Baldur's Gate

Baldur's Gate, also called simply the Gate, was the largest metropolis and city-state on the Sword Coast, located on the north-eastern border of the Western Heartlands. It was a crowded city of commerce and opportunity, perhaps the most prosperous and influential merchant city on the western coast of Faerûn. Despite its long-standing presence as a neutral power, the leaders of Baldur's Gate were members of the Lords' Alliance of powers in the west.

The strong peace-keeping force known as the Watch, along with the presence of the powerful Flaming Fists mercenary company, kept the city generally peaceful and safe. This inherent sense of security allowed the Gate to keep a tolerant and welcoming attitude towards outsiders, whether they were wealthy merchants, poor refugees or, as it historically attracted, less-scrupulous individuals such as pirates and smugglers.

Geography
Baldur's Gate was located to the south of the great city-state of Waterdeep, north of Amn along the well-traveled Coast Way road, that passed over the Wyrm's Crossing, through the Outer City and into the Gate proper. It was nestled on a stretch of poor 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.

As the minstrel's of the 14 century described it, the city was a crescent moon that wrapped around the great harbor, though in the century that followed it grew well beyond that form. While the terrain of the Upper City was flat and level, the Lower City was built over steep bluffs that overlooked the Gray Harbor.

Weather
The region surrounding Baldur's Gate received an abundance of drizzling rain and sleet with frequent-occurring fog that rolled through the city's streets. This excessive precipitation was well-mitigated with an advanced water system where underground basins collected the run off rainwater, maneuvering it through subterranean aqueducts that emptied it into massive cistern beneath the Temples District.

Despite the city's engineering and cleanliness, this continual rain led to regular growth of mildew accompanied by a musky smell that permeated the city's cellars. To abate the slippery stone streets, it was sometimes necessary to spread straw or gravel along the wet cobblestones.

Society
Baldurians took great pride in the inclusiveness of their city. It was a place anyone could call home, or start a new life within, regardless of race, creed or personal history. Despite its dense population and crowded streets it was remarkably clean and safe for citizens and visitors alike.

As a whole, citizens of Baldur's Gate did not tolerate drunk and debaucherous behavior.

Customs
Unlike other cosmopolitan cities, Baldur's Gate was home to few formal festivals and gatherings. In addition to celebrating Highharvestide in autumn, Baldurians celebrated The Breaking every spring, marking the day when the last hunks of ice broke away from the Gray Harbor, freeing it for safe trade. They also held public celebrations for Returning Day, which commemorated Balduran's return to his home city following his famous expedition across the Trackless Sea.

Every so often, Baldurians would gather together on a street around a grouping of crates, barrels and other impromptu seating to share stories and tales with one another. These cobble parties, so named for the cobblestone roads on which they were hosted, were marked by special "rose-red" torches that could be purchased from the local fireworks shop.

Religion
Like most great cities, Baldur's Gate had many places of worship scattered across its districts. For instance, Twin Songs accepted all faiths and hosted a great diversity of temples and shrines dedicated to nearly every deity. Even shrines devoted to the worship of evil powers, such as Bane and Bhaal, were tolerated by the city's Flaming Fist soldiers.

Despite the city's inclusiveness, three deities predominated the worship of Baldurian citizens. For favor and safety at sea, the veneration of Umberlee has been a mainstay throughout their history. The favor of Tymora was often sought for greater wealth and prosperity with regard to trade, gambling and mercantile endeavors. Lastly, as continual expression of gratitude for the technological blessings bestowed upon the city, the worship of Gond was widespread, even beyond his temple and museum.

In addition to the myriad of religious groups that flocked to the city's temples, a number of small cults and esoteric societies kept their home within the Gate.

Demonym
People and things from Baldur's Gate were known as "Baldurian". The term "Balduran" was never used—misusing the founder's name even like this was a grave insult to his memory and the city alike.

Heraldry
The city's coat-of-arms was a single ship, with raised sails, floating across still waters in front if a clear blue sky. While the ship represented both the city's role as a trading hub and its founder, Balduran, the calm sea signified its peaceful neutrality and the sky its promising future.

