Bard's Gate

Bard's Gate: A City of Echoes and Shadows

Bard’s Gate—once the glittering gateway to the fabled Elvish Twin Kingdoms. It was a city of song and story, where the premier bard's college filled the air with melodies, and merchants lined its streets with goods from across the known world. The trade was rich, the art richer, and the future seemed as bright as the stars that elves so loved.
Then the goblins rose.
The destruction of the Twin Kingdoms marked the end of an era. The elves fled in a desperate diaspora, their lands overrun and their culture shattered. Gorundia stood firm, holding the line against the tide of goblinkind until their strength waned, and the survivors scattered like ash on the wind. Bard’s Gate fell from grace, becoming a crossroads not of culture and wealth, but of ruin and survival.

Gateway to the West

Bard's Gate holds a storied place in the history of the region. It was the last stand of the Elvish Homeguard, and Gorundia's first line of defense to the west. A city with a rich history and many small tragedies, it was once a place where elves and dwarves, gnomes and humans gathered in the name of art and culture. Its bardic college was the envy of the civilized world.
For generations, the city languished, scornfully called "King's Limit," a reference to its status as the farthest edge of royal authority. But change is in the air.

A New Chapter

King Rimmand II means to restore Bard's Gate to its former glory. With the help of the enigmatic new Lord Mayor, Theron Sylvanranth, and the efforts of the PCs, the city’s fortunes have begun to shift. Recent events have shaken the foundations of Bard’s Gate:

• The disgrace and uprooting of an Urdlen cult within the Gnomish Merchant's Guild has had mixed effects on the city's prosperity.
• The fall of Dent, the former crime lord, has paved the way for his successor, Guaco Moe Lee. While the underworld promises to be less violent under Guaco's leadership, the arrival of the Galibano Syndicate, riding in on the influx of Dwarven immigrants, threatens to ignite fresh conflict.

Hope flickers on the horizon, but Bard's Gate remains a city on the edge, where change comes slowly, and nothing is ever certain. The question remains: will this gateway to the west rise to reclaim its former glory, or will it fall further into shadow? With its rich history and vibrant chaos, only time—and the bold actions of its people—will tell.

The Charter of Bard’s Gate As of 1230 O.R., in the 24th year of the Reign of King Rimmand II, Protector of the Realm and Shield of the Peoples
Let it be known, to all who dwell within the bounds of our lands and beyond, that the city of Bard’s Gate, with its walls and towers, its merchants and guilds, its bards and people, shall henceforth stand as a Free City under the Crown, enjoying the rights, liberties, and protections here enshrined.
Article I: Sovereign Status Bard’s Gate is declared a Free City within the realm. It shall govern itself by supervision of its Lord Mayor, with its own laws and elect its own magistrates and council, who shall hold authority over the city’s affairs, save for those matters reserved to the Crown.
Article II: Rights of the People The citizens of Bard’s Gate are granted the following rights, in perpetuity: The right to trade freely within the city and across the realm without undue taxation or obstruction. The right to self-defense and the maintenance of a city guard and militia. The right to establish and operate guilds, academies, and places of worship without interference. The right to petition the Crown through their elected council.
Article III: Obligations to the Crown As a Free City, Bard’s Gate shall owe the Crown loyalty and tribute, to be rendered in coin or kind, equal to a tenth part of its yearly revenues. The city shall also provide soldiers or provisions in times of war, at the Crown’s request.
Article IV: Historical Rights In recognition of Bard’s Gate’s role in the history of the realm as a haven for knowledge, art, and trade, the following privileges are enshrined: The city shall maintain its archives, bardic colleges, and libraries as neutral ground, protected even in times of war. The Bardic Guild shall hold the honorary title of Heralds of the Realm and shall be granted safe passage across all lands of the kingdom. The festival of the Bard’s Covenant, marking the city’s founding, shall be observed throughout the realm with the Crown’s blessing.
Article V: Protection and Sovereignty No lord or knight of the realm may encroach upon the sovereignty of Bard’s Gate, nor station forces within its walls without the council’s consent. Any such violation shall be deemed treason against the Crown.
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In the Name of Heironeous, Guardian of Justice, and by My Royal Hand, this Charter is Sealed.
Signed and Witnessed this Day, King Rimmand II

Included Organizations

• Blood and Sand Crew