HISTORY OF WATERDEEP
Many years ago, the North was completely
uninhabited by humans, and covered with vast, tall forests. Every year, vessels came in to
cut timber for repairs or for trading along the Sword Coast. Most of these trademoots were
at a certain place where there was a great natural deepwater harbor, protected from the
sea by a rocky spur of land, an arm of an isolated coastal crag, and a rocky island beyond
it.
Over the years, tribes began to stay there most of the year, farming the cleared land.
After several pirate and tribal raides, they settled together by the harbor in a fledgling
town referred to as "the town of Water-deep".
Waterdeep was ruled by warlords then, warriors who led the people against the relentless
attacks of the trolls, and orcs. There were many bloody battles for a decade before, until
the magic of a Northern Youth named Ahghairon turned the tide against the
"everlasting ones" (trolls).
When Ahghairon was 112 (he discovered the secret of 'potions of longevity'), he had a
sharp disagreement with the present Warlord: the warlord wanted to use the city's acquired
wealth and strength-of-arms to forge a new Northern empire. Ahghairon defied him before
the people, and in the fight that followed, the warlord was slain. Ahghairon then
proclaimed himself the first Lord of Waterdeep, and he recruited others to help him in his
job, but unlike him, they would be masked in public, unknown to the general eye. These
Lords ruled unchallenged for many years.
To fight increasing corruption in the city, guilds were formed for each trade. However,
this would prove to be the city's undoing. After Ahghairon died, the Guildmasters sought
out and killed all bar two of the secret Lords of Waterdeep. They then took over the city,
and formed a council with only themselves on it.
Many years later, after greed and pettiness
for power had killed most of the guildmasters, the two lords returned to the Courts of the
Lord Magister, and commanded the Lords Magister to leave the city forthwith. They refused,
and were presently slain by one of the lords.
One of them, Baeron, then decreed that the Lords would rule again, all concealed bar him,
the new Open Lord of Waterdeep.
They chose 14 other lords to rule with them, and they also chose many Magisters
("Black Robes") to judge the courts, all of which were fine men and women.
However, things didn't just go right overnight. Even today, the evidence of the
"Bloody Reign of the Guildmasters" is visible.
NorthReckoning (NR)
The time scale used mostly around Waterdeep and the Savage Frontier, is Northreckoning
(NR). This calendar system uses Ahghairon's rise to the rulership of Waterdeep as the
start of its calendar.
0 NR
Ahghairon becomes the first Open Lord of Waterdeep.
224 NR
Ahghairon dies, and the Guildmasters sieze power.
241 NR
The Lords return, the Guildmasters are slain, and Baeron becomes the second Open Lord of
Waterdeep.
276 NR
Both Baeron and Shilarn (his wife, and another Lord) die and Lhestyn (their daughter)
becomes the Open Lord of Waterdeep.
282 NR
Piergeiron the Paladinson becomes the Open Lord after the death of Lhestyn.
290 NR
Khelben, son of Lhestyn returns to Waterdeep and claims Arunsun Tower as his own, renaming
it after his title of "Blackstaff".
326 NR
The Time of Troubles.
336 NR
The Fall of Zhentil Keep.
The DaleReckoning system (DR) was in 1032 DR at 0 NR.