Jeet Siti
Gate City
"When I walked into The Gate it was the sound that hit me first, all of it. The stalls of the tricket-mongers all barking opening offers over each other in South-tongue, Imperial, Lunesti, Dwarvish whatever... The jingling of their baubles shaking in their outstretched fists over the constant jabber of the jostling crowd. Then the stall to my right erupted into a series of low bellows and twittering screeches as a grey-scaled dragonborn grandmother and a couple of gnome fruit dealers got into a vigorous debate about the appropriate price for sweet melons this late in the season. Past them at a crossroads clearing, peels of laughter rolled off a few dozen children sitting cross legged looking up in awe at a pair of halfling fools, one repeatedly whacking the other in the head with a straw mallet loudly declaring him an idiot. All the while the call to prayer poured from the heights of the Jemma past the walls of the inner keep in long sonorous bellows. And always at the edge of your awareness was the low drone of the engines of the gnomish airships overheard."
The Chronicle of Hector the Recknor
Gate City, also known as The Gate or Jeet Siti in South-tongue originally referred to the what is now known as South City, a small settlement built on old world ruins on the southern bank of River Chionthar, but now refers to both South City and the younger North City built across the river.
Gate City, is the largest metropolis and city-state on The Sword Coast, located on the north-eastern border of the Western Heartlands. It is a crowded city of commerce and learning, perhaps the most prosperous and influential merchant and scholarly city on the western coast. The Gate stands as the northernmost extent of Unitarian rule and marks the southernmost boundary of the influence of The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel. As such, it is seen as a crossroads between northern and southern civilization.
The Gate is a port of call, a home away from home, for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers. It is a place where anyone can come from anywhere to start again. It is a city of dreams, many broken, a few brought to glorious life.
Gate City, is the largest metropolis and city-state on The Sword Coast, located on the north-eastern border of the Western Heartlands. It is a crowded city of commerce and learning, perhaps the most prosperous and influential merchant and scholarly city on the western coast. The Gate stands as the northernmost extent of Unitarian rule and marks the southernmost boundary of the influence of The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel. As such, it is seen as a crossroads between northern and southern civilization.
The Gate is a port of call, a home away from home, for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs, and wanderers. It is a place where anyone can come from anywhere to start again. It is a city of dreams, many broken, a few brought to glorious life.
Two Cities, One River
The Gate is divided into North and South City by the River Chionthar, which acts as a mirror providing an inverted reflection of each city to the other. While North City is crowded, noisy, and dirty; South City presents bucolic scenes of serene beauty. While the streets of North City are known for their ruffians and cut-purses; South City in known the world over for the absolute guarantee of safety that The Controller provides. While North City is filled with the restless energy of dreamers, entrepreneurs, and hustlers all trying to make their fortune; South City holds to tradition and the old ways, a paradise eternal.Religion, Politics, & Other Businesses
The official religion of The Gate is Unity and North City is run as theocracy with Caliph Solemn Al’asghar as head of both the government and the faith. The Jemma, House of the Great Father, is the grandest on The Sword Coast, reflecting the gold mining riches flowing through the city’s coffers. While the majority of the residents attend The Jemma and proclaim faith in The Great Father, the depth of the city’s faith has often been brought into question. Since, non-Unitarians pay higher taxes, the Caliph has been accused of intentionally neglecting his duty to spread the true faith, as converts lower his tax revenue. As a result, the city is open to practitioners of many faiths from all over the known world and holds a variety of places of worship in the Temple District. And many say that the true faith of The Caliph and The Gate is business and their true gods are the board of directors of The Dragon Bank.Demographics
The Gate takes pride in its heritage of being a refuge and open port to all peoples and races from all over the known world looking for opportunity and a better life. Every day, new migrants of all The Races of The Sword Coast flock to The Gate looking for a fresh start and to make their fortune.
The majority of The Gate's population are packed into the cramped warrens of North City. Walking the narrow streets are beings and peoples of all The Races of The Sword Coast, of all religions, and from all the lands of the known world.
