Blackstaff Tower

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Blackstaff Tower is the residence of Khelben “Blackstaff” Arunsun and Laeral, located in Waterdeep.


Sources

Passing Mention
Maps
Other Resources

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Ylarell

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

Either an agent of the Lords of Waterdeep or of Khelben specifically. He is killed by Myrkul during the events of the Time of Troubles.

Source

  • Waterdeep [FRE3/9249] pages 32 and 35

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

The Rat Hills

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

Hills south of Waterdeep; used as the garbage dump of the city.

The Unseen and their minions dwell in the Rat Hills.

Monsters known to lair in the Rat Hills include catoblepas, giant centipede, crawling claw, ear seeker, jackalwere, kobold, land lamprey, leucrotta, mimic, mongrelman, neo-otyugh, otyugh, poisonous frog, giant rat, rot grub, sea zombie, shambling mound, skeleton, animal skeleton, huge spider, wererat, wild dog, and zombie. The presence of the Unseen means that doppelgangers, greater doppelgangers, and changesteeds are also here, even though most folks may not know about them. Of course, all manner of fungi can also be found here.


Sources

Primary Sources
  • Ruins of Undermountain [1060] — Undermountain Adventures pages 30-31
  • Welcome to Waterdeep by Ed Greenwood — Dragon Magazine 128 pages 11-12
Maps

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

High Road (Waterdeep)

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

The High Road runs from Luskan south through Waterdeep to Daggerford, where it meets the Trade Way.

It shares its name with other roads.

In Waterdeep, it’s a paved (main) street bordering on multiple wards.


Points of Interest

  • The Proud Sword — gone by circa 1370 DR

Cross-Streets in Waterdeep


Sources

Primary Sources
Passing Mention
Maps
  • City of Splendors [1109] Map
  • City System [1040] Map
  • Under Illefarn [N5/9212] inside cover map
Other Resources

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Waterdeep

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.


At a Glance

I think the best way to start talking about Waterdeep — also known as the City of Splendors— is to observe that in spite of all that’s already been written about it, there is still more to say. It’s a city of more than a hundred thousand residents… in a place/time where average folks live in villages of maybe a hundred or towns of up to a thousand, and a city one-tenth the size of Waterdeep is considered a metropolis.

No page on this site attempts to duplicate everything that’s been published about anything in the Realms, but this is particularly true for this page. The main point of this blog is to provide an index of where relevant info can be found.


Visiting

The Wards

Physically, Waterdeep is composed of six wards, each of which could easily be a city in its own right.

Castle Ward is the heart of Waterdeep. Most of the administrative buildings are found here. Many of the “big-name” landmarks of the city are also here: Mount Waterdeep, Castle Waterdeep, Piergeiron’s Palace, Ahghairon’s Tower, Blackstaff Tower, Mirt’s Mansion, the Market, the Yawning Portal, and the Walking Statue.

North of Castle is Sea Ward. This is the wealthiest ward of the city, where the who’s who of Waterdeep lives… or wants to live. Landmarks here include Heroes’ Garden, the Field of Triumph, and many villas and temples. Watch patrols are frequent, but polite and usually only lightly armed.

Moving clockwise from Sea Ward there’s North Ward. This is where the upper middle class and “lesser” nobility dwell. Although there are guild halls and family manses here, the casual visitor will likely find the ward rather boring and strangely quiet. The only excitement to grip this ward is the parties thrown at the Hawkwinter and Roaringhorn noble villas.

Below North Ward are Trades Ward and the City of the Dead. As might be guessed from the name of the ward, many guildhalls are located in Trades Ward. One such guildhall, the House of Song, was built on the ruins of an old Ollamh college. the Plinth is the tallest building here, and also a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Three open areas also qualify as landmarks: the Court of the White Bull, Caravan Court, and Virgin’s Square.

South of Trades Ward is Southern Ward. Many of the city’s common folk dwell here. Sometimes called the Caravan City; locals refer to it as South Ward… anyone saying Southern Ward is immediately recognized as an outsider. There are inns and taverns aplenty here, and some guild halls. The Old Monster Shop —yes, it sells monsters— is also found here.

Finally, there’s Dock Ward. This is simply the lawless brawling place that tavern tales across Faerûn paint it to be.

Neighborhoods

Thayan diplomats have established a Thayan Enclave here.

Locations

This section would be far too long, so it gets its own page.

Travel Times

Assuming good weather and a favorable wind, here are some travel times (by ship) to nearby ports.


Politics

Who Rules

The answer to this question depends a bit on who’s asking, who’s answering, and what definition of rulership they’re trying to agree on. The simplest answer, the one most apparent to outsiders, is that Piergeiron rules, since he is the one who lives in the palace and declares new laws.

However, those laws are written by the Lords as a whole, and enforced as well as possible by the trio composed of the Guard, the Watch, and the Watchful Order.

The Magisters mete out discipline for those who break the laws; that’s a form of rule, too. The guilds control who works, and when, and how much they’ll earn for their labor; for most common folks that’s more than enough power to let any one group of people have. Then there are the nobles, who have a great deal of clout in certain circles among both the Watch and the guilds, and often seem to “get their way” whatever that happens to be.

Finally, there are the incorrigible (such as adventurers) who fancy themselves above petty things like law and order, and try to seize control of whatever’s just ahead of them.

In short, the answer can change from one hour to the next.


Notable Individuals

This section would be far too long, so it gets its own page.


Sources

Ha! If you want to know Waterdeep, you’ve got a lot of reading to do.

Sources are (ideally) listed from most to least recent/credible. I (and I think others) don’t consider the 4e Campaign Guide or the 3e poster map credible, but I/we will have to make an exception for this listing. The point of including credibility in the criteria is that Ed’s answers on Candlekeep take precedence over all other sources regardless of their date and thus appear at the top of the appropriate source listings.

Primary Sources
Passing Mention
Maps
Other Resources

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Trobriand

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

At a Glance

Also known as the Metal Mage, Trobriand is a wizard, a one-time apprentice of Halaster and the creator of various new constructs including the ferragan, scaladar, silversann, and thanatar.  Trobriand lives/lairs in Undermountain, but may be encountered (suitably disguised) in other places.

Sources

  • The Ruins of Undermountain [1060]
  • The Ruins of Undermountain II [1104]

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.

Halaster Blackcloak

This information is intended for use with the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game.

Halaster, from the WotC FRCS Art Gallery... click on the image for the link.
All rights are assumed to be reserved by Wizards of the Coast

At a Glance

Halaster is a wizard— the infamous Mad Mage of Undermountain, though he may be encountered anywhere in the Realms.  Most of his still-living apprentices live in Undermountain as well, including Arcturia, Muiral, Nandel Greenward, and Trobriand.  Another one-time apprentice, Jhesiyra Kestellharp, left Undermountain in the early days and later became the Magister.

It’s believed that his name was once Hilather.

Sources

  • Epic Level Handbook [88169] page 294
  • City of Splendors [1109] Who’s Who in Waterdeep page 76
  • Villains’ Lorebook [9552] page 29
  • The Ruins of Undermountain II [1104]
  • The Ruins of Undermountain [1060]

Disclaimer

Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the United States and other countries. This blog is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.