Baldur's Gate
Baldur's Gate began as a harbor town where traders would meet with "ghost lighters" - folk along the Sword Coast who used lights to lure fogbound ships to shore. When those ships ran aground, the ghost lighters would scavenge the wrecks and haul their plundered goods to Baldur's Gate, nestled on the north shore of a bend in the River Chionthar, and sell their booty. In the years since, Baidur's Gate has grown into a walled city. Today, its foggy streets run red with the blood of unfortunates who fall prey to evil opportunists, many of whom count themselves as nobles, traders, pirates, and assassins. An army of mercenary soldiers called the Flaming Fist keeps order in the city, and these soldiers answer to Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. The members of the Flaming Fist don't care about justice; they crave power and coin, nothing else. But despite the Fist's reputation for cruelty, the Grand Duke is widely regarded as an honorable and reasonable man.
Elturel
The city of Elturel, capital of Elturgard, is located much farther inland along the River Chionthar. Whereas Baldur's Gate has a well-earned reputation for being a nest of vipers, Elturel is seen as a beacon of faith, order, and high culture. The two cities have endured a long, bitter rivalry that originated when Baldur's Gate began stealing cargo and coin from ships heading to and from Elturel, stifling that city's sea trade. Though the conflicts between Baldur's Gate and Elturel have always fallen short of open warfare, relations between the cities have been tense for a long time- too long, some would say.
The Fall of Elturel
A tenday ago, Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard left Baldur's Gate with a company of Flaming Fist soldiers on a diplomatic mission to Elturel, accepting a formal invitation from Elturel's High Overseer, Thavius Kreeg. Ravengard did not go eagerly, however. It took months of persuasion by his fellow dukes-the other three members of Baidur's Gate's ruling Council of Four- to convince him to accept Elturel's invitation and leave the city in their capable hands. Duke Thalamra Vanthampur was especially convincing, having gathered petitions from the nobility as well as leaders of the common rabble.
Not long after Ravengard arrived in Elturel, the city was dragged down into the Nine Hells-wiped off the map. Given the distance between the two cities, it's no surprise that the residents of Baldur's Gate didn't bear of Elturel's fate until refugees from Elturgard starting arriving in droves. Rumors concerning Elturel's disappearance spread like wildfire, stoking fears that Baldur's Gate might be next. At the same time. panic swept through the ranks of the Flaming Fist, which suddenly found itself without a strong leader.
In the grand duke's absence, the government of Baldur's Gate continues to function under the three remaining dukes- Belynne Stelmane, Dillard Portyr, and Thalamra Vanthampur. Duke Portyr has gone so far as to recall his niece, Liara Portyr, from her post as commander of the Flaming Fist at Fort Beluarian in Chult, in the hopes that she can keep the Flaming Fist in check. However, it will take time for her ship to arrive. Meanwhile, refugees from Elturgard continue to arrive with dire claims that nothing remains of Elturel except a crater in the ground.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:35, Thu 07 Nov 2019.
