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| − | = VOLO'S WATERDEEP ENCHIRIDION: A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO THE CITY'S SPLENDORS =
| + | [[Category:Kampanjat]] |
| − | Welcome, traveler! You have in your hands the foremost and most up-to-date guide to the city-smiled over by none other than its Open Lord, Lady Laeral Silverhand. This chapbook will serve you well until my seminal work on the subject, ''Volo's Guide to Waterdeep''-sadly long out of print, but now a tome prized by collectors-can be updated and printed anew. Ask any broadsheet seller, innkeeper, shopkeeper, tavern owner, or bookseller if they'll soon have copies of the new edition for sale!
| + | [[Category:Kentti]] |
| | + | [[Category:Waterdeep Adventures]] |
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| − | == ENTERING WATERDEEP ==
| + | [[The Code Legal]] |
| − | Likely you have already arrived in Waterdeep and borne witness to some of its many wonders. But in case this pamphlet has found its way beneath your worthy eyes in anticipation of your visit, due to the commendable efforts of some friend or family member who loves you dearly, I shall explain briefly the circumstances of entry.
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| − | You will have traveled through lands claimed and controlled by the Lords ofWaterdeep long before you see its walls. If you've come from the south by the Trade Way, you'll have met the City Guard at their post at Zundbridge. From the north by way of the Long Road, you'll have passed under their watchful eyes at the town of Rassalantar. And whether by land or sea, you'll likely also have been spotted by the Griffon Cavalry-even if you have not spotted them.
| + | [[Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion: A Visitor's Guide to the City's Splendors]] |
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| − | Worry not. Waterdeep is a welcoming city, and you have nothing to fear from these guardians unless you lead a rampaging army of ores, a horde of gnolls, or similar. They don't even require a toll be paid. (Beware any City Guard who demands a toll, and report the incident to a magister of Waterdeep at your earliest convenience.)
| + | [https://www.aidedd.org/atlas/index.php?map=W&l=1 Waterdeep Interactive Map] |
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| − | If you travel in a large caravan or on a ship, you will be required to register with a magister at the gate at which you arrived or with the harbor magister. Magisters can easily be recognized by the black robes they wear (and, in fact, are commonly called "black robes" as a result) and the City Guard force that always accompanies them. Be aware that magisters can pass a sentence without a trial. It behooves you to treat them with proper respect.
| + | [[ Waterdeep Adventurers League Characters ]] |
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| − | If you travel overland in a small party or alone, you aren't required to register with a magister unless your stay extends beyond a tenday. At that point, you must register with a magister either at the harbor, the gates, or the city courts. Discovery of your failure to do so can result in a fine or forced labor. Of course, registration subjects you to monthly taxation. But as a truculent old acquaintance from the Dales once told me, "The sheep gives the shepherd its fleece or there'll be mutton for dinner." That is, the magisters will get you either way, so you might as well register up front.
| + | [[ Adventures ]] |
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| − | That said, many canny visitors with business for a month or a season betimes avail themselves of the hospitality of inns in Undercliff, the pleasant farmland east of the city proper. The less well-off often find accommodation in the Field Ward. Because neither are official wards of the city, they aren't subject to taxation. Note, however, that because both these areas have yet to be formally accepted as wards of the city, they don't benefit from the securities of Guild Law or the protection of the Watch. If you choose to follow this path, be on your guard. Fools rush in where auditors fear to tread.
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| − | Regardless of what size party you arrive with or by what means, if you arrive by night or in winter, expect to register. In winter and at night the gates are shut. Ships aren't expected at night or as a regular occurrence after the first frost of the coming season, and are often met at docking by a magister-or by a contingent of the Guard who will hold travelers aboard until a magister can be summoned.
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| − | None of these rules apply to the city's least used gate, the West Gate. This smaller gate opens onto the Mud Flats-a mucky beach used by clam diggers, shore fishers, and those brave enough to bathe in the cold waves. Those who make a living through fishing with nets or traps also use this gate, keeping their small boats on the beach to avoid docking fees. Locals register with the Guard as they exit and as they enter. No magister is stationed at the gate, but no new arrivals to Waterdeep are accepted here.
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| − | If you approach by air, expect a vigorous pursuit by and confrontation with the Griffon Cavalry. Only specially licensed individuals and mounts can fly over Waterdeep. It is best to land well outside the city and approach on foot.
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| − | === YOUR ARRIVAL IN THE CITY ===
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| − | The splendors that await you in Waterdeep are legendary. Each of the city's wards is detailed in this work, telling you what to expect depending on where you are, as well as what thrilling things you might see and do. Before that, however, there are the small matters of knowing something of the history of the place you visit, and of understanding how to comport yourself in the Sword Coast's grandest metropolis.
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| − | == A LONG HISTORY (IN BRIEF) ==
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| − | ''"There shall come a time when our city and its deepwater bay shall grow in fame and fortune across many realms and marry worlds. Folk shall know of Waterdeep, our City of Splendors, and sing its praises. I have seen it thus, and I endeavor to make it true."''
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| − | -Ahghairon, the first Open Lord of Waterdeep, circa 1032 DR
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| − | People have inhabited the plateau upon which Waterdeep stands for longer than human histories record. But as is the way across the dangerous North, civilization at the foot of Mount Waterdeep has crested and ebbed in great waves. Elf scholars assure me that it was once the site of Aelinthaldaar, the capital of their ancient empire of Illefarn. So it was already a glorious place when a dwarf prospector named Melair discovered mithral beneath the mountain. In agreement with the Illefarni, Melair called kith and kin to mine under the mountain and in the plateau, and thus Clan Melairkyn came to rule below as the Illefarni did above.
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| − | But this fruitful alliance lasted less than the lifetime of a dwarf, for the emperor of the elves-what they call a "coronal"-commanded that all leave in the Retreat, that great exodus of elves from Faerftn to their mystical isle of Evermeet. Not all elves agreed with this edict, and many were determined to stay. Well, what emperor has ever willingly allowed another to sit in his throne? The coronal had all of Aelinthaldaar razed by magic, and the remaining elves splintered into separate kingdoms. The Melairkyn, of course, saw this as a breaking of their bargain, and never again did they deal with elves. Instead, they tunneled ever deeper under the mountain, never to be heard from again.
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| − | So it was that the humans who came to the deepwater harbor found it empty and suitable for their own purposes. For more than a thousand years, folk lived and traded at the site of what would become Waterdeep, but their identities remain a mystery-with a curious exception. We know that at some point during this period, the wizard Halaster Blackcloak built his tower at the base of Mount Waterdeep and came to rule the lands around-until he, like the Melairkyn, vanished under the mountain.
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| − | Various warlords later claimed the plateau's harbor as their own, but it was one known as Nimoar who is best remembered. ''A History of Waterdeep: Age One, The Rise of the Warlord'' records how Nimoar raised a wooden stockade to protect the settlement around the harbor, claiming rule over the town that by then was being called "Nimoar's Hold, the Town of Waters Deep."
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| − | War between ores and elves in lands farther north drove hordes of trolls south to claw at the fledgling city, and amid this danger, Nimoar died of old age. Many bloody struggles unfolded between local folk and trolls, until the magic of a youth named Ahghairon turned the fortunes of war against the "everlasting ones," which were destroyed or scattered. Ahghairon improved slowly in skill and power with the passage of the years, until he became a great mage. He is said to have discovered a supply of ''potions of longevity'', or learned the art of making such, for he lived on and on, still physically in his prime for decade after decade.
