This is just a few things to help you build a backstory for your character. Nobles of Waterdeep. There is a like 50+ noble
families but these are a few your character can either be of or work for. ·
House Amcathra. The Amcathras are a
Tethyrian family that specializes in horse breeding and training, cattle
ranching, wine-making. and weaponsmithing. The family motto is "We trample
our troubles:· The family has a large villa in the North Ward, on the east side
of the High Road between Hassantyr's Street and Tarnath Street. ·
House Margaster. The Margasters are an Illuskan
family whose business interests lie in land-based shipping and bulk goods
trading. The house also has a quiet history of wizardry. The family motto is
"Nothing is beyond our grasp." The Margaster family estate is
situated between Stabbed Sailor Alley and Shattercrock Alley in the North Ward.
·
House Phylund. The Phylunds are a
Tashlutar family that captures and sells monsters. Monsters that can't be
trained as pets or guard beasts are sold to arenas or harvested for their meat.
bones, and skins. The Phylunds sponsor adventuring parties and monster-hunting
expeditions, and their motto is "What you fear, we master." House
Phylund has an estate on Copper Street, west of the High Road between julthoon
Street and Trader's Way in the North Ward. ·
House Rosznar. Once banished from
Waterdeep for smuggling, slavery. and other crimes, this Tethyrian house bas
returned and is trying to overcome its dark past and disgraceful reputation by
focusing on legitimate business ventures such as wine-making and gem trading.
The family motto is "We fly high and stoop swift." Rosznar Villa is
situated on Thunderstaff Way between Copper Street and Shield Street in the Sea
Ward, west of the High Road. Lady Esvele Rosznar BREGAN D 'AERTHE A character must be a drow, preferably a male, to join this
faction. Bregan D'aerthe is a company of mercenaries originally made up of the
much-derided and dishonourable castaways of destroyed drow houses. The group's
leader, Jarlaxle Baenre, is always looking for new members to fill the ranks,
and loyalty is what matters to him most. Almost all Bregan D'aertbe members are
male because female drow rarely condescend to take orders from a male. A female
drow can earn a place in the faction by decrying the drow matriarchy and
convincing Jarlaxle that she would be an asset to the brotherhood. Jarlaxle
employs non-drow operatives as well, none of whom know they're working for him;
such individuals aren't considered members of the faction. EMERALD ENCLAVE A character must demonstrate an interest in protecting
nature or the natural order to join the Emerald Enclave. Druids and rangers are
especially welcome. Waterdeep harbours a few members of the faction. which
seeks to foster harmony between nature and civilization. Members living in
Waterdeep help guard the city against unnatural threats, including aberrations
and undead. They also watch over the City of the Dead (Waterdeep's public
cemetery) and the city's parks. Members of the
Emerald Enclave can be found in Phaulkonmere. a noble villa in the Southern
Ward. and at the SnobeedJe Orchard and Meadery in Uodercliff. The walls of
Phaulkonmere enclose fabulous gardens, and the buildings are covered with moss
and ivy. The place is owned by descendants of two wealthy families the Tarms
(long-time Waterdavians) and the Phaulkons (who are of Cormyrean descent). They
spend most of the year traveling abroad and entrust the estate to a half-elf
groundskeeper named Melannor Fellbranch. He is joined by Jeryth Phaulkon, a
noblewoman turned demigod who serves Mielikki, divine lady of the forest. FORCE GREY To join Force Grey, one must first become a member of the
Gray Hands. An individual who has served in the City Watch or the City Guard is
eligible to join, as are characters who are willing to swear oaths to defend
Waterdeep, its citizens, and its laws with their lives. Adventurers who show
promise might be invited to join the Gray Hands, a faction overseen by the
Blackstaff, Vajra Safa hr. Members of the Gray Hands complete assignments
dictated by Vajra. Force Grey is an elite cadre of specialized adventurers,
drawn from the ranks of the Gray Hands, whose fighting prowess is matched only
by their loyalty to the city. Force Grey attracts the best of the best.
