Waterdeep

Waterdeep, also known as the City of Splendors or the Crown of the North, was the most important and influential city in the North and perhaps in all Faerûn. It was a truly marvelous cosmopolitan city of great culture that attracted the most talented artisans, artists, and scholars from across the Realms, as well as a commercial hub for financial interests along the coast and beyond.

It was one of if not the most powerful and influential member-states of the Lords' Alliance, the coalition of nations and city-states that sought to maintain order along the Sword Coast and the North.

Description
The original farming community of humans that developed into a settlement known as Bloodhand Hold before being conquered and renamed Nimoar's Hold. The name of "Waterdeep" was originally used by the sea captains docking at the port to trade, a moniker that originated from the city's outstanding natural deep-water harbor.

As of the late 14 century DR more than 100,000 people made their home in the city proper of Waterdeep.

Geography
Due to its great importance as a highly influential metropolitan city, Waterdeep was considered part of the Western Heartlands of the Realms, even though it lay north of Daggerford on the shores of the Sword Coast North. The city sat "slightly above the 45 degree north latitude line on Toril."

The various roads to Waterdeep were well paved and well patrolled. The major trade routes included:
 * Trade Way, the trade route to the south.
 * Long Road, the inland trade route to the north.
 * High Road, the coastal trade route to the north, not to be confused with the stretch of the road that passed through the city.

Geographical Features
Waterdeep was built on the site of the ancient elven settlement of Aelinthaldaar. It sprawled northward from the sea, spreading along the flanks of Mount Waterdeep, which used to be home to the Melairkyn, a mithral-mining dwarven clan, and the entire length and great depth of the mountain was riddled with passages and tunnels, most of which were occupied by deadly creatures whose presence in the mountain predated the founding of the city itself.

The halls of Undermountain located beneath the city were a popular target for adventurers, who enjoyed the close vicinity of the city's main taverns and temples where aid could be purchased through donations.

Government
Waterdeep was ruled by a sixteen-seat council whose membership was largely secret. These hidden Lords of Waterdeep maintained their identities behind magical masks, called the Lord's Helm, and while they ruled in public, none knew the true identities of most of them. The subject of who the Lords were became a common topic of noble conversation, and some considered it a game to discover the Lords' identities, a game made more confusing by the fact the Lords themselves set their own rumors afloat.

Law & Order
The City Watch was the local police force whose duty it was to capture criminals, settle petty disputes, give directions, summon medical and priestly aid, generally performing duties that promoted the idea that Waterdeep was a city open to all who knew how to behave themselves.

Rulings on the city's laws were issued by the Magisters, more commonly referred to as Black Robes. They had the duty of running the courts and issuing sentences to those they were found guilty. The Black Robes were each protected at least six members of the City Guard while traveling the streets of Waterdeep. Those who were convicted could request trial by the Lord's Court and appeal to the masked lords themselves, but faced strict punishment if their claims were ruled as frivolous.

Crime
The last official thieves' guild that openly conducted business in Waterdeep was dismantled in the early 14 century DR. While many others made claims as the head of various criminal organizations there were none that posed a real threat to the Lords of Waterdeep. As the Lords were able to govern the city with anonymity, thieves and other ne'er-do-wells could hardly trust their partners-in-crime. Since the Lords were secret, criminals did not know if trusted partners were truly on their side or not.

This is not to say that there were no thieves or crime in the streets of Waterdeep. Rather, crime there was random and dispersed, with no one leader or organization to take command. One attempt was made by the crime lord known as Xanathar, a beholder with a well developed secret network in his service. This network was savaged and Xanathar defeated through the actions of bold adventuring companies at the command of Lord Piergeiron. The beholder's legacy lived on however, and by 1492 DR the Xanathar Guild was perhaps Waterdeep's most prominent criminal organization, competing mainly with various Zhentarim subfactions. Other criminal groups active at that time included the halfling wererat gang known as the Shard Shunners.

Trade
The city was the hub of trading from the mineral-rich lands to the north, the merchant kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan to the south, the kingdoms of the Inner Sea to the east, and the sea kingdoms and traders to the west. Waterdeep's authority extended between to  from its walls.

As of the early 1370s DR, stone was imported from Mirabar via Luskan for use in construction, having been magically transported. This was an expensive process. During that time it was witnessed that wagons and carts overcrowded the city's markets as foreign vendors attempted to sell as much as possible before returning home for the winter. This was a practice ignored by the Guard, the Watch, and the guilds.