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| − | ''A History of Waterdeep: Age Two, The Lords' Rule Begins'' records that in the year 1032 DR, Ahghairon (then in his 112th winter) argued with Raurlor, who was then Warlord ofWaterdeep. Raurlor wanted to use Waterdeep's acquired wealth and strength of arms to create a northern empire. Ahghairon defied him before all the people, and Raurlor ordered the mage to be chained. But when Ahghairon magically turned aside all who sought to lay hands on him, Raurlor struck at the mage with his own sword. Ahghairon then rose into the air, just out of reach, and used his magic to transmute Raurlor's blade into a hissing serpent. When the serpent struck Raurlor, he died in full view of his shocked followers.
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| − | Ahghairon then gathered the leaders of Waterdeep's armies and powerful families. While runners sought to bring them to the castle, flames roared and crackled in the empty warlord's throne at Ahghairon's bidding, so that none could sit there. Then, when the gathered host of worthies met in the audience chamber, the wizard seated himself on the flaming throne. Immediately the fires died away, leaving both the throne and Ahghairon unharmed.
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| − | From this seat-the very one on which the Open Lord sits to this day-Ahghairon decreed how the city would be governed. While he would sit as lord openly, a council of other lords of nearly equal power would rule with him. But the identity of those other lords would be hidden even from each other, thus preventing any of them from being approached and influenced by bribe or threat. So it was that Ahghairon established Waterdeep's system of governance.
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| − | Ahghairon was instrumental in establishing many of Waterdeep's other institutions, such as its black-robed magisters, its Griffon Cavalry, and the city's many guilds. The first Open Lord ruled wisely for over two centuries before the magic sustaining his health failed. He now lies entombed in his tower, which you can still see standing in the courtyard of the Palace of Waterdeep. Beware that you don't approach too close, however, lest you stumble into the invisible barrier-a "force cage," I am told-that surrounds the tower.
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| − | Within that barrier lie additional protective wards, as demonstrated by the floating bones of the last person who tried to defy them. The name of this poor soul has been lost to time, but the miscreant was likely a wizard who sought to steal the magic treasures that had been entombed with their former owner. Now they hang in the air beyond the invisible force cage in rough semblance of their natural position, occasionally displaced temporarily by strong winds or mischievous children with long sticks.
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| − | Ahghairon's wise rule is celebrated on the first day of Eleasis, which has come to be known as Ahghairon's Day. For more about this day, see "City Celebrations."
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| − | Many significant events stand out in Waterdeep's history. But none have had so great an effect on daily life than the three apocalyptic periods known as the Time of Troubles, the Spellplague, and the Sundering-the most recent (and hopefully final). On all these occasions, the actions of gods at war with one another led to the loss or the twisting of magic in the world. During the Time of Troubles, Waterdeep stood at the center of events. But the effects of the more recent crises can still be seen in the city today, even though they occurred a great distance from where Waterdeep stands.
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| − | When the gods walked among mortals during the Time of Troubles, they were cast down to the world by the mysterious Overgod Ao in 1358 DR. Until then, none but the gods had known of Ao's existence, and since then, we have learned little more. As all know, the crisis began with the theft of the ''Tablets of Fate'' by the vile and ambitious gods Bane and Myrkul, later joined by Bhaal. These mystic artifacts supposedly determine the extent of the gods' power, and dictate how they use that power. As punishment for this affront, Ao cast down the gods (or the ones that humans worshiped, at any rate) and then demanded that they return the tablets to him.
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| − | But Ao was not omniscient, it seems, nor overly wise. The gods didn't seek out the tablets, and thus it was left to mortal heroes to sort out the mess. They did so, their efforts culminating in Waterdeep. It was on the slopes of Mount Waterdeep that Ao was last seen, when he granted godhood to the human heroes Kelemvor, Midnight (who became Mystra), and Cyric.
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| − | It is no surprise, then, that Waterdeep has since attracted a steady stream of pilgrims who worship Midnight at Mystra's temple and pay homage to Kelemvor in the City of the Dead. It might surprise you, though, to learn that Waterdavians had a short-lived penchant for worshiping Ao. The Cynosure-that great marble-pillared structure on the edge of the Market, now rented out for private and public events-was built as a temple to Ao. But his worship fell from favor when all prayers to him went unanswered, and folk realized they had no idea what he stood for or who he was. You can visit the Cynosure to see sculptures and paintings of all the major participants and events in the Time of Troubles. Entrance is free to the public on any day when no event (such as a meeting of guilds, a noble's coming-of-age ball, or some such) is scheduled.
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| − | In the Year of Blue Fire ( 1385 DR), the Spellplague gripped the world. None knew it at the time, but it has since been divined that Cyric's long hatred for Mystra boiled over and led to his murder of the goddess of magic. I was absent from the world at this time-indisposed by the force of an ''imprisonment'' spell. Elminster has since explained the events to me, but I must confess that much of what he said made little sense. It was a long lecture having something to do with stars, "crystal spheres," and "demiplanar reality mirrors." Suffice it to say, parts of our world switched with parts of another one, and magic was again disrupted.
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| − | During this period, the powerful magical fields that protect and affect Waterdeep became unstable. This led to the disastrous activation of most of Waterdeep's amazing walking statues during an earthquake. In the years before, the walking statues were often hidden on the Ethereal Plane, to be called forth only in times of great peril. Many in the city doubted that such massive, sapient constructs were even real, let alone that they guarded the city invisibly. The Spellplague confirmed their existence for all to see, though, and each carved a swath of destruction through Waterdeep before it was stopped. Now the walking statues stand about the city in various states of readiness or disarray-one of the most obvious of Waterdeep's so-called splendors.
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| − | After the Spellplague came the Sundering. Elf scholars insist on calling it the Second Sundering, asserting that the creation of Evermeet thousands of years ago was a similar happening. Regardless of the name you give it, the event that unfolded beginning in 1482 DR was the result of another world-called Abeir, I am told-passing again into our own. The gods were once more cast into the mortal realm, this time embodied in mortal beings known as Chosen. The old troublemaker Ao seems to be the cause of it all, though why he chose to cast down the gods was a matter of dispute even among those entities while they were with us.
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| − | Apparently, all of this was foreseen by Waterdeep's legendary wizard Khelben Arunsun, and it was only through his wisdom and the efforts of Elminster, Laeral Silverhand-now the Open Lord of Waterdeep-and a handful of others that the world was saved. According to Elminster, Ao remade the ''Tablets of Fate'' as a result, restoring the divine order and separating Abeir from Tori!. But take that as you may. According to that roguish longbeard, he saves the world without anyone noticing every other month or so.
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| − | == SURVIVING IN THE CITY ==
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| − | Waterdeep is, by and large, the most civilized city on the Sword Coast. Yet civilized doesn't mean safe, nor does it mean easy to navigate. Many day-to-day elements of life in Waterdeep that residents take for granted are, to new arrivals, a bevy of wonders and dangers not seen in any other settlement within a thousand miles. Here's what you need to know to survive your first few hours in the city. Mark this section for frequent reference!
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| − | === THE CODE LEGAL ===
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| − | Waterdeep is no village led by hidebound hierarchs or petty fiefdom ruled by the whim of a warlord. It is a city of laws molded by Tyr's spirit of justice. As a rule, you can trust members of the City Watch to do their duty diligently, and you can expect that the city's magisters will be fair. If you have cause to come before the Masked Lords or the Open Lord herself, rest assured that if your cause be just, justice will be done. If, however, you find yourself in the wrong, know that though it might take time to weigh that wrong on Tyr's scales, his hammer will fall-and it will be wielded by Waterdeep with a vengeance.
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| − | Unlike in less civilized settlements, punishment for crimes in Waterdeep isn't typically used as public entertainment. Scheduled executions occur behind the high walls of Castle Waterdeep, and floggings are carried out in the watch post nearest the sentencing. The Watch makes every effort to take individuals into custody quietly, so as not to disrupt other citizens. Those bystanders generally return the favor by giving altercations between criminals and the Watch a wide berth.
