1354 DR Dock Ward of Waterdeep

Notable Neighborhoods

• North Ship Street & South Snail Street
• Southeast Dock Street
• South Book Street & Trollcrook Alley

Ports, by their very nature, are unclean, noisy, crowded, and constantly busy places where few outsiders are welcome. Waterdeep’s Dock Ward fits this mold, though its notoriety and bedlam are, if nothing else, slightly muted by the tales told up and down the Sword Coast. It was best described, by a wizard of no little note, as a “riotous, semi-stationary but nigh-perpetual brawl that covers entire acres and is interrupted only by small buildings, intermittent trade business, an errant dog or two, and a few brave watchmen (who do manage to keep the chaos from spreading beyond the docks), the whole lot wallowing in the stench of rotting fish. Still, in all, “twas quite a lusty, intriguing place to spend an evening.”

City watch patrols and guard contingents keep this ward in a semblance of order, traveling in well-armed groups of eight during the day and groups of twelve or more after dusk. Many of the roads are gravel-packed dirt, once the docks and cobblestone access roads to the Way of the Dragon are left behind. The dark, mud-strewn alleys are endless in Dock Ward, and they hide many dangers, despite the alertness of Waterdeep’s defenders, so travel in large, heavily armed groups if you must.

Dock Ward’s boundaries, quickly stated, are the harbor and the southern boundaries of Castle and Trades Wards. The northern boundary runs north and east on Lackpurse Lane to Belnimbra’s Street, over and down Gut Alley, and turns east to Shesstra’s Street. Moving east and turning south onto Book Street, the boundary moves east again on Drakiir Street until it meets the Way of the Dragon, the eastern perimeter of Dock Ward. The southern border of the ward is, of course, the docks and the harbor.

Architecture

Despite being the oldest settled area of Waterdeep, Dock Ward consists of many wooden structures all built upon each other with a few stone buildings to provide structural support for the rest. While people worked and lived here for 1000 years before Ahghairon’s rule, few buildings last for more than 30 years. The only permanent constructions that have existed for extensive periods of time in Dock Ward are the docks themselves, as well as the protective harbor walls and the towers of Deepwatch Isle. With the relatively new cobblestone streets along the docks providing easier access to trade routes within the city, talk is circulating of updating and improving buildings along those routes. As far as the Lords are concerned, any improvements here are definitely for the better.

Watch of Dock Ward

Wardsman: Nylahuel Onlryn (Castle Waterdeep • 5th Floor)

• Belnimbra's Watchpost: Rorden: xxx • 5 patrols
• Cedar St. Watchpost: Rorden: xxx • 6 patrols
• Drawn Sword Watchpost: Rorden: xxx • 6 patrols
• Sixcasks Watchpost: Rorden: xxx • 7 patrols
• Slut St. Watchpost: Rorden: xxx • 5 patrols

Residences

Private Homes

• Jemuril’s House: Private Home: Jemuril, adventurer
• Gathgaer Milomynt: Private Home

