The Waterclock Guild was an occult guild of artisans, geomancers, and artificers in Neverwinter famed for producing water clocks—magical and nonmagical—that were both accurate and beautiful.[1][2][3]
Activities[]
The guild members were masters of conjuration, metallurgy, and of mechanical engineering, and so were capable of making immense timepieces powered by water.[4]
They took great pride in the accuracy of their clocks, especially in regard to consistency across multiple clocks. They were known to make use of obscure jargon and rituals.[4]
Base of Operations[]
The entrance to the guild's hall was a deadly trap. When unwanted adventurers entered the hall, the doors locked behind them, the giant clock on the wall started ticking, as the water filled the room.[5]
History[]
The Waterclock Guild was founded in the 13th century DR by the wizard Lucan Greenharrow and the clockmaker Saborn Rendel. Using the former's magic and the latter's clockmaking skill, the guild made beautiful and precise water clocks[1] that became famous across Faerûn for their accuracy.[6]
Lucan's true purpose for founding the Guild was to pursue knowledge he had gained during his time at the Hosttower of the Arcane in Luskan, having discovered tendrils of magic connecting the sea toward somewhere southeast of that city.[1] To this end, he established the Waterclock Guild's Crypts in Neverdeath Graveyard, in which he set aside space for his research. This included the secrets of binding water elementals, and the crypt walls were covered in translucent veins through which sea water flowed toward the bound primordial Maegera.[7]
At some point, certain high ranking members of the Waterclock Guild came to be affiliated with the Cult of the Dragon.[4]
The Guild collapsed sometime following the Spellplague, although some of its artisans survived and eventually escape Neverwinter as refugees. By the late 15th century DR, some longer-lived surviving members (namely dwarves and gnomes) began returning to Neverwinter to seek old water clocks of the Guild in hopes of rediscovering lost construction techniques. They also hoped to once again make use of the Waterclock Guild's Crypts to bury master water clock makers who had been denied that honor.[7]
Members[]
Notable members included the founders (Lucan Greenharrow and Saborn Rendel)[1] as well as Romani Monini, a high-ranking member of the Cult of the Dragon, and Enki the Carver, author of The Clockmaker's Lament.[4]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ Amanda Hamon et al. (May 2024). Vecna: Eve of Ruin. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7869-6947-0.
- ↑ Greg Bilsland, Mike Mearls (September 2011). Forge of the Dawn Titan. Edited by Cal Moore, Christopher Perkins. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 3.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ (2020). Designed by Allie Jennings. Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Begins. Hasbro.
- ↑ Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 22. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Matt Sernett, Erik Scott de Bie, Ari Marmell (August 2011). Neverwinter Campaign Setting. Edited by Tanis O'Connor. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 147. ISBN 0-7869-5814-6.