Armed Forces of Waterdeep

Waterdeep - - in peacetime, not just when at war - - patrols outwards along the main trade-roads leading to its gates. These are mounted patrols, and Ed has mentioned in several places in lore (notably the Environs of Waterdeep article in DRAGON, but also in his later "New Adventures of Volo" column) that there are stables and "turnaround' keeps or fortified houses in the hamlets along these patrol routes, notably at the "end of patrol" points. Patrols get fresh horses there, and provisions and shelter in severe weather, and of course these places are defended so they can't be plundered or a foe of Waterdeep can't just wait for a tired patrol and ambush them. THAT'S what the garrisons you read about are for. They get bolstered in times of actual war (for example the fight around Dragonspear, which was based around an incident in our campaign), of course, but it's wrong to think of them as representing territorial expansionist ambitions or "beach heads" for any sort of short-term expansion of rule or influence. What they DO is prevent brigands from pouncing on caravans and peddlers with a few pack-mules as they depart or are bout to enter Waterdeep (and so discourage overland trade).
Much of Waterdeep's popularity as a trade center in the 1300s DR is based on the perception of the wider Realms that it's a place where money talks and local rulership are referees in a busy mercantile setting, rather than tyrants or having any imperial ambitions. If traders ever see Waterdeep as tending towards becoming a kingdom or empire or military power, they will take their trade elsewhere (Baldur's Gate, Tharsult, and several other Sword coast port cities are all prime candidates).
And, yes, applying real-world examples to the Realms is a trilfe perilous, unless you're prepared to "think through" the consequences of having lots of spellcasters, both divine and arcane. Massed formations, shield-walls, and similar tactics are unlikely to be popular in any setting where spells can readily ravage such inviting targets. You might think that's a detail, but it does in fact affect EVERYTHING in terms of military organization.
Adult males assembled in the village green, usually weekly, for archery. Not for fun, but to be ready with their longbows when called upon to fight. They did NOT travel to a camp and live in it, drilling and training away from their families and day jobs. Neither do Waterdhavians.
Waterdhavians don't "sign up" for militia. They get paid daily (hot meal, hot broth, two coppers) if they show up for training and stay to the end of training. There's no draft, no dogtags, no encampments, no military police; none of that. Professional modern armies (and guerillas in third-world countries) use youngsters to fight; in the Realms, where apprentices are needed for the guild work and almost everyone young is needed to work the family fields (so everyone EATS; it's NOT optional) or in the family shop, the young are being raised and trained to take over the family business, not sent off to war. They fight (or run) when war comes to them. That's why mercenaries exist; because only those youths and older persons who've "left home to find their fortune" are footloose enough to CHOOSE to fight or adventure. Everyone else is tied to the land or to trade (and, remember, we're talking about one of the largest and busiest trade centers in the Realms here).
Waterdeep has permanent hiring fairs (Virgins' Square, etc.) for guards, loaders/unloaders/casual day labourers, and a guild system. Beggars are policed by the Watch to make sure gangs don't develop, but it's understood that there's a large "floating homeless" population in warm weather. These people go south every fall to avoid freezing to death. In other words, in this respect, Waterdeep is a lot more like New Amsterdam (old New York) than modern New York.
there's an elaborate network of Lords and their spies, the Guard, the Watch, the guilds, the Watchful Order wizards and the Lord Mage of Waterdeep and his lady, who enforce daily laws and order, enough for the merchants to trust the tradng environment and keep coming. But yes, if the entire population, or even localized masses of it, ever rose up, there would be strife (as shown in CITY OF SPLENDORS and many other novels describing Waterdeep) that those in authority would have great difficulty controlling. Ed designed it that way for better fictional "derring-do" opportunities for Mirt, back in his earliest stories, and more adventuring opportunities (as a published game setting; it's supposed to be a place where roleplayers can have their characters have lots of fun adventures).
The "troops" (not a Realmsian word, either) are indeed too small to keep a "police state" functioning, but as I've told you several times now, that's not what Waterdeep is.
Noble families are allowed "no more than 70 fully-equipped men-at-arms" and these men-at-arms are "not one massed army at a villa, but are scattered about all the noble's properties across the city." Those lines are directly from the City of Splendors boxed set. Non-nobles can have 16 bodyguards.