Government
Since its famous tax revolt, Baldur's Gate was ruled by four Grand Dukes, whose membership composed the Council of Four. They were elected by the citizens to serve for life or until they wished to retire. The Council served as a member of the Lords' Alliance, which included Waterdeep and Silverymoon, among others nation-states.

After an attempted coup by former Grand Duke Velarken, Baldur's Gate's government underwent a major restructure and the new Baldurian Parliament elected the Dukes. In the 1480s DR, it was ruled by Grand Duke Portyr at the behest of the Baldurian Parliament.

This changed again however, sometime before 1489 DR, as the Council of Four was reinstated, aided by the legislative body known as the Parliament of Peers, who in turn served as their electors. This legislative body of 50 or so influential Baldurians met to discuss city matters and make recommendations to the council.

Laws
The government of Baldur's Gate maintained a strict and complex legal code that consisted of a series of regulations, official decrees and treatises that was nigh incomprehensible for anyone but the city's barristers and some patriars. By and large laws favored these individuals along with foreign diplomats, the Flaming Fist and members of the Watch. Citizens of the city proper and those living in the Outer City were afforded far fewer considerations. That being said, anyone who obeyed the laws could walk freely though the city's streets.

Anyone caught in the act of breaking the law were immediately apprehended and punished, either by the Watch or the Flaming Fist. Typically, the punishment fit the crime. Lesser crimes, such as violence or thievery, warranted a public whipping or removal of a finger. Those who broke agreed upon contracts were sentenced to forced labor while distributing the peace or public lasciviousness led to public shaming by a night in the stocks.

Crime
Throughout its history, various thieves guilds had risen and fallen in Baldur's Gate, including the one led by Alatos Thuibuld, Xantam's Guild and the Hands of Glory. Since the fall of these groups in the late 14 century, the Guild, led by Nine-Fingers emerged as the predominant thieves' organization in Baldur's Gate. Nearly all of the smaller gangs of the Outer and Lower City regions owed at least some obedience to this influential organization.

Foreign Relations
Throughout its history, Baldur's Gate had little stake in the affairs of others. For the most part, the city was respected as a neutral power, that never involved itself with the politics and conflicts that arose between the other states of the Sword Coast and the Western Heartlands. Perhaps more importantly, Baldur's Gate, while undoubtedly a rich prize, was so well-defended by its massive walls and well-trained Flaming Fists soldiers that few ever seriously considered invading and occupying the city.

Historically, Baldur's Gate has had a long enmity with its southern neighbor, Amn, which nearly resulted in war during the iron crisis of the 1360s. Over the next century however, the only major threats to Baldur's Gate were the pirates operating out of the ruins of Luskan or the merchants of Waterdeep, who resented the city's continually-growing wealth and power.

Trade
The Gray Harbor of Baldur's Gate was one of the largest, busiest and most popular ports-of-call found on the western coast of Faerûn, handling a wide variety of cargoes that rivaled even the sprawling ports of Calimshan. Due to the fact trade was not tied to any individual's moral alignment, anyone conducting business in a non-harmful manner was welcome to trade in the city. By virtue of this tolerant outlook, Baldur's Gate had become the greatest center of trade along the entire Sword Coast in the 15 century, out-competing both Waterdeep and Amn.

For years, Baldur's Gate minted its own silver trade bars, the most common variety of which was a 1 lb (0.5 kg) bar worth 5 gp. More importantly, the city also set the value for this form of currency and regulated its use in trade.

Baldur's Gate sponsored nearly 90 professional guilds, from seafarers and financiers from the Upper City, to loremasters, brewmasters, metalworkers and nearly every skilled tradesperson in between.

While the honest and once-powerful mercantile guild known as the Merchant's League, previously dominated trade in the city, it was banned by the Council of Four and forced to operate in secret. Similarly, the secretive collective of noble-merchants known as the Knights of the Shield operated in an unofficial capacity. While the Iron Throne's influence grew and diminished throughout the 14 and 15 centuries, they continued to control trade of the weapons and armor that were used by the Watch and the Fist.

As of the mid-1300s DR, stone was usually imported from Mirabar via Luskan for use in construction, having been magically transported from up north. This feat of arcane conveyance was quite expensive.

