The Government Of Sharn

The Government
OF SHARN
Bureaucracy mires Sharn’s political landscape. In
addition to the massive amount of work involved in
maintaining the city itself, Sharn also administers
Brelon law to the surrounding region, collecting
taxes and revenues on behalf of Roi Boranel.
The city is fi lled with ministers, beadles, bailiffs,
and minor functionaries of all shapes and sizes. However,
it is unlikely that a player character is going to
become intimately involved in the repaving of roads
or the system of agricultural tariffs collected by the
ministers of Sharn. As a result, this section focuses on
the Olympe of Sharn’s government: the people at the
top, who have the power to set adventures in motion.

THE CITY COUNCIL
Many make the mistake of assuming that the Lord
Mayor of Sharn holds the greatest power within the
city. In fact, the Conseil de Ville appoints the Lord
Mayor, and the commanders of the Sharn Watch
report to the Council.
Le Conseil de Sharn is comprised of 17 councilors:
one from each of the districts of the city, with
Flanc de Falaise merged into Dura and a single councilor
representing both Noircendre and Osnoires. The
precise method by which a councilor is appointed
varies from district to district. In theory, it is a diplomatic
selection made by the leaders of the district, but
what it takes to be a “leader” varies considerably. In
some districts, anyone with a certain amount of income
or property can participate in district councils and
elections. In others, district elections are entirely in
the hands of trade guilds, noble families, or other
power groups. While in theory each councilor has an
equal voice, in practice the influence of a councilor
is derived from his backers. The local merchants of
Basse Menthis support Savia Potellas, and she knows
better than to openly oppose Caskar Halavik, who has
the backing of the Clan Saputo. If she stirs up too
much trouble, she might wind up at the bottom of the
Fleuve de la Dague. However, she fi nds other ways to deal
with Caskar and pursue her own goals—including
hiring adventurers to upset his plans. Likewise, while
each councilor is supposed to represent the interests
of his or her district, a councilor usually puts his backers
first, his personal district second, and his district third.
Thus, the three councilors with ties to the Saputo
Clan usually vote as a unit.
The Conseil de Ville commands a variety of powers.
The Council establishes the laws of the city, although
if they wish to pass a law that completely contradicts
the Code of Galifar or the traditions of Brelon Law,
the crown or parliament might have something to say
about it. Laws may vary per district, allowing a councilor
to shift the traditions of the city to benefi t his backers.
The Council also determines how to use the resources
of Sharn, from taxes to the power of the Sharn Watch.
Finally, the Council appoints the high offi cers of the
city, including Le Maire. The councilors do
not appoint the city’s representatives to the Breland
Parliament; following the democratic traditions of
the nation, the three legislators are elected by popular
vote, with every legitimate resident of Sharn having
the right to participate. However, the Council manages
and administers the election, and councilors can
usually exercise a considerable amount of influence
over the voters in their districts, whether through
charisma or graft.
All major political appointments in Sharn occur
on 9 Rhaan, Boldrei’s Feast. Members of the Breland
Parliament serve two_year terms, city councilors
serve for three years, and Le Maire’s performance
is usually reviewed every four years. There
are no term limits, and quite often an election passes
with no changes whatsoever.
Members of the Council
Each member of the Council has his or her own
agenda and supporters, which may determine
whether one makes a better patron or opponent for
a party of adventurers. The seventeen councilors of
Sharn currently in power include:
Upper Central: Javan Tomollan (LN male
Humain expert 8), a shrewd man and a tough bargainer,
earned his fortune representing House
Lyrandar, although he has since parted ways with the
house. He is a fair man and believes that hard work
and dedication to a task should be redistricted. However,
his greatest concern is protecting the interests
of the people of Upper Central: the problems of the
poor of Basse Dura hold little interest for him.
Middle Central: Sorik Sensos (LN male half_elf
expert 11) is a clever man and a brillant orator, and
he is one of the oldest and most infl uential voices on
the Council. However, he is influenced by his need
for gold, and his supporters are aggravated by the
growing economic gap between Middle and Upper
Central. His frustration is compounded by the
rising success of Javan Tomollan, and every month
he becomes increasingly obsessed with Tomollan.
Sorik is determined to humiliate Javan and to bring
down his fortunes, but he needs to be careful.