The city was also the largest spelljamming port of Faerûn. Although welcoming to most spacefaring races, Waterdeep's laws required that all ships landed on the ocean several miles from the city and made their final approach by sea. Transgressors were punished with harsh fines and imprisonment. This rule prevented some types of ships from ever reaching Waterdeep, but was enforced to avoid mass panic from the population. Departing vessels were subject to the same rules.

Docking at Waterdeep's port incurred a fee of 1 cp per of keel length per week. Sages and traders from Waterdeep were eager to listen to stories from wildspace and traded on all the products the city had to offer.

Culture
"Many dragons like to dwell among humans - and not only because your kind can serve as ready food, or as a source of wealth for us to seize and hoard. Some wyrms come to love your energy, your restlessness, your clever strivings… Waterdeep is a fine cauldron of such things."

- Taraunramorlamurla the song dragon Given its size and influence, Waterdeep was a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of citizens. While humans comprised the majority of its populace, it was home to large number of elves, predominantly moon elves, dwarves, lightfoot halflings, half-elves and gnomes. Waterdhavians tended to be social, stalwart and outspoken people who maintained a worldly perspective of the cultures throughout Toril. While they were proud of their realm's history, they typically kept from dismissing cultures from foreign lands. While they often sought the improvement of their lives through the accumulation of wealth and self-importance, as a people, they would not stand for military conquest or the thought of imperialization.

Fashion
Waterdhavian culture was called for a sort of resigned display of status when it came to the clothes one would wear. While all manner of dress could be seen on the city streets, guild members would only don their livery when conducting official business or meetings, during important holidays or while on ventures outside Waterdeep proper. Nobles would only display their crests or coat-of-arms in subtle affectations, such as a signet ring or other understated jewelry, while their servants wore clothes that were fully emblazoned with their house heraldry.

In contrast, women were known to maintain a high sense of fashion, often wearing elegant silk gowns, furs and sparkling jewelry, as the season dictated.



Religion
Waterdeep had a huge variety of faiths, and the odds were that if a deity was worshiped somewhere in Faerûn, it had at least a follower (or likely a wandering priest or two, and maybe a shrine) in the City of Splendors. The largest temples in the city were dedicated to Oghma, Tyr, Tempus, Gond, Selûne, Mystra, Silvanus and Mielikki, Lathander, Sune, Tymora, along with and a temple dedicated to Baravar Cloakshadow located within the Warrens beneath Waterdeep,. There was also a large temple known as the Plinth, which was open to all faiths,

In addition to the city's famous temples, a number of minor shrines and other holy houses could be found in Waterdeep. Among the deities venerated at these sites were the Grain Goddess Chauntea, Lliira, as well as the two powers that were considered to be "local divinities", Sharess, and Siamorphe. Waterdeep even housed the cult of Ao that became active in the city for a short while following the Time of Troubles.

As was found in many metropolises in the Realms, Waterdeep housed a great many secret places of worship where devotees of dark powers could exercise their secretive faiths. Waterdeep held secluded shrines and temples held in undisclosed locations to Cyric, Shar, and at least two of Deities of Fury in Auril and Umberlee. Even marginalized groups such as the Cult of the Dragon and so called "beast cultists" could meet within the city to conduct the business related to their malevolent deities.

Although the faith of Talona was considered misguided or bad, it did not mean small groups of lay followers could not practice their personal faith. However, the building of a public house of worship to her was forbidden in Waterdeep. It was also illegal to form a public priesthood dedicated to her.

As of the early 1490s DR, a new temple to Valkur had already been built in the city. In the same year, the returned drow goddess Eilistraee was witnessed as she danced in the moonlight, near the walls of the city, up the road to Amphail. This led many of her followers to Waterdeep, with the goal of creating a shrine to their goddess within its walls. The project was supported by the Harper leading delegate Remallia Haventree.

