City Watch
The first soldiers you see in service to the city will be
the members of the City Guard who patrol the roads
leading to Waterdeep, watch the walls, guard civic
structures, and protect magisters. Waterdeep's streets,
however, are policed by an altogether different force:
the City Watch. The similarity of their names often con
fuses newcomers, so I offer this handy mnemonic: "The
Guard guards the walls while the Watch watches all."
You can recognize any member of the City Watch by
the uniform: a green-and-goldenrod doublet and a tall
steel helmet. Each typically carries a long truncheon, a
dagger, and a buckler. Because most citizens in Water
deep don't bear weapons, these tools prove a more than
ample deterrent to criminal activity. Members of the
Watch typically don't carry crossbows or other weapons
to attack at range, but running from the Watch-though
it may be a time-honored tradition for local miscreants
rarely works out for newcomers to the city. I guarantee
that alt members of the Watch know the streets they
patrol and that area's residents better than you do, even
if you stay in Waterdeep for ten seasons.
WATCH TALK
Members of the City Watch employ a sort of slang in deal
ing with the public. As a visitor, it behooves you to know
what they mean.
"What befalls?" means "Someone tell me what's go·
ing on here."
"Hold!" means "Don't move a muscle."
"Down arms!" means "Drop your weapons."
"Talk truth!" means "Answer me" or "Tell the
whole story."
"Robes" references the black robes-in other words, one
of the magisters. "Do we need robes here?" or something
...
similar should be taken as a threat.
...
The City Watch has watch posts throughout the city.
These stations are often off the main thoroughfares,
tucked away in small courtyards or at cross streets. A
watch post can be recognized by the green-and-gold lan
tern outside it, lit even during the day with a continua/
.flame spell. A watch post serves as an organizational
headquarters and armory. Anyone who wishes to report
a crime may do so at a watch post in the event a Watch
constable can't be found elsewhere. A watch post typi
cally contains a few holding cells where people arrested
for crimes can be detained until they're marched to a
courthouse jail before standing trial.
Small squads head out from the watch posts on daily
and nightly rounds of the city streets, or on special
assignments involving protection or investigation. A
mere pair of Watch operatives might discreetly patrol in
the Castle Ward; in contrast, squads of eight walk the
Dock Ward, increasing to as many as a dozen at night.
UWatch members spot trouble they can't handle, they
blow shrill tin whistles to summon more of their mem
bers-an act that alerts nearby citizens as well.
City Watch members follow a strict code of conduct
that makes them one of the most trusted police forces
aside from paladin-patrolled Elturgard. As long as you
don't engage in unlawful behavior, you can expect to be
left untroubled by the Watch.
