Westgate was a seedy and squalid metropolis—with a history in piracy, powerful crime syndicates, and nameless vampiric crime-lords. Westgate thrived on black-market trade and corruption, and was perhaps one of the most sordid cities in all of Faerûn. The legacy of scoundrels and spies was found in every alley, and danger lurked for the unprepared in every corner.[12] Despite this, it was the largest and most powerful city on the Dragon Coast.[13]
It was an open city that welcomed all travelers and citizens alike as long as they abided by the local laws and, of course, had enough coin.[9]
It was probably the oldest, richest and most corrupt port on the Sea of Fallen Stars. It received the nickname "Gateway to the West" from its role as the Inner Sea's most prolific port city.[14]
Society
Religion
Westhavians tolerated the worship of a wide variety of gods, including evil gods, and were proud of their openness.[15] The city's corruption extended to religious matters also, with clerics of some temples secretly pocketing donations.[16] Many temples were all to happy to sell spellcasting services or healing potions to adventurers, as a way to earn coin.[15]
Demonym
A person from Westgate was known as a Westar or a Westhavian.[17]
Government
For over a thousand years, Westgate was ruled by various kings, but since Year of the Cockatrice, 1248 DR Westgate has been ruled as a republic. While in theory this allowed rule by the common people, in practice the corruption and criminality of Westgate allowed for continued rule by an oligarchy of merchant lords.[citation needed]
History
This area of the Dragon Coast was first settled by humans from the Vilhon Reach roughly 1,000 years before the Standing Stone was erected in Cormanthor. The largest settlment was the human town of Westgate, ruled cruelly by the great topaz dragon Kisonraathiisar.[18]
In the Year of Bold Poachers, −349 DR, Saldrinar destroyed Kisonraathiisar and became Westgate's first human king.[19]
In the Year of Foul Awakenings, −286 DR, the vampire Orlak and a small army of mercenaries captured the city in a single night.[20] Orlak proclaimed himself the Night King and ruled until he is defeated by a group of Lathander-worshiping paladins in the Year of Many Harvests, −157 DR.[21]
In the Year of the Speaking Mountain, 257 DR, pirates from the Pirate Isles invaded Westgate and began the 200-year-long reign of the Pirate Kings.[22]
In the Year of the Cat's Eye, 429 DR the Chondathan mercenary captain Mulsantir Illistine attacked Westgate and overthrew the pirate kings.[23]
After the Spellplague, the Sea of Fallen Stars began to drain into the Underdark. The lower water level caused the shoreline to recede and, for a time, the harbor of Westgate was left high and dry. The docks were rebuilt on the new shoreline and the new dock area was known as Tidetown.[24]
During the Second Sundering and the great rain the level of the Sea of Fallen Stars rose, revealing dungeons built by lords in Tidetown and making flooding in Westgate commonplace.[25]
Foreign Policy
By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Westgate was one of the few free cities left on the Dragon Coast not occupied by either Cormyr or Sembia. In order to preserve its independence Westgate played both powers against each other, perhaps even supporting insurrections within Cormyr's borders to stem its expansionism.[26]
Later, in the Year of the Rune Lords Triumphant, 1487 DR, following the collapse of the Shadovar-controlled Sembians, the primary foe of Westgate was the Cormyran Empire.[27]
Notable Locations
Inns, Taverns, and Festhalls
- Bent Mermaid Inn
- Big Edna's Tavern
- Black Boot Inn
- Black Eye (tavern and festhall)
- Blais House Inn
- Blind Eye (tavern)
- Blue Banner (tavern and inn in the Shou Quarter)
- Empty Fish Tavern
- Gatereach Inn
- Gentle Moon Inn
- Jolly Warrior Inn
- Leaning Man (inn)
- Lilda's (festhall in The Shore ward)
- Old Beard Tavern
- Purple Lady Festhall (owned by Ilira Nathalan)
- Rising Raven Inn and Rooming House
- Rosebud Tavern
- Rotten Root Tavern
- Spitting Cockatrice (inn)
- Westward Eye (inn)
Shops
- Aurora's Emporium: curio shop
- Gondeth's Mageries: magic shop
- House of Silks: fine textiles shop
- Chalaratha's Fragrances: perfume shop and factory
- Dawn's Dress Shop
- Imryth Tower (residence of Audara Imryth, potion shop, and Harper safehouse)
- Myrkeer House: merchant house of Shalush Myrkeer
Temples to Good Gods
- Morningstar Haven: Temple of Lathander
- Fortuneboon Hall: Temple of Tymora
- House of Ilmater: Temple of Ilmater
- Abbey of the Blinding Truth: Temple of Tyr[28]
- A shrine to Sune[11]
Temples to Neutral Gods
- House of the Sun: Temple of Amaunator[10]
- House of the Wheel: Temple of Gond
- The Hidden House: Temple of Leira (subterranean)
- House of Steel: Abandoned Temple of Garagos and subterranean lair of the vampire Kirenkirsalai.[29]
Temples to Evil Gods
- Whitecap Hall: Temple of Umberlee[30]
- House of Winds: Temple of Talos
- Painbliss Hall: Temple of Loviatar
- The Place of Waiting Death: Temple of Talona (subterranean)
- House of Spires and Shadows: Temple of Mask; also called The Shadowspires.[31] Abandoned circa 1480 DR.
Other Locations
The arena in the Quivering Thumb.
