volos guide to waterdeep

Volo's Guide
to Waterdeep

A Toast to Waterdeep

Here's to the City of Splendors
Deep water where the edge of the sea
Meets rivers of gold; all the coins ever made
Flow past — gods, throw some to me!
(A traditional toast, sung in the taverns of the Waterdeep)

Credits

Design: Ed Greenwood
Editing: Julia Martin
Cover Art: Robh Ruppel
Interior Art: Valerie Valusek
Cartography: Joel Meyer and
Dennis Kauth
Typesetting Angelika Lokotz
Production:

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2

Contents

Preface: From Elminster .......................... 4 Other Places of Interest
Volo’s Ratings System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4. in Trades Ward . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Homes ............ .... ...................... ............ ..118
Introduction: A Word From Volo . . . . 5 shops . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .120
Taverns . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125
Castle Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... .. . . . . . 7 Inns . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...126
Landmarks . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Alleys . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Places of Interest
in Castle Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. .3. . . . Southern Ward ............................................1..3.. 5
Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. .3. . . . . . . Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . .3. .5. . .
Shops .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . .14 Kappiyan Flurmastyr’s House . . . . 138
Taverns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2. . .1. . . . . . The Moon Sphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ...142
Inns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3. 1 The Old Monster Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . .46
Festhalls .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3. . .4. . . . The House of Good Spirits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Alleys .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .37 The Jade Dancer . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . 155
Other Places of Interest
Sea Ward 51. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
in Southern Ward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . .5. 9
Landmarks . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .159
Tespergates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..55 Taverns .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. 159
Alleys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
The Fiery Flagon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5. 6
Other Places of Interest
in Sea Ward . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . .58 Dock Ward ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........169
Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5. . .8. . .. . . . Landmarks . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
Taverns ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 The Hanging Lantern . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. 71
Inns ............................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ...61 Helmstar Warehouse . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173
Festhalls. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . ... . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .64 The Old Xoblob Shop . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Alleys . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . ... 65 Serpentil Books & Folios . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Three Pearls Nightclub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. .84
North Ward ......................................................8...1... The Thirsty Sailor ..................................1..87
Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 81 The Ship’s Prow . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .1. 90
The Gentle Mermaid . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8. 3 The Blushing Mermaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . .93

Hawkwinter House ................................8...7 The Copper Cup . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .197
The Misty Beard ..........................................9.. 0
Other Places of Interest Other Places of Interest

in North Ward .........................................9.. 3 in Dock Ward ........................................1.. 99
Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. .9. . .9. . . .
Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9. .3. . . . . . . Taverns . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2. . 00
Shops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .93 Inns . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .205
Taverns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9. . .5. . . . . .
Festhalls . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . ........ 207
Inns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9. . .7. . . . . . . . Alleys . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .208
Alleys ................ .............................................1...00
Appendix I: Folk Of Waterdeep . . . . 214
Trades Ward .................................................1...0..5
Landmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................... 105 Appendix II: Index of Places ............ 235
The Bowels of the Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Appendix III: Color Map Key ........... .238
The Inn of
the Dripping Dagger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1. . .11

3

Preface

The engaging rogue Volo has done a May the gods smile upon ye, traveler,
better job on this tome, know ye, than on broader than they do upon Volo.
his misguided volume on magic ( Volo's
Guide to All Things Magical). It were best P.S. FR1 Waterdeep and the North
he should leave dabbling in Art to those remains the definitive guide to features
who know better. of Waterdeep, augmented by the City
System and Ruins of Undermountain
Naetheless, he missed a lot of Water- boxed sets, the Knight of the Living Dead
deep that even an occasional visitor such gamebook, and the module FRE3 Water-
as myself can spot. Much, no doubt, deep. Those desiring to explore alleys Volo
passed unseen beneath his very nose. He’s mentions would do well to consult where
got some things quite wrong, too—but the alleys meet with the sewers, on page
ye’ll discover what when ye meet them, 28 of Waterdeep and the North, if they
even if that’s (ahem) just a might late. wish to avoid (or find, I suppose) danger.

My colleague, Ed of the Greenwood, One note more: For the safety of
has prevailed upon me to include some Waterdeep, I’ve refrained from passing
small items of import to gamers. Reluc- on details of the abodes or persons of
tantly I have done so, adding probable Durnan, Khelben “Blackstaff” Arunsun,
details—trust not in their veracity I warn Laeral, Mirt, Piergeiron, and certain
ye!—of various Waterdhavians at the back others—and cut out much or all of what
of this tome (including the impetuous Volo had to say about them, too. If you’d
Volo himself). All the rest, errors and all, know such folk, meet them yourselves—
I’ve left. I must warn ye. Khelben and his and learn what they’ll grant ye. Enjoy thy
lady Laeral laughed to tears on several read. . .
occasions while reading this work—and
as I can find little amusing in it, I can only
conclude they found hilarious errors!

Volo's Ratings System

Daggers Pipes Tankards Coins

(Alleyways, (Inns) (Taverns) (Prices)
Courtyards,etc.) Lowest
Worst

Better Average

Best Highest
4

A Word from Volo

his guidebook is the and other places restricted to
those of one faith aren’t explored
result of extensive, in these pages.
often hazardous
explorations of the My forays into the City of the
City of Splendors, Dead, the sewers, and various
most colorful city of the Sword City fortresses were also severely
limited, and their coverage here
Coast. It is the dream of many reflects that. I believe only a
folk across Faerun to someday longtime citizen of Waterdeep-
which I’m not—should attempt a
visit this fabled, bustling market- guide to the pleasant parkland
place and grandest of abodes. that houses the city’s legions of
This tome attempts to steer dead.
visitors to sights and folk they
want to see—or avoid. Anyone drawing near any gate
of the city can see Mount Water-
No one traveler can go every- deep—and that’s as close as most
of us are ever going to get. Every-
where and see all in Waterdeep, one goes to gawk at Castle Water-
and with passing time, some- deep and at Piergeiron’s Palace
things I have written will change. (again, seeing little indeed of their
inside, except by invitation of the
With a few exceptions, I Lords), so I’ve largely left those
couldn’t enter the villas and out, too.
walled homes of the nobles
without invitation, so they do not A traveler could spend a
appear herein (and for obvious lifetime in Waterdeep and not
reasons, I dare not write of my fully sample its every nuance,
few covert glimpses of their pleasure, back alley or experi-
ence. There must be many
splendors—ladies, I’ll not forget). noteworthy places I’ve missed.
If you visit a guildhall in Those omissions aside, I think
you’ll agree this is the best guide-
Waterdeep and are not a mem- book to Waterdeep available. I
ber, you are typically shown (as I urge you all to remember with
favor the name of:
was) into a small number of
meeting rooms, and are not free (Volothamp Geddarm)
to wander. Watching, attentive
guards deter prying, and the
result is a boring visit unless you

have business with the guild.

Guild members would not look
favorably on my giving away
secrets, either, and so I avoid

describing guild buildings. For
the same reason, temples, shrines,

5

6

Castle Ward

ome to most of Water- granary and its flying griffon
deep’s administrative steeds. These caverns are linked
buildings and build- to Castle Waterdeep, from which
the ward takes its name, and
ings of state, this first various cliff top eyries (landing
ward of the city is and springing-aloft areas for the
griffons)—and, it is rumored, to
the heart of power in Waterdeep both Piergeiron’s Palace and the
today. It’s also the area most folk many levels of Undermountain,
the vast dungeon or subter-
who’ll tell you of Waterdeep talk ranean city beneath Waterdeep.
about. Much has been written
about it,¹ so in these pages, I’ll City watch and guard patrols
are heavy in this ward. The city
treat it more lightly than any guard deliberately puts on a
other ward of Waterdeep. Any show of force in this district.2
fool can see the mountain and
Landmarks
the castle from far off. You don’t
need my words to find them! The most prominent landmarks
of Castle Ward are the mountain
Although it looks large on a and the castle. The next most
map, much of it is taken up by important is the many-spired
Palace of Waterdeep, popularly
Mount Waterdeep, the rugged known these days as Piergeiron’s
height that protects much of the Palace, after the First, and only
city from the full fury of the
winter storms (which blow from
west-northwest). The mountain is
honeycombed with caverns and
passages where the city guard
maintains its armories, the city’s

¹FR1 Waterdeep and the North describes features of Mount Waterdeep (page 22), Castle Ward (page
23), and all city features at some length. The City System boxed set includes detailed maps of the main
aboveground structure of Castle Waterdeep, as well as detailed street maps of the city, and a selection
of building floor plans. Module FRE3 Waterdeep contains notes on the Yawning Portal inn and a partial

map of Blackstaff Tower.
The Ruins of Undermountain boxed set describes the uppermost levels of vast Undermountain,

including its surface connections and the infamous subterranean smuggling port known as Skullport.
The novel Elfshadow gives the reader a taste of Waterdhavian social life, and a glimpse of many

features of the city—including some ancient gates linking it with far places.

²City watch patrols are detailed on page 17 of FR1 Waterdeep and the North. In this ward,four-sword

detachments pass a given point about every 8 minutes and look into a tavern or inn dining room about

every 20 minutes.
As detailed on pages 15-16 and 23 of the City System set booklet, the city guard also patrols Castle

Ward, in six-man detachments. Typical patrol details are as given therein, on page 23. Reinforcements
will be a dozen LG hm F3s to F6s clad in chain mail and armed with maces, long swords, daggers, slings,
and a polearm appropriate to the situation.

Guard patrols pass a given street location about every 15 minutes, but appear in 1d4 minutes when

a city watch patrol blows a warning horn in this ward.

