Baldur’s Gate
• Population: 125,000 (predominantly humans)
• Government: Plutocracy, helmed by the Council of
Four and Parliament of Peers
• Defense: Flaming Fist mercenaries, the Watch
• Commerce: Dyes, fish, imports from Chult,
mercenaries, nautical supplies
• Organizations: The Guild, neighborhood crews,
trade guilds
• Religions: Gond, Tymora, Umberlee, any other
law-abiding faith, cults of the Dead Three
Situated where the Western Heartlands meet the
Sword Coast, the city-state of Baldur’s Gate is a beacon
of civilization in a largely untamed frontier land.
Although somewhat small in terms of area, Baldur’s
Gate population rivals that of the highly regarded and
influential Waterdeep to the north.
Because Baldur’s Gate is first and foremost a city
of trade built around its harbor, the docks remain the
true heart of the city. This busy area is the base of operations for many key trade organizations in Faerûn,
including the famous mercenary company the Flaming
Fist. Even the role of the Gate’s leaders, the Council of
Four (or the “Grand Dukes”), has mercantile origins
and still pulls many of its members from the ranks of
successful merchants.
Often simply referred to as “the Gate,” especially by
its residents—Baldurians, as they’re called—Baldur’s
Gate was founded over 400 years ago. In those days, the
settlement now known as Baldur’s Gate was little more
than a port with a surrounding shanty town. A combination of key historical figures and rapidly changing
economic factors did much to shape the city within a relatively short amount of time.
Baldur’s Gate is named for perhaps its most famous
citizen, the legendary explorer Balduran. With his ship,
the Wandering Eye, Balduran and his crew became the
first Faerûnians to reach the once-mythical continent of
Anchorome after sailing west across the Trackless Sea.
After many years, Balduran returned to his home harbor
and invested his accumulated wealth in its growth.
In this way, Balduran used the great fortune he
amassed during his travels to help the small town that
would someday bear his name grow into a major metropolis. His most famous project was the construction
of the impressive city walls that helps make Baldur’s
Gate an island of security within the otherwise dangerous and unpredictable Sword Coast.
After the walls’ completion, Balduran set sail one final
time with the intention of returning to and further exploring Anchorome. However, he and his crew were never heard from again, their ultimate fates still unknown
to this day.
As the years went by, the Gate’s rapid growth and
increasing prosperity have caught the attention and
resentment from wealthy nobles and merchants in
Waterdeep and Amn. Although their relationships are
strained at times—especially with Amn during the Iron
Crisis—this conflict remains a trade rivalry that has never broken out into open war.
Baldur’s Gate is surrounded by walls on three sides
and the rushing River Chionthar to the south, making the city relatively secure from outside threats. For
threats within the city, the Flaming Fist does its best to
enforce law and order. However, the city’s dense population and thriving economy have made it an ideal place
for rogues and thieves to ply their trade. Facilitating
such illicit activities is an extensive sewer system and
network of subterranean structures. Such hidden passageways allow individuals to move throughout the city
away from the prying eyes of more upstanding citizens
and Flaming Fist patrols.
Topside, a system of magically powered lanterns keep
the city well-lit throughout the night. These lights are at
their most dense near the city’s major temples, around
the Ducal Palace, and by the docks where they promote
both safety and productivity in these areas.
Buildings in the Gate generally get newer further away
from the harbor, though exceptions can be found where
previous structures were torn down for more recent construction in the same lot. The typical style for buildings
in the city is towards the tall and narrow, reflecting the
fixed amount of area available for development within
the walls. However, the Gate is not without urban decay,
which is especially common in the Northeast Outskirts,
largely considered the slums of the city where only the
most destitute make their homes. The northwest represents the opposite side of this coin, containing most of the
finer estates belonging to wealthy Baldurians.
Like most aspects of life in Baldur’s Gate, its balance
of power largely revolves around what the city is mainly known for: commerce. The many trade organizations
within the Gate have formed a symbiotic relationship with
the Grand Dukes. The Dukes’ approval can mean lucrative trade agreements, while strong trade organization
support is often necessary for their election. Hired by the
Dukes and paid through tariffs and taxes, the Flaming
Fist mercenary company enforce the law —while the
city’s highly organized and equally sizable Thieves’ Guild
works hard to ply their own trade without getting noticed.
