Bureau of Municipal Affairs
The Waterdeep Bureau of Municipal Affairs is the executive agency responsible for managing the city’s infrastructure, regulating construction and renovation, and coordinating all guild labor assigned to civic or private projects. Functioning as Waterdeep’s logistical backbone, the Bureau operates at the intersection of law, labor, and public service—ensuring that the city functions not just day to day, but brick by brick.
While other factions defend the city from military, magical, or moral threats, the Bureau faces a different kind of challenge: the needs of everyday people. From clogged sewer lines to disputed signage permits, the Bureau answers to the messiest force in the city—its citizens.
Guild Liaison Office – Coordinates all labor assignments with city-recognized guilds. Ensures legal credentialing, mediates inter-guild disputes, and prevents unauthorized or freelance labor from interfering with sanctioned projects.
Compliance Division – Deploys Overseers to inspect project sites, enforce structural and safety standards, and issue citations or halt orders when violations are found. Overseers operate with full authority to shut down noncompliant work.
Civic Works Division – Oversees the maintenance, repair, and emergency restoration of Waterdeep’s roads, sewers, streetlamps, fountains, and civic facilities. Coordinates with other factions during crises to redirect labor and resources.
Public Service & Intake – Serves as the Bureau’s public-facing office. Handles citizen inquiries, intake appointments, complaints, and low-level approvals. Staffed by clerks, attendants, and Bureau trainees who manage the flow of paperwork and people.
Voxi – 1st Assistant to the Overseer
Echo – 2nd Assistant to the Overseer (deceased)
Purpose and Function
The Bureau issues permits, assigns licensed guild labor, inspects job sites, and manages the repair and upkeep of Waterdeep’s public infrastructure. No major structural change—whether it’s a second-story addition, sewer access point, or expanded vendor stall—can occur without Bureau approval. The Bureau serves as the primary point of contact between citizens and the city’s logistical machinery. Property owners, guildmasters, and business operators must all pass through its halls at one point or another, whether to file for renovation, request emergency repair, or answer for code violations.Divisions
Permit & Records Office – Processes all renovation, signage, stall, and occupancy permits. Maintains the city’s archive of approved blueprints, zoning variances, and construction histories. Provides public access to civic records upon request.Guild Liaison Office – Coordinates all labor assignments with city-recognized guilds. Ensures legal credentialing, mediates inter-guild disputes, and prevents unauthorized or freelance labor from interfering with sanctioned projects.
Compliance Division – Deploys Overseers to inspect project sites, enforce structural and safety standards, and issue citations or halt orders when violations are found. Overseers operate with full authority to shut down noncompliant work.
Civic Works Division – Oversees the maintenance, repair, and emergency restoration of Waterdeep’s roads, sewers, streetlamps, fountains, and civic facilities. Coordinates with other factions during crises to redirect labor and resources.
Public Service & Intake – Serves as the Bureau’s public-facing office. Handles citizen inquiries, intake appointments, complaints, and low-level approvals. Staffed by clerks, attendants, and Bureau trainees who manage the flow of paperwork and people.
Known Members
Call of a Bird – Overseer, Compliance DivisionVoxi – 1st Assistant to the Overseer
Echo – 2nd Assistant to the Overseer (deceased)