Festivals and Holidays
In addition to the standard festivals of the Calendar of Harptos, there were several festivals and holy days held in Waterdeep:
 * Ahghairon's Day: A holiday celebrated on the first day of Eleasias, commemorating Ahghairon's birthday. It consisted of small details, like toasting for the Lords; leaving violets at the base of Ahghairon's Tower, the Plinth, or atop the altars of the House of Wonder; and bards performing songs in honor of the Old Mage. The Open Lords visited taverns and inns across the city, to wish the people well.
 * Auril's Blesstide: Held on the day of winter's first frost, this day saw everyone in the city wearing white clothes, not serving or eating hot meals, and a parade of naked men and women wearing only white cloaks going from Cliffwatch in the North Ward, across the city and to the beaches. There, participants dived into the icy waters, sacrificing their warmth to the Frostmaiden.
 * Fleetswake: A festival celebrating the sea, the sea trade and the gods of the sea. It spanned the last tenday of Ches, and included boat races, the Shipwright's Ball at the Shipwright's House, and guild-sponsored galas at the Copper Cup festhall. The festival was concentrated in Dock Ward and the Fiery Flagon in Sea Ward.
 * Lliira's Night: A celebration honoring the Lady of Joy with dances and balls, held the night of Flamerule 7. Although the celebration was shared all over the city in many festhalls, the highlight of the night was the Cynosure Ball, which was sponsored by the Lords, the local clergy of Lliira, and several noble families.
 * Trolltide: This lesser holiday celebrated the end of the Second Trollwar at the start of Kythorn. On this day, Waterdhavian children would run about the city, dressed as trolls demanding treats from citizens and shop owners lest the children pull pranks on them at sundown.

Defenses
Waterdeep maintained two separate armed forces, the City Guard and the City Watch. The City Guard served as Waterdeep's soldiery and its members staffed garrisons, road patrols, and watchposts, and served as bodyguards and gate guards. The Watch was the local police force, acting as a constabulary within the city. More delicate missions taken in the name of the City of Splendors were handled by Force Grey, an elite force of a dozen or so skilled spellcasters and cunning warriors.

Waterdeep had strong walls on its landward sides and was protected in part by Mount Waterdeep on the seaward side. Mount Waterdeep was studded with watch towers and defensive positions, and patrolled by special guard units on flights of griffons known as the Griffon Cavalry.

Aside from this, Waterdeep also benefited from a large native population of the adventurers that were often more than willing to deal with any and all miscreants that threatened their home city. Notable companies that arose to aid Waterdeep in times of peril included the band of heroes that slew the first Xanathar, the all-halfling group known as the Defenders Three, the Dawnbringer Company, and perhaps most famously, the Company of Crazed Venturers.

The city was also home to the eight enormous Walking Statues of Waterdeep. Seven of these statues could be animated by the Blackstaff of Waterdeep to defend the city, while one was too damaged to be activated. These statues were extremely destructive, and only used to fend off armies or win otherwise impossible battles.

Transportation
Waterdeep was characterized by its broad and busy streets and boulevards. Its heavy traffic, a constant during all day and most of the night, was monitored by the traffic wardens of the City Watch. The streets were kept well maintained and signaled by the Scriveners', Scribes', and Clerks' Guild, who manufactured and installed labels and signs in all intersections.

Public transportation was available in Waterdeep through several options:
 * Drays were large, two-floored collective carriages that held a large number of seats and traveled through preset trajectories along the main boulevards. Fares varied between 2 and 4 nibs.
 * Hire-coaches were two-wheeled, two-seat carriages that could be called and dispatched to specific locations. Hire-coach drivers roamed the city streets in search for passengers, who could call a free coach with a shout. Fares, agreed upon in advance, rarely exceeded 6 shards.
 * Carriages were luxury vehicles that could accommodate up to 8 passengers comfortably. Prices varied, but usually carriages and their respective drivers and servants were hired for an entire day.



History
The region that would later be called Waterdeep was originally a trading stop utilized by the local tribesmen of the North and merchants that came up from the cities to the south. Early accounts of permanent farms being established in the area varied slightly, with some sages stating that they were first observed as early as the, while others noted their appearance circa to mid–4 century DR.

The actual name "Waterdeep" was first used circa the 10 by sea captains to refer to the warlord-controlled town at whose port they docked. It did not become a true city until the, the year Ahghairon became the first Lord of Waterdeep, and the date from which Northreckoning is counted.

Its size and population grew at a tremendous pace. By the mid–13 century Waterdeep's famous guilds had taken root in the city and construction of the City of the Dead graveyard had been completed. Waterdeep's guild masters seized control of the the City of Splendors shortly after the, beginning an era of great turmoil and political conflict referred to as the Guildwars. This dark period ended after a couple decades, and the more modern form of governance was put in place in the. The secretive Lords of Waterdeep took power, aided by the diligent and astute Blackcloaks.

