Waterdeep & Skullport Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Waterdeep & Skullport Questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
sorites
01-16-07, 03:19 PM Greetings All,

IMC, the party is headed to Waterdeep. I've read Waterdeep: City of Splendors (it's a great book!) but I still have a few questions I'm hoping you FR veterans can answer for me. :)

1) How well known is Skullport? Has the average person on the street heard of Skullport? Do they know it is beneath Waterdeep and that it's a dangerous place? How rare is it for someone to know the way into Skullport?

2) How do ships enter Skullport? I know it's on the third level of Undermountain and that it sits on the River Scargauth (sp?), but I don't get how that river connects to the surface world. Is there a cave entrance on the Sea of Swords? I guess Waterdeep itself sits on a plateau, above sea level...right? But it has docks too, which must be at sea level. Can someone straighten this out for me?

3) Any suggestions for a new party going into Waterdeep? This will be our first time actually doing stuff in the city. Past campaigns have found the party in Waterdeep for shopping, repairs, etc., but we never stuck around. This campaign will see the party hanging out in Waterdeep for a while. Any cool ideas, tips, or anything?

Thanks!
_SIN_
01-16-07, 06:00 PM Answers (to the best of my knowledge)

1) Skullport's existence is common knowledge to pretty much everyone who resides in Waterdeep.

2) Ships enter skullport via a portal (It's whereabouts can be found within City of Splendors: Waterdeep)

3) Anything. Literally. Waterdeep has pretty much everything. Run adventures based on dungeon delving in the countless catacombes & ruins beneath Waterdeep proper - Undermountain being the most famous (New Undermountain suppliment will be released in june/july '07, so you'd be best to hold out for that!). Use the 'Lords of Waterdeep' as a basis for a 'political intregue' adventure - The unknown lords are under constant threat from dark powers who wish to see them overthrown - Particularly the Shadow Thieves of Amn, who's demise and exile from Waterdeep is due to the lords, and they're none too happy about that!! Send the PC's through a random portal to somewhere outside waterdeep - maybe to another plane entirely, and make them quest to find another portal to return them.

The beauty of Waterdeep is that you can make up ANY NPC, of ANY race, of ANY class and of ANY alignment and they will not seem too out of place, and by having this freedom you can create an interesting NPC who can employ your band of adventurers for whatever they need, be it a mage after lost artifacts, or a pauper who's lost his pet cat. Have your PC's get involved in a bar room brawl, in which a person of status is killed and the PC's blamed, and as punishment get cast into the bowels of Undermountain, making them survive to earn their freedom. Waterdeep is a DM's best friend. If ever you're stuck trying to hook your PC's into high adventure, Waterdeep is the place of choice!

I hope you found that helpful - but be sure to check out the accuracy of some of the skullport facts. If you have trouble locating any info, try searching on wikipedia.

_SIN_
Old Sage
01-16-07, 07:34 PM I hope you found that helpful - but be sure to check out the accuracy of some of the skullport facts. If you have trouble locating any info, try searching on wikipedia.No. Given the highly subjective nature of the entries on the wiki at times, and the fact that certain details can be altered easily... I wouldn't rely on it as a source for "canon" Realmslore. Many entries are often "coloured" by personal campaign details or poorly-researched Realmslore.

If you want lore on Skullport, I would suggest you purchase the PDF of the 2e Skullport accessory from paizo.com for just $4US. It covers most of what you're looking for here.
Faraer
01-16-07, 07:36 PM City of Splendors p. 104:Aside from the Lords, their direct agents, a contingent of the city guard, and the few close-mouthed folk of the city who traffic with the lawless port, few within Waterdeep believe this legendary port city beneath the waves truly exists beyond the tavern songs of sailors and other unsavory denizens of Dock Ward.Wikipedia isn't a reliable reference for Realmslore.
_SIN_
01-16-07, 07:57 PM If you want lore on Skullport, I would suggest you purchase the PDF of the 2e Skullport accessory from paizo.com for just $4US. It covers most of what you're looking for here.

My apologies, you're absolutely correct. $4 dollar PDF is the way to go! I should have thought of that - THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR SEVERAL THINGS!

RPG.net is another good source for cheap out of print accessories.

BTW - when I said wiki, I meant that it has a useful list of references at the bottom of each page, which should (if using links to official products/sites) at least give you the names of the accessories that contain the relevent info. My apologies, I should have made myself clearer.
Old Sage
01-16-07, 08:17 PM RPG.net is another good source for cheap out of print accessories.I assume you mean RPGNow.com?

