Baldurs Gate

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.

Type

Large city