(l-r) Yake (Human/Rogue/Inquisitive), Rosadia (Human/Fighter/Champion), Jaffor (Human/Barbarian/Path of the Ancestral Guardian), Ka’lar (Elf/Warlock/Pact of the Talisman, Archfey Patron).
IN THE REALMS
Sharpen your swords and string your bows, the beasts have gone away!
The City Watch of Waterdeep acts as police in the City of Splendours, meting out justice and keeping the peace.
But when the life of the famed Skyfire Bard of the Yawning Portal was threatened, the Watch Captains knew that they would have to investigate undercover. They chose a number of their top Constables to abandon their uniforms and badges and infiltrate the world of adventurers in taverns and dungeons across the city.
Jaffor is the Armor (Sergeant) of the operation, a gentle-natured barbarian capable of rage-fuelled feats of strength when necessary. The spirits of his ancestors aid him to protect his own daughters and the children of Waterdeep.
Rosadia’s catchphrase is “What kind of woman doesn’t own an axe?” That’s probably all one needs to know about this deadly Champion Fighter.
Yake was the sometimes childish Inquisitive Rogue, quick with a quip but capable of astounding feats of mental agility – putting together the barest of clues to come to a stunning conclusion. But when he ran afoul of the Xanathar, he perished in the line of duty.
His colleagues are not entirely sure about his replacement, Pact of the Blade Warlock, Ka’lar (“17th of his name, sworn knight of the Queen’s Crown, the Daybreaker”). Is he a Watchman gone too far into his undercover role…or was the Watchman the act?
The life of an adventurer is not for the faint of heart, and the intrigue between bards pales in comparison to the dangers of the Chrysalis Orb, the Prophecy of Dorgon, and the Summoning of Balacastro. But this corps of constables never gives up and gains strength from the rallying cry of their operation number:
Nine-nine!
SOURCE MATERIAL & CAMPAIGN IDEAS
I have nothing against the usual “you meet in a tavern” group of adventurers and the interactions that can come from disparate characters meeting can always be fun. But I also always like the idea of a party of adventurers that are drawn together in an atypical way. I’ve played groups that are all Graduate students at the University of Waterdeep, a traveling band, or agents of a trading company. This also makes it easy to sub in new characters without having to sacrifice the verisimilitude of a party learning to trust a new member.
Playing members of the Waterdhavian City Watch seems like another interesting idea. Combine that with the Brooklyn 99 episodes Skyfire Cycle and Return to Skyfire, and I think you’ve got the makings of a campaign.
Captain Holt, Boyle, Amy, and Scully & Hitchcock could be back-up NPCs or guest PCs in uniform. I think Boyle might be a gnome, and Scully and Hitchcock halflings. Gina might be a sorceror, at odds with Amy’s wizard. Is Captain Holt actually a warforged (Robot Captain, Meep Morp)?!
The Pop Culture Party Series follows a similar line to my Motley Crew series. Only while that nerdly rotogravure imagined sci-fi motley crews in Firefly’s ‘Verse, this will imagine various casts of adventure media as D&D characters.
HyperboreanComics 