Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion
A Visitor's Guide to the City's Splendors
By Volothamp Geddarm
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!
Stepping through the Gates
Waterdeep is a large and storied city, the ideal for a tale of epic proportions to unfold. The following text describes, in greater or lesser detail, the tenets of life in the Jewel of the North. Feel free to peruse, though not all information might be known among all members of your adventuring party (and that might include you). Should you wish to jump right into character creation, please consult the Character Creation Compendium.
Entering Waterdeep
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. You will have traveled through lands claimed and controlled by the Lords of Waterdeep 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. Worry not. Waterdeep is a welcoming city, and you have nothing to fear from these guardians unless you lead a rampaging army of orcs, 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.) 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.
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.
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.
The South Gate
Your Arrival in the City
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.A Long History (in Brief)
There shall come a time when our city and its deepwater bay shall grow in fame and fortune across many realms and many 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.
Age before the Open Lords
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. 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 Faerûn 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. 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. 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.”Ahgairon's rule
War between orcs 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.
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 of Waterdeep. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Aghairon
The Three Apocalypses
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. 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. 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. 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.
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.
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.
The Spellplague
Surviving in the City
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!The Code Legal
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. 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. 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 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.Arms, Armor, and Combat
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. 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. 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.City Watch
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.” 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 miscreants — rarely 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. 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. 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. 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.
Watch Talk
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. “What befalls?” means “Someone tell me what’s going on here.” “Hold!” means “Don’t move a muscle.” “Down arms!” means “Drop your weapons.” “Talk truth!” means “Answer me” or “Tell the whole story.” “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.The Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors
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 strongly encouraged to join the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, headed by the Blackstaff. 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. 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.
Coinage
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. 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. Be sure to exchange taols and harbor moons before leaving the city, as their value greatly diminishes elsewhere!Taxes and Fees
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. 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. 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. Waterdeep also raises revenue by charging other fees, such as the following:1 nib/day rental of a stall in the Market
1 shard per conviction by a magister
1 dragon conveyance leaving the city, empty or full
5 dragons per ship touching dock in Waterdeep
In times of trouble, direct taxes can also be imposed:A fire tax (usually 1 dragon per household), levied whenever a fire destroys a large portion of the city
A wall tax or harbor tax (usually 1 dragon per household) raised to directly pay for needed repairs or expansions
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)
Getting About
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.Traffic and Travel
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. 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. 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.Street Signs
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-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!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. 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.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. 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.”
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.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. 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 be 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.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.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 hire-coaches that do operate into sledges, so that some are available even in the worst weather.
Nobility
While you might encounter dwarf diplomats from Gauntlgrym, satraps of Amn, 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.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.
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.
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. 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 of Waterdeep will eventually show an interest.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.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. 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. 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.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. 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:- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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. 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 poisoned 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. 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. For closer information regarding the Wards, please consult Volo's Fieldnotes on the Wards of Waterdeep.
The Sea Ward at night
