Plinth

The Plinth was a temple for all faiths and was the only temple located in the Trades Ward of Waterdeep. It collapsed as a result of the Spellplague in the.

Location
The Plinth was located in the Trades Ward between the Way of the Dragon and the High Road. The structure was bordered by three minor streets. Lathin's Cut came west from the High Road and passed the southern face of the Plinth. It intersected with Jelabril Street, which bordered the tower on the east, and Burdag Lane, which demarked the western edge.

Structure
The Plinth was once the tallest building in the Trades Ward and frequently used as a landmark. It was a mighty needle-like tower, six stories tall, shaped as a slender four-sided pyramid with a flat top. Small balconies were placed around the tower at various levels. The flat roof of the tower was used as a landing site for griffons and other aerial steeds belonging to private citizens and the Griffon Cavalry.

Activities
The Plinth belonged to the city and was supported by the Lords of Waterdeep and private donations. In particular, during the Gods' Day celebration, merchants lowered prices to those that shared their faith and then donated the difference, either to a temple or to the city earmarked for Plinth upkeep. The Plinth provided worship space for all faiths, but the law prohibited sacrifice of any intelligent being to any god. Despite this, people did fall (or were tossed) from the balconies every year.

The Plinth was a refuge of warmth in the winter months for many of the city's poorer citizens. Wisebeards frequently used the tower as place to offer their services. Adventurers could almost certainly find a cleric willing to cast spells (perhaps for a price), or get married. At the other end of the social spectrum, the Plinth was selected by Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun as one of the locations for a secret portal that could be activated by someone carrying a lord's amulet and speaking a command word. The destination of this gate was a well-kept secret.

Around the, Lyratha Talltankard could often be found holding sunrise prayers to Lathander at the Plinth. Shaundakul's priest, Juxril Thammarcast, also used the edifice to hold services. The dwindling cult of Ao also met at the Plinth on rare occasions. On Ahghairon's Day, the Plinth was one of the locations where celebrants left violets in honor of the first Open Lord.

Defenses
The Plinth was guarded by the Watch around the clock, and the rooftop was held by the Guard as a landing place for citizens with flying steeds.

History
The Plinth was originally owned by Lunaven Moonstar, a half-elf wizard and a priest of Selûne. In the (the same year that the Moonstar family was ennobled ), he dedicated an altar and shrine to the Moonmaiden atop his tower outside the city walls. It was then known as the Plinth of the Moon and Stars. The city wall expanded to enclose the Plinth in the.

Lunaven was ambushed and killed by Malarites in the, and, using items found on his body, they ransacked and burned his tower. The Selûnites got their revenge less than two tendays later, but the Moonstar family decided to donate the ruined tower to the city in exchange for a plot of land where they would construct a new temple to Our Lady of Silver called the High House of Stars. The Lords of Waterdeep rebuilt and refurbished the tower and opened it as an all-faiths temple simply called the Plinth.

In Tarsakh of 1367 DR, a dozen followers of Cyric, the Dark Sun, disrupted all services at the Plinth by casting multiple darkness spells that engulfed the tower in complete darkness at highsun. Before they could be rounded up and escorted out of the city, they were attacked by followers of Tyr. In the skirmish, two Cyricists and four Tyrites lost their lives and the Plinth and a few adjacent buildings suffered some damage. The survivors (four Tyrites and ten Cyricists) were finally arrested and tried at the Lord's Court. The followers of Tyr were released after paying a fine and the followers of Cyric were banished.

In the, the Spellplague caused many enchantments everywhere to fail and the Plinth collapsed as a result.

Appearances

 * Games
 * Lords of Waterdeep (board game)