Lords of Waterdeep
The Lords of Waterdeep are a mysterious and predominantly anonymous ruling council of Waterdeep, having governed the city from the 11th century onwards. They oversee the regional economy, maintain security and diplomacy, and hold legal jurisdiction over Waterdeep and the surrounding lands for approximately 100 mi beyond the walls. The exact number of Lords is unknown, neither are their identities. The only known Lord currently is Laeral Silverhand (otherwise known as the Open Lord of Waterdeep).
Structure
A full council comprised 20 Lords, though this number varied from 16 to 29. The Open Lord of Waterdeep (also called the "Unmasked Lord") is the sole member of the Lords of Waterdeep whose identity is publicly known. They hold a number of additional titles including Warden of Waterdeep, Overmaster of the Guilds, and Commander of the Watch. The "Masked Lords" wear formless enchanted robes and helm to shield their identity.
The Lords of Waterdeep were only seen in public when sitting in the Lord's Court or when appearing every four years at Shieldmeet Council when the Lord's Rule is reaffirmed. The identities of the Lords, other than the Open Lord, are not supposed to be known to the public, although they are known to each other. The intent of this is to ensure that the Lords are free of coercion and can be drawn from any social strata within the city. While the masked Lords are considered to be equal to the Open Lord in authority, some executive authority is reserved exclusively for the Open Lord, including the vetting and selection of new Lords, the naming of the next Open Lord, and determining the needed number of Lords per term.
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