What divides Northies from each other is money and power. At the top is The Caliph (Priest King) and his family living in his central palace, Kasser. Then, below him, residing in Medinate Al Hadaek, are a mix of human and elven aristocrats, Unitarian clergy, and city administration.
South of Hadaek are the Temple District and The House of Knowledge, housing the city's intelligentsia, researchers, philosophers, scholars and non-Unitarian clergy.
The city's life blood though, is commerce. The rich array of human, elven, dwarven, halfling, and dwarven merchants and traders fill the streets of North Market, East Market, and Suk al Meena.
But, when dreams of success go sour, the city's desperate and downtrodden find themselves in the North City's slum of Aswa-Eeyet. At the very bottom of the hierarchy is the dragonborn district, Manbunzeen (also known as Dragtown), the only racially segregated ward in the city.
Where as North City holds all the strata of The Gate's society, South City is the exclusive domain of the city's elite; descendants of the human and moon elf founders of the settlement, heads of the dwarven mining and banking clans, heads of the gnomish airship trading houses, and owners of the eastern plantations known as The Estates.
The majority of The Gate's population are packed into the cramped warrens of North City. Walking the narrow streets are beings and peoples of all The Races of The Sword Coast, of all religions, and from all the lands of the known world.
What divides Northies from each other is money and power. At the top is The Caliph (Priest King) and his family living in his central palace, Kasser. Then, below him, residing in Medinate Al Hadaek, are a mix of human and elven aristocrats, Unitarian clergy, and city administration.
South of Hadaek are the Temple District and The House of Knowledge, housing the city's intelligentsia, researchers, philosophers, scholars and non-Unitarian clergy.
The city's life blood though, is commerce. The rich array of human, elven, dwarven, halfling, and dwarven merchants and traders fill the streets of North Market, East Market, and Suk al Meena.
But, when dreams of success go sour, the city's desperate and downtrodden find themselves in the North City's slum of Aswa-Eeyet. At the very bottom of the hierarchy is the dragonborn district, Manbunzeen (also known as Dragtown), the only racially segregated ward in the city.
Where as North City holds all the strata of The Gate's society, South City is the exclusive domain of the city's elite; descendants of the human and moon elf founders of the settlement, heads of the dwarven mining and banking clans, heads of the gnomish airship trading houses, and owners of the eastern plantations known as The Estates.
Government
While the Caliph Solemn Al’asghar is the nominal ruler of all of The Gate, he only has control over North City while South City is under the control on the reclusive mage known as The Controller.
North City is governed as a Unitarian theocracy headed by The Caliph. Below him, the administration of the city is filled with members of his extended family and clergy of Jemma, The House of The Great Father. The legal code of the city is based in the Teachings of The Great Father.
However, law and order is not the hallmark of North City. The Caliph takes a light hand in the running of the city. Down on the street, the power of the trading houses, banking clans, and various syndicates and gangs shape everyday life.
The Controller administers South City in the name of the old Imperium of Man. With his magic, he holds absolute power over who is allowed to reside in its bounds. However, he rarely interferes in the internal affairs of the city. Internal matters are handled in a consensus manner by loose councils of residents.
North City is governed as a Unitarian theocracy headed by The Caliph. Below him, the administration of the city is filled with members of his extended family and clergy of Jemma, The House of The Great Father. The legal code of the city is based in the Teachings of The Great Father.
However, law and order is not the hallmark of North City. The Caliph takes a light hand in the running of the city. Down on the street, the power of the trading houses, banking clans, and various syndicates and gangs shape everyday life.
The Controller administers South City in the name of the old Imperium of Man. With his magic, he holds absolute power over who is allowed to reside in its bounds. However, he rarely interferes in the internal affairs of the city. Internal matters are handled in a consensus manner by loose councils of residents.
Defences
North City is defended by several layers of stone walls and towers manned by the army of Caliph Solemn Al’asghar. Surrounding the outermost wall is a moat, fed by the River Chionthar. His armies are heavily fortified with gnomish engineered war-engines and hired dragonkind mercenaries. Naval defense focuses on the protection of shipping lanes. Shipping firms hire privateers to escort their cargo vessels and patrol the River Chonthiar and The Sea of Swords.