7

publicly known, Lord of Water- Known, imaginatively enough, as
deep. His court is held there, and
he entertains visiting embassies the Mountain Tower, it is strictly
and envoys there on an almost off limits to the public.
daily basis. Accompanying one of
them is probably the best way to There is a large open court-
get a look inside. The palace has yard in front of the palace. To
even get to the Main Gate, you
four gates. From the north, these must pass a lone tower in the
are Horn Gate, Sally Gate, Main
Gate, and Guard Gate. You’ll be midst of this open space: Ah-
challenged if you try to use any ghairon’s Tower.
way in but the Main Gate.
This slim stone tower has been
So pass through it. The entry totally enclosed above, around,
hall beyond is impressive
and beneath in a series of potent,
enough—an echoing room all of invisible magical barriers since
polished marble, empty except the death of the famous wizard,
for benches along the walls
many years ago.³ Don’t approach
carved into the likenesses of too closely—on the north side, a
seated lions, and the massive skeletal figure still stands facing
pillars that hold the upper floors
of the palace up. the tower with arms raised,
about 10 feet away from its side.
For me, though, the most It is all that remains of a wizard
impressive thing in the palace
was the scale model of the entire who tried to get into the tower in
city—building by building—set on
a huge stone table in the office of order, no doubt, to seize Ahghai-
the city clerks. To find it, turn ron’s magic for himself. He
dispelled the outermost barrier, a
right and go through the arch-
way at the end of the entry hall. forcecage, but was trapped
The large, grand stairs leading between it and the prismatic
out of the hall in the other sphere within when the force-
direction are the way to Pier-
geiron’s court and audience cage reformed behind him.
chambers. The man’s name has been

The palace stands with its back forgotten with the passage of
hard against a cliff face of Mount years, and his robes and flesh
Waterdeep. To the north and
have both rotted away, but the
south are barracks. A small magic of the tower holds the
tower set into a mountain cleft to bones in position. Until Pier-
the north guards an entrance to geiron forbade it some years ago,
it was a favorite game of local
the tunnels of Mount Waterdeep.
children to rearrange the
wizard’s bones. They can be
dislodged with a stick, but they
always drift slowly back into the

same position, floating upright,

³ For details of the defenses of Ahghairon’s Tower, see page 22 of Waterdeep and the North.

8

with arms outspread. Waterdhavians hope will never
come.5 It is sometimes used as a
If you travel north along the guiding beacon for expected
northern tongue of Mount
ships during very rough storms.
Waterdeep from the palace, and Wizards of the Watchful Order
turn west at its end, you will cast light spells upon it, and
come to the sea at the end of Piergeiron moves it to a desired
Julthoon Street, which is the signaling location.
northernmost boundary of the
ward. The land here falls away The cliff that you and the
swiftly so you are higher than Walking Statue are standing on
top of is known as the Gull Leap
the city wall and can readily look for the seabirds that nest here,
over it, far out to sea. Here, in war, and for its use by misguidedly
great engines have been set up to depressed people and stamped-
hurl rocks and fire at ships ing cattle before the city wall was
approaching the shore. In peace- built. If you stay close to the wall
time, these are all hidden away
inside Mount Waterdeep and, and turn south, going along the
rumor has it, in storage on the western side of the tongue of
ethereal plane4—along with six
Mount Waterdeep, you’ll be in a
companions of the silent sentinel little hidden corner of Water-
who’ll be standing looking out to
sea with you: the Walking Statue deep that even many folk in the
of Waterdeep. city have never seen, and know
about only vaguely. A street
This 90-foot-tall stone golem
was created by Khelben “Black- called the Cliffride runs to four
staff” Arunsun, the Archmage of luxurious villas that stand here
Waterdeep. One of seven identi- amid trees and terraced gardens
cal constructs, it is intended to fill in a little ledge walled in by
Mount Waterdeep.
and defend any gap in Water-
deep’s walls created by a besieg- These grand stone houses
ing foe. Of gray granite, it looks were built long ago by various
like a regal human with an
impassive face—and it spends the noble families in this exclusive
years here, enduring the birds, as and readily defensible enclave.
it stares endlessly out to sea, They soon fell out of favor.
awaiting a call to service that Lashed by the full fury of the sea
storms, they are damp all year
round and a nightmare of slick

4 Rumor, Elminster tells us, has it correctly. The ethereal plane also holds many extra sections of city
wall that can appear in position along the eastern boundary of the city if Waterdeep is threatened.

5 Location #44 on the color map. The Walking Statue is AC1, MV 4, has 18 HD and 140 hp, attacks once

per round at THAC0 3, doing 6d10 damage with its mighty fists (against buildings 3 points of structural
damage per round if the AD&D® 1st Edition rules governing siege damage are used), and is harmed by
spells as a normal stone golem is (see Vol. 1 of the Monstrous Compendium). To damage the Walking

Statue, you must strike it with a +3 or better magical weapon. It is a minor crime of the Second Plaint
(see Waterdeep and the North, pages 18-19) to deface the Statue by marking it.

9

ice everywhere outside and
deathly chill inside during
winter. They can be rented from
their owners for 25 gp/month
and up (50 gp/month during the
summer), and are residences
large enough to house up to 40
people each. As one proceeds
south, they are: Fair Winds, on
the sea side of the road; Marble-
hearth, on the land side; Storm-
watch, on the sea side; and,
tucked into the end of the land,
overhung by a frowning cliff,
Heroes’ Rest. Heroes’ Rest was
nicknamed Cold Comfort by the
Company of Crazed Venturers,
who spent a winter here. The
name has stuck in the city, and
few now remember the proper
name. If you’re wealthy enough
and don’t mind fighting off the
thieves who’ll inevitably come to
investigate anyone rich enough
to stay here, these can be pleasant
places indeed for a visitor to
Waterdeep to stay for a month or
more during a warm summer.
Otherwise, be glad your bones
sleep somewhere more dry.

The largest landmark of the
built-up area of Castle Ward is
also the largest open space in the
city: the Market. The Market is
encircled by Traders’ Way on the
north and Bazaar Street on the
south. It is a huge marketplace
often crammed with a maze of
stalls and camped vendors. You
can easily spend days and
nights—except in winter—lost in
the myriad shopping opportuni-

10

ties here. The place never closes signal fires, attacks, and calls for
for mere darkness. But be aware: assembly at the palace6), or are
Many thieves spend days and largely indistinguishable from
the neighboring Dock Ward and
nights there, too. the Trades Ward. Castle Ward’s
It has been said many times dockside is, however, far more
heavily patrolled than Dock
that you can buy anything in
Ward, and hence safer for goods
Waterdeep, from ancient spells to and visitors.
floating cloud castles. Well, if you
can’t find it elsewhere in the city, There’s also an interesting
feature in a warehouse located in
come here.
the docks here at the foot of Coin
The formal boundaries of Alley on its east side. In the
Castle Ward are drawn by the warehouse’s cellar is a shaft
water of the harbor and the coast opening into a tidal wash under
up to Julthoon Street, and run the building—a basin fitted with
along the south side of Julthoon
iron gratings. When the tide is in,
Street to Shield Street, where they fish often swim in. The gratings
turn south to Traders’ Way, run prevent some from swimming
east to enclose the Market, and back out. At low tide, the ware-
then turn south along the High
Road all the way to Snail Street. house owner can go down and
fish in his own pond for fish to
Castle Ward takes in the west side sell or for a meal.
of Snail Street down to Shesstra’s
The most famous feature of
Street, where it turns west to Gut Castle Ward’s docks, however, is
Alley runs north on it to Belnim- Mirt’s Mansion. This fortress-
bra’s Street, and thence to Lack-
purse Lane. Dock Ward is to the home nestles on the slopes of
east and south of Lackpurse
Lane, and Castle Ward on its Mount Waterdeep amid stands of
trees. It can be reached from
north and west as it runs to the Coin Alley or Tarnished Silver
Alley both of which run to it, or
harbor. from its own dock, the aptly
Folk in love with power but named Smugglers’ Dock.

not yet rich enough to rise above Mirt the Moneylender is
the pursuit of it are said around widely believed to be a Lord of
the city to dwell in that part of Waterdeep. When in the city, this

Castle Ward north of the broad gruff ex-mercenary opens his
avenue of Waterdeep Way More house (before highsun only) for
southerly parts of the ward are supplicants needing to borrow
dominated by the barracks and money. Although he seems a very

warehouses attached to the castle
and by the Bell Tower (used to

6 Location #9 on the color map. Map 3 of the City System boxed set gives a typical barracks floor plan
and one for the palace stables.

11

patient, even kindly sort when it Waterdeep, Khelben “Blackstaff”
comes to the repayment of loans, it Arunsun, his lady Laeral, and
doesn’t seem that way to talk to their apprentices.9 Laeral is a
him—and anyone thinking of mage of power herself, who was
paying an unauthorized visit to once leader of the adventuring
company known as the Nine, and
his home is warned that it bristles sister to Alustriel, High Lady of
with more human, monstrous, Silverymoon; The Simbul, Witch
and magical guards than I’ve ever Queen of Aglarond; Storm
seen in one place before.7 Silverhand, the Bard of Shadow-

The ward is also home to dale, and others.
perhaps the most luxurious inn The ward is also home to
in Waterdeep, the Jade Jug, and
many guildhalls: the House of
to a large and splendid temple Gems, of the Jewellers’ Guild;10
dedicated to Lathander Consist-
ing of eight linked towers stand- the Map House, headquarters of
ing in their own walled, the Surveyors’, Map & Chart-
tree-cloaked compound, the Makers’ Guild;11 Fellowship Hall,
Spires of the Morning rise to
greet the morning sun in the of the Fellowship of Innkeep-
ers;12 the Master Bakers’ Hall, of
angle between Julthoon Street the Bakers’ Guild;13 Guildhall of
and Calamastyr Lane. Traders’ the Order, of the Solemn Order

Way runs right to the temple of Recognized Furriers & Wool-
gates.8 men;14 the Pewterers’ and Cast-
ers’ Guildhall;15 the House of the
Between the temple and the Fine Carvers, of the Guild of Fine
Palace, along the eastern face of Carvers;16 and the Market Hall, of
Mount Waterdeep, another the Council of Farmer-Grocers.17
splendid tower rises, surrounded
The most spectacular of these
by its own wall. This is Blackstaff headquarters is the Tower of the
Tower, home of the Archmage of

7Location #1 on the color map. Elminster refuses to furnish any details of Mirt or his mansion-
which should confirm to most of you, as it did to Ed, that Mirt must be a Lord of Waterdeep. Partial
mansion floor plans appear on Map 2 of the City System boxed set.

