Monsters

The City of Splendors is home to a significant population of monsters. Such creatures generally fall into three camps: those that live openly among the folk of Waterdeep, those who prey on the population like foxes in the henhouse, and those who play a parasitic role within the City of Splendors. Most Waterdhavian "monsters" are loners, at least with respect to their own kind, but those who do work in concert from the shadows often wield a great deal of hidden influence in the city.

Dragons

Although Ahghairon's dragonward reduces the number of dragons living in the City of Splendors, many wyrms either live within the mythal's strictures or keep a close watch on Waterdeep. Some of the more prominent representatives of dragonkind to do so include the following individuals:

Claugiyliamatar: From her lair in Deeping Cave in the depths of Kryptgarden Forest, "Old Gnawbones" schemes and watches Waterdeep through an array of crystal balls. Claugiyliamatar is fascinated by powerful human and elf females as well as magics that enable a dragon to take on human form. She hungers to participate in the hustle and bustle of city life, but she has not yet found a way of doing so that preserves her personal security.

In particular, the members of the Brokengulf family seek her death, for Old Gnawbones once posed as a silver dragon that offered to rid the Brokengulf grazing lands of herself. When the affair was over, Lord Saerlin Brokenguif was crippled, three of his sisters were dead, the family nearly bankrupted, and a hastily mustered Waterdhavian strike force had conveniently slain a young male green dragon with designs on Claugiyliamatar's domain.

Old Gnawbones employs dozens of human and halfling agents to manipulate events in the City of Splendors. She also indirectly sponsors adventuring companies, such as the dozen highborn Waterdhavian ladies of the Bloodred Crown adventuring company, which she discretely leads to ruins and tombs near Waterdeep and Neverwinter. Old Gnawbones invests her earnings so as to stir up rivalries and strengthen organizations she controls to create more trouble and squeeze out more profits.

Base of Operations: Basement of the Wyrmbones Inn.

Jalanvaloss: The Wyrm of Many Spells (LN female mature adult steel dragon) hides amid the citizenry of Waterdeep in the shape of a female human, revealing herself only to savagely fight off any dragon who dares try to do her city harm. She is a keen observer of the smallest detail who revels in participating in as many intrigues and deceptions as possible. An actress of the first rank and an adequate mimic, she enjoys manipulating others and scheming. She has become expert in recalling the genealogies, relationships, cabals, and alliances of Waterdhavians high and low. She is active in the city underlife but also enjoys the entertainment provided by the pretensions and indulgences of its nobles.

Nymmurh The Wyrm Who Watches (LG male ancient bronze dragon) has scryed the Silmerhelve family (apparently chosen at random in centuries past) through magic mirrors and portraits that can also act as temporary portals since at least the Year of the Nightmaidens (1032 DR). Fascinated by humans' predictability and unpredictability, Nymmurh tries to manipulate the Silmerhelves to be kinder, gentler, and slower to act before consequences are considered. He usually reveals himself to one Silmerhelve family member per generation, while the others regard him as mere family legend. Nymmurh protects the family against attacks from without and within, but does not watch over every wayward family member out seeking his fortune. He likes to attend family revels, sometimes appearing as a long-dead family member "returned from the grave" (usually the mumbling-mad Lady Saerista Silmerhelve, who dwells comfortably in the dragon's lair). Nymmurh's lair, which he calls "the Pit," lies in the high peaks of Alaron in the Moonshaes. He is known to have taught at least some Silmerhelves the spell jumpgout.

The Plague Rats

Waterdeep's dark underbelly has long been home to wererats, a lycanthropic plague that the Lords have never wholly eradicated. In recent years, as the number of threats occupying the Lords has grown, the wererat population has grown in number to its highest point in decades. Concurrent with this population growth, the rodent lycanthropes have been assimilated into the Plague Rats, an elite organization of thieves, assassins, and wererats active throughout the Western Heartlands and the North and dedicated to Talona, the Mistress of Disease.