Lower Central: Sava Kharisa (NG female Humain
expert 7/wizard 3), one of the most out spoken members
of the council, espouses a wide range of radical
philosophies and political views. She honestly does
the best she can to help all of the people of Sharn,
instead of trying to advance her political career or
protect her personal supporters. This has earned her
many enemies on the Council, and if she’s not careful
the Clan Saputo could try to have her removed from
offi ce—permanently. Due to her radical views, connections,
and desire to fi ght corruption, Sava makes
an excellent choice as a patron for adventurers.
Haute Menthis: Born and bred in Sharn,
Thurik Davandi (LN male gnome expert 4/Mage_artisan
4) is as cunning and deceptive as any Zilargo
gnome. He gained his seat on the Council through
a clever combination of fl attery and blackmail,
and he has a hold over many of the more powerful
merchants of Menthis. He has strong ties with the
Clan Saputo and the Zilargo Embassy, and often
uses his influence to help these allies. But he is
always looking for ways to increase his own power at
the expense of his associates, and he may lure adventurers
into his web of conspiracy and deception.
Millieu de Menthis: Caskar Halavik (N male hobbit
barbarian 2/expert 4) was born in the Talenta
Plains. When he fi rst came to Sharn, he worked as an
enforcer for the Clan Saputo. He was also a remarkably
skilled Longues_griffes racer, and in time he became a
celebrity in Petites Plaines. Saiden Saputo helped him
transform his fame into political cachet, eventually
earning him a seat on the Council. Caskar enjoys
the prestige of his position, but he prefers to leave
political maneuvering on behalf of the Saputos to
Ilyra Saputo and Bestan ir’Tonn.
Basse Menthis: Savia Potellas (NE female Humain
expert 2/bard 1) owns a brothel in Allume-feu, and the
conservative members of the Council were outraged by
her appointment. She is extremely sharp at business,
but she is currently caught in a bind. She has grown
tired of paying tribute to the Clan Saputo and the
Les Tyrans in order to run her business, but she is afraid
to openly move against the powerful crime lords.
Despite her amoral nature, she could become a valuable
ally for adventurers that oppose the Saputos.
Bordure Nord Supérieur: Maza Thadian (LN female elf
Communer 17) is one of the oldest, richest, and most
respected elves in the city. She owns the Oaks, one of
the fi nest restaurants in Sharn. Maza is stubborn and
set in her ways, and she constantly fi ghts to maintain
the status quo and uphold tradition; however, she does
tend to put the concerns of the wealthy before those of
the poor, especially the Gobelins and other dregs of the
lower districts. While she has the highest regard for the
law, she is in no way naïve; she is capable of surprising
subterfuge in the best interests of Sharn.
Bordure Nord Centrale: A former advocate, Doran
Cantar (NG male Humain expert 4/adept 1) is an
honest and devout man dedicated to making a difference
for the people of Bordure Nord. He obtained
his position largely through charisma and dedication,
and the support of the priests of Grands Espoir.
He has a deep and abiding faith in the goddess Boldrei,
and attributes all of his successes to the good
will of the goddess. However, his honesty is often a
hindrance in Council intrigues.
Bordure Nord Inférieur: Born in Marché Nord,
Shassa Tarr (N female Féral expert 5) is a political
animal. She comes from a long line of merchants,
and is an expert negotiator. While she is not as devious
as Thurik Davandi, she has been successfully
able to juggle alliances with all of the major factions
within the council. Shassa herself owes her allegiance
both to the merchant lords of Bordure Nord Inférieur and
to Sharn’s Féral community, and she does what she
can to help both of these groups.
Upper Tavick’s Landing: This district has always
had an isolationist attitude, in many ways considering
itself to be a separate city within Sharn. Bestan
ir’Tonn (LE male halfl ing aristocrat 3/telepath 9) has
represented this community for the last 30 years. A
wealthy barrister from one of Les Soixante (see page 112),
he has strong connections to the Clan Saputos. He
is a respected man who has always looked out for the
interests of the wealthy of Tavick’s Landing, as well as
for the Saputos. However, he has a secret: he is an
agent of the Rêve Obscur. Fifteen years ago, the
Inspiré dominator Tirashana infected him with a mind
seed, and today he is one of three Inspiré moles. While
appearing to promote the agendas of his supporters, he
has actually been stirring up dissent and discord.