8Location #43 on the color map. Partial floor plan maps of the temple appear on Map 4 of the City
System boxed set.

9 Location #32 on the color map. Partial maps of the tower appear in FR3 Waterdeep, and it also
features in the novels Elfshadow and Waterdeep. Elminster refused to pass on any details of Khelben,
Laeral, or the tower. Pages 52 and 58 of FR5 The Savage Frontier mention Laeral’s fate prior to Khelben’s
rescuing her and the beginning of their relationship.

10 Location #11 on the color map.
11Location #15 on the color map. Its floor plan appears on Map 3 of the City System boxed set.
12 Location #16 on the color map.
13 Location #22 on the color map.
14Location #34 on the color map.
15 Location #37 on the color map.
16 Location #39 on the color map.
17 Location #42 on the color map.

12

Places of
Interest in
Castle Ward

Order, seat of the Watchful Order Homes
of Magists & Protectors,18 which
rises on the Street of Bells, and is House of Loene
visited by many desiring to The walled home of the beautiful
adventuress Loene resembles a
arrange a guild fireguard on miniature castle. Towers and
their property or to purchase the turrets are everywhere, largely
casting of a spell. because Loene loves round
rooms and curving stairs.
Several shopkeepers in the
ward are also the heads or spokes- By night, or when expecting
men for their guilds. If you like unwelcome visitors, Loene
activates the magic of the ornate,
the taste of power and authority 20-foot-high iron fence sur-
Castle Ward is the place to go. rounding her house. Any who
touch it suffer miniature light-
nings.19

Loene’s home fronts on Water-
deep Way and backs onto Gem
Street. During her remodeling of
the mansion she purchased on
this site, she tore down its exten-
sive, warehouse-like rear and
had a lawn, a garden, and a
mature elm tree magically
transplanted here—an interest-
ing project that kept the mage
Nain Keenwhistler busy for quite
some time.

Loene’s luxurious home is said
to be furnished with beautiful
things and to contain hidden

18Location #30 on the color map. Page 44 of Waterdeep and the North gives spellcasting prices

charged by this guild, and explains something of their services (see also page 32). All of the guilds are
covered in the FR1 Waterdeep and the North sourcebook.

19Loene (pronounced LOW-enn) is detailed on page 53 of Waterdeep and the North, and also features

in the novel Elfshadow. Her fence deals 2d4 points of electrical damage per contact or per round of
continual contact, and has a special spellguard upon it. When dispel magic or disintegrate spells are
cast on it, they are absorbed, their energy transformed instantly into chain lightning that strikes first
at the source of the magic, and deals d6 of damage per level of the caster of the original attacking spell.

13

magic items acquired during her cozily furnished, with carpets,
adventures, but it is open only to lounge cushions, three bedrooms
her friends. It has other magical with round canopied beds, a
defenses, I’m told, that make it a round bathing pool, and a formal
veritable fortress. dining room where she can
entertain.20
House of Shyrrhr
This Lady of the Court is good Shops
friends with Piergeiron, whom
she aids by chaperoning visiting Aurora’s Whole Realms
diplomats and learning all she Shop Catalogue Counter
can from them to pass on to the Throughout this guide, I mention
First Lord of Waterdeep. Her the outlets of this popular
small but luxurious house on Realms-wide retail chain in each
Waterdeep Way is simply but ward of the city because most

20 The house of Shyrrhr (pronounced SHEER-hur) is #14 on the color map. It contains little but a grand
selection of wines, a room-sized closet of fine gowns, about 20 gp, and—on many nights—Piergeiron,
who has slipped through a secret tunnel connecting the pantry of Shyrrhr’s house with the palace.
They like to relax and talk together, and trust each other absolutely. Piergeiron pays Shyrrhr’s few

expenses in return for her spying and hospitality services to the city.

14

city-bred travelers live near one, and badges used by most realms
or at least are familiar with and military units of Faerun, and
Aurora’s catalogue. This makes can make up colorful stories
for minimal delay and uncer- about the history of particular
tainty when emergency pur- items on the spot. I’ve heard that
chases must be made, and results he’ll buy things without asking
in goods of known quality. questions as to their origin—
making him very handy for
The Castle Ward Aurora’s adventurers who want to ex-
outlet is the first shopfront west change battle trophies for money.
of the Jade Jug, on the north side
of Waterdeep Way. It provides Proprietor: Balthorr “the Bold”
home delivery for patrons by Olaskos, a hearty, loud-voiced,
means of a coach and a six-man bubbling fellow with a ready
team within Castle Ward only. It smile and firm handshake, is the
also has four guards who work proprietor.21
in shifts of two and two, a calmly
cultured, middle-aged lady The Golden Key
counter clerk, Cathal Sunspear,
and a service-mage, Xanatrar This shop, on the east side of
Hillhorn. Xanatrar is known for Warriors’ Way, north of Water-
his excellent singing at parties deep Way,22 sells locks and fasten-
and whenever he wants to ings of all sorts except large,
impress a good-looking lady. vault-like doors, door bars, and
strongchests. The proprietor
Balthorr’s Rare makes custom locks to order, and
and Wondrous Treasures guarantees that he’s never sold a
key that will open the lock you
This shop stands on the east side buy from him to anyone else. (In
of the Street of the Sword, south other words, your lock is unique.)
of Selduth Street. The wealthy Many of his locks require several
shopper can buy a wide selection keys turned in certain combina-
of curios here, especially coins tions to open. All products are
from all over Toril, gems, and made on the premises, except for
regalia. The proprietor is an certain door chains, which are
expert on the currency uniforms imported from the northern

21Location#28onthecolormap.Balthorrisafenceforstolengoods—at40%ofstreetvalue—especially
coins, gems, and regalia (see Waterdeep and the North pages 31-32).

22 Location #21 on the color map. Ansilver has at least four gargoyle guardians in his shop to prevent
thefts. He also wears a magical master key around his neck, that he tries to keep very secret. Over the

years many have seen him use it and have deduced that it opens all normal locks on contact. If it

encounters mechanical or magical traps on a lock, it reveals this to the wielder without triggering them,
but does not open the lock or deactivate the traps. Its precise powers are not known to any in Waterdeep
except Ansilver.

15

Moonshaes where they have distinctive mellow sound of its
been hardened in dragon fire! lutes, but even Inner Sea folk have
heard of the shop’s prize attrac-
Proprietor: Ansilver the Lock- tion: the Harp that Sings by Itself.
smith, a white-haired, elderly but
alert man, is the proprietor. He This small, dark traveling harp
wears thick spectacles, has a
sharp-beaked nose, and has a sits on its own velvet-covered
habit of humming continually. plinth, safely above the reach of
inquisitive (or acquisitive!) visi-
Halambar Lutes & Harps
tors, and softly plays old airs,
This shop, found on the east side ballads, and lays of the North. It is
of the Street of the Sword and a said by some to have belonged to
good walk up from Waterdeep the famous bard Mintiper Moon-
Way sells all sorts of stringed silver, but most dispute this. It is
musical instruments, from the older than he, and was known to
lyre of Amn to the twostring of have been in Silverymoon when
Mintarn. It is famous up and he was wandering the North. Its
down the Sword Coast for the full powers aren’t known to any

alive in the Realms today and it is
a unique magic item, truly
beyond price. Halambar won’t let

16

Proprietor: Kriios Halambar,
guildmaster of the Council of
Musicians, Instrument-Makers,
and Choristers owns and runs
this shop. He is an inscrutable,
heavy-lidded man of long black
hair, large black-pupiled eyes, and
a strong streak of snobbery.23

The Halls of Hilmer,
Master Armorer

patrons touch it and won’t sell it. This shining shop has a front of
(I have discovered that the plinth
it sits upon is actually a covered armor plate—old armor from
stone golem, placed there by vanquished foes of Waterdeep,
Khelben “Blackstaff” Arunsun to
protect the harp.) bolted together, polished a deep,
gleaming blue, and protected
Halambar’s instruments from weather and theft by
typically cost 1,000 gp each or potent spells. Beware lightning-
more. He has smaller, plainer
like arcs of energy should you
pieces made by his apprentices strike or wrench at a piece! It
stands on the west side of the
or secondhand pieces that go for Street of Bells north of Water-
mere hundreds of gold pieces. A
place to visit, even if you’re not deep Way its gleam visible up and
musical. down the street.

Here’s a special gift idea, for the Inside is a showroom and
rich only: For 600 gp, you can buy
a jewel case or snuff box en- fitting room, with doors into a
chanted to play a short melody
when opened. Exquisite, but weapons practice room for
somehow I feel you’d grow tired clients to practice running,
turning, fighting, and climbing
of the same tune quickly.
stairs in armor, and the huge,
cluttered workshops of Hilmer
and his apprentices. Plate armor
hangs—or, in the form of full
suits, stands everywhere. Hilmer
only makes plate, but he’s gener-

ally acknowledged as the best, or

23Location #26 on the color map. The distinctive sounds of Halambar lutes are largely due to his
secretly soaking the wood he makes them of in Waterdhavian harbor water in his cellars. The precise

powers of the Harp are left to the DM. Anyone who successfully makes off with it will be pursued by
the Harpers—to whom the instrument is a treasure—as well as by agents hired by Halambar. It actually
has nothing to do with Mintiper and was made long ago in lost and fallen Myth Drannor.

17

among the best, in all the Sword Hilmer knows at a glance if
Coast lands. His custom suits armor fits properly and at a
generally cost 4,000 to 6,000 gp, touch if its metal is suspect or if a

depending on the size of the wearer is using a blade or shield
wearer and the ornamentation. too heavy for him. He is a master
He hates chasing and over- craftsman and regularly ignores
elaborate fluting, but has done offers of estates and thousands

enameled armors for Calishite in gold to become master ar-
satraps, at 8,600 gp each. morer of this or that kingdom.

