Rumors & Events of Baldur's Gate

[wangxiuming]

Now spending most of his time outside the city's walls - though not too far from them - Osric in recent days can be seen inspecting well-water and local crops for corruption and unnatural decay. He speaks to locals willing to speak to him, asking if they have noticed any signs of blight or infection upon the land or waters. Any information proffered would be noted in his journal, and then repaid with a modest sum of gold.

[izzul]

A young man has been visiting the local taverns. He has a unique deck of cards with him, which he calls an "Imp" deck. He tells a story about how he and two women called Amber challenged some planar 'Kings' to a game. That those magical cards were first found scattered in the upperdark. These are just copies of those magical cards, though to those who ask he shows his Imp card from that fabled set. He then takes time to teach others the game and buy drinks. After a few rounds he begins offering bets.

As the cards was laid on the ground for the imp to shuffle and play.

Heart(AmbeHeart Depp Woodgrow) is not as clever as Trisan, she still is learning how to play the "Imp Deck" cards but the encounter with the 'Imp of The Cards' really is intriguing. She had nice time travelling with Amber Absinthe and Trisan and the discussion leads to two Treasure maps. Perhaps when the time comes, she will meet her nice dear friends and seek the treasures together. She always prays to Silvanus in order for her to find the correct path with her friends

[Alurianna]

Several crewmembers of the Relentless Storm were seen arriving at the Fist Compound, leaving a short time after. Having provided jet-black teeth as proof, the crew were paid for what could be rumored as courage, insanity or just plain stupidity. Whatever the case, the bounty for The (flying?) Night Shark that had been terrorizing the coast was claimed.

[vindflickan]

A woman in green robes and a brown cloak, known to caravaneers and travelers as priestess of Eldath, came running up to the gates shouting that a woman had exploded a man trying to gather members of the Fist to imprison the woman. She gave a panicked and confused description of what had happened to the Fist sometimes shouting and attracting the attention of passersby.

The scene she described was of sitting in the camp and seeing a man, perhaps gray of skin, walking up only to explode a moment later in chunks of stone. A woman erupted from the remains in a burst of cold with gray-ish skin and curly hair wearing purple-ish robes and a teal cape. The priestess claims that the woman admitted the man she burst from was living in some manner before she exploded from him. She was unable to say if what the woman said was true or whether or not she had turned the man to stone from the inside out before exploding from him. The priestess, still panicked, thinks she heard the woman claim the man had been a prison of some sort.

[Calodan]

As he wanders down the alleys his mind thinks he would like to bring some much needed pleasure to the people of the area. He is looking for the local drug dealer. Asking any around for copious amounts of Agony and Baccaran. His raven colored hair is dancing about him as he speaks to any who can lead him to the right person....

[SoThereIWas]

A man by the name of Ardem Yay, a local farm hand for a Baulders Gate farmer, is rumored to be seeking out a druid that could potentially investigate the unnatural situation at hand in the area. Ardem does not have a lot of coin to spare if any at all, but is willing too work off any debt to the druid that takes up the offer...

[Tsidkenu]

After a month of silence, another tractate has begun its circulation of the city of Baldur's Gate. The ten-page booklet finds its way into discreet locations: back alleys in the docks, byways of the Palace district, in piles of washed clothes, snuck into cargo crates, under chairs and tables in taverns and alehouses.

This one, entirely anonymous in its authorship, takes direct aim at the Dukes and recent changes to Duchal law.

A Discourse on the Laws of Baldur's Gate

Hidden: show

Published 7th of Alturiak, Year of the Bow, 1354 DR.

Introduction

The 20th of Hammer in the Year of the Bow, 1354 DR, marked an important occasion on the Duchal calendar, for it was on that day that the Laws of Baldur's Gate received a significant revision in their tenure, strength and reach.

This tractate serves to explore the precise changes made to Baldurian Law in the recent Duchal Declaration, and the implications that they bring for the common citizenry of the fair city of Baldur's Gate.

First Change - Practice of The Dark Arts and Consorts Thereunto

As is fair and just for the city of Baldur's Gate and its environs, the Dukes of Baldur's Gate have reaffirmed their stance on the prohibition of those nefarious and dark practices that goodly folk would do well to remain in ignorance of: necromancy, eldritch, or pact, magic and blood magic are condemned practices within the city.

What was added was the prohibition of the trade of items or magic of such nature, as well as a new provision that consorts with those who practice such terrible deeds are likewise guilty of an offense meriting up to capital punishment.