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| − | Waterdeep has a complex library of law and custom set by precedent, the main body of which can be read in the Code Legal. This document is available in multiple languages at the Palace of Waterdeep, and (in the Common tongue) provided on request by the magisters at the
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| − | gates and in the harbor. Be aware that the Code Legal provides only an outline of typical sentences for various offenses, and magisters have broad discretion when meting out justice as they see fit. Any Masked Lord can overturn a magister's ruling, but there's rarely a Masked Lord around when you need one.
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| − | === ARMS, ARMOR, AND COMBAT ===
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| − | Individuals accustomed to the rough-and-tumble life in much of the North are often surprised by the fact that Waterdavians go about unarmed and unarmored. Yet Waterdeep doesn't have any law that forbids carrying weapons or armor. Instead, it has a culture of civility that makes such behavior unnecessary.
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| − | Dueling has long been illegal in Waterdeep, as has any sort of act involving assault. Individuals caught brawling by the Watch will all be arrested and judged regardless of who started the fracas, or why. (The tavern brawls that typically break out under the influence of too much drink will often be overlooked by the Watch, as long as the proprietor doesn't seek payment for damages and no one is significantly injured.) Sport fighting, such as boxing or wrestling, is legal only if it occurs in a location registered with the city for that purpose. Additionally, any blade more than one foot in length is subject to an extra tax whenever it is sold, which helps to explain why Waterdavians prefer to carry knives and knuckledusters for self-defense.
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| − | Businesses and individuals do employ armed guards, but except for nobles or foreign envoys, few people travel about the city with such protection. As such, the sight of armed and armored individuals walking the streets who aren't in the livery of the city or one of its noble houses inspires caution in most Waterdavians. Folk assume that you wouldn't bother lugging around such equipment unless you either intend violence or expect that it might soon be visited upon you.
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| − | === CITY WATCH ===
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| − | The first soldiers you see in service to the city will be the members of the City Guard who patrol the roads leading to Waterdeep, watch the walls, guard civic structures, and protect magisters. Waterdeep's streets, however, are policed by an altogether different force: the City Watch. The similarity of their names often confuses newcomers, so I offer this handy mnemonic: "The Guard guards the walls while the Watch watches all."
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| − | You can recognize any member of the City Watch by the uniform: a green-and-goldenrod doublet and a tall steel helmet. Each typically carries a long truncheon, a dagger, and a buckler. Because most citizens in Waterdeep don't bear weapons, these tools prove a more than ample deterrent to criminal activity. Members of the Watch typically don't carry crossbows or other weapons to attack at range, but running from the Watch-though it may be a time-honored tradition for local miscreantsrarely works out for newcomers to the city. I guarantee that all members of the Watch know the streets they patrol and that area's residents better than you do, even if you stay in Waterdeep for ten seasons.
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| − | The City Watch has watch posts throughout the city. These stations are often off the main thoroughfares, tucked away in small courtyards or at cross streets. A watch post can be recognized by the green-and-gold lantern outside it, lit even during the day with a ''continual flame'' spell. A watch post serves as an organizational headquarters and armory. Anyone who wishes to report a crime may do so at a watch post in the event a Watch constable can't be found elsewhere. A watch post typically contains a few holding cells where people arrested for crimes can be detained until they're marched to a courthouse jail before standing trial.
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| − | Small squads head out from the watch posts on daily and nightly rounds of the city streets, or on special assignments involving protection or investigation. A mere pair of Watch operatives might discreetly patrol in the Castle Ward; in contrast, squads of eight walk the Dock Ward, increasing to as many as a dozen at night. If Watch members spot trouble they can't handle, they blow shrill tin whistles to summon more of their members-an act that alerts nearby citizens as well.
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| − | City Watch members follow a strict code of conduct that makes them one of the most trusted police forces aside from paladin-patrolled Elturgard. As long as you don't engage in unlawful behavior, you can expect to be left untroubled by the Watch.
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| − | {| class="wikitable"
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| − | | '''WATCH TALK'''
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| − | Members of the City Watch employ a sort of slang in dealing with the public. As a visitor, it behooves you to know what they mean.
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| − | "What befalls?" means "Someone tell me what's going on here."
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| − | "Hold!" means "Don't move a muscle."
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| − | "Down arms!" means "Drop your weapons."
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| − | "Talk truth!" means "Answer me" or "Tell the whole story."
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| − | "Robes" references the black robes-in other words, one of the magisters. "Do we need robes here?" or something similar should be taken as a threat.
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| − | == THE WATCHFUL ORDER OF MAGISTS AND PROTECTORS ==
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| − | Expect to be questioned at the gate, or when you register with a magister, regarding your ability to cast arcane magic. Wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane spellcasters who intend to stay in Waterdeep for any length of time are required to register with the city, and will be
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| − | strongly encouraged to join the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, headed by the Blackstaff.
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| − | Members of the Watchful Order are expected to render service to the city when called upon, acting as temporary members of the City Watch or City Guard. Their expertise often helps investigators determine whether magic was used to commit a crime in the city. Members can also expect to be tapped for assistance during and after fires, natural events that cause multiple casualties, or other nonmagical disasters.
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| − | Members of the Watchful Order form a more or less sociable association in the city, working together to keep an eye on any spellcasters who opt not to join their guild. Any havoc caused by a spellcaster in Waterdeep risks drawing the wrath of the Lords of Waterdeep-so it behooves the Watchful Order to watch all its members.
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| − | === COINAGE ===
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| − | As should be expected of any city of standing, Waterdeep mints its own coins. All taxes, fines, and guild fees must be paid either in Waterdavian coin or the currency of any member settlement of the Lords' Alliance. Though no law requires you to pay for goods or services in Waterdavian coin, the drudgery of weighing foreign currency and checking its purity prompts many retailers and operators of swift-exchange businesses-including drays and hire-coaches-not to accept anything but coins minted in Waterdeep.
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| − | Though you can trade your coinage for Waterdeep currency with anyone willing to do so, the exchequers at the Palace of Waterdeep make exchanges with no associated fee. The queue there can be quite long, necessitating that you make an appointment-often a day or more in advance. For a swifter transaction, I recommend any member of the Guild of Trusted Pewterers and Casters, or of the Jewelers' Guild. Both have the most reliable scales and abide by guild-wide rates of exchange.
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| − | Be sure to exchange taols and harbor moons before leaving the city, as their value greatly diminishes elsewhere!
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| − | === TAXES AND FEES ===
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| − | As established in the first year of the reign of the previous Open Lord, Dagult Neverember, Waterdeep collects a monthly tax from all who live within its official wards. The tax is 1 shard per person above the age of ten years, and is collected door-to-door by patrols of the City Guard on the last day of each month.
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| − | Individuals who so desire can pay a single dragon in tax and receive a writ exempting them for twelve months, but the writ must be produced every month when the Guard calls, or a new payment is required. If the Guard knocks at a door and receives no answer, a notice of lien with an estimation of tax is affixed to the door. The debt must be dealt with before the next month ends, with payment to be made to any magister.
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| − | Those who have no fixed residence can still be taxed if they are confronted in any building, be it an inn or an outhouse. So if you're out and around on the last day of the month, you'll no doubt experience "taxing traffic" as the streets become clogged with people trying to avoid the collectors.
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| − | Waterdeep also raises revenue by charging other fees, such as the following:
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| − | '''1 nib''' per day for rental of a stall in the Market
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| − | '''1 shard''' (above and beyond any fines imposed) from anyone convicted by a magister, per conviction
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| − | '''1 dragon''' per conveyance leaving the city, empty or full 5 dragons per ship that touches dock in Waterdeep (except for city ships and diplomatic vessels), collected from the captain and covering a stay of up to fourteen days (a ship that leaves the harbor and returns during that time pays the tax upon reentry)
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| − | In times of trouble, direct taxes can also be imposed:
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| − | A '''fire tax''' (usually 1 dragon per household), levied whenever a fire destroys a large portion of the city
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| − | A '''wall tax''' or harbor tax (usually 1 dragon per household) raised to directly pay for needed repairs or expansions
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| − | A '''lance tax''' raised to provide a payroll for mercenaries hired by the city when required (usually 1 shard per household each tenday until the Lords repeal the tax)
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| − | === GETTING ABOUT ===
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| − | Perambulating is the superior manner of experiencing the city and all its splendors. But if you've come with your own conveyance, the weather is inclement, or some other reason drives you to use the roads, the following are facts you need to know.
