The upper wards of Sharn use an ingeniously devised network of chutes to funnel garbage down into the sewers. Garbage and filth is channeled into cavernous midden chambers, where it is left to rot or be devoured by the vermin and oozes that inhabit the sewers. Smaller tunnels channel wastewater to purification centers, where magewrights employ stones of purity to cleanse the water. A special unit of the Sharn Watch protects the purification chambers. Beyond these small, vital areas, the sewers are completely lawless. The tunnels and midden chambers are unlit, and vermin and oozes are common throughout the region.
While the sewers were never intended to support a population, over the centuries a subculture has evolved in this region that lies directly below the LowerCity. There are treasures to be found in the midden heaps—or if not treasure, at least objects that can be resold for a few coppers. A few tribes of people—mostly goblins, along with a few shifters, dwarves, and feral halflings and gnomes—live in the sewers, rummaging through the midden heaps and selling their goods in impromptu “rat’s markets” in the Lower-City. These sewer clans are constantly battling over territory, as control of midden chambers is critical to the survival of a clan. The sewer clans can pose a threat to adventurers who travel to the Depths, but they can also be valuable allies; there are no better guides to the sewers and the Depths than one of the cellar dwellers.
Most of the remaining clans are goblins, though there are a few mixed tribes. Bear in mind that the sewers are largely unlit; this gives races with darkvision a considerable advantage, and races without any sort of enhanced vision can have a very difficult time in the murky underworld.
The upper wards of Sharn use a network of chutes to funnel garbage down into the sewers. Refuse and filth is channeled into cavernous midden chambers, where it is left to rot or be devoured by the vermin and oozes that inhabit the sewers. Smaller tunnels channel wastewater into purification centers, where magewrights use magic to cleanse the water. A special unit of the Sharn Watch protects the purification chambers. Beyond these small, vital areas, the sewers are lawless.
Though the sewers were never intended to support a population, over the centuries a subculture has evolved in this region. A few tribes of people—mostly goblins, along with a few shifters, dwarves, and feral halflings—live in the sewers, rummaging through the midden heaps and selling their goods in the lower city. These sewer clans constantly battle over territory, as control of one or more midden chamber can be critical to survival. The sewer clans can pose a threat to adventurers, but they can also be valuable allies; there are no better guides to the sewers and what lies beneath them than one of the folk who live there.