If so, please note that RPGNow.com was hacked about a fortnight ago. See this thread:- http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=184432
Old Sage
01-16-07, 08:36 PM City of Splendors p. 104:It's also fair to assume a significant portion of the "criminal underground" and those with a less lawful-bent at play in Waterdeep know and appreciate the reality of Skullport.

As Ed said in September '05 -

"The drug trade in Waterdeep is largely confined to Skullport (dealing, storage of large amounts): “topside” or in the city proper there is no drug production and only runner-to-client selling, face to face (some nobles send their stewards, bodyguards, or trade agents to buy)."
Old Sage
01-16-07, 08:37 PM And, also, this from Ed back in July '05 -

"Now, as for Skullport: I doubt Waterdhavians would ever go into unrest over the mere existence of Skullport; I can only see unrest occurring if nightly raids on the city that clearly came from Skullport(such as by bands of Drow or other "known to be of the Underdark" creatures, coupled with the inevitable lurid rumours) began and went on for days without any response from the authorities.
The existence of Skullport is common knowledge in Waterdeep, and has been for years.
So have the publicly-given reasons for the Lords of Waterdeep tolerating its presence: it enriches Waterdeep greatly, making possible all the wealth and great selection of wares and bustling progress that “advances us all," and it neatly provides a place for dangerous beings (wizards and drow and illithids and the like) to trade in valuable and sometimes dangerous goods, and "keep all that away from all of us who never have any reason to venture down there." In other words, you as a citizen or resident of Waterdeep enjoy great prosperity and safety that you would not, if Skullport didn't exist. Among all the lurid legends and tall tales of goings-on in Skullport are tales "planted" as reassurance, such as: "And if anything ever gets out of hand in Skullport, the Blackstaff has all sorts of spells 'hanging ready' to take care of it all: invaders from there will get blasted to dust! In the meantime, he and Laeral take their apprentices down there for training, and Watchful Order magists, too, so they can blast a few monsters and remind everyone not to try anything with Waterdeep, or - - blam!"
So if adventurers did "tell everyone else about it “they’d probably get responses of: "Uh-huh. 'Sware the bad folk trade, and go, and they deserve whatever befalls them. Glad the Lords keep it all out of OUR hair, anyroads!"
Ed"
sorites
01-16-07, 10:17 PM Thanks for all your responses. They're a big help. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
sorites 01-16-07, 03:19 PM	Greetings All, IMC, the party is headed to Waterdeep. I've read Waterdeep: City of Splendors (it's a great book!) but I still have a few questions I'm hoping you FR veterans can answer for me. :) 1) How well known is Skullport? Has the average person on the street heard of Skullport? Do they know it is beneath Waterdeep and that it's a dangerous place? How rare is it for someone to know the way into Skullport? 2) How do ships enter Skullport? I know it's on the third level of Undermountain and that it sits on the River Scargauth (sp?), but I don't get how that river connects to the surface world. Is there a cave entrance on the Sea of Swords? I guess Waterdeep itself sits on a plateau, above sea level...right? But it has docks too, which must be at sea level. Can someone straighten this out for me? 3) Any suggestions for a new party going into Waterdeep? This will be our first time actually doing stuff in the city. Past campaigns have found the party in Waterdeep for shopping, repairs, etc., but we never stuck around. This campaign will see the party hanging out in Waterdeep for a while. Any cool ideas, tips, or anything? Thanks!
_SIN_ 01-16-07, 06:00 PM	Answers (to the best of my knowledge) 1) Skullport's existence is common knowledge to pretty much everyone who resides in Waterdeep. 2) Ships enter skullport via a portal (It's whereabouts can be found within City of Splendors: Waterdeep) 3) Anything. Literally. Waterdeep has pretty much everything. Run adventures based on dungeon delving in the countless catacombes & ruins beneath Waterdeep proper - Undermountain being the most famous (New Undermountain suppliment will be released in june/july '07, so you'd be best to hold out for that!). Use the 'Lords of Waterdeep' as a basis for a 'political intregue' adventure - The unknown lords are under constant threat from dark powers who wish to see them overthrown - Particularly the Shadow Thieves of Amn, who's demise and exile from Waterdeep is due to the lords, and they're none too happy about that!! Send the PC's through a random portal to somewhere outside waterdeep - maybe to another plane entirely, and make them quest to find another portal to return them. The beauty of Waterdeep is that you can make up ANY NPC, of ANY race, of ANY class and of ANY alignment and they will not seem too out of place, and by having this freedom you can create an interesting NPC who can employ your band of adventurers for whatever they need, be it a mage after lost artifacts, or a pauper who's lost his pet cat. Have your PC's get involved in a bar room brawl, in which a person of status is killed and the PC's blamed, and as punishment get cast into the bowels of Undermountain, making them survive to earn their freedom. Waterdeep is a DM's best friend. If ever you're stuck trying to hook your PC's into high adventure, Waterdeep is the place of choice! I hope you found that helpful - but be sure to check out the accuracy of some of the skullport facts. If you have trouble locating any info, try searching on wikipedia. _SIN_
