The guards take the names of Incantis, Vaz, Strix, Dekhan Vale and definitely no-one else, and this is written down in their ledgers. And you pass through the gate, into a busy street. You see market stalls around you geared towards travellers: sellers of foods and supplies for the road, but hardly a major market of Waterdeep, you suspect.
Who has been here before? Scupper, for sure. Dekhan? Anyone else? Even someone who has not been to the city will probably know a little of it and how it is divided into wards. You can tell that you stand in a not very prosperous part of the city. The word 'slum' might be used, and perhaps over-generously. Ahead of you is another wall and presumably another set of gates, though you don't have a line of sight to it at the moment. You can make a History check if you like, with advantage if you've travelled to the city before or are likely to have read much about it.
To one side, you notice a stall selling maps of Waterdeep for 5 silvers each.
Dekhan has been to Waterdeep before, but hasn’t done any extensive exploring of the city. What do you think, gentleman? Where shall we head? I wouldn’t mind going down to the docks, seeing some of the tallships Scup is always on about!
Well then, to the right and on until we touch water. Though there's likely distractions a'plenty on our way to the docks. Jest eh, let me know if anyone seems overly interested in me. I don't tink I owe anyone coin...
Dekhan, I hope ye don't get too offended by the loose morals o' the sea ward.
You head from the Field Ward, through the gate to the inner city, and down to the Docks Ward.
The journey is a long one; Waterdeep is a massive city, far greater and grander than Neverwinter. Your trek gives you a chance to glimpse many parts of the city, and Varinth's map helps you make sense of what you see. From the poverty-stricken Field Ward, a wide avenue heads due south. To your right you see a wealthy area, a mix of noble mansion and smaller, but well kept and wealthy-looking town houses - the Sea Ward is where the merchants, both modest and wealthy, and the lesser nobles make their homes. To your left, the North Ward is the mansions of, you would guess, the great old noble houses of the city. You are walking or riding down a bustling with carts and wagons passing you and turning off onto narrows side streets and alleys. City guards patrol frequently here, and the crowds are well behaved, though it is noisy.
The sun is low in the sky as you reach the high stone walls of Castle Waterdeep and enter the Castle Ward; you see public buildings, government offices and perhaps the palaces and villas of senior officials. To your left, some way from the road, you see a large cemetery, identified on Varinth's map as the 'City of the Dead', but you do not stray from your route this day. The sky is beginning to grow dim as you enter the Trade Ward, where houses suggest people who are not quite wealthy, and not quite poor, make their homes and business. Shops and business establishments are still open, though winding down for the day, but you sense this place is much busier earlier in the day. You pass by the Southern Ward, where labourers and other doers of menial jobs are just starting to trickle home after the day's work. But you take a right turn, into the Dock Ward.
You enter a large square, and are struck immediately by how busy and full of noise it is. There's no sense that the Dock Ward is getting quieter as night approaches - quite the reverse. The square has at least five taverns or similar establishments, and as you come near the centre you can already see two substantial brawls, over a dozen fighters in each, underway nearby. One seems good-natured, the other not so much. There's not a city guardsman to be seen. What passes for a main road leads into this square but does not continue. The Dock Ward looks like a maze of narrow winding alleys, mostly getting very dark as the sun is now setting. Around you, you can see signs indicating the names of the five taverns on this square: the Blushing Mermaid, the Copper Cup, the Full Sails, the Sleeping Snake and the Splintered Stair. The good-natured brawl is outside the Blushing Mermaid, and the proper fight, which you now see a pair of guards rushing towards, is outside the Sleeping Snake.
Varinth ambles toward The Blushing Mermaid and indicates to Soodi that he is going inside if she would like to hang about this general vicinity. He feeds her an onion.
Vaz will tip his imaginary hat to the Happy Brawlers as he passes by on his way to The ALCOHOL.
You approach the Blushing Mermaid, with your camel and horse. From closer, you see it looks quite expensive; a peek through the window shows a common room with cushioned chairs and benches, about half full, and the clientele looks - well, not exactly wealthy, but you can tell this is not a dive for the poorest of the city.
