Open Lord of Waterdeep
The position of ruler of Waterdeep is filled by the Open Lord of Waterdeep. Elected from the noble houses they are the supreme lord of Waterdeep. The title was created to cut through the politics of the Noble Houses and make decisions without interference. The open lord's other job is to balance the power of the nobles and stop one from trying to take over Waterdeep for themselves.
The first Open Lord was Ahghairon, the founder of Waterdeep, who created the title. He organized system of nobility and the City Guard. His successor Lord Denderan Hidehelm realized that the Guard was not a policing force but a military one, so he created a internal policing force the City Guard. Another notable lord was Lord Deggrada who repulsed the armies of The Maiden King in the 1200s DR.
Then came the ever unpopular Goge Vandire. The self styled Emperor of Waterdeep whose insane rule is a dark stain on the history of Waterdeep. He led a purge of Waterdeep banishing and executing people for arbitrary reasons, leveed exorbitant tariffs on the merchants of Waterdeep, and also burned down a whole section of the old town to make way for a palace. Luckily he was killed in a revolution, in fact he was killed by his own bodyguards' the Brides of the Emperor. They were an all female group of warriors who acted as his enforcers.
The current Open Lord is Laeral Silverhand she was instructed by the goddess Mystra to stop a unidentified person from using magic. This has led to a great prosecution of magic users in Waterdeep. She has also instituted reforms creating a more open form of government and doing away with the Counsel of Lord, which was on its last legs after Goge Vandire used it to gain power.
The first Open Lord was Ahghairon, the founder of Waterdeep, who created the title. He organized system of nobility and the City Guard. His successor Lord Denderan Hidehelm realized that the Guard was not a policing force but a military one, so he created a internal policing force the City Guard. Another notable lord was Lord Deggrada who repulsed the armies of The Maiden King in the 1200s DR.
Then came the ever unpopular Goge Vandire. The self styled Emperor of Waterdeep whose insane rule is a dark stain on the history of Waterdeep. He led a purge of Waterdeep banishing and executing people for arbitrary reasons, leveed exorbitant tariffs on the merchants of Waterdeep, and also burned down a whole section of the old town to make way for a palace. Luckily he was killed in a revolution, in fact he was killed by his own bodyguards' the Brides of the Emperor. They were an all female group of warriors who acted as his enforcers.
The current Open Lord is Laeral Silverhand she was instructed by the goddess Mystra to stop a unidentified person from using magic. This has led to a great prosecution of magic users in Waterdeep. She has also instituted reforms creating a more open form of government and doing away with the Counsel of Lord, which was on its last legs after Goge Vandire used it to gain power.
Trivia
>the lord technically has the power to order that everyone wear a hat made of cheese. This does not mean it should be followed. The Legislation Against Vandire a law retroactively outlawing all of the things Vandire did. It also gave autherisation for the Guard to "Remove the Open Lord if any actions they commit remind the current Warden of the actions of Goge Vandire"
>any command given by the lord has to be intentional. This means passing references, or dismissive statements do not count as orders. See above as to why.
>the lord technically has the power to order that everyone wear a hat made of cheese. This does not mean it should be followed. The Legislation Against Vandire a law retroactively outlawing all of the things Vandire did. It also gave autherisation for the Guard to "Remove the Open Lord if any actions they commit remind the current Warden of the actions of Goge Vandire"
>any command given by the lord has to be intentional. This means passing references, or dismissive statements do not count as orders. See above as to why.
Type
Nobility, Non-hereditary
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