Old Sage 01-16-07, 07:34 PM	I hope you found that helpful - but be sure to check out the accuracy of some of the skullport facts. If you have trouble locating any info, try searching on wikipedia.No. Given the highly subjective nature of the entries on the wiki at times, and the fact that certain details can be altered easily... I wouldn't rely on it as a source for "canon" Realmslore. Many entries are often "coloured" by personal campaign details or poorly-researched Realmslore. If you want lore on Skullport, I would suggest you purchase the PDF of the 2e Skullport accessory from paizo.com for just $4US. It covers most of what you're looking for here.
Faraer 01-16-07, 07:36 PM	City of Splendors p. 104:Aside from the Lords, their direct agents, a contingent of the city guard, and the few close-mouthed folk of the city who traffic with the lawless port, few within Waterdeep believe this legendary port city beneath the waves truly exists beyond the tavern songs of sailors and other unsavory denizens of Dock Ward.Wikipedia isn't a reliable reference for Realmslore.
_SIN_ 01-16-07, 07:57 PM	If you want lore on Skullport, I would suggest you purchase the PDF of the 2e Skullport accessory from paizo.com for just $4US. It covers most of what you're looking for here. My apologies, you're absolutely correct. $4 dollar PDF is the way to go! I should have thought of that - THAT'S WHAT I DID FOR SEVERAL THINGS! RPG.net is another good source for cheap out of print accessories. BTW - when I said wiki, I meant that it has a useful list of references at the bottom of each page, which should (if using links to official products/sites) at least give you the names of the accessories that contain the relevent info. My apologies, I should have made myself clearer.
Old Sage 01-16-07, 08:17 PM	RPG.net is another good source for cheap out of print accessories.I assume you mean RPGNow.com? If so, please note that RPGNow.com was hacked about a fortnight ago. See this thread:- http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=184432
Old Sage 01-16-07, 08:36 PM	City of Splendors p. 104:It's also fair to assume a significant portion of the "criminal underground" and those with a less lawful-bent at play in Waterdeep know and appreciate the reality of Skullport. As Ed said in September '05 - "The drug trade in Waterdeep is largely confined to Skullport (dealing, storage of large amounts): “topside” or in the city proper there is no drug production and only runner-to-client selling, face to face (some nobles send their stewards, bodyguards, or trade agents to buy)."
Old Sage 01-16-07, 08:37 PM	And, also, this from Ed back in July '05 - "Now, as for Skullport: I doubt Waterdhavians would ever go into unrest over the mere existence of Skullport; I can only see unrest occurring if nightly raids on the city that clearly came from Skullport(such as by bands of Drow or other "known to be of the Underdark" creatures, coupled with the inevitable lurid rumours) began and went on for days without any response from the authorities. The existence of Skullport is common knowledge in Waterdeep, and has been for years. So have the publicly-given reasons for the Lords of Waterdeep tolerating its presence: it enriches Waterdeep greatly, making possible all the wealth and great selection of wares and bustling progress that “advances us all," and it neatly provides a place for dangerous beings (wizards and drow and illithids and the like) to trade in valuable and sometimes dangerous goods, and "keep all that away from all of us who never have any reason to venture down there." In other words, you as a citizen or resident of Waterdeep enjoy great prosperity and safety that you would not, if Skullport didn't exist. Among all the lurid legends and tall tales of goings-on in Skullport are tales "planted" as reassurance, such as: "And if anything ever gets out of hand in Skullport, the Blackstaff has all sorts of spells 'hanging ready' to take care of it all: invaders from there will get blasted to dust! In the meantime, he and Laeral take their apprentices down there for training, and Watchful Order magists, too, so they can blast a few monsters and remind everyone not to try anything with Waterdeep, or - - blam!" So if adventurers did "tell everyone else about it “they’d probably get responses of: "Uh-huh. 'Sware the bad folk trade, and go, and they deserve whatever befalls them. Glad the Lords keep it all out of OUR hair, anyroads!" Ed"
sorites 01-16-07, 10:17 PM	Thanks for all your responses. They're a big help. :D