In Waterdeep, the Plague Rats largely operate in Dock Ward and the sewers under cover of darkness, although they perform clandestine missions anywhere in the city for hire. Currently, the group is focused on expanding their ranks and extending their reach into every aspect of Dock Ward's seamier side. Ironically, only the burgeoning power of the Shadow Thieves and the Xanathar Thieves' Guild is keeping the Plague Rats in check.

Base of Operations: The Rat's Maw of the Rat Hills, Deloun Alley, and Skullport.

Savants of the Dark Tide

In the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR), a wave of monsters from the depths of the Sea of Swords swept into Waterdeep Harbor, nearly overrunning the defenders of Dock Ward. Among their number were a dozen or so aboleths, most of whom were slain during the Deepwater War. However, among their number was a trio of aboleths from the Swordsea Depths who joined the Army of Iakhovas with the deliberate intent of using the assault to sneak into Waterdeep's sewers. During the chaos and confusion, the Savants of the Dark Tide swam into foulest heart of the sewer, where they have since established a nigh-impregnable lair.

The Swordsea Depths are the region of the Underdark that extends out into the continental shelf beneath the Sea of Swords. As described in The Seadeeps, this region of the Underdark is wracked by a never-ending three-way war between the aboleths, the drow, and an alliance of svirfneblin and tomb tappers. The Savants of the Dark Tide came to Waterdeep in pursuit of an ancient legend in hopes of gaining a decisive advantage in that war. If the Savants of the Dark Tide can locate and resuscitate the Sargauth Swimmer (a legendary aboleth of enormous size and age rumored to lie dreaming in the Sargauth River), the knowledge it possesses might tip the balance in their interminable war.

Since their arrival, the aboleths have moved cautiously, seeking to understand the city above their heads before moving into the depths. The Savants quickly determined that the only organized activity in the sewers was performed by members of the Cellarers' & Plumbers' Guild. As such, individual rogues and others who will not be missed are captured and transformed into skum, whenever possible; however, guild members are enslaved and instructed to stay away from certain parts of the sewers and to stay within the city of Waterdeep, but they are otherwise left to do their jobs. By using already enslaved members to lure more senior members of the guild, the aboleths have thus enslaved the entire leadership of the guild as well.

Base of Operations: Drain of Madness.

The Unseen

The Unseen is a consortium of shapechangers, thieves, illusionists, and assassins that has been growing in strength and numbers in Waterdeep for nearly three decades. The Unseen began as a druuth (a band of doppelgangers led by illithids), tasked to infiltrate and spy on the City of Splendors for the Underdark city of Ch'Chitl. The death of the elder brain of the Kingdom Below forced the druuth to operate largely on its own, enabling a greater doppelganger named Hlaavin to emerge as the leader of the now-autonomous band.

Aside from the creation of the Waterdeep-based wilora, the successes of the Unseen are largely unknown, but failures and setbacks include the death of Flaern Cragsmere during a failed attempt to infiltrate that family, the Rat Hills Conflagration (which drove the doppelgangers wholly into the city), and the unmasking of the Hanging Lantern festhall when the infamous Volothamp Geddarm revealed that the courtesans were doppelgangers. Despite these setbacks, the Unseen finally appear poised to achieve true power in the City of Splendors, having finally placed one of their own in the ranks of the Lords of Waterdeep, and having learned the identity of "the One" leader of the Red Sashes.

Base of Operations: Formerly the Hanging Lantern, now secret rooms within the Dungeon of the Crypt; the sewers, and Skullport.

Amarune: Amarune (CE malaugrym sorcerer 5) has long been absent from Shadowhome, the fortress of the Blood of Malaug on the Plane of Shadow, fearing death from her kin for some long-forgotten sin if she is ever discovered. Amarune has posed as Nael Irlingstar for over three decades, eschewing the plots of her kin and living quietly among Waterdeep's nobility, in accordance with the Dark Decree of the Great Shadowmaster Dbalgrave. The death of her daughter Sintre left House Irlingstar without a direct heir and Amarune alone with the magic baubles she had acquired. Two years ago, Hlaavin, who somehow discovered her deception, abruptly confronted Amarune and gave her the choice of joining the Unseen or being exposed for what she was. Amarune has reluctantly begun supplying the Unseen with funds purloined from House Irlingstar's coffers and magic she has accumulated. The shadowmaster secretly burns with hatred for the doppelganger, and, as Hlaavin fully expects, intends to betray the greater doppelganger at the first opportunity.