No-one comes offering to help stable Soodi or Luskain, as most of the people around you are watching the fight which appears to be growing in number of participants. Will you enter and leave them in the street?
Incantis follows the group through the vast city of Waterdeep. He pauses frequently while walking through the Field Ward and later through the Trade Ward, curiously watching the laborers and trodden upon. A face, subtle, as the group passes the North Ward.
Incantis approaches Vaz and Dekhan. "I can wait outside with the steeds."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Incantis, half-elf warlock (great old one) 4/bard 1 ● Thorok Earthhand, hill dwarf mountain druid 6/grave cleric 2
Cragmyre Ironseed, earth genasi ancestral barbarian 3 ● Cyrus Natriallae, aquatic half-elf warlock of the deep 3
((Sorry for being MIA, guys, it’s been a hectic few days.)) Dekhan smiles at Scupper. Scup, you know my moral high ground was never too high and the elasticity of said morals has grown since I’ve fallen in with you lot!
Dekhan takes in the sights of the city, appreciating the breadth of life experience on display. He tosses a copper or two to any urchins he comes across and marvels at the wonders of Waterdeep.
What do we say lads, in for a drink? or should we see if those guards need support with that brawl? It seems to be getting out of hand?
Can Dekhan discern what’s going on with the brawl? Perception6
Dekhan, as you look at the brawl, you notice a little way down the street that another fight is getting underway, this one just outside the Full Sails. You can't be sure what started either, but you are getting the sense that these things are very common. Looking back at the first brawl, you see that it is coming to an end, with two or three people apparently knocked out and having their unconscious bodies searched for valuables.
A shifter, an aasimar, a halfling and a 'human' walk into a bar. Incantis stays outside with his two charges, three if you count Zhudala.
Inside the tavern is warm, with a pleasant fire burning in the fireplace, and a large bar across one long side of the room, perhaps thirty feet in all. Behind it you see wooden shelves with many kinds of liquor, and barrels of ale that seem to be from many sources. Behind the bar is a tall and mature-looking elven woman, engrossed in conversation with a couple who are ordering expensive wine. On the wall behind the bar are two paintings, one showing a dark and enigmatic looking mermaid who is indeed blushing, and the other of a large building, somewhat similar in appearance to this tavern but not quite the same.
There are around twenty people in the common room, with a half dozen members of staff in dark green uniforms flitting about, taking orders and delivering meals and drinks. One, a young gnome, approaches you. Good evening, sirs. Would you like a table? About half the tables are occupied, and there are plenty the right size for your group.
The four of you are seated at a table by the window, overlooking the main square. You can see Incantis through the window, and beyond him the various brawls petering out. The server brings you the requested pitcher of ale (mark off one silver piece), and he introduces himself to you as Olli, short for Ollisend, native of Waterdeep. You folks look like you're new in town; been here before? Anything else I can get you?
There are three tables nearby. At one is a group of half-elves, half-orcs and humans in uniform; they look like sailors or maybe officers. At the next is a group of elderly humans and halflings who appear to be playing a card game, not for money. The last sits a young human man who is very much the centre of attention for the six people seated around him, a mix of humans and half-elves, all of a similar age (just into adulthood). They are all fairly richly dressed, and the young man is telling joke and, it seems, also laughing at his own jokes. Seated at the same table, apparently with the group but ignoring them and being ignored by them in equal measure, sits a woman in leather armour who is glancing around the tavern in a watchful manner.
The guards take the names of Incantis, Vaz, Strix, Dekhan Vale and definitely no-one else, and this is written down in their ledgers. And you pass through the gate, into a busy street. You see market stalls around you geared towards travellers: sellers of foods and supplies for the road, but hardly a major market of Waterdeep, you suspect.
Who has been here before? Scupper, for sure. Dekhan? Anyone else? Even someone who has not been to the city will probably know a little of it and how it is divided into wards. You can tell that you stand in a not very prosperous part of the city. The word 'slum' might be used, and perhaps over-generously. Ahead of you is another wall and presumably another set of gates, though you don't have a line of sight to it at the moment. You can make a History check if you like, with advantage if you've travelled to the city before or are likely to have read much about it.
