D&D General A Question about Waterdeep - Where does the Drinking Water come from?

[Maxperson]

See I love delving into this stuff, but strictly looking for opportunities, not for problems or whatnot.

Yeah. It might be interesting as a high level adventure to have to figure out how to save the Underdark from being flooded.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Yeah. It might be interesting as a high level adventure to have to figure out how to save the Underdark from being flooded.

For sure. Also fun potential to think of what lives in brackish waters, especially underground, and add some extra flavor to Skullport and the area under it and around it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Eh I’m pretty sure there’s nothing stopping sea-adjacent caverns from having fresh water opposite the seawater, and an estuary between. Somewhere deep below.

There is not. Assuming there is some inflow of fresh water it wouldn't even need to be completely sealed off. But there are also massive air filled caverns extending for hundreds of miles under the ocean. Physics tells us even the slightest permeability should cause the ocean to disappear into the caverns. Unless magic.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

There is not. Assuming there is some inflow of fresh water it wouldn't even need to be completely sealed off. But there are also massive air filled caverns extending for hundreds of miles under the ocean. Physics tells us even the slightest permeability should cause the ocean to disappear into the caverns. Unless magic.

Yeah there we reach the point where I can’t be bothered, ya know? Unless someone sees a way to make it add to the fun of the game.

 

[Maxperson]

There is not. Assuming there is some inflow of fresh water it wouldn't even need to be completely sealed off. But there are also massive air filled caverns extending for hundreds of miles under the ocean. Physics tells us even the slightest permeability should cause the ocean to disappear into the caverns. Unless magic.

Or a bunch of admantite ore or mithril or non-permium-rockium or... It's fantasy. You don't need magic. Just something fantastic.

 

[TheSword]

A physicalist could tell you that one. It has to do with hydraulic pressure. It works for water, but it wouldn't work for an air filled environment unless it were pressurised. Since drow don't explode when they come up to the surface, I would have to infer that the Underdark is not pressurised.

You guys know that about a third of the levels of Undermountain have serious volumes of water right? One level is even called the Sea Deeps because of the water is leeching down.

If the water is draining away faster than supply from the ocean then it isn’t going to completely flood.

 

[Hussar]

Note the 5e Decanter of Endless Water stops working every six seconds. You have to say the command word each round.

Not impossible but somewhat inconvenient.

Funnily enough my issue isn’t really the drinking water part. I can hand wave that easily enough.

It’s the complete lack of bridges that annoying.

 

[Seramus]

Fantasy people only need about 1 cup of water a day. When was the last time you saw adventurers heading out with three wagons of water kegs? When was the last time you saw them urinate?

 

[Richards]

I'd be wiling to bet they tend to not like it when people try to watch them urinate.

Johnathan

 

[Maxperson]

Note the 5e Decanter of Endless Water stops working every six seconds. You have to say the command word each round.

Not impossible but somewhat inconvenient.

Heh. Magic Mouth could be an easy solution.

"Then speak the message, which must be 25 words or less, though it can be delivered over as long as 10 minutes. Finally, determine the circumstance that will trigger the spell to deliver your message. When that circumstance."

Just have the command word repeated for 10 minutes with the trigger being water in the area.