang war is gaining strength in Callestan. The corpse of a murdered aristocrat has just been discovered in a floating mansion. A Cannith artificer is experimenting with a planar gateway-and something is about to go terribly wrong. All of these adventures and a hundred more are waiting in the City of Towers.   City of Towers indeed; the cliffside metropolis is densely populated with spire-like towers that reach hundreds of feet in the air. A tangled web of bridges and stairways weave through the buildings from nauseating heights. To an outsider, the unceasing bustle of every inhabitant and the seemingly senseless navigation are sure to overwhelm. To a Sharnite, there is no other way to truly live.   Sharn is home to a large variety of different people. One can walk across any common bridge and see a halfling, an orc, and a warforged having a hearty conversation. While humans are still the most common race, you will not find another city in Khorvaire as diverse as Sharn.    

Organization

Sharn is divided into five divisions: Central Plateau, Menthis Plateau, Northedge, Dura, and Tavick's Landing. Each division is split into three levels, or wards: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Since Sharn is a vertical city, elevation is an indicator of status and wealth. The floating district of Skyway floats on a magically reinforced cloud above the city, embodying the grandest and richest the city has to offer. In contrast, the Cogs are crumbled ruins beneath the city, housing industrial plants and the worst crime the city has to offer.   Upper wards are the domain of the rich and powerful. Here you will find the most prestigious goods, services, and magical items. Only those who can maintain the wealthiest lifestyle can afford to live in the upper wards. Violence is rare in these areas, and the Sharn Watch is especially active here. The middle wards are, appropriately enough, home to the middle class of Sharn. Here you'll find bustling markets and taverns, along with a wide range of entertainment and housing. Most goods and services are affordable by those of a modest or comfortable lifestyle, with a few higher-priced options tucked away. The Sharn Watch has a presence, but not as strong as in the upper wards. The lower wards house the hard-working laborers of the city, along with the destitute and the desperate. Many refugees of the Last War seek shelter in the lower wards. Services appropriate to a poor lifestlye are found here, and anyone embodying a rich an aristocratic lifestyle is sure to attract unwanted attention.

Central Plataeu

The power and wealth of Sharn are concentrated in Central Plateau. Whether you're looking to deal with powerful merchants, city councilors, dragonmarked barons, or the ambassadors of other nations, Central Plateau is the place where big deals are made.

Upper Central

Gold and power flow down from Upper Central. It houses the seat of government, where the city hall and municipal archives are located. Plenty of Sharn's wealthiest citizens live in this ward. Additionally, you will find the most expensive market district in Upper Central. Anyone who is seen as poor or unkempt is merely assumed to be a servant or a vagrant, for the poor have no place in this ward.

Middle Central

Middle Central is a haven of intrigue. The district of Ambassador Towers contains embassies and consulates from the Thronehold Nations, as well as the headquarters of the King's Citadel, the Brelish intelligence agency. This ward also has some of the grandest temples to the Sovereign Host in all of Sharn. While there are plenty of elegant, overly grandiose temples, some of the most devout priests tend to the smaller shrines.

Lower Central

While it is a lower ward, it is far and away the most pleasant of them all. It is a largely residential area with a generally peaceful atmosphere; the Sharn Watch are plentiful and well-paid. You will not be hard-pressed to find plenty of well-priced inns, and Olladra's Kitchen provides all sorts of wonderful restaurants.  

Dura

Sharn began where Dura stands, but the city has left it behind in many ways. Many nowadays consider the oldest quarter of Sharn to be a blight on the City of Towers. The place is full of cracked and crumbling stonework, abandoned lift shafts, and everbright lanterns that have burned out and never been restored. Dura is riddled with poverty and crime; it's easily the most dangerous section of the city. But it also holds opportunities you can't find anywhere else. If you're looking for smuggled goods or a place to lie low, there is no better place.

Upper Dura

This ward is full of activity. Its people are prospering, but there's an edge of desperation about them; many folk are on the lookout for opportunities to better themselves. Upper Dura has the general properties of a middle ward, with most goods and services priced for a modest or comfortable lifestyle. The merchants and artisans are accustomed to dealing with unusual individuals, and adventurers receive a warm welcome here.

