Shadowtown

"Shadytown's the best! Not too dark, not too light, it's perfect for those of us who can't make up our minds."

DescriptionDeep beneath the streets of the Lower Ward is Shadowtown. Despite its location, it's neither particularly secret nor particularly dark; it's visible from the surface if one glances to the sides of the region's streets and elevated paths, and Sigil's grungy radiance filters down through open gutters, plunging the whole neighborhood in a kind of half-light.

Long ago, Shadowtown was part of Sigil's surface, but continuing construction has turned it into a slightly subterranean abode. The neighborhood attracts creatures fond of the shadows: dark crawlers, cloakers, shadowfiends, twilight aasimon, elves, kobolds, wererats, Bleakers, undead, desert nomads, humanoid cats and Shadowpeople from Krynn. Of course, there are multiple portals to the plane of Shadow here, but also some to Nidavellir, the Abyss, the planes of Earth and Water, and the second layer of the Beastlands. There's even a door to the Quasielemental Plane of Radiance, though the locals don't advertise it.

Some sites within Shadowtown

Shadowcrook CoffeehausThis is a pleasant little tavern that sells mainly coffee and scones, as well as a few heavier drinks. Bleakniks meet nightly to recite their despondent brand of poetry. The owner is a tiefling with razorblades instead of a tongue. She bleeds a lot.

BrightHouseAn island of light in a sea of shadow, BrightHouse is constantly lit by powerful magical lights. Priests of the god Pholtus, the Blinding Light, run the establishment. They believe they're ministering to the faithful.

PushcartsMost of the merchants in Shadowtown work out of small pushcarts, easily maneuverable and easy to conceal.

Temple of Xan YaeThe Perfect Mistress is the goddess of shadows and mental and physical fitness. Her worshippers felt this would be the perfect place to build a temple to their goddess. They've always been an inscrutable lot.

Little ItalyImmigrants from a Prime city disrupted by war have formed an ethnic neighborhood within Shadowtown. They seem uncomfortable in the shadows, but their cooking has to be experienced.

EgoEgo is a devourer who belongs to the sect known as the Opposition. Ego's particular interpretation of this creed (divined after a pilgrimage to the Negative Energy Plane) is that she was always meant to oppose and be opposed by the soul imprisoned in her ribcage. After searching for at least a millenium, she's found the soul she believes to be her perfect match. Unfortunately for her, the soul has other ideas, and together with a light aasimon has succeeded in dredging up the memories of every soul Ego has ever devoured. Ego can be found wandering the streets of Sigil, believing herself to be someone else and extremely dangerous and volatile, not to mention barmy as a bladeling dancing with a gas spore.

ShadeworksThis is a smithy that makes armor and equipment from elemental shadow. Such equipment is very light and hard to spot under certain lighting conditions; unfortunately, it is not very strong.

Hall of EqualityTwo rilmani rented an apartment that had once been a fighting pit when the neighborhood was on the surface. There, they hold the allies they need in their schemes to keep the kriegstanz of the factions in balance.

Stadium of gloomThis is a working fighting pit run by a Prime named Anooj (Pr/male human/W6/Transcendent Order/NE).

ShadowdockThe largest stable portal to the Plane of Shadow is surrounded by several warehouses and is the district's largest employer, hiring porters, accountants, beast handlers, mercenaries, scouts and guides.

Sorrow ThievesThis is thieves' guild based in Shadowtown, but thieves of a very unusual sort. The Sorrow Thieves seek to steal negative emotions from people, which they sell to the Planar Trade Consortium as psychic weapons. Those negative emotions have been stolen probably won't feel happy, but they won't be depressed or angry either. They just feel... empty. The Sorrow Thieves use materials garnered from the Gray Waste and elsewhere to capture specific feelings. They're currently brokering a deal with the Sensates, who wish to archive some of the Thieves' captured thoughts in the Civic Festhall.

The DealersA slim tower made of darkness is the home of a ring of shadowfiends selling souls in the Essence Market. After capturing a Harmonium officer, they may have made their last sale.