Baldur's Gate

Baldur's Gate, also called simply the Gate, was the largest metropolis and city-state on the Sword Coast, within the greater 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 east from its mouth on the Sea of Swords.
As the minstrels of the 14th 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.

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.

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.

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.

Government

Council of Four

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 other nation-states. The current Council of Four consists of Ulder Ravengard , Thalamra Vanthampur , Belynne Stelmane , and Dillard Portyr .

City Officers

The Council of Four were served by five deputies, city officials that oversaw their subordinate bureaucrats and maintained the daily needs of Baldur's Gate. Their titles and responsibilities were as follows:
Harbormaster: Managed operations of the Gray Harbor, assigned tariffs and taxes on imported goods, and maintained the records of all goods shipped in or out of the city High Constable and Master of Walls: Castellan of the Watch Citadel Master of Drains and Underways: Maintained operations of the city's drains, sewers, waterways and aqueducts Master of Cobbles: Oversaw construction and maintenance of all city roads, bridges and non-water-related, stone infrastructure Purse Master: Collected taxes, invested city funds, directed payment to city officials, and oversaw the Bailiff of the Wide

Taxes

Historically, the Baldurian people had a complicated relationship with taxation at the hands of city officials. Excessive gate tolls incited a transformative revolution in the city in its formative years, leading to the formation of its preeminent form of governance. Ironically, that same governing body enacted nearly identical taxers that remained for hundreds of years. By the 15th century, city officials collected tolls from passersby at nearly every cite gate, through a vast, far-reaching bureaucracy that was constantly under threat of corruption.

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 were 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 disturbing the peace or public lasciviousness led to public shaming by a night in the stocks.

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.

Type

Large city