Noble Game
The Game
Waterdeep and its nobles are only just beginning to play the ages-old game once again, now that their fortunes are more stable, and Waterdeep has a society to speak of. All nobles play the Game, whether they intend to or not. Indeed, the actions of those most contemptuous or abjurative of the Game can often influence it all the more. In simplest terms, the Game is about which House has the most social standing, relative to the other Houses. It is social currency, and those at the Crown of the Game are wealthy in it no matter their worldly coin.
The board upon which this Game is played is the Waterdhavian Social Season, a series of parties and other social events intended to permit the Houses opportunities to show off, show up their rivals, and in general make an impression.
The Throne
Houses who "sit the Throne" are the current winners of the Game. They are esteemed, mimicked, and courted in all things, and they have social currency to spare. Since it takes social currency to get there, there are some Houses that rise to the Throne over and over again. Generally speaking, no more than five Houses ever occupy this place, and there are never fewer than two who do so.
The Court
Houses that "bide the Court" are well-regarded, even if they're not on the very top of everything. These Houses are the most dangerous to those that sit the Throne, for they are hungry to take that position for themselves. There are usually anywhere from ten to twenty or so Houses that occupy this spot
The Body
Most Houses occupy this position in the Game - they fail to stand out in any way, blending into the seething morass that is the population of little nobles in Waterdhavian society.
The Dregs
These Houses are the true misfortunates within the game. They are at the very bottom of the heap: ridiculed, scorned, and ignored. Those Houses that occupy this place are often those who have either earned the continued vehement scorn of one of the Throne Houses, or they are a House that actively ridicules the notion or has made enemies of the other Houses in some way.
