Rumors & Events of Baldur's Gate

In-Character News, Laws, Announcements, Rumors, and Stories Relating to the Sword Coast

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stevebarracuda
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Rumors & Events of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by stevebarracuda »

Rumors & Events of Baldur's Gate
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Local Lore [in 1368 DR...so work towards the future!]:

Like Waterdeep and far-off Suzail, the Gate is tolerant and quietly well-policed. As a result, it is one of the most popular ports-of-call in the seafaring Realms, and home to many eccentrics, adventurers, and freewheeling entrepreneurs. The city is named for the legendary seafaring explorer Balduran, who long ago sailed past Evermeet in search of the rich, fabled isles of Anchorome (pronounced "Ang-kor-OH-may"). Balduran returned with tales of strange, vast lands across the seas. He also brought back much wealth, and scattered it about his sparsely-settled home harbor, commanding that some of it be spent on a wall to protect the harbor from orc and barbarian raids (still an annual problem in the area, in those, long ago days). Then he set sail again for the wondrous lands he had found. Balduran never returned. Some say he sails still, finding new lands in the endless reaches of the far sea, or even that he sailed off the world and fares now among the stars! Others whisper that he met with misfortune and perished in the deeps, while still others believe he lived to a ripe old age in his new-found home. Whatever Balduran's true fate, his money was spent on a splendid city wall.

Within its protection, building went on at a great pace, soon growing out past the wall. The wall was built by several farmers, who put it around their own holdings, excluding the actual harbor from its protection. This allowed them to tax all carts coming up from the docks to the protection of the walled city. The colleagues of Balduran, sea-captains to whom the harbor was home (an ideal place for beaching and repairing ships, without local fees or crowding), angrily insisted that the gate by which southern trade and the harbor traffic entered the city was "Baldur's Gate," and refused to pay for entering by it.

The strife ended in the overthrow of the enriched farmers and the seizure of the city (which came to be called Baldur's Gate) by the sea-captains. The four oldest captains, their days at sea drawing to a close, turned over their ships to younger sailors, who in turn supported their installation as rulers of the fledgling city. The four called themselves Dukes as a joke, but the titles proved useful when dealing with other rulers, and were later glorified by the appellation "grand."

Retired grand dukes live in honor, supported by the city and welcome at all feasts and temple functions (unless dismissed in disgrace and banished).


Realmshelp Link to Baldur's Gate
Last edited by stevebarracuda on Thu Apr 27, 2017 6:01 pm, edited 6 times in total.
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by stevebarracuda »

It was a day like any other at the docks: fishmongers loaded their carts with fresh catch—not much, for the season had been unkind—but nonetheless, with whatever had been netted in the shallow sea; on piers, crates and barrels stood idly from the trade that seems to have stilled, much like the current non-prevailing winds that have kept so many drunken sailors on shore.

Without fanfare, a ferry arrives at port, touching heavily into the posts, creating a loud thud, followed by a creak of sea-worn wood, as the boat resists momentums force to send it smashing into the dock.

A ferry man puts a plank to the pier, and waves forward another man, stopping him just before he disembarks. "Aye, dat be fiddy coin fer yer sail, sir...uh, didn' catch ye name sir." The ferry man holds out an open hand, waiting to receive his payment.

The second man, not too tall, not too thin, dressed in worn leathers of a not-so-particularly-fashionable cut and color, eases himself nearer to the ferry man, then deposits a small pouch of coin into the ferryman's open hand.

In an easy voice, not to loud, nor soft, nor expressive in either one particular Coastal accent or another, the man replies: "I had yet to say, but since you asked ferryman, the name is Smythe."

Looking past the ferryman, he eyes a few Guardsmen patrolling the docks, and pulling back his rather simple cloak—obvious to those knowledgable of realms to be in a recently passé style of the Moonshae Isles—he thumbs a string around each of the hilts of both his large, sheathed knives, as is custom when entering proper civilization. He notices the ferryman eyeing the two weapons with some fascination.

"Indeed, if you mean to fight, 'tis best to have the finest you can manage." The man who calls himself Smythe, lightly smirks and looks the ferryman over one last time, as if studying the ferryman's face like one would read a freeboard for posts and bills—eyes darting left to right, then lower, then left to right. Satisfied in his study, he disembarks, putting two feet slowly but firmly on the dock.

