Waterdeep and the North
Encyclopedia
Waterdeep and the North (product code FR1) is an accessory for the Dungeons & Dragons
campaign setting
Forgotten Realms
.
. The City of Waterdeep, an integral part of Ed Greenwood's house campaign, is situated on the Sword Coast, and with a population of over 100,000, is the most important city in the north of the Forgotten Realms setting. The book describes Waterdeep in detail, including its history, neighborhoods, defenses, sewers, guilds, political factions, noble families, and important personalities. The book also includes seven adventure scenario suggestions.
This pack consists of a 64-page book, and a large color map of the city, wrapped in a removable six-panel gatefold cover. The outside gatefold contains a map of the City of Waterdeep, while the inside front cover has a map of the city's known sewers and the inside back cover has diagrams of some basic floorplans that might be found throughout the city.
The book first presents a brief geographical overview of the city, followed by its history. The history section describes the founding of Waterdeep by local tribes who benefited from trading timber and furs with southern merchants, and how the settlement's deep harbor gave the city its name. These were violent times, and a savage human tribe overran the settlement and built defenses and fortified their new homes. As tribes of humanoids advanced on Waterdeep, more human tribes converged on the settlement, swelling its size and number of defenders, and after savage battles, Waterdeep emerged as a free city ruled by War Lords. The mighty mage Ahairon then overthrew the last of the War Lords and established a government based on wisdom instead of armed might, and he ruled the city with a group of masked Lords who were secretly selected to govern. When Aghairon died 200 years later, his rule was followed by a brief period of anarchy, as powerful guildmasters attempted to gain sole control of the city, until Aghairon's surviving fellow lords took steps to reestablish the rule of the Lords.
The laws and customs of the city are presented, as are the various guilds and factions of the city. The book concentrates on providing a feel for life in the city, providing descriptions for only a very small number its buildings in any great detail. The book does provide a look at the workings of the city, some details on its noble families, outline descriptions of its various wards, and details on the services available. The city's guilds are set out in detail, and include such information as where their headquarters are, their livery, how one becomes a member, and various interests and political connections. The book also includes a number of NPCs of various levels and classes
, all of whom can be used to interact with a band of adventurers as adversaries, friends, or people just met during the daily routine of the city.
, with cover art by Keith Parkinson
, and interior illustrations by Chris Miller, and was published by TSR in 1987 as a 64-page booklet with a large color map and an outer folder. Editing was by Karen S. Martin, and the supplement features heraldic escutcheons by David E. Martin and cartography by Frey Graphics and David Sutherland
.
The City System
product is intended as a companion to this volume.
magazine #140 (December 1988). Bambra felt that the "physical quality of this product is high, and color is used to good effect to show contour levels and sea depths", and that the book's descriptions of Waterdeep give an idea of what life is like within its boundaries "in an evocative manner which brings Waterdeep to life and makes it an ideal setting for urban adventures". He felt that the presentation of the North was less successful than that of Waterdeep, noting that while "the history of the North is colorful, the descriptions of the various settlements are sketchy", and cited the absence of a wilderness map showing the relationship of the various settlements to Waterdeep and to each other. Bambra felt that although "the section on the North is weak, the sections describing the City of Waterdeep are very strong," noting that "Waterdeep has a rich background which gives the city great character. The laws and customs of the city are colorfully presented, as are the various guilds and factions of the city." He commented on how few of the city's buildings are detailed, leaving that work up to the DM with the help of included tables and sample floorplans, and that the book instead provides "a useful look at the workings of the city, outline descriptions of its various wards, and details on the services available". He felt that the adventure outlines provided "require a bit of work to bring them to life, but they provide a good cross section of the types of adventure available within the city". Bambra concluded by saying: "With its emphasis on atmosphere and personalities, Waterdeep is a very strong city pack. It lacks any street encounter tables, which is a pity, as this would have added even more to the city's feel and given PCs a better handle on life in the city. [...] As it stands, Waterdeep is a good urban location in which to base adventures in the Forgotten Realms setting. DMs will need to add to the provided information to personalize the city and breath life into its daily routines, but the background is provided and contains plenty of ideas just waiting to be developed."
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
.
Contents
Waterdeep and the North describes the region of northwestern Faerûn known as "The North", and in particular its leading city, the port city of WaterdeepWaterdeep (city)
Waterdeep is a fictional city-state that forms part of a popular Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game campaign setting called the Forgotten Realms. It is a port city that is located along the western coast of the Faerûn sub-continent...
. The City of Waterdeep, an integral part of Ed Greenwood's house campaign, is situated on the Sword Coast, and with a population of over 100,000, is the most important city in the north of the Forgotten Realms setting. The book describes Waterdeep in detail, including its history, neighborhoods, defenses, sewers, guilds, political factions, noble families, and important personalities. The book also includes seven adventure scenario suggestions.
