Descent into Avernus

160

The Upper City's political intrigues and the Outer

City's violence spills over into the Lower City, the city's

middle ground. Rampant crime, class grudges, foreign

threats, and economic pressures leave many Baldurians

feeling trapped within their own homes. Flaming Fist

patrols react to threats with indiscriminate violence,

doing little to make citizens feel safer. As a result, in re-

cent years many citizens have started banding together

in crews. These counter-gangs align along professional

or neighborhood affiliations, doing their best to protect

their territories. While this has given some of the city's

people a way of feeling more in control of their lives,

it's also increased the number of armed citizens on the

streets. Whether the Lower City is actually safer after

the formation of crews remains an open question.

In the Outer City, all the world washes against the

city's gates. Here crime and poverty are contrasted by

wonders from afar and the riches of cultures across

FaerOn. The mix of wanderers and refugees remains in

constant flux, with communities forming and disband-

ing on a monthly basis. None can possibly keep track of

all the foreign traditions or the dangerous- sometimes

outright evil-religious practices observed in the Outer

City. As a result, Baldur's Gate has widely adopted a

"do no harm" policy when it comes to faiths and orga-

nizations operating in the city. Any group is welcome to

operate openly so long as the city's important citizens

aren't harmed.

Beyond all its dangers, Baidu r's Gate is an adventur-

er's city, a place where a sword-for-hire can find a rich

BALOUR' S CATE GAZETIEER

patron, join a secret guild, stalk killers for a bounty,

or come to the aid of desperate citizens. Good-hearted

champions fight against corruption and bring murderers

to justice, while less moral mercenaries find a good

price for their services. The city offers opportunities

as well as the roost reliable and ruthless market on the

Sword Coast. Information, treasures, secrets, and souls

ca n be bought or sold for the right price.

As a great hero of Baldur's Gate once said, "Watch

your step in the shadows. Watch your back in the light.

Win a prize beyond your wildest dreams or disappear

into forgotten history. Every day your life is on the line.

Every day you could become a legend. Welcome to

Baldur's Gate."

NEIGHBO RS, RIVALS, AND ALLIES

Other cities and nations keep a watchful eye on Baldur's

Gate, which is growing in wealth, power, and influence.

Baldur's Gate trades with the coastal cities of Water-

deep and Neverwinter to the north while contending

with the aggressive mercantile nation of Arnn to the

south. Arnn seeks to dominate trade on the Sea of

Swords and views Baldur's Gate as a growing threat.

Baldur's Gate joined the Lords' Alliance, a coalition of

independent cities that includes Neverwinter and Wa-

terdeep, largely because of disputes with Arnn. Should

Amn decide to attack Baldur's Gate, the city can count

on the other members of the Lords' Alliance to come to

its defense. This arrangement infuriates Arnn, which is

not prepared to test the alliance's resolve.