Tavicks Landing

Description

For most travelers, Tavick’s Landing is the gateway to Sharn. The Orien lightning rail station at Terminus brings in hundreds of travelers each day, and many more arrive via the Old Road at Wroann's Gate. In many ways, Tavick’s Landing is the most eclectic quarter of Sharn, blending residential areas with commercial and entertainment districts that cater to the traders, travelers, and tourists who pass through the city. During the Last War, foreigners were carefully monitored as they entered the city, and even today the effects of the war can still be felt. An entire district in Lower Tavick’s Landing has been converted to house Cyran refugees and other people dislocated by the war.
Commander Iyanna ir'Talan has been purging corrupt officers from the Tavick’s garrison of the Sharn Watch in recent years. As a result, members of Tavick’s allotment of the City Watch are the most likely to be helpful to adventurers, and least likely to take bribes or practice extortion.

Geography

Upper Tavick's Landing Districts

 Copper Arch (Professionals)

 Dalan's Refuge (Wealthy)

 Ocean View (Wealthy)

 Pinnacle (Temple)

 Silvergate (Fine Shops)

 Sunrise (Wealthy Residential)

 Twelve Pillars (Professionals)

Character: Everything an aristocrat needs — housing, luxuries, and servants.

Social: Middle class (3 upper class districts)

Areas: Wealthy residential (2), fine shops, average residences, temple district, professionals (2)

Businesses: Expensive and luxurious goods.

Upper Tavick’s Landing is a self-contained kingdom for the wealthy. Everything an aristocrat might need can be found in this ward: a luxurious mercantile district, fine housing, skilled services, and even a district where servants and hirelings can live.

The lords and merchant princes who hold power in Upper Tavick’s Landing have worked to isolate their home from the chaos that often engulfs the rest of the city, and it is in many ways a small city within Sharn. During the Last War, there was general concern that the ward was in danger due to the number of foreigners that moved through the lower wards.

As a result, the leaders of Upper Tavick’s Landing petitioned the city council and established a number of laws unique to the ward. Those of most concern to adventurers include the following:

●The soldiers of House Deneith have equal authority with the Sharn City Watch within the confines of Upper Tavick’s Landing. A full 100 members of the Blademark are stationed in Upper Tavick’s Landing, paid for by taxes levied on the district. Deneith warriors maintain checkpoints at all entrances to the district, to ensure that visitors comply with the laws of the ward.

●A character must obtain a license to carry a weapon within Upper Tavick’s Landing. This license can be obtained at the courthouse in Twelve Pillars, and costs 5 gp. However, the main purpose of the license is to keep armed undesirables out of the district. The typical adventurer must make a DC 12 Charisma based skill check to convince the functionary to provide him with a license. He must be a Brelish citizen or a member of a dragonmarked house, and must provide a great deal of personal information, including a detailed description of the weapons he is licensed to carry. Any member of the Sharn City Watch or House Deneith can demand to see a license, and they will confiscate unauthorized weapons.

●A different license is required to cast spells within the district; this costs 10 gp and requires the character to specify the spells he wishes to cast. Unauthorized spellcasting generally results in a fine of 50 gp times the level of the spell.

●Upper Tavick’s Landing has a dress code. Inhabitants must dress “in a manner that upholds the solemn dignity of this proud ward”, and it is up to the individual Watch officer or Deneith guard to interpret what this means. Generally, an adventurer is safe if his clothes cost at least 5 gp, but this law provides an excellent excuse to harass undesirables. Armor is usually considered to be inappropriate unless the wearer is part of the Watch, House Deneith, or another branch of the city government or the crown. Anyone held to be in contempt of this law is escorted from the district and ordered to stay away until rectifying the situation.

●Unruly conduct — fighting, shouting in the streets, and other forms of rude behavior — results in a fine of up to 5 gp and temporary expulsion from the ward (assuming that none of the other laws of the city were broken during the incident).

In addition to these laws, the inhabitants of the ward are generally unfriendly toward anyone who is shifty, suspicious, or poor. Adventurers and foreigners are treated with great suspicion unless they have a lot of gold to spend or have ties to a dragonmarked house or similar organization.

Middle Tavick's Landing Districts

 Cornerstone (Tavern)

 Dancing Shadows (Inn)

 Deathsgate (Adventurer)

 Graywall (Average Residential)

 Kenton (Apartments)

 Little Barrington (Average Residential)

 Tavick's Market (Marketplace)

Character: An eclectic blend of businesses and residences catering to people from all levels of society.

Social: Lower middle class

Areas: Inns, marketplace, average residences (2), adventurer’s quarter, apartment homes, tavern district.

Businesses: A wide range of trades and goods, ranging from magic and exotic adventuring gear in Deathsgate to livestock and produce in Tavick's Market.

Middle Tavick’s Landing has something for everyone. It is a crossroads for travelers, traders, and explorers, and includes a host of inns, taverns, shops, and reasonably priced residences. With a few notable exceptions — namely, the Graywall district — the people of Middle Tavick’s Landing are generally friendly and welcoming toward outsiders, quite unlike their counterparts in the upper ward.

Lower Tavick's Landing Districts

 Black Arch (Garrison)

 Cogsgate (Warehouse)

 Dragoneyes (Red Light)

 Foundation (Apartments)

 High Walls (Refuge Tenements)

 Terminus (Caravan)

 Wroann's Gate (Caravan)

Character: The gateway to Sharn, this ward is a constant flurry of noise and activity.

Social: Lower class

Areas: Caravan district (2), apartment homes, garrison, red light district, refugee slum, warehouse district.

Businesses: Inns, taverns, and entertainment catering to frequent travelers and merchants.

Anyone who comes to Sharn by land comes through Lower Tavick’s Landing. The Orien lightning rail comes through Terminus, while the Old Road ends at Wroann's Gate. Most travelers use a lift or skycoach to travel to the upper wards as quickly as possible. While not as dangerous as Lower Dura, Lower Tavick’s Landing is a rough ward, and it caters to workers from the Cogs, teamsters, and other tough folk.

During the Last War many foreign nationals were detained in Lower Tavick’s Landing, and today High Walls provides housing for refugees from Cyre and other shattered communities. The Sharn Watch and the Guardians of the Gate do their best to maintain order in the district, but their resources are stretched thin, and adventurers who leave the gate districts and visit Dragoneyes, High Walls, or Cogsgate would be wise to keep weapons to hand.

House Orien has a strong presence in Lower Tavick’s Landing, and Orien heirs, laborers, and teamsters can be found in many of the districts. House Lyrandar and House Deneith are also well represented, arranging matters of trade, transport, and security.