City Watch
Structure
Officers
Wardsman
Sometimes called the “Officer of the Shift,” a Wardsman is in charge of all the watchposts of a single Ward. Their nickname comes from the fact that unlike the officers above them, Watch operations requires that there is always one Wardsman for each Ward on duty at all times. As such, there are always six Wardsmen on duty, and a total of four Wardsmen per Ward who work in cycling shifts.
Civilars
By and large, civilars are the middle leadership of the Watch. To those with boots on the street, civilars are usually considered the “real” leadership, as they are at the head of the active day-to-day enforcement, overseeing the difficulties and responsibilities that the rank-and-file tend to encounter on patrol.
Rorden
It is arguably on the shoulders of a rorden that most of Waterdeep’s peacekeeping responsibilities lie. A rorden is an officer in charge of a watchpost. The patrols of that post answer to them, and they coordinate the specifics of those patrols to hopefully achieve the most effective patterns of protection for their neighborhood. A rorden is the highest-ranking officer of the Watch that most folk ever deal with, and with good reason: an effective rorden makes a point of getting to know their neighborhood, although rordens are never assigned to the neighborhoods where they live or grew up.
A good rorden can identify the trouble-makers within their neighborhood, and know who to talk to in order to find out what is going on there. They are approachable, but maintain the authority of their title. Above all, a rorden must project with their simple presence the sense of order and the rule of law, giving confidence to both the patrols under them and the folk who look to them for security.
Rordens wear the Watch tabard with a single horizontal dagger as their emblem.
Orsar
The orsar has a specific responsibility: to act as the go-between for the Watch and any groups whose political clout can make arresting and charging their members problematic. By and large, these groups are Waterdhavian noble Houses and the Guilds of the city, though it may include others such as members of the Guard, important foreign envoys, powerful wizards and their apprentices, and the members of local influential temples.
The Watch points fuming patriarchs, indignant guildsmasters, and furious archmages in the orsar’s direction, leaving them free to see that justice continues to be served as equally as the system allows, while not simply brushing aside politically influential persons.
Orsars wear the Watch tabard with a single hand, fingers upright and together, palm out as their emblem.
Swordcaptain
The lowest rank of civilars is the swordcaptain. Each patrol is led by a swordcaptain, a member of the Watch with a minimum of five years of experience (though particularly talented or skilled individuals may find themselves elevated to this position sooner). A swordcaptain is expected to work with the rorden of their watchpost to see that their neighborhood is as thoroughly patrolled as possible. A swordcaptain is ultimately responsible for what happens to their patrol, so it is no wonder that many sworcaptains have a reputation for being equal parts hard on the members of their patrol as well as extremely protective of them. Most swordcaptains consider themselves the gatekeepers to their patrol–they are responsible for interacting with the higher ups in the Watch, and making sure their patrol has the resources and ability to do their jobs on the beat.
Swordcaptains wear the Watch tabard with two diagonal slashes crossed as their emblem.
Watchmen
Watchmen are the non-officers of the Watch, and there are a great many more of them than of all the upper echelons put together. The term is used for groups of men and women, although many use the term “lady watchman” when referring to a woman in a patrol; about a quarter of watchmen are women, and about a third of them are demihumans.
Armar
The armar is the swordcaptain’s second-in-command, expected to take leadership fluidly and without hesitation in situations where the swordcaptain is injured, away, or otherwise engaged. Armars are chosen from among the most promising swords in a patrol, and usually only after a few years.
Of any given patrol, the armar always bears a Watch-horn, and has the authority to employ it or call for others with the horn to do so.
Armars wear the Watch tabard with a single slash, upper left to lower right, as their emblem; this is the same emblem as Swords.
Sword
Swords are full and independent members of the Watch, sworn and recognized as officers of Waterdhavian law. Many Watch never rise above this rank, and there’s no shame in a long career of service as a sword of the Watch.
Swords wear the Watch tabard with a single slash, upper left to lower right, as their emblem.
Blade
Once a recruit has passed muster at the Watch Armory, that recruit is made a blade of the Watch. This position is an apprenticeship (although it rarely lasts longer than a year or so), assigned to a mentor of sword status. The blade is expected to learn from the sword, an education in the field that includes fighting and restraining skills, the Waterdhavian legal code, operating procedures, and proper functioning as the member of a patrol.
Along with these are an education in less formal topics, including traditions of the Watch as a whole, familiarity with a patrol’s neighborhood, and the like.
Blades wear the Watch tabard with a single slash, upper right to lower left, as their emblem
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