As promised, some info about baldur's gate that i think is better to know now than on the game day. Just so you guys now upfront... this was taken from the Sword Coast Adventure's Guide, i cut the part that i didn't think it was important.... Any
side notes in red are mine. This information is not necessary to have decorated, as well as we've talked, the political part MAYBE WILL happen, but right now, the fun is out of Baldur's walls ... So why this gigantic text? I like the Baldur's environment and perhaps reading it you will understand why I was so happy when you choose this city as the home... And maybe, just maybe, it'll help you background.
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Baldur's Gate - Past, Present and Future:
Baldur's Gate began its life as a hidden harbor where traders would meet with pirates and "ghost lighters. folk along the Sword Coast who used lights to lure fogbound ships toward shore. where they would run aground and have their goods scavenged. After hitting their targets, plunderers would journey leagues upriver to the future site of Baldur's Gate, at a turn of the Chionthar that gave good harbor and relatively easy access to the Trade way and then sell their
booty to traders without fear of meeting the goods original Owners.
In time. industrious traders and herders decided that the excellent commerce outweighed the blufls' poor soil, and they put down roots. Due in part to its frequent mists and surely its residents reputations, the settlement became known as Gray Harbor, a name Baldurians still use for the bay today.
The city gained its current name centuries ago when the great explorer Balduran returned from his journey to the other side of Evermeet. the homeland of the elves. where he searched for the fabled isles of, Anchorome. He spread around wild stories of his adventures as well as huge amounts of wealth. some of which he spent to have a wall constructed around his oft-raided hometown. Balduran left again for Anchorome and never returned
Just a few years ago, the city saw the terrifying return of the Lord of Murder (Bhaal). Following a number of deaths, one of the city's dukes, Torlin Silvershield, was revealed as the Chosen of Bhaal, and underwent a monstrous transformation, turning many citizens into bloodthirsty killers and inspiring a riot and much death before finally being put down by brave adventurers. Even now, you hear tales about misterious murders through the city, and reports of unexplainable, gruesome killings on Baldur's Gate.
Baldur's Gate is ruled by the Council of Four, dukes who vote among themselves on matters of law and policy for the city. A single grand duke is chosen from among the four, and is empowered to break ties when the council is deadlocked. The current Grand Duke is Ulder Ravengard, who is joined by Dukes Thalamra Vanthampur, Belynne Stelmane, and Dillard Portyr, the former grand duke, who ceded the post to Ravengard after the city's recent troubles. Below the council sits the Parliament of Peers, a group of about fifty Baldurians who meet daily to discuss the future of the city and recommend actions for the dukes to take on all matters, great and small.
Defense of the Upper City is handled by the Watch, the official constabulary of the city's elite. For the rest of Baidulr's Gate, security is enforced and order maintained by the Flaming Fist mercenary company, a supposedly neutral force which is free to fight in external conflicts, so long as it doesn't side against Baldur's Gate. By tradition, the highest officer of the Flaming Fist is one of the city's dukes, and Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard fulfills that tradition proudly.
Membership in the Flaming Fist is fairly easy to achieve, and adventurers with much experience swiftly advance
in rank (and, consequently, political influence) once they become permanent members. Many ranking officers are
former adventurers who have "retired" to military life.
But there was also a former school of swordsmanship that was closed by lack of students (and then money) due to the... "bad reputation" after The school teacher was accused of treason and conspiracy along Torin SilverShield. He was killed, his school closed and his family fell into disgrace.In both the Upper and Lower Cities, the underworld is controlled by a shadowy group known merely as the Guild. The dukes don't acknowledge the power of this group in any meaningful way- at least not publicly- but try (at least nominally) to curb its influence where and how they can.
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Three sides of the same cityThe city is divided into three parts:
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UPPER CITY (UC)
The Upper City of Baldur's Gate is the enclosed haven of the city's nobility- the patriars. Sitting atop their hill, the patriars look down on the rest of Baldur's Gate in every real sense, wielding their wealth and influence to push the Council of Four to protect their lifestyle.
