The Southern Trade Way: Baldur's Gate, Elturgard, and the Green Fields

[Gregorotto]

Music

"I 'member, mind ya, a time 'fore the zealots out in Elturel got 'hold o' all those smaller towns. 'fore the Dukes in Baldur's Gate lost their marbles and elected that damned Bhaalspawn their Duke; always knew something was wrong with'em, that blood-stained dirk! Mind your evenfeast, lads and lasses, I knew 'fore it all went to the Nine Hells how things were gettin' dicey, and that's 'fore the Blue Flames consumed the continent! Sure, the Gate overtook Waterdeep for a time as the biggest and brightest tradin' city, but it grew darker, more dangerous! Candlekeep's done got itself blow'd up and now they're rebuildin', probably sittin' on a dragon's hoard to afford that: but you mark my words, a holy city and a hive of schemers and scriveners is in for darker days ahead! You ain't seen the worst of it, mark my words red and black!"
-Brisban Dalgrynal, Half-Elf Brewer of Beregost, 1488 DR

Locations of Note

• Baldur's Gate-One of the Sword Coast's largest trade hubs, Baldur's Gate is the famed gate to the Sword Coast, and the last major town between Waterdeep and and Calimport to the south. Despite its fame, in recent years Baldur's Gate has become known as a hotbed of crime and political unrest since the Bhaalspawn Crisis of 1369 DR. The mercenary group the Flaming Fist backs the newly elected Grand Duke: Ulder Ravengard, one of their own.
• Berdusk-Called the Jewel of the Vale, this trading hub lies on the tail end of the Sword Coast's famed Trade Way. Berdusk sits just outside of Elturgard's realm of control, celebrating its relative autonomy and the fiercely independent people who live there. It is the largest settlement just north of the Green Field, and the largest between Baldur's Gate and Nashkel.
• Candlekeep-Nestled atop the cliffs that run the Sword Coast is Candlekeep, the single greatest repository of knowledge anywhere on Toril. The libraries here have everything imaginable, and plenty that is not. The monks, called the Avowed, are fiercely protective of their collection. While anyone may enter, they must first present a gift of note: a tome that is not already in the massive collection that spans a thousand years. Recently damaged in a sudden upheaval, the Libraries of Candlekeep are quickly rebuilding, in no small part from private patrons.
• Elturel-Capital of the theocratic confederacy of Elturgard, this holy city is the bastion of many a religious zealot and moralist farmer. Once a mere center for priests and paladins with any a goodly creed, in 1444 the city fended off an undead invasion and was gifted the Companion, a holy second sun that glows above the city. Since then, the High Observer Thavius Kreeg has expanded the borders of this fledging theocracy, much to the chagrin of nearby Baldur's Gate.
• Greenest-A small village on the way between Berdusk and Nashkel, this Green Field town is notable for its large Keep, and for the hospitality of its people.

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

Music

Greenest

Demographics: 447Human (varied): 80%
Dwarf: 7%
Halfling: 4%
Gnome: 3%
Other: 6%
Political Structure: Governorship, under the protectorate of Baldur's Gate
Gods of Note: Chauntea

The town of Greenest was founded by the halfling Dharva Scatterheart, a rogue who fancied herself the queen of the Green Fields. Scatterheart passed away without ever achieving that level of eminence, but her town grew into a thriving community. Its success isn’t surprising, since Greenest is the only town of any size astride the Uldoon Trail, the most direct road between the eastern cities of the Dragon Coast, Cormyr, and Sembia with the Coast Way running south to the great cities of Amn, Tethyr, and far Calimshan. The trade caravans that pass through Greenest bring gold to the town’s merchants and craftsfolk, and Governor Nighthill runs the town at the behest of the inhabitants.

On 4 Kythorn, 1489 DR, Greenest was attacked by a blue dragon and host of bandits, all fighting under the banner of a dragon's face and three claw marks. They raided until the wee hours and then disappeared into the night, partially repelled by mysterious heroes from a recently arrived caravan.

