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WHO OWNS SHARN? PORTRAIT OF
THE IR'TAINS AND THE 60 FAMILIES
If you've read more than two issues of the Sham Inquis
itive, you've seen at least two stories about the ir'Tain
family. King Boranel might rule Breland, and the Lord
Mayor might be our highest appointed official, but the
ir'Tains are the true royalty of our city. What citizen of
Sham doesn't have an opinion about the fate of Lord
Dalian ir'Tain, lost at sea a decade ago? Many are sure
that he's a prisoner of the sahuagin, which would ex
plain why Lady Celyria has been funding expeditions
into the sahuagin realms. Another camp maintains
that Lord Dalian staged his death so he could embrace
a swashbuckling life as a pirate king. If the truth ever
comes out, you can be sure you'll read about it here!
Matriarch Lady Celyria ir'Tain is the queen of high
society in Sharn. Her activities and those of the ir'Tain
children account for just as much newsprint as their
father used to. Dalian's eldest son, Dalas ir'Tain,
shocked society last week when he publicly denounced
the Brelish monarchy. The dalliances of younger sib
lings Cyra and Dara! sell more issues of the Inquisitive
whenever such are reported, and the wedding of mid
dle sister Cariana ir'Tain and Mayne Jhaelian of Aere
nal will surely be the biggest social event of 998 YK.CENTRAL PLATEAU
The power and wealth of Sham 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. The
district of Highest Towers is the seat of government,
where city hall and the municipal archives are located.
The Korranath is the name of both the central financial
district and the grand temple of Kol Korran that dom
inates it. This district also houses the Kundarak Bank
of Sham and the Vaults, House Kundarak's ostensibly
impenetrable storage facility.
Some of Sham's wealthiest citizens live in the Mithra!
Tower district, and Platinum Heights is the most expen
sive market district in Sham. It has fewer shops than
the Bazaar of Dura, but if you're looking for top-quality
goods or services, there's no finer-or more expensive
source to be found.
If you maintain no better than a poor lifestyle, many
people in Upper Central will assume you're a servant or
vagrant; this could cause you to have disadvantage on
Charisma checks involving residents.
The ir'Tain fortune is tied to the City of Towers.
Tain gold funded the construction of many of the tow
ers of Sham, and the family owns vast sections of the
city. You've likely heard of the Sixty Families of Sharn,
considered the guiding lights of the city. Most assume
that these luminaries are ancient and established,
their status tied to a royal decree. In fact, when the
Tains built their mansion on Skyway, they ordered the
architects to design a banquet hall that would seat
sixty families and their servants. The original Sixty
Families were those that received standing invitations
to the first Tain Gala. Though the list has remained
generally stable through the years, just last year Ce
lyria expelled the ir'Moros family and gave their place
to Saiden Boromar-a surprising advancement for a
family that began as Cliffside hooligans.
Anyone who strives to rise in Sham society must
earn the favor of the Sixty. Similarly, those who seek
to explore and adventure in the wake of the Last War
can surely find patrons among these elite. And from
our desks, we will be watching to see which families
will be next to rise and fall.MIDDLE CENTRAL
This part of the city is a center for intrigue. The district
of Ambassador Towers contains embassies and consul
ates from the Thronehold Nations, as well as Aerenal
and Sarlona. Ambassador Towers is also home to the
King's Citadel, the headquarters of Brelish intelligence.
Across the ward, the district of Dragon Towers holds the
primary enclaves of the dragonmarked houses.
The Sovereign Towers district has the grandest tem
ples in Sham. The Pavilion of the Host is a complex
of nine towers devoted to the Sovereign Host, and the
Cathedral of the Cleansing Flame is the seat of the reli
gion. Although these temples are the locations of grand
ceremonies and celebrations, many of the most devout
priests serve in the city's smaller shrines.LOWER CENTRAL
This district is peaceful and largely residential; it's the
safest and most pleasant of the lower wards. Goods and
services are largely priced for those with a comfortable
lifestyle, and the Sham Watch is plentiful and well paid.
The district of Boldrei's Hearth has many reasonably
priced inns (most run by House Ghallanda), and 01-
ladra's Kitchen has a wide assortment of taverns and
restaurants. Myshan Gardens is a residential district
that caters to affluent artists, while Vailia Towers has a
large community of half-elves.CHAPTER 3 I SHARN, CITY OF TOWERS
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