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Chapter
5:
THE
GUILDS AND FACTIONS OF THE CITY
This chapter details many, but by no means
all, of the various special-interest (or
"power") groups active in the City; the
Dungeon Master is encouraged to use the
maneuverings of these to generate continual
adventure for PCs in any ongoing campaign,
and to introduce his or her own
power groups.
Space prohibits discussion of the many
mercenary and adventuring groups. These
tend to vanish, reappear, grow, shrink,
amalgamate, and change names with bewildering
rapidity as their fortunes wax and
wane. Many such are mentioned in this
book, in conjunction with various NPCs or
events, and others are mentioned in the
FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign Set. The
DM is encouraged to use only what he or
she likes of such groups.
<Mercenary Companies,
FR0>
FACTIONS
The various "power groups" of Waterdeep
can be divided into four factions. Picture
these as the four corners or points of a rectangle
or diamond, tugging at each other
but counterbalanced, so that although one
faction may gain the ascendant, none can
completely eliminate or absolutely rule the
others without destroying the City. These
four factions are The Ruling Faction, The
Guilds, The Temples, and The Independents.
The Ruling Faction has largely already
been detailed in these pages. It consists of
the Lords, the Guard, the Magisters, the
Watch, the Palace and its officials and diplomats,
and a special group, the Red Sashes,
described below. This faction traditionally
has the upper hand in Waterdeep, and the
Lords are extremely careful to ensure that
things stay that way by retaining (ruthlessly,
if need be) the absolute loyalty of the other
members of this faction, particularly the
Guard (which, traditionally, the Guilds
always try to purchaser the loyalty of). With
a few individual exceptions, the nobles must
be considered part of The Ruling Faction, as
they stand squarely behind it. The Lords
largely leave the nobles alone, and they are
thus far more free to act as they want to,
without responsibilities. At one time almost
all the noble families ran almost all of the
Guilds, but these days most noble families
have withdrawn from the cut-and-thrust of
active guild membership.
The Guilds arc detailed in this chapter,
and operate within limits set by the Lords
(some only as far as the Lords? vigilance
forces them to). The DM should become
passingly familiar with these guilds before
any play involving the City commences.
Their ranks will provide ?honest jobs? for
PCs and most of the NPCs they will have
daily dealings with, and properly handled
by the DM, will provide much of the ?life? of
the City in an ongoing campaign.
The major temples listed earlier are summarized
in the FORGOTTEN REALMS <Religion
in the Realms>
Campaign Set. Regardless of what deities a
DM uses, the priesthoods work their ends
through the common people (the fourth faction),
by exhortation and manipulation, and
by direct diplomatic appeal to the Palace.
The Independent faction, far more
numerous than the other factions, consists
of private citizens of Waterdeep who do not
belong to a Guild. Most adventurers (Player
Characters and NPCs) and mercenaries are
members of this faction, as are lone magicusers
and thieves. This faction gains its
name from the independent (non-Guild)
merchants of Waterdeep. The lack of common
organization renders this most numerous
group the least powerful.
The most active interfactional rivalry in
Waterdeep is between the Guilds and the
Ruling faction, a rivalry traditionally won
by the Lords because of the personal
strength of the Lords, although weaker
Lords could crack down on all other factions
(ruining Waterdeep?s ever-growing
prosperity, and their own popularity, in the
process) with stiffer, martial law. Waterdeep
is not like many more corrupt cities in
the South, however; by and large, everyone
in the City of Splendors is too busy making
or spending money to care enough about
such rivalries to cause any open conflict.
This or that individual might slay or trick a
rival individual, but the factions do not see
themselves as cohesive groups warring
with each other. Indeed within Guilds,
priesthoods, and nobles there are stronger
rivalries than between factions.
THE RED SASHES
This mysterious group is not known to have
ever operated outside Waterdeep?s walls. A
brotherhood whose entire membership is a
secret to all but their head, who is known
only as ?the One?, the Red Sashes are elusive
and as unobtrusive as possible in their activities.
Experts in intrigue and at hiding or
locating wanted persons, the Red Sashes
(who do not wear red sashes, but sometimes
tie up a wanted felon with red sashes and
leave him or her on the Palace steps or at
the foot of Ahghairon?s Tower for the Watch
to find) can be hired by contacting one of six
known agents. The Red Sashes seem to
avoid taking sides in City disputes, but most
believe themselves to be the real opposition
to the Lords of Waterdeep.
The six contacts for this group are the
cobbler Thurve Thentavva (Thentavva?s
Boots, #177, Vellarr?s Lane, The Trades
Ward), the horse dealer Surrolph Hlakken
(Hlakken Stables, #224, Coachlamp Lane,
Southend Ward), the courtesans Aletha and
Jhoysil Samprava (the Purple Palace, #260,
Slut Street, Dock ward), and the dockhand
?Red? Hlintas Urtel (most evenings: The
Sleeping Snake (tavern), #245, Wharf and
Dock Streets, Dock Ward). The sixth agent,
known to far fewer of the public, is Naneatha
Lhaurilstar, a courtesan of Piergeiron?s
Palace (her house, #10, is on Gem Street, in
the Castle Ward); Piergeiron provides
escorts of both sexes as hosts and guides to
visiting envoys, seemingly innocent of any
immorality that may be involved, and certainly
unaware of any loyalties to the Red
Sashes and other groups.