People from all across Faerûn and beyond traveled to Waterdeep to take their chance at earning wealth and renown. They were afforded their chances by the city's stable and fair system of government, its stalwart defenders of the City Guard and vigilant members of the Watch. By the 14 century, Waterdeep earned the reputation as a place of tolerance for the myriad of different cultures, lifestyles, and religions that were associated with the people of the Realms.

When the Time of Troubles came upon Toril in the, Waterdeep became the battleground of the gods. The goddess Shar orchestrated the abduction of Luna, the avatar of moon-goddess Selûne, and masqueraded as her in the city. Selûne was freed by the efforts of Luna's adventuring companions and proceeded to defeat Shar and prevent any great destruction from befalling Waterdeep. That same year saw the avatar or Myrkul and his legion of night riders invade the city in pursuit of the mortal Midnight, who possessed one of the Tablets of Fate. The Lord of the Dead was disintegrated atop Blackstaff Tower by Midnight in a great battle that led to the opening of the Celestial Staircase atop Mount Waterdeep, and the ascension of three mortals to deific status: Cyric, Kelemvor, and the restored Mystra.

While Waterdeep did not face ruin as some other cities did when the Spellplague struck the Realms in the, the magical network that wound through its infrastructure was greatly altered. The cataclysm "awakened" the remaining Walking Statues that previously only existed on the Ethereal Plane and brought them back to Waterdeep on the Prime Material plane. They each ran rampant in the city, causing some extent of destruction before they were stopped by various means.

Waterdeep was struck with another catastrophic event in the, when the Putrescent Anathema spread throughout its region of the North. The plague hit Goldenfields particularly hard, destroying much of the city's primary grain supply. The catastrophe reduced the city's population greatly, hitting its poorer citizens particularly hard.

In the, a number of agents and organizations including the shady Xanathar's Thieves' Guild, the greedy Zhentarim, the enigmatic Harpers, and even the stalwart Lords' Alliance sought to recover a cache of 500,000 gold dragons that was hidden somewhere within the city, a sum that was embezzled by the ousted former Open Lord of the city, Dagult Neverember.

Notable Locations
Since the mid−11 century, Waterdeep had been divided into a number of city wards. Like ancient cities of old, such as those found near the Sea of Fallen Stars, each ward was originally protected by its own walls and guardsmen; the need for greater urban development led to many of these barriers being broken down. Eventually, only the walls around the City of the Dead remained.


 * Castle Ward:
 * This central ward encompassed Mount Waterdeep and much of the government of the city. Located within was Castle Waterdeep, the place of government, as well as the Palace of Waterdeep (also known as Piergeiron's Palace), Lord Piergeiron's private residence, and Blackstaff Tower, the residence of the Archmage of Waterdeep. This ward was also a common place for retired adventurers such as Mirt the Moneylender to make their homes.


 * City of the Dead:
 * This park-like area was surrounded by high walls. Before the Spellplague, it was often visited during the day by wanderers and the odd picnicker; at night, the gates of the City of the Dead were closed, for it was Waterdeep's graveyard. However, after the Spellplague, it fell into disrepair. The more important personages had their own personal graves or family shrines, while others were confined to larger crypts. The reason for the guards was not to protect the graves, but rather to protect the city from the occasional restless undead creature that did not appreciate its accommodations.


 * Dock Ward:
 * As one might assume, the Dock Ward was situated hard on the Great Harbor of Waterdeep and held the docks, shipbuilding yards, and warehouses for the sea trade. The harbor was inhabited by merfolk who kept the peace within their own aquatic city.


 * Downshadow:
 * Actually the uppermost level of Undermountain, Downshadow was the new "undercity" developed in the 15 century DR.


 * Field Ward:
 * The unofficial Field Ward was the ward between North Trollwall and most-recently built nort-facing city walls. It was the poorest ward of the city, rife with crime and home to many destitute demi-humans.


 * Mistshore:
 * Not strictly a ward, Mistshore was the ruined naval harbor. The area was home to outcasts and criminals who lived along the shoreline or on wrecked ships half-sunk in the harbor.


 * Mountainside:
 * Mountainside was developed on the north and northeastern slopes of Mount Waterdeep after the Second Pestilars as rich nobles and those of rising fortunes fled to cleaner air.


 * North Ward:
 * Tucked in the northeastern portion of the city, North Ward was the home of the nobility and their villas. The moneyed classes made their homes here, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the lower classes by the docks and in Southern Ward.