1. The 1,200 strength of the City Guard is its mandated-by-the-Open-Lord BARE MINIMUM (it's never supposed to fall below that without triggering standing orders to hire replacements from the militia trainees drilled at Castle Waterdeep. That 1,200 figure is the publicly-announced strength of fully-armored veteran Guardsmen (not to be confused with the Watch; by the 1400s, they are combined), not the true strength. The Lords want to keep the true muscle of the Guard secret, so as to be able to deliver "nasty surprises" to anyone contemplating armed insurrection, invasion, etc.
The garrison of the Castle, the inhabitants of the griffon-rider base inside upper Mount Waterdeep, and the Skullport forces are all NOT included in this figure. At any one time, there tend to be 600-700 partly-trained "sword-ready" trainees who can be pressed into Guard service in a trice (and will be quite effective, assuming some existing Guardsmen survive to be their officers).
The Navy is largely NDA'd, but as published lore (KNIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) reminds us all, there is a harbor defense force of merfolk, and as RUINS OF UNDERMOUNTAIN mentions, the navy makes use of the Seacaves and the shaft to move vessels to and from Skullport just as traders do.
One hinted-at but not "spelled out" factor is Khelben, Laeral, and Piergeiron's trusted personal mages all policing the Guard, Watch, and Navy to keep them free of corruption, and doing the same to the Watchful Order, who in turn are used to openly watch over and assist the Guard and the Watch (patrolling with both). This guards against Palace coups and against any infiltrator or noble faction managing to subvert, blackmail, or replace and impersonate more of any of the services than a handful of specific individuals.
somewhere here at the Keep, YEARS ago (2004?) Ed replied to someone that the wall towers were "bases" (sleeping quarters) for individual Watch patrols, plus small sub-armories, plus "local lockups" for confining prisoners overnight.
I don't think your logic (each tower is set up to accomodate 13 personnel, so therefore 13 personnel must be there manning it at all times)


So, according to the books, there's 2,000 memebrs of the Navy, and here we'll find a force that needs expansion. (Piergeiron is going to get this place destroyed!!!)
The Navy has 16 Rakers, 24 Strikers, and 15 transports (War Naos?) and is tasked with manning the harbour walls and forts.
The Rakers Fleet: 16 ships with 36 crew on each, so that's 576 sailors/marines.
The Strikers Fleet: 24 ships with 44 crew on each, so that's 1056 sailors/marines.
The War Nao Fleet (transports:) 15 ships with 40 crew on each, so that's 600 sailors/marines, not to mention the troop carrying levels of 200 each would bring the level up to 3000.
So just to man the ships, Waterdeep needs 2232 sailors/marines. So, I'm guessing when ships are in dock, those troops man the harbour forts and walls (no rest.)


https://www.rpglibrary.org/utils/meddemog/


Watch, Guard, Navy, Cavalry 1,200 City Guard?
-Ed 19/4/10
The 1,200 strength of the City Guard is its mandated-by-the-Open-Lord BARE MINIMUM (it's never supposed to fall below that without triggering standing orders to hire replacements from the militia trainees drilled at Castle Waterdeep. That 1,200 figure is the publicly-announced strength of fully- armored veteran Guardsmen (not to be confused with the Watch; by the 1400s, they are combined), not the true strength. The Lords want to keep the true muscle of the Guard secret, so as to be able to deliver "nasty surprises" to anyone contemplating armed insurrection, invasion, etc.
The garrison of the Castle, the inhabitants of the griffon-rider base inside upper Mount Waterdeep, and the Skullport forces are all NOT included in this figure. At any one time, there tend to be 600-700 partly- trained "sword-ready" trainees who can be pressed into Guard service in a trice (and will be quite effective, assuming some existing Guardsmen survive to be their officers).
City Navy
-Ed 19/4/10
The Navy is largely NDA'd, but as published lore (KNIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) reminds us all, there is a harbor defense force of merfolk, and as RUINS OF UNDERMOUNTAIN mentions, the navy makes use of the Seacaves and the shaft to move vessels to and from Skullport just as traders do.