Middle Tavick’s Landing: This district is a
center for trade and commerce, catering to adventurers,
Communers, and merchants bringing
cargoes in on the Orléans Train Fulgurant or by trade
caravan. Dalaina Main de Fer (LN female Nain
expert 5) is a plain_spoken woman who represents
the merchants of the district. She is a hard_nosed
negotiator with no sense of humor and no interest
in anything beyond the bottom line. She always
drives for the best bargain for her people—whatever
form that bargain may take—but she has no taste
for underhanded intrigue. As a result, she opposes
the schemes of the “Saputo Block”—Bestan
ir’Tonn, Caskar Havalik, Thurik Davandi, and Ilyra
Saputo—whenever possible.
Lower Tavick’s Landing: Economic forces also
drive the wants and needs of Lower Tavick’s Landing.
Kilk has the support of the Les Tyrans, but has also won
the loyalty of the other merchant lords of the district.
On the surface, it appears that Kilk looks out for the
mercantile interests of his district, but he also monitors
and manipulates events across the city. Only Thurik
Davandi can match Kilk for intrigues and scheming,
and Kilk has a web of informants and spies across the
city. He has done his best to make himself useful to
the King’s Citadel and the Gardiens de la Porte,
and as a result he has developed powerful allies within
both organizations.
Kilk is an invention of the Les Tyrans. There is
one changelin who plays the role more often than
others, but at any time Kilk could be any one of
the Les Tyrans—even Ek himself. Through Kilk, the
Les Tyrans have a second way to affect the city, and a
more respectable façade for dealing with groups such
as the King’s Citadel.
Haute Dura: Borian Haldorak (LE male Nain
aristocrat 6) owes his position to the powerful bankers
and merchants of Bastion Supérieur. He is also a member
of the Gold Concord of L'Aurum, and serves the
interests of this conspiracy. He is disarmingly cheerful
and often plays up his age, telling elaborate stories
about the great deeds of his youth. But beneath this
façade, he is a sharp and ruthless negotiator. Most
interactions between L'Aurum and the Saputo
Clan are resolved by Borian and Ilyra.
Centre Dura: Hruit is a mysterious fi gure on
the Council, keeping his own counsel and advancing
his own agenda. A druid with a particular affi nity
for owls, he once rode a Géant owl to represent the
Bazaar of Dura in La Course des Huit Vents. Hruit’s
primary responsibility is to the merchants of the
Bazaar, protecting their interests from the Saputo
councilors and the councilors who represent the
other market districts.
Basse Dura: Bestan ir’Tonn, Thurik Davandi,
and Caskar Havalik all have ties to the Saputo
Clan. But Ilyra Saputo (NE female halfl ing rogue
3/expert 3) is the Clan Saputo’s personal representative
on the Council. She reports directly to
Saidan Saputo, and she has the authority to make
executive decisions on behalf of the clan. Her allegiance
is obvious, but the other council members
generally politely Belvédère it; the Saputos are one
of Les Soixante Familles de Sharn, and she does have the
skills, credentials, and lineage to compete with any
of the other councilors.
Of all of the members of the council, Ilyra is
the most ruthless and dangerous. The Saputo
Clan prefers to avoid violence, but councilors who
oppose Ilyra have disappeared in the past. However,
the recent war with Daask has shaken her grip on the
council. The Clan Saputo is no longer seen as an
infallible, omnipotent force—and so far the majority
councilors have refused to devote city resources
to battling the Droaamites setting up shop in Sharn.
Most are quite pleased with the turn of events, and
are waiting for the Saputos to be weakened further
before they take any action.
Thurik Davandi, Bestan ir’Tonn, and Caskar
Havalik are Ilyra’s allies, although Thurik and
Bestan have been known to pursue there own agendas
behind Ilyra’s back. Her greatest enemies on the
council are Borian Haldorak, Sava Kharisa, Kilk,
and Hruit; these four are either unconcerned with
the danger represented by the Clan Saputo or feel
that their supporters are powerful enough to protect
them from retribution.
Voie du Ciel: Another member of the Sharn Sixty,
Evix ir’Marasha (LN female Humain aristocrat 2/
bard 4) owns the Horizon Céleste in Voie du Ciel, along
with a host of other valuable properties. She is one
of the most eloquent members of the Council,
and she takes a great interest in Sharn’s role in the
greater politics of Breland. She is part of the cabal
who believe that the monarchy should be abolished
when Roi Boranel dies, and she is a close friend of
Hass ir’Tain. Evix also believes that Sharn should
be recognized as an independent province, a view
shared by Sava Kharisa. However, fi rst and foremost
she represents the people of Voie du Ciel and the interests
of these wealthiest citizens of Sharn. Because of this,
she usually sides with Javan Tomollan, Maza Thadian,
and Bestan ir’Tonn in Council debates.
