to be known as pa tria rs and grew wary of the influxof strange rs settling beyond their walls. The creation
of various additiona l ta xes on trade and travel led to
violence breaking out be tween the Uppe r City- behind
the original walls of Gray Harbor- and the Lower City,buiJt on the slopes leading down to the Chionthar River.
Patriar houses we re ra nsacked, family heirlooms we re
Jost forever, and heirs we re kidnapped, neve r to be seen
again. Gold flowed like blood as families and guilds
hired mercena ries to protect them. Only the election
of a new group of rulers- known as the dukes and, col-
lectively, as th e Council of Four- put the matter to rest.
These elected rule rs have been a part of the city's gover-
nance e ve r since.Anothe r pillar of orde r in Baldur's Gate formed whe n
the adventure r Eltan, a noted warrior raised in the area,
returned home from exploits abroad. Seeing the chaos
that had s plinte red his beloved city, Eltan united thecity's inde pe nde nt me rcenary companies under a single
banne r, that of the Fla ming Fist. Eltan used the mer-
cenaries to quash wha t pocke ts of dis orde r he found,
punis hing lawbreake rs for the ir cri mes. Though plenty
of theft , blackmail, a nd assassination continued behindclosed doors , the founding of the Flaming Fist marked a
new c hapte r in the city's s tory.BHAALSPAWN
Ove r the years, Baidu r's Gate has harbored countless
evil sche mes and cons piracies. Pe rhaps the most das-tardly, though, was that perpetra ted by Bhaal, g od of
murder. who foresaw his own death during the Time of
Troubles. While in mortal form, Bhaal conceived multi-
tudes of offs pring, plotting to have them resurrect him.
They actively hunted a nd s le w eac h othe r, with the survi·
vors collecting ever more of Bhaal's godly essence.
Sarevok, a Bhaals pawn and membe r of the Iron
Throne me rc ha nts' guild, sought to s park war with t he
nation of Arnn and become the new Lord of Murder.
Another Bhaals pawn, aided by powe rful allies , thwarted
Sarevok's plan a nd brought s tability, if not peace, to
Baldur's Gate once more. Yet, Bhaal and his faithful
have me naced the city eve r s ince.This chapte r describes the inde pendent city of Baldurs
Gate as things a re in 14 92 DR.
The original wall ringing the Uppe r City s till stands ,
and a second defens ive wall now rings th e Lowe r City.
The Oute r City. a collection of hastily made structures
and shantytowns, runs along the Rive r Chionthar.
While the Outer City might seem the most lawless,
eve ry dis trict of Ba ldur's Gate has its own threats. In t he
Uppe r City, pa t riar families a nd governme nt officials jos-
tle to secure their positions. Ma ny are not a bove using
private age nts to acquire blackmail ma te rial, sabotage
public appearances, or even fr a me innocents to secure
power. The victims of these plots, and officials who wa nt
a fair a nd honest legal system, mus t r esort to hiring
their own age nts to unearth conspiracies, break out
unfairly impris oned citize ns , and obtain evidence th e
Flaming Fis t cannot.
BALDUR'S GATE AND ITS COAT OF ARMS
Population: 125,000 (predominantly humans)
Government: Plutocracy, helmed by the Council of Four
and Parliament of Peers
Defense: Flaming Fist mercenaries, the Watch
Commerce: Dyes, ~sh, imports from Chult, mercenaries,
nautical supplies
Organizations: The Guild, neighborhood crews,
trade guilds
Religions: Gond, Tymora, Umberlee, any other law-abiding1.3: Dungeon of the Dead Three
The Baidu r's Gate coat of arms represents th e city's role as
a hub for river and ocean trade as well as nodding toward
its namesake, the explorer Balduran. The symbol origi·
nated as a pirate emblem, though, and its components
hold a double meaning today.
Originally, the alternating bands of water beneath the
ship indicated the turbulent dangers of the sea, but also
the rich rewards it can bring. The crimson flags of the ship
referenced the brutal life of a pirate, blood spilled on the
deck or in the water. The crisscrossing ropes and canted
sail symbolized the web of secrets and intrigue that mark a
pirate captain's life.
Today, some optimistic souls try to recast the seal,
claiming its calm waters represent the city's desire to
remain a peaceful power and the clear skies symbolize a
prosperous future. But those who know the city's history
see the cunning and violence underpinning the emblem.
For many, the contradictory interpretations make the city's
coat of arms all the more fitting.BALOUR'S GATE GAZETTEER
159