Greenest Map Key

A.) Greenest Keep-The centerpiece of Greenest's horizon, this Keep stands as the lone fortification in Greenest and is run by its master and Greenest Castellan, Escobert the Red, called such for his beard and his cheeks upon heavy drinking. Responsible and jovial, he is as well-liked as the Governor of the town, Tarbaw Nighthill.
B.) The Old Tunnel-A secret escape tunnel meant to allow the Keep water in times of siege, it has never been used for such a purpose, and thus, by many of Greenest's inhabitants, has been forgotten. Now, only the leadership of Greenest recalls its existence. Even worse, many of its fortifications and wooden bridges have fallen into deep decay, making it somewhat more treacherous than it need be.
C.) Temple of Chauntea-The second largest structure in town, this stone-wood cathedral stands tall on the southeastern corner of the town, its steeple bell ringing out twice a day at dawn and dusk, and more on holidays. Run by Eadyan Falconmoon, a Half-Elf non-native who runs an interfaith denomination focusing on the harvest and life itself. It is noted for its prized stained glass, bought from Baldur's Gate and placed here during the lifetime of the town's founder. The temple was burned down by the bandits symbolically after being evacuated by the mysterious heroes from the roads.
D.) Greenest Mill-This mill is the lifeblood of Greenest, its primary industry and its most valuable building beyond the Keep itself. All grain harvested in Greenest finds its way here, before it is shipped off to Nashkel or Beregost or beyond. Owned by no one but instead belonging to the whole of the township, everyone shares in its profits and tumbles in its failures. Fortunately, the mill was saved by Escobert and a contingent of citizen-guards.
E.) Linan's Home-Linan is a simple housewife, at first glance, and raises her family and works in the fields seasonally. On occasion, if a local shows talent in magic that is not of divine origin, they find their way to Linan, who knows a cantrip or two from her hedge witch of a mother. Her husband is an unambitious but kind man, and her two daughters take after her in ferocity and talent, while taking their father's kindness to heart.
F.) Town Square-At the end of every tenday, a gathering takes place in this town center, where people from the rural outskirts and beyond come to market. Somewhere between a Neverwinter marketplace and a Calimshan bazaar, you can find almost anything you need, for a price. While not as large as Beregost's marketplace, it is notably busier than Nashkel and anything north of Amn. It was here that the bandits gathered their loot and then left with it.
G.) Memorial Cemetery-Created by Sower Falconmoon and his flock, this memorial contains the dead killed by the raiders who attacked Greenest, with plans for a statue both here and in the Town Square to commemorate the dead and those who keep their memories.

Characters of Note

Governor Tarbaw Nighthill (Male Human Noble)-Middle-aged and unmarried, Nighthill is very much married to his position as the Governor of Greenest, a bachelor-merchant prince of the Green Fields who manages his city deftly and is very loyal to their businesses and success. Managing his own caravans and acting as a liaison for merchants as far away as Neverwinter to Calimport and the Moonshaes to Cormyr, he manages a massive network, though always for others. During the raid on Greenest, he was injured early on and did his best to manage the situation even within this, and was quite pleased with the saviors of the town. He has asked them to do several favors since then, and is a steadfast ally.

Escobert the Red (Male Shield Dwarf Champion)-Escobert is the Castellan of Greenest's massive keep, making sure it is running, functioning, and works well. This includes making sure that its meeting rooms are perpetually clean, that its defenses are always prepared, and that the stores are always stocked. Escobert, a native of Mithral Hall and a brewer as well as a warrior by trade, came south in search of how to hybridize Dwarven brewing methods with wine, to make something both hardy and soothing. Working as Castellan gave him the means to continue this pursuit, and while an excellent beer and mead brewer, Escobert is still learning the ropes as far as wine goes. But a more ardent and powerful defender Greenest does not have, and they are proud to have him.

Eadyan Falconmoon (Male Half-Moon Elf Priest of Chauntea)-Like Escobert, Eadyan Falconmoon is an immigrant to Greenest, though perhaps closer altogether. A believer in the Earth Mother Chauntea, Eadyan was born of a farmer and a priestess in Elturgard, neither of which ranked highly in their respective communities but whose love was abound. Eadyan himself was a faithful fellow from birth, but into the more esoteric aspects of the Earth Mother: her relationship with other deities, her application to the actual ground of farming, and the druidic arts. He joined the clergy at a young age and soon was called to serve as a missionary to the Green Fields, a job he accepted enthusiastically, though perhaps for ulterior motives: he fell for a handsome farmer and knew he was from the Green Fields, but not where. Hoping to meet him again, he has served as the lone priest of Greenest for five years now, and is still proud to do so. He was saved by the saviors of Greenest, who also rescued the villagers Sower Falconmoon was harboring away from the Cult of the Dragon.

Linan Swift (Female Human Commoner)-Wife of Cuth Swift and sister of Sal Fielder, Linan and her family have lived in Greenest as long as there has been a Greenest to live in, and before that, were farmers going back centuries. Linan wanted nothing more than the simple life, and she kept to that promise, marrying her husband and having two children. It was in the raid on Greenest that they met her, a fiercely determined mother defending her children. The saviors of Greenest helped rescue her from Kobolds, then led her to the Keep, where she found protection along with her injured husband. She will forever be thankful to them, and her children particularly fond of the half-drow Rahnur.

