Silmerhelve Villa was the family estate of the Waterdhavian noble house Silmerhelve.[1][2][4][5]
Location[]
The Silmerhelve Villa was located in the Sea Ward of Waterdeep,[1][2][4][5] on the south side of Chasso's Trot between Copper Street and the High Road. Southwest across Copper Street was the Artemel Villa, and northeast across the High Road was the Crommor Villa.[1][3]
Structure[]
This building complex consisted of one high-quality building that stood three stories tall.[1][2] Like many Waterdhavian villas, it was a walled estate featuring a landscaped garden.[6][note 1]
Interior[]
- Watchful Protector
Through means of several enchanted mirrors and portraits, the Silmerhelve family were watched over in their estate by the male bronze dragon Nymmurh.[7][8] These acted as permanent scrying "portholes" that the dragon could hear, see, and speak through at will. They had a strong invisible magical aura.[8]
These mirrors and portraits showed no sign of Nymmurh's presence, though he could manipulate the scrying magics to reveal his head just "beyond" them.[8] Alternatively, he could have them portray him as a Silmerhelve ancestor, what he referred to as "the haunted portrait trick."[9]
Some of these mirrors and portraits were situated near hearths, ovens, and in the cellar. This allowed Nymmurh to cry out an alarm if ever there was a theft or fire occuring on the estate. And whenever a visitor was nosing where they shouldn't be, Nymmurh would mischievously speak through them in ghostly whispers, imitate people that were elsewhere, make them think someone was coming, or imitate a member of the Silmerhelves and recite a love poem to trick the individual into thinking they were in love with them.[10]
Beyond scrying, Nymmurh could will these paintings and portraits to act as temporary portals that would deposit one within his lair[7][10] in the high peaks of Alaron,[7] or allowed him to visit the Silmerhelves in a human guise. When this portal effect was active, one needed only to touch the mirror or portrait to be transported, but the transportee could not be greater in volume than Nymmurh himself. A side-effect of this was that any active magic on or surrounding something being transported was "turned off", though inactive magical powers and inactive enchantments weren't effected. Another consequence of these portals was that they would ruin the magical connection between the mirror or portrait and the scrying globe in Nymmurh's lair—he could reform this link from his lair, but it was a long process and required material components that were rare and hard to obtain.[10]
History[]
The Silmerhelve Villa's magical mirrors and portraits had been present since at least the Year of the Nightmaidens, 1032 DR,[7] otherwise known as the first year of North Reckoning, the earliest point in which he was mentioned in the diary entries of Silmerhelves,[10] having chosen them at random to be the targets of his watchful eyes as he desired to learn more about humans.[7][9] In the 14th century DR, whenever Nymmurh came to visit the estate it was usually in the guise of Lady Saerista Silmerhelve.[9]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Evidence of this information can be seen in how the villa is depicted on maps.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 92, 97. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 42. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Map 10/10 included in Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb, cartographers Dennis Kauth and Frey Graphics (September 1988). City System. Edited by Karen Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-8803-8600-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 239. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ed Greenwood (1987). Waterdeep and the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 0-88038-490-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2006-07-06). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2006). Candlekeep Forum. Archived from the original on 2024-05-03. Retrieved on 2024-12-17.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Ed Greenwood (August 1998). “Wyrms of the North: Nymmurh”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #250 (TSR, Inc.), p. 80.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Ed Greenwood (August 1998). “Wyrms of the North: Nymmurh”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #250 (TSR, Inc.), p. 82.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Ed Greenwood (August 1998). “Wyrms of the North: Nymmurh”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #250 (TSR, Inc.), p. 81.