Defenses
Historically speaking, Baldur's Gate was naturally well-defended by its location in a natural inlet, and the great wall that was financed by the city's founder, Balduran. However, its security was often attributed to its political neutrality and the world-view of its leadership. While the city remained dedicated to the termination of threats which jeopardized trade and commerce in the Sword Coast, it refused to involve itself with the region's political conflicts.

Defense of the Upper City fell under the responsibility of the Watch, the constables who enforced the laws of the city's patriar noble class. As it has been for over a century before the Second Sundering, the rest of the city was policed by members of the Flaming Fist. Many officers within the Fist were "retired" adventurers and its highest rank of Marshal, was by tradition, one of the Grand Dukes.

Military
While the Fist always kept a strong contingent within the city's walls, they doubled as the city's standing army and were free to hire themselves out in external conflicts as long as they were never aligned against the city. At the behest of their leaders, they even embarked upon journeys to the then-newly-discovered continent of Maztica. After a century of serving as defenders of the city, they had become so entwined with the fate of its well-being, they operated as the de facto police force for domestic concerns and its bulwark for threats from abroad.

In addition to the 1,700-plus soldiers of the Flaming Fist, the Grand Dukes commanded a navy of a half dozen ships with crews of at least 40 men each.

Founding
Originally, the harbor-settlement that came to be known as Baldur's Gate was a well-hidden meeting place for pirates, scavengers and "ghost lighters". These naer-do-wells used lights to trick ships sailing through the foggy coast, running them aground before pilfering their goods. After looting what they could, they sailed up the River Chionthar to the small bay, to their secluded haven called Gray Harbor.

In olden times, the seafaring hero Balduran returned home to Gray Harbor, from a voyage to the far-off continent of Anchorome, far beyond the elven isle of Evermeet. He had accumulated great wealth on this journey. After hiding some of his riches away in hidden caches, her ordered a great granite wall to be built for the protection of his home. Soon after, Balduran set sail on a second voyage to the continent and subsequently vanished, never to return.

After Balduran vanished, local farmers took control of the wall's construction and used it to protect their own holds and farmsteads, rather than the harbor. Nearby townsfolk and other outsiders flocked to the fledgling town for protection and the hamlet swelled in size. The walled region of Gray Harbor came to be known as "Old Town", while newly-constructed buildings, between the southern wall and the harbor, were built in the portion thereafter known as "Heapside".

Tax Revolt
The division of the town by its great wall created a schism between the landowners of Old Town and Balduran's former associates, the captains and other seafarers of Gray Harbor. The Old Towners taxed the carts coming north from the harbor, through Baldur's Gate, which led to the ire of the seamen and their eventual refusal to pay.

As their anger turned to action, the smugglers, pirates and merchants of Heapside breached Baldur's gate and stormed Old Town by force. Just before they laid siege to the keep of High Hall, the four most-senior sea captains argued for the farmer-lords' surrender. After a quick vote, a truce was struck between the two parties and the retired captains were installed as leaders, jokingly known as "Dukes", of the rapidly-growing city that was earnestly renamed Baldur's Gate.

Expansion
Following the founding of the nation of Amn, trade skyrocketed in Baldur's Gate and the city expanded. This propensity secured the renewed connection between Old Town, which came to be known as the Upper City, and Heapside, now called the Lower City. The fate of all Baldurian citizens were entwined as one, a significance that was reflected in the expanded construction of the city wall. The bluffs of the Lower City were protected by two extensions of the Old Wall that continued south to the northern shores of the River Chionthar.

The city became the most powerful force in the Western Heartlands and despite its neutrality, joined the Lords' Alliance. The city was only recorded to have been called upon by the Alliance once, in the Year if the Black Horde, 1235 DR, when the eponymous legion of orcs attempted to invade. They sent their top military general, Eldrith, to drive them off. While she achieved victory at first, she eventually betrayed Baldur's Gate and was killed in the Marsh of Chelimber by Baldurian forces.

14 Century
The Flaming Fists began operating in Baldur's Gate in the early 14 century DR. In the Year of the Banner, 1368 DR, the Bhaalspawn Sarevok Anchev orchestrated a major conspiracy to send the city to war with Amn. The plan failed and within two years all Bhaalspawn were killed due to the actions of the future Grand Duke, Abdel Adrian.

