Apr 17, 2022 7:18 am
Volothamp Geddarm was a great boss in that he was usually too drunk or hungover to care what you did. He'd bought the Wazoo from Gaxly Rudderbust a couple of years ago, mainly to advertise his many guidebooks.
Volo made two changes that together made the Wazoo a Waterdhavian success story:
Firstly, he dramatically increased the number of stories, so the newspaper didn't simply look like a set of adverts for his guides. Volo calls any content that doesn't mention his guidebooks 'padding'. Under Gaxly, the paper's motto had been "All the news that's fit to print"; under Volo, it became "All the news that fits, we print".
Secondly, Volo struck a deal with a wizard who knew the fabricate spell. Each day, the wizard turned cubic feet of timber into paper - soft, strong, and absorbent paper. Not every Waterdhavian could read, but they all wanted cheap paper.
Volo isn't a great businessman, but he is lucky, although maybe they're the same thing, eh?
As you arrive at his office, Volo looks up with bloodshot eyes - there's nothing newsworthy there. But today, he also has angry bloodshot cheeks, and he's waving Vinnie's copy.
"Vinnie! I can't print this! Sources, dear boy! Sources! Libel, dear boy! Libel!
Remeber that time you said healing potions containing tiny scrying stones? Or that time you wrote that Lady Tesper was a lizard person?
Anyway, dragonborns and lizard people are two different things, dear boy."
Volo screws the paper into a ball and throws it into an overflowing bin, where it creates a little journalistic avalanche. He picks up another sheet.
"Patience! Great copy, dear boy. Great copy. Although the next time someone mentions heroes, don't forget to plug Volo's Guide to Monsters. And for the dating letter, you should have mentioned Volo's Guide to Good Waterdhavian Eats. But good copy."
He reaches into his desk and pulls out five pouches of silver - your day's pay and expenses. Twelve shards a day was enough for you to live modestly, but you needed to break the big stories to get bonuses.
"News! Get me news! Lots of fresh news!
Item: Blood In The Streets - Dock Ward Gang War! Someone look into that.
Item: Floon Blagmaar Kidnapped? Local bard and beauty last seen at Skewered Dragon. That's an important story. Get on that.
Item: Local author's new guide to spirits sure to be a best-seller! Now available for pre-order.
Item: No candles on Candle Lane. Funny story, all the lanterns are smashed on Candle Lane. Get art.
Item: Black Viper Identity Revealed! Please prove that she's the twin sister of Ammalia Cassalanter. Please! But not you Vinnie, dear boy. Not you."
Floon was a drinking buddy of Volo. It probably wasn't a big story, but you might be able to squeeze a bonus out of it anyway.
That the notorious Black Viper was a disguised noble Cassalanter was an article of faith at the Wazoo that never managed to become a news article with proof. Nobody really believed it was true, except Volo (and maybe Vinnie).
OOC:
The newspaper pays 12 silver pieces per day (with bonuses for big stories).You have a press card, but most people don't care.
You have various contacts and sources (e.g. in the Watch, in taverns, etc). Make checks to see if you have contacts at adv.
I will update the map in player handouts below with locations mentioned.
About Waterdeep
Currency: Copper pieces are called "nibs", silver are "shards" and gold are "dragons".
Transport: Waterdeep has a public transport system, double-decker horse-drawn wagons, called drays. A day ticket costs four nibs.
Nobles are special: Waterdeep's code legal has special sections giving nobles additional rights. They're like 'made guys' in mafia movies. That's not to say that they're immune to the law, but they are treated differently.
Wards:
The north of the city are the Sea Ward and North Ward. Wealthy nobles.
The centre of the city are the Castle Ward and Trades Ward. Military, administration and merchants.
The south are Southern Ward and Dock Ward. Poor and working-class.
East is the City of the Dead. Despite its name it's a pleasant public park, with mausoleums and monuments in green fields. Occasional undead.
Very far north. Field Ward - slums.
Watch vs Guard
Throughout most of Faerûn the city watch and guard are one and the same. Waterdeep is closer to our world in that it has separate military and police forces.
The guard are like the military. They guard the walls, gates, and some buildings in the Castle Ward. The guards on the wall aren't as well trained as the watch. The watch are the police. They are highly trained and professional. They proudly see themselves as a definitely not the military. As they spend their time regularly patrolling the streets dealing with crime (rather than standing by a wall) they tend to be better fighters too.
To give you an idea of the difference using numbers from the book. Guards are CR1/8+. Watch members are CR3+. THIS ISN'T A DUNGEON, THERE ARE LAWS!
Volo