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| − | ==== TRAFFIC AND TRAVEL ====
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| − | Waterdeep is a city of broad boulevards that thrum with traffic. All day and well into the night, a bewildering melee of wagons, carts, horse and pony riders, carriages, buggies, hire-coaches, and Waterdeep's signature towering drays (further discussed below) surges through its major thoroughfares. Fortunately, most roads are flanked by paved sidewalks that give pedestrians plenty of space, and most of the widest roads have raised dividers that allow an individual crossing a street a safe space to step out of the fray and wait for traffic to pass.
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| − | The city's centuries-old layout dictates its traffic patterns today. Waterdeep lies on a plateau adjacent to a long mountain that shields much of it from the sea. In the southern third of the city, where the land slopes up from the harbor, the High Road and the Way of the Dragon are the two main south-north roads. These converge both at the Waymoot near the southern gate, and in the heart of the Trades Ward where the city is at its narrowest-bounded by Castle Waterdeep, high on a spur of the mountain, and the walls of the City of the Dead. The conjoined boulevard then splits to the north, continuing as the High Road, and to the west as a boulevard called Waterdeep Way, heading toward the Palace of Waterdeep (not to be confused with Waterdeep Castle, which it passes hard by). In the middle of the city, six boulevards run north from Waterdeep Way, where they meet the road that encircles the Market. On the other side of the Market, five boulevards continue north.
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| − | The aforementioned boulevards, along with the Street of the Singing Dolphin in the Sea Ward, are the major arteries of the city. Hire-coaches and drays can be most frequently found on those streets, and traffic is at its most hectic there. Most other roads in the city run east to west, but regardless of their direction, traffic elsewhere is generally less hectic and thus safer to cross.
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| − | ==== STREET SIGNS ====
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| − | Thanks to the Scriveners', Scribes', and Clerks' Guild, Waterdeep has a remarkable custom of labeling its streets, and even many of its alleyways and courts. The method of identification varies by ward and neighborhood (including brass plates, carvings in stone, and stencil-
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| − | painted wooden signs), but street names are typically displayed on the corners of buildings at intersections, roughly a dozen feet above ground. The name of the road you travel on will be on the wall nearest, while the name of the crossing road will be around the corner. Simply ingenious!
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| − | | |
| − | ==== LANDMARKS ====
| |
| − | Proud Mount Waterdeep provides a useful landmark for general orientation. It stands stark across the skyline to the west, its far slopes dropping right into the sea. A spur of the mountain juts inland, and atop the easternmost point of this spur stands Castle Waterdeep. If you can see these landmarks, it's relatively easy to orient yourself. The mountain peak looms over the southern third of the city near the port in the south. The City of the Dead lies opposite the northern ridge of Mount Waterdeep, which descends down to the Field of Triumph, the city's great coliseum.
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| − | | |
| − | One of Waterdeep's titanic walking statues, no longer mobile, offers another way to orient yourself on a local scale. At nine stories tall, twice the height of any buildings nearby, the Honorable Knight stands guard in a block of buildings between Snail Street and the Way of the Dragon. Positioned as it is nigh the place where four wards meet, you can use it to judge where you stand. If it is south and west of your position, you are in the Trades Ward. North and west? The Southern Ward. South and east? The Castle Ward. North and east? You're in the Dock Ward.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== TRAFFIC WARDENS ====
| |
| − | During particularly heavy traffic and at congested areas such as the great oval road around the Market, you might see a member of the City Watch serving as a traffic warden. Traffic wardens signal with small blue hand flags for traffic to proceed, and with yellow flags for traffic to hold. A traffic warden can often be heard blowing a whistle. When you hear it, look to the warden to see if you are being signaled. Failure to take care might result not only in accident but also arrest.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== DRAYS ====
| |
| − | These towering vehicles are, I believe, unique to Waterdeep. Invented by exiles from Lantan in the last century, a dray is a long, glassed-in carriage with bench seating that provides additional open-air bench seating on its roof. The driver sits at the level of the roof seating, providing a vantage point to see over other traffic and make eye contact with other dray drivers. You can enter this contraption through the back whenever it stops or slows down enough to make mounting the rear step safe.
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| − | | |
| − | A fare taker stands at the back of the lower seating area to take your coin (typically 2 to 4 nibs). You can choose to ride inside or ascend the spiral stairway at the rear to ride atop the vehicle. Most drays run on the main north-south boulevards, but some circle the Market, and a few run along the smaller east-west roads in rough areas. Be warned that when the demand for drays is high-during rain or snow, or to get to or from an event at the Field of Triumph-conditions become crowded and perfect for pickpockets.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==== HIRE-COACHES ====
| |
| − | If you desire to travel in relative comfort and b e the master of your destination, simply give a spirited wave and shout to any hire-coach driver who has no passengers. Each of these handsome, two-wheeled black coaches comfortably seats two travelers (perhaps four if you're quite slim and very well acquainted), who ride facing the road ahead. The hire-coach's driver sits high and to the rear of the carriage, manipulating the horses by means of long reins and a short whip on a rod. The fare must be agreed upon and paid before the journey, but only rarely will the cost exceed a half-dozen shards.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== CARRIAGES ====
| |
| − | The well-to-do-or those who want to ride in luxury during a day out-can hire a full carriage, many of which are as finely outfitted as those owned by the nobility. Up to eight can take such a ride in silken comfort. Prices and services vary, but generally you agree to rent the carriage, the services of the driver, and any attendant servants or guards for a full day.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== TRAVEL IN WINTER ====
| |
| − | The folk of Waterdeep often remain indoors in the colder months, particularly when it rains or snows. The flow of trade and travelers into the city slows to a trickle during winter, and as a result, traffic diminishes and drays and hire-coaches become more scarce. Fortunately, the Fellowship of Carters and Coachmen works with the Wheelwrights' Guild and the Wagon-makers' and Coach Builders' Guild to convert the drays and hirecoaches that do operate into sledges, so that some are available even in the worst weather.
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| − | | |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | '''THE UNFLAPPABLE WATERDAVIAN'''
| |
| − | Natives of the City of Splendors are notoriously slow to take offense. A Waterdavian plainly states their feelings as a warning, so that one is apt to hear "I don't find that amusing, friend," said pleasantly before real anger is shown. Some visitors misinterpret such behavior as cowardice or ignorance ("He was too stupid to realize I insulted him!"). For those who act on such misjudgments, however, surprise and regret are the usual results.
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| − | | |
| − | Most Waterdavians are also slow to take fright unless facing magic or monsters. A swaggering warrior threatening them is quite likely to be stared at calmly, or even sneered at. "The only mortals that Waterdavians fear are a few unstable wizards and the Lords," Durnan often says to those who are surprised by the nonchalance of the Yawning Portal's regulars concerning the open entrance to Undermountain in their midst. "And only when they've incurred the wrath of said persons themselves."
