Sea Ward of Waterdeep

From OakthorneWiki
Revision as of 14:07, 16 November 2019 by Oakthorne (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Sea-ward-1491DR.jpg

Notable Neighborhoods
  • North Dolphin: Bliss Street, Dragonlane, Gondwatch, Gorl Street, the Greens, Seawatch, Spellwatch, Staghunt, Tabra's Lane, Torch Lane, Wagonslide Alley, Wavesong, the Whispers, Xamostar's Blade
  • North Mendever: Blackcrow, Downskulls Cut, Helvegate, Kulzar's Alley, Morinskoar, Scrivener's Knot, Solstice Gate, Spireview, Sweetfountain, Taryn's Peace, Trollgate, Umoros, Vayne's Alley, the Wellcut, Wrightstone
  • South Dolphin: Brovan's Bend, Caldwell, Eradis, Feather's Point, Field of Triumph, Hero's Garden, Hero's Walk, Jelzar's Stride, Lion's Circle, Mooncourt, Runer's Alley, Seaeye's March, Sharra's Flight, Sunshield Alley, Westwall
  • South Mendever: Arborfine, Brendinshield, Cloaksweep, Elfshade, Quarrel Alley, Roguerun Alley, Semmerlane, Silver Council, Sutherlane, Swartin's Huddle, Wellcourt
  • Trollpoint: Howand's Run, Iludan's Ride, Murlpar Street, Sandorim's Rest, Seawind, Shank Alley, Trolltower Court, Twostars
Sea Ward Lifestyles
  • Wretched: There is no space permitted for squatters and the homeless.
  • Squalid: The Sea Ward generally lacks the kinds of flophouses that mark this lifestyle, save perhaps among some of the meanest of servant quarters.
  • Poor: Occasionally, accommodations of this scale can be found at the edges of the Ward, generally closer to the wall and tucked well out of sight.
  • Modest: More common is the lifestyle of those who take space in a boarding house or spare rooms above or behind a shop. They are still undeniably the meanest of those in the Sea Ward, however. Many of the temples maintain boarding houses for their folk of this scale: humble and simple, without real luxuries.
  • Comfortable: Generally speaking, the majority of the Sea Ward folk live comfortably, with secure incomes and good living spaces afforded by their proximity to noble wealth.
  • Wealthy: Many of the secondary branches of nobility dwell with this sort of wealth and comfort, as do the many very successful merchants, priests and the sort.
  • Aristocratic: For the most part, the nobles of the Houses live in this kind of opulence, particularly the immediate family of its patriarch or matriarch.
• Waterdeep •
The Gem of the North
Waterdeep-seal.jpg
• People • 
• Wards • 
• Locations • 
• Calendar • 
• Language & Communication • 
• Other Lore •
• City Map • 
Map-waterdeep-sm-1491DR.jpg

As the wealthiest ward of the city, Sea Ward is the seat of power for the established noble houses. Nearly empty during the winter due to the fierce sea storms, many of the nobles, well-to-do merchants, and social climbers call this home in the summer. Walking along the Street of the Singing Dolphin, the major avenue for the ward, one can expect to spot many of the grandest homes in Waterdeep, from the spires and gables of noble villas to the craggy and mysterious turrets of the wizards' towers. Sea Ward also contains many of the city's temples and Heroes' Garden, the only public garden outside the City of the Dead. Truly important (and self-important) people come to this ward to build their opulent homes while more modest folk or those more entrenched in the everyday politics and power of the city often choose to live in Castle Ward.

As with North Ward, watch patrols are quite frequent as one of the benefits of position. They are always polite and generally lightly armed, as most of the miscreants they find in this ward are well-dressed, drunken nobles who need only to be steered to the next party. The Watch deals swiftly with any other disruptions, their tolerance for any vandalism, violence or theft being quite low.

The boundaries for this district are Julthoon Street and Shield Street, with a small eastern arm extending to the High road along Vondil Street.

Architecture

Aside from Piergeiron's Palace, you cannot find more finely crafted workmanship than the homes of Sea Ward. While North Ward tends toward pretense, the older, grander villas and temples of this ward have an air of stateliness and majesty (to say nothing of haughtiness). The ward's variety of building details are astounding, from talking tavern signs that wink at customers to three gilded towers that seem braided together. While seeming petty and grasping to outsiders, an address here is not a joking matter, and many Waterdhavians spend their entire lives hoping to get a good address within Sea Ward's boundaries.