While South City has no walls. It is defended by the legendary power of The Controller, who no one dares cross.
While South City has no walls. It is defended by the legendary power of The Controller, who no one dares cross.
Industry & Trade
The business of The Gate is business. The Gate sits at the nexus of land, sea, and air trade for all of The Sword Coast. Caravans travel from south to north over the Coast Way. Ships from all over The Sword Coast unload exotic goods in the harbor. And gnomish airships bring the finest goods from the hidden realm of Gnomeland.
In addition, The Gate is home to The Dragon Bank, the largest, oldest, and most powerful financial institution in the known world. The shield dwarf clans of Lone Mountain began by using the iron gates of Citadel as a gold depository for The Gate's trading firms and then parlayed those assets and their own gold mining fortune to finance everything from trading fleets to sovereigns. The Dragon Bank has positioned the shield dwarves of Citadel as the silent investors and shadow power brokers behind every major institution on The Sword Coast from The Brothers and Sisters of Chantrel to the Caliphs of Unity.
Guilds and Factions
Government
Finance
Traders & Merchants
Religious
Mages & Scholars
Underworld
Swords for Hire
History
The Gate started as a small settlement of human and moon elf refugees taking shelter in an old world ruin on the southern banks of River Chionthar, sometime during the turmoil of The Age of Sorrows. Fleeing the inferno of unceasing war, this ragtag group found an unlikely savior. Slumbering deep within his tower was The Controller, a powerful but reclusive mage, dedicated to the protection of this Imperial facility and the secrets it holds. The Controller and the refugees came to a bargain. He would allow them to settle in the ruins and protect them with his magicks and they would help him rebuild and maintain certain parts of the facility.
Under the protection of The Controller, The Gate shielded itself from the warlords and raiders that plagued the land. It thrived and by the 7th century AHL, The Gate had become an idyllic town, making a living from quartering travelers along the Coast Way and ferrying them across the river and from lush farms on the fertile volcanic souls to the east.
By the 8th century the local shield dwarves who had sequestered themselves in The Lone Mountain opened the massive iron doors of their city, Citadel and reemerged on the surface. They quickly established a trading relationship with the residents of The Gate, trading gold and other precious ores. The Gate grew rich off the trade between the dwarves and the travelers along the Coast Way. Then they expanded their business by building the port on the north harbor of the river. With that, what would become North City was established.
Not under the protection of The Controller and being flush with ships and caravans loaded with gold and other precious cargo, North City had to defend itself in more traditional fashion. North City started as a small walled fort surrounding the harbor. But, as the south was brought to peace by the spread of Unity and The Age of Sorrows came to an end, more people were free to travel the land to find better lives. Many of those migrants flocked to North City seeking adventure and fortune on the growing fleet of trade ships and overland caravans. Many came for employment in the shipyards, or in the dwarven mines of Citadel, or as crafts-people to help build and supply the city. In the space of a generation, North City had grown from a small fort-town to one of the largest cities in the known world. During this time, North City earned its reputation as both a city one could make one’s fortune in and a crowded, violent, lawless place filled with opportunists and cutthroats.
The legacy of this growth is seen today in the layers of walls that encircle the city and its various neighborhoods. As the city’s population grew past the borders of its walls, city planners struggled to catch up, circling these neighborhoods with more wall, which then would have to be expanded on again in a generation. As a result, the interior of North City is interlaced with the remnants of many previous walls in a variety of styles.
As North City sprawled and pulsated with the fevered, soiled dreams of avarice, South City became as a beautiful butterfly encased in amber. Seeing the turmoil of North City across the river, The Controller closed South City. Only current residents, their descendants, and those receiving special invitation would be permitted to reside in South City. Under the protection of The Controller, without excess population, and flush with riches from the gold trade, South City became a luxurious paradise of beautiful palatial manor homes and verdant parks.
At the start of the tenth century, war once more came to the land. For fifty years The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel and Unitarian Caliphs waged holy war against each other. While armies flowed over the River Chionthar, both South and North City were able to avoid the majority of the war by maintaining strict neutrality. No army was willing to confront the power of The Controller (though many tried to sway him to their cause), and the plutocrats that administered North City were able to play both sides against the middle and enrich themselves by financing both sides of the war.