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. “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. “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) “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.” "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. “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?” These scornful words are remembered and used almost daily in Waterdeep even a century later.The City’s Splendors
A description of each of the features that cause Waterdeep to be called the City of Splendors would require a library’s worth of paper. This chapbook can’t hope to encompass them all, no matter its author’s expertise with a quill. However, I shall endeavor to enlighten you about several sights that have not been mentioned earlier, and to expand upon some previously covered.Amenities
You’ll find no city on the Sword Coast or in all the North half as civilized as Waterdeep. It’s not just the law of the land that makes this so, but also the comforts that life here provides. In most other towns and cities, you’ll start with an early-morning stumble on the stairs as you carry your night soil down to deposit it outside. But in Waterdeep, many buildings are connected directly to the sewers. Public facilities for those out and about can be found all around the Market and the Field of Triumph, and near the largest city squares. In places without ready access to sewers or public outhouses, members of the Dungsweepers’ Guild make multiple rounds each day, collecting urine and excrement separately — for use in industry and agriculture, respectively. Take comfort that in Waterdeep, you’ll always find a pot to piss in. Also notice how clean the streets are kept. This upkeep is due in large part to the hard work of the Dungsweepers’ Guild. Dungsweepers can be seen working their brooms and carts at every hour of the day — and for a few hours after dark — all over the city, removing not just animal dung but other refuse. This service is free to all, paid for by taxes rendered to the city — although an egregious amount of trash left for pickup does result in a separate bill from the guild. Another amenity soon appreciated by visitors is Waterdeep’s water system. With public fountains and wells all about the city, clean water is plentiful. Many buildings have pumps of their own to draw water from the local supply, and some even possess taps that pour out water with the twist of a knob. This convenience is made possible by the inventiveness of the Gondar, the industry of the Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild, and the magic that Waterdeep inherited from the Illefarni elves. Waterdeep is also a city of light. Continual flame spells illuminate many signs and streetlamps in the wealthier parts of the city. Elsewhere, the Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters keeps the streets lit (excepting the Field Ward and the most dangerous areas of the Dock Ward). Not only that, but hundreds of driftglobes bob about the City of the Dead at night, departing to float over the rest of the city each morning. Such is not typical behavior for driftglobes, I assure you! Lastly, no city in the world is as literate as Waterdeep. Oghma’s priests from the Font of Knowledge offer free instruction in reading to all who desire it, and the city has over thirty publishers of broadsheets in addition to chapbook printers and book publishers. Large paper advertisements are plastered onto alley walls, and smaller ones are passed out by those hired by businesses to trumpet their services. Printed menus can be found posted in the windows of most eateries and are handed out to those who dine within. Admittedly, you’ll see less reading material in the Dock Ward and the Field Ward, but this fact is notable only because of its preponderance elsewhere.The Griffon Cavalry
Waterdeep doesn’t have the fabled flying ships of Halruaa, but it does deploy an aerial defense force. Brave warriors of the City Guard light out from the Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, riding fearsome griffons that have been bred and trained for that purpose. Each of the riders is equipped with a ring of feather falling — not merely to prevent death from mishap, but to allow them to perform stunning feats of aerial acrobatics. In both martial displays and in real battles against flying threats such as manticores, harpies, and outlaw wizards, the griffon riders actually leap off their mounts into the open air! For a breath-stealing moment, they fall like stones, closing in on their targets at incredible speed. Their opponents rarely see the death blow, distracted as they are by other mounted griffon riders. When they are past the danger, the free-falling riders then suddenly halt in the air, drifting like feathers until their griffon companions swoop in and they regain their saddles. Working in concert with one another in this fashion, members of the Griffon Cavalry can rapidly eliminate any threat to the city — and even catch the body of the offender before it hits the rooftops below.
The Walking Statues
Over a century ago, just one of these eight behemoth statues stood visible at the northern foot of Mount Waterdeep, on a bluff called Gull Leap. Ninety feet tall, it resembled a bald human staring out to sea. Later events (discussed below) caused it to be transformed into the statue known today as the Sahuagin Humbled.
When the Spellplague gripped Waterdeep in 1385 DR, six more walking statues suddenly appeared in the city, wandering to wreak havoc even as the Sahuagin Humbled remained motionless. The authorities and citizens of Waterdeep succeeded in stopping three of these new statues, breaking the Swordmaiden and the Hawk Man, and sinking the God Catcher into the street up to its waist. Then all the statues mysteriously stopped their rampage just as quickly as they had begun it. Tsarra Chaadren, the Blackstaff at the time, couldn’t command them to return to their former hiding places on the Ethereal Plane. Consequently, the city repaired itself and built up around them. Much later, in 1479 DR, the eighth statue — the Griffon — emerged from the Ethereal Plane to defend Ahghairon’s Tower against intrusion. It roosted there for a time before flying to its current position near Peaktop Aerie on Mount Waterdeep. Once more, this activity seemed to be outside the Blackstaff’s control. Thankfully, all the walking statues have been dormant for well over a decade now, serving only as beautiful, cyclopean reminders of Waterdeep’s might.
A complete overview can be found in The Waterdavian Walking Statues.
The God Catcher, a Walking Statue
City Celebrations
At many times of year, hardly a tenday can pass in Waterdeep without the staging of some rite, race, or rousing ceremony of civic pride. These are greatly enjoyed by the populace, and attract diverse crowds depending on the type of festival. A summary of the broad plethora of Waterdavian festivities can be consulted in Volo's Tractate on the Waterdavian Calendar.Parting Words
Well, gentle readers, you’ve reached the end of my enchiridion. If you’ve yet to arrive in the city, its splendors await you. If you’re reading this within its walls, please set aside this chapbook to experience the city. You might even see an extraordinarily handsome author hard at work reviewing one of Waterdeep’s drinking establishments. If you do so, I greet you in advance: “Well met! Autographs cost seven nibs.”
Comments