This pack consists of a 64-page book, and a large color map of the city, wrapped in a removable six-panel gatefold cover. The outside gatefold contains a map of the City of Waterdeep, while the inside front cover has a map of the city's known sewers and the inside back cover has diagrams of some basic floorplans that might be found throughout the city.
The book first presents a brief geographical overview of the city, followed by its history. The history section describes the founding of Waterdeep by local tribes who benefited from trading timber and furs with southern merchants, and how the settlement's deep harbor gave the city its name. These were violent times, and a savage human tribe overran the settlement and built defenses and fortified their new homes. As tribes of humanoids advanced on Waterdeep, more human tribes converged on the settlement, swelling its size and number of defenders, and after savage battles, Waterdeep emerged as a free city ruled by War Lords. The mighty mage Ahairon then overthrew the last of the War Lords and established a government based on wisdom instead of armed might, and he ruled the city with a group of masked Lords who were secretly selected to govern. When Aghairon died 200 years later, his rule was followed by a brief period of anarchy, as powerful guildmasters attempted to gain sole control of the city, until Aghairon's surviving fellow lords took steps to reestablish the rule of the Lords.
The laws and customs of the city are presented, as are the various guilds and factions of the city. The book concentrates on providing a feel for life in the city, providing descriptions for only a very small number its buildings in any great detail. The book does provide a look at the workings of the city, some details on its noble families, outline descriptions of its various wards, and details on the services available. The city's guilds are set out in detail, and include such information as where their headquarters are, their livery, how one becomes a member, and various interests and political connections. The book also includes a number of NPCs of various levels and classes
Character class (Dungeons & Dragons)
A character class is a fundamental part of the identity and nature of characters in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A character's capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses are largely defined by his or her chosen class; choosing a class is one of the first steps a player takes in order to...
, all of whom can be used to interact with a band of adventurers as adversaries, friends, or people just met during the daily routine of the city.
Publication history
FR1 Waterdeep and the North was written by Ed GreenwoodEd Greenwood
Ed Greenwood is a Canadian writer and editor who created the Forgotten Realms. He invented the Forgotten Realms as a child, as a fantasy world in which to set the stories he imagined, and later used this world as a campaign setting for his own personal Dungeons & Dragons playing group...
, with cover art by Keith Parkinson
Keith Parkinson
Keith Parkinson was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book cover and game artwork for games such as EverQuest, Guardians, Magic: The Gathering and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.-Early life:...
, and interior illustrations by Chris Miller, and was published by TSR in 1987 as a 64-page booklet with a large color map and an outer folder. Editing was by Karen S. Martin, and the supplement features heraldic escutcheons by David E. Martin and cartography by Frey Graphics and David Sutherland
David C. Sutherland III
David C. Sutherland III was an early Dungeons & Dragons artist. Sutherland was a prolific artist and his work heavily influenced the early development of Dungeons & Dragons.-Early life and inspiration:...
.
The City System
City System
City System is an accessory for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:The City System set maps the city of Waterdeep in detail on 10 large color maps, with another map showing the city as a whole, and one more map that plots the interior of Castle Waterdeep...
product is intended as a companion to this volume.
Reception
Jim Bambra reviewed Waterdeep and the North for DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
magazine #140 (December 1988). Bambra felt that the "physical quality of this product is high, and color is used to good effect to show contour levels and sea depths", and that the book's descriptions of Waterdeep give an idea of what life is like within its boundaries "in an evocative manner which brings Waterdeep to life and makes it an ideal setting for urban adventures". He felt that the presentation of the North was less successful than that of Waterdeep, noting that while "the history of the North is colorful, the descriptions of the various settlements are sketchy", and cited the absence of a wilderness map showing the relationship of the various settlements to Waterdeep and to each other. Bambra felt that although "the section on the North is weak, the sections describing the City of Waterdeep are very strong," noting that "Waterdeep has a rich background which gives the city great character. The laws and customs of the city are colorfully presented, as are the various guilds and factions of the city." He commented on how few of the city's buildings are detailed, leaving that work up to the DM with the help of included tables and sample floorplans, and that the book instead provides "a useful look at the workings of the city, outline descriptions of its various wards, and details on the services available". He felt that the adventure outlines provided "require a bit of work to bring them to life, but they provide a good cross section of the types of adventure available within the city". Bambra concluded by saying: "With its emphasis on atmosphere and personalities, Waterdeep is a very strong city pack. It lacks any street encounter tables, which is a pity, as this would have added even more to the city's feel and given PCs a better handle on life in the city. [...] As it stands, Waterdeep is a good urban location in which to base adventures in the Forgotten Realms setting. DMs will need to add to the provided information to personalize the city and breath life into its daily routines, but the background is provided and contains plenty of ideas just waiting to be developed."