Page 257 - Eberron -Rising from the Last War_Neat

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S H A R N W A T H all else, and most of those are willing to risk their lives
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to save an innocent bystander from a rampaging Daask
A common viewpoint among the citizens of Sham is troll. But most members of the Watch are pragmatists
that in the upper wards, the Sham Watch works for the who put the needs of their clients uppermost, the needs
wealthy; in the middle wards, it works for the Boromar of the citizenry second, and generally don't take action
Clan; and in the lower wards, it doesn't work at all. against locals.
This assessment is close enough to the truth. There's The upshot of all this is that the Watch's response to
an important undercurrent in the situation, however. a crime can vary significantly depending on the nature
Although most officers of the Watch take bribes, that of the crime and where it's committed. As a rule, when
doesn't mean all of them don't care about their city and a crime is committed in Skyway, any of the upper or
won't try to keep their communities safe; they do so be­ middle wards, Lower Central, Lower Tavick's Landing,
cause they see their benefactors as being an important or Precarious, members of the Watch arrive to intervene
part of the continued health of their community. For and investigate as soon as possible. In Cliffside, Lower
instance, those officers who take gold from the Boro­ Menthis, and Lower Northedge, the few Watch members
mar Clan believe that the Boromars help keep the city in these locations address crimes in order of priority. In
running and give the people what they want. But if some Lower Dura and the Cogs, the Watch's reponse is typi­
strangers in town break the law, they're just troublemak­ cally very slow.
ers who deserve to be run in.
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As another example, the guards of the Dura Bazaar SHARN W A T H D I VISIONS
have an understanding with the gang of pickpockets The discussion above primarily concerns the rank and
known as the Little Fingers. As long as the thieves file of the Sham Watch, the guards who walk the streets
target only tourists and foreigners, the Watch will dis­ day in and day out and the officers who supervise them.
miss any charges brought against them. Why should The Watch also includes a few special divisions that
an officer of the Sham Watch care if some Aundarian could cross the paths of the adventurers.
with more gold than sense gets robbed? But if the Lit­ The Blackened Book is an elite core of abjurers and
tle Fingers pick on a local, they're asking for trouble. diviners, charged with investigating and containing
The relationship works both ways; the pickpockets are magical threats. These wizards are highly dedicated
privy to things the Watch officers aren't, and they often to their work and their city, and generally don't take
warn the Watch about suspicious people or activities bribes. It's up to the higher-ups, however, to decide what
they witness. missions to assign to the Blackened Book; if there's a
Watch officers do exist who are entirely crooked and
care nothing for the law. At the other extreme, some case that a noble doesn't want investigated, it proba-
officers are entirely honorable and place the law above bly won't be.

CHAPTER 4 I BUILDING EBERRON ADVENTURES