The ferryman throws down next to Smythe two fairly unimpressive, and slightly worn, duffel bags. They clunk to the dock floor as if containing enough items to warrant a long stay. Smythe picks them up in his two free hands nimbly, and begins to walk purposely towards the center of the city....
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by VinnytheSquid »

VinnytheSquid wrote:Word spreads around the Gate that the Nashkel Trade Emporium and Sir Bartholomew Beoulve are seeking able bodied men interested in work for their new logging venture. Word is that they need at least 50 men. Any men interested in work should contact Delphinn Veil at the Merchants League.

It's also said that the Emporium is seeking guards for the venture. Interested parties should seek out Delphinn Veil at the Merchants League, but there are two strange requirements: 1) They must be willing to follow the orders of a orc; and 2) they must be acceptable to the Living Saint, Merielle Silene.

Finally, the Emporium seems to be ordering a large number of wagons, ropes, saws, axes, and other equipment from the Gate's local wagon wrights, rope makers, smiths, and other craftsman. Large requests ate also being made to the local horse breeders.
The wagon wrights, rope makers, smiths and other craftsmen, and horsebreeders all seem to be working furiously on the Nashkel Trade Emporium's requests. ((OOC: NPCs reaction is DM approved))

Delphinn Veil, Proprietor and Head Master of the Nashkel Trade Emporium, can be often seen in the Harbor District and the farmlands. Its common knowledge that Delphinn is looking to purchase a warehouse and potential stable locations.
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

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Twenty five days after the Whistling Wanderess left Baldur's Gate, two masts appeared on the horizon. As the ship approached its home city a light spell is cast on the star sapphire in the hands of the figurehead, making it scintillate.

Mealir Ostirel, capitain and owner of the ship, could be seen in several different places in the harbor's district, meeting with families and leaving them in mourning, apparently the travel wasn't done without casualties.

Later on he was seen heading to the Merchant's League.
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Valefort »

Late at night, sailors of the Whistling Wanderess can be seen in the taverns of Baldur's Gate, enjoying a pay coming in advance or just a boon they don't know. What they know is the Capitain Mealir Ostirel gave them a night and a day to celebrate a vengeance.

He told them that Vex the murderer paid for his deed. A duel on one beach south of Candlekeep, sword talking, rapier flashing and sand draining blood.

He came back with a trophy, the broken rapier of the murderer. After letting men see the fine piece of work that it was he sent it to Roaringshore, with order to give it to the first member of the Hellstorm they find. On behalf of Mealir Ostirel.

Words also spreads that the capitain is seeking information on the Moonshae islands, any man willing to meet him and able to give him some interesting insight will be rewarded. Tales of old, legends, stories and the whereabouts of pirates is what he's interested in.
Mealir Ostirel - Incorrigible swashbuckler
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by stevebarracuda »

Valefort wrote:Words also spreads that the capitain is seeking information on the Moonshae islands, any man willing to meet him and able to give him some interesting insight will be rewarded. Tales of old, legends, stories and the whereabouts of pirates is what he's interested in.
A man is sitting in the Blade & Stars, his tall black hat laid on the bench beside him. He is perusing a set of notes made on multiple sheets of parchment, when the loud, drunken voices from a ships crew reach him. His slightly-more-pointed-than-human ears twitch when it is overheard that their captain is seeking tales and lore of the Isles...

Keeping his eyes upon his parchments laid before him, the man not wearing the tall black hat pays close attention to the drunken rabble spewing from the sailors, until he finally hears the name of the ship said captain commands.

Soon, the sailors move on to the next viable spot...

Later, after scribbling down a few mores notes, the man stands, places his tall black hat upon his head, pays the barmaid his tab, and makes for the door, the street, and the direction of the wharf, where the Whistling Wanderess might be found.
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Nomster »

Thieves and beggars could be seen leaving the sewers of the Gate in great hurry during the night. Some time later, those still alert and awake, could spot two very large cats each with a big rat in its jaws leaving the sewers as well.
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Valefort »

After a long time it appears that the Whistling Wanderess is about to set sail again. The capitain Mealir Ostirel ordered the sailors to ready the ship for a trip. Food and water are bought and brought in the ship, at this rate it will soon be ready to set sail.