The DM should try to keep secret from
the players the fact?unknown to all of the
Red Sashes except Naneatha and a 5th level
fighter of the Red Sashes, the moneylender
Jurisk Ulhammond?that ?the One? is in fact
Durnan of the Lords of Waterdeep, who
uses them to unwittingly further the Lords?
interests (ironically, the Shadow Thieves
hire them often to act against the Lords!). Of
the Lords of Waterdeep, only Durnan, Mirt,
?Kitten,? Sammereza, and Khelben know
that the Red Sashes work for Durnan, who
uses them to accomplish things in the City
that the paladins among the Lords would
never agree to.
THE GUILDS
Hereafter the forty-two recognized Guilds
of Waterdeep are described in brief. For
each, the name, class and level, and Guild
title, if any, of the Master and a contact person
(some guilds don?t have a separate
spokesman; all business is addressed
directly to the Master) are given. Few Guilds
control their field of interest absolutely.
Most Guilds merely use their numbers to do
better than independents, and thereby gain
the lion?s share of business.
The majority of Waterdhavians, living in a
city of contracts, negotiations, and commerce,
are literate. Without exception, all
Guild contacts and senior members can
read and write (whether they will admit to
being able to do so is another matter).
The DM should read the entry for any
Guild the PCs have dealings with, and consider
the motivations of Guild members and
agents, to determine how this or that Guild
should act towards PC offers and activities.
Not all professions are organized into
guilds. Notably, panderers, courtesans, and
?escorts? lack a guild, nor do sages have
such an organization. For the convenience
of Dungeon Masters, sages will be detailed
collectively hereafter as though they did.
Sages, or ?wisebeards? as most Waterdhavians
call them, can be found in most City
markets. They are of varying degrees of
learning. Waterdeep has no great resident
sages of note at present. (The most learned
regular inhabitant of the City of Splendors
at this time is undoubtedly the archmage
Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun.)
Most sages in the City rent rooms and
move about often, as they search for new
beings to consult and writings to study. Such
moves minimize risks of theft and intimidation
to acquire information, and the regrettable
tendency of landlords and neighbors to
disturb a sage's studies with requests for this
or that information "free. . . just for me?"
The present locations of the sages listed
below are therefore left to the DM. Note that
the sages listed below are by no means all the
learned-experts-for-hire in Waterdeep. The
Dungeon Masters Guide should be consulted
for details of dealing with sages. It
is strongly
suggested that sages be too expensive for
casual consultations, or even for PCs to consult
them often.
| Known Sages of Waterdeep | Alignment | Abilities (16+) | Major Fields of Expertise (Specialties in Brackets) | Minor Fields of Expertise |
| Ammathair Hawkfeather | LN | IN 18, DEX 16 | Humankind (History, Theology & Myth) | Metaphysics |
| Amnglor Belthair | NG | IN 18 | Supernatural & Unusual (Divination, Planes: Outer) | Chemistry |
| Blackrabbas Khuulthund | CN | IN 18 | Fauna (Avians, Insects) | Flower, Herbs |
| Haerund Mhammaster | CN | IN 18 | Demi-humankind (Art & Music, Lejends & Folklore) | Cryptography |
| Ilighast Chamnabbar | NG | IN 17, WIS 17 | Supernatural & Unusual (Dweomercraft, Planes: Astral, Elemental, & Ethereal) | Demi-humankind: History |
| Javroun Lithkind | NE | IN 17 | Humankind (History, Politics & Genealogy) | Geography |
| Kromnlor Sernar | CN | IN 16, WIS 18 | Flora (Fungi, Herbs) | Medicine* |
| Mirrormul Tszul | CG | IN 18, WIS 18 | Humanoids & Giantkind (Biology, Languages) | Demi-Humankind: Languages |
| Narthund Delhzour | LG | IN 18, WIS 17 | Physical Universe(s) (Astronomy, Geology & Mineralogy) | Astrology & Numerology |
| Zeltbbar Iliphar | NG | IN 17 | Humankind (Languages, Lejends & Folklore) | Planes: Outer |
*The Guild of Apothecaries & Physicians will warn people against
the “false” knowledge of this sage. Kromnlor’s learning is actually far
greater (and more accurate) than that of most
members of the Guild.
Guilds must be recognized by the Lords.
The newest Guild is The Watchful Order of
Magist & Protectors, formed only forty
years ago. Applications for Guild formation
are seldom recognized. Applications that
would create rivals in the same field(s) of
trade as an existing Guild are always denied.
The Lords prefer that competition exist
within Guilds, rather than between them?
although rival Guilds often compete over
areas of trade where their jurisdictions
overlap.
Guilds have widely varying degrees of
influence, but no official precedence; they
are numbered below purely for ease of reference.
