
District Type: Adventurer’s quarter
Buildings: Temples (Silver Flame, Sovereign Host), shrines (Dol Dorn, Olladra, the Mockery), average lodging (25), poor lodging (45), average food (20), poor food (60), upscale trade (3), average trades (25), poor trades (60), average services (20), poor services (60), average residences (20), poor residences (80)
First Impression: People from all walks of life and all corners of Khorvaire can be found in Deathsgate. Former soldiers and war wizards rub shoulders with explorers and aspiring artificers, and conversations in half a dozen languages can be heard at any given moment.
Social Class: Lower class
Officially, Deathsgate takes its name from its proximity to Halden’s Tomb; a massive bridge connects the district to the necropolis, and funerary services are often held in the small temples of the district. But over the centuries, Deathsgate has become a home for those who challenge death on a daily basis—explorers, adventurers, and mercenaries of all stripes. Whether they are looking for companionship, spellcasting, or equipment, a party of adventurers should be able to find what they seek in Deathsgate.
Like its counterpart in Upper Dura, Clifftop, Deathsgate offers an exceptional range of services, but these are rarely the best the city has to offer. Many magic items are available, but the ceiling on prices keeps characters from acquiring exceptionally powerful items. However, the shops of Deathsgate are more than happy to buy or sell partially used charged items. The pawnshops generally offer 45% of value for almost any sort of goods, except those that are obviously stolen. Occasionally a fence can be found here, though usually this requires a trip to Dragoneyes or Lower Dura.
While similar to Clifftop in many respects, Deathsgate has a less savory reputation. While the explorers of Clifftop often seek to gain knowledge or to help people in need, Deathsgate caters to those who simply love gold or bloodshed. The people of Deathsgate are not necessarily evil—but they don’t care about the moral consequences of their actions.
A number of dragonmarked houses maintain outposts in Deathsgate. House Jorasco maintains a large house of healing and does a brisk trade. House Deneith has a small enclave from which it recruits many of its Blademark warriors. House Sivis has an office of the Speakers Guild, including a message station, translation services, and a few barristers who specialize in the many concerns of adventurers.
Shops and Areas of Interest
Deathsgate Guild: Established 200 years ago, this is a guild for adventurers and soldiers of fortune—a place for people with talent and courage to hone their skills and enjoy the company of like-minded folk. Deathsgate Guild adventurers are mostly 2nd–5th level characters with neutral or evil alignments, and most served in the Last War. The members of Deathsgate Guild have a strong rivalry with the adventurers of the Clifftop Guild, and Deathsgaters often start fights with their counterparts, both in Sharn and while out on adventures.
The Deathsgate Guild enclave includes a small shrine to the Mockery, a god many of the Deathsgaters secretly revere. However, this shrine is carefully hidden, and new members are vetted before they are allowed to find out about the shrine.
Karr’Aashta’s Investigations: Karr’Aashta (NE male human rogue 5/master inquisitive 2) runs a small agency whose members can find out anything a client wants to know—for a price. Karr’Aashta has a reputation for taking on cases that the other Tharashk inquisitives won’t touch, and he specializes in jobs dealing with the Cogs. However, ‘Aashta has a secret—he is a follower of the Dragon Below. The Cults of the Dragon Below are a factious bunch, and often fight one another. As a result, ‘Aashta’s allegiance could help conceal the activities of a cult or lead them to the adventurers—or he could provide the adventurers with information they need to locate a cult and upset its plans, to serve the ends of his own sect.
The Guild of Starlight and Shadow: The most impressive building in Deathsgate is the Guild of Starlight and Shadow, the smaller of Sharn’s wizard circles. This small tower seems to be formed of pure night; illusion permeates the stone, depicting a dark sky filled with stars. While some mages simply join the guild to further their arcane studies, many are willing to sell their talents. Generally, spells of up to 3rd level can be obtained at standard prices, and 4th-level spells may be available. However, there may be a 24-hour delay before a specific spell can be obtained. Members of the Guild have fewer scruples about the use of magic than their counterparts in the Esoteric Order of Aureon, and for an extra 25% of the cost, most wizards are willing to cast a spell without asking any questions.
Redblade’s: This tavern caters to members of the Deathsgate adventurer’s guild, though anyone can buy ale here. The tavern has a few special services to offer that make it particularly popular with its usual clients. “Redblade” Rraac (NE male half-orc barbarian 4/adept 1) owns the tavern. He retired from fighting after his age began to slow him down, and now he leads the Deathsgate Guild services to the Mockery. Rraac’s wife Myssian (NE female human expert 5) is a skilled alchemist who maintains a workshop in the back of the tavern, and Rraac sells wrath, silverhaste, and a range of poisons to his favored clients.
Other businesses in Deathsgate include; Dark Words, a dealer in scrolls; Bottled Silver, a potion merchant; Maynar’s Menagerie, a Vadalis-owned business dealing in exotic pets and animal companions; and The Labyrinth, a ramshackle old shop that nonetheless has a wide assortment of useful wondrous items.
Ancient Blades - A mystical forge that deals in magic arms and armor.