With the south under a partial embargo and certain dangers in the north their destination is simply to go west to the Moonshae islands. What for and where exactly ? The capitain didn't said but that's to be expected. Tales and sayings on the Moonshae are repeated in anticipation of this trip, back to the sea at last !
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by stevebarracuda »

Rumor has it that the Elfsong Tavern—once a hub for eager young adventures as they stepped foot upon the Sword Coast to seek fame and fortune—has turned seedier and darker, catering to greater numbers of pirates and outlaws each day...or at least those yet to have their heads adorn wanted posters of the Fist.

While the city watch turns a blind eye to the tavern unless rowdiness and violence erupts, the Elfsong Tavern now grows a reputation as a hub for fencing goods, unrespectable tasks...and for seeking out those that work around the established laws of Baldur's Gate, and the greater Sword Coast.


Image

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///these pics are from the pages of Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast, a Sword Coast of the future, as his guide was written c. 1356 DR.

With the Elfsong no longer a central spawn point, it now can morph into into it's rightful place in Forgotten Realms lore.

Therefore, the Elfsong Tavern is a place for seedier RP, and for those toons that would have RP reason to be there—which does not exclude toons of a goodly alignment—however, one should consider that overall, on this RP server. Three cheers to the new Elfsong!!!
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
Whisper
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Whisper »

Whisper wrote:Whispered rumors make their way through various seedy taverns and districts in Baldur's Gate that a certain Family of thieves and cutthroats are actively looking to employ talented individuals who are interested in networking with others sharing their particular skills including spies, assassins and other roguish types. Further inquiries as to how one might contact said individuals reveal that conspiciously asking a few of the various dockrats in the city's harbor about work in the area might allow the message to reach the proper individuals who may contact you if you are deemed acceptable.

((PM me ICly if you are interested in this type of work. Paladins and do-gooder spies need not apply cause snitches get more than stitches, they wind up sleeping with the fishes. :lol:
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Gottmoerder »

Posted on the bulletin board of Baldur's Gate is a note written in a small font:

Dear Deacon, I thank you for your excellent cheese and am happy to inform you I've found, not one, but two possible locations for you to rest in. While searching the eastern district of Baldur's Gate came upon a spot, just next to the path to the Palace District, containing two barrels of your size.

I reckon these will be suitable places for you to rest, the only problem you might encounter is loneliness, as the area is quite secluded. If you need company, leave me a note and I shall see what I can arrange. Thank you again for the cheese!

Regards,
Kepli Tosscobble
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Inomed
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Inomed »

A man clad in dark, finely crafted armor is a regular customer at the Elfsong Tavern.
He apparently visits the place to learn the latest rumors and now and then, ends up leaving the place with a job, which is discussed in a corner tables.
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And with strange aeons even death may die."


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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Valefort »

It appears that the Whistling Wanderess is about to set sail again. The capitain Mealir Ostirel ordered the sailors to ready the ship for a trip. They talked about going south-west, the destination is unknown though. Some people talk about a flute and a bard's tale, what else to expect from a bard capitain ?
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by stevebarracuda »

A strange rumor floats around the the commonfolk and merchants that are used to seeing a regular Mirari street performer in the East District of the Gate.

It seems the Flaming Fist has been inquiring about all tiefling planetouched recently active in the Gate—it seems the tiefling they're looking for, has gone missing.

And, by coincidence, the Mirari known as Aetius Cento—a teifling who neither flaunts nor hides his heritage—has also been strangely missing from performing at the open plaza.

The strangeness in the rumors are furthered by the fact that it seems the Mirari themselves are now looking for their compatriot, even employing others to their aid! Yes, the same Mirari who are known by many as "mystery hunters," have yet to locate their own...
As J.G. Ballard has said, "It's a mistake to hold back and refuse to accept one's own nature."
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Re: Rumors of Baldur's Gate

Unread post by Azmodeth »

*Azmodeth while runnign errands and some small jobs around the city, having heard the rumour while getting some sailors out of a bar and back to the docks for thier captain, starts keeping an eye and ear peeled for mor einformation, knowing full well the Mirari are well known for thier magic as well, this is interesting to her. Perhaps if she can help find the missing Teifling, she can get an invite to thier guild*
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http://www.bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=1 ... g&start=30
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