- Westlight: The Harbor Tower lighthouse.
- Westgate's stout city walls had six gates. Counter-clockwise from the northernmost gate: The Water Gate, The West Gate, Mulsantir's Gate, The South Gate, The River Gate, and The East Gate.
- The Shore: A slum district, just outside The River Gate.
- Shou Quarter: District home of many immigrants from Shou.
- Castle Thalavar: Gedrin Thalavar's childhood home and headquarters of the Eye of Justice.
- Lair of the Night Masters: Formerly the lair of the vampire Orbahk.[32]
- Tidetown: New dock district built after the sea level of the Sea of Fallen Stars dropped.
- Darkdance Manor: Home of House Darkdance and ancestral home of Myrin Darkdance.[33]
- Timeless Blade: A Fencing school.
- The Quivering Thumb: Gladiatorial games with gambling.[9]
Inhabitants
- Clyde The Cleaver: Information broker & underworld figure. Notorious for his hand axe of Sharpness.[citation needed]
- Gedrin Thalavar: Founder of the Eye of Justice.[34]
- Gul The Grim: Dwarven Leader & figurehead of the Westgate underworld.[citation needed]
- King Verovan: last King of Westgate who during a ship race against the Red Wizards of Thay was tricked into turning his whole crew into stone; the Red Wizards had secretly replaced his whip with one braided with a cockatrice feather.[35]
- Lord Topaz: Mercenary, assassin, bounty hunter, and unofficial contractor for the Night Masks. Affiliated with Waterdeep's Assassin's Guild of the VenomBlade.[citation needed]
- Mintassan the Magnificent.[36][31]
- Zedrick Neely: Leader of the Night Masks.[citation needed]
- Plaguechanged Thing: A dwarf excavator that was magically transmuted by the Spellplague into a huge blob of protoplasm[37] extending over a mile in length in the caverns below Westgate.[37] It had enhanced psionic powers[37] and aided in the destruction of Xxiphu.[38]
Organizations and Factions
- Eye of Justice: Paladin order dedicated to the worship of the Threefold God.
- Fire Knives: Assassins' guild at war with the Nine Golden Swords.
- Night Masks (guild): Thieves guild driven out of Westgate by the Eye of Justice in 1391 DR.[39]
- Nine Golden Swords: Shou organization with criminal roots by way of Telflamm; opposes the Fire Knives.
- Zhentarim: A mercenary company.
- Mercenaries' Guild of Westgate: A mercenary company.
Noble Houses
- Athagdal: symbol is a set of russet weighing scales
- Bleth: symbol is seven suns
- Cormaeril: symbol is a red wyvern and a silver horn
- Dhostar (defunct): symbol was a wagon wheel topped with three stars
- Guldar: symbol is a black hawk
- Malavhan: symbol is a red sun
- Ssemm: symbol is an ivory bird's claw
- Thalavar: symbol is a green feather
- Thorsar: symbol is a blue hand holding corn
- Urdo: symbol is a yellow eye
- Vhammos: symbol is a steel-gray open hand
Appendix
Appearances
- Adventures
- Curse of the Azure Bonds
- Referenced only
- Swords of the Iron Legion • Anauroch: The Empire of Shade • Storm over Neverwinter
- Novels
- Azure Bonds • The Reaver
- Referenced only
- The Ring of Winter • Cormyr: A Novel • Blackstaff • Plague of Spells
Gallery
References
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 117. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Chris Tulach (October, 2009). “RPGA Update”. Dragon #381 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 115.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (August 1992). “The Everwinking Eye: Words To The Wise”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #74 (TSR, Inc.), p. 14–15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 116. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 86. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Jason Carl, Sean K. Reynolds (October 2001). Lords of Darkness. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 181. ISBN 07-8691-989-2.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 85–86. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 116. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 143. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Richard Lee Byers (Feb 4, 2014). The Reaver. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 79. ISBN 0786964588.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Richard Lee Byers (Feb 4, 2014). The Reaver. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 63. ISBN 0786964588.
- ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4.
- ↑ John Terra (February 1996). Warriors and Priests of the Realms. Edited by Steven E. Schend. (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0-7869-0368-6.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 117. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8.
- ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 8–9.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 73. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 144. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 85. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 85. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Mel Odom (2009). Wrath of the Blue Lady. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 9780786951925.
- ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10.
- ↑ Richard Baker (August 11th, 2008). The one and only "Ask the Realms authors/designers thread" 4. Retrieved on January 8th, 2009.
- ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12.
- ↑ Jason Carl, Sean K. Reynolds (October 2001). Lords of Darkness. Edited by Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 49. ISBN 07-8691-989-2.
- ↑ Template:Cite digital book/Shadowbane: Eye of Justice/Kindle
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (Feb 4, 2014). The Reaver. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 84. ISBN 0786964588.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 116. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Template:Cite digital book/Shadowbane: Eye of Justice/Kindle
- ↑ Template:Cite digital book/Shadowbane: Eye of Justice/Kindle
- ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (April 2009). Downshadow. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0-7869-5128-4.
- ↑ Curtis Scott (March 1992). Pirates of the Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 978-1560763208.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 158. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Larry DeLucas (2012). The Writhing Obelisk (SPEC4-2) (PDF). Living Forgotten Realms (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 1–51.
- ↑ Template:Cite digital book/Shadowbane: Eye of Justice/Kindle