In 953 AHL, the war did come to The Gate. In a largely bloodless siege, North City fell to the armies of elven priest-king Solemn Al-em-nar in his final push north. His forces threatened to cross the River Chionthar and push The Church from The Sword Coast. Two years later after the final battle at Elturel, Lightfoot halflings brokered a peace between Solemn Al-em-nar and The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel. The Treaty of The Gate set the River Chionthar as the dividing line between the realm of The Church in the north and Unity in the south, but cedes The North City as a Unitarian exclave. Solemn Al-em-nar then set his son, Solemn Al'asghar as the Caliph (Priest-King) of The Gate and returned to Huzuz in the south. The crusades/jihads ended and The Long Peace began.
The true victors of the holy wars were several dwarven and dragonborn clans. Several shield dwarf clans were able to parlay their gold trade into money lending and finance businesses by lending to both sides of the war. During this time they established The Dragon Bank, the largest bank and moneylender on The Sword Coast. Meanwhile, the Maranz Clan and the Profac Clan of dragonborn instituted themselves as The Gate's premier weapons brokers, mercenaries, smugglers, and loan sharks. They too became wealthy supplying their special services to both sides of the war.
Under the rule of Caliph Solemn Al’asghar North City prospered. He commissioned the final set of walls encircling the city and The Bridge of Hope linking north and south, provided much needed law enforcement and sanitation services, and instituted the Dar Al Aum Al Shamaly, The House of Knowledge of The North. This university established North City as a center of philosophy, research, art, and education.
In 999 AHL, the first of the gnomish airships floated down through pierced the clouds to hover above the city. Offering trade to the surface dwellers, North City responded quickly by redesigning Suk al Meena, the southern port market, with airfields for the airships to dock and trade houses for the air gnomes to do business in. The Controller, long indifferent to the affairs of the world outside of South City, awakened to the new visitors, commissioned the building of South City’s own airfield and markets to draw in gnomish airship traffic. He now competes with North City for dominance in airship traffic.
North City now stands as a nexus of air, sea, and land trade, technology, finance, learning, art, and culture and acts as a bridge between northern civilization (the realm of The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel) and southern civilization (the realm of Unity). Meanwhile, South City sits as an eternal, unchanging paradise, built on a foundation of unknown, ancient sorcery.
Under the protection of The Controller, The Gate shielded itself from the warlords and raiders that plagued the land. It thrived and by the 7th century AHL, The Gate had become an idyllic town, making a living from quartering travelers along the Coast Way and ferrying them across the river and from lush farms on the fertile volcanic souls to the east.
By the 8th century the local shield dwarves who had sequestered themselves in The Lone Mountain opened the massive iron doors of their city, Citadel and reemerged on the surface. They quickly established a trading relationship with the residents of The Gate, trading gold and other precious ores. The Gate grew rich off the trade between the dwarves and the travelers along the Coast Way. Then they expanded their business by building the port on the north harbor of the river. With that, what would become North City was established.
Not under the protection of The Controller and being flush with ships and caravans loaded with gold and other precious cargo, North City had to defend itself in more traditional fashion. North City started as a small walled fort surrounding the harbor. But, as the south was brought to peace by the spread of Unity and The Age of Sorrows came to an end, more people were free to travel the land to find better lives. Many of those migrants flocked to North City seeking adventure and fortune on the growing fleet of trade ships and overland caravans. Many came for employment in the shipyards, or in the dwarven mines of Citadel, or as crafts-people to help build and supply the city. In the space of a generation, North City had grown from a small fort-town to one of the largest cities in the known world. During this time, North City earned its reputation as both a city one could make one’s fortune in and a crowded, violent, lawless place filled with opportunists and cutthroats.
The legacy of this growth is seen today in the layers of walls that encircle the city and its various neighborhoods. As the city’s population grew past the borders of its walls, city planners struggled to catch up, circling these neighborhoods with more wall, which then would have to be expanded on again in a generation. As a result, the interior of North City is interlaced with the remnants of many previous walls in a variety of styles.
