Waterdhavian

There aren't many travelers coming from Toril, but those who do, are typically from Waterdeep. The city is said to have mana lines that run deep, emanating universal energy that make even accidental portals possible. Intentional ones are rarer, but exquisitely easy.
Also known as the City of Splendors or the Crown of the North, Waterdeep is the most important and influential city in the North and perhaps in all Faerûn. It was a truly marvelous cosmopolitan city of great culture that attracted the most talented artisans, artists, and scholars from across the Realms, as well as a commercial hub for financial interests along the coast and beyond. Despite all this prosperity, there is a well-known proverb about the city that follows it in every conversation:
Though it may seem as if all Waterdeep rushes and bustles about with eyes and minds only for their own business at hand, it profits everyone to always remember that part of their business is watching what is unfolding around them, without seeming to, in hopes of seizing on the next big thing, the next road to riches. Even if only to sneer, Waterdeep always watches.
As of the late 7th century AF, more than 200,000 people made their home in the city and surrounding area of Waterdeep.

Culture

Culture and cultural heritage

Waterdhavians tended to be social, stalwart and outspoken people who maintained a worldly perspective of the cultures throughout Toril.[12] While they were proud of their realm's history, they typically kept from dismissing cultures from foreign lands. While they often sought the improvement of their lives through the accumulation of wealth and self-importance, as a people, they would not stand for military conquest or the thought of imperialization.

Common Dress code

Waterdhavian culture was called for a sort of resigned display of status when it came to the clothes one would wear. While all manner of dress could be seen on the city streets, guild members would only don their livery when conducting official business or meetings, during important holidays or while on ventures outside Waterdeep proper. Nobles would only display their crests or coat-of-arms in subtle affectations, such as a signet ring or other understated jewelry, while their servants wore clothes that were fully emblazoned with their house heraldry.
In contrast, women were known to maintain a high sense of fashion, often wearing elegant silk gowns, furs and sparkling jewelry, as the season dictated.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

A common custom in Waterdeep is known as the Silver Shake, in which two people trade small silver objects upon first meeting. Some believe this is a form of wealth distribution, as the rich will give much more expensive items and the poor vice versa, spreading money about ever so slightly and encouraging different social groups to mingle.
However, the origin of this tradition is more sinister in nature. Hundreds of years ago, Waterdeep was the victim of a were-plaque, when much of the city were bit by and became werewolves. The City Guard, desperate to root out the infected, snuck silver into the water and went around to different doctors to round up everyone who became sick. This led to hundreds of arrests, some false, and incited mass panic among Waterdhavians. The paranoia persisted for generations, evolving from people wearing silver cufflinks to detect werewolves through handshakes down to the modern Silver Shake.

Funerary and Memorial customs

In addition to the standard festivals of the Calendar of Harptos, there were several festivals and holy days held in Waterdeep:

Ahghairon's Day: A holiday commemorating Ahghairon's birthday. It consisted of small details, like toasting for the Lords; leaving violets at the base of Ahghairon's Tower, the Plinth, or atop the altars of the House of Wonder; and bards performing songs in honor of the Old Mage. The Open Lords visited taverns and inns across the city, to wish the people well.
Auril's Blesstide: Held on the day of winter's first frost, this day saw everyone in the city wearing white clothes, not serving or eating hot meals, and a parade of naked men and women wearing only white cloaks going from Cliffwatch in the North Ward, across the city and to the beaches. There, participants dived into the icy waters, sacrificing their warmth to the Frostmaiden.
Fleetswake: A festival celebrating the sea, the sea trade and the gods of the sea. It spanned the last tenday of Ches, and included boat races, the Shipwright's Ball at the Shipwright's House, and guild-sponsored galas at the Copper Cup festhall. The festival was concentrated in Dock Ward and the Fiery Flagon in Sea Ward.
Lliira's Night: A celebration honoring the Lady of Joy with dances and balls, held the night of Flamerule 7. Although the celebration was shared all over the city in many festhalls, the highlight of the night was the Cynosure Ball, which was sponsored by the Lords, the local clergy of Lliira, and several noble families.
Trolltide: This lesser holiday celebrated the end of the Second Trollwar at the start of Kythorn. On this day, Waterdhavian children would run about the city, dressed as trolls demanding treats from citizens and shop owners lest the children pull pranks on them at sundown.

Common Myths and Legends

Waterdeep had a huge variety of faiths, and the odds were that if a deity was worshiped somewhere in Faerûn, it had at least a follower. There was also a large temple known as the Plinth, which was open to all faiths. In addition to the city's famous temples, a number of minor shrines and other holy houses could be found in Waterdeep.
As was found in many metropolises in the Realms, Waterdeep housed a great many secret places of worship where devotees of dark powers could exercise their secretive faiths. Even marginalized groups such as the Cult of the Dragon and so called "beast cultists" could meet within the city to conduct the business related to their malevolent deities.
As of the early 300s, a new temple to Valkur had already been built in the city. In the same year, the returned drow goddess Eilistraee was witnessed as she danced in the moonlight, near the walls of the city, up the road to Amphail. This led many of her followers to Waterdeep, with the goal of creating a shrine to their goddess within its walls.