Visitors of Greenest

Bardryn Fireforge (Female Mountain Dwarf Guard)-A cousin of Escobert the Red by marriage, Bardryn has set herself up as a rising merchant-queen of the Trade Way. With routes running from Daggerford Nashkel, she trades in a variety of goods and runs shipments for other merchants, where she finds herself at an advantage over others in her trade given her central location and knowledge of the road, to say nothing of her way with coin. Yet she is a humanist first and foremost, and puts people before profit. She proved this as her caravan approached Greenest, and instantly sat her mind to helping defend it and her caravan rather than to defending the goods therein. Now she is staying in Greenest a little longer, to help get it back on its feet.

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

Music

Raiders' Camp

Demographics: Abandoned, previous est. 250Human (varied): 71%
Kobold: 9%
Half-elf: 7%
Half-orc: 7%
Halfling: 3%
Other: 3%
Political Structure: Military dictatorship, led by the Cult of the Dragon
Gods of Note: Tiamat, the Dead Three

 

Nestled in a canyon around a raised plateau in the western reaches of the Greenfields is this Raiders' Camp, a military outpost led by the Cult of the Dragon and the mercenaries hired by them. Divided into various layers, each section was filled with different roles: the lowest, filled with mercenaries and kobolds, acted as a front guard and processing center for loot taken from raids, while the next layer acted as the storage area for the raiders, the prisoner pin, and the tents for leadership, as well as watchtowers. A third layer acted as the top of the plateau. In the back was a mysterious cave, called colloquially the "Dragon Hatchery."

On 6 Kythorn, 1489 DR, heroes from Greenest infiltrated the camp and saved the surviving prisoners, escaping in the onslaught of a storm. When the heroes returned to investigate the Hatchery two days later, they found the camp empty... at least at first glance.

Camp Map Key

1.) Prisoner Pins-The place where prisoners, or the bodies of dead prisoners, were kept.
2.) Cyanwrath's Tent-The largest of the tents, this one belonged to Cyanwrath, the half-dragon who helped lead the raid on Greenest and injured Aurix in single combat. It was shared by the other two leaders of the Cult.
3.) Stockades and Prizes-Stockades for torture were kept beside where the spoils of war, once organized into crates, were placed.
4.) Dragon Hatchery-Well-guarded, this cave entrance led somewhere, and is the object of interest for Leosin Erlanthar.

Dragon Hatchery

At the back of the Raiders' Camp is a mysterious cave, a downward-sloping cave that no one knew the contents of, but which Leosin had to know. As such, on 8 Kythorn, the Heroes of Greenest elected to descend into the so-called Dragon Hatchery to discover its contents. Finding a series of worked chambers stretching deep into the mesa rising above the Greenfields, they found dangers both natural and hostile waiting for them: for the camp may have been abandoned, but the Dragon Hatchery was anything but.

Hatchery Map Key

1.) Cave Entrance-A sloping downward path from the Raiders' Camp, with two massive stalagmites and a sheer drop-off leading down into the Fungus Garden.

2.) Concealed Passage-An optical illusion creates the idea of a solid wall, when in reality this is a hidden tunnel going upward to hidden chambers.

3.) Fungus Garden-A massive garden of fungi, some illuminated purple, with a clear path maintained on the far upper reaches. Hidden in the harmless fungi are dangerous violet fungi.

4.) Stirge Lair-A hollowed chamber full of bats, and for the unsuspecting, formerly a series of stirges, now dead.

5.) Refuse Pit-A massive stinking pit of refuse, holding what the Cult held to be garbage; some rare finds were found here, but more to the point, a pack of troglodytes hungry for a meal.

6.) Meat Locker-Hanging from the ceiling of this lowest cavern are hooks with rotten meat on them, preserved for some purpose. a poisoned leather flap protects the chamber from incursion.

7.) Drake Nursery-A nursery holding a number of adolescent ambush drakes, maintained by a pair of kobolds.

8.) Kobold Barracks-Up a flight of stairs is a massive rectangular room after a small landing, where kobolds have set up camp and are using this as their barracks. Stairs lead upwards.

9.) Dragon Shrine-The upstairs stairs lead back down, into a massive open chamber meant for worship: at its front is a massive statue of Tiamat and portraits of dragons terrorizing the world, giving favor to black dragons in particular. This is a shrine to Tiamat, the statue made by Rahnur's father, but to what end?

10.) Dragon Hatchery-A ledge protects from a lower level where guard drakes protect three dragon eggs. Above, a roper with the ability to speak, who eats the leftover meat and interlopers for the Cult.

11.) Frulam Mondath's Chamber-At the top of the hidden passage is a room with all the furnishings of an inn, better than any chamber in the Hatchery. These include maps, plans for battle, religious texts to Tiamat, and a diary full of gods-awful poetry about dragons.