Characters don't begin their adventuring careers as members of Force Grey, but
they can work up to that status. Whenever Waterdeep has a problem that can't be
handled by diplomats or the city's other armed forces. the Open Lord has the
option to mobilize Force Grey. Such action is usually taken as a last resort,
since some past members of the group have exhibited a tendency to indulge in
wanton violence, causing as much damage as they ostensibly prevent. Although
the Open Lord sets mission goals and parameters whenever the unit is activated,
the Force Grey team needed to complete any given assignment is made up of
individuals handpicked by the Blackstaff. HARPERS Any smart, non-evil character can join the Harpers of
Waterdeep. Bards and wizards are especially welcome. Harpers are altruists who
work behind the scenes to keep power out of the hands of evil tyrants. Harper
spies might use the adventurers as instruments to get at the truth. Various
nobles and guild masters in the city are Harper sympathizers. The Harpers have
several secret gathering places in Waterdeep, among them Ulbrinter Villa, an
estate located on Delzorin Street between Vhezoar Street and Brondar's Way, in
the North Ward Oust south of Trollskull Alley). The elf lady of the house,
Remallia Haventree ("Remi" to her friends), the widow of Lord
Arthagast Ulbri nter, is a high-ranking member of the faction. Other key
members include Renaer Neverember, the estranged son of Lord Dagult Neverember,
and Mirt, an advisor to Open Lord Laeral Silverhand. Harpers prefer to conduct
their business in bustling inns and taverns such as the Yawning Porta l, or in
quiet locations such as the City of the Dead. LORDS' ALLIANCE To become a member of
the Lords' Alliance faction in Waterdeep, a character must be a Waterdavian
citizen. Those with criminal records can also join, provided they demonstrate
their allegiance to the city. The Lords' Alliance is a confederation of cities
and towns up and down the Sword Coast and throughout the North, including
(among others) Baidur's Gate, Mirabar, Mithral Hall, Neverwinter, and
Silverymoon. Members of the alliance must come to one another's aid in times of
need, and the organization uses field operatives (diplomats. spies, and
assassins) to safeguard its interests. Waterdeep is one of the most influential
and invested members of the Lords' Alliance. Waterdeep's Open Lord, Laeral
Silverhand, uses spies to keep tabs on adventurers in the city, rewarding those
who place Waterdeep's interests above their own. Laeral employs adventurers as
agents of the Lords' Alliance. among them Jalester Silvermane. See appendix B
for more information on these NPCs. Laeral spends most of her time in the
Palace of Waterdeep. Within walking distance of the palace are well-maintained
government residences set aside for the use of representatives of other Lords'
Alliance cities and towns. ORDER OF THE GAUNTLET Any non-evil character can join the Order of the Gauntlet in
Waterdeep. Clerics, monks, and paladins are especially welcome. particularly if
they worship Helm, Torm, or Tyr. The order's mission is to seek out and destroy
evil before it gains a foothold. The surge of violence in Waterdeep spurs
members of the order to find adventurers who can help return peace to the city.
An individual can be a member of the faction and also a member of the clergy or
a knight pledged to a specific god or temple. Members of the order act alone or
in small groups. Some are Waterdavian natives; others hail from distant
settlements and have come to the city on temple business. ZHENTARIM The Black Network has an open recruitment policy. Anyone can
join. Tenacity and loyalty are highly valued (but not essential) traits in new
members. The Zhentarim is a shadow organization that trades mercenaries and
goods (including weapons) for profit. ft has long sought to gain political
influence in Waterdecp, but the strength of the city's Masked Lords, nobility,
and professional guilds makes that difficult. The Zhentarim in Waterdeep is a
fractured organization. Those who support Manshoon want to destroy Xanathar and
seize political and economic control of the city. Those who oppose Manshoon
want to expose and destroy him before they are themselves apprehended or driven
out of the city by the local authorities. Adventurers can't join Manshoon's
cause, but they can join and receive aid from the Zhents who are opposed to
him. The leaders of this branch of the Black Network are retired adventurers
who have become business entrepreneurs. Their adventuring party was called the
Doom Raiders because their specialty was plundering lich lairs (which are
called "dooms"). They are desperately trying to gain a legitimate
economic foothold in Waterdeep, which requires making alliances with local
guilds and nobles. Manshoon's war against the Xanathar Guild has thrown their
plans into upheaval.