Hilmer will sell existing armor Thieves leave his shop alone.

apprentice pieces and replace- It’s much easier to steal Hilmer
ment pieces, such as gauntlets, armor from those who have
that are not custom fitted for bought it—because several of the

mere hundreds of gold pieces, suits of armor are animated
but he will not set his mark (a metal constructs, that defend the
place at all times! Others protect
stamp of a gauntlet closing on a
sword, and breaking it into three his nearby metals warehouses.
pieces) on such shelf stock. Proprietor: Hilmer, the propri-
Hilmer armor is all custom made.
etor, is a tall, strong, and soft-

18

spoken man, with shoulders as hazan, Gentleman Speaker for
wide as most doors and hands the Jewelers’ Guild, owns and
with a grip of iron. He is a just, runs this shop. He is a sneering,
honest man.24
superior sort, who dismisses all
Olmhazan’s Jewels country folk and those who
dwell around or east of the Sea
of Fallen Stars as barbarians.25

This glittering shop stands on the Phalantar's Philtres &
west side of the High Road, just Components

across from the mouth of Spend- This shop can be found on the
thrift Alley. Its front is fashioned east side of the Street of Bells, just
of silvered and polished stone to north of Waterdeep Way. The
resemble a huge faceted gem. odor of exotic spices wafts out
“Olmhazan,” said one noble to me onto the street whenever its
circular door is opened. Inside is
at a feast, “has never been re- a strange wonderland of dried
stricted by such trifles as good branches, firmly stoppered jars,
taste.” and interesting-looking shells,
skulls, baskets of bones, and
Inside, all the gems one can labeled drawers.
think of, except very rare or
magical sorts, such as amaratha, Here you can buy medicines,
kings’ tears, and rogue stones, herbs, and rare substances used
can be bought. A scattering of in the making of perfumes,
beljuril shards makes the impres- scented oils, poisons, and as
sive display of gems wink and material components in the
casting of spells. The herbs aren’t
sparkle continually. very fresh, but a wizard will find
the selection here better than
Thieves are few since one was anywhere else I’ve ever seen-
partially devoured by the guard- and the proprietor doesn’t ask
questions about why you want
ians of the shop: two trained baatezu blood or deadly night-
mimics. One masquerades as a
gem display counter, and the
other as part of the front door-
jamb and the gigantic gem
storefront.

Proprietor: Jhauntar Olm-

24 Location #28 on the color map. Hilmer’s guardians are battle horrors, which are variant helmed
horrors (detailed in FA1 Halls of the High King). His helmed horrors are lawful neutral and bound in

loyalty to him. Rumor has it that he acquired them in the ruins of Myth Drannor in his early
adventuring days.

They are INT High (14); AL LN; AC 2; MC 12, Fl12 (A) plus dimension door 1/day, up to 60 yards; HD 16;
THAC0 12; #AT 1 plus two 2-5 hp dmg magic missiles every 3 rounds; Dmg by weapon or 1d4; SD spell

immunities; SZ M; ML 20; see Halls of the High King, page 42, for details.
25Location #38 on the color map. Add 15-25 gp to the base prices of all gemstones to arrive at

Olmhazan’s selling prices.

19

shade or ask your name. Try not to brush against him.
‘Twould be a pity if he fell and
Theft is discouraged by the shattered.”
dust-covered, immobile stone
form of a man, face eternally Nobles tell me this shop26 is
frozen in a look of fear, who’s
guarded not only with dust of
propped, arms spread and in a petrification, but with traps that
frantic running position, against
a wall inside the door, “Oh yes,” release various paralyzing and
the proprietor purred, when I sleep-inducing gases. They tell
asked about him. “He tried to me the owner will sell you scrolls
leave without paying, late one
night when I wasn’t even open. and any minor magic items he
He ran afoul of a certain sub- has on hand, too—if you ask
stance I keep handy. I haven’t quietly, and aren’t known to have
any connections to the city
decided when to release him yet.
watch or city guard.
Proprietor: Phalantar Orivan, a

26 Location #33 on the color map. Phalantar is a fence for stolen goods at 35% of their street price (see

pages 31-32 of Waterdeep and the North). He is very rich. He sponsors some adventuring bands in
return for a share of their loot (substances he can sell in his shop, including evil or flawed magic items
they don’t want) and bankrolls some mercenary companies in the Sword Coast lands, too, in return for
a share of their profits.

20

man of soft, smooth movements, Patrons are not encouraged to
who always seems to be gently stay long—there are stools and
smiling, is the proprietor. He is stand-up elbowrests, but no
said to deal with adventurers booths or seats, and little food.
and mages regularly and to be Only cold cut platters, garlic
fabulously rich. sauce, pickles, handwheels of
cheese, and hot biscuits covered
Taverns with melted butter are available
(1 cp per serving, each).
The Blue Jack
The drinkables are similarly
This watering hole is named for limited: ale at 1 cp/jack, bitters at
the blue leather armor worn by 2 cp, stout at 3 cp, zzar at 4 cp, and
the proprietor in his long-ago wine at 4 cp/tallglass (either
adventuring days. The armor still Neverwinter white or red wine
hangs, in rotting tatters, above from Amn).
the bar. The tavern specializes in
low prices and fast service. This Proprietor: Immithar the Glove,
specialization is a success; the a fast-moving, canny fellow, is the
place is always crammed. Folk go tavern's proprietor. He is quick
elsewhere to sit and chat or do with a joke or to mimic—per-
business, but duck in here to load fectly—the speech of other folk.27
up on food and drink before
hurrying on about their day. The The Crawling Spider
Jack, as citizens call it (a short
form of the name, true, but most This strange place has a mock
call it that because of the many underground decor done with
drinking jacks you can empty plaster slurry and rock rubble.
there), stands on the west side of Glowing mosses and lichens have
the High Road, just north of its been placed on the walls and
intersection with Waterdeep Way. ceiling and are watered regularly.
These, plus a few netted glowing
In such a busy place, encoun- globes, provide a dim light for the
ters between enemies are not place. Stuffed spiders have been
uncommon—but the staff can affixed to the ceiling or hang
hurl drinking jacks hard and from threads. The waitresses,
accurately from behind the bar, hired for their sensuous walks
and six able-bodied scrappers and love of male company, wear
can be mustered if the kitchens black bodysuits and masks to
and bar are emptied by the make them look like drow.
proprietor.
Who drinks here? Dwarves,
27 Location #36 on the color map. half-orcs, and other subterra-

21

nean dwellers who miss home, planning shady business.
adventurers, and—surprisingly— If visitors cause trouble, patrons
priests of all faiths, looking for a
thrill! They form a regular will leap to take care of it. And
clientele, and have ever since this they include many veteran adven-
place opened. Of all the taverns
in Waterdeep, the Crawling turers among their number!
Spider has the most dedicated
patrons. They will come clear The fare differs each night, but
across the city to drink here, it’s always 1 sp/head, and always
ignoring other places.
includes soup, a loaf of bread,
The Spider never seems to close. meat, and fried greens. Drinks
The visitor soon discovers that are extra. Ale is 2 cp/tankard,
one of the cave mouths leads to stout 4 cp, and zzar or wine is 5
the jakes and another to a cellar cp/tallglass. Whiskey is 1 sp/
dance floor. Many cave mouths flagon, and it’s vile!
open off this floor and lead to tiny
private caverns used for intimate Proprietress: Welvreene
personal conferences and for Thalmit, a short, raw-voiced, and
alluring woman with dark eyes,
28 Location #23 on the color map.
is this tavern's proprietress. She is
romantic at heart who loves
adventurers.28

22

The Dragon’s Head unlikely to be hailed by anyone
Tavern or drawn into an argument.

This modest place caters to The stuffed, mounted blue
older Waterdhavians: married
couples, retired ex-adventurers, dragon's head for which the
shopkeepers, merchants, and tavern is named was from a
others who like to sit quietly and hatchling. It is dusty and moth-
talk over their drinks. eaten with age, but still thrusts,

Pipe smoke usually hangs large and menacing, well out into
heavy in the air in this place, the taproom. One of the bartend-
and—because this place faces ers often hangs towels to dry
Ahghairon’s Tower and the from its teeth.
palace beyond—talk is often of
politics, the future of Waterdeep, Tobacco (5 cp/pouch) and
and of grand plans. Diplomats drinks can be bought at the bar—
and visitors like to drop in here
because it’s safe and they’re but aside from sausage rolls (4
cp/platter or 2cp/ handplate)
and stew (1cp/bowl), there’s little

food to be had here. Drinks are 1
cp/tankard for ale, 2 cp for stout,
2 cp/tallglass for wine, and 3 cp

23

for zzar. The bar has an extensive on the east side of the Street of
selection of brandies, liqueurs, the Sword, north of Waterdeep
and rarities (such as firewine Way. It caters to elves and half-
and elverquisst), which are sold elves, and is an earthy-smelling
by the glass. These cost from 7
sp/glass for brandy to 9 gp/glass place, where living trees have
for elverquisst or Tashlutan been encouraged through elven
amberthroat. patience and forestry skill to
grow up from the cellar and
Proprietor: The proprietor,
Vorn Laskadarr, is short, stubble- through the taprooms. By day,
faced, and unlovely to the eye, but rooftop shutters are pulled aside
also quick, efficient, and kindly.29 to let rain and sunlight in for the
trees. By night, dancing lights
The Elfstone Tavern spells bathe the place in soft,

This old, dimly lit tavern stands floating, blue motes of light.
Here elves gather to drink

Evereskan clearwater (2 gp/

tallglass), moonwine (4 gp/
tallglass), elverquisst (14 gp/

29 Location #20 on the color map. Its floor plan appears on Map 3 in the City System boxed set.

24

tallglass), guldathen nectar (16 The Red-Eyed Owl

gp/glass) and maerlathen blue This is the closest thing Water-
wine (17 gp/glass), and dine on deep has to a “local”—a comfort-
biscuits spread with roe, shrimp, able, unimpressive, welcoming
spiced silverfin, crab meat, or gathering place for the neighbor-
mint jelly (all 1 gp/platter). You hood. It is the kind of place
where friends will come in and
can also eat skewers of sizzled hail each other across the room,
squirrel, rabbit, or venison done the food and drink will be pleas-
in a green sauce (2 gp each). ant, if unspectacular, and you’ll
These are so good that the gods be allowed to sit in peace and
while an evening away over a
would ask for more! tankard or two.