Guild ranks vary, but usually, from
the top down, they are Master (or head);
Elders or Council (if they have a say in governing
Guild matters), usually ?senior members
?; spokesman or contact person for the
public; Member; Apprentice/Prentice/
Novice (the term varies from guild to guild,
as do the powers and dues of this rank?
consult individual Guild entries).
A Short Guide to Guild
Portfolios
This alphabetical list of goods and services
will aid DMs in finding the guilds relevant to
any PC activities. Guilds are listed by the
number given them in the alphabetical
Guild entries which follow this list. If several
are given for a particular heading, several
guilds may well be involved, or several
guilds may dispute who has control over the
good or service in question.
accounting: 33 <Accountant class>
aerial steeds: 36
animal breeding, capturing, taming: 36
animals, slaughtering of: 14
armor fitting: 35
armor, leather: 24
armor, metal: 35
arrows: 8
art: 33
baked goods: 1
bars (windows, grates): 26
barrels, making & repair: 4
baskets, making & repair: 23
beer: 39
bells: 19
belts, etc.: 24
blacksmithing: 26
bookkeeping: 33
boots: 29
bottles: 17
bows: 8
boxes: 11
branding (animals): 36
building construction: 2, 18
building design: 38 (2)
building repair: 2
candles, making: 15
cargo handling: 29
carpentry: 2
catapult repair: 8
caulking and sealing: 3 (not ships)
chain: 26
chain, fine: 21
charts, nautical: 38
cleaning (streets & stables): 6
clerks: 33
cloth: 28, 31
clothing: 22, 31
coach building: 40
composing (poetry & music): 6
counterfeiting: 33
court records: 33
crates: 11
crystal balls: 17, 41
dictation: 33
distillation: 39
docks, loading & unloading: 20
documents: 33
drugs, medicinal: 13
drydocks: 30
dung removal: 7
dyeing: 28
engraving: 19, 21
eyeglasses: 17
ferrying: 20
fertilizer: 5, 7, 12
finesmith-work: 35
firefighting: 41
fish, fishermen, fish-sellers: 12
flowers: 5
food: 5
food, preservation and packing of: 11
footwear, making & repair: 29
forgery: 33
frames, metal: 26
furniture: 16, 23
furs: 34
garbage removal: 7, 20
gems: 21
"gilt" ink: 37
glass, making and installation: 17
gloves: 31
gold: 21
guiding through streets: 15
harness: 32
healing: 13
horns, warning: 6
horseshoeing: 26
horse breeding & training: 36
housing ("who lives where" information): 23
ink: 37
inns: 10
jewelry: 21
lamplighting: 15
latches: 26
laundry: 22
leather: 24, 29 (winter only), 32
lettering (signs): 33
letters (written): 33
lighting, night: 15
liqueur: 39
liquor: 39
livestock: 14
locks: 35
longshoremen: 20
magic (including protection against): 41
magnifying glasses: 17
maps (purchased, drawn, and sold): 38
masks: 35
masonry: 18
material components (for spellcasting): 41
meat: 14
medicine: 13
metal, precious: 21
metal-work, design & repair: 26
metal casting: 19
mounts, "trade-in": 36
music: 6
musical instruments: 6
nautical charts: 38
needles: 26
packaging, construction of: 11
packing: 11
parchment, fine: 37
paper-making: 37
pastries: 1
pedigrees, animal: 36
pens: 37
pewter-work: 19
piloting (harbor): 25 (20)
pipe-laying: 3
plans (building): 38
plaster-work: 2
plumbing: 3
portraits: 33
pottery: 18
preservatives, making & using: 11
"problem patrons" information: 10
quarrying: 18
quills: 37
record-keeping: 38
rental coaches & wagons: 9
repairing buildings: 2
roofing: 2, 18
rope: 27 (25)
saddles: 32
sages: no guild
sail: 27 (25)
sand: 17, 18
sandpaper: 17, 18, 21
scabbards: 24
scribes: 33
scriveners: 33
seals: 35 (see also 37)
seasonings: 14
secret compartments: 40
sewer-work: 3, 6
shipbuilding: 30
ship-loading & unloading: 20
ship-captaining: 25
ship-owning: 25
ship-repair: 30
signets: 35
silver: 21
singing: 6
skinning, animals: 24
slaughtering, animals: 14
sleighs & sledges, rental: 9
smithy-work: 26
smuggling; 4, 13, 40
soap-making: 22
spectacles: 17
"spell-guard": 41
stable-cleaning: 7
stamps, business: 35
stolen animals, tracing: 36
stone polishing: 18
stone cutting: 18
street cleaning: 7
tack: 32
tailors: 31
tanning, hides: 24
thieves: no guild (see 21)
tile-making: 18
tools: 19, 26
toys: 16, 35
tracing of stolen animals: 36
"trade-in" mounts: 36
transportation (within city), land: 9
transportation (within city), water: 20
vetrinary aid: 36
wagons, making & repair: 40
"wanted" likenesses: 33
warehouse rental: 5
waxes: 37
weapons: 26, 35 (swords, finest quality)
weaving: 28
wheels: 42
wicker-work: 23
wine: 39
wire: 21, 35
woodcarving: 18
wool & woollens: 34
work clothing: 31
zzar: 39
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