A group known Xantam's Guild moved into Baldur's Gate early in the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR. Three adventurers, Vahn, Kromlech, and Adrianna arrived and thwarted the guild's plans in the city. Joined by the Harpers, they discovered the thieves guild to be only part of a larger plot involving Eldrith the Betrayer and her dark alliance. Eldrith's disciple, a vampire known as Mordoc SeLanmere sought to destroy the city in the years that followed. In the end however, Mordoc too was defeated and the city saved in the Year of the Bent Blade, 1376 DR.

In the following year Faerûn suffered the Spellplague, a cataclysmic event that reshaped both civilizations and the land itself. Fortunately, Baldur's Gate was unharmed from the effects of the blue fire that rained from the sky. As it was known throughout Faerûn as an "open city", the Gate became a haven for a great number of refugees that fled the destruction that wracked the lands around the Sea of Fallen Stars. Within a matter of years, the population of the city tripled. Mercifully, the city was able to support itself following these years of intense growth and expansion.

Mid 15 Century
During the mid-1400s, the Grand Duke Valarken, General Ikhal and the Band of the Red Moon attempted to usurp the leadership of Baldur's Gate. The failure of his attack led to the dissolution of the Council of Four. In its place, the Baldurian Parliament came to rule accompanied by increased presence of Flaming Fist soldiers acting as a police force within the city.

Following Valarken murdered the previous Marshal of the Flaming Fist, who also held the title of Grand Duke, Abdel Adrian replaced him in both positions.

By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Baldur's Gate was Faerûn's most powerful and important city, and it was once again stable. At this time, it was no longer bothered by Valarken and Amn. It maintained a positive relationship with the nation of Elturgard and the other powers of the Western Heartlands. However, the expansion proved to turn the city on its heels, threatening to send it into civil war.

Murder in Baldur's Gate
While making a public speech on Returning Day, in the Year of the Narthex Murders, 1482 DR, Grand Duke Abdel Adrian was attacked by a man named Viekang, the only other remaining Bhaalspawn. Although it was unknown who emerged as the victor, it was known both men died — one at the hands of his mortal sibling, the other after having transformed into the Slayer, an avatar of the long-dead Bhaal.

The remaining Council of Four blamed the Grand Duke's death on agents of the Guild, the city's most prevalent thieves' group, and enlisted a group of adventurers help investigate the tragedy. Shortly after, the city experienced a sudden spike of criminal activity including robberies and vandalism, which caused the Flaming Fist to cracked down on some shadier establishments in the Lower City and Outer City regions. As the Baldurian Parliament responded by passing bewildering sumptuary laws, stating that citizens had to wear attire befitting their station, vandals removed the hands of five beloved statues that decorated the city.

Despite the best efforts by the adventurers, the Watch and the Flaming Fist, whose leadership was assumed by Ulder Ravengard, the city erupted into chaos. As city workers went on strike and the Upper City was placed on a lockdown-curfew at mid-afternoon, the merchant-class of the Lower City became incensed and unruly. As Outer City residents protested against the city officials, petty vandalism escalated to arson and even kidnappings. In response, the free press of the city, known as Baldur's Mouth was shut down and the new leader of the Fist instituted a series of illegal tribunals.

After a group of Outer City residents clashed with a contingent of Flaming Fist soldiers in the district of Norchapel, riots erupted throughout the Lower and Outer City regions. After an explosion erupted in Bloomridge, the city was placed under martial law. The adventurers hired by the Council discovered the chaos in the city was a result of the Grand Duke Torlin Silvershield's plot to destroy the corrupted Baldurian Parliament, in a dramatic immolation of stockpiled smokepowder, and sever the Guild's subversive influence over Baldurian officials. He revealed himself as the Chosen of the re-ascended god of murder, Bhaal, before he was slain by the adventurers of Baldur's Gate.

Rumors & Legends
Since the days of Balduran himself, tales of the wealth he brought back from across the Sea of Swords were prevalent throughout the city. For centuries, rumors persisted that there was a hidden cache of riches hidden somewhere deep beneath the city, within the caves of the Sword's Teeth cliffside.

