Punishment for a crime can include one or more of the following, based on the nature of the crime, who or what the crime is committed against, and the criminal record of the convicted:

  • Death
  • Exile (for a number of years or summers)
  • Flogging (a set number of strokes)
  • Hard labor (for a period of days, months, or years depending on the seriousness of the crime)
  • Imprisonment in the dungeons of Castle Waterdeep (for a period of days or months depending on the seriousness of the crime)
  • Fine (payable to the city; inability to pay the fine leads to imprisonment and/or hard labor)
  • Damages (payable to the injured party or victim’s kin; inability to pay damages leads to imprisonment and/or hard labor)
  • Edict (forbidding the convicted from doing something; violation of an edict can result in imprisonment, hard labor, and/or a fine)

I. Crimes against Lords, Officials, and Nobles

Assaulting or impersonating a Lord: death


Assaulting or impersonating an official or noble: flogging, imprisonment up to a tenday, and fine up to 500 gp


Blackmailing an official: flogging and exile up to 10 years
Bribery or attempted bribery of an official: exile up to 20 years and fine up to double the bribe amount


Murder of a Lord, official, or noble: death


Using magic to influence a Lord without consent: imprisonment up to a year, and fine or damages up to 1,000 gp


Using magic to influence an official without consent: fine or damages up to 1,000 gp and edict

II. Crimes against the City

Arson: death or hard labor up to 1 year, with fines and/or damages covering the cost of repairs plus 2,000 gp


Brandishing weapons without due cause: imprisonment up to a tenday and/or fine up to 10 gp


Espionage: death or permanent exile


Fencing stolen goods: fine equal to the value of the stolen goods and edict


Forgery of an official document: flogging and exile for 10 summers


Hampering justice: fine up to 200 gp and hard labor up to a tenday


Littering: fine up to 2 gp and edict


Poisoning a city well: death


Theft: flogging followed by imprisonment up to a tenday, hard labor up to 1 year, or fine equal to the value of the stolen goods


Treason: death


Vandalism: imprisonment up to a tenday plus fine and/or damages covering the cost of repairs plus up to 100 gp


Using magic to influence an official without consent: fine or damages up to 1,000 gp and edict

III. Crimes against the Gods

Assaulting a priest or lay worshiper: imprisonment up to a tenday and damages up to 500 gp


Disorderly conduct within a temple: fine up to 5 gp and edict).


Public blasphemy against a god or church: edict


Theft of temple goods or offerings: imprisonment up to a tenday and damages up to double the cost of the stolen items


Tomb-robbing: imprisonment up to a tenday and damages covering the cost of repairs plus 500 gp

IV. Crimes against Citizens

Assaulting a citizen: imprisonment up to a tenday, flogging, and damages up to 1,000 gp


Blackmailing or intimidating a citizen: fine or damages up to 500 gp and edict


Burglary: imprisonment up to 3 months and damages equal to the value of the stolen goods plus 500 gp


Damaging property or livestock: damages covering the cost of repairs or replacement plus up to 500 gp


Disturbing the peace: fine up to 25 gp and edict


Murdering a citizen without justification: death or hard labor up to 10 years, and damages up to 1,000 gp paid to the victim’s kin


Murdering a citizen with justification: exile up to 5 years or hard labor up to 3 years or damages up to 1,000 gp paid to the victim’s kin


Robbery: hard labor up to 1 month and damages equal to the value of the stolen goods plus 500 gp


Slavery: flogging and hard labor up to 10 years


Using magic to influence a citizen without consent: fine or damages up to 1,000 gp and edict