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| − | |}
| |
| − | | |
| − | === NOBILITY ===
| |
| − | While you might encounter dwarf diplomats from Gauntlgrym, satraps of Arnn, duchesses of Tethyr, or thanes of the Northlanders in Waterdeep, the nobles you really need to know about are the city's own. Seventy-eight noble family lines are found here, many of which can trace their lineage back to the city's founding. Books have been written about individual families-histories of their accomplishments and how they fit into the webs of wealth and patronage that govern nobles' activities-so it is beyond the scope of a pamphlet this size to attempt to describe their particulars. I can, however, endeavor to equip you with the tools to recognize nobility and to interact with the higher class.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== SPOTTING A NOBLE ====
| |
| − | Nobility in Waterdeep are granted the right to bear arms. In the legal code of the city, this means not merely the ability to carry a weapon, but the right to retain up to seventy equipped soldiers. These soldiers always wear a house's colors and the house's "arms of grace"-a heraldic device often borne on a shield, worn as a cloak pin, or affixed to a helmet. Others throughout the city, even foreign dignitaries, are permitted to retain only up to sixteen armed warriors, and laws against impersonating those in the employ of the nobility mean that other mercenaries and bodyguards most often dress plainly, so as not to be mistaken for the retinue of a noble. So your first clue that you might be in the company of a noble is the sight of a large number of armed and uniformed soldiers.
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| − | | |
| − | Many nobles, particularly younger ones seeking entertainment, travel without an entourage of guards or only in the company of other nobles. In this case, you'll know you're in the presence of nobility because of the deference others give them. Follow suit, and you should be fine.
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| − | | |
| − | Above all, be polite. Always address a known noble as "Lord" or "Lady." A short bow or a nod of the head to acknowledge a noble upon each meeting and parting is customary. Obsequiousness and servility is something all Waterdavians scorn, but you should also beware of acting in an overly familiar, boastful, or disrespectful way when in the presence of any noble. Though this sort of behavior isn't a crime, and laws against dueling prevent a noble from initiating a direct armed confrontation, the noble families ofW aterdeep have immense power in the city, often in unexpected quarters. Many have influence in nations as distant as Calimshan and Cormyr. Be assured that any slighting of a noble will not be forgotten or easily forgiven.
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| − | | |
| − | If you're not certain whether someone is a noble, address the gentleman as "Saer" or the gentlewoman as "Goodwoman." Neither will give offense, and generally a noble will politely correct you as to their actual title.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== NOBLES AND PATRONAGE ====
| |
| − | Nobles in Waterdeep are patrons of and investors in all manner of businesses in the city and abroad, as well as the many expressions of the arts. They spend coin to fund celebrations, contests at the Field of Triumph, upkeep at the city's temples and shrines, civic projects, guild events, and charitable actions such as burial of the unknown dead. Their motives are manifold, but their actions-no matter the reason-earn them loyalty and high regard from those who benefit from their largesse.
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| − | | |
| − | Seeking patronage from a noble without having been introduced to that person is considered an insult, so you must first befriend someone in a noble's employ or circle of influence. Doing so is no guarantee of ultimate success; much time and coin can be wasted trying to curry favor with an acquaintance of a noble who turns out to be unscrupulous or of little help for some other reason. My advice is to do something deserving of attention, whatever your vocation, and someone from the noble families ofWaterdeep will eventually show an interest.
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| − | | |
| − | ==== KNOW A NOBLE'S BUSINESS ====
| |
| − | In the words of that quarrelsome acquaintance of mine from the Dales, "Before you strut your stuff in the chickens' preening circle, get to know the other cocks first." This colorful aphorism applies well to the affairs of nobility, because when you have interaction with a noble, you are at the same time dealing with one's entire family-as well as a network of business associates and allies. That situation can put you in a troublesome spot if you are unaware of the noble's connections.
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| − | | |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | '''A WONDROUS PEOPLE'''
| |
| − | Whenever you find yourself in a bustling city, you're likely to spot a wonderful variety of folk. You hear words in languages utterly foreign to you, and you smell dishes both delectable and strange. Waterdeep is the ultimate city of such delights, and before long, the alien thing becomes familiar to you, and the stranger becomes your friend.
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| − | | |
| − | The people of Waterdeep are among the greatest of its splendors. Fashion, comportment, love-these things are practiced with an art and a zest in the city uncommon elsewhere. Visit a festhall or festival and see for yourself! And don't miss the cross-dressing performers who regale audiences with humor and song. Fabulous-that word doesn't begin to describe it, especially when they enhance the merriment with magic.
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| − | | |
| − | The city is also a haven for those who define for themselves what it means to be a man or a woman, those who transcend gender as the gods do, and those who redefine entirely who they are. What confidence! I never tire of witnessing it. I have seen folk in Waterdeep whose lives are more magical than the marvels possible with spells.
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| − | |}
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| − | | |
| − | === GUILDS AND GUILD LAW ===
| |
| − | No aspect of life in Waterdeep goes untouched by at least one of its more than forty guilds. Virtually every profession has an associated guild, and there's hardly a citizen of the city who doesn't belong to one or more guilds, or doesn't work for someone who does. As a visitor to Waterdeep, you need to know this, lest you run afoul of "Guild Law." Guild Law isn't technically in the legal code of Waterdeep, but guilds are mentioned in the oldest surviving legal documents-penned by Ahghairon himself-and the rules of Guild Law are respected by wise city folk.
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| − | | |
| − | Guilds take their laws seriously, as do members of the City Watch and the magisters. If you flout a guild's traditions, you can expect not only public scorn but also a visit from enforcers of the law. In addition, many guilds have their own codes of accusation, trial, and punishment, such as:
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| − | | |
| − | * A member of the Bakers' Guild who sells bread baked in the wrong shape will be drenched with water and coated in his own flour.
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| − | *
| |
| − | * Heckling a member of the Jesters' Guild will result in the offending party being jeered at in public by no less than four guild members for a period of four days.
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| − | *
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| − | * Any ship that unloads its cargo without due observance or aid by the Guild of Watermen shall have its cargo seized or thrown into the harbor.
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| − | | |
| − | Many guilds have codes that entwine each other, complicating matters even more for the outsider. In Neverwinter, if you want to construct a building, you simply purchase the land and hire workers to build it. In Waterdeep, the Surveyors', Map-, and Chart-makers' Guild must first be consulted upon designation of the plat, then brought in to draw or approve the construction plan. The Cellarers' and Plumbers' Guild must then clear and prepare the site, only after which will you be able to hire members of the Carpenters', Roofers', and Plaisterers' Guild to erect the structure.
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| − | | |
| − | Moreover, the work will not be complete until members of the Guild of Fine Carvers and the Guild of Stone-cutters, Masons, Potters, and Tile-makers design and craft any decorative elements of wood, stone, or ceramics, and after the Most Careful Order of Skilled Smiths and Metalforgers has manufactured and installed any door hinges. If the building is to be connected to the sewers or a city water supply, the Cellarers' and Plumbers' Guild must be called upon again to do that work. Want glazed windows installed? For that, you need to hire members of the Guild of Glassblowers, Glaziers, and Spectacle-makers.
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| − | | |
| − | If you do business in the city as anything other than a purchaser of goods and services, I strongly advise you to seek out a local solicitor and pay to be guided through the process. No guild of solicitors exists, so be sure your choice comes highly recommended by individuals you can trust. To learn the peculiarities of any guild's rules, consult someone on duty at the guild headquarters or ask a senior guild member.
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| − | | |
| − | All that said, working at a guild-related profession without being a member of that guild isn't illegal. Guild members have no lawful recourse to interfere in the business of someone who chooses to not join the organization. But if you practice a trade or operate a business without becoming a member of the appropriate guild, word spreads, and you'll find that your coin isn't good for purchasing the goods or services of anyone who is a guild member. Since that group includes virtually everyone who sells the necessities of life or offers shelter for a fee, the benefits of joining a guild swiftly become apparent to those who procrastinate in this regard.
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| − | | |
| − | == THE WARDS OF WATERDEEP ==
| |
| − | Newcomers to the city of Waterdeep are often confused by the importance that Waterdavians give to wards. In other cities, such as Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter, districts are bounded by rivers or walls. But in Waterdeep, one can traverse from ward to ward by crossing a street-a fact that offers the drivers of hire-coaches some amusement when an ignorant tourist requests a ride to an adjacent ward.