Most of the ward's streets are paved in cobbles or corduroy. The nobles insist on getting the rest of the alleys paved, but the Lords' Loyal Order of Street Laborers are under express orders to maintain the existing corduroy roads. They may, however, replace the corduroy by the House of Inspired Hands with cobblestone, as frequent "testings" and explosions have set the log road on fire on multiple occasions.

Watch of Sea Ward

Wardsman: Polona Havyn (Tabra's Watchpost)

  • Wellcourt Watchpost: Rorden: Albinus Lir • x patrols
  • Morinskoar Watchpost: Rorden: Ailmar Londron • x patrols
  • Skulls Watchpost: Rorden: Efari Arkherlim • x patrols
  • Howand's Watchpost: Rorden: Ilenne Havyn • x patrols
  • Tabra's Watchpost: Rorden: Gredlan Sable • x patrols
  • Dob's Watchpost: Rorden: Gaufridus Bladesemmer • x patrols
  • Shark St. Watchpost: Rorden: Turbert Llaer • x patrols

Residences

Noble Villas

Private Homes

  • None

Mage Residences

  • The Dragon Tower (Ruined): A wizard's tower in the shape of a dragon rampant, once encircled by walls and an aura of menace, the magic in this domicile practically detonated during the Spellplagues first rising, sending the majority of the tower hurtling into the air above Waterdeep, to come raining down in a thousand pieces, wrecking neighboring buildings. To this day, the grounds are still magically tumultuous, with a Watch warning posted with a command to keep out. Only rough wooden boarding is used to cover over gaping portions of the old wall, though, and those with a mind to enter it can do so easily.
  • Naingate: A walled enclosure around a famous wizard's tower with a magical mid-air waterfall that appears in the courtyard, appearing from nothing and splashing but not collecting on the cobblestones. Naingate is today occupied by the enigmatic magus Xorone of the Libram, the Arcane Watchlord of the Waterdhavian Watch.
  • Blue Alley: A large, windowless stone building that houses a deadly magical trap-laden obstacle course, created by a wizard (who may or may not yet live there) to test the avaricious fools who wander into its blue-tiled passages.
  • Archemidal'’s Tower: Private Home of Archemidal Sulfontis (Mage) (formerly Tessalar's Tower)

Rentals

  • Stagdown Manse: Rental Villa

Businesses

  • Halazar'’s Fine Gems: Shop (Jewelry) (5c). A jewelry shop that prides itself as much on its expensive prices as its magically shining black walls.
  • Melvar's Chapbooks & Folios: Shop (Books) • (4c). An upscale tomeshop, with a wide variety of books, and a vast catalogue of those which do not fit in their shop, but which the business has access to.
  • Sarenda's Triumphant Arms: Shop (Light Arms & Armor) (4c). A shop located near the Field of Triumph that caters to the fighters and athletes who compete in the Field. Run by the crafswoman Sarenda. (formerly Lavah's)
  • Swordshigh Salle: Fencing Academy (4c). Part of the House Bladesemmer villa compound, Swordshigh has become quite the rage in recent years. The school features a variety of armories, salles, and lecture halls, as well as a large street-facing exhibition hall whose outward face can be folded back to give passersby a view at the fights on display. Blademaster Jhaesan Rhival oversees the training and curriculum.
  • Velatha's Delights: Shop (Luxuries) (5c). A Sea Ward landmark, Velatha's has served as the setting for several steamy romance novels about Waterdhavian nobles, and over the years has gained a reputation as a place where one comes to socialize as much as shop – as long as one has gold in-purse.

Nightlife

Inns

  • Pilgrim’s Rest: Inn (4c•4a). A comfortable but modest inn that provides affordable stabling and lodgings for many visitors of Waterdeep's temples.
  • The Wandering Wemic: Inn (4c•4a)
  • Golden Harp Inn: Inn (3c•4a). A comfortable two-story stone and slate inn, cheery and well lit at all times and noted for the magical harp that appears in mid-air at odd times to sing and play ancient ballads by itself.