12.) Guard Barracks-Before Mondath's chamber is a group of hide sleeping areas and the things belonging to these gaurds.

13.) Treasure Storage-Formerly a chamber for holding goods and treasures, this has been converted into a makeshift cell, which held Valerian and Vaxion; now it holds the survivors of the Heroes' assault.

Edited August 23, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

Music

Catterholm

Catterholm has stood for a generation in the marsh outside of Mornmaw, a resplendent sailing vessel somehow beached in a swamp far from sea. When folk speak of Catterholm, it is in hushed tones, for two reasons: one, because the wonders are hard to believe, and two, because of the great fortunes that have been lost there, for Catterholm is a gambling hall, a tavern, and an inn. Infused with magic through and through, it is run by Erkanbrokk Shiversilver, on the behest of a benefactor he scarcely knows and who communicates through magic. There are rules to follow, there is behavior to observe, and there is money to be made. Fortune favors the bold, as Tymora's faithful say.

On 5 Kythorn, 1489 DR, the Chosen of Nymmurh came to Catterholm from Open Hand, directed to find Mirywether Featherwisp, who Makar and Gundreda said was their former adventuring companion and who had the Green Orb of Dragonkind. Instead, they found the Zhentarim waiting for them, and worse yet, a traitor in their midst.

Catterholm Map Key

1.) Main Deck-The main deck of Catterholm, where the majority of tables and dealers are; the mast has been made into a central refreshment area, along with barrels aplenty containing goods guests might need.

2.) Servants' Quarters-A place where food is made, clothes are mended, and servants who are hired on can stay, if they so wish; often kept closed until food is being brought out or there's mobile entertainment.

3.) Gallery of Rooms-Each room has its own unique key: until the key is placed in the door's handle, the rooms are inaccessible. Each room is furnished depending on price and preference, but none can be called anything less than top quality.

4.) High Rollers Tables-Tables that are invite only, a place at which is earned by reputation and good dealings.

5.) Offices-Like the Gallery of Rooms, this door takes multiple keys, each one to a different office, the primary of which is Erkanbrokk's office.

6.) Bar-The main bar, having drinks from as far as Shou Lung available, as well as private tables for eating and discussions.

Characters of Note

Erkanbrokk Shiversilver (Shield Dwarf Noble)-Never a more congenial master of ceremonies has there been at Catterholm than Erkanbrokk Shiversilver, who has ruled the feasting halls and gambling tables of the casino for the last 25 years. A native of Mithral Hall, Erkanbrokk moved in his youth to first Luskan to act as a merchant liaison for his clan, then to Waterdeep, helping ferry refugees of Neverwinter's destruction. Since then he has wandered the Sword Coast, until coming to Catterholm and being employed by its enigmatic proprietor. Gregarious and evenhanded, Erkanbrokk has an eye for good eggs and knows how to safely fleece those who deserve it, and is unforgiving to those who disturb his halls.

Erkanbrokk might have proved an able ally, if he had any idea what Theodoric and company were asking of him. Unfortunately, he fell a victim to the Zhentarim as well, but survived his encounter with his life.

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

Music

Elturel

Demographics: 17,44057% Humans: 9,940
22% Half-Elves: 3,837
15% Halflings: 2,616
4% Gnomes: 698
2% Others: 349, with seasonal flow and ebb
Political Structure: Theocratic Seat of Elturgard, ruled by High Observer Thavius Kreeg
Gods of Note: Torm, Tyr, Ilmater, Chauntea, Amauntor, Lathander, Helm, Tymora, Waukeen

Elturel's history is a long and proud one, going back to the nobility of rustic life and common good. The gods have long been a part of Elturel's culture, and central to it is its history as an agricultural haven: this often leads other members of the Lords' Alliance to mock and deride Elturel, but Elturel has prospered where others have failed. During the 12th century DR, a group of knights called the Hellriders, known for their choice to ride against the forces of the Nine Hells itself and push back the dragon Tiamat and archfiend Bel, came to prominence in Elturel as their guardians. Soon, the High Riders of Elturel ruled as Elutrel became a prosperous, if minor, theocracy, dedicated to the goods of law, order, and goodness. As the Spellplague ripped Faerûn apart, simple Elturel suddenly had the resources to expand and become the kingdom of Elturgard, annexing much of the surrounding territory to the north, south, and east, but not east: to this day the emnity between Elturel and Baldur's Gate to the west is well-known.

Yet not all was as it seemed.