Nylaersyn "the Changeling" Floshin: Nylaersyn (CE female fey'ri sorcerer 6) is a member of House Dlardrageth who has adopted the guise of a doppelganger, allowing her to infiltrate the Unseen in the guise of "Synyl." In the guise of Synyl, Nylaersyn has also adopted the guise of several Waterdhavians: Biafyndar Loceath (CG male gold. elf), an initiate of Corellon Larethian at the Pantheon Temple of the Seldarine, Hragnor Splitstone (male Illuskan human), a fletcher at Riautar's Weaponry, and Tymaara Moonsmile (CG female half-moon elf), a waitress at the Elfstone Tavern.

Gonehl: Gonehl (CE doppelganger), in the guise of Aquila Gerallin, leads the Masquerade. This shadowy group acts outside of Waterdeep as the information network and mercenary arm of the Unseen and includes more than one hundred members specialized in infiltration, spying, and poisoning. As they are reasonably honorable and seem to have no dark, hidden motives, few suspect that the Masquerade is actually an arm of the Linseen.

Hlaavin: Hlaavin (NE half illithid greater doppelganger sorcerer 9) is the driving force behind the Unseen, a greater doppelganger who lacks the self-centered, cowardly nature common to most doppelgangers and their ilk. Hlaavin is a master manipulator, consumed with envy for those who have more power, money, and prestige. Hlaavin sees the Unseen as a means of achieving true power in the City of Splendors, and Waterdeep as the first step in his plot to take control of the entire Sword Coast North. Hlaavin has accomplished something no other doppelganger ever has, keeping its druuth united without an outside controller. The secret of Hlaavin's efforts is its illithid ancestry, an experiment initiated by the illithids of Ch'Chitl to see if it would make their druuth more effective. The leader of the Unseen keeps its ancestry secret even from its fellow doppelgangers.

Hlaavin's current roster of identities include: Chievel (LN male Chondathan commoner 2), the major-domo of the Kothont villa and right-hand-man of Lord Kothont; Lady Cyrtue (CE female human commoner 5), owner of the Hanging Lantern festhall, Thad Ruchel (NE male Illuskan human rogue 7), leader of the Luskan-based adventuring band Mask's Conscripts, and Nindil Jalbuck, now his primary identity.

Ptola: Ptola (NE greater doppelganger rogue 9) is a cold, scheming creature that enjoys torturing its victims before assuming their identities. Ptola's current roster of identities include Kamlann (N male Chondathan human commoner 1), a member of the Dungsweepers' Guild, Murklar (LG male Tethyrian human commoner 1), a penitent hunchback and janitor of the Wyvern's Rest inn, Thurn Blackskull (LE male duergar psychic warrior 9), a fence specializing in rare and magic weapons, Senya (CN female Gur human expert 1), courtesan at the Golden Horn Gambling House, Wendyll Thintoworth (CN male half-moon elf sorcerer 4/rogue 5/assassin 1) of Mask's Conscripts, and Jurisk Ulhammond. At present, Ptola and its agents simply seek io infiltrate as many factions in Skullport as possible and slowly increase the group's influence in the Port of Shadow.

Vampires

Artor Morlin, once a Shoon outlaw, then Lord Baron of Morlin Castle and the Steeping Falls, then a vampiric mercenary lord famed for his hatred of all things Calishite, has dwelled in the City of Splendors since the Second Troll War. Artor (LE male vampire fighter 13/blackguard 3/master vampire 31) sees Waterdeep as his personal hunting preserve and brooks no challenges from rival vampires to his domain. As a result, Waterdeep is home to far fewer vampires preying on the citizenry than might otherwise be the case for a city of its size. Artor takes care to keep his depredations within the city to a minimum, giving him a secure and profitable base in which to live out his immortality. For more on Artor's lair, see the Fireplace Level.

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