(^152)
could blame Thrane for the siege ofVathirond. These
kinds of sentiments can shape the feelings of an entire
district, but in the city as a whole there are far more
people who have personal burdens to carry than those
who feel resentment toward particular nations. For
instance, on an individual level, most members of the
Sharn Watch might not care about a gnoll being seen in
a neighborhood, but a guard who fought on the Droaam
front during the war might be out for revenge. War
forged are sometimes also the targets of this sort of prej
udice; a person whose friends were killed by warforged
soldiers might resent all such creatures.
SHORTAGES
Because the ink is barely dry on the Treaty of Throne
hold and relationships between the signatories are
still being normalized, Sharn doesn't currently benefit
from a lot of commerce with other nations. Problems
could arise from a short supply of any imported goods,
whether this manifests as inflated prices, the need for
rationing, or certain items being simply unavailable. The
factors of supply and demand also play into smuggling
and the black market; some desirable goods might be
available only through the Boromar Clan.
REFUGEES AND VICTIMS
Cyran refugees have filled the district of High Walls in
Lower Tavick's Landing beyond capacity, and Sharn is
also home to a significant number of refugees from else
where in Breland-people whose homes and villages
were destroyed during the war, and who have come to
Sharn in search of new lives. The city also has its share
of other people harmed during the war, soldiers and ci
vilians with severe physical or psychological injuries. All
these folk are most likely to be found in the lower wards.
They aren't just poor; they're suffering-and they might
seek vengeance against those they blame for their pain.
GUIDE TO THE CITY
WHEN YOU LIVE ON THE INSIDE LOW, YOU NEVER SEE
the sun. People hear "towers," they think of graceful little
spires, the sort of thing you see poking up in the corner of
your lord's keep. We 've got those, and lots of 'em. But the
foundation of the city is the core towers. The walls of these
towers are so thickyou could fit your lord's castle in one.
You've got your outside districts where you get the open
air, built on the bridges and platforms that connect the
core towers together. Yo u've got the little turrets, built
on the core tower walls and the bridges between. Yo u've
got the folk in the middle, who live and work in the walls
themselves. And then you've got those of us on the in
side, our districts entirely contained in the hollow well
of agreat tower. Whenyou look up in Callestan,you see
twinkling lights, to be sure. But those aren't stars, and that
isn't the sky. You're looking up through a mile of bridges
and platforms crossing the well, looking up at the districts
above you.CHAPTER 3 I SHARN, CITY OF TOWERSYo u live up high, you can touch the sky. In the middle you
can still see the sun. Down on the inside low, all we have is
gloom and the constant drip, water and worse descending
from the city above us.
-A street urchin describing SharnSharn is the most cosmopolitan city on the continent.
Describing all the activities and offerings in the city
could fill an entire book. Here's a summary of what you
need to know to appreciate the city to the fullest.WATCH YOUR STEP!
As befits the City of Towers, Sharn is also a city of
bridges and balconies. These thoroughfares and out
croppings can be extremely narrow or comfortably wide.
Although most of them are bounded by walls or railings,
there's always a chance that during your time in Sharn,
you or someone you know will go over the edge. So, how
do residents cope with this risk?
Those who can afford it usually carry a feather to-
ken as insurance. No token? Don't panic! Because of
the maze of bridges and spans connecting the towers,
there's an excellent chance that you won't fall more
than a hundred feet before impacting on a lower bridge.
Though this alone might seem like small comfort, it's
also true that the major bridges in the upper and middle
wards are enchanted with feather fall effects that trigger
automatically, keeping you from crushing an innocent
passerby in your descent.
Many different outcomes could follow a lengthy fall.
The Falling in Sharn table presents a few possibilities.FALLING IN SHARN
d8 Result
You fall hundreds offeet before striking the ground at
the base of the towers.
2 You fall 3d6 x 10 feet before striking a bridge. A major
bridge in an upper or a middle ward will have a fe ather
fa ll enchantment; otherwise, it's going to be a hard
landing.
3 You fall 2d4 x 10 feet and land in a passing skycoach,
possibly injuring a passenger.
4 You fall 4d4 x 5 feet and strike an outcropping, flag
pole, or projecting statue. If you survive, you're still
precariously perched on the edge of a tower or bridge.
5 You fall past a hippogriff-make a successful DC 15
Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to catch its leg!
6 A gargoyle or giant owl catches you-then threatens
to drop you if it doesn't get a rewa rd.
7 You can fly! Actually, a nearby wizard or artificer casts
fe ather fa ll to save you, but for a moment it felt like
you can fly. And now the spellcaster wants payment.
8 You strike a small air elemental that was drawn to the
city. Doing this cushions your fall, but now you're on
top of an air elemental.