In 1444 DR, the Year of the Seductive Cambion, the High Rider was revealed to be a vampire, somehow masking his undead nature as his army of undead came down upon Elturel and threatened to rip it apart from the inside. Only with the divine intervention of a gift from the gods, brought by the faith of paladin of Torm Thavius Kreeg, was the day saved: Kreeg summoned the Companion, an orb of immense radiant energy, turning the undead to dust. To this day, shining Elturel is noted for the Companion which stands over High Observer's Hall, where Thavius Kreeg, the High Observer, rules to this day. Elturel is a bastion of hope in a world that seems increasingly at odds with itself, and it will always be that way.

Elturel Map Key

1.) A Pair of Black Antlers-Perhaps the most raucous of Elturel's taverns and inns, A Pair of Black Antlers is served by three gnomish brothers as bartenders and counts the religious as its patrons, as well as day laborers who meet in hearty regard. It is here that Leosin, and Trini, brought both the Heroes of Greenest and Chosen of Nymmurh.

2.) Bazaar-While not as large as some cities' bazaars, this open square often swells at festivals, where merchants and peddlers come to sell their wares, contests are held, and announcements and proclamations are made by the Hellriders.

3.) Grand Cemetery-The Grand Cemetery is the greatest collection of religious markers south of Waterdeep, or so the denizens of Elturel believe. Regularly the living come to pay homage to the dead, and include the dead in their festivals.

4.) High Hall-The seat of the High Observer since the fall of the High Rider in 1444, Thavius Kreeg has ruled from this immaculate temple of Torm and good gods, with the Companion glowing above.

5.) Docks-The docks have multiple sections, but the walled portion belongs to the Dockyard Guild, and is where most business in and out of Elturel is conducted along the River Chionthar.

6.) Maiden's Bridge-The most commonly-used entrance to Elturel, the Maiden's Bridge is a fairly new structure, tall enough for river barges and stretching to Elturel with a wonderful view of the High Hall and Companion.

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)

[Gregorotto]

Music

Baldur's Gate at a Glance

Demographics: 125,00062% Human
19% Half-Elf
8% Halfling
5% Half-Orc
6% Other (approx.)
Political Structure: Officially, aristocratic council of 4 Grand Dukes; unofficially, plutocratic rule under the Flaming Fist
Gods of Note: Legally, any god can be found in the Gate, regardless of their proclivity to cause harm; most common deities are GondGod of craft and invention, TymoraGoddess of luck and fortune, UmberleeGoddess of the sea and storms, HelmGod of protection and vigilance, LathanderGod of the dawn and sun, WaukeenGoddess of commerce and trade, and the Cults of the Dead ThreeCults dedicated to Bane (Lord of Tyranny), Bhaal (Lord of Murder), and Myrkul (Lord of Death), called this because the three gods were killed during the Time of Troubles but invariably came back to life somehow

"Oh sing a song of Balduran,
Who founded Baldur's Gate...."
-The start of several ballads set in Baldur's Gate

The history of Baldur's Gate is long, complex, and meandering in the best storyteller's mouth. Once a hill giant named Lok's home, the village of Loklee joined with the haven called Gray's Harbor to become one of the most well-regarded ports of call on the Sword Coast. It was from here that the great explorer Balduran hailed, returning home a rich hero who had discovered the continent of Anchorome, and with this wealth he built the walls of what would come to bear his name: Baldur's Gate. Soon it devoured the surrounding hamlets and villagers, and after a tax revolt by pirates and smugglers, the city was renamed in honor of the disappeared Balduran. It was this same tax revolt that settled the system of dukes that rule to this day, and solidified the power of traders, both legitimate and illegal, as the power behind the Gate.

Legend says something else happened, long before any of this: that it was the site of what would become Baldur's Gate that Bhaal, Lord of Murder, committed his first murder as a mortal, thus setting a curse as deep as the Gray Harbor itself into the land. Forever would Baldur's Gate be cursed.

Baldur's Gate has long been one of the foremost ports of trade along the Sword Coast, its history trackable across two thousand years. Its rivalry with Amn and to a lesser extent Waterdeep (a much more amiable relationship) is legendary, and of late its rivalry with nearby theocracy Elturgard has become somewhat bitter. In the 14th century, the mercenary company known as the Flaming Fist became the foremost adventuring and later law-enforcement companies in the Gate, which was just as well: in the mid-14th century, an iron crisis on the border between Baldur's Gate's hinterlands and Amn to the south brought the two nearly to the doors of war, but a group of adventurers led by Adrien Abdel discovered the Iron Throne, a trading company in the Gate, was behind the iron crisis and part of a larger plot to revive the then-dead god Bhaal. Having stopped this plot, Abdel returned some years later as Balduran did to become a duke and later Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate, leading the city into a new era of prosperity, but also of darkness.

