Waterdeep Waterdeep , also known as the City of Splendors or the Crown of the North , was the most important and influential city in the North and perhaps in all Faerûn . For this reason it 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 . The city sat " slightly above the 45 degree north latitude line on Toril . " The road to Waterdeep was well paved and well patrolled . The city was 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 . Waterdeep ' s authority extended between thirty to forty miles from its walls . The surrounding region had a population density of over 200 people per square mile . Waterdeep was named for its outstanding natural deep - water harbor , and the city that grew up at this site became the commercial crossroads of the northern Realms . More than 100 , 000 people made their home in Waterdeep . The city 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 , 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 . The halls of Undermountain located beneath the city were a popular target for adventurers , who enjoyed the close vicinity of the city ' s main taverns and temples where aid could be purchased through donations . After the Spellplague , it lost its title as Faerûn ' s most important and influential city to Baldur ' s Gate . Baldur ' s Gate grew not only larger than Waterdeep in population but also doubled its area . Names . Waterdeep was built on the site of the ancient elven settlement of Aelinthaldaar , which gave way to a farming community of humans that developed into Bloodhand Hold . This was conquered and renamed Nimoar ' s Hold before the name " Waterdeep " caught on . Waterdeep was the most common name used by the sea captains docking at the port to trade . History . Brief History . Waterdeep was used as a trading site for trade activities between northern tribesmen and southern merchants from −1088 DR onwards . By 52 DR , permanent farms had sprung up in the area . The name " Waterdeep " ( not as a city , but as a town ) was used by the ship captains docking to trade at the port , and it was slowly adopted into common use . The city was truly established by 1032 DR , the year Ahghairon became the first Lord of Waterdeep , and the date from which Northreckoning is counted . The city grew spectacularly , such that by 1248 DR both the City of the Dead and the guilds had been developed . The guild masters seized control soon afterwards , ushering in a period of unrest and bitter conflict known as the Guildwars . The Guildwars ended only when the two surviving guild masters brought in their own period of misrule . It was only in 1273 DR that the modern system of government was instituted . This was the year that the Magisters were established and the secret Lords of Waterdeep were firmly reestablished . Since that time , the city continued to grow and prosper . Humankind and other races came from all over the Realms to earn hard coin in the City of Splendors . Over the years , these successful merchants set up guilds and themselves became nobility , supporting the secretive Lords of Waterdeep who policed the city fairly , yet with a light hand , by means of the superb City Guard ( soldiers ) , City Watch ( police ) and over 20 black - robed magistrates . As a result , Waterdeep was a place tolerant of different races , religions , and lifestyles . This in turn encouraged commerce and Waterdeep grew into a huge , eclectic city . Government . Waterdeep was ruled by a council whose membership was largely secret . These hidden Lords of Waterdeep maintained their identities behind magical masks , called Helm s , and while they ruled in public , none knew the true identities of most of them . The subject of who the Lords were became 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 . As of around 1370 DR , stone was imported from Mirabar via Luskan for use in construction , having been magically transported . This was an expensive process . Around 1374 DR , during the late autumn time , wagons and carts overcrowded the markets as foreign vendors attempted to sell as much as possible before returning home for the winter . This was a practice ignored by the Guard , the Watch , and the guilds . Waterdeep was the start of several trade routes : Defenses . Waterdeep maintained two separate armed forces , the City Guard and the City Watch . The City Guard served as Waterdeep ' s soldiery and its members staffed garrisons , road patrols , and watchposts , and served as bodyguards and gate guards . The Watch was the local police force . Waterdeep had strong walls on its landward sides and was protected in part by Mount Waterdeep on the seaward side . Mount Waterdeep was studded with watch towers and defensive positions , and patrolled by special guard units on flights of hippogriffs . Aside from this , Waterdeep also benefited from a large native population of the adventuring classes ( including powerful mages , priests , and warriors ) who were more than willing to deal with any and all miscreants who threatened their home city , and did so in the past . This often proved the City of Splendors ' most potent defense . Law and order . The City Watch was the local police force and in addition to capturing criminals , its members settled petty disputes , gave directions , summoned medical and priestly aid , generally performing duties that promoted the idea that Waterdeep was a city open to all who knew