The Watch

Watch officers can spend their entire careers within the Upper City. Bankrolled by the patriars, the Watch has a reputation as glorified bodyguards for the city’s elite. Orderly and regimented, the Watch maintains precise, predictable patrols. At dusk, the Watch clears the Upper City of everyone but residents, their household staffs, and guests bearing written invitations. Many Watch officers, born and raised in the city, pride themselves on recognizing every Upper City resident on sight.
The Watch operates out of the Citadel, a massive keep built into the Upper City’s walls. In times of crisis, bells at the High Hall and the Citadel are rung simultaneously. If the pealing continues for more than a few minutes, every Watch member is required to rally at the Citadel or appointed guard posts. The function of the bells is common knowledge
Everyone in Baldur’s Gate is expected to hew to common law. Murder, theft, assault, blackmail, and fraud all carry severe penalties. Patriars, the wealthy, and the well-connected are given much more leniency than commoners. A noble heir who steals from a shop might get away with a fine paid by a parent, whereas a commoner committing the same crime may be jailed or publicly flogged. Both the Watch and the Flaming Fist have the right to dispense immediate justice, should they witness a crime in progress. In unclear situations, or when a person of influence is involved, the accused is jailed until a trial can be set. Patriars and other powerful individuals are usually placed under house arrest, except in dire circumstances. Commoners await their trial in jail. On occasion, a vigilante or hired mercenary will break an accused commoner out of prison in order to ensure the accused’s safety until the trial date.
Minor crimes, such as creating a public disturbance, petty theft, or vandalism carry commensurate punishments. Time in the stocks, public humiliation, or a fine are the usual judgments. Some patriar families consider petty crimes to be worse than major ones — they are a sign that one can’t manage one’s baser instincts. Patriars have been known to pay huge bribes or promise outsized favors to protect a rebellious heir from being charged with a minor crime.
Lawyers must belong to the Barrister’s Guild to practice, and the associated fees means they prefer to represent wealthy clients. Poorer citizens often must throw themselves on the mercy of the courts, or scrape together what coin they can to hire an adventurer or mercenary to find evidence to support their plea.

Activities

A typical shift for a member of the Watch was eight hours long. Duties included standing sentry upon the Upper City's walls, going on regular patrols, training within the Citadel or carrying out the daily duties required to maintain such a robust police force. They were known for enforcing the curfew that was maintained in the Upper City, clearing folks out of the streets and most notably, within the Wide at dusk. Watch members were easily recognizable among the passers-by of the Upper City and took pride in knowing the face of every resident within. They understood the behavior and mannerisms of the Baldurian patriar and were skilled at identifying those who did not belong. They issued stamped-and-numbered badges, made of wood or silver, to each person who was a guest of any Upper City resident and kept a close eye on their activities.
When the most dire emergencies arose, those that may have threatened the entirety of the Upper City, the bells of the Citadel and those in High Hall were rung simultaneously for a quarter-hour. In these rare instances, Watch members were expected to rally at the Citadel or stand guard atop the walls of the Upper City.

Location

Baldur's Gate