How is a new Open Lord chosen in Waterdeep? I know Laeral was chosen by Mystra for the job, but did she just show up with a letter of recommendation? Did the masked lords have to vote on it? An Open Lord is voted into office by the Masked Lords, who pick candidates and (privately) offer the candidate the job AFTER the vote. If refused, they find and decide on someone else and offer it to them. Once accepted, public announcement and ceremony ensues. Some Masked…
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) November 27, 2018
…Lords may hope the Open Lord will be merely their public speaker, but thus far it's never worked out that way; individuals of powerful character have held the office, and ruled (they can be voted out if they go too far). I've gone into this in more detail before here+elsewhere
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) November 27, 2018
Brilliant! Thank you so much. A pleasure! (And BTW, if Mystra DID "push" Laeral for the job, it would be by sending dream-visions to various Masked Lords, to plant the idea of who would be the PERFECT choice for Open Lord, right now…)
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) November 27, 2018