Baldur’s Gate has had its fate entwined for more than
a century with that of Bhaal, god of murder. Bhaal foresaw that he would die in the Time of Troubles and enacted a plan that would allow him to return to life. While
that plan took more than a century to come to fruition,
Bhaal has indeed been reborn in the city of Baldur’s
Gate. Having been dead for more than a century, he now
works to rebuild his following and thus strengthen his
divine might.
The Dukes Also known as the Council of Four, the Grand Dukes of Baldur’s Gate rule the city and are entrusted with making political decisions to the benefit of its citizens. Each Duke is democratically elected by landowners within the Gate, serving for life or until resignation. Rarely, a Duke who has committed an egregious offense is then stripped of their title. Although anyone can theoretically become a Grand Duke with enough support, they are usually pulled from the ranks of wealthy merchants, renowned military leaders, and famous adventurers. The current Dukes consist of Ulder Ravengard (also commander of the Flaming Fist), Belynne Stelmane and Dillard Portyr. One of the positions has recently become open with the death of duke Thalamra Vanthampur. A newcomer to the city, Eo Ashmajiir, has been aggressively politicking to be elected to the empty seat.
The first Dukes were directly linked to the port city’s nautical past and were entirely made up of retired sea captains. Despite the importance of its port, Baldur’s Gate was originally ruled by wealthy farmers. Sailors resented having to pay hefty fees and taxes to use the gates built by their lost colleague, Balduran. They eventually overthrew the farmers, installing the four oldest sea captains as rulers of the Gate. The four were originally called “Grand Dukes” in jest, but the title—now used unironically—has stuck to this day. The Grand Dukes operate out of the Ducal Palace, also known as the High Hall. One of the tallest buildings in Baldur’s Gate, the Ducal Palace acts as an office for everyday decisions, a venue for regal ceremonies, and a suitably luxurious place to entertain politically important individuals visiting the city. The palace also provides sleeping quarters for temporarily displaced nobles and those whose main estates lie outside the city walls. As its name suggests, the Ducal Palace has been built to emulate the residences of more conventional royalty, complete with heavily fortified walls and high towers. The Flaming Fist Founded in 1345 by Duke Eltan in Baldur’s Gate, the Flaming Fist Mercenary Company continues to maintain both its headquarters and a strong presence within the city. What began as a consolidation of multiple local mercenary groups has quickly grown over the decades to a force of several thousand soldiers. The rise of the Flaming Fist indeed resulted in reduced crime in Baldur’s Gate and had the unexpected consequence of the city becoming a significant military power. The company continues to receive regular payment from the Dukes, as well as a portion of taxes collected from the harbor and at Wyrm’s Crossing. In addition to the city itself, Flaming Fist patrols enforce law in the immediate area surrounding Baldur’s
Gate, particularly in larger settlements like Beregost and the Friendly Arm Inn. However, their reach largely ends before Nashkel, which hosts an increasingly strong Amnian military presence. One of the Flaming Fist’s most notable accomplishments was the defeat of Akbet-Khrul, a brutal pirate lord who had terrorized the coast. In this campaign, they aided the Golden Legion, a similar mercenary company located in Amn. However, despite working with Amnian mercenaries, the Flaming Fist’s rivalry with Amn as a whole has always caused tension between Baldur’s Gate and its southern neighbor. While the Gate prides itself in remaining politically neutral in external conflicts, its de facto army and police force does not have the same policy. For enough coin, the Flaming Fist is occasionally hired out as muscle for a foreign power. Examples of this include aiding Sembia in its defense against the Grand Army of Tuigan. Another is their activity in Tethyr, an unstable nation currently embroiled in a long civil war. Some claim that agents of the Flaming Fist help to destabilize governments in Faerûn so that their services are always sought after. Although its headquarters in Baldur’s Gate remains its most impressive, the Flaming Fist has built other forts throughout Toril. In 1364, the group established the settlement of Fort Flame on the coast of the newly discovered far-west continent of Maztica. Similar outposts have been founded in Anchorome and Chult. The Flaming Fist is run like an army. Every group of five fists is led by a manip and a flame. Manips are veteran soldiers who have risen through the ranks while flames are trained knights from a noble or mercantile family. A blaze is put in command of a fort or a mission. The marshal commands the entire Flaming Fist.