Though at one time a wealthy merchant or powerful adventurer might hope to advance to the ranks of the patriars, there is no longer room, physically or otherwise, for the class of the Upper City to grow. Now, only those born into the patriar families inhabit the manors of this oldest part of Baldur's Gate. The poorest among these go so far as to sell furnishings and decorations from inside their homes in order to keep up appearances with their fellow patriars.
A number of gates divide the Upper City from the Lower City, but the one to note is the famous Baldur's Gate, from which the city takes its name. Trade passes only through this gate, and is taxed by the city-despite the fact that it was just such taxes that led to the city's being overthrown by its first dukes and the Lower City enclosed by its ring wall. The other gates exist solely for the convenience of the patriars and their retinues. Any who aren't in the presence of a patriar, wearing a patriar's livery, or bearing a letter of proof of employment by a patriar must use Baldur's Gate to pass between the Upper and Lower Cities.
LOWER CITY (LC)
Hard against the harbor lies the Lower City, where the folk who have long performed the real work of the city reside. Baldur's Gate depends on trade, and that trade flows in and out of the Gray Harbor. The hands that load and unload ships, that tally cargo and haul goods, that repair keels and mend sails, all live here. The Flaming Fist is responsible for keeping order in the Lower City, and it do so with brutal efficiency, deterring most from engaging in bold, public acts of theft, vandalism, or violence.
OUTER CITY (OC)
Outside the walls, there are no laws barring constructionor settlement, and so those who are too poor to reside within the city or to purchase property have slowly built up a third ward of the city, living in the shadow of its walls, paying its taxes, and covering both sides of the roads leading into Baldur's Gate.
Here, the poorest of the poor live in the Outer City, but so too do those whose businesses are considered too troublesome, noisy, or foul-smelling to operate within the walls, so tanners, smiths, masons, dyers, and other tradesfolk abound. (
As a small new company seeking fame and notoriety)
The lack of laws in the Outer City has led to two strange phenomena, unrelated to one another. A walled Calishite district has grown up to the east of the city proper, known by Baldurians as Little Calimshan. Within the district, neighborhoods are divided by walls, but these walls have walkways atop them so that foot traffic can proceed unimpeded by the gates that slow carts and mounts. Here, refugees from Calimshan have found a home away from that southern nation, and largely depend on themselves for
trade, culture, and defense.
Buildings have also been constructed along Wyrm's Crossing over the Chionthar river. Shops, taverns, and tenements
choke the bridge, hanging from both spans, and even in some cases built to hang from the supports that hold it up. Folk must pay a toll to cross on foot or by cart or wagon, but many swear they would pay yet more to be able to use the bridge without having to dodge the hawkers and urchins that infest the area.
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AREAS AND PLACES OF INTERESTThe Wide (UC): The Wide is the city's only large civic space and serves as its market. By law, all buying and selling in the city not completed in a licensed and taxed establishment must be done in the Wide. Sellers at the daily market set up their tables. accoutrements, and wares just after dawn. At dusk, the Watch clears the streets of visitors and vendors.
Beloved Ranger (UC) A statue of a powerful warrior in plate armor stands in the Wide. Far from being the typical grim guardian, this warrior wears an enthusiastic grin and cradles a hamster in his hands. According to legend, the featured figure is Minsc, a dull-witted but brave warrior ofRashemen who saved Lewel's life from some forgotten danger. The hamster is Boo. a pet that Minsc referred to as a "giant pygmy space hamster." The quirky statue is a favorite landmark and meeting spot in the ever-changing sea of market stalls, both because it's easy to spot and because Baldur's Gate loves its peculiar characters.
The High Hall (UC): The High Hall is used for professional guild meetings. civic events, court trials, tax counting, real-estate and law record-keeping, and anything to do with governance, including meetings of the Parliament of Peers and the Council of Four.
Watch Citadel(UC): The Upper City's police force uses the Watch Citadel as a barracks and for training, storage, and organizational needs. The citadel has only a few jail cells, which the Watch uses to temporarily hold those awaiting a trial in the High HaJJ or a transfer to the prison in the Seatower of Balduran.