Gentle harp, pipe, flute, and Food is a heavily spiced sea-
choral music is performed and food stew (called coast chowder)
service is fast, near-silent, and or roast oxen done with a sweet-
graceful. This is a place where and-sour sauce and a dash of
dwarves and half-orcs will be brandy to flame the outside as it’s
driven away, some humans and brought, blazing, to your table.
half lings are tolerated in small Either way, it’s 5 cp for a heaping
parties, and even half-elves are platter or huge bowl (with huge
slabs of fresh, warm crusty
just accepted—elves can be very brown bread).
supercilious when they choose to
be. I saw even the various sorts of Drink is 1 cp/tankard for ale, 2
cp for bitters, 3 cp for stout, 4 cp/
elves ignoring or otherwise tallglass for zzar or red wine, and
being rude to each other. How- 5 cp for the rather sour white
ever, the mood is usually light or wine that is brought in from the
serene, and the owner and staff proprietor's own land, and
are moon elves, who welcome all. which he’s inordinately fond of.
They will not allow anything to It goes well with all sorts of
cheese, though (especially the
get too far out of hand. firmer, heartier sorts), and he
sells it for carry-out at 2 sp/bottle
If the elven patrons weren’t or 1 gp for a half-anker keg.
such snobs, I’d give this place five
full tankards. Go there to taste The Owl faces west. It is a
the food, if not to linger. rambling old wooden building
that looks as if it’s about to fall
Proprietress: Yaereene Ilbae-
reth is the tavern's seemingly
unaging proprietress. She is a tall,
charming and regal elven
woman with silvery eyes, who

goes about with a grinning faerie
dragon perched delicately on her
shoulder.30

30Location #24 on the color map.

25

into the street. But it has looked The Sailors’ Own
that way for at least 40 winters,
patrons assured me, and hasn’t This dockside tavern stands on
fallen down yet. It is the point of Sail Street, across from the mouth
an arrowhead-shaped block of Tarnished Silver Alley with
bounded by Rainrun Street, the water lapping at the docks only a
confluence of Gut Alley and few strides away. The reek of
Belnimbra’s Street, Snail Street, fish—and rotting seaweed—hangs
and an unnamed alley. strongly about the whole area.
Inside the tavern, the sailors seem
Proprietor: Balarg “Twofists” to be trying to blot it out with the
Dathen, a bluff, bristle-bearded smells of their various and often
man with long, unkempt red exotic tobaccos.
hair, owns and runs the tavern.
His rough voice is much used for The place is low-beamed and
coarse jests, and he has an unut- crowded, with weary sailors
terably deadly aim with a hurled slumped on benches playing at
platter or tankard when anyone
tries to start trouble.31

31 Location #5 on the color map.

26

board games, cards, or merely quayside beyond, straight into the
getting thoroughly drunk. They water. It’s worth a few coppers
are often left to sleep the night just to see this, but you don’t want
through here.
to be anywhere near when such
Anyone who’s going to be sick trouble starts.
is expected to make it out the
dockside door first. Anyone who This place is just what its name
starts a fight will be thrown
through that same door—luckily, implies. It belongs to the sailors,
it usually opens at the impact—by and they don’t really want
the proprietor, a man of prodi-
anyone else here. If you’re not
gious strength. I saw him lift an one, duck into it to avoid bad
entire table with one hand while weather or thugs, but otherwise
he reached under it to snatch up
a drunken sailor with the other! steer clear.
His aim and strength are suffi- Interestingly, sailors here don’t
cient to hurl a struggling brawler
through the dockside door boots like to eat any sort of seafood—
first—high enough to just clear they get little else on long voy-
the threshold and sail across the ages, I suppose. The fare here is
pork, ox, or horse, either in roast
portions (2 cp/platter) or stewed

with onions and greens (1 cp/
bowl). Drink is ale (2 cp/tankard),

27

stout (3 cp/tankard), zzar or The Singing Sword
brandy (4 cp/tallglass), or whis-
key (1 sp/tallglass). That’s the This busy tavern stands on the
entire menu. north side of Bazaar Street, at the
head of the Street of Bells. Three
This tavern has an interesting floors of busy diners enjoy one
sideline. The proprietor sells of the largest menus in Water-
charts (with an emphasis on deep, including the justly famous
nautical usefulness) of many turtle soup-served in a turtle’s
areas along the Sword Coast and upside-down shell—here each day.
around the known Sea of Swords They are entertained by the high-
for 45 gp each and up. A good or voiced ballads of the wondrous
rare one will run into the hun- magical blade for which the
dreds of gold pieces. tavern is named.

Proprietor: The proprietor, This black-bladed long sword
Guthlakh “Hands” Imyiir, is huge, was brought to Waterdeep long
slow, and deliberate. He is also
very strong and slow to smile,
but not surly by any means.32

32 Location #3 on the color map.

28

TROLLSONG "Good lady," stammered the warrior bold,
"My sight is poor, my limbs are old.
Anonymous Am I then thy only choice?"
"Yes," she cried, "And I rejoice!"
In a cave there lived an old troll
His diet grisly, his manners droll. “Oh, dear," then said noble knight
Many a youth he caught and ate, And fainted dead away from fright.
"Raw, with carrots—really great.” Over backwards he did crash.
His armor making troll hash.
In a castle there lived a knight
His lance was long, his armor bright. "Oh, my lord!" cried the gentle maid.
Many quests he carefully planned “So noble, so modest, so gently made!”
But never went, his courage unmanned. And loving arms around him put,
Trampling troll cakes underfoot.
In a village there dwelt a maid
The fairest that e’er the gods made. "What? Ho!” the dazed knight did moan.
Poor but proud; she lived alone “I am beaten and overthrown!
Beauty naught but skin and bone. By my honor, I surrender me
To my foe the victory!”
In a deep forest berries grew
Bright and red, good but few. And he struggled to one knee
Hither went the lady fair His conqueror bright to see—
Her savage hunger to repair. Beheld in wonder blushing maid.
(Under both, troll tiles thinly laid.)
In one sniff the troll knew
The makings of a small meat stew "I am yours! Command me, I beg!”
Had wandered near his hidden home. Quoth the knight, making a leg.
To he who waits, all meals roam. "Up then, sir!” said that lady
"My lord and husband thou shalt be!”
In a huff that knight so bold
Rode out to spend grudging gold. And up he got, armor a-clank,
For his cupboard was bare, ale low— (Troll blood unwitting spurs drank),
And through the forest he did go. And set his lady upon his horse.
Together they rode o’er troll—of course.
In a trice, the lady found her food:
Berries ripe, and berries good. And when the hooves had died away,
By the handful she did eat. The troll on the ground did stay,
(The troll approached on nimble feet.) Feeling every little bit of pain
As his bits came together again.
Full, the maiden turned to go.
Out leaped the troll, crying, "So! But men, like trolls, never learn
My dinner’s come, in cap and gown!” Beautiful maidens sharp to spurn,
And the knight, unseeing, rode him down. And so the song goes round again
The fallen always suffering pain.
"Oh, my hero!" sighed the lady,
"My life is thine—marry me!” Oh, in a cave there lived an old troll . . .
The knight, afraid, backed his steed— (Song repeats)
Hooves again treading troll mead.

ago, and is thought to have been though it has been known to
forged in ancient Netheril. It mimic the voices of others who
customarily stands upright, hilt sing along with it in order to
uppermost, in the open central better harmonize.33
well of the tavern, encircled by
the spiraling stairs to the upper I’ve included the lyrics of
Trollsong, a comedy ballad that
floors, and is silent. seemed a special favorite of the
Once an hour, one of the
patrons, so that you can sing
tavern staff—usually a pretty girl along if you visit the Sword and
not feel out of place. Everyone in
in mock armor, struggling under the place roars and minces their
the weight of the blade—lifts the
blade and holds it high, for it will way through this one, and bel-
only sing when grasped and lows for it to be sung at least
ordered. The will of the holder twice through each time.
actually determines the song-
The Sword has a simple way of
and angry or upset holders dealing with prices: All meals are
thoughts have been known to 1 gp per platter, whatever you
order. This includes a tallglass or
make the blade segue into a
second song after it has begun tankard of whatever you want.
singing. Subsequent drinks are 1 sp/
tankard for any beer or 1 gp/
The sword’s magic has never tallglass for zzar or any wine.
failed yet. It seems immune to the The exotic drinkables (elver-
effects of dispel magic —in fact, quisst, dragonstongue, firewine,
applying one when the blade is
held by a living being causes it to and Fires of Mirabar whiskey)
snarl in anger and scorn! It are few or missing altogether-
seems to know 30 or so songs, no surprise, at these prices.
mainly tragic ballads, love la-
Whenever I went, I found the
ments, or roaring warriors’ Sword to be a lively place, bright-
songs, with a few comedy pieces ly lit and full of crowds of folk
thrown in. Its voice is high, clear, enjoying their meal—and their

and almost bell-like on high visit with friends at adjacent
notes, but somehow male- tables. This is obviously a popu-

33 The Singing Sword is location #41 on the color map. The Singing Sword is a chaotic good, intelligent
long sword +2, which has the extraordinary powers of levitation and teleportation (as detailed in the
DUNGEON MASTERTM Guide, page 187). When wielded by a bard, it allows him or her to strike one extra
attack with it per round, at an additional +2 attack bonus (so the attack roll is at +4, though the damage
roll remains +2). It is immune to dispel magic, disintegrate and all lightning or electrical spells or
magical effects, and confers this protection to its wielder and all within a 5’ radius. Such effects are
drawn into the sword and harmlessly absorbed to sustain and renew its own magic.