In the wake of the Spellplague, Baldur's Gate became a rougher, grittier city, one where murder ran wild in the streets and the criminal element became rampant. Few could say what it was, but during this time, traders became more prosperous and the gap between haves and have nots grew wider. As cities like Neverwinter, Waterdeep, and Calimport suffered, Baldur's Gate swelled with refugees as a stable haven in a sea of storms. The criminal element grew, until in the mid-1480s, when it was discovered that Adrien Abdel, the somehow still alive Grand Duke, was a son of Bhaal, and so was one of his fellow Grand Dukes. The two, the last remaining "Bhaalspawn," fought to the death in the sewers beneath Baldur's Gate, and whoever the victor was, they became the beacon which allowed Bhaal to return to life: the Lord of Murder returned in Baldur's Gate.

Since then, the Flaming Fist has become the de facto power in Baldur's Gate, with its leader, Ulder Ravengard, becoming the Grand Duke. Putting down revolts, coups, and worse in the decade since Abdel's disappearance, Baldur's Gate is a city on the edge. Will it tip into the Abyss, or can it stand?

Baldur's Gate Map Key

Baldur's Gate is divided into three principle parts: The Outer City, the Lower City, and the Upper City. In essence, the division is simple to understand: the Outer City is the city beyond the grand walls, including both the eastern side of the city and the north section called Blackgate; the Lower City is the interior of the city that wraps around the Gray Harbor; and the Upper City is the walled city within the walls on the northern side of the interior city.

Outer City
The Outer City includes those regions not within the walls of Baldur's Gate, and includes a number of neighborhoods; on the North is solely Blackgate, while on the East are two sections. The southern-most and standalone is south of Dusthawk Hill, a mountain by proxy, while the rest are a series of small almost stand-alone towns from Rivington and Wyrm's Crossing to Stonyeyes and the Basilisk Gate. The Flaming Fist has little to no power here, leaving locals to create their own police forces and create their own laws, be they the walled community of Little Calimshan or the relatively lawless and gritty Blackgate. The Outer City is where the poorest languish, and the criminals are the most desperate: but disparate refugees and others take care of their own in the only ways they can.

• O1.) Selebon's Mercantile-Owned by Ackyn Selebon, this mercantile sells everything a caravan could hope to want, making Selebon a wealthy man; yet despite this, the "former" Harper is more than his fair share of bitter, though about what is anyone's guess.

Lower City
Surrounding Gray Harbor is the Lower City, the steep-set part of the city where all water runs off and then into the Sword Coast. The Lower City is the middle ground between the Outer City's lawless ruggedness, and the Upper City's opulence and lawful neglect of everything else. The middle class here thrives, and the wealthiest of the poor do their best to hold on to what little they have. Fortunes are made and lost in the Lower City, and life and death are just another commodity for sale: despite the presence of the Flaming Fist, the Guild and worse is rampant in the Lower City.

• L1.) Rhahlem's Woodwork-A ship in two stories, this is the childhood home of one Rahnur Rhahlem, Hero of Greenest. Owned originally by his parents Jemum and Osnoh Rhahlem, the top deck functions as a woodwork, selling specialty statues to clients from both Upper and Lower cities as well as clients outside of the Gate. The lower deck is the Rhahlem family home, recently expanded to make room for Rahnur's wife Loren. Even if people are not buying statues, the shop is constantly filled with people admiring the woodworking and buying smaller objects like toys and figurines.
• L2.) The Blushing Mermaid-The Sword Coast's most infamous tavern is famous for its ruthless ability to get people to pay their tabs, the fights that break lives from Luskan to Port Nyanzaru, and how much business is conducted there.

Upper City
Within the walls of the Gate is another city, having its own walls and sitting at the top of the hill Baldur's Gate sits upon; when it rains, the garbage of the Upper City rains down on the Lower and Outer cities. Baldur's Gate's nobles, called patriars, populate this section, as do its well-to-do shops and temples and the city's government. Protected by the Flaming Fist fiercely, patriars are the only citizens who wander without fear of a knife in their back every day, or so it seems: the intrigue in the Upper City reshapes the Gate every day.

Characters of Note

The Flaming Fist

Maleek al-Shuzari (Fire Genasi veteran)-A childhood friend of Rahnur from Little Calimsham, Maleek has always been markedly different, which gave Rahnur something to bond with him over. Called Gorgeborn by most, due to his drunken father claiming he was born when he attempted to seduce a whole gorge (a tale his wife hates to this day), Maleek had aspirations and over time followed them, leaving the insular Little Calimshan and the small network of friends he had to join the ranks of the Flaming Fist, a proud recruitment which afforded him the ability to join Rahnur in the Lower City, though he rarely ever sought out his old friend and truthfully the two had grown apart long ago. Massive, muscular, and intimidating, Maleek is a man of few words but a strong arm, and if Rahnur had to guess, a strong sense of justice even to this day.