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| − | | |
| − | Each ward has its own history, legends, and traditions based around who lived there in the past, famous or infamous events, and the uncanny things that continue to occur. For example, children (and even some adults) hop on one foot when crossing Asmagh's Alley in the Castle Ward. Why? Well, Asmagh was an apothecary who poisaned many patients, then buried them upright beneath the alley under cover of night. He was discovered, and some say that as many as eighty bodies were subsequently pulled up from holes under the alley's wide flagstones. Though this happened over a century ago, children passing through the alley still sing a song: "Hop for the hollows, hop for the dead, hop on the flagstones, hop on their heads." As you stroll down Warrior's Way or the Street of Silver, listen for the children's delighted screams and go give it a try.
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| − | | |
| − | These shared stories and traditions impart to each ward a different culture, just as much as distinctions of class and wealth. Yet nothing drives residents to identify with their wards as much as festivals and sport. Nearly every race and parade in the city features a competition between wards as part of the festivities. On such days, homes and businesses fly the colors of their wards, trot out their mascots, and sing rousing songs that celebrate where they live. If you stay in the city for even a month, you're sure to see some version of this display of civic spirit.
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| − | | |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
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| − | |-
| |
| − | | '''SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE'''
| |
| − | The many idioms and slang expressions of Waterdavians would take a whole book to explore, but here I explain a few that might otherwise mystify.
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| − | | |
| − | '''"Dabbler but no master" and " No mastery blazing forth"'''
| |
| − | These idioms trace their origin to Ahghairon, who early on in his studies of magic humbly said, "I am no wizard. I am a dabbler but no master of magic; it seems no mastery burns within me." Both now serve as expressions of false modesty applied to any skill or craft, not just magic use.
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| − | | |
| − | '''"Sharpjaws," "fastfists," "bullyblades," and "alleyblades"'''
| |
| − | Those who boast of martial skill but who shrink from violence or lack real ability are "sharpjaws." In sharp contrast are Waterdeep's "fastfists" (any lout easily provoked to violence) , "bullyblades" (battle-hardened mercenaries hired as muscle) , and "alleyblades" (muggers and thieves) .
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| − | | |
| − | '''"Longride" and "Last ride"'''
| |
| − | To a caravan merchant, a drover, or a farmer from the lands around Waterdeep, as well as any Waterdavian who rides for sport, recreation, hunting, or falconry, the late afternoon is "longride," and dusk is "last ride."
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| − | | |
| − | '''"Which the greater thief?"'''
| |
| − | Tuezaera Hallowhand was a famous "lone cat" thief of Waterdeep in the 1200s DR, who disappeared suddenly and is thought to have come to a violent end. She once robbed a wizard and wrote this on his wall with a fingertip dipped in his favorite red wine: "I take things. You take freedom with your spells. Which of us is the greater thief?" Waterdavians now use this phrase in argument with one another over all kinds of matters when comparing wrongs done.
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| − | | |
| − | '''"Doth thy mirror crack?" or " Hurl but think not?" or "Take but not count cost? Be nothing, then!"'''
| |
| − | Laeral Silverhand, then the Lady Mage of Waterdeep when she was married to Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, once publicly rebuked an overambitious wizard of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors thusly: " If I hurl spells but think not of consequences, I am nothing. If I take lives but count not the cost, I am nothing. If I steal in the night and see not the faces of the devastated come the next morning, I am nothing. If I make decrees like a ruler but undertake none of the other responsibilities of the throne, I am nothing. And if I do all these things in the name of the Watchful Order, I am less than nothing. Doth thy mirror crack?"
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| − | | |
| − | These scornful words are remembered and used almost daily in Waterdeep even a century later.
| |
| − | |}
| |
| − | | |
| − | === SEA WARD ===
| |
| − | The Sea Ward stands proud on the high ground above Mount Waterdeep's sunset shadow. The rich and the powerful (or those who wish you to think such of them, and can afford the rent) reside or run their businesses here. When the warlords and pirates of early Waters Deep gained enough gold, they built fortresses on what used to be fields of grass tousled by sea wind. You can still see the remains of some of those old castles incorporated into the palatial homes of the noble families that dwell in the Sea Ward. For the best all-around view of the glittering homes enshrouded by garden walls, go to where Diamond Street and Delzorin Street cross, nigh to Mystra's House of Wonder, and simply spin in a circle.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Blue and gold are the Sea Ward's colors in competitions, and the ward's mascot is the sea lion-a fanciful combination of fish and feline. There's a persistent but patently false legend that the famous Lion Gate at the Field of Triumph is the gaping maw of a sea lion. The architectural designs for the gates show this to be false, however, and they can be viewed in the Map House-the guildhall of the Surveyors', Map-, and Chart-makers' Guild in the Castle Ward.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Must-see locations in the Sea Ward begin, of course, with the Field of Triumph, but just across the street is the no less remarkable House of Heroes-the largest temple in the city. Dedicated to Tempus, its many grand halls celebrate the city's champions of both battle and sport. The winners of ward competitions are paraded here after their victories, often carried on shoulders or passed from hand to hand over the heads of a crowd. It is a sight you shouldn't miss.
| |
| − | | |
| − | You should also visit the House of Wonder. This is surely the most splendid temple dedicated to the gods of magic-with Mystra foremost among them, of coursein all the world. Although your eye will be drawn to its ornate towers, brilliant mosaics, and magical displays, look also for the humble violets growing amid the ostentation. These delicate flowers were Ahghairon's favorite, and they are planted about the temple in memory of him.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Two other temples in the ward are as impressive, but in different ways. The beauteous House of the Moon has the tallest tower of any temple in the city, rising some seventy-five feet above the street. At its top, priests of Selftne bask in the light of the moon in all seasons. The House of Inspired Hands, dedicated to Gond, presents an altogether less peaceful experience. Here, all the great innovative minds of the city invent and experiment, attempting to create everything from flying machines to stronger door hinges. But don't expect a museum of marvels such as can be found in Baldur's Gate. At this site, "worship is work," as anyone at the temple is liable to tell you.
| |
| − | | |
| − | If you're looking for some good fortune, you should surely visit the Tower of Luck, a temple complex dedicated to Tymora. The "tower" in question is actually a many-pillared atrium ingeniously roofed over with glass. Beneath the roof, a bronze sculpture of a diminutive Tymora, depicted as a laughing young girl, appears to be leaping from the very top of an astounding fountain. To pay your respects and make a wish, you come around to the fountain on a walkway and toss your coin to Tymora. Managing to land it in her outstretched hand is a sure sign of her favor.
| |
| − | | |
| − | If you need to refresh yourself during your travels, or perhaps to primp before an important meeting or a night out, visit Sune's faithful at the Temple of Beauty. Its marbled public baths and mirrored salons are open from before dawn to after dusk. There's no fee for these services, or for the advice and aid of the temple's many pleasant attendants, but donations are encouraged.
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| − | | |
| − | Two parks in the Sea Ward might also be worth your time. The Shrines to Nature, just a block away from the Tower of Luck, are resplendent gardens dedicated to nature gods like Mielikki and Silvanus. The park is closed to all except residents of the Sea Ward. Yet from beyond the iron fence that surrounds it, you can catch glimpses of the superb shrines, statues, and fountains within. The Heroes' Garden is the only green space in the city that is open to the public besides the City of the Dead, but it is tucked away so far to the north in the Sea Ward that it gets few visitors-which is a pity, since the fine statuary in this lush garden portrays many of the figures important to the city's history.
