[Waterdeep] Resources

[Ralts Bloodthorne]

OK, I'm running a game for the two ladies in my life.

It's a mystery/romance game right now. Set in Waterdeep.

I have:

FRCS
Magic of Faerun
Monsters of Faerun
City System
2E Grey FR Boxed Set
Waterdeep and the North
Volo's Guide to Waterdeep

I plan on picking up City of Splendors.

Any advice on what I need to make this is full and well rounded Waterdeep game?

 

[Gulla]

I am in no way an expert on Waterdeep, but some general advice can probably be used?

1. Keep fokus on the main theme/plot. This is always important, but I find that it is even more so when you try to make some (new?) place come alive. The plot/theme is the most important thing, always.

2. Showcase the special qualities and places of the setting. In Waterdeep I would guess this includes the multicultural town. And some (or all) of the special sites in the town like SKullPort, Undermountain, the huge graveyard.

3. Try to find some "ways of speach" and local idioms and curses that only have meaning to a local.

Håkon

 

[BlackMoria]

Well, if you are talking well rounded, then you should have material for the 'underside' of Waterdeep - like the 'Ruins of Undermountain' , 'Ruins of Undermountain 2' and 'Skullport'.

 

[Arnwyn]

Well, if you are talking well rounded, then you should have material for the 'underside' of Waterdeep - like the 'Ruins of Undermountain' , 'Ruins of Undermountain 2' and 'Skullport'.

Agreed.

When you say City of Splendors, are you referring to the 2e City of Splendors box set? If so, then along with what you've already listed, you're rocking. (Sure, there are tons of other little gew-gaws like Dragon articles and the like, but that's probably overkill.) You might also consider the 3.5e Waterdeep hardcover, but it's hardly necessary if you already have the 2e box.

 

[Shane_Leahy]

One quick suggestion...

Waterdeep is big. Focus on an area for the players. Get them to know this area well, the people, the shops, the rumors, etc. Then expand out from there. I have noticed alot of players get overwhelmed when in a large city, there is so much going on that they dont know what to focus on.

 

[ruleslawyer]

I'm running a Waterdeep campaign right now. Perhaps I can be of help. Drop me a PM and I'll send you some stuff if you like.

As for resources: You're doing pretty well there, I must say! I would *definitely* recommend Ruins of Undermountain (you can skip the second boxed set); Skullport is less useful, since almost all the truly relevant detail is covered elsewhere.

As someone who planned on simply using the 2e City of Splendors boxed set and never buying the 3e Waterdeep hardcover: I am a changed man, since one of my players gave me the hardcover. It is beautifully organized and full of very useful adventure hooks. Where the boxed set is exhaustive in its details, the hardcover is very economical in what it chooses to discuss.

 

[smootrk]

Do not forget that the WotC site posts regularily little snipits for Waterdeep news, useful for creating little adventure hooks.

 

[diaglo]

there were several other 2edADnD adventures set in or around Waterdeep not mentioned yet.

Waterdeep (the third one of the Time of Troubles)
and the whole Marco Volo trilogy of adventures begins in Waterdeep.

 

[diaglo]

Any advice on what I need to make this is full and well rounded Waterdeep game?

well the novels are full of waterdeep potential sidetreks/stories.

a cool one to try is Dreamspheres by Elaine Cunningham

 

[diaglo]

Well, if you are talking well rounded, then you should have material for the 'underside' of Waterdeep - like the 'Ruins of Undermountain' , 'Ruins of Undermountain 2' and 'Skullport'.

a couple free downloads are available here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads