Sorcerers must prove their grasp of arcane theory to
earn a place, and warlocks are rarely accepted as mem
bers. The hall of the Esoteric Order of Aureon is in the
district of Clifftop in Upper Dura.
The Guild of Starlight and Shadows. Breland's other
arcane order encourages independence and innovation,
qualities that contribute to a mutually uncomfortable
relationship between the Guild of Starlight and Shad
ows and the Sham Watch. The schools of conjuration,
enchantment, and illusion are favored by this group.
Warlocks, especially those of the Archfey, are generally
welcome. Members of the Esoteric Order look down
on Starlight wizards, and in turn the guild members
often mock the wizards of the Esoteric Order and play
pranks on them. The Guild of Starlight and Shadows
has its hall in the Deathsgate district in Middle Tav
ick's Landing.
The Closed Circle. There is one dark stain in the
shared history of the arcane orders. Three hundred
years ago, a third order arose in Sham-a sinister cabal
called the Closed Circle. This order specialized in trans
mutation and necromancy and dabbled in the forbidden
lore of the daelkyr and the Dragon Below. It's said that
the members of the Closed Circle went mad and sought
to summon terrible things; whatever the truth, the guild
was wiped out more than two hundred years ago by the
combined action of the Church of the Silver Flame, the
Esoteric Order, and the Guild of Starlight and Shadows.
Hidden workshops of the Closed Circle might still be
found in Sham, where vengeful liches or other wizards
of the Circle practice their dark arts in hiding.
WARDS OF SHARN
Sham is a vertical city, and elevation is an indicator of
status and wealth. Each quarter is roughly divided into
three levels, and the combination of quarter and level
defines a ward. Thus, wards have names such as Lower
Dura, Upper Central, and Middle Menthis.
Upper wards are the domain of the rich and powerful.
Here you'll find the finest goods and the most expensive
services. Only those who maintain a wealthy or aris
tocratic lifestyle can easily afford the prices for meals
and lodging, and adventurers who maintain a squalid or
wretched lifestyle might be treated with disdain (suffer
ing disadvantage on Charisma checks).
Violence is rare in any of the upper wards, and the
Sham Watch actively patrols these areas. Although
the guards here might be corrupt just as in a middle or
lower ward, they're already being well paid by powerful
nobles and criminal organizations, and they work effi
ciently in the service of these forces.
Middle wards are home to the middle classes. 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 Sham Watch has a presence, but not
as strong as in the upper wards.
Lower wards house the hard-working laborers, along
with the destitute and the desperate, including refugees
who lost everything in the war and orphans who never
had anything to begin with. Services priced for a modest