The Dukes Also known as the Council of Four, the Grand Dukes of Baldur’s Gate rule the city and are entrusted with making political decisions to the benefit of its citizens. Each Duke is democratically elected by landowners within the Gate, serving for life or until resignation. Rarely, a Duke who has committed an egregious offense is then stripped of their title. Although anyone can theoretically become a Grand Duke with enough support, they are usually pulled from the ranks of wealthy merchants, renowned military leaders, and famous adventurers. The current Dukes consist of Ulder Ravengard (also commander of the Flaming Fist), Belynne Stelmane and Dillard Portyr. One of the positions has recently become open with the death of duke Thalamra Vanthampur. A newcomer to the city, Eo Ashmajiir, has been aggressively politicking to be elected to the empty seat.
The first Dukes were directly linked to the port city’s nautical past and were entirely made up of retired sea captains. Despite the importance of its port, Baldur’s Gate was originally ruled by wealthy farmers. Sailors resented having to pay hefty fees and taxes to use the gates built by their lost colleague, Balduran. They eventually overthrew the farmers, installing the four oldest sea captains as rulers of the Gate. The four were originally called “Grand Dukes” in jest, but the title—now used unironically—has stuck to this day. The Grand Dukes operate out of the Ducal Palace, also known as the High Hall. One of the tallest buildings in Baldur’s Gate, the Ducal Palace acts as an office for everyday decisions, a venue for regal ceremonies, and a suitably luxurious place to entertain politically important individuals visiting the city. The palace also provides sleeping quarters for temporarily displaced nobles and those whose main estates lie outside the city walls. As its name suggests, the Ducal Palace has been built to emulate the residences of more conventional royalty, complete with heavily fortified walls and high towers. The Flaming Fist Founded in 1345 by Duke Eltan in Baldur’s Gate, the Flaming Fist Mercenary Company continues to maintain both its headquarters and a strong presence within the city. What began as a consolidation of multiple local mercenary groups has quickly grown over the decades to a force of several thousand soldiers. The rise of the Flaming Fist indeed resulted in reduced crime in Baldur’s Gate and had the unexpected consequence of the city becoming a significant military power. The company continues to receive regular payment from the Dukes, as well as a portion of taxes collected from the harbor and at Wyrm’s Crossing. In addition to the city itself, Flaming Fist patrols enforce law in the immediate area surrounding Baldur’s
Gate, particularly in larger settlements like Beregost and the Friendly Arm Inn. However, their reach largely ends before Nashkel, which hosts an increasingly strong Amnian military presence. One of the Flaming Fist’s most notable accomplishments was the defeat of Akbet-Khrul, a brutal pirate lord who had terrorized the coast. In this campaign, they aided the Golden Legion, a similar mercenary company located in Amn. However, despite working with Amnian mercenaries, the Flaming Fist’s rivalry with Amn as a whole has always caused tension between Baldur’s Gate and its southern neighbor. While the Gate prides itself in remaining politically neutral in external conflicts, its de facto army and police force does not have the same policy. For enough coin, the Flaming Fist is occasionally hired out as muscle for a foreign power. Examples of this include aiding Sembia in its defense against the Grand Army of Tuigan. Another is their activity in Tethyr, an unstable nation currently embroiled in a long civil war. Some claim that agents of the Flaming Fist help to destabilize governments in Faerûn so that their services are always sought after. Although its headquarters in Baldur’s Gate remains its most impressive, the Flaming Fist has built other forts throughout Toril. In 1364, the group established the settlement of Fort Flame on the coast of the newly discovered far-west continent of Maztica. Similar outposts have been founded in Anchorome and Chult. The Flaming Fist is run like an army. Every group of five fists is led by a manip and a flame. Manips are veteran soldiers who have risen through the ranks while flames are trained knights from a noble or mercantile family. A blaze is put in command of a fort or a mission. The marshal commands the entire Flaming Fist.
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