Waterdeep Factions

Various factions have roots in Waterdeep, and any character with the faction agent background can choose to belong to one of the factions described below, provided the character meets the faction's prerequisites.

Characters of other backgrounds will have opportunities to join a faction later in the adventure.

Bregan D'aerthe

A character must be a drow, preferably a male, to join this faction.

Bregan D'aerthe is a company of mercenaries originally made up of the much-derided and dishonorable castaways of destroyed drow houses. The group's leader, Jarlaxle Baenre, is always looking for new members to fill the ranks, and loyalty is what matters to him most.

Emerald Enclave

A character must demonstrate an interest in protecting nature or the natural order to join the Emerald Enclave. Druids and rangers are especially welcome.

Waterdeep harbors a few members of the faction, which seeks to foster harmony between nature and civilization. Members living in Waterdeep help guard the city against unnatural threats, including aberrations and undead. They also watch over the City of the Dead (Waterdeep's public cemetery) and the city's parks.

Force Grey

To join Force Grey, one must first become a member of the Gray Hands. An individual who has served in the City Watch or the City Guard is eligible to join, as are characters who are willing to swear oaths to defend Waterdeep, its citizens, and its laws with their lives. Adventurers who show promise might be invited to join the Gray Hands, a faction overseen by the Blackstaff, Vajra Safahr. Members of the Gray Hands complete assignments dictated by Vajra.

Harpers

Any smart, non-evil character can join the Harpers of Waterdeep. Bards and wizards are especially welcome.

Harpers are altruists who work behind the scenes to keep power out of the hands of evil tyrants. In the current situation, it doesn't take long for them to suspect that the Zhentarim is wholly or partially responsible for the escalation of violence in Waterdeep. Harper spies might use the adventurers as instruments to get at the truth. Various nobles and guildmasters in the city are Harper sympathizers.

Lords' Alliance

To become a member of the Lords' Alliance faction in Waterdeep, a character must be a Waterdavian citizen. Those with criminal records can also join, provided they demonstrate their allegiance to the city.

The Lords' Alliance is a confederation of cities and towns up and down the Sword Coast and throughout the North, including (among others) Baldur's Gate, Mirabar, Mithral Hall, Neverwinter, and Silverymoon. Members of the alliance must come to one another's aid in times of need, and the organization uses field operatives (diplomats, spies, and assassins) to safeguard its interests.

Order of the Gauntlet

Any non-evil character can join the Order of the Gauntlet in Waterdeep. Clerics, monks, and paladins are especially welcome, particularly if they worship Helm, Torm, or Tyr.

The order's mission is to seek out and destroy evil before it gains a foothold. The surge of violence in Waterdeep spurs members of the order to find adventurers who can help return peace to the city.

An individual can be a member of the faction and also a member of the clergy or a knight pledged to a specific god or temple. Members of the order act alone or in small groups. Some are Waterdavian natives; others hail from distant settlements and have come to the city on temple business.,

Xanathar Guild

Anyone can join the Xanathar Guild, which, despite its name, doesn't have official guild status in Waterdeep. Before membership is granted, however, an applicant must pass a test that always involves the perpetration of a serious crime. Possibilities include murdering a guild member who has failed Xanathar in some fashion, kidnapping a Waterdavian citizen, collecting a ransom, robbing a hire-coach, or looting a warehouse.

Zhentarim

The Black Network has an open recruitment policy. Anyone can join. Tenacity and loyalty are highly valued (but not essential) traits in new members.

The Zhentarim is a shadow organization that trades mercenaries and goods (including weapons) for profit. It has long sought to gain political influence in Waterdeep, but the strength of the city's Masked Lords, nobility, and professional guilds makes that difficult.