Base Requirements

• Races: Any
• Classes: Any
• Ability Requirements: Intuition 9
• Alignments: Any
• Starting Cash: 4d6 x10 gp
• Bonus Languages: Northern
• Recommended Languages: Any

Proficiencies

• Weapon Slots: By class
• Non-weapon Slots: By class
• Available Categories: By class
• Bonus Proficiencies: Literacy, Local History (Waterdeep)
• Required Proficiencies: none
• Recommended Proficiencies: none

Overview: Waterdeep is rightfully called the City of Splendors. There is no more cosmopolitan place in all of Faerûn. The people who count themselves among the natives of Waterdeep have come from every corner of the world and brought with them the traditions and religions of their original homes. One cannot help but become more refined and well-rounded when living in Waterdeep for any amount of time.

Description: Although the plethora of cultures in Waterdeep practically guarantees that no two characters will be dressed the same, there are certain generalities that can be legitimately ascribed to Waterdhavians.

A true Waterdhavian likes to see and be seen. Most strive for the finest clothing in the latest styles mixed with a martial undercurrent (decorations on armor or weapons). This tells all who see the Waterdhavian that he is civilized, successful, and can carry himself well in a fight. A Waterdhavian needs not only fight well, but he needs to look good while fighting as well.

Waterdhavians also tend to be better groomed and bathe more often than others around the Savage Frontier.

Role-Playing: Waterdeep is a cosmopolitan city, and the true Waterdhavian knows it. Most natives take pride (some say arrogance) in being from the City of Splendors.
Waterdhavians know the latest gossip, the newest fashions, the most intriguing new philosophies, as well as the latest word on the accomplishments of other adventurers in the Realms. These folk, like most of the city’s people, long for new experiences and unusual stories.

The Waterdhavian also has a jaded, “been there, done that” attitude towards many things, including magic. There is little magic, common or exotic, in the Realms that a native of Waterdeep has not seen a number of times before, given the number of adventurers and wizards throughout the city.

Such characters should always be played as open-minded and accepting. Bigotry and other related emotions are unknown to these folk. While other men might fear that which is different and strange, the people of Waterdeep see the unknown as an opportunity for learning and adventure.

Finally, Waterdhavians are polite (but not always well-mannered), articulate, well-educated, and very civilized. They tend to look down on those who are not similarly gifted.

Special Abilities:

• The people of Waterdeep are immersed from birth in the countless customs of a hundred different cultures. They know the music and songs of Cormyr and hear the stories of Sembia’s heroes. They have a fascination for learning that makes such characters the best of students. In game terms all Waterdhavian characters gain a +1 bonus to their starting Knowledge scores.
• A Waterdhavian is not subject to the doubled slot cost for learning additional non-weapon proficiencies outside his initial groups. The character must find someone willing to teach him the proficiency; these skills, while more easily learned, cannot simply be “picked up” without an explanation in a campaign.
• As a Waterdhavian advances in experience, he receives an additional non-weapon proficiency slot with every two levels (regardless of class).
• In addition, the exposure to so many cultures and ideas makes for quite an expansive base of knowledge. Thus, a Waterdhavian may make a proficiency check to attempt any non-weapon proficiency within the allowed groups for their Class even if he does not have the particular non-weapon proficiency; thus a Wizard could freely attempt untrained non-weapon proficiency checks for proficiencies from the Academic, Craft, and Sorcerous groups. This does include any additional groups they may gain access to by virtue of their Race, Kit, or other sources. When attempting a nonweapon proficiency in which the character is not proficient, the proficiency check is rolled, but with a -4 penalty assessed against the appropriate ability score. Note that this penalty is cumulative with all other modifiers for the appropriate proficiency (including the -2 penalty the Waterdhavian suffers on all non-weapon proficiency scores).
• A Waterdhavian may also select any languages indigenous to the surface Realms, human or otherwise, no matter how exotic.
• Additionally, each Waterdhavian character “knows someone” in every major city in the Realms. This “someone” is an NPC of 1d4+2 levels of any one character class. This NPC can provide a favor (fence goods, sell stolen goods, provide a hideout from the Watch) for the PC once a month. Any favors beyond that require a favor in return. This NPC will never risk her life for the Waterdhavian.

Special Disadvantages:

• All characters from Waterdeep suffer a -2 penalty when checking any proficiency. This doesn’t reflect a lack of skill, only that such characters know so many different things they tend to have gaps in their knowledge. The minutia that another adventurer might have mastered has been known to slip through the cracks because of the informal nature of the training that most folk in Waterdeep receive.
• As they say, “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing,” and no one personifies this better than a Waterdhavian. There is no danger in using learned skills, but the intuitive proficiencies are dangerous. If the character gets a 20 on a nonweapon proficiency roll when attempting to try a skill he does not know, it is not only a failure, it’s a potentially catastrophic failure. A failed fire-building attempt may set the character himself on fire, while a failed tracking attempt may make the character think he’s tracking an orc, until he finds it is actually a vampire!
• The Waterdhavian “big city” demeanor is not appreciated by more rural folk. When dealing with NPCs in rustic areas, the Waterdhavian suffers a -2 penalty to reaction rolls. In addition, Calishites are less than impressed with Waterdeep’s extravagant claims. When interacting with Calishites, characters from Waterdeep suffer a -3 penalty to reaction rolls.
• The great tide of humanity that washes through Waterdeep leaves its mark on every citizen of the city. A person who grows up there has the chance to make friends from all over the world. Unfortunately, the same chance exists to make enemies. When a player wishes to create a character with this kit, he must create a second persona who is that character’s nemesis. The DM is free to dictate any special requirements that will be imposed upon the villainous character, but the player should do the majority of the work involved in creating him. After the player creates the character, the character is turned over to the Dungeon Master and becomes a regular NPC who frequently torments the PC. There is a 5% chance per level of the PC that his rival appears in any given adventure. The rival advances in experience at the same rate as the PC.

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