The Guild

Regisal Harlboyd (Human (Chondathan) master thief)-There are few members of the Guild as powerful yet as awkward as Regisal Harlboyd. Prone to bursts of "WAH" and with movement more like a puppet than a person, Regisal is none the less an effect enforcer and master thief that tales are told of in dark places, involving blood, intrigue, and heists that kings would weep over, if they were even aware they had happened. In truth, Regisal is an old acquaintance of Jemum Rhahlem, though what their exact relationship is remains unknown: but he is also the boss who oversees Audrey Southaven, which gives Rahnur reason to know who he is and to have nothing but disdain for. Despite this, it is perhaps Regisal's relationship with Jemum that the Guild has not pushed harder on Rahnur's reluctance to pay for the Guild's protection. Whatever the case, Rahnur has not had the pleasure: but no doubt, it would be less than a pleasure for them to meet.

Audrey Southaven (Human (Illuskan) spy)-The exact reason Audrey Southaven came to Rhahlem's Woodworks remains a point of debate among the four members of that family, and does not have a conclusion as of yet. Audrey started coming into the shop shortly after Rahnur became the chief proprietor of the shop, and while she never bought anything, she became very aware of everything in the shop, who bought it, where it went, and for much an item sold for. Rahnur's mother chocked it up to a crush, unrequited and futile given the marriage of Rahnur to Loren. Loren didn't disagree but she suspected something darker: and Jemum ultimately revealed his opinion that she was a thug for the Guild, come to try and intimidate Rahnur and spy for Regisal Harlboyd, who he was certain she answered to. Whatever the case, Rahnur never got a chance to decide for himself before he headed onward.

The Family Rhahlem

Jemum Rhahlem (Human (Calishite) Fighter/Rogue)-Jemum remembers what it was like, arriving at Baldur's Gate as part of the flotilla of ships that came seeking refuge from the wars of Calimshan. He remembers the archers' arrows, notched and aimed at him and the other children. He remembers the taxing and the booting, but he remembers community too: how his people built the walled neighborhood of Little Calimshan as a haven from the outside world. Jemum remembers in his youth the sword and the trouble he would get in, and he remembers falling in love and finding an honest trade: woodworking. When no child came, he and his beloved Osnoh adopted a child left in their care: that child was Rahnur, whom they loved as their own, but who their community rejected. For this reason, Jemum, with his thriving business as a woodworker, moved to the Lower City and set up shop at Rhahlem's Woodworks, using a ship as a mobile base in the harbor.

Jemum instilled in Rahnur many of his values: a love of simplicity and a humble attitude towards his excellent work; a resistance to bullies; a love of peace but a knowledge of war if necessary; and a strong sense of family. He taught Rahnur to be a better carver than he, a better businessman than he, and to love even when others show a cold shoulder. In 1488, he helped his son marry, only to have a sudden, severe stroke. Priestess of Waukeen nor Ilmater could make sense of it, and Jemum resigned himself to slow decline: in early 1498 DR, he revealed to his son that, in order to pay for Rahnur's wedding, he took on a job he slowly realized belonged to the Cult of the Dragon. He regretted it, but as an honorable man, he finished his job. Rahnur set forth to avenge this mistake, and now that he has, returns to Baldur's Gate.

Osnoh Rhahlem (Human (Calishite) commoner)-Where Jemum is calculating, practical, and business-savvy, Osnoh is warm, personable, and sassy. Born Osnoh Renalzi, it was her father who led the Calishites from war-torn Calimport and brought them to the harbor of the Gate, and it was her mother's iron will that led the community to circle around itself and erect the walls of Little Calimshan. Osnoh was a proud girl, who dreamed of adventure and of magic, but discovered she had no talent for it and no real faith to become a priestess beyond the small favors she felt she owed the gods. Yet she was strong-willed and determined, and it was this that drew the attention of the braggart swordsman pretending to be a guard named Jemum Rhahlem. Her father balked at first, but coming to know Jemum, begrudgingly allowed their marriage: and it was her decision to adopt the half-drow baby that drove her community to turn against her... at least at first.

Osnoh is the face of Rhahlem's Woodworks, the one who picked out the boat, sweet-talked the local officials and scheming patriars to give them the permit to operate on the sea, but unlike her husband she was more willing to pay the Guild because it was cheaper than the alternative: he stopped her. Osnoh made it her goal in life to shield Rahnur from as much pain and suffering as she could, and by and large, she succeeded. She acted as a second mother to Loren as the two children bonded and in her heart of hearts, hoped to call her daughter-in-law one day. Wishes come true, sometimes. A proud mother and defensive of her husband and his equally iron will, she begrudgingly allowed Rahnur to leave: with the promise that he'd get busy giving her grandchildren upon his return.