 * Sea Ward:
 * The wealthiest of the wards, Sea Ward contained many of the temples of Waterdeep, along with a good helping of the newer noble families and retired adventurers who could afford the odd villa or two. The Field of Triumph, Waterdeep's arena, was located here.


 * Southern Ward:
 * Sometimes referred to by the locals as simply "South", the Southern Ward was a place of caravan masters and traders, for it was close to the South Gate, the opening to the Trade.


 * Trades Ward:
 * Waterdeep's commercial section.


 * Undercliff:
 * The latest ward (in 1479 DR) formed at the base of the eastern cliffs. It was connected to the rest of the city through subterranean tunnels.

Guilds
It was said that the Lords ruled Waterdeep but did not always truly run it. This was quite true, in that there were a number of other factions who made up Waterdeep. The most noticeable were the guilds—powerful merchant and craft organizations that controlled much of the life-blood of the city. Once, the guilds ruled the city, and it almost destroyed itself in a series of internal commercial wars. No one wanted to see those days return.

Nobility
A second important Waterdhavian faction was the local nobility. It consisted of 76 families of varying degrees of power, most of whom could trace their lines to before the founding of Waterdeep itself. Many powerful names came out of Waterdeep, including the Amcathras (whose scion became Lord of Shadowdale); the Cassalanters, wealthy moneylenders; as well as the Wands, a family of powerful and noble wizards.

Merchants
Third, a rising merchant class existed outside the standard guilds. These were caravan and coaster operators, and they used Waterdeep as a destination for their caravan goods. More shops offered a variety of different goods because of this growing group. The most notable of these new merchants was the retired wizardess Aurora, who established a magical retail organization to supply a wide number of patrons across the North with specialized items.

Adventurers
A large host of adventurers flooded the city at any given time, some of whom established themselves as citizens of good standing and remained permanently. With the exception of Force Grey, secret societies such as the Harpers and the Red Sashes made up the closest thing resembling official organizations that drew from the city's resident adventuring population.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Assassin's Run • Halls of Undermountain • Hoard of the Dragon Queen • Marco Volo: Departure • Orrery of the Wanderer • Princes of the Apocalypse • The Rise of Tiamat • The Ruins of Undermountain • Storm King's Thunder • Vampires of Waterdeep: Blood of Malar • Vampires of Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Crypt • Vampires of Waterdeep: The Fireplace Level • Waterdeep • Waterdeep: Dragon Heist • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage
 * Curse of Strahd • Mere of Dead Men: Dreadful Vestiges • Mere of Dead Men: Eye of Myrkul • Mere of Dead Men: Mistress on the Mere • Mere of Dead Men: Ssscaly Thingsss • Mere of Dead Men: Slave Vats of the Yuan-ti • Tales from the Yawning Portal • Tomb of Annihilation
 * Curse of Strahd • Mere of Dead Men: Dreadful Vestiges • Mere of Dead Men: Eye of Myrkul • Mere of Dead Men: Mistress on the Mere • Mere of Dead Men: Ssscaly Thingsss • Mere of Dead Men: Slave Vats of the Yuan-ti • Tales from the Yawning Portal • Tomb of Annihilation


 * Novels
 * Blackstaff Tower • Brimstone Angels: Lesser Evils • Circle of Skulls • City of the Dead • The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel • Downshadow • The Dream Spheres • Elfshadow • Elfsong • Escape from Undermountain • Tymora's Luck • The Abduction • The Paladins • The Glass Prison • The God Catcher • The Halfling's Gem • The Lost Library of Cormanthyr • Mistshore • Passage to Dawn • Sea of Swords • The Silent Blade • The Spine of the World • The Stone of Tymora trilogy • Waterdeep • To Catch a Thief • Escape the Underdark
 * The Ring of Winter
 * The Ring of Winter


 * Short stories
 * The Collected Stories: The Legend of Drizzt Anthology: "The Dowery"


 * Video games
 * Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone • Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark
 * Baldur's Gate
 * Baldur's Gate


 * Board Games
 * Lords of Waterdeep &bull; Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Adventures in Waterdeep &bull; Dungeons & Dragons Dice Masters: Trouble in Waterdeep


 * Card Games
 * Spellfire: Master the Magic • Dragonfire

Connections
Tiefwasser Aguas Profundas Eauprofonde Waterdeep pt-br:Águas Profundas