To one side, you notice a stall selling maps of Waterdeep for 5 silvers each.
Varinth chuckles at the guards humour.
She don't belOng to mE. He says gesturing at Soodi I think *hic* I belong to her. He winks
Do you kNow anybody in there that shells pipe tobaCco? asks Varinth
Varinth, the guard loses interest as it's clear his fellows just want to let you all pass. Ask in the Trade Ward, he says, and then walks off.
Hey MaTey I'll go A mAp Cheers! and Vaz hands over 5 silver
Varinth pays his 5 silvers and receives this:
(Are you all able to see the map?)
(Yes!)
Are we at the Southern Ward Gate or Trade Ward gate?
You're in the Field Ward, as you arrived through the North Gate.
(Please add one map of Waterdeep to Varinth's possessions)
Dekhan has been to Waterdeep before, but hasn’t done any extensive exploring of the city. What do you think, gentleman? Where shall we head? I wouldn’t mind going down to the docks, seeing some of the tallships Scup is always on about!
Well then, to the right and on until we touch water. Though there's likely distractions a'plenty on our way to the docks. Jest eh, let me know if anyone seems overly interested in me. I don't tink I owe anyone coin...
Dekhan, I hope ye don't get too offended by the loose morals o' the sea ward.
BOATS! says Varinth in a voice a little louder than he was expecting.
You head from the Field Ward, through the gate to the inner city, and down to the Docks Ward.
The journey is a long one; Waterdeep is a massive city, far greater and grander than Neverwinter. Your trek gives you a chance to glimpse many parts of the city, and Varinth's map helps you make sense of what you see. From the poverty-stricken Field Ward, a wide avenue heads due south. To your right you see a wealthy area, a mix of noble mansion and smaller, but well kept and wealthy-looking town houses - the Sea Ward is where the merchants, both modest and wealthy, and the lesser nobles make their homes. To your left, the North Ward is the mansions of, you would guess, the great old noble houses of the city. You are walking or riding down a bustling with carts and wagons passing you and turning off onto narrows side streets and alleys. City guards patrol frequently here, and the crowds are well behaved, though it is noisy.
The sun is low in the sky as you reach the high stone walls of Castle Waterdeep and enter the Castle Ward; you see public buildings, government offices and perhaps the palaces and villas of senior officials. To your left, some way from the road, you see a large cemetery, identified on Varinth's map as the 'City of the Dead', but you do not stray from your route this day. The sky is beginning to grow dim as you enter the Trade Ward, where houses suggest people who are not quite wealthy, and not quite poor, make their homes and business. Shops and business establishments are still open, though winding down for the day, but you sense this place is much busier earlier in the day. You pass by the Southern Ward, where labourers and other doers of menial jobs are just starting to trickle home after the day's work. But you take a right turn, into the Dock Ward.
You enter a large square, and are struck immediately by how busy and full of noise it is. There's no sense that the Dock Ward is getting quieter as night approaches - quite the reverse. The square has at least five taverns or similar establishments, and as you come near the centre you can already see two substantial brawls, over a dozen fighters in each, underway nearby. One seems good-natured, the other not so much. There's not a city guardsman to be seen. What passes for a main road leads into this square but does not continue. The Dock Ward looks like a maze of narrow winding alleys, mostly getting very dark as the sun is now setting. Around you, you can see signs indicating the names of the five taverns on this square: the Blushing Mermaid, the Copper Cup, the Full Sails, the Sleeping Snake and the Splintered Stair. The good-natured brawl is outside the Blushing Mermaid, and the proper fight, which you now see a pair of guards rushing towards, is outside the Sleeping Snake.
Varinth ambles toward The Blushing Mermaid and indicates to Soodi that he is going inside if she would like to hang about this general vicinity. He feeds her an onion.
Vaz will tip his imaginary hat to the Happy Brawlers as he passes by on his way to The ALCOHOL.
By the tirty tree and a turd hells, me mates. I almost forgot how big this city was, just like. We been in the country too long.
