Page 157 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

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S P ORTS N D GAM S of the players have been turned to stone, at which point
the survivor is awarded all the stakes (except for a share
o
As befits a metropolis that boasts people f all cultures, set aside for the organizers). A medusa handler moni­
Sham hosts a wide variety of sports and athletic events. tors the competition to ensure that rules are followed.
The Race of Eight Winds occurs once a year. Other Contestants carry no arms or armor, and no magic or
events take place on a daily, weekly, or monthly sched­ supernatural abilities may be used. Additionally, no one
ule. For instance, shifters hold informal hrazhak compe­ is allowed to attack the cockatrice. The challenge lies
titions every night in Lower Nor.thedge. The ogres of the in outlasting the other contestants and luring them or
Cogs are fond of tugs-of-war, arm wrestling, and sim­ pushing them into the path of the cockatrice. The bat­
ilarly simple tests of strength. People who want to bet tleground might be barren or littered with rubble and
on sports can usually find a gambler willing to set odds cover; it might be lit, or it could be be pitch black.
in the Firelight district in Lower Menthis, Callestan in Six stones matches are staged by the criminal organi­
Lower Dura, Cornerstone in Middle Tavick's Landing, zation Daask (see the "Criminal Activities" section later
or Hareth's Folly in Middle Dura. Three exotic sports in this chapter). The sport is illegal, but the games go on
practiced in the city are described below. because the matches are confined to Lower Dura and
the Cogs and well hidden from the eyes of the Watch.
HRAZHAK
A match usually occurs only once every few months.
Two teams of seven shifters play hrazhak on a field Sometimes participants voluntarily enter the compe­
with a goal at each end. Each team starts out carrying a tition, but most are debtors who have been offered a
wooden idol. To score, a team must steal its opponent's chance to pay off their loans by winning the match.
idol and place both idols in its own goal. Obstacles such Daask takes bets on the outcome, and usually earns a
as trees, streams, and piles of rubble can be present on tidy sum as its share of the proceeds.
a hrazhak field, requiring the competitors to make full
use of their jumping and climbing abilities. Idols can be C I TY GOVER N M E N T
thrown or carried, and there are no limits on contact
between participants, although only natural weapons Sham has many people in positions of power: beadles,
are allowed. T y pically, a low-level druid or adept is on ministers, bailiffs, and all manner of minor functionar­
hand to provide healing if needed-but any competitor ies and officials. But ultimate power rests in the hands
who receives aid is removed from play for the remainder of the City Council. That body has seventeen members:
of the match. Competitors aren't allowed to use spells or one for each ward in the city, plus representatives from
similar abilities. Skyway and the Cogs. Each ward has its own process
The only formal hrazhak arena in Sham is located in for selecting a councilor, and there are no legal restric­
the Stone Trees, part of the Cornerstone district, where tions on who can govern; if you build up a strong base of
the matches serve as both a spectator sport and a rea­ support in a ward, you could hold the position yourself!
son for gambling. Shifters created temporary hrazhak The members of the City Council are quite diverse.
fields in the slums and warehouse districts of the city Some are crooked, others are idealists, and one of them
from time to time, and shifter youths often play im­ appears to be an owl. All of them are well known in their
promptu games in the parks. home wards, and any of them could have use for a team
of adventurers. The Sham Councilors table describes
SKYBLADES a few of the city leaders you might bump into in Upper
Common jousting is popular enough throughout Bre­ Central or at the Tain Gala. If your character has the no­
land, but in Sham, the sport has taken to the air. In a ble background, you might already know one of them.
formal skyblades match, the goal is to knock an oppos­
ing rider from the saddle-attacks against mounts are S H A R N COU N C I L ORS
forbidden, along with the use of magic or other super­ d12 Councilor
natural abilities. Formal matches take place in one of Sorik Sensos (human) represents M i ddle Central. An
Sharn's two aerial arenas, in Cornerstone and Hareth's
Folly. Skyblades jousters typically ride hippogriffs and elder statesman and a brilliant orator, he is rumored
carry blunted lances that deal nonlethal damage. to be involved in a web of bribery and graft.
Informal matches, which don't always use the same 2 Sava Kharisa (human) is the outspoken councilor
rules, occur from time to time in Lower and Middle from Lower Central. Since taking her seat, she has
Dura, Tavick's Landing, and Menthis Plateau. An infor­ fought to improve conditions for the lower classes of
mal match might be played out across an entire district, Sharn, and she has made many enemies on the coun·
with competitors weaving between towers and around cil and beyond.
bridges. The rules for an informal match are set before 3 Thurik Davandi (gnome) represents Upper Menthis.
the start, establishing (among other things) whether He is known to have ties to Zilargo and the Boromar
magic can be used and mounts can be targeted.
Clan, and reportedly loves intrigues and blackmail.
SIX STONES 4 Savia Potellas (human) has her hand in the entertain­
d
A Droaam tradition brought to Sham by immigrants, ment industry of Lower Menthis. She hopes to re u ce
six stones is a game for seven competitors, who each the influence of organized crime in her district, but
pay a base stake. The seven are then sealed in a large it's a dangerous game.
chamber with a cockatrice. The match ends when six

C H APTER 3 I SHARN, C I TY OF TOWERS