Waterdeep jail? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Waterdeep jail? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
chme
11-30-03, 02:20 PM Hi!

I'm currently DMing a campaign where the players have started out in Waterdeep, and at the end of the last game session they managed to get caught breaking into a house in North Ward. I let the magister sentence them to 1 month in the dungeons (more would have ruined my campaign), but now my problem is: where are the dungeons in Waterdeep? Where's the jail?

I've searched the books I have - FRCS, City of Splendors and Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, and either I'm blind, or there is nothing to be read about the jail or its location(s). As we are a large group of gamers, I sometimes have a co-DM, and so it is important I do not invent stuff if it allready exists in some FR product that he has and I can get. And I don't wanna skip over the time in jail, as a jail adventure would give my players an opportunity to learn more about the crime-side of Waterdeep.

If there really is nothing written on Waterdeep jails, where do you think I should place one? From what exists on the law, the magisters, etc in City of Splendors, I gather there would be smaller dungeons a little here and there - under Waterdeep castle, maybe by the city gates, and no doubt in Mount Waterdeep. I'm thinking there could be a jail somewhere thats a bit more sofisticated than just oubliettes, maybe on the east side of Mount Waterdeep?

What do you think? Please help!
Lord_Soto
11-30-03, 02:37 PM There is a description of Waterdeep Prison in the three part adventure Marco Volo: Departure.
imayb1
12-01-03, 01:47 AM The dungeons are under the Palace.
DrMorganes
12-01-03, 02:18 AM Does it really matter?

Seriously. Will the existance of a detailed dungeon blueprint enhance your campaign in any meaningful way? Do you plan on giving the PCs the chance to break out of this jail?

If not, I'd suggest you use a cut-scene to describe the horrors they witnessed and experienced, tell them their month is up, turn 'em loose on the streets of Waterdeep (with or without the equipment confinscated upon encarceration), and get on with the rest of the campaign.
WizO_Sith
12-01-03, 10:22 AM Moved to the Forgotten Realms General Forum.

*Bamf*
Ssussunriyh
12-01-03, 01:56 PM Elaine Cunningham described Waterdeep's dungeons in Thornhold:

"The dungeon of Waterdeep Castle was not the dank and fearful place that Algorind had expected. Granted, his prison was well underground - the watch had brought him down two flights of stairs - but the stone walls were smooth and dry, and torches sputtered in wall brackets placed every few paces. The cells were small, but clean and provided with the few basic comforts: a straw mattress on a plank frame, a chamber pot, a washbasin, and a pitcher of water. He had been offered food the night before, and again this morning. In all, he could not complain, and he trusted in Tyr's justice to see that his confinement would not be long."

Castle Waterdeep is not the same building as Piergeiron's Palace, btw...
chme
12-02-03, 04:28 PM Thanks for all the answers, and sorry I put it on the wrong board initially.

Originally posted by DrMorganes
Does it really matter?

Seriously. Will the existance of a detailed dungeon blueprint enhance your campaign in any meaningful way? Do you plan on giving the PCs the chance to break out of this jail?

If not, I'd suggest you use a cut-scene to describe the horrors they witnessed and experienced, tell them their month is up, turn 'em loose on the streets of Waterdeep (with or without the equipment confinscated upon encarceration), and get on with the rest of the campaign.

Yes, it does matter actually :) If there were blueprints, I could create an entire scenario around a riot, a jail break, a monster killing prisoners, or something similar that would let the PCs spend some time among other convicts, and in the course of the adventure learn more about smaller street gangs, maybe smell a first wiff of the Shadow Thieves, or The Xanathars guild or meet someone who's been to Skullport etc. Most of my players are new to this world, and I think some time in jail would do them good in this sense. That's what I meant when i said a jail adventure would let my players learn more about the waterdhavian crimeside in my initial post :).