Loren Rhahlem (Human (Tethyran) commoner)-The only Rhahlem not considered an outsider, Loren's family has stood at the Gate since the time of Balduran himself. Merchants of the highest quality, they never broke the rank of patriar and have been for centuries among the most ambitious traders in the town, although not the most ambitious politically. Loren Marthandar was the eldest of four, her three brothers all taking after her father Jervis and becoming a merchant-mages while her mother, the daughter of a fallen patriar, was warm and bright. Lorenza died when Loren was young, killed in a failed extortion plot, leaving Loren with a hole in her life that she would soon find filled: her father commissioned a new nautical figurehead for his flagship in the visage of his late wife. It was there she met the strange half-drow boy, whom she asked why his skin had turned gray: was he ill? Her father scolded her, but the Rhahlem family was delighted the girl spoke to young Rahnur at all and soon the two were inseparable. The Marthandar and Rhahlem families became intermeshed in business and in personal lives, so in 1488 when Rahnur proposed, it surprised no one but was met with some resistance from her father, fearful he would not live up to his standards for his daughter. The marriage was small and happy, and Loren quite happy to help her husband when it came to taking over the business for the ill Jemum. Like Osnoh, Loren is the social, gregarious face of the business with the business acument to match.

When Rahnur revealed he had to leave to avenge his father's honor, Loren was complacent but not thrilled, wanting her husband back.

Little Calimshan

Akbar Renalzi (Human (Calishite) thug)-Rahnur has never met his uncle, but he has heard stories of him. The youngest of Osnoh's brothers, Akbar Renalzi thought himself a warrior of old, a swashbuckling hero of tales of djinni and princesses. He certainly acted the part, and made enemies among the Guild and the Flaming Fist alike with his antics. Like most of Little Calimshan, he thought Jemum beneath his sister at their marriage, a fact confirmed at the two's adoption of Rahnur, whom Akbar vocally called a half-breed runt who was better off left on the side of Dusthawk Hill. A few times Akbar has sent letters to his sister, offering her a place to come home if she would just leave her husband and that mutt of a child and come home: but Osnoh always laughed as she burned those letters.

Other Denizens

Jervis Marthandar (Human (Tethyran) illusionist)-A trader through and through, Jervis only ever wanted the best for his wife and then his four children, not least of which was the Tethyrian rose of his life, little Loren Marthandar. Jervis is cordial, polite, and honorable, and those traits are what led him to begrudgingly let Rahnur ask for her hand in marriage. For his part, Jervis has never been prejudiced: in fact he got onto Loren for doing just that, but he is terrified that Rahnur, facing the prejudice that he faces, will not be enough for his daughter and expects their relationship to crash and burn. And while it might, the merchant prince of Eastway isn't going to get in his stouthearted daughter's way... not yet, anyway.

Remerth Everandi (Human (Illuskan) thug)-Older than he looks but younger than he acts, Remerth Everandi has long been a friend to the Rhahlem family, having helped Jemum and Osnoh get the permits they needed to get on the docks and helping them to avoid overt action by the Guild against them. Remerth is a woodcarver, primarily working in construction and architecture where Jemum and later Rahner focused more on statues and figurines. His friendliness with Jemum goes back to their youth, when the two would get up to some nonsense or another, and Remerth owing Jemum big for something that went down. Who or what, Rahnur was never told.

Stephan Anvilshoulder (Human (Chondathan) commoner)-No truer friend ever existed than Stephan Anvilshoulder, the closest Rahnur has to a brother. His family slain in a Guild operation gone wrong that cost him his eye, no one wanted to take in the poor one-eyed orphan except the temple of Moradin, and so Stephan became an Anvilshoulder, among the foremost dwarven carpenters in the Sword Coast, and that was how he and Rahnur met. The two, scions of one world raised in another, get each other in a way no one else can, and Stephan was one of the few people Rahnur told about where he was going and why he was doing it: and Stephan enthusiastically supported him, offering to help hold down the fort while Rahnur was gone.

Timber Brakesheaf (Lightfoot Halfling commoner)-Timber is a mercurial thing, a halfling, a baker, and an amateur thespian in the Lower City's Bloomridge District. They have been friends with Loren since well before Rahnur even knew she existed, and they have always been supportive of Loren in all of her endeavors: but whether they like Rahnur is another matter entirely. Timber has high standards for their friend, and Rahnur is unproven dough as far as they are concerned. Given time, he may rise, but he might also fail to rise, too: and that would prove a disastrous bake for what is otherwise one of the things Timber is most protective of.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Gregorotto (see edit history)