Waterdeep

Map of Waterdeep

Elves 10%

Halflings 5%

Half-elves 5%

Gnomes 3%

Half-orcs 2%

Others 1%

### Exports

Ale, arms, cloth, fish, furnishings, leather goods, pottery, refined metals, and all other sorts of finished goods

## Politics

### Judicial

The Magisters of 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 The Moon Islands. A massive trading hub, the road to Waterdeep is well paved and well patrolled. Waterdeep's authority extended between thirty to forty miles from its walls. The surrounding region has a population density of over 200 people per square mile.

## Inhabitants

### **Guilds**

It is said that the Lords ruled Waterdeep but did not truly run it. This is quite true, as there are a number of other factions that make up Waterdeep. The most noticeable are the guilds—powerful merchant and craft organizations that control much of the city.

### **Nobility**

Waterdeep is home to many noble families of varying degrees of power. Many of these families can trace their lineage to before the founding of Waterdeep itself. A few notable names include the Cassalanters, wealthy moneylenders; as well as the Wands, a family of powerful and noble wizards.

### **Merchants**

A rising merchant class exists outside the standard guilds. These are often caravan operators, and they use Waterdeep as a destination for their goods. More shops offer a variety of different goods because of this growing group.

### **Adventurers**

A large number of adventurers are in 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 make up the closest thing to organizations drawn from this group.

## Law and Order

The City Watch is 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 is a city open to all who knew how to behave themselves.

Waterdhavian justice is dispatched by the Magisters, who directed the common courts of the city. These Black Robes, as they are often called, are empoared to pass sentences. They are 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 are usually heard. Individuals bringing frivolous cases to the Lord's Court usually faced stiffer fines than if they'd accepted a Magister's ruling.

## Defenses

Waterdeep maintains two separate armed forces, the City Guard and the City Watch. The City Guard serve as Waterdeep's soldiery and its members staffed garrisons, road patrols, and watchposts, and serve as bodyguards and gate guards. The Watch is the local police force.

Waterdeep has strong walls on its landward sides and is protected in part by Mount Waterdeep on the seaward side. Mount Waterdeep is studded with watch towers and defensive positions, and patrolled by special guard units on flights of griffons. Aside from this, Waterdeep also benefits from a large native population of the adventuring classes (including powerful mages, priests, and warriors) who are 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.

The city also has the eight giant Walking Statues of Waterdeep. Seven of these statues could be animated by the Blackstaff of Waterdeep to defend the city, one is too damaged to be activated. These statues are extremely destructive, and only used to fend off armies or win otherwise impossible battles.