Oversight by Wizards
-Ed 19/4/10
One hinted-at but not "spelled out" factor is Khelben, Laeral, and Piergeiron's trusted personal mages all policing the Guard, Watch, and Navy to keep them free of corruption, and doing the same to the Watchful Order, who in turn are used to openly watch over and assist the Guard and the Watch (patrolling with both). This guards against Palace coups and against any infiltrator or noble faction managing to subvert, blackmail, or replace and impersonate more of any of the services than a handful of specific individuals.
Watch & Guard Reactions to PC actions
-Ed 30/8/12
Reactions of the Watch and Guard differ from situation to situation, depending on how wary they are at the time regarding city crimes and security, the reputation and manner of the PCs and adventurers involved (some adventurers have developed pretty cozy "we're your special secret agents" relationship with the Watch and Guard, who know/are under orders to to allow adventurers a little leeway), and who else is involved (whether or not any prisoners are guildmasters or nobles, for instance).
However, I can give you some "general" or "usual" procedures and reactions, as follows:
If adventurers turn up with prisoners and a story, they'll get politely but thoroughly questioned by the Watch or Guard (and if they depart before this questioning is done, a "general watch, to arrest and detain" will be issued among the Guard and Watch, to hold them until questioning is done). This questioning will be augmented, in secret, by spells cast by the "duty mages" (currently on-duty with the Watch and Guard members) of the Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors, plus priests of Torm, Helm, and Oghma, seeking to ascertain the truth among what's said.
The questioning will be even more exhaustive (with witnesses sought out and questioned separately, for verification) if deaths are involved.
The Watch and Guard (and the Black Robes/magistrates) have a lot of leeway in sentencing, from dismissing charges outright to imposing exiles and confiscations stop normal sentences, in cases involving adventurers starting fires, destroying or taking property, and murdering/"justifiably slaying." A "lot of dead bodies" would trigger a thorough investigation, with the adventurers charged not to leave the city (and either imprisoned or given a Watch every-moment escort) until the investigation was done. Adventurers could well end up charged with slayings that were deemed "willful and unprovoked" (and it's not enough to dislike someone, or to judge they've cheated you or wounded you in the past, to have justification for slaying them now - - defending your own life against their intended-murderous attack, when you have not goaded them, is all right, but when witnesses are sought and testimony taken, the "not goading" or who started it can be disputed and a matter of finings or imprisonment or worse. Adventurers are seen as "necessary evils" and "rowdies to be watched closely" by the Watch and Guard, many of whom see them as "walking trouble waiting to happen," so adventurers shouldn't be surprised, if trouble does erupt, to discover they've been spied upon for some time by street urchins or female shopkeepers who are, in fact, "eyes of the Watch."
Treasure gained by PCs in a private dispute is theirs, considered "fair spoils," unless some part of it is needed as evidence in a criminal or politicial dispute (whereupon it will be confiscated and "fair credit," fairness/value judged solely by the Palace, given in lieu to the adventurers).
Treasure gained through crime (i.e. the adventurers are judged to have forcibly taken, stolen, or done murder to get ot keep goods that would otherwise have belonged to someone else) are forfeit to the Palace, and are to be returned to rightful owners or heirs (or failing, that, retained in the Palace coffers). In commercial disputes or criminal proceedings, the Black Robe often officially shares out treasure among plaintiffs/victims, in accordance with the Black Robe's notion of justice (so adventurers could be given back a part or even all of their treasure, or see it go to victims or the families of victims).
As standing policy, the Guard and Watch keep a close but covert eye on known adventurers in the city. Resident nobles and agents working for them can "buy their way" out of minor trouble, but everyone else should beware. The Guard and Watch have limited patience with troublemakers, and have been known to manipulate and lead outlander adventurers into brawls and thefts so the adventurers can face the drawn-swords danger AND take the blame. In other words, the authorities aren't above using adventurers as both unofficial strike forces AND scapegoats. (Some adventurers are paid enforcers for the Guard and Watch, who wade into drunken sailors or guild disputes when asked to by the Guard and Watch, and are given limited immunity from prosecution for what they do in such strife, by the authorities "turning a blind eye" to what obviously went on.)
