Waterdeep’s slums are home to many gangs, whose fortunes rise and fall as surely as the tides of the Sea of Swords. Each vies against the others, pitting beggar against bravo, slayer against thug, and gang lord against gang lord. And as one gang falls beneath a storm of intrigue, blades, and sling-stones, inevitably another rises to take its place. If ever a gang is to break free of this quick cycle of death and rebirth, they must first triumph over their neighborhood rivals.

The Watch constables and the Thieves’ Guild are largely content to watch these small conflicts play out, only intervening when a gang presents a risk to the city. But that’s all changed recently.

Over the last few years, the Black Network has been recruiting among the city’s street gangs. This is the one thing the Thieves Guild cannot allow. Now gang skirmishes are becoming a daily occurrence, and the streets of Waterdeep are beginning to run red with blood.

The Adders

Territory: The Rookery, Dock Ward
A stunningly vicious and violent gang, the Adders are fond of using poison and are frequently hired as assassins and torturers. They have allied themselves with the Basilisk Boys and the Six Hands in a gang war with the Seawolves and Kerrigan’s Sons.

Basilisk Boys

Territory: The Fogwalk, Dock Ward
A gang well-known for its mastery of Waterdeeps sewers, the Basilisk Boys were on the verge of being wiped out by the Seawolves. They gratefully accepted the Adders’ offer of alliance.

The Blackcoats

Territory: Old Temple, Castle Ward
Possessing a sinister reputation, the Blackcoats are masters of violent crime, from mugging and home invasions to assassination. They are said to have ties to some dark faith – Loviatar according to some, or the Dead Three, according to others.

The Blades

Territory: Tarnish, Dock Ward
A gang that formed when the mercenary company named Grambar’s Blades lost its official commission twenty years ago, the Blades have a reputation as well-armed and -armored in comparison to other gangs, a likely reason why they have no current enemies. They run protection rackets and illegal gambling operations.

The Caravan Boys

Terrritory: Caravans, South Ward
Made up of the sons of those caravan-workers who settled in the area south of Caravan Court, the Caravan Boys are known for their smuggling and horse-thievery.

The Fire Kings

Territory: The Dockmaw, Dock Ward
So named for their original proximity to Castle Waterdeep, the Watch has successfully driven the Fire Kings back over the years. They are known to employ several alchemists, and do not hesitate to use the substances those craftsmen create for them. They deal extensively in drug processing and sales, as well as kidnapping and blackmail.

The Forty Owlets

Territory: The Rookery, Dock Ward
A gang of cat burglars, pickpockets, and freelance thieves, the Forty Owlets are an exclusively female crew. The crew operates out of the Aerie, a rooftop lair in a tenement building in the Rookery district.

Kerrigan’s Sons

Territory: The Spine, South Ward
A gang with its roots in adventuring, this gang sprang out of the force of bullyboys put together by Kerrigan’s Band, sixty years ago. Though the Band is long gone, the skills they passed on to their henchman are not: Kerrigan’s Sons are well-known for their skilled blade work and tactical acumen.

The Marrowsons

Territory: South Ward
A gang that mostly consists of fairly dangerous thugs and leg-breakers, the Marrowsons are said to have gained their name because they’re not happy in breaking the bones of their enemies “until they see the marrow.”

The Minotaurs

Territory: The Bowery, Trades Ward
A gang based around the Court of the White Bull, the Minotaurs are made up of smugglers, muggers, and burglars, for the most part, although they do occasional leg-breaking as well.

The Plague Rats

Territory: Field Ward, Dock Ward, The Sewers
The Plague Rats largely operate in Dock Ward and the sewers under cover of darkness, although they perform clandestine missions anywhere in the city for hire. Currently, the group is focused on expanding their ranks and extending their reach into the Field Ward.

The Red Readers

Territory: Citadel, Castle Ward
Originally based around Book Street, the Red Readers have earned their nickname by maintaining the largest number of wizards among their crew. It is also how they’ve managed to extend their influence so far beyond their original territory, though they’ve made powerful enemies in doing so.

The Seawolves

Territory: Scales, Dock Ward
One of the oldest gangs in Waterdeep, the Seawolves have made a number of enemies in their time. They also dabble in nearly every kind of gang crime; its members occasionally dabble in piracy as well, hiring aboard pirate vessels for a few years before returning to the gang. Those who’ve done so form the leadership of the gang.

The Shard Shunners

Territory: The Warrens
The Shard Shunners is a gang of halfling thieves in the Warrens district believed to be affiliated with the Plague Rats.

The Six Hands

Territory: The Rookery, Dock Ward
The Six Hands, also called the Slut Street Scuttlers, run the biggest cargo-theft and smuggling operations of any of the gangs. They are constantly at war with the Sea Wolves, and are close allies to the Adders.

Tusk Street Boys

Territory: Spires, Trades Ward
Aligned Black Boar Tribe mercenary company, the Tusk Street Boys do extensive sales of drugs, as well as acting as bodyguards and warehouse guards for many of the fences in Waterdeep.

Criminal Organizations