You approach the Blushing Mermaid, with your camel and horse. From closer, you see it looks quite expensive; a peek through the window shows a common room with cushioned chairs and benches, about half full, and the clientele looks - well, not exactly wealthy, but you can tell this is not a dive for the poorest of the city.
No-one comes offering to help stable Soodi or Luskain, as most of the people around you are watching the fight which appears to be growing in number of participants. Will you enter and leave them in the street?
Incantis follows the group through the vast city of Waterdeep. He pauses frequently while walking through the Field Ward and later through the Trade Ward, curiously watching the laborers and trodden upon. A face, subtle, as the group passes the North Ward.
Incantis approaches Vaz and Dekhan. "I can wait outside with the steeds."
Incantis, half-elf warlock (great old one) 4/bard 1 ● Thorok Earthhand, hill dwarf mountain druid 6/grave cleric 2
Cragmyre Ironseed, earth genasi ancestral barbarian 3 ● Cyrus Natriallae, aquatic half-elf warlock of the deep 3
((Sorry for being MIA, guys, it’s been a hectic few days.)) Dekhan smiles at Scupper. Scup, you know my moral high ground was never too high and the elasticity of said morals has grown since I’ve fallen in with you lot!
Dekhan takes in the sights of the city, appreciating the breadth of life experience on display. He tosses a copper or two to any urchins he comes across and marvels at the wonders of Waterdeep.
What do we say lads, in for a drink? or should we see if those guards need support with that brawl? It seems to be getting out of hand?
Can Dekhan discern what’s going on with the brawl? Perception 6
Dekhan, as you look at the brawl, you notice a little way down the street that another fight is getting underway, this one just outside the Full Sails. You can't be sure what started either, but you are getting the sense that these things are very common. Looking back at the first brawl, you see that it is coming to an end, with two or three people apparently knocked out and having their unconscious bodies searched for valuables.
A shifter, an aasimar, a halfling and a 'human' walk into a bar. Incantis stays outside with his two charges, three if you count Zhudala.
Inside the tavern is warm, with a pleasant fire burning in the fireplace, and a large bar across one long side of the room, perhaps thirty feet in all. Behind it you see wooden shelves with many kinds of liquor, and barrels of ale that seem to be from many sources. Behind the bar is a tall and mature-looking elven woman, engrossed in conversation with a couple who are ordering expensive wine. On the wall behind the bar are two paintings, one showing a dark and enigmatic looking mermaid who is indeed blushing, and the other of a large building, somewhat similar in appearance to this tavern but not quite the same.
There are around twenty people in the common room, with a half dozen members of staff in dark green uniforms flitting about, taking orders and delivering meals and drinks. One, a young gnome, approaches you. Good evening, sirs. Would you like a table? About half the tables are occupied, and there are plenty the right size for your group.
Dekhan smiles at the woman, Indeed! And a pitcher of ale for my friends and I if you please!
The four of you are seated at a table by the window, overlooking the main square. You can see Incantis through the window, and beyond him the various brawls petering out. The server brings you the requested pitcher of ale (mark off one silver piece), and he introduces himself to you as Olli, short for Ollisend, native of Waterdeep. You folks look like you're new in town; been here before? Anything else I can get you?
There are three tables nearby. At one is a group of half-elves, half-orcs and humans in uniform; they look like sailors or maybe officers. At the next is a group of elderly humans and halflings who appear to be playing a card game, not for money. The last sits a young human man who is very much the centre of attention for the six people seated around him, a mix of humans and half-elves, all of a similar age (just into adulthood). They are all fairly richly dressed, and the young man is telling joke and, it seems, also laughing at his own jokes. Seated at the same table, apparently with the group but ignoring them and being ignored by them in equal measure, sits a woman in leather armour who is glancing around the tavern in a watchful manner.
Something to niBble would be great Olli, maybe shome cheEses... cheeeses... cheeSe, cheese... cHeeses..
cheeeeeeeeeEeses. Wow the shudden reAlisation that cheese is just shound is rather confronting.
He hands Olli a gold coin and smiles.