•'.--THE--SMA�W IWQUISlllV�
DAWN OF DISEASE
You'll hear warning bells toll tomorrow morning. You'll
see packs of people with their faces hidden by plague
masks or strips of cloth. Jorasco healers will roam the
streets offering free examinations and blessings. If you're
new to Sharn, have no fear! This isn't the outbreak of
disease it appears to be; it's how Sharn observes the La
dy's Day, commemorating a tragic incident in our past.
Today, aberrant dragonmarks are rare. But there was
a time long ago when they were far more common. An
army of aberrant heirs made their home here in the
early days of Sharn, led by Halas Tarkanan-known
as the Earthshaker-and the Lady of the Plague, who
had power over vermin and disease. When the dragon
marked houses laid siege to the city and their defeat
became inevitable, the two unleashed their full might.
Ta rkanan's power reduced the early towers to rub-
ble, and the Lady of the Plague called forth a horde of
disease-infested vermin.
For centuries afterward, the region was shunned.
When our modern city was built, the cursed ruins were
sealed away. But one never knows when the darkness
could rise up again. On the Lady's Day, we remember
the tragedy that once befell Sharn, and we prepare for
the possibility that it could happen again.FALLEN
The Fallen district in Lower Dura was once known as
Godsgate. When the first towers were raised, Godsgate
was the temple district. It had shrines and statues ded
icated to the Sovereigns, a proud church of the Silver
Flame, even a monument to the Undying Court. But
as Sharn grew and prospered, religious services were
moved to grander temples in the upper wards. Gods
gate became a tenement district, and the shrines and
monuments were forgotten and left to decay. The final
blow to this once-proud district came early in the Last
War. A team of Aundairian saboteurs brought down one
of Sham's floating towers, and the falling spire struck
Godsgate. Buildings collapsed, and hundreds died. Un
tended corpses led to infection and disease. The City
Council had no interest in sinking gold into Lower Dura
to restore the area, and the district was abandoned.
Today, the district known as Fallen is strewn with the
rubble of the fallen tower, mingled with shattered build
ings and broken statues. Those who venture into Fallen
must deal with the Ravers, feral savages that lurk in the
shadows. There's no question that the Ravers exist, but
their true nature remains a subject of debate. A common
hypothesis is that they're the descendants of the origi
nal inhabitants of the district, who were possessed and
driven mad by the ghosts of those who died when the
tower fell. Others claim that House Vadalis has been try
ing to magebreed super-soldiers, and the Ravers are the
result of failed experiments.
CHAPTER 3 I SHARN, CITY OF TOWERS
Only the most desperate people live here, and the
forces of the law won't come near it. As a result, the
district has a lot of space available for any cult or secret
society that needs a lair. The followers of a radiant idol,
the Cult of the Dragon Below, or any other cabal could
lay claim to a shattered church in Fallen.KHYBER'S GATE
Beyond the Cogs lies Khyber's Gate, a maze of tunnels
and tenements carved into the stone. The Sharn Watch
has no presence here, and the closest thing to an au
thority is the criminal organization known as Daask; if
you're seeking the leaders of this group, this is where
you'll find them. Many of the inhabitants of the Gate are
goblins and immigrants from Droaam, but it's also home
to fugitives, war criminals, and other unsavory types.
Khyber's Gate is part of the ruins of a goblin city that
was abandoned thousands of years ago. No one knows
how deep it goes. The monstrous inhabitants of the dis
trict have no love for treasure hunters or adventurers,
and it's a dangerous place to explore.
Shamukaar is the most successful tavern in Khyber's
Gate. The place is a safe haven for all within it, regard
less of species or politics; once you make it through the
door, you can breathe easy.THE SEWERS
The upper wards of Sham use a network of chutes to
funnel garbage down into the sewers. Refuse and filth is
channeled into cavernous midden chambers, where it is
left to rot or be devoured by the vermin and oozes that
inhabit the sewers. Smaller tunnels channel wastewater
into purification centers, where magewrights use magic
to cleanse the water. A special unit of the Sharn Watch
protects the purification chambers. Beyond these small,
vital areas, the sewers are lawless.
Though the sewers were never intended to support a
population, over the centuries a subculture has evolved
in this region. A few tribes of people-mostly goblins,
along with a few shifters, dwarves, and feral halfiings
live in the sewers, rummaging through the midden
heaps and selling their goods in the lower city. These
sewer clans constantly battle over territory, as control
of one or more midden chamber can be critical to sur
vival. The sewer clans can pose a threat to adventurers,
but they can also be valuable allies; there are no better
guides to the sewers and what lies beneath them than
one of the folk who live there.CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES
Under the laws of Sharn, crime takes many forms. Any
sort of theft is illegal, including "malicious theft of iden
tity" -the use of shapeshifting abilities or illusion magic
to impersonate someone with the intent to cause harm.
Assault, murder, and fraud will all land you in hot water.
Other activities walk the edge of legality. Gambling and
prostitution are legal in Sham, but these industries are
heavily taxed and regulated. Likewise, smuggled goods
include illegal merchandise such as drugs and mystical
explosives, but also heavily taxed goods, such as the
drug known as dreamlily (described in chapter 4).