Waterdeep

Waterdeep, also known as the City of Splendors or the Crown of the North, is the most important and influential city in the North, and perhaps in all of Faerun. It is a truly marvelous cosmopolitan city of great culture that attracts the most talented artisans, artists, and scholars from across the Realms, as well as the commercial hub for financial interests along the coast and beyond.

It is one of if not the most powerful and influential member of the Lords’ alliance, thje coalition of nations and city-states that seeks to maintain order along the Sword Coast and the North.

“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.”

—  Largreth the Good Knight.

Description

Originally a farming community of humans that developed into a settlement known as Bloodhand Hold before being conquered and renamed Nimoar's Hold. The name "Waterdeep" was originally used by the sea captains docking at the port to trade, a moniker that originated from the city's outstanding natural deep-water harbor.

As of the late 14th century DR more than 100,000 people made their home in the city proper of Waterdeep.

Geography

Due to its great importance as a highly influential metropolitan city, Waterdeep was considered part of the Western Heartlands of the Realms, even though it lay 150 miles north of Daggerford on the shores of the Sword Coast North.

The various roads to Waterdeep were well paved and well patrolled. The major trade routes included:

• Trade Way, the trade route to the south.
• Long Road, the inland trade route to the north.
• High Road, the coastal trade route to the north, not to be confused with the stretch of the road that passed through the city.

Geographical Features

Waterdeep was built on the site of the ancient elven settlement of Aelinthaldaar. It sprawled northward from the sea, spreading along the flanks of Mount Waterdeep, which used to be home to the Melairkyn, a mithral-mining dwarven clan,[19] and the entire length and great depth of the mountain was riddled with passages and tunnels, most of which were occupied by deadly creatures whose presence in the mountain predated the founding of the city itself.

Goverment

Waterdeep is ruled by a sixteen-seat council whose membership are largely secret. These hidden Lords of Waterdeep maintained their identities behind magical masks, called the Lord's Helm, and while they rule in public, none know the true identities of most of them. The subject of who the Lords are is a common topic of noble conversation, and some considered it a game to discover the Lords' identities, a game made more confusing by the fact the Lords themselves set their own rumors afloat.

Trade

The city is the hub of trading from the mineral-rich lands to the north, the merchant kingdoms of Amn and Calimshan to the south, the kingdoms of the Inner Sea to the east, and the sea kingdoms and traders to the west.

The city is also the largest spelljamming port of Faerûn. Although welcoming to most spacefaring races, Waterdeep's laws required that all ships landed on the ocean several miles from the city and make their final approach by sea. Transgressors are punished with harsh fines and imprisonment. This rule prevented some types of ships from ever reaching Waterdeep, but was enforced to avoid mass panic from the population. Departing vessels were subject to the same rules.

Culture

Given its size and influence, Waterdeep is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of citizens. While humans comprise the majority of its populace, you will find humanoids from all walks of life calling the city home. Waterdhavians tend to be social, stalwart and outspoken people who maintained a worldly perspective of the cultures throughout Toril. While they are proud of their realm's history, they typically keep from dismissing cultures from foreign lands.

Religion

Waterdeep has a huge variety of faiths, and the odds were that if a deity was worshiped somewhere in Faerûn, it had at least a follower (or likely a wandering priest or two, and maybe a shrine) in the City of Splendors.

History

The region that would later be called Waterdeep was originally a trading stop utilized by the local tribesmen of the North and merchants that came up from the cities to the south. Early accounts of permanent farms being established in the area varied slightly, with some sages stating that they were first observed as early as the Year of the Thundering Horde, 52 DR, while others noted their appearance circa to mid–4th century DR.

The actual name "Waterdeep" was first used circa the 10th by sea captains to refer to the warlord-controlled town at whose port they docked. It did not become a true city until the Year of the Nightmaidens, 1032 DR, the year Ahghairon became the first Lord of Waterdeep, and the date from which Northreckoning is counted.

Its size and population grew at a tremendous pace. By the mid–13th century Waterdeep's famous guilds had taken root in the city and construction of the City of the Dead graveyard had been completed. Waterdeep's guild masters seized control of the the City of Splendors shortly after the Year of the Cockatrice, 1248 DR, beginning an era of great turmoil and political conflict referred to as the Guildwars. This dark period ended after a couple decades, and the more modern form of governance was put in place in the Year of the Wagon, 1273 DR. The secretive Lords of Waterdeep took power, aided by the diligent and astute Blackcloaks.

People from all across Faerûn and beyond traveled to Waterdeep to take their chance at earning wealth and renown. They were afforded their chances by the city's stable and fair system of government, its stalwart defenders of the City Guard and vigilant members of the Watch. By the 14th century, Waterdeep earned the reputation as a place of tolerance for the myriad of different cultures, lifestyles, and religions that were associated with the people of the Realms.

When the Time of Troubles came upon Toril in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, Waterdeep became the battleground of the gods. The goddess Shar orchestrated the abduction of Luna, the avatar of moon-goddess Selûne, and masqueraded as her in the city. Selûne was freed by the efforts of Luna's adventuring companions and proceeded to defeat Shar and prevent any great destruction from befalling Waterdeep. That same year saw the avatar of Myrkul and his legion of night riders invade the city in pursuit of the mortal Midnight, who possessed one of the Tablets of Fate. The Lord of the Dead was disintegrated atop Blackstaff Tower by Midnight in a great battle that led to the opening of the Celestial Staircase atop Mount Waterdeep, and the ascension of three mortals to deific status: Cyric, Kelemvor, and the restored Mystra.

While Waterdeep did not face ruin as some other cities did when the Spellplague struck the Realms in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR, the magical network that wound through its infrastructure was greatly altered. The cataclysm "awakened" the remaining Walking Statues that previously only existed on the Ethereal Plane and brought them back to Waterdeep on the Prime Material plane. They each ran rampant in the city, causing some extent of destruction before they were stopped by various means.

Waterdeep was struck with another catastrophic event in the Year of Silent Death, 1395 DR, when the Putrescent Anathema spread throughout its region of the North. The plague hit Goldenfields particularly hard, destroying much of the city's primary grain supply. The catastrophe reduced the city's population greatly, hitting its poorer citizens particularly hard.

In the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, a number of agents and organizations including the shady Xanathar's Thieves' Guild, the greedy Zhentarim, the enigmatic Harpers, and even the stalwart Lords' Alliance sought to recover a cache of 500,000 gold dragons that was hidden somewhere within the city, a sum that was embezzled by the ousted former Open Lord of the city, Dagult Neverember. It is unknown who recovered the funds or where they ended up, but the words had fallen quiet about its existance, indicating someone broke away with the coin.

Notable Locations

TBD

Inhabitants

TBD

Guilds

Nobility

Merchants

Rumors and Legends

TBD

Appendix

Include a "See Also" and other reference details