Mother Tathlorn’s House of Pleasure

This is the most famous house of pleasure in Waterdeep, and that’'s not surprising. Located on Gem Street, just off Waterdeep Way, and across from the foot of the road down from the Grain Gate of Castle Waterdeep, it'’s a large, five-floored building with two additional levels of dungeons below ground, in which absolutely no expense has been spared on props.

There are wardrobes full of all sorts of clothes, from silk and lace nightdresses to pirate outfits, full plate armor (made of silver-painted padding, to lessen injuries), and barbarian berserker garb. There are several rooms full of jungle plants, with heated pools in them and carefully tended mossy banks. There are four-poster beds with trampolines and rings that can be set aflame. There are even pairs of rings of levitation to be used in rooms with glowing globes and floating mirrors. If you can think of it, someone already has, and it can be found here.

The strength of any festhall, however, lies in its staff, who must be skilled and must enjoy their work. The men and women in this festhall are experts. (Mother Tathlorn owns another festhall - —she won’t reveal which one— - in which staff are trained on the job. They don’t get to work here until they are skilled at their craft.)

Mother Tathlorn’'s has on staff several priests of Sune. In return for offerings to the goddess, they heal torn muscles and sprained limbs. Almost all of the rest of the staff are trained and capable masseuses— - and in fact, the most popular service performed at Mother Tathlorn'’s is massage and bathing, especially of elderly male and female citizens of Waterdeep who are wealthy enough to afford it - —either daily or whenever they can muster coins enough.

Here in warm, cozy, private comfort, your aches and pains can be soothed away in a scented or mineral water bath or in heated steam baths, and you can drift off to contented slumber, secure in the knowledge that your person and well-guarded belongings are safe. Or, you can visit with a friend, or even strangers, while all of you are massaged. Unlike in some other realms, in Waterdeep there’'s nothing embarrassing about going to a festhall. It’s simply part of life for those who enjoy it.

There are two privacy floors, where staff and the many doors, hangings, dim lighting and secret passages make sure patrons don'’t see each other. These floors also have separate entrances via tunnels into an adjacent building to the west on Gem Street, so that patrons who demand discretion won'’t be seen entering or leaving. Mother Tathlorn also has six skilled bouncers— - one a wizard armed with a wand of paralyzation and silence spells— - for patrons who become difficult.

All of this luxury and pleasure does'n’t come cheaply. Expect to spend 4 sp at the door, plus 25 sp per staff person who assists you. Patrons who don'’t pay the full shot when they depart must leave collateral. Lacking collateral, they must go home with only a thin cloak and the keys to their lodgings (a practice that affords the Watch much innocent amusement - —especially on snowy nights). Most regular patrons run a credit account— but also tip staff members very handsomely, often effectively doubling their fee.