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| − | | |
| − | I hesitate to mention a last location in the Sea Ward, and I will not reveal where to find it, for reasons that will soon become apparent. There is a house in the Sea Ward without windows or doors. You can't see it from the street, and those who live near it will not speak of it to others. You'll know you are near it when you see blue tiles on the streets and walls leading into an alley that passes under the surrounding buildings. At night, these tiles glimmer dimly with the blue light of foxfire. More than one route leads into the Blue Alley, as this place is known, but there are precious few ways out. Most who enter don't come back. If you see blue tiles, turn around and walk away before it is too late.
| |
| − | | |
| − | === NORTH WARD ===
| |
| − | Nobles aplenty live in the North Ward, but the character of this ward is more peaceful than that of the Sea Ward. Though it has taverns and shops to suit a variety of tastes, the tenor of the area tends toward reserved and polite. Most streets are lined with row houses inhabited by the families of prosperous people of business, investing, and civic service. They are each wealthy enough to employ a servant or two, or they endeavor to appear as such.
| |
| − | | |
| − | For the best experience in the North Ward, go there just before dawn, buy a broadsheet, and settle in at a cafe with a view of the street. Watch as the ward comes quietly to life around you. At first, it will be so silent that you'll be able to hear the resident a street over who opens her sash for fresh air and clears her throat. Then the birdsong will begin, and shortly thereafter, you'll hear and then see the drays arriving with servants. These aren't the live-in staff used by noble houses, but people hired to come and work for a day. Most of them come from less affluent parts of the city, arriving with the tools of their trade and outfitted in their customary garb: launderers and cooks in white, chimney sweeps and housecleaners in black, valets and child-minders in gray, gardeners in green, and tutors in blue.
| |
| − | | |
| − | As these servants spread out to knock on doors and begin their work, the residents of the ward take their exits, parting fondly with spouses and children, their footsteps tramping along the sidewalks or taking them into rattling hire-coaches. In the span of just an hour, the North Ward comes to noisy life and then settles again into quiescence, until later in the day when the process reverses itself, as residents return from work and servants leave.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The liveliest, and perhaps the loveliest, part of the ward is the Cliffwatch. Here, the plateau upon which Waterdeep sits features cliffs so steep and high that the city wall is interrupted to either side of them. Some of the most lavish residences and most luxurious taverns and inns ofWaterdeep stand along this space, boasting terraces and balconies that allow one to take in the beautiful sight of the countryside to the east. Yet you need not pay their high prices, for a public walkway along the cliff's edge offers pedestrians ample opportunity to enjoy the view.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The North Ward's colors are green and orange, and its mascot is the gentle white dove, depicted in flight. Many North Ward homes have dovecotes on their roofs, and the great flocks of the birds that circle over the city at dawn and dusk are a delight to behold.
| |
| − | | |
| − | {| class="wikitable"
| |
| − | |+ MAJOR TEMPLES OF WATERDEEP
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | All deities || Holyhands House || North Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | All elven deities || Temple of the Seldarine || Castle Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Gond || House of Inspired Hands || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Helm || Helm's Hall || Southern Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | IImater || Hospice of St. Laupsenn || North Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Lathander || Spires of the Morning || Castle Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Mielikki, Silvanus || Shrines of Nature || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Mystra || House of Wonder || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Oghma || Font of Knowledge || Castle Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Selûne || Tower of the Moon || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Sune || Temple of Beauty || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Tempus || House of Heroes || Sea Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Tymora || Tower of Luck || Castle Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Tyr || Halls of Justice || Castle Ward
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | Umberlee || The Queenspire || Beach
| |
| − | |}
| |
| − | | |
| − | === CASTLE WARD ===
| |
| − | The Castle Ward is the heart and mind of Waterdeep, if not its soul. It houses the city's military forces, courts, government, and the Market-the largest market square of any city in the North. It encompasses the City Navy's docks in the Great Harbor and all of Mount Waterdeep, and it is home to six walking statues, numerous temples, and many other landmarks.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Castle Waterdeep stands above the city on a great bluff that extends out from the mountain, its towers soaring hundreds of feet into the sky. It surprises many to learn that this isn't where Waterdeep's rulers reside, nor from where the city is governed. The castle was and is a redoubt of last defense should the city be attacked, but for well over a century, the ruler of Waterdeep has occupied the Palace of Waterdeep-also known as Piergeiron's Palace, and still called that by elderly and longlived citizens (including many elves).
| |
| − | | |
| − | Though not quite as large as the castle, the palace is far more comfortable and lavishly decorated, with many halls used by government officials, guildmasters, and nobles for meetings and court proceedings. If you have reason to be invited (not compelled, I should hope!) to meet with the Masked Lords or the Open Lord ofWaterdeep, it will likely take place in the audience chamber of the palace. There, you can witness the ancient and humble throne that Ahghairon first sat upon so long ago.
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| − | Many other buildings in the ward are given over to city business, including several courts for magisters and the barracks of the City Guard. So many of the ward's structures are offices and meeting halls for business owners, solicitors, publishers, and the like that the Castle Ward has the smallest resident population of all the wards.
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| − | Many landmarks of interest are found in this ward aside from the six walking statues (discussed later in this chapbook). You could hardly see them all in a day, but the following are highly recommended.
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| − | Blackstaff Tower is a squat black blot in the otherwise pretty ward. Humble though the edifice might be, looking at the place for too long can give you a queasy feeling and the sense that you are being watched-almost as if the tower itself has turned an unseen and wrathful eye upon you. Perhaps you think this fanciful. Well, go and try it yourself!
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| − | On the opposite end of the mountain, close to the Naval Harbor, stands Mirt's Mansion. Once a fortress-like and glowering tower, it has been upgraded with more delicate fashions of architecture since the return of its long-absent owner.
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| − | Mirt has quite a history with Durnan, the proprietor of the Yawning Portal. Together they descended into "the Well," as the entrance to Undermountain was known in olden days. Waterdeep used to throw criminals in the Well, leaving them to die horribly in Undermountain's dungeons. Durnan and Mirt entered the dungeons of their own free will-and not only that, but returned laden with treasures. Both used magic to extend their lives, but they eventually parted ways. Mirt kept on with a life of adventure, while Durnan built the tavern called the Yawning Portal over the Well and now, almost two centuries later, charges coin to descend into it. Not a bad way to part fools from their money!
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| − | The glorious Spires of the Morning, dedicated to Lathander, is one of Waterdeep's most beautiful temples. But it is rivaled in this ward by the Temple of the Seldarine, dedicated to all the elf gods. The journey through Mount Melody Walk, a tunnel cut through Mount Waterdeep, to New Olamn's academy of music and other arts is a wondrous daytime excursion. The Market offers a wild array of sights, smells, and sounds in which folk might lose themselves for a tenday. The Font of Knowledge is a temple to Oghma, yes, but also the city's largest public library. Titles written throughout the ages can be viewed here-under the watchful eyes of the temple's priests. In short (if I can claim this section of the enchiridion to be such), the Castle Ward offers far too many splendors to list them all here.
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| − | The Castle Ward's colors are blue and purple, and its mascot is a griffon, typically depicted in gold. These borrow colors from the city's flag and reference the Griffon Cavalry, of course. Champions for the ward often come from among the ranks of the Guard, the Navy, or the Cavalry. Although such competitors have often have the advantage in races and competitions, their crowds of rabidly cheering fans are naturally much smaller than those of other wards.
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| − | === TRADES WARD ===
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| − | Shopping, shopping, shopping galore! Or eating, eating, eating! Or drinking, drinking, drinking! Or lavish accommodations, or fine art, or legendary parties! The Market in the Castle Ward is the largest market square in the city, but the Trades Ward is like a market town in itself-and is easily thrice the Market's size.