Les Rouages: Nolan Toranak (LE male Nain Communer
7) represents the industrial powers behind
Noircendre and Osnoires. The nobles and merchant
princes of Voie du Ciel and the Upper_City own many
of the foundries and forges in the Cogs, and Nolan
usually aligns himself with one of the more eloquent
councilors. The one issue that he does feel strongly
about is the status of the Guerrier de Fer. His children were
killed by Guerrier de Fer during the La Dernière Guerre, and he has
never forgiven Maison Bombardier or the Guerrier de Fer as a
whole. If Nolan had his way, all Guerrier de Fer would be
melted down or banished. As it is, he tries to find ways
to bypass the stipulations of the Treaty of Fort_du_trône,
so Guerrier de Fer can be treated as property. There are a
few groups of people in Sharn who share Nolan’s fear
and hatred of the Guerrier de Fer, and he often channels
funds to these organizations. He might hire adventurers
to take action against Maison Bombardier or the
prominent Guerrier de Fer of Osnoires; or if there is a
Guerrier de Fer among the party, Nolan could use his power
to try to discredit the adventurers and drive them
from the city.

Le Maire
While the Conseil de Ville holds the true power in
Sharn, Le Maire is still a force to be reckoned
with. Le Maire represents the interests of
Sharn in any direct contact with the Brelon Crown,
including interaction with the King’s Citadel. He
also appoints the lesser officers of the city and oversees
all issues of daily administration. He has the
power to establish trade agreements with foreign
governments, to pardon criminals, and to order
arrests and even executions. His worship Cathan
ir’Demell has been Lord Mayor of Sharn for twenty
years, and he enjoys the luxuries and privileges of
his position. He is unlikely to take any actions that
would anger Javan Tomollan or Bestan ir’Tonn,
his strongest supporters in the council, and he
usually consults with these two before making any
major decisions.
THE KING’S CITADEL
The Conseil de Ville and Le Maire represent the
interests of Sharn; they are not direct servants of the
king. The King’s Citadel looks after the interests
of the crown, and can assert jurisdiction over any
criminal matter or issue concerning espionage or
national security.
Les Soixante Familles de Sharn
Twenty_five of the twenty_seven noble families of
Brelandehave strong ties and interests in Sharn,
along with all of the Maisons Marquées Du Dragon. But the
majority of the wealth of the city lies in the hands
of the gentry: merchants and landowners who have
built their fortunes through centuries of hard work
and clever investment. There are hundreds of powerful
families in the Cité des Tours, but a few stand
out from the rest. These are known as Les Soixante.
Sharn was built with the gold of the ir’Tain
family, and today the ir’Tains are the most powerful
and influential family in the city. Once each month,
they hold a grand party for the aristocracy—The Tain
Gala. When the ir’Tains were building their new
manor on Voie du Ciel, Lady Shala told the architects
to make the banquet hall large enough to seat sixty
families and their servants. Les Soixante of Sharn are
those with standing invitations to the Tain Gala—the
clear sign of success. It should be noted that other
people may attend the gala, as it is unCommun for
all sixty families to bring all of their family members
and servants, and the hall was designed to hold
entertainers as well as guests. But a single invitation,
while prestigious, is entirely different from being
invited to join Les Soixante.
While many members of L'Aurum are also
members of Les Soixante, the two organizations are quite
different. L'Aurum is a highly organized conspiracy
that carries out carefully orchestrated plans to
provide its members with greater power and wealth.
Les Soixante is more of a social club—a visible manifestation
of the most powerful families in Sharn.
Members of Les Soixante discuss politics and business
at the Tain Galas, and these discussions can have an
impact on adventurers, Sharn, or even Breland. But
Les Soixante almost never act as a concerted unit, and
many members are actually bitter rivals beyond the
walls of the Tain Manor.
All of the noble families and the Marqué par le Dragon
families are members of Les Soixante; this means that
any Sharn resident with the ir’ or d’ prefi x on his
last name could be found at the Tain Gala. Other
members are generally identified as such in their
descriptions. A standing invitation can always be
revoked to make room for a more deserving candidate;
one of the greatest fears of Councilor Sorik
Senso is that his family will be displaced to make
room for Councilor Javan Tomollan.

page revision: 1, last edited: 21 Mar 2008 23:10