Undercellar ( Just UC? Who knows...): A clearly marked entrance to the Undercellar beckons on the Wide's southern rim. Most Baldurians view the Undercellar as a seedy yet unique underground tavern and festhall. Its cobbled, vaulted chambers were once the storage cellars of various buildings, many of which still conduct business today. Its unmapped tunnels are more extensive than most city residents imagine. Dozens of access points reach it. Most of them are unmarked. and owners and overseers of more than a few such sites purposely keep them secret. The Guild
directly controls some entrances; others are privately owned but made available for the Guild's use in exchange for coin.
High House of Wonders (UC): The High House of Wonders serves as a vast workshop for the many crafters and inventors that the temple houses. The House has several huge wings, each devoted to a type of work or a scholarly pursuit related to invention and artifice. Silversmiths toil alongside those who cast in bronze, architects draft beside
engineers, and carpenters build cranes next to woodcarvers working on jewelry boxes. Everything from ships to siege weapons is built at full size in the great halls of the High House ofWonders and then is disassembled for transport.
The Hall of Wonders (UC): The Hall of Wonders puts Gond's magnificence on full display. This building is a museum as much as a religious site. For 5 cp, a visitor can enter to view-in long aisles and even hanging from the ceiling, a gallery of holy relics ranging from the pragmatic, such as ordinary locks and mechanical lock boxes disguised as furniture and other household goods, to the scholarly, such as precision water clocks and orreries. More impressive inventions loom large amid the collection, such as a steam dragon (a steam-operated engine for moving heavy objects), a steam-operated mechanical orchestra, and mechanical scribes that can be linked in sequence to make many copies of exactly what a person writes as he or she pens it.
To exit the museum, a visitor must leave through a shop filled with devices for sale. Rumors persist of a treasure vault hidden beneath the temple and guarded by mechanical monstrosities.
Seatower of Balduran (LC): The Flaming Fist maintains two bastions in Baldur's Gate, Wyrm's Rock and the Seatower ofBalduran. If Wyrm's Rock is a symbol of the Fist's unbreakable strength, then the Seatower is a symbol ofits stature and success. The Seatower serves the Flaming Fist as headquarters, barracks, naval base, prison, and fortress. The
marshal and most of the officers responsible for day-today Fist operations typically work from the Seatower.
Wyrm's Crossing and Wyrm's Rock (OC): The first sign of civi lization that a traveler boating on the Chionthar or coming overland from the south or east is likely to sec is Wyrm's Rock, an impressive fort rising high above the surface of the water. Wyrm's Crossing. the bridge that arches over the river's slowly flowing water, connects the fort's islet to the Outer City districts ofTwin Songs to the north and Rivington to the south.
Baldur's Mouth (LC):The city's news carrier, provides a great service to people at every level of society. Town criers and printed broadsheets are its two methods of spreading news.The city has used Baldur's Mouth many times to
spread word of new laws that the Council of Four passes, to broadcast holidays, and to communicate election results.
Candlekeep Chandlery (LC): On the signboard hanging above its door, the Candlekeep Chandlery proudly advertises the "Longest Lasting Lamps and Magically Made Missives in the Lower City." Her shop sells candles, soaps, and cosmetics to wellheeled customers in the Upper City.
Counting House (LC): The Counting House has stood as a center of trade and business in the city for centuries. A thick-walled and heavily guarded edifice on the waterfront, it serves as the primary location for exchange of currency and valuation of gems and jewelry.
Danthelon's Dancing Axe (OC): This new but widely known business on Wyrm's Crossing is named for its owner, the jovial seller-ofsundries Entharl Danthelon. The blond-bearded dwarf deals in assorted quality secondhand goods, ranging from pots and pans to rope, armor, and weaponry.
