D&D (2024) Sword Coast population data from 2024 D&D Pocket Expert

[pukunui]

Possibly. I don't remember seeing them in 5e APs, while I recall mentions of Flaming Fists and Hellriders(?) in various APs.

No, they don't show up as NPCs in any 5e adventure encounters. Some examples of what we've got:

Storm King's Thunder

• Amphail: "Thanks largely to the influence of its nobles, Amphail is a member of the Lords’ Alliance and enjoys the protection of Waterdeep’s city guard."
• Rassalantar: "Waterdeep has long maintained a large contingent of its City Guard here, using a nearby barracks as the base for outriders who infrequently patrol the road north as far as Amphail and south to Waterdeep."

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

• Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion, "Entering Waterdeep": "You will have traveled through lands claimed and controlled by the Lords of Waterdeep long before you see its walls. If you’ve come from the south by the Trade Way, you’ll have met the City Guard at their post at Zundbridge. From the north by way of the Long Road, you’ll have passed under their watchful eyes at the town of Rassalantar. And whether by land or sea, you’ll likely also have been spotted by the Griffon Cavalry — even if you have not spotted them."
• Appendix B, "City Guard": "The City Guard is Waterdeep’s army, charged with protecting the city’s walls and gates, government buildings, harbor, and officials. The City Guard also patrols the roads to Amphail, Goldenfields, and Daggerford."

 

[Parmandur]

No, they don't show up as NPCs in any 5e adventure encounters. Some examples of what we've got:

Storm King's Thunder

• Amphail: "Thanks largely to the influence of its nobles, Amphail is a member of the Lords’ Alliance and enjoys the protection of Waterdeep’s city guard."
• Rassalantar: "Waterdeep has long maintained a large contingent of its City Guard here, using a nearby barracks as the base for outriders who infrequently patrol the road north as far as Amphail and south to Waterdeep."

Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

• Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion, "Entering Waterdeep": "You will have traveled through lands claimed and controlled by the Lords of Waterdeep long before you see its walls. If you’ve come from the south by the Trade Way, you’ll have met the City Guard at their post at Zundbridge. From the north by way of the Long Road, you’ll have passed under their watchful eyes at the town of Rassalantar. And whether by land or sea, you’ll likely also have been spotted by the Griffon Cavalry — even if you have not spotted them."
• Appendix B, "City Guard": "The City Guard is Waterdeep’s army, charged with protecting the city’s walls and gates, government buildings, harbor, and officials. The City Guard also patrols the roads to Amphail, Goldenfields, and Daggerford."

Amphail-Waterdeep-Daggerford is a pretty big territory, too.

 

[pukunui]

Amphail-Waterdeep-Daggerford is a pretty big territory, too.

Yeah. I'm not sure that they patrol the road all the way to Daggerford, though. Probably only part of the way. But that space along the coast between Waterdeep and Daggerford is meant be mostly settled farmland with noble estates and such. There are some more "zoomed in" maps* of that area showing villages and thorps that don't appear on other maps.

*As an aside, these maps were done by Mike Schley back when WotC was planning to include Daggerford as a sample town in the 2014 DMG. It's too bad that got cut. EDIT: Here's one: x.com

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah. I'm not sure that they patrol the road all the way to Daggerford, though. Probably only part of the way. But that space along the coast between Waterdeep and Daggerford is meant be mostly settled farmland with noble estates and such. There are some more "zoomed in" maps* of that area showing villages and thorps that don't appear on other maps.

*As an aside, these maps were done by Mike Schley back when WotC was planning to include Daggerford as a sample town in the 2014 DMG. It's too bad that got cut.

That's a fun map, I agree, that would have improved the 2014 DMG.