People

Hlam is an elderly human monk who lives in a cave on the slopes of Mount Waterdeep, overlooking the city. He is a member of the Order of the Even-Handed, a monastic order devoted to maintaining balance and opposing evil.

Floon Blagmaar is a young, handsome and wealthy Waterdhavian nobleman with blond hair and fashionable clothes. He's charming, sociable and somewhat vain, with a taste for wine, women and nightlife. More playboy than adventurer, he's unused to danger and relies on his charm and connections to get by.

Captain Staget is an uptight man who helps keep the peace in the Dock Ward. Every shopkeeper, guild member, innkeeper, and tavern keeper in the Dock Ward knows him, and most respect him regardless of their opinions of the City Watch in general. 

Staget doesn't believe in rumors or gossip, he doesn't drink, and he doesn't let anger get the better of him. His job is to curb the violence in the Dock Ward, but he has been dragging his heels. After all, he reasons, if the Xanathar Guild and the Zhentarim want to destroy each other, why not let them?

Renaer is the estranged son of Dagult Neverember, the former Open Lord of Waterdeep and the current Lord of Neverwinter. Father and son detest one another, and Renaer is least happy when he finds himself forced to deal with some mess his father left behind. Qualities that both share include striking good looks, a love of drink, and a flair for diplomacy. What Renaer lacks is his father's belligerence, ill temper, and bad judgment.

Volothamp Geddarm, or more often Volo for short, is a widely traveled human wizard and sage of Faerûn. He was a legendary traveller, explorer, and rogueish mage, and is most famous, or infamous, for his guidebooks, including the controversial and notorious Volo's Guide to All Things Magical.

"Anyone can play The Three Flambinis" on a lute, but try playing it with just three strings!"

A socially awkward bard that performs at the Yawning Portal. He's called "Threestrings" because he plays a lute that has only three strings remaining. 

"Want me to arm wrestle? Hope you're stronger than you look."

Yagra is a half-orc thug, that likes to pass the time by challenging adventures at the Yawning Portal to arm wrestle.

"The wonders of Waterdeep are something to behold. I tell you, I've never seen so much money in my life!"

Obaya, a priest, has traveled from Chult to sponsor expeditions into Undermountain, with the goal of bringing its magical treasures back to her employer, the merchant prince Wakanga O'tamu of Port Nyanzaru.