Middle Dura

Middle Dura caters to the working class. Its taverns are modestly priced, but there's gold among the dross. The Bazaar of Dura is the largest commercial district in Sharn. In addition to the dozens of permanent shops and smithies, the streets of the bazaar are an ever-changing tapestry of stalls and tents. It's said that you can find anything here, if you're not too worried about where it came from and if you're prepared to contend with the cutpurses that prey on the crowds.

Lower Dura

The rest of Lower Dura, in stark contrast, has been left to rot. Ignored by the Watch , it is the domain of gangs and crime lords. The inhabitants of the ward are often protected from violence by their criminal connections or by virtue of having nothing worth stealing, but adventurers ought to tread lightly here, especially those who display the trappings of a wealthy lifestyle. Lower Dura used to be the heart of Sharn, and remnants of this glory still exist.  

Menthis Plataeu

The hub of Sharn's entertainment industry and home to Breland's largest university, Menthis Plateau is one of the most diverse quarters in Sharn. Whether you're looking for classical theater, a fine bookstore, or an illegal fighting ring, Menthis has something to offer.

Upper Menthis

Elegant and civilized, Upper Menthis is home to four of the finest theaters in Breland: the cutting-edge Art Temple, the colorful Khavish Theater, the traditional Grand Stage, and the open-air Stargazer Theater, as well as the Kavarrah Concert Hall. The shops in Upper Menthis deal mainly in fine food, fashion, and exotic goods. For instance, in the Seventh Tower district, Window on Yesterday, Echoes of the Past, the Mekdall Gallery, and Cloud Antiquities all buy and sell interesting antiques and trinkets from distant lands.

Middle Menthis

Middle Menthis boasts the most diverse population of any ward in Sharn. Be it halflings from the Talenta Plains, orcs and half-orcs from the Shadow Marches, or refugees from Cyre, Middle Methis has it all. The people of Middle Menthis are law-abiding folk; visitors looking for spellcasters to help with illegal activities or who want to sell stolen artifacts will likely have better luck in Lower Dura.

Lower Menthis

Providing cheap entertainment for the masses, Lower Menthis is crowded. It's home to the Burning Ring, a fight club where spectators bet on amateur gladiators. Technically illegal, the Burning Ring moves around the ward. Competitors are armed but unarmored; matches continue until a contestant yields, but fatalities do happen.  

Northedge

The Northedge residential area is the quietest quarter of Sharn. At first glance there's little to attract adventurous sorts, unless someone is interested in purchasing top-quality real estate. At the same time, you never know when this charming and innocuous area could be the site of a nefarious cult or a devilish plot.

Upper Northedge

Upper Northedge is the perfect place for the noble who can afford a manor in the clouds but wants to avoid the bustle of Upper Central. The districts of Crystal Bridge and Oak Towers are filled with spire-topped manors and grand estates. A host of rooftop parks and gardens provide lovely spaces to sit and reflect.

Middle Northedge

This ward caters to the middle class of Sharn, offering a wide range of comfortable housing. Dwarves make up a surprising majority of the population. The ward houses a large number of temples, and while the most grand temples may reside in Upper Central, it is well-known that the most truly devoted priests reside in Middle Northedge. Another notable feature of the ward is Daca's Watch. Twelve feet high, this pillar is thought to have once held a statue or monument. Over a century ago, a gnome named Daca climbed atop the pedestal. She has remained there ever since, and shouts advice to anyone who passes by. Although Daca doesn't claim to be a priest, the people of the community say that she's blessed by the god Boldrei and speaks with the Sovereign's voice. True or not, Daca's advice has proven to be remarkably sound, and she and her pillar have become a tourist attraction.

Lower Northedge

Although it's poverty-stricken, Lower Northedge is a significant step up from the slums of Lower Dura. The people of Lower Northedge don't look for trouble, and they don't like it coming to their doorstep. North Market is one of the largest markets in Sharn, though in contrast to the Bazaar of Dura it mostly offers simple, everyday goods. Lower Northedge has a significant shifter population. The Rat's Nest is a tavern that caters to shifters, and the Bear's Rest is an inn run by a family of shifters.  

