Sages of Waterdeep

Sages are not organized into guilds or companies; in fact, many (if not all) sages work alone, though this habit may be changing...
Sages, or "wisebeards" as most Waterdhavians call them, can be found in many of the city markets, the open squares and courts, and at the Plinth at any hour of the day. Most sages in the city rent rooms and move often, as they search for new beings to consult and writings to study. Such moves minimize risks of theft, intimidation to acquire information, and the regrettable tendency of landlords and neighbors to disturb a sage's studies with requests for this or that information "free...just for me?"

Fees

The traditional fees for sages are as follows:
Consultation: 1gp, for up to a half-day consultation. Such are usually for information known off the top of the sage's head or readily available in his immediate books.
Research: Sages can be hired to perform research, charging half-again the per-day Research cost.

Types of sages

Decipher Script - Shrines of Nature ($5), ask for Mirrormul Tszul
Gather Information - Amcathra Villa (N34), ask for Galinda Raventree Amcathra; ask skum servitors of the Skum Lord for an escort through Skullport’s sewers (good luck! Cassalanter Villa ($48), ask for any noble; Myrna Cassalanter’s residence ($78 The Queenspire (H5), ask for Meritid Archneie; Ruldegost Villa ($29), ask for Lord Bly Ruldegost
Arcana - Elfstone Tavern (C32), ask for Narthund Delzhour; Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Ilighast Chamnabbar or Sulphon; House of Wonder ($21 Tower of the Order (C15) Knowledge Elfstone Tavern (C32), ask about Haerun Mhammaster and be directed to his home (C82 (architecture/engineering) Selûne’s Smile (D6) (winter months only), ask for Jasmal Knowledge (dungeoneering) Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Sulphon; Yawning Portal (C48)
Lore (geography) - Elfstone Tavern (C32), ask for Narthund Delzhour; Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Javroun Lithkind History - Ammathair Hawkfeather’s residence (C83 Elfstone Tavern (C32), ask about Haerun Mhammaster and be directed to his home (C82 Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Ilighast Chamnabbar or Javroun Lithkind; Grinning Lion (N56), ask for Vlorn Keenear; Irbryth Authamaun’s residence (N62 Melshimber Villa ($16 Selûne’s Smile (D6) (winter months only), ask for Jasmal; Zeltabbar Iliphar’s residence (T50)
Lore (local Waterdeep) - Irbryth Authamaun’s residence (N62 New Olamn (C72)
Nature - Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Blackrabbas Khuulthund; Selûne’s Smile (D6) (winter months only), ask for Jasmal; Shrines of Nature ($5), ask for Mirrormul Tszul or almost anyone; Warm Beds (D15), ask for Kromnlor Sernar
Lore (nobility/royalty) - Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Javroun Lithkind; Melshimber Villa ($16 New Olamn (C72)
Religion - Ammathair Hawkfeather’s residence (C83 Grinning Lion (N56), ask for Vlorn Keenear; Thongolir Villa ($49), ask for Thestus Thongolir; Various temples
Lore (the planes) - Font of Knowledge (C4), ask for Ilighast Chamnabbar; Tower of the Order (C15 Zeltabbar Iliphar’s residence (T50)
Magic Item Properties - Blaskstaff Tower (C6 Tessalar’s Tower ($25), ask for Tessalar Hulicorm; (analyze dweomer/identify) Tower of the Order (C15)

Types of knowledge

Lore (architecture and engineering), specializing in stonecraft and _{weaponry,
Knowledge (history)}, specializing in dwarfkind,
Knowledge (nature), specializing in fauna of the Sword Coast and the North
Knowledge (history), specializing in the folklore, history, languages, legends, and politics of halflingkind, and the politics and history of humankind along the Sword Coast, and
Knowledge (religion), specializing in the mythology of halflingkind
Knowledge (nature), specializing in the fauna (birds, insects) and flora (flowers, herbs) of the Sword Coast and the North.
Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (history), specializing in the history and politics of humankind, and
Knowledge (nobility and royalty), specializing in the genealogy of humankind
Knowledge (history), specializing in the art, folklore, legends, and music of elves, dwarves, halfl ings, and gnomes
Knowledge (architecture and engineering), specializing in dungeons and other underground construction
Healing and Knowledge (nature), specializing in flora (fungi, herbs) of the Sword Coast, the North, and the Heartlands
Knowledge (arcana), specializing in astrology, astronomy, and numerology, and Knowledge (geography), specializing in geology and mineralogy.
Knowledge (arcana), specializing in magic traditions, Knowledge (the planes), specializing in the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and the Elemental Planes, and Knowledge (history), specializing in the histories of dwarves, elves, gnomes, and halfl ings along the Sword Coast and across the North.
Knowledge (local Waterdeep), specializing in the minutiae of Waterdeep’s broadsheets, and Knowledge (history), specializing in the history of Waterdeep
Knowledge (nature), specializing in the biology of humanoids and giantkind. He also speaks many humanoid and giant languages and can ably Decipher Script.
Knowledge (arcana), specializing in the study of magical beasts
Knowledge (dungeoneering), specializing in the study of aberrations.