As North City sprawled and pulsated with the fevered, soiled dreams of avarice, South City became as a beautiful butterfly encased in amber. Seeing the turmoil of North City across the river, The Controller closed South City. Only current residents, their descendants, and those receiving special invitation would be permitted to reside in South City. Under the protection of The Controller, without excess population, and flush with riches from the gold trade, South City became a luxurious paradise of beautiful palatial manor homes and verdant parks.
At the start of the tenth century, war once more came to the land. For fifty years The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel and Unitarian Caliphs waged holy war against each other. While armies flowed over the River Chionthar, both South and North City were able to avoid the majority of the war by maintaining strict neutrality. No army was willing to confront the power of The Controller (though many tried to sway him to their cause), and the plutocrats that administered North City were able to play both sides against the middle and enrich themselves by financing both sides of the war.
In 953 AHL, the war did come to The Gate. In a largely bloodless siege, North City fell to the armies of elven priest-king Solemn Al-em-nar in his final push north. His forces threatened to cross the River Chionthar and push The Church from The Sword Coast. Two years later after the final battle at Elturel, Lightfoot halflings brokered a peace between Solemn Al-em-nar and The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel. The Treaty of The Gate set the River Chionthar as the dividing line between the realm of The Church in the north and Unity in the south, but cedes The North City as a Unitarian exclave. Solemn Al-em-nar then set his son, Solemn Al'asghar as the Caliph (Priest-King) of The Gate and returned to Huzuz in the south. The crusades/jihads ended and The Long Peace began.
The true victors of the holy wars were several dwarven and dragonborn clans. Several shield dwarf clans were able to parlay their gold trade into money lending and finance businesses by lending to both sides of the war. During this time they established The Dragon Bank, the largest bank and moneylender on The Sword Coast. Meanwhile, the Maranz Clan and the Profac Clan of dragonborn instituted themselves as The Gate's premier weapons brokers, mercenaries, smugglers, and loan sharks. They too became wealthy supplying their special services to both sides of the war.
Under the rule of Caliph Solemn Al’asghar North City prospered. He commissioned the final set of walls encircling the city and The Bridge of Hope linking north and south, provided much needed law enforcement and sanitation services, and instituted the Dar Al Aum Al Shamaly, The House of Knowledge of The North. This university established North City as a center of philosophy, research, art, and education.
In 999 AHL, the first of the gnomish airships floated down through pierced the clouds to hover above the city. Offering trade to the surface dwellers, North City responded quickly by redesigning Suk al Meena, the southern port market, with airfields for the airships to dock and trade houses for the air gnomes to do business in. The Controller, long indifferent to the affairs of the world outside of South City, awakened to the new visitors, commissioned the building of South City’s own airfield and markets to draw in gnomish airship traffic. He now competes with North City for dominance in airship traffic.
North City now stands as a nexus of air, sea, and land trade, technology, finance, learning, art, and culture and acts as a bridge between northern civilization (the realm of The Holy Universal Church of Chantrel) and southern civilization (the realm of Unity). Meanwhile, South City sits as an eternal, unchanging paradise, built on a foundation of unknown, ancient sorcery.
Geography
The Gate is located to the south of the great city-state of Waterdeep, north of Amn along the well-traveled Coast Way road that passes over the River Chonthiar, through South City and into the south gate of North City. North City is nestled on a stretch of rich soil, within a natural bay that formed on the north bank of the River Chionthar about 40 miles (64.4 km) east from its mouth on the Sea of Swords and to the east of dormant volcano, The Lone Mountain. South City sits on the opposite bank of the river built on the ruins of an old world facility.
Natural Resources
The main resource that sustains The Gate is the gold ore pulled from the dwarven mines of Citadel in the dormant volcano; Lone Mountain. This combined with the natural harbor, the lush volcanic soils of The Estates and East Village, and the timber of the surrounding woods, feed directly into The Gate's shipping and trade industries.
Maps
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Jeet Siti - Gate City
Alternative Name(s)
Gate City
Type
Large city
Population
1,000,000
Related Ethnicities
Inhabitant Demonym
Gaters
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
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