Upper City
The Upper City of Baldur's Gate radiated wealth and beauty, serving as home to the city's Patriar class. It had wide, well-lit streets and attractive buildings decorated with hanging plants. The amenity of the Upper City was only matched by its well-kept safety, largely thanks to the regular patrols maintained by the Watch.

The region consisted of four districts: Citadel Streets, Manorborn, the Temples District and the Wide.


 * Landmarks:
 * High Hall: Palace of the Grand Dukes in which city business was conducted.
 * Watch Citadel: The barracks and training facility for the protectors of the Upper City.
 * Places of Worship:
 * High House of Wonders: A temple of Gond that doubled as a workshop for its priests.
 * Hall of Wonders: This museum displayed a the relics of the Gondar faith, for all Baldurians to behold.
 * Residences:
 * Silvershield Estate: The ancestral manse of the Silvershield patriars overshadowed the estates of the city's other wealthy families.
 * Taverns & Inns:
 * Helm and Cloak: An expensive but well-rated feasting hall popular with both locals and travelers alike. Its upper floor was also rented out to the vast majority of the Knights of the Unicorn.
 * Purple Wyrm Inn and Tavern: A tavern much compared to the Elfsong, but it was more commonly used by merchants and those seeking adventure.
 * Three Old Kegs: Highly comfortable but only slightly expensive, the Three Old Kegs was perhaps the most highly rated establishment in Baldur's Gate.
 * Gates:
 * Black Dragon Gate &bull; Citadel Gate


 * Shops:
 * Candlekeep Chandlery: High-end shop that sold cosmetics and soaps.

Lower City
The Lower City was the large, crescent-shaped portion of Baldur's Gate fully contained within the walls. It featured tightly-packed streets, lined with tall and slender buildings. even narrower alleyways that were always busy with the comings and goings of city life. Trade, commerce and work of all sorts dominated the sprawling Lower City.

It had six districts: Seatower, Bloomridge, the Steeps, Heapside, Eastway and Brampton. Sea Gate &bull; Manor Gate &bull; Gond Gate &bull; Baldur's Gate &bull; Heap Gate
 * Landmarks:
 * Baldur's Mouth: This establishment disseminated official business, public declarations and other daily news through published broadsheets and town criers.
 * Gray Harbor: Baldur's Gate had a large and busy harbor that opened up into the River Chionthar. The harbor was closed after sunset, after which no ships could tie up. Latecomers had to wait out in the river until sunrise.
 * Seatower of Balduran: Defensive structure on an island in the harbor, which held the Hissing Stones Bathhouse.
 * Mercantile:
 * Counting House: A moneylender on the docks along the waterfront specializing in the trade of coins, gems, and valuables.
 * Garmult's House of Mastery:
 * Shops:
 * Sorcerous Sundries: A shop near the eastern gate that stocked all sorts of arcane supplies, from spell components to magical items.
 * Places of Worship:
 * Shrine of the Suffering: This plain and unadorned shrine of Ilmater catered to the city's poorest citizens.
 * Water Queen's House: The temple of Umberlee, found near the city docks, was the oldest house of worship in Baldur's Gate.
 * Taverns & Inns:
 * Blade and Stars: A quiet inn known for its high-quality foodstuffs.
 * Blushing Mermaid: Located in the north-eastern section of Baldur's Gate, the Blushing Mermaid was an establishment known for its status as a hub of illicit business.
 * Elfsong Tavern: A tavern in the southeast near the eastern gate known best for its strange haunting, a ghostly elven voice of unidentified origin that could be heard singing quietly at night. The trademark song faded in 1374 DR, only to return in 1437 DR with regular administration.
 * Splurging Sturgeon: Located a bit south from the Blushing Mermaid, the Splurging Sturgeon was a small but well-known establishment.
 * Gates:

Underground
Beneath the streets of the the city was a sprawling, underground festhall known as the Undercellar. Dank cellars, twisting corridors and cramped tunnels composed its extensive network that stretched beneath nearly every corner of the Upper City region. Entrances into this secretive domain were numerous, but well-controlled, either by private, mercantile or criminal enterprises.