Businesses

• Gelfuril the Trader: Shop (General Goods) (3c)
• Thomm Warehouse: Warehouse
• Melgard’s Fine Leathers: Shop (Leatherworks)
• The Smokehouse: Smokehouse. Used by both the Fishmongers' and Butchers' guilds, this rare one-story brick smokehouse almost always smells of curing meats or fish.
• Telethar Leatherworks: Shop (Leatherworks)
• Torpus the Tamer: Shop (Tanning)
• Nestaur the Ropemaker: Shop (Ropemaking) (Southeast Dock Street)
• Khostal Hannass, Fine Nuts: Shop (Nuts) (Southeast Dock Street)
• Felhaur’s Fish Shop: Shop (Fish) (Southeast Dock Street)
• Arnagus the Shipwright: Shop (Ships)
• House of Tarmagus: Warehouse
• House of Pride Perfumes: Shop (Perfume) (4c). A veritable glass jungle of bottles filled with exotic perfumes and other scents.
• The Old Xoblob Shop: Shop (Adventuring Curios) (4c). A curio shop famous in the city for battle trophies from places far and near (especially Undermountain).
• Red Sails Warehouse: Warehouse (4c)
• Helmstar Warehouse: Warehouse
• Zorth Ulmaril: Shop (Lanterns)
• Serpentil Books & Folios: Shop (Books) (4c). An exclusive and expensive shop that traffics in all manner of maps, charts and books, though not magical tomes for sale unless you've one to trade.
• Turnstone Plumbing: Plumber
• Dhaermos Warehouse: Warehouse
• Whistling Blades: Shop (Blades). A shop that specializes in daggers, blades and knives. If you're vouched for by a friend, Ertyl Velun can show you special behind-the-counter items such as toe-blades or hidden arm scabbards with fast releases.
• The Fishscale Smithy: Shop (Blacksmith)
• Horizon's Sails: Shop (Maps, Charts & Logbooks) (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• Lanternmaker Zorth Ulmaril: Shop (Lanterns) (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• Talnu's Ropeworks: Shop (Rope)
• Merlook Nets & Knotware: Shop (Nets)
• Ralagut's Wheelhouse: Shop (Shipboard Goods)
• Maernath Storage: Rental Warehouse (South Book Street & Trollcrook Alley)
• Alex Lenter's Storage: Warehouse (South Book Street & Trollcrook Alley)

Nightlife

Inns

• Shipmaster's Hall: Inn (sea captains). A private inn and dining club for captains, first mates and ship owners and their guests, with an interior elegance that far outweighs its exterior. It is sponsored by the Master Mariners' Guild. (Southeast Dock Street)
• The Ship's Prow: Inn (3c•5a). An inn well known among sailors of the Sword Coast and easily found as it is actually a converted ship's prow that now juts into Fish Street and Ship Street. The prices and services in this four-story inn are reasonable, though its clientele often isn't.
• Warm Beds Inn: Inn (2c•2a) A quiet, homelike inn with little more than what its name guarantees. (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• Blackstar Inn: Inn (4c•3a)
• The Splintered Stair: Inn (3c•2a)
• The Rearing Hippocampus: Inn (4c•3a)
• Sailor's Corner: Inn
• Stormcloak Inn: Inn (1c • 1a) The Stormcloak is a run-down ramshackle inn whose rooms are filthy and taproom filled with street thugs and drunken sailors.

Taverns

• Full Sails Tavern: Tavern, Guild HQ: Most Diligent League of Sailmakers & Cordwainers. A merry, bright tavern on Net Street at the docks, with its upstairs space acting as meeting and storage space for the sailmakers' guild.
• The Blue Mermaid: Tavern (3c•2p)
• The Hanged Man: Tavern (3c•4p)
• The Sleeping Wench: Tavern (3c•3p)
• Muleskull Tavern: Tavern; Guild HQ: Dungsweepers' Guild
• The Thirsty Sailor: Tavern (3c•1p) (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• The Bloody Fist: Tavern (Dive) (2c•1p) (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• The Sleeping Snake: Tavern & Inn (barely) (3c•2p•2a) (Southeast Dock Street)
• The Thirsty Throat: Tavern (2c•2p). A ramshackle dive known for its massive tankards of cheap ale and its taproom full of quiet drinking men. (South Book Street & Trollcrook Alley)
• The Friendly Flounder: Tavern (3c•3p). A local tavern that thrives on simple seafood fare, favored by the locals and almost unknown to visitors. (South Book Street & Trollcrook Alley)
• The Grey Griffon: Tavern
• Selune's Smile: Tavern
• The Pickled Fisherman: Tavern
• The Soaring Pegasus: Tavern
• The Angry Coxswain: Tavern
• The Grog House: Tavern (1c•1p). Often called a "swill hall" by those who've heard of it, it is a place that literally does nothing else but serve terribly cheap alcoholic swill for sailors to drink away their coins. It offers no accommodations, but no one cares if its patrons pass out under their tables.
• Darth's Dolphyntyde: Tavern (1c•2p) A small "fish-and-quaff" shop of no particular memorability.
• Cookhouse Hall: Tavern. A large hall that serves simple hot meals and passable drink to weary travelers and those down on their luck for two coppers, sponsored jointly by the Lords and Lord Ulmassus Phull.