The Sword sings when it pleases. It performs for Gothmorgan because it likes him—and will use its
extraordinary powers to elude anyone it doesn’t want wielding it. It will only allow Gothmorgan, a
good-aligned bard (or in an emergency, if Gothmorgan, his staff, or the tavern are threatened, anyone
willing to wield it to defend them) to wield it. It may have other, as yet unknown, powers—and Elminster
believes it is of Netherese origin.

30

lar place with many regulars. grease from their fingers after

The food’s good, too. Any visitor eating the fowl.
to Waterdeep will find this place
Drink is 3 cp/tankard for ale, 5
worth a visit to hear the Singing cp for bitters, 7 cp for stout, 1 sp/
Sword burst into song. tallglass for zzar or house red or

Proprietor: Gothmorgan white wine, and 2 gp to 25 gp by

Ilibuld, the proprietor, is tall, the bottle for more exotic things.

laconic, and always watchful, but Locals in the neighborhood no
ever the polite host.
doubt come here for a single

The Sleepy Sylph drink, to enjoy the music and to

watch the waitresses—and then

go to the Owl, just steps away to
eat and drink at about a third the

This popular tavern stands at the price. (I saw more than watching
southwest corner of the intersec- going on, but turned modestly
tion of Rainrun and Snail Streets, back to my glass, which was
at the other end of the same practically sobbing to have more
small block of buildings as the little drinks poured into it.)

Red-Eyed Owl. Its frankly risque For the money, though, you get
signboard depicts the sylph the spotless white tablecloths, good
tavern is named for.
food brought to you in a hurry,
But while the Owl is a cozy music, and a chance to see other
local watering hole, this place rich folk dining. If you aren’t
caters to visitors. Lots of colored rich, why are you here?
driftglobes float about, and
many scantily clad waitresses Proprietor: The owner and
operator of the Sleepy Sylph is
(wearing diaphanous robes and
fairy wings of silken gauze Callanter Rollingshoulder, a tall,
fat man dressed in dark silken
stretched over fine wire) hurry
about, dodging the strolling robes and a red Calishite sash,
minstrels hired by the tavern. with the bushy ends of his truly
magnificent mustache adorned
Under the many-hued, drifting with tiny, golden, chiming bells.34

lights, patrons can eat almost Inns
nothing and drink as much as

they can afford. Only skewered The Jade Jug
whole fowl—chicken, quail,

turkey, or pheasant—are on the

menu (1 gp each). Each fowl On the northwest corner of the
comes with a darkbread tren- intersection of the High Road
cher and a plate of lemon slices and Waterdeep Way stands what
that most patrons use to cut the

34 Location #6 on the color map.

31

has been called Waterdeep’s Jade Jug. I’ll never sneer at
plushest inn. It deserves its prime pampering again.
location—many noble families
would envy the spotless, luxuri- Proprietress: The charming,
ous accommodations. Every beautiful, one-armed hostess is
detail, from handsoap bowls Amaratha Ruendarr. She notices
beside the piped-water baths, every detail, and remembers the
within easy reach of a reclining names of guests’ pets, children, or
bather, to the bedside icebox mates from their last visit, a year
filled with shrimp snacks and or more ago!35

chilled wine, has been thought of. The Pampered Traveler
Guests are attended by a per-
This inn, with large, conical-
sonal servant of their choice for roofed, many-windowed turrets
the duration of their stay from at its either end, stands like an
those not presently engaged with exotic castle, dark and somehow
another customer. Their every inviting, on the northeast corner
need is attended to: Food is of the meeting of Selduth Street
brought, a coach (or, in icy winter and the Street of Bells. Room
rates here run from 6 gp to 12
weather, a sledge) is brought gp/night, depending on the room
around if the guest wishes to go you choose.
out in the city, and anything a
guest gets dirty is instantly The Pampered Traveler's
whisked away and replaced with name sets high expectations, and
a clean duplicate. they are not disappointed. Ser-
vants conduct you to your large
Decor is muted, not garish or and well-furnished rooms, which
are kept warm but not over-
in bad taste (unlike the Unicorn's warm, and come within breaths
Horn across the way). Quite if you ring for them. Each room
has a bell pull by the door.
simply I felt like a pampered
king during my one-night stay. On the main floor is a huge
But with rooms 12 gp to 30 gp/ smoking room with a roaring
hearth full of old, soft, vast
night and suites 25 gp to 50 gp, armchairs that can easily swal-
one night was simply all I could low up smaller visitors, a play-
nursery for the children of
hope to afford!
Until you’ve been bathed by a

cheerful, skillful, beautiful maid
who wears white gloves as she

soaps you, you haven’t lived. If
you’ve gold enough, go to the

35 Location #35 on the color map. Volo had a last-minute thought about the Jug. He recommends that

merchants with gold enough to bring their mate to Waterdeep once a year for a week's shopping and
sightseeing save the Jug for the last night. Have the house staff pack all your purchases for the journey
and engage a coach to take you to your transportation home, while you relax and let your personal
servants pamper you! Bliss!

32

guests (a rare and thoughtful chapbook put out by the Mer-
feature), a gaming room, and chants’ League describing the
three small, private meeting exploits of the famous Dabron
rooms for the use of guests. Sashenstar and his mapping of a
There is also, surprisingly, a trade route linking known lands
library filled with books hand- to Sossal, there are even copied

copied by the staff and a reading letters from sea captains who
table with a glass top, under have reached Maztica, far away
which can be seen as full and across the sea.
complete a map of the known
Realms as far west as the Moon- All of the guests are welcome
shaes, as far east as Thay, and as to read—though I get the feeling
far south as the Shaar, as I’ve seen anyone who departed with as
anywhere. (The staff spends one
morning a week, each, on the much as a single page would be
pursued by the master of the
task of hand-copying the books.) house until he separated the
The proprietor is keenly thief from his head! I have also

interested in exploration. Present heard of a man staying free at
in the library along with a the inn for a week in exchange
for gifting the proprietor with a

33

particular highly valued book. you, their fare costs you an
When I cautiously discussed additional 1 gp/meal per head.

reading matter with the master, All in all, a quietly luxurious
he said the only things he didn’t place to stay. This is undoubtedly
want in his library were magical the wealthy scholar's choice of
texts. They intrigued him, but hostel.
they also brought potential
danger into his inn and attracted Proprietor: The Pampered
the wrong sort of readers. Twice Traveler is run by Brathan
he had to break down the doors Zilmer, guildmaster of the Fel-
of his library and put out fires— lowship of Innkeepers. He is a
and once run pell-mell through solemn, careful, darkly hand-
the streets to Blackstaff Tower to some man with an air of mystery
call on Khelben Arunsun him- and wariness about him.36
self to come and bind a sum-
moned abishai baatezu! Festhalls

Most of the staff are middle- Mother Tathlorn's House
aged, motherly, pleasant women ofPleasureandHealing
(“Young, pretty ones bring only Festhall & Spa
trouble,” the master told me).
They do a good job of cleaning This is the most famous house of
up after messy guests as they go pleasure in Waterdeep, and that’s
along and of bringing wine, hot not surprising. Located on Gem
cider, ale or stout to guests upon Street, just off Waterdeep Way,
request. (These drinks are in- and across from the foot of the
cluded in your room price). road down from the Grain Gate
of Castle Waterdeep, it’s a large,
In the morning, there’s compli- five-floored building with two
mentary hot egg, vegetable, and additional levels of dungeons
beef broth soup (better than it below ground, in which abso-
sounds), and each evening guests lutely no expense has been
are welcome to come down to spared on props.
the common rooms and cut
themselves slices of beef, goat, There are wardrobes full of all
venison, or pork from the side- sorts of clothes, from silk and
board platters. Mustards, pickles, lace nightdresses to pirate outfits,
horseradish, and hot southern full plate armor (made of silver-
sauces are on hand to garnish painted padding, to lessen inju-
the meat. All of this is included in ries), and barbarian berserker
your room fee—but if you bring garb. There are several rooms
in your own guests (who are not full of jungle plants, with heated
staying at the inn) to dine with

36Location #40 on the color map.

34

pools in them and carefully secure in the knowledge that

tended mossy banks. There are your person and well-guarded
four-poster beds with trampo- belongings are safe. Or, you can
lines and rings that can be set visit with a friend, or even
aflame. There are even pairs of strangers, while all of you are
rings of levitation to be used in massaged. Unlike in some other
realms, in Waterdeep there’s
rooms with glowing globes and nothing embarrassing about
floating mirrors. If you can going to a festhall. It’s simply part
think of it, someone already has, of life for those who enjoy it.
and it can be found here.
There are two privacy floors,
The strength of any festhall,
however, lies in its staff, who where staff and the many doors,
must be skilled and must enjoy hangings, dim lighting and secret
their work. The men and women passages make sure patrons don’t
in this festhall are experts. (Moth- see each other. These floors also
er Tathlorn owns another fest- have separate entrances via
tunnels into an adjacent building
hall—she won’t reveal which to the west on Gem Street, so that
one—in which staff are trained
on the job. They don’t get to work patrons who demand discretion
here until they are skilled at won’t be seen entering or leav-
their craft.)
ing. Mother Tathlorn also has six
Mother Tathlorn’s has on staff skilled bouncers—one a wizard
several priests of Sune. In return armed with a wand of paralyza-
for offerings to the goddess, they tion and silence spells—for
heal torn muscles and sprained patrons who become difficult.
limbs. Almost all of the rest of the
staff are trained and capable All of this luxury and pleasure
masseuses—and in fact, the most
popular service performed at doesn’t come cheaply. Expect to
Mother Tathlorn’s is massage and spend 4 gp at the door, plus 25 gp
per staff person who assists you.
bathing, especially of elderly Patrons who don’t pay the full
male and female citizens of shot when they depart must
leave collateral. Lacking collat-
Waterdeep who are wealthy eral, they must go home with
enough to afford it—either daily only a thin cloak and the keys to
or whenever they can muster their lodgings (a practice that
coins enough. affords the Watch much inno-

Here in warm, cozy, private cent amusement—especially on
comfort, your aches and pains snowy nights). Most regular

can be soothed away in a scented patrons run a credit account—
or mineral water bath or in but also tip staff members very
heated steam baths, and you can handsomely, often effectively
drift off to contented slumber,
doubling their fee.