Even deeper underground, beyond the Undercellar, was a series of subterranean tunnels and caves. Within one of the vast caverns were the ruins of an old settlement that came to be known as the Undercity. By the 14 century only one structure remained amongst the decrepit foundations and undead-invested streets. This was an old temple of Bhaal that was once reclaimed by the Bhaalspawn Sarevok.

These tunnels extended further down, under the surface of Toril, going so far as to connect to the Underdark. One of these natural formations opened up into the Wizard Cave, an expanse that housed the tower of a wizard that went missing during the mid-15 century.

Outer City
The Outer City of Baldur's Gate was a sprawling, chaotic shantytown that grew outside of the city's walls. Day and night blended together throughout the lean-to's, stockyards and other shacks and lined the Outer City's muddy streets. While the animal-handlers, merchant-hawkers and other "outsiders" were taxed and technically "ruled" over by the Grand Dukes, city officials did little to truly govern the unregulated Outer City.

It had nine districts: Blackgate, located north from the Black Dragon Gate, Stonyeyes, Norchapel, Little Calimshan, Whitkeep, Sow's Foot, Twin Songs, Tumbledown, which extended south from the Cliffgate, and Rivington, south of Wyrm's Crossing.
 * Mercantile:
 * The Calim Jewel Emporium:
 * Shops:
 * Garmult's House of Mastery:
 * Hamhocks Slaughterhouse:

Wyrm's Crossing
Wyrm's Crossing was the great double-bridge that spanned the River Chionthar, which extended north and south from the island-fortress of Wyrm's Rock. A myriad of different buildings were constructed on top of the crossing: from elaborate, several-story mercantile shops to small vendor stalls and even precariously-built businesses that hung off the side of the stone bridge, overlooking the waters of the Chionthar.

The bridge stood atop massive arches that allowed ample room for sea traffic to pass unhindered. It was wide enough to allow overland travelers to pass through its many buildings, along the road that led into Baldur's Gate proper.


 * Shops:
 * Danthelon's Dancing Axe: a generic shop that sold used weapons, armor and other items.

Population
The population of Baldur's Gate was always dominated by humans, though other races such as elves, dwarves, and to a lesser extent some drow, settled within the city and were not looked upon differently. The older districts of the Upper City and Lower City were quite diverse, while newer neighborhoods and those of the Outer City saw some homogenization along ethnic and racial lines. While no race was outright banned, more-monstrous humanoids such as trolls, ogres and orcs were a rare sight indeed.

As anyone was welcome to visit or conduct business in The Gate, its population continually swelled as the city's geographical size grew well beyond its walls. How the city did not collapse upon itself, with unfathomable to many.

Demographics
Adventurers were a welcome presence in the Gate, many of whom came from the far corners of Toril to seek opportunities for fame, fortune or whatever alluring endeavour presented itself. Even those from unlikely walks of life found themselves enticed by the stories that filled the city's taverns and inns, giving in to the temptation of thrill and excitement.

Many lower and working-class individuals lived in the streets of the Lower and Outer City regions. While low-skilled laborers and dock-workers ensured goods arrived to their destinations in the Gray Harbor, tradesfolk such as tanners, smiths, garment-makers and the like produced their goods throughout the city. The industry of these laborious individuals drove the economy of the greatest mercantile power of the Sword Coast.

The merchants of Baldur's Gate were famous across the Realms for their heroic work ethic, keen sense of business and outright gumption.

The wealthy patriar families were the nobility of the Upper City. While their lives were viewed as the epitome of luxury and opulence, many were civic-minded benefactors that genuinely strived to improve their home city. This Baldurian elite-class was limited to a few select human families, along with the dwarven Clan Shattershield; no matter how rich any businessmen or merchants became, they could not buy their way into the Baldurian patriar.

Animals
While cats were abundantly found throughout the city, as they were used to eliminate vermin from cargo ships, dogs were not a common sight by any stretch. Livestock, such as horses, cows, goats and like, were prohibited from the city proper, relegated to the paddocks and pens of the Outer City.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * The Halfling's Gem
 * The Stowaway
 * The Shadowmask
 * Under Fallen Stars
 * The Silent Blade
 * Baldur's Gate


 * Games:
 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II
 * Baldur's Gate
 * Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn


 * Adventures:
 * Murder in Baldur's Gate


 * Comics:
 * Legends of Baldur's Gate