Taverns

  • The Broken Lance: Tavern (2c•3p). A cozy tavern frequented and staffed by the athletes and fighters from the Field of Triumph. The eel pie is the house specialty.
  • The Crown & Heron: Tavern (5c•5p)
  • Gournar’'s Tavern: Tavern (4c•3p). A brightly lit, expensive place that's more a showcase for Waterdeep's high society at play than a tavern. It is a place to be seen, first and foremost.
  • The Fiery Flagon: Tavern (4c•3p). A tavern that is famous among sailors the Realms over for its seafaring decor and pricey fare, without the trouble and decay of the Dock Ward.
  • Mermaid on a Dolphin: Eating Lounge (4c•. An undersea-themed eatery known for its many plates of small nibbly seafood creations and sweet sipping wine.
  • Wyvern's Rest: Tavern (2c•4p). A former Watch-post and blockhouse, this one-story stone tavern is a favorite of Watch and Guard members, it hallmark being the stuffed wyvern that looms over the bar.

Festhalls

  • House of Purple Silks: Festhall (5c)
  • High Flagon Gambling House: Gambling House (4c)

Temples

  • The Chapel of the Divine Right: Shrine to Siamorphe. A chapel that is part of the Assumbar villa, but open to the public, it mostly sees other nobles as its reverents.
  • The House of Inspired Hands: Temple to Gond. An enterprising temple to Gond that frequently abounds with new and noisy inventions of its faithful.
  • The Tower of Luck: Temple to Tymora. The second largest temple in Waterdeep is a large walled tower, its clergy funneling its weighty resources into improving the complex and undermining the city of Arabel's claim as the center for Tymoran worship.
  • The House of Wonder: Temple to Mystra. The ornate tower for the faithful of Mystra with her holy symbol in mosaics on the courtyard, with the tower rising from the center of the starburst.
  • The Shrines of Nature: Shrines to Mielikki and Silvanus. A walled and forested complex that holds unpretentious "shrines" the size of some small temples to Mielikki (called "The Lady's Hands") and Silvanus (called "the Fathergrove").
  • The House of Heroes: Temple to Tempus. The largest of the temples in the city is dedicated to Tempus, the Lord of Battle, and attracts spectators and combatants alike from the nearby Field of Triumph.
  • The House of the Moon: Temple to Selune. A silver-gilded temple of fine white and blue stone, the House of the Moon was the oldest temple in Waterdeep, but the Spellplague wrecked it almost in its entirety. In the years since, it has been rebuilt over the original foundations, with additional towers, giving it a taller silhouette in the Waterdehavian skyline.
  • The Temple of Beauty: Temple to Sune. A lavish temple of red marble, with gold and silver accents with many statues of the goddess and her most comely worshippers throughout the history of the faith. The structure is a combination temple and pleasure dome, soaring above the neighboring noble villas, with tall towers and a central open-air ballroom that hosts revels many nights of the year.

City Buildings

  • Heroes' Garden: City park
  • Seaeyes Tower: Sentry Tower
  • West Gate: City Gate
  • Seawatch Tower: Sentry Tower
  • North Tower: Sentry tower; also called "The Trolltower"
  • City Armory: Armory for City Guard
  • Field of Triumph: The vast, open stadium that plays host to gladitorial combats, illusion and spell exhibitions, and other public gatherings. It is well-known for its Lion Gate, an awe-inspiring craved grand entrance in the shape of a roaring lion, with entrants passing into its open maw.
  • Trollfort: Keep

Guildhalls

  • None

Alleys & Courts

  • Gondwatch Lane, the scorched cobbles lane at the southern entrance to the House of Inspired Hands where many Gondsmen’s inventions are tested.
  • Kulzar’s Alley, a short alley close to Heroes’ Walk that allegedly hides both the buried treasure of Kulzar and many treasure-hunters eager to find it.
  • Pharra’s Alley, named for the first Temple Magistress of the House of Wonder but infamous for the Circle of Skulls that spew either helpful news or deadly spells.
  • Prayer Alley, a short run parallel to Phastal Street that is the location of a vanishing mages’ shop.
  • Rook Alley, an alley with access to a variety of strange passages into tombs and other tunnel systems. The Watch maintains a strong presence here at most times of day, and all through the night.
  • Wagonslide Alley, a loose-stone paved alleyway that causes as many to trip over its cobbles as wagons used to slip on water or sea-rime (rumor has it thieves hide invisible weapons and secret messages under the stones).
Retrieved from "https://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Sea_Ward_of_Waterdeep&oldid=55473"