35

Proprietress: The festhall’s stands in the center of a block of
prioprietress, Mother Tathlorn, is shops and apartments, in the fork
old and stout, but charming. She of its own access street, Siren
is skilled at massage and in Lane.38 It’s home to a company of
reading the needs of a customer popular local actors who can
who is shy, drunk, or unfamiliar perform everything from rowdy
with the common tongue.37
comedy (their stock in trade) to
The Smiling Siren
Nightclub & Theater high tragedy.
Nobles often hire the place for
This large, but plain-looking,
stone and mudbrick building an evening for exclusive perfor-

mances involving the actors and

actresses saying and doing what

the noble always wanted them to
in a particular play rather than

37 Location #12 on the color map.
38Location#31on the color map.Whenthehauntedtheaterfeaturedin the Knight of the Living Dead

adventure gamebook closed, the traveling troupes came here instead. (See #42A in that book. The
haunted theater was on the south side of Waterdeep Way, the third building west of Fellowship Hall).
That theater has been closed for over five winters now, and has become known as the Hall of the
Juggling Ghost. It was previously Raeral’s Splendors.

36

the way it was written. Such zzar or wine is sold by the bottle,
private performances of ten at 7 sp each.
involve risque audience partici-
pation or private jokes—or even Proprietor: Perendel Win-
entirely new (sometimes tamer, a young, earnest, musta-
wretched) plays, written by the chioed mage, runs this nightclub.
noble who’s hired the company. He often must use his spells to
clear birds out of the dark upper
More often, however, the Siren reaches of the building.
is home to traveling troupes of
vaudeville jugglers, comedians, Alleys
and nearly nude dancers or
burlesque dancers. When these Castle Ward’s alleys are among
aren’t available, the theater the safest in the city. Since most
company performs—usually a folk of importance travel about
weekly revue consisting of time- with bodyguards or friends,
honored gag routines and thieves aren’t in the habit of
sketches rewritten to include making strikes in this ward. The
most frequent users of the alleys
references to daily happenings by day are tradesmen making
and current jokes. deliveries. By night they are used
most often by city watch or city
Admission varies from 4 cp/ guard patrols hurrying from this
head to 6 gp/head, depending on place to that.
who or what is performing.
Famous bards are the most Many of the so-called alleys in
expensive—and fastest sellout— this ward have long since be-
come proper streets, such as Coin
draws. The take is split evenly Alley and Tarnished Silver Alley,
between theater and performers. and are not included here.
The theater in all cases provides
Asmagh’s Alley
heating via warm flue pipes fed
by a hearth under the stage, Running south off Selduth Street
lighting (usually glowing globes) through the interior of the long
and security. Most traveling city block between the Street of
troupes charge from 2 sp to 8 sp/ Silver and Warriors’ Way, this
head (1 gp/head if burlesque long, winding alley is considered
dancers are involved). The to end when it meets Palfrey
weekly revue put on by the locals Lane to the south.
is always 4 cp.
It is named for a notorious
Before and between perfor- apothecary who flourished (if
mances, the place is used for that’s the word) in Waterdeep
drinking and dancing to live
music, sometimes with show
dancers on the stage. Ale is 3 cp
per tankard, stout is 6 cp, and

37

some 60 winters ago. He was a scattered garbage, and rats.
poisoner, and buried his victims Thugs sometimes mug folk here
by night, lifting the stones of this on the darker nights, trusting to
the length of the alley to run
alley to place them underneath down prey. Sometimes they even
and carrying away the dirt left scatter marbles, beforehand, so
over in his cart. After he was their fleeing prey is sure to take
a nasty fall.
discovered at it and slain, the
Watch uncovered over 80 bodies Buckle Alley
under these flagstones, and
searched diligently to be sure This narrow passage winds east
they missed none. It’s an old and westward across four city
Waterdhavian joke to refer to blocks, from the High Road in the
Asmagh as “the Ambassador” east to the heart of the block west
of the Street of Silver at its other
because, they say “He welcomed end. It lies about a third of the
so many folk to the City” (“the way south from Selduth Street to

City” to a citizen of Waterdeep,
means the City of the Dead).

Today, this long way is crowd-

ed with delivery crates, barrels,

38

Waterdeep Way and has always That brew is still a favorite in
been a busy thoroughfare used this area today. Barrels of it are
imported all the way from
by carters, tradesmen making Immurk’s Hold for the locals to
deliveries, and local folk on foot. buy here, or to consume at local
taverns.
It is named for an old saying.
City guardsmen were told to Cat Alley, a.k.a. Cats Alley

buckle on their blades before Winding through the interior of
they set foot in it, as it was once the city block bounded by Water-
the heart of Thieves’ Guild deep Way, the High Road, Buckle
territory, before that organiza- Alley and the Street of Bells, this
tion was driven out of Water- narrow passage has many con-
deep. fusing twists and turns. Many a
visitor to the city has become lost
Of old, thieves used to sit on in its mud and dark corners.
stools in this alley drinking, drawn Deliveries are made here, and
swords laid naked across their
laps in case the city watch showed

up. Their favorite tipple was Black
Grog Ale, from the pirate isles of
the Sea of Fallen Stars.

39

there are rows of apartments frightened a lot of folk, and
caused at least two deaths: one
and warehouses that stand in the lady who couldn’t escape him
interior of the block and can and was found run through, and
only be reached by means of this a would-be rescuer was killed on
alley. Traditionally, gangs of street another occasion. The chuckling
youths have battled for control of masked man calmly cut the
this many-branched passage, but rescuer's throat, and then strolled
away, leaving the lady he had
in recent years, heavy city watch trapped untouched.
patrols have ended the wildest
turf battles and made this a fairly The Cat’s Tail
safe place to walk.
The southernmost loop of Cat
Recently however, a masked, Alley, this passage runs behind
rapier-wielding, quietly chuck- two guildhalls, the Blue Jack
ling assailant has made this a tavern, and the Jade Jug, whose
stables stand across it. The influ-
dangerous place for women ence of the money and power
after dark. By his dress and
manner he is wealthy and prob-

ably noble, but he has not yet
been apprehended, and has cut
away a lot of female garments,

40

vested here has caused this alley passage is often the scene of spell
to be brightly lit by glowing demonstrations and practice, as
globes by night that are firmly patrons or staff spill out of the
fixed in high wall brackets and rear of the Elfstone Tavern and
on roof overhangs and patrolled unleash magic down the alley—
sometimes to the vast surprise of
by private guards, who are
armed with warning horns,39 someone coming along it!
clubs, and daggers. Patrons from More than once, visitors to

the Jack have been known to aid Waterdeep coming to the apart-
these guards when they sound ments in the center of this block
their horns—and as a result, the after dark have been astonished
masked assailant who haunts Cat
Alley keeps clear of this southern to find two or more elves chat-
loop, and thieves are few indeed. ting, wineglasses in hand, as they
The guards like to gossip about float in midair, surrounded by a
events in the city and for a glowing nimbus of blue light.
copper piece or two will even The elves generally ignore such
passersby—but if someone stops
recommend taverns, shops, inns, and is obviously listening, they
certain folk, festhalls—and even have been known to drive the
fences.40 eavesdropper away with spells.

Duir’s Alley Elsambul’s Lane

This alleyway enters the city This short alleyway runs up and
block bounded by the Street of down the interior of the city
Bells, the Street of the Sword,
Waterdeep Way and Selduth block bounded by Bazaar Street,
Street on its east side, just beside the Street of the Sword, Cymbril’s
Walk, and Warriors’ Way. It is
(to the north of) the Halls of
Hilmer. It forks, going north and crossed, and most easily reached,
south past Hilmer’s two metals by Lamp Street.
warehouses to run down the
west side of the interior of the Elsambul was a priest of Mask,
block. The alleyway branching who lived somewhere along this
off to run down the eastern alley over 70 winters ago. He held
interior of the block is called the view that thieves should not
Lhoril’s Alley.
be crude snatch-and-grab thugs,
Today, this busy, winding but a deft, subtle brotherhood of
organized companions. He began

to gather a band under his

39 The city watch and guard will respond to these in 1d4+1 minutes.
40 Consider these guards as F1s with 8 hp each. They patrol in groups of five, the leader being an F2
with a short sword and 18 hp. Fences are listed on pages 31-32 of Waterdeep and the North.

41

leadership, but was betrayed by Many of btheewmoens,sda.graegsohnisnttoatbe
treasure to
an underling. He fell fighting
defiantly here, using his magic to duped or destroyed, and great
take as many foes as, possible
with him—a defiant last stand adventure. Others promise

that left the alley red with blood revenge or that something will
and strewn with bodies (or parts
of bodies), local tavern tales attest. not be forgotten. Adventures

Elsambul began the practice of should find them intriguing—
writing cryptic messages for his
gang along the walls of this lane, and perhaps even useful.
and this graffiti writing has been
taken up by others. It is absent It helps to be a confident

from almost everywhere else in adventurer just to go into this
Waterdeep. Today, the visitor can alley. You never know just who
see some amusing, puzzling, and
disgusting messages from one (or what—I’m sure I saw purple
Waterdhavian to another (most
of them unattributed). tentacles under that hood!) you

may find reading the messages.