Now, I could still do all of the above, but I think I would need to create a more modern jail for it to work than what can be derived from Marco Volo and Thornhold (thanks Ssussunriyh and Lord_Soto). As I see it those passages describe dungeons or cells where the PCs would stay all the time, with few or no NPCs sharing their cells. For an adventure to work I think it necessary that the PC can move about some, can choose which NPCs to approach and not, which would be possible if they were in a large modern prison with a yard, a lunch-room, and so on. But I'm not so sure that's plausible in Waterdeep? On the other hand - does the castle have enough dungeons to hold all of Waterdeeps prisoners? And what about those sentenced to labour - are they kept in the same place?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
chme 11-30-03, 02:20 PM	Hi! I'm currently DMing a campaign where the players have started out in Waterdeep, and at the end of the last game session they managed to get caught breaking into a house in North Ward. I let the magister sentence them to 1 month in the dungeons (more would have ruined my campaign), but now my problem is: where are the dungeons in Waterdeep? Where's the jail? I've searched the books I have - FRCS, City of Splendors and Volo's Guide to Waterdeep, and either I'm blind, or there is nothing to be read about the jail or its location(s). As we are a large group of gamers, I sometimes have a co-DM, and so it is important I do not invent stuff if it allready exists in some FR product that he has and I can get. And I don't wanna skip over the time in jail, as a jail adventure would give my players an opportunity to learn more about the crime-side of Waterdeep. If there really is nothing written on Waterdeep jails, where do you think I should place one? From what exists on the law, the magisters, etc in City of Splendors, I gather there would be smaller dungeons a little here and there - under Waterdeep castle, maybe by the city gates, and no doubt in Mount Waterdeep. I'm thinking there could be a jail somewhere thats a bit more sofisticated than just oubliettes, maybe on the east side of Mount Waterdeep? What do you think? Please help!
Lord_Soto 11-30-03, 02:37 PM	There is a description of Waterdeep Prison in the three part adventure Marco Volo: Departure.
imayb1 12-01-03, 01:47 AM	The dungeons are under the Palace.
DrMorganes 12-01-03, 02:18 AM	Does it really matter? Seriously. Will the existance of a detailed dungeon blueprint enhance your campaign in any meaningful way? Do you plan on giving the PCs the chance to break out of this jail? If not, I'd suggest you use a cut-scene to describe the horrors they witnessed and experienced, tell them their month is up, turn 'em loose on the streets of Waterdeep (with or without the equipment confinscated upon encarceration), and get on with the rest of the campaign.
WizO_Sith 12-01-03, 10:22 AM	Moved to the Forgotten Realms General Forum. Bamf
Ssussunriyh 12-01-03, 01:56 PM	Elaine Cunningham described Waterdeep's dungeons in Thornhold: "The dungeon of Waterdeep Castle was not the dank and fearful place that Algorind had expected. Granted, his prison was well underground - the watch had brought him down two flights of stairs - but the stone walls were smooth and dry, and torches sputtered in wall brackets placed every few paces. The cells were small, but clean and provided with the few basic comforts: a straw mattress on a plank frame, a chamber pot, a washbasin, and a pitcher of water. He had been offered food the night before, and again this morning. In all, he could not complain, and he trusted in Tyr's justice to see that his confinement would not be long." Castle Waterdeep is not the same building as Piergeiron's Palace, btw...
chme 12-02-03, 04:28 PM	Thanks for all the answers, and sorry I put it on the wrong board initially. Originally posted by DrMorganes Does it really matter? Seriously. Will the existance of a detailed dungeon blueprint enhance your campaign in any meaningful way? Do you plan on giving the PCs the chance to break out of this jail? If not, I'd suggest you use a cut-scene to describe the horrors they witnessed and experienced, tell them their month is up, turn 'em loose on the streets of Waterdeep (with or without the equipment confinscated upon encarceration), and get on with the rest of the campaign. Yes, it does matter actually :) If there were blueprints, I could create an entire scenario around a riot, a jail break, a monster killing prisoners, or something similar that would let the PCs spend some time among other convicts, and in the course of the adventure learn more about smaller street gangs, maybe smell a first wiff of the Shadow Thieves, or The Xanathars guild or meet someone who's been to Skullport etc. Most of my players are new to this world, and I think some time in jail would do them good in this sense. That's what I meant when i said a jail adventure would let my players learn more about the waterdhavian crimeside in my initial post :). Now, I could still do all of the above, but I think I would need to create a more modern jail for it to work than what can be derived from Marco Volo and Thornhold (thanks Ssussunriyh and Lord_Soto). As I see it those passages describe dungeons or cells where the PCs would stay all the time, with few or no NPCs sharing their cells. For an adventure to work I think it necessary that the PC can move about some, can choose which NPCs to approach and not, which would be possible if they were in a large modern prison with a yard, a lunch-room, and so on. But I'm not so sure that's plausible in Waterdeep? On the other hand - does the castle have enough dungeons to hold all of Waterdeeps prisoners? And what about those sentenced to labour - are they kept in the same place?