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| − | This ward bustles day and night with activity, both on the street and on balcony walkways that run the length of blocks and are sometimes layered five stories high. Shop signs appear to leap out from buildings, whose sides are plastered with advertisements all vying for the attention of the eye. Glove shops, shoe shops, jewelry stores, perfumeries, flower shops, cake shops, taverns, cafes, tea shops, inns, row houses, boarding schools, offices, dance academies, grocers, pottery stores, armor vendors-as long as it's not illegal, you can find it in the Trades Ward. But if you are looking for something illegal, the Trades Ward is likely the place to get that too. Do not do so too loudly, though. The City Watch has a heavy presence in this ward, in the form of both open patrols and officers working out of uniform.
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| − | As befits a place of so much business, many guilds have their halls in this ward. Of particular note is the House of Light, the hall of the Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters. Outside the building, a wagon-sized mound of wax with hundreds of wicks is kept lit day and night, while being continually built up with adhered candles. Inside, the best works of the guild are put on display and sold, including not just candles of various colors, lamps, and chandeliers, but elaborate waxwork constructions that depict all sorts of subjects from personages of note, to dragons, to complex and abstract lattices-all represented as fantastical candles.
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| − | Magic users should be wary in the Court of the White Bull. Long ago, this plaza was a grazing area for livestock, including an albino calf that was born here. The calf's owner built the White Bull Tavern, which thrived on the spot for years and gave the area its name. You'll not find the tavern now, though. It vanished, utterly destroyed during an infamous spell battle between the archmage Thongalar the Mighty and the evil mage Shile Rauretilar and his apprentices. In the storm of magic that touched down here, Shile and his apprentices all perished and the fabric of the Weave was rent, such that Azuth, god of wizards, was forced to appear and set things right. He is said to have stitched reality and the Weave back together, but a wrinkle in the fabric remains. To this day, magic brought to bear in the Court of the White Bull sometimes goes awry, and the use of magic items and spells is forbidden in the area.
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| − | The Trades Ward uses green and purple as its colors, and its mascot is the mimic. This tradition supposedly arose because when mascots were first chosen, the Trades Ward took a chest of gold as its own-and was roundly mocked by citizens of other wards for not picking a creature. Now, every four years, the ward reveals a new object for its mascot, declaring it to be the mimic. The nature of the object is subject to much speculation and rumor until its unveiling. For months afterward, the object becomes the source of practical jokes in Waterdeep. Rock gnomes and wizards cause illusory mouths to lunge from real versions of the object, artisans craft beautiful fakes out of cake or paper that are easily crushed when assumed to be real, and so on. As of the writing of this enchiridion, the current mimic is a tankard.
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| − | === SOUTHERN WARD ===
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| − | It is called the Southern Ward, not the South Ward. Waterdavians are peculiar about this, and if you insist on referring to it as the South Ward, expect to be corrected or thought a fool. The name derives not merely from its southerly location in the city, but from the southerners who settled in this district as the city grew. Today, the ward still hosts most of the traveling merchants who visit the city, and is made up of many enclaves, blocks, and streets primarily occupied by citizens who trace their ancestry to other realms.
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| − | One can indulge in the finest halfling food here, enjoy the best singers of Calishite music, and examine the most stunning works of dwarven crafting-but the first challenge is finding where these treats are housed. The Southern Ward has long been a district of laborers catering to travelers, so its folk have adopted the architectural custom of building homes and businesses above stables or around inn yards, near to where wagon trains are housed.
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| − | Residents of the Southern Ward take pride in their legacy as overland travelers and hardworking folk, so it should be no surprise that the ward's mascot is the mule. On their competition flags, a pugnacious mule in rampant pose stands on a field of red and white-colors said to represent the blood and tears the people of the Southern Ward have shed during their labors.
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| − | Not a landmark as such, but surely a sight that must be seen, is the Moon Sphere. This isn't a structure but an event that occurs during every full moon, when a glowing, spherical field of blue light appears in the square known as the Dancing Court. Any creatures that enter the sphere find that they can fly about inside it just by willing themselves to do so. For centuries, Waterdavians have used these supernatural events to develop a unique flying style of dance-but amateur enthusiasts aren't welcome, except on certain daylight appearances of the full moon.
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| − | Even when the full moon isn't out, the Dancing Court is worth visiting because of the adjacent festhall, the Jade Dancer. During appearances of the Moon Sphere, people sometimes daringly leap into the field of magic from the balconies of this three-story tavern, dance hall, and inn. But the festhall takes its name from a peculiar dancer within it rather than those in the court outside. The "Jade Dancer" is an eight-foot-tall jade statue of a woman that magically animates and dances for patrons-and on occasion serves as a bouncer. Elminster has informed me that despite its dexterity and seemingly fragile beauty, the Jade Dancer is as puissant as a stone golem. So enjoy the show, but don't get too rowdy.
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| − | === DOCK WARD ===
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| − | The Dock Ward was long considered the most dangerous district in the city, but the Field Ward has since taken that title. I don't doubt the residents of the Dock Ward are glad of it, for in some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation.
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| − | Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most ofWaterdeep's poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least literate people in the city. Yes, most of its taverns are inhabited by habitual drinkers, and far too many inns charge by the hour. But all must concede this: the residents of the Dock Ward often work the hardest while living under the harshest conditions.
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| − | Warehouses, poorhouses, and tenements dominate much of the area. Streets are steep throughout, and few have space alongside for pedestrians. Wandering through the ward can be a bewildering journey without a guide. Except in the immediate vicinity of the piers, shop signs and advertising of any kind are rare, and warehouses and other businesses often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there-or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse.
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| − | Streetlamps don't fare well in the Dock Ward. Their candles, oils, and glass are too regularly stolen or smashed. The Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters makes a halfhearted attempt to repair the streetlamps at the start of each season, but for most of the year, locals are forced to carry their own light when traveling these streets at night.
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| − | The colors of the Dock Ward are burgundy and orange, and its mascot is a swordfish that has always been depicted as green for reasons lost to time. The folk of the Dock Ward take competition seriously, and they frequently draft their champions from the rough-and-tumble sailors who come to the city. (Some say they draft pirates, but that is pure slander.) Frequent complaints arise that these women and men are more citizens of the sea than of the Dock Ward itself. But if they register with a magister and pay taxes, they are as welcome to compete as any long-term resident of Waterdeep.
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| − | === CITY OF THE DEAD ===
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| − | I could write a book about the City of the Dead. It is such a fascinating place, filled with so much history and so many stories. But alas, there would be few buyers for ''Volo's Guide to the City of the Dead'', since it would be of interest mainly to Waterdavians-and the topic is one about which they are already intimately knowledgeable.
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| − | The City of the Dead is no drab cemetery. It is a great park of grassy hills, tended flower beds, artfully placed clusters of trees and bushes, beautiful sculptures, astounding architecture, and gravel paths that wend intriguingly through it all. Long ago, Waterdavians largely abandoned the practice of burying their dead, instead entombing them in mausoleums. For centuries, the major mausoleums here have each been connected to an extradimensional space where the dead are taken, mourned, and interred.
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| − | Those who can afford it memorialize the departed with sculptures, making the City of the Dead an open-air museum that features some of the most stunning, haunting, mournful, and downright eerie statues ever crafted in marble or bronze. Nobles and wealthy merchants have competed to erect the grandest markers for their dead, leading to a wide variety of styles and concepts created by artists at the height of their skills.
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| − | One of the cemetery's most impressive attractions is the Warriors' Monument. This intricate, sixty-foot-high sculpture depicts a circle of women and men striking down trolls, ores, hobgoblins, bugbears, and barbarians, all of which are falling backward and outward around the warriors. Above all of them, a flying griffon rider spears a skeletal knight whose breastplate bears the symbol of Myrkul, god of the dead. But this statue is also a fountain, and the wounds on these combatants gush water! Don't try to imagine it-just go see it. And see it as Waterdavians do: pack a midday feast, have a picnic, and then take a stroll through the beauty of the place.
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