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CAFES, INNS, AND TAVERNS The Blade and Stars: The interior of the Blade and Stars is an unremarkable yet comfortable inn. Lacking a tavern and a dining room, the long, tall building is filled with bedrooms and small apartments in which travelers can stay for fair prices and have food and drink sent up to them. Many of the rooms have private balconies overhanging the street, providing visitors with a great place to stay while watching the city in full swing.
The Blushing Mermaid: The Blushing Mermaid is a noisy establishment whose clientele is known to break into brawls over a spilled mug, a funny look, or an ugly face. The fare prepared at the Mermaid is simple and filling. It's all decent except for a vile stew based on pickled fish.
Elfsong Tavern: One of the most well-known establishments in Baldur's Gate is located a few blocks from the Basilisk
Gate in Eastway. The name of this tavern comes from its unearthly tenant, a disembodied elven voice whose song occasionally fills the tavern. The singing isn't loud enough to disrupt conversation, but it is clear, beautiful, and lamenting.
The Helm and Cloak: Located at the heart of the Upper City, just steps from the High House ofWonders and the High Hall, the Helm and Cloak serves the upper crust and has prices to match. Its food is excellent, and its ccommodations
are sumptuous. The Helm is a fashionable place to dine and chat. Patriars and Lower City residents who have lofty social ambitions favor it.
Jopalin's: Once a seedy dockside tavern catering to sailors with thin purses,Jopalin's transitioned into a cafe when
coffee and tea drinking became fashionable-and as membership fees increased for the tavernkeepers guild.
The Low Lantern: An aging, three-masted merchant ship rocks gently in the water alongside the Stormshore Street dock on the harbor's east side. Ostensibly a festhall, a tavern, and a gambling house, the Low Lantern also serves as a place for covert meetings in which sensitive and illicit plans can be discussed without fear of eavesdroppers.
The Splurging Sturgeon: the Splurging Sturgeon cooks just about anything that's pulled out of the river or sea, and in dozens of ways.
Three Old Kegs: One of the most cozy, welcoming, and tolerant establishments in Baldur's Gate, Three Old Kegs is
named for its sign, featuring three lashed-together barrels hanging from a pole. The place is immensely popular.
so much so that regular wayfarers' donations have rebuilt the business after fire gutted it on three separate occasions.
The Smilin' Boar: The Smilin' Boar was once a failing tavern, until its new owner, Jentha Allinamuck, took advantage ofits Bloom ridge locale to convert it into a trendy cafe. The enterprising halning knocked down a wall to create
harbor-view seating.
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MYSTERIOUS LOCATIONSRamazith's Tower: Rarnazith 's Tower is a six-story, pagoda-style, cylindrical structure of brick. Its numerous roofs jut from the building every half floor, and a pointed rooftops the structure. Whether the tower is a unique Baldur's Gate landmark or a deplorable eyesore depends on one's opinion. The tower is named after Ramazith, the sailorturned-
wizard who designed and erected it. During his days as a mariner, Ramazith acquired vast knowledge of the sea. He became a full-fledged wizard to further his interest in what lay beneath the waves. He must have discovered something of great value in the watery depths, because he had never been known as a wealthy person before construction began onthe tower that would bear his name and whose exotic architecture would remind him of his home in faraway Durpar. Eventually, Ramazith disappeared. o one knows where or how, but the most popular rumor is that he met his doom during an ill-advised dalliance with a nymph.
Seskergates: For more than a century, this tall structure adjacent to Mandorcai's Mansion housed the Sesker merchant
family. The reclusive Osimund Sesker, the last of his line, died alone in this mansion two winters ago. Imbralym Skoond, an aspiring young wizard from Athkatla, bought Seskergates to use as his home and magic workshop.
Wizard Cave: Rumor has it that a tower of stone, whose origin is unknown, stands on the brink of a vast crevasse somewhere deep beneath the Upper City. A wizard who used it as his home reportedly spoke of it on his infrequent
trips to the surface. No one has seen the wizard in thirty years. Now his tower stands empty in the dark, awaiting anyone brave enough to search for the secret sewer-to-cavern path leading to the structure.
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