Festhalls

• The Copper Cup: Inn, Festhall (4c•3p•2a). Three old three- and four-story warehouses linked and converted into one of Waterdeep's busiest and most famous nightlife spots.
• The Blushing Mermaid: Inn, Festhall (4c•3p•3a) (Southeast Dock Street)
• The Purple Palace: Festhall (4c)
• The Mermaid’s Arms: Inn, Festhall (3c•3p•3a)
• Three Pearls Nightclub: Nightclub (4c). A popular festhall with nightly stage acts such as comedians, trained animal acts, illusionists' displays, recitals by famed bards and orators and exotic dance.
• Mother Jatha's: Brothel
• Mother Athue's: Brothel (2c•3p•2a). A clean but clearly quite old establishment, Mother Athue's is a favorite among sailors and those who crave variety: Mother Athue hires her soft traders from all over Faerûn.
• The Hanging Lantern: Festhall (4c). A festhall famed for its stunning escorts and its skilled matchmakers, as well as a side business in costume rental.

Temples

• Starry Cradles Orphanage: A Selûnite-sponsored orphanage.

City Buildings

• Cookhouse Hall: City Guard Mess Hall

Guildhalls

• The Butcher’s Guildhall: Guild of Butchers. A recently renovated timber-frame two-story guild house with an available cold cellar for the guild members' overstock.
• League Hall: League of Skinners & Tanners. A large tannery with an upper-level tavern for the business of the League.
• Mariner’s Hall: Master Mariners' Guild. A lavish two-story wattle-and-daub building just off the Way of the Dragon that puts up many a visiting ship's captain during and after guild business.
• Waterman’s Hall: Guild of Watermen. A boat- and warehouse that serves as their headquarters, the boathouse for their skiffs and ferries, and storage for any all flotsam and jetsam found while keeping the harbor clear. (Southeast Dock Street)
• Seaswealth Hall: Fishmongers' Fellowship
• Full Sails Tavern: Most Diligent League of Sailmakers & Cordwainers
• Cooper’s Rest: Coopers' Guild
• Shipper’s Hall: Fellowship of Salters, Packers & Joiners
• Muleskull Tavern: Dungsweepers' Guild
• Shipwright’s House: Order of Master Shipwrights
• The Metal House of Wonders: Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths & Finesmiths. This guild hall is quite distinctive, with its metal roof.
• Jester's Clubhouse: Jesters' Guild (North Ship Street & South Snail Street)
• The Pavilion of Paving Stones: Loyal Order of Street Laborers

Alleys & Courts

• Fishgut Court: A cobblestone court off Sail and Dock Streets where many strange happenings occur during nights of the full moon. Many say the owner of a nearby tavern often speaks with Selune, and moonlight shines onto the court.
• Smuggler's Dock: The most isolated corner of the ward and also its safest, under the watchful eyes of Mirt's Mansion and the Watching Tower, used often for lovers' rendezvous.
• Black Well Court: The small back-alley home to a polluted, monster-infested well that is now sealed by order of the Lords with magic and masonry.
• Manysteps Alley: A narrow alley that is the habitat of soothsayers, fortune tellers and thieves galore.
• Melinter's Court: A dark courtyard often thick with the pipe smoke of curbside philosophers and corner sages (and sometimes the plotting of wizards).
• Philosophers' Court: Also known by natives as "the Foolsquare", a daily (and often nightly) meeting place for intellectuals, old sages and drunken nobles alike found arguing over topics "too esoteric for a common mind".
• Round Again Alley: An alley that doubles back on itself and provides a testing ground for many apprentices' illusions.
• Three Thrown Daggers Alley: An alley that suffers from a magical curse that causes three random blades to fly from nowhere to attack passersby in the alley.