Castle Waterdeep

Castle Waterdeep

Castle Waterdeep is a castle located in the city of Waterdeep. It is the seat of the city's government.

Defenses

Its walls are 60-ft-thick (18 m) on average, and high enough that when banners are displayed in honor of visiting parties, they are visible from many areas of the southern city. They are also enchanted with magic spells. The road up to the castle's main entrance is steep-sided and winding, with towers guarding it at regular points.

Interior

Most of the castle's passageways are permanently lit by continual light spells.

Supplies

The castle can hold enough food to feed 50,000 people for ten days, and can accommodate up to 540 prisoners in 90 cells. There are many dungeons beneath the castle, mainly used for storage, which link through to the Citadel of the Bloody Hand, creating a security concern. There are also deep wells beneath the castle that provide clean drinking water.

Personnel

The castle is garrisoned by 1,400 of the City Guard, who, along with members of the City Watch, are trained in its courtyard. Seventy warhorses are kept in the castle stables. Thirty guards are always armed and keeping watch on the battlements, while twenty crossbowmen and two wizards are always on duty in a guardroom close to the castle gates.

Activities

The battlements of Castle Waterdeep are used for the hanging of non-nobles.

History

Work began on the castle in the Year of the Thundering Horde, 963 DR, outside and to the north of the city walls. It was finished on Higharvestide, the Year of the Haunting Harpy, 974 DR, the same year Laroun rose to War Lord.
During the Time of Troubles of the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, a party was held at Castle Waterdeep in honor of a supposed avatar of the goddess Selûne. It was attended by Lord Piergeiron, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, Tertius Wands, Mirt and Asper, and Fenn Estelmer and Kyriani, who came to investigate the avatar. However, a trio of the Dark Army of the Night crashed the party and made a failed attempt to kidnap the avatar, before they were arrested by the City Guard. Kyriani later confronted the avatar in the castle kitchens, but the two fought a spell-battle that spilled out into the corridor before Lord Piergeiron intervened. Khelben helped Kyriani escape with a passwall through the castle walls. Dramatically, she leaped out of the cliff-side castle and was caught by her lover Rellamyn on his flying horse. He and his companions swooped the castle, dodged flaming arrows from its defenders, before they departed.
As of 1372 DR, it has long since been within the city walls.

Type

Castle