how to behave themselves . Waterdhavian justice was dispatched by the Magisters , who directed the common courts of the city . These Black Robes , as they were often called , were empowered to pass sentences . They were always accompanied by six members of the guard . Any individuals found guilty could appeal to the Lord ' s Court , ruled over by the masked Lords of Waterdeep , where serious cases were usually heard . Individuals bringing frivolous cases to the Lord ' s Court usually faced stiffer fines than if they ' d accepted a Magister ' s ruling . Crime . The last official thieves ' guild in Waterdeep was destroyed in 1300 DR , and while there were many claimants to that position and title over the years since , there were no groups of sufficient power to challenge the Lords of Waterdeep . Since the Lords were secret , no criminal knew if a trusted partner was truly on his or her side or not . This is not to say that there were no thieves or crime in the streets of Waterdeep . Rather , crime there was random and dispersed , with no one leader or organization to command it . One attempt was made by a crime lord named Xanathar , a beholder with a well developed secret network in his service . This network was savaged and Xanathar defeated through the actions of bold adventuring companies at the command of Lord Piergeiron . Whether a new crime lord would come to the fore remained to be seen . Society . Guilds . It was said that the Lords ruled Waterdeep but did not truly run it . This was quite true , in that there were a number of other factions who made up Waterdeep . The most noticeable were the guilds — powerful merchant and craft organizations that controlled much of the life - blood of the city . Once , the guilds ruled the city , and it almost destroyed itself in a series of internal commercial wars . No one wanted to see those days return . Nobility . A second important Waterdhavian faction was the local nobility . It consisted of 76 families of varying degrees of power , most of whom could trace their lines to before the founding of Waterdeep itself . Many powerful names came out of Waterdeep , including the Amcathra s ( whose scion became Lord of Shadowdale ) ; the Cassalanter s , wealthy moneylenders ; as well as the Wands , a family of powerful and noble wizards . Merchants . Third , a rising merchant class existed outside the standard guilds . These were caravan and coaster operators , and they used Waterdeep as a destination for their caravan goods . More shops offered a variety of different goods because of this growing group . The most notable of these new merchants was the retired wizardess Aurora , who established a magical retail organization to supply a wide number of patrons across the North with specialized items . Adventurers . A large host of adventurers flooded the city at any given time . Some established themselves as citizens of good standing and remained permanently , while others drifted off for other climes or met their ends in back - alley brawls . With the exception of the Gray Hands , secret societies such as the Harpers and the Red Sashes made up the closest thing to organizations drawn from this group . Layout . Since 1035 DR , Waterdeep was roughly divided into wards . The wards originally all had guards and walls in the manner of Procampur and other ancient cities , but the press of progress toppled or bored through most of the walls . Only the walls and guards around the City of the Dead were maintained . The wards of Waterdeep were : Culture . Religion . Waterdeep had 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 . The largest temples in the city were dedicated to Oghma , Tyr , Tempus , Gond , Selûne , Mystra , Silvanus and Mielikki , Lathander , Sune , and Tymora . There was also a large temple known as the Plinth , which was open to all faiths . In addition to the temples , shrines to Chauntea , Lliira , Sharess , and Siamorphe ( the last two were local divinities ) could be found here . Additionally , there were secret temples and hidden shrines to most of the dark gods , often hidden away beneath the streets of the city . These included churches of Cyric , Talona , Umberlee , Shar , Auril , and a wide variety of the Beast Cults , including the Cult of the Dragon . In the years immediately following the Time of Troubles , Waterdeep had an active Cult of Ao ; however , this later diminished almost to nonexistence . There was also a temple dedicated to Baravar Cloakshadow located within the Warrens beneath Waterdeep . Although the faith of Talona is considered misguided or bad , it does not mean small groups of lay followers cannot practice their personal faith . However , the building of a public house of worship to her is forbidden in Waterdeep . It is also illegal to form a public priesthood dedicated to her . . As of 1491 DR , a new temple to Valkur had already been built in the city . In the same year , the returned drow goddess Eilistraee was witnessed as she danced in the moonlight , near the walls of the city , up the road to Amphail . This led many of her followers to Waterdeep , with the goal of creating a shrine to their goddess within its walls . The project was supported by the Harper leading delegate Remallia Haventree . Festivals and holidays . In addition to the standard festivals of the Calendar of Harptos , there were several festivals and holy days held in Waterdeep :