Tavick's Landing

Everyone who comes to Sharn, whether by land or air, passes through Tavick's Landing. The quarter took on a martial aspect during the Last War, and the tense atmosphere can still be felt today. Visitors from any nation that fought against Breland during the war might be greeted with suspicion or hostility.

Upper Tavick's Landing

This ward is effectively a self-contained city catering to the nobles that live there. It has fine housing, skilled services, a luxurious mercantile district, and even an entire district designed for the servants of the nobles. The services and lodging in Sunrise accommodate those with poor or modest lifestyles, as opposed to the higher-priced goods found elsewhere in the ward. For those willing to put up with its restrictive laws, Upper Tavick's Landing has many fine features.
The Laws of Upper Tavick's Landing
During the war, fears of attacks by foreign agents resulted in the establishment of a number of laws here that affect visitors, including adventurers, to this day. The soldiers of House Deneith have full authority to act as agents of the Sharn Watch in Upper Tavick's Landing, and staff of Deneith's elite Blademark mercenaries maintain checkpoints at the district's edges.
-You need a license to carry a weapon in Upper Tavick's Landing. It costs only 5 gp, but you have to plead your case to a clerk. Any Blademark or member of the watch can demand to see your license and might confiscate unauthorized weapons. You also need a license to cast spells in the ward. It costs 10 gp, and you must specify the spells you intend to cast. A fine can be levied for any unauthorized use of magic. To get licenses for weapons or spellcasting, you'll have to go to the courthouse in the Copper Arch district.
-Another law requires inhabitants to dress "in a manner that upholds the solemn dignity of this proud ward." Blademarks and officers of the watch can choose how they interpret this. Typically, armor is considered inappropriate unless you're tied to House Deneith or the Sharn Watch, or you've served with the Brelish military. Anyone in contempt of this law is escorted out.
-Any sort of unruly behavior- fighting, shouting in the streets, and the like-brings a fine of up to 5 gp and temporary expulsion from the ward.

Middle Tavick's Landing

Unlike the upper ward, Middle Tavick's Landing welcomes travelers and tourists. The ward features a host of lively taverns and excellent inns. House Jorasco has a large house of healing in the ward, and House Deneith maintains a recruiting station for would-be mercenaries.

Lower Tavick's Landing

Two land routes to Sharn both end at Lower Tavick's Landing. The Orien lightning rail deposits passengers in the district of Terminus, while those who travel to Sharn on the Old Road arrive at Wroann's Gate. House Orien has a strong presence here, alongside other The Dragonmarked Houses. These days, Lower Tavick's Landing is best known for High Walls, a former residential district converted into a home for refugees from the Last War. High Walls is filled past capacity, mostly by Cyrans who were displaced by the Mourning. The gates are open at present, but High Walls is designed to serve as a fortress prison if the need arises, and the Sharn Watch keeps an eye out for any signs of unrest.  

The Cogs

Sharn was built atop the ruins of a formerly great city. These ruins lie below Sharn, below any tower or lower district. It is a haven for the wretched of Sharn, from crimelords to black market dealers. To many types of people, the Cogs are the most valuable part of Sharn. To others, it's a stain on the entire city.  

Cliffside

Located on a cliff next to the body of water known as The Hilt, a small outcropping next to the city used to be a thriving hub for seafarers, merchants, and businesses. However, on 6 Barrakas 997 YK, a series of tremors and landslides devastated the small coastal district. Tragic as it was, it is now home to buried treasures and mysteries to behold.  

Government

Sharn has many people in positions of power: beadles, ministers, bailiffs, and all manner of minor functionaries and officials. But ultimate power rests in the hands of the City Council. That body has seventeen members: one for each ward in the city, plus representatives from Skyway and the Cogs. Each ward has its own process for selecting a councilor, and there are no legal restrictions on who can govern. Almost all decisions made in Sharn pass through the Council, including infrastructure projects, refugee policies, and regulation of the Sharn Watch. The Council is made up of an incredibly diverse set of characters, mimicking the variegated nature of the city it governs. Rumor has it than even the Boromar Clan has managed to place a member of their organization on the council, along with other supposedly corrupted members. Corrupted or not, the Council has guided Sharn for hundreds of years.  

Associated Organizations

• The Boromar Clan
• Clifftop Adventurer's Guild