Sharn: How is it?

[jaults]

I paged through Sharn: City of Towers at the book store, and it looked pretty cool. But I'd like a reccomendation from someone who's read it in a bit more depth than that. Is it useful to those of us not playing an Eberron camapign?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[fredramsey]

I seriously doubt it.

But, for those of us playing in Eberron (why aren't you? ;-), then it is fantastic. Just like the main book, there is potential adventure on every page.

I paged through Sharn: City of Towers at the book store, and it looked pretty cool. But I'd like a reccomendation from someone who's read it in a bit more depth than that. Is it useful to those of us not playing an Eberron camapign?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[Psion]

Well I have it, and am evaluating it for export to my own non-Eberron game as a planar metropolis.

But alas, I am not done reading it yet, so I can't say what the answer is to the question we are both asking.

 

[Mystery Man]

One of my players bought it. Glancing at it myself I get the impression that it's Waterdeep with a different cover. Getting a closer look at it may change my impression.

 

[fredramsey]

And Waterdeep is just Lankhmar with a different name...

Each city has wonders and horrors that differentiate it from all others.

One of my players bought it. Glancing at it myself I get the impression that it's Waterdeep with a different cover. Getting a closer look at it may change my impression.

 

[Mystery Man]

And Waterdeep is just Lankhmar with a different name...

Each city has wonders and horrors that differentiate it from all others.

Browsing thru, got to City of the Dead, closed the book with a sigh.

 

[fredramsey]

So, if a city has a necropolis, it is invalid? Man, Egypt is in trouble...

Browsing thru, got to City of the Dead, closed the book with a sigh.

 

[Psion]

So, if a city has a necropolis, it is invalid?

He's got you there. That sounds just a teensy bit knee-jerk.

 

[Mystery Man]

He's got you there. That sounds just a teensy bit knee-jerk.

Yeah, he really showed me...

Tell you what if I read the whole thing and find an inn where you can have yourself lowered down to Undermountain or whatever Sharn has for its great big dungeon under the city I'm going to do more than jerk a knee. Probably have a stroke. But like I said, first impression.

 

[fredramsey]

Well, there's your first revelation to come.

Sharn is built on top of thousands of years of cities. There is no impossibly high level lich creating a maze for characters to slay monsters and gain treasure, that sells t-shirts to give to your friends who stayed at home.

There is, however, the possibility of hundreds of "dungeons", from the time of the Dhakanni empire, or some of the other times in it's history when cities on the site of Sharn were destroyed.

Sharn is very much bound up in the history of Eberron. Without a firm grounding in the setting, there is going to be large portions of Sharn that don't make sense.

Yeah, he really showed me...

Tell you what if I read the whole thing and find an inn where you can have yourself lowered down to Undermountain or whatever Sharn has for its great big dungeon under the city I'm going to do more than jerk a knee. Probably have a stroke.

 

[Psion]

Mmmm. Okay. But I don't seem to recall any four way gang wars or floating towers in Waterdeep, nor do I recall hearing that sharn was ruled by a council or nobles that keep their real identity hidden.

 

[MerricB]

nor do I recall hearing that sharn was ruled by a council or nobles that keep their real identity hidden.

You hadn't got to the bit where it's revealed all of Sharn's rulers have been replaced by Changelings, have you?

(Yes, I am making this up. I think).

Cheers!

 

[Sorren]

Porting it over to another setting may be a problem for no other reason than the NPCs in Eberron tend to be lower level. It's not like Waterdeep where you can't throw a stick without hitting an epic level archmage.

 

[Arnwyn]

Is it useful to those of us not playing an Eberron camapign?

I hope so, since I'm likely going to buy it today - I'm hoping to be able to adapt it to the Forgotten Realms, and insert it in the country Halruaa.

It's not like Waterdeep where you can't throw a stick without hitting an epic level archmage.

Wish I knew what Waterdeep you're talking about.

 

[Mystery Man]

Wish I knew what Waterdeep you're talking about.

He is correct about FR and Waterdeep having high level NPC's, not so much epic though that may be stretching it just a little. I'm thinking that there my be some good ideas in this book to leech over to my FR campaign but I just don't see the need to waste the money since the Waterdeep setting is coming in the summer.

Back on topic...


Why there are so few high level published NPC's in a city like Sharn makes not one bit of sense. I would have to make my own up, which is fun.

 

[Desdichado]

Why there are so few high level published NPC's in a city like Sharn makes not one bit of sense. I would have to make my own up, which is fun.

Unless, of course, you're of the school of thought that all those high level NPCs themselves don't make sense...

 

[Sorren]

Why there are so few high level published NPC's in a city like Sharn makes not one bit of sense. I would have to make my own up, which is fun.

Eberron sees character with levels above 6th (or 9th in the case of Sharn itself) to be almost unheard of. They are the elite. The pinnicle of their race. There were once more higher level characters, but most all of them used their experience to help in the war, which eventually led to their death.

Nothing like a few decades of war to thin the population.

This gives the PCs a chance to become real heroes. At 20th level, fighters become unstoppable warriors of legend, mages are seen as demi-gods, clerics are messiah figures, or incarnations of the gods etc.

 

[Arnwyn]

not so much epic though that may be stretching it just a little.

Just a little.

Why there are so few high level published NPC's in a city like Sharn makes not one bit of sense.

I agree, given the very clear D&D demographics combined with the short amount of time it takes to level.

 

[The_Gunslinger658]

Hi ya-

I guess they left crafting High Level NPC's to the DM's. Of course the amount of work involved is truly time consuming.

Scott

He is correct about FR and Waterdeep having high level NPC's, not so much epic though that may be stretching it just a little. I'm thinking that there my be some good ideas in this book to leech over to my FR campaign but I just don't see the need to waste the money since the Waterdeep setting is coming in the summer.

Back on topic...


Why there are so few high level published NPC's in a city like Sharn makes not one bit of sense. I would have to make my own up, which is fun.

 

[Sorren]

Wish I knew what Waterdeep you're talking about.

Look closer. They are hard to see with all the elves in the way.


I kid. I kid.

Seriously though, to each his own and all, I just don't care for Forgotten Realm's power level or emphasis on elves (especially drow, which has become ridiculous).

I just hope the warforged doesn't become the new drow...