Blackstaff Tower Ready-Staves
-THO 3/6/11, responding to query about staffs mentioned in "Cloak of Shadows" novel
These are magical staves ("staffs" in recent D&D game editions) that Khelben and Laeral (sometimes with assistance) have crafted and put in racks inside Blackstaff Tower, near entrances, so that whoever is guarding that entrance has them "ready" to hand, if they need to fight an intruder. Ready-staves can be any sorts of magical staves, and I recall that most of them seemed to be "standard" magical staves from various (2nd Edition) sourcebooks, that had been augmented with minor magical powers (they could levitate, glow on command, fly to a wielder's hand if the right command word was spoken by someone attuned to the staff, reflect specific magical attacks or damage types (like lightning) back at their sources, and things of that sort.
An apprentice or anyone else trained on doorwarden duty would know the major powers of the ready- staves at their post, but might not know all powers of the staves. Most of them had a few common
powers, one of which was unlimited back-and-forth message speech (and silent telepathic communication) between everyone simultaneously holding ready-staves (I have no idea if this worked outside the immediate vicinity of Blackstaff Tower, because in play I never saw any ready-staves taken farther away from the Tower).
Wards/Mythals Link to Song Dragons
-THO 5/6/11
If I remember rightly, there's some sort of ongoing link between song dragons and Waterdeep's wards (or the older underlying mythals). (Wards aiding the song dragons in healing when needed? Don't quote me on that one, because I can't really recall . . .)
Harbour
Defenses
-THO 20/4/10, responding to suggestions for ways to improve harbor defense
Waterdeep only exists as the flourishing trading port it is because of its good harbour (not a superb natural harbour, but by far the best one north of Tethyr). The tides, scouring currents, and onshore winds make both ridges and any sort of fixed, non-porous-to-water wall totally impractical: the presence of either would make the harbour tricky for navigation at best and frequently deadly at worst.
For another thing, Waterdeep's harbour is silty (thanks to those currents) over a rock bottom, and warmed and constantly filled by effluent from its sewers. Put ridges or a wall in to block the scouring- out that the currents and tides together do, and the harbour would very quickly fill up with stinking, disease-causing excrement-mud that would ground ships for good and kill off many city inhabitants (before most of the rest evacuated; the city south of Castle Waterdeep would rapidly become untenable).
No offense, Riverwind, but Ed thought through all of this back in 1968 and 1969, before there even was a D&D game. You're not the first person to want to add many defenses to Waterdeep's harbour: the mapmakers at TSR have added towers and walls with each map they've drawn, and Ed has patiently pruned them back when he's had the chance (which isn't always).
Oh, and a postscript that's partially NDA'd:
Those harbour chains aren't JUST chains. Think wizards and magic again.
Depth
-THO 25/4/10
My notes record a depth of eighty feet right off one of the docks in southern Dock Ward (a coffer of gems plunged off the dock when the man carrying it was slain in a swordfight, and one of the Knights sent someone down on a line to recover it), but I KNOW the harbor bottom is both silty (constantly being bathed in sewer-muck) and NOT flat, so obviously depth will vary from place to place.
My memory is that it slopes away from Mount Waterdeep, getting deeper as one moves south across the harbor.
Closing of City Gates
-THO 6/10/10, replying to query about if gates are closed at night or open 24/7
I'm afraid the answer to your question is: it depends.
On when (era) your Realms campaign is set, and what time of year it is, and what the current situation is (wartime or peacetime for Waterdeep, orc horde expected or not, etc.)
Or to put matters another way:
Up through the 1380s, the gates were always closed at night. The HARBOUR remained open (unless storms or threat of attack caused its closing [[raising of the harbor chains]]) around the proverbial clock (meaning: even before there were clocks ;} ), but the gates closed at nightfall and were opened at "full dawn." Exceptions being: when City Guard commanders of certain high ranks, or the Open Lord of Waterdeep, ordered them opened during night hours for a specific purpose (usually just long enough to let someone specific in or out).
After the Spellplague effects and aftereffects settled down, Waterdeep tried keeping the gates open clock-round during the trading season (meaning: not during winter, but all the rest of any year UNLESS there was threat of war, raids, orc hordes, plague or disease epidemics, etc.) for several long periods (decades).
Then some trouble - -usually brigands - - would erupt that would cause them to close the gates at nightfall again, for a bit, until demands by local guilds, caravan companies, and independent outland traders caused them to try opening the gates again.
(This lore comes from Ed, who discussed this topic with Susan Morris as part of editing the ED GREENWOOD PRESENTS WATERDEEP series. I know about it because he discussed it with me, too.)