District Type: Industry district
Buildings: Temple (Onatar), shrine (the Traveler), poor lodging (2), poor food (7), poor trades (60), poor services (30)
First Impression: The air is filled with the smell of smoke and sulfur, and the walls are covered with ash. The constant rumble of the forges and foundries shakes your feet and makes conversation difficult.
Social Class: Lower class
Ashblack stretches out from Dura toward the center of the city. In general, the businesses all operate on a large scale, processing loads of ore and other raw materials, they will have little business here. However, there are a few points of interest.
The Cannith Forgehold: House Cannith played a major role in the development of Sharn, and as the towers of the city rose up into the sky, the Lords of Cannith sunk their roots into the ground. The enclave in Dragon Towers is used for trade negotiations and diplomatic purposes, but the Forgehold is the heart of House Cannith. This subterranean fortress includes a wide range of forges, alchemical workshops, and mystical facilities. It is an artificer’s dream, and Merrix d’Cannith spends most of his time there. The Forgehold has many secrets. The first is a shrine to the Traveler, who was revered by the early Cannith tinkers. The greatest secret is hidden even from other members of the house. In an ancient chamber hidden behind illusions and arcane seals, Merrix has preserved one of the creation forges used to produce the warforged. This chamber is largely operated by warforged, although Merrix has confided in a few of his closest associates.
The Forgehold is one of the finest fortresses built by the House of Making. It is designed to withstand both magical and physical assaults, and a thief or spy must overcome a wide range of deadly traps to even approach its secrets. A force of warforged soldiers and Sharn’s five members of the Darkwood Watch, the elite wand adepts of House Cannith, protect the place. The existence of the creation forge is a terrible secret—but not one that is likely to be revealed any time in the near future.
Keldoran Forge: Antos Keldoran (N male dwarf expert 5) runs a small smithy in Ashblack, where he produces high-quality metal arms and armor. If a character can win his affection (DC 25 Diplomacy check; dwarf characters gain a +5 circumstance bonus), Antos sells masterwork metal goods at a 10% discount.
Source: Sharn: City of Towers