Sharn
In the Eberron campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Sharn, often called "The City of Towers", is the iconic metropolis of the setting.
Sharn is the largest city in the kingdom of Breland and indeed, the continent of Khorvaire. It is a melting pot of all races, with the human population being the largest but still only a third of Sharn's some 212,000 citizens.
A vertical city, Sharn is linked with the plane of Syrania, granting enhanced power to flight and levitation magic, a feature that the city's residents have used to build towers that rise higher into the sky than any other place on Khorvaire and possibly the world of Eberron. Due to the myriad of cultures that live and have lived in Sharn, examples of architecture from all over Khorvaire can be found. Most of Sharn's wealthiest inhabitants live in the upper regions of the city, enjoying the freshest air and least claustrophobic views.
A layer-by-layer depiction of Sharn can be found on the Wizards of the Coast Dungeons & Dragons site.[1]
Sharn's past
Sharn has a long and rich history starting with its foundation in ancient times by hobgoblin warlords. It was called Ja'shaarat ("Bright Blade") and even then it was one of the greatest cities of the Dhakaani empire. In contrast to modern Sharn's soaring towers, Ja'shaarat was built mostly underground with only its tallest buildings inevitably becoming the foundation of Sharn.
When the Dhakaani empire was devastated by the daelkyr, the city was ruined and never recovered. Goblin tribes who took refuge in the city's bowels renamed it Duur'shaarat ("Blade of Sorrows").
Years later, when a wave of human explorers flooded the coasts of Khorvaire, Malleon the Reaver discovered the fallen city. He enslaved the remaining goblin tribes and renamed the city Shaarat. In time, Shaarat grew into a wealthy and powerful city only to once again be destroyed when Malleon's descendants refused to bow down to Breggor, the man who would become the first king of the nation of Breland.
After a long siege, Breggor's wizards finally rained destruction down on the city. Breggor renamed the city Sharn. During the next 800 years the towers of Sharn rose and the city flourished. When all of Khorvaire was changed with the War of the Mark, Sharn was once again ruined and abandoned for 500 years. When Galifar I became king of the Five Nations he ordered the rebuilding of Sharn. With the funding of noble houses and the help of House Cannith and Dwarven architects from the Mror Holds, Sharn's great towers were returned to their former splendor.
References
Additional reading
- Baker, Keith; Slavicsek, Bill; Wyatt, James (2004). Eberron Campaign Setting. Wizards of the Coast, Inc. ISBN 0-7869-3434-4
- Baker, Keith, and James Wyatt. Sharn: City of Towers (Wizards of the Coast, 2004)
- Sharn: City of Towers at Wizards.com website
- Sharn: City of Towers Map Gallery at Wizards.com website