Howling Cat Court

This small open space inside a city

42

block (west of the Street of Silver here, too—and more than once
and east of the Street of Silks, and warring gangs, bands of thieves,
or adventuring groups have
south of Selduth Street) is infa- drawn steel and had it out here,
mous as a clandestine meeting until bodies were slumped on
place for ladies of the evening and the cobbles and the shouts,
their clients, street gangs, and screams, and clangor and skirl of
others. Thieves lurk here, too. The blades brought both the watch
and the city guard on the run. By
city watch comes here often, Waterdhavian legend, it’s also the
frequently in triple patrol place for couples in love to meet
strength—because they never before eloping.
know just who they’ll find here.
Once it was a dozen angry heavily Lemontree Alley
armed minotaurs, released from
magical stasis by an evil mage!

Jesters’ Court Opening off Shadows Alley
north of Cage Street in the first
This famous local landmark and block of buildings east of Pier-
meeting place lies north of Howl- geiron’s Palace, this tiny three-
ing Cat Court, just south of Selduth legged passage is crowded with
Street in the same block. It’s a large
courtyard used by ladies of the the lemon trees for which it is
evening and by minstrels (some- named. Brought here by a local
times both are the same person, as wizard, whose spells give heat
with the famous Masked Minstrel). enough to keep them alive, these
Sometimes on warm summer tropical trees are an unexpected
evenings it becomes an impro- delight. Waterdeep is much too
vised dance court for the locals, lit cold for them to survive under
by faerie fire or dancing lights normal conditions. Those who
conjured by a mage or apprentice. are tempted to take fruit from

Of old, jugglers and comics the trees, break a branch off, or
used to perform here for thrown just take a swing at one of them,
coins (hence its name), but none are warned that the wizard,
are left now but a few men too Narthindlar of the Nine Spells,
old to perform. They sometimes has set a guardian monster on
come here of afternoons to just these trees: a bear (a monster
stand and remember.
zombie) that usually sits quietly
By night, trouble in Howling under one of the trees. If you
Cat Court tends to spill over into harm or take from a tree, it rises
up and drives you away.41

41 See Volume 1 of the Monstrous Compendium under “Zombie.” The bear will not leave the trees, but
will fight until destroyed or until offenders leave the vicinity.

43

Narthindlar has provided interior of the city block bound-
benches under the trees, and can
sometimes be found sitting on one ed by the Way and by the Street
of them, puffing on a pipe and of Bells, Buckle Alley, and the
contemplating life, Faerun, and Street of the Sword. By day, it’s a
magic. He smokes tobacco into busy delivery area and garbage-
which cherries have been
crushed, and it gives off a delight- piling place.
ful odor. Diplomats who need to Named for the sorceress who
blow off steam or chat away from
prying ears in the palace some met her death here, battling
times find their way here, too. tanar’ri summoned by an over-
ambitious apprentice, this pas-
Lhoril's Alley sage is known to be haunted by
the phantom sounds of running,
This winding passage links Duir’s
Alley with Waterdeep Way, staggering footsteps (origin
running down the eastern unknown). They can be heard at
any time of day hurrying north-

wards from Waterdeep Way as if
a man or heavily laden woman
in boots was fleeing frantically

with their last, failing energy. No

44

breathing is ever heard, and no borhood (until one of the cats
magic or barrier seems to silence grew exasperated—or just hun-
or stop this phantom—nor does it gry—one day and ate him). This
respond to the calls or actions of otherwise unimportant alleyway
living beings. is the favorite hunting ground of
a pair of skeletal hands that
The Prowl
strangle folk from behind, leav-
This short alley loops eastwards ing wither-scars graven deep into
off Alnethar Street, and also, by a victims’ throats where each
side spur, links up with Cymbril’s finger has been. Some folk who
Walk to the south. It provides have glanced into the alley at
rear access to a row of shops and night but not entered have
to a row of apartments that stand
in the center of the block. The reported seeing two points of
Prowl is named for the acts of an light close together in the air, like
eccentric nobleman who used to floating glowing eyes.
loose his pet panthers to stalk
around it, terrorizing the neigh- This frightening killer doesn’t
strike often—four times a year, at
most—and seems adept at evad-
ing detection whenever power-
ful wizards and priests come

45

looking for it. No one is yet sure west off Lackpurse Lane to the
what it is—let alone how to
destroy it. It only seems to be west of Dretch Lane, climbing a
active in the hours of darkness, steep slope to reach a cluster of
and never strikes at folk in warehouses—including Crom-
buildings, but only out in the mor’s Warehouse.43
alleyway.42 I recommend visitors
avoid this area until news comes It’s named after the nautical
that this mysterious menace has
been destroyed. term reach, and got the name
after a group of sailors watched
The Reach a companion, in icy winter
weather, come out of one ware-
This short side way runs north- house and slide—quickly and
helplessly, arms windmilling just
to stay upright—down it and

across Lackpurse Lane into the

buildings beyond, where he

42Elminster believes that the skeletal hands are undead—specifically a wichtlin, a being almost

always encountered only on another world, Krynn (see MC4, the DRAGONLANCE® Appendix). He
stresses he’s guessing from descriptions he’s heard and hasn’t investigated this personally.

43Location #2 on the color map. See also Waterdeep and the North page 32. Two of the men you’ll
encounter here, Elminster tells us, fence stolen goods.

46

fetched up against a wall of known to stagger and crawl here
crates with the inevitable crash. after tavern brawls, leaving a
trail of blood and hoping to buy
It’s a popular place for sailors healing—if they make it. This is
to hang out these days, telling the place to hire a spellcaster for
yarns of their lives at sea and a few days’ aid if you’re about to
looking for trouble. Don’t ap- brave Undermountain’s depths—
proach unless you’re looking for or to have a curse removed or
a fight—which is what I watched your friend who’s been cruelly
a trio of adventurers do, one polymorphed into a pink frog
changed back into his rightful
evening, deliberately starting a form.
brawl so they could smash heads
Shadows Alley
against walls, hurl sailors down
into Lackpurse Lane, and gener-
ally send teeth flying.

Sevenlamps Cut This long passage links the back
doors of shops, grand homes, and
This short cut-through links apartments that face Piergeiron’s
Swords Street and the Street of
Silks, just south of Selduth Street. Palace along the eastern side of
The alley is named for the seven the Street of Silks with Cage
ornate, everburning, magical
lamps installed here long ago by Street, Lemontree Alley, and
a now-forgotten mage (some say Mulgomir’s Way.
Ahghairon himself).
It’s named for the undead that
This handy passage is not only haunted it in earlier days, before
safe and well-lit, it is a popular a determined effort was made to
destination, day and night—for by
some tradition whose origins are root them out and destroy them
also now forgotten, this is the (and block the sewer connection
place where apprentice (not yet
members of the Watchful Order, they retreated into, when priests
or visiting) wizards and starving came looking for them).
or wandering underpriests in
need of money gather to offer No shadows have been seen in
their services at spellcasting in Shadows Alley for almost 20
return for coin. They cluster winters now, and today the alley
here in tiny knots of three and is known more as a way for
four, waiting for a chance to important visitors to the city and
demonstrate their Art. wealthy merchants to slip out of
their lodgings and go in search
Wounded men have been of nighttime companionship and

revelry without being seen. It is
also known for the (illegal) duels
often fought at night here by

diplomats or young nobles who

47

both think they’ll win, and want to TurnbackCourt
leave the body of their fallen foe
contemptuously on the palace This westernmost extension of
steps—or throw it into the spell Selduth Street is a short stub that
allows access to a few buildings
defenses of Ahghairon’s Tower, so nestled against the eastern cliff
as to confuse any detection magics face of Mount Waterdeep. The
used on it to determine who the reason for its name is obvious. Lit
killer was or to impair attempts at by bright lamps by night, it is a
rallying point for city watch and
resurrection. In many such duels, city guard patrols.
magical cheating goes on—one or
both parties employs hidden The large building that walls
magic items or weapons—and off the north side of the Court,
such a release of Art almost hidden from the view of most
who pass on Swords Street by the
always alerts city guard duty bend in Turnback Court, is a
wizards at the palace and causes warehouse that, I’m told, is
general mayhem as wizards and owned by a mysterious organiza-
warriors rush towards the alley

from various nearby barracks
and guardposts.

48

tion—the Harpers, perhaps, or the through a wall it was supposed to

Red Sashes, or an arm of the raise him gently up to paint!

Lords’ Alliance, or maybe a cabal Unfortunately for all con-
of wizards—and holds hidden a cerned, Zeldan built most of the
number of items of powerful warehouses and townhomes that
magic, including (several locals fill the center of this block—and
whispered to me, on separate under cover of the construction,
occasions) a small ship, that sails spent much of his fortune
the sky instead of water!44 When
I tried to investigate, I was po- sponsoring priests of Gond who
litely told to be on my way or came to Waterdeep on ships
Piergeiron would have gained from Lantan to build and install
one over-inquisitive visitor to put various experimental devices in
onto a convict ship and send far, this alleyway. Some of them still
far away! lurk, hidden beneath paving
stones and behind walls, waiting
Zeldan's Alley for the unwary to trigger them.
Some are harmless or do nothing
This narrow winding way runs
south from the Crawling Spider more than make grinding noises
tavern, along whose south wall it and lurching movements (they
connects with the Street of the were either faulty designs or
Sword, past a pleasant little well
of safe drinking water shaded by have broken since installation)—
trees to circle around the south-
ern interior of the city block but some are mechanical traps
bounded by the Street of the and killing devices that rank
Sword, Waterdeep Way, Warriors’ right up there with the most
Way, and Buckle Alley Along the horrible killing devices that rich
way, it offers back door access to fiends in Thay and Calimshan
the Golden Key and other shops,
townhomes, and apartments. have devised! A few still pop up
from time to time, frightening,
Zeldan was a short, puffing crippling, or slaying outright the
merchant who was a devout
worshipper of Gond. He finally folk who discover them. Be
met his doom some 30 winters warned—and avoid this alleyway
ago in the arms of an automaton unless unavoidable business
that came to life too soon and too takes you there.
vigorously and smashed him

44 When asked about this, Elminster merely smiled like an old fox just leaving a chicken coop, with
feathers still stuck to its lips and said, “No comment” (a phrase I know he didn’t pick up on Faerun).

49