Further clarification of this clause was then added, wherein Duchal sovereignty is given the right of discretion in judgement. The provision on consorting specifically states that "unless specifically sanctioned by the Dukes of Baldur's Gate," and "this law only applies to individual beings and not organisations or polities." Furthermore, "the consorting provision... is only for offenses that took place on or after 20th Hammer, 1354 DR," and that "the definition of consorting will be up to the discretion of Baldurian Magistrates of the law on a case by case basis."

Implications

While certainly a noble and just in its intentions, the changes to the Baldurian laws prohibiting the Dark Arts leave more questions than answers. It does not take more than a cursory examination of the changes to begin to ask some penetrating and poignant questions.

The provision of Sanction encapsulated in the law is the first glaring one of these and basically says that the Dukes may indeed permit the practice of the Dark Arts in this fair city if they so choose.

Now, while I do not honestly expect they have or will intend on doing so, it does, once again, open the issue of why the Dukes feel such a provision is necessary? Who could they possibly want practising the Dark Arts in their city? Or are they just trying to cover over the fact that Halbazzer Drin has been selling foul, despicable and abominable necromantic magic (specifically Animate Dead & Energy Drain) for gods-knows-how-long and they wished to preserve his good reputation because he keeps the mould and mildew at bay? What are the Flaming Fist doing deep down in their dungeons, anyway?

Notice the law on 'consorting' specifically applies only to individuals; organisations and polities are exempt. That is to suggest that an approved organisation, such as the Red Wizards of Thay, the Zhentarim & the Harpers, just to give three examples, may freely and unashamedly, as organisations, consort with those who defile and desecrate all that is good and holy in the world with full and complete knowledge that the law is beyond their reach. Unassociated, and therefore unapproved, individuals are as far as it can reach.

Lastly, the exemption of time has basically offered amnesty to all against which evidence could be presented that they have not only consorted with, but perhaps themselves practised, the Dark Arts before the 20th of Hammer. It does make one wonder whom the Dukes had in mind that they did not wish to incriminate and open to punishments of a retroactive law, had such a clause not been included. As it is, they remain free and unpunished.

Second Change - The Orcs and the Drow and Consorts Thereunto

As with the changes to the Dark Arts above, relations with those two feral races, the orcs and the drow, have undergone a similar revision.

Their undeniable evil is reaffirmed, but once again we see that the same consorting provisions and exemptions have been added. The wording is identical to that for the Dark Arts above, which I feel no need to repeat again as the texts themselves are more than available in the Duchal Palace.

Implications

As above, it once again begs the question for those who can read between the lines of the law: whom are the Dukes now protecting by crafting their legal revisions in such a manner?

It is again explicit that those "officially sanctioned to do so" are permitted to consort with orcs and drow, presumably for the same 'good' of the city that sanctioned practitioners of the Dark Arts may exhibit.

It is explicit that these laws offer amnesty to "organisations and polities," and for good reason. The idea that the Zhents, the Red Wizards and the Harpers continue to maintain good relations with those black dogs from beneath yet enjoy Duchal privileges in politics and economics must sit terribly uncomfortably in their laps, thus the necessity to exclude them, by unnamed implication, from the reformed laws seems like an uttermost necessity.

Lastly, as above with the Dark Arts, the time exemption offers amnesty, if not outright immunity, from all information previously collected and possibly presented in evidence to condemn those whom have undeniable links and associations with the orcs and drow prior to 20th Hammer, 1354 DR.

This is a very cunning and clever ploy by the Dukes, lest they be forced to actually begin punishing those selfsame "organisations and polities" who break the same laws in secret that they claim to uphold in public. A retroactive law would undoubtedly have forced the Duchal hand against them, and that was simply an impossibility to them because they wish to continue to have their cake and eat it too.

Summary

It might be well thought that the new laws are certainly a step in the right direction for the city of Baldur's Gate, but in the end they actually accomplish nothing at all.

Those organisations that already have indisputable links to the Dark Arts, the orcs and the drow, the primary evidence of which is now worthless to Baldurian Courts, are now at complete and unhindered liberty to continue their nefarious practices in secret, as they have always done.

It would have been better if the Dukes of Baldur's Gate simply offered a declaration of complete and unconditional amnesty to all those who practice, collude and collaborate with the Dark Arts, the orcs and the drow, and then wholly overturned all current laws on their prohibition entirely. Let the necromancers, blood mages, pact mages, orcs and drow flood through the walls! It would not be any different to the Baldur's Gate that exists now, and presumably long into the future.

Long lives the Dukes!
Long live Baldur's Gate!

[samb123]

A tiefling with a Thayan accent, known as Malign, was seen speaking to Ardem Yay, former local farmhand. Although, not a druid, Malign offered his services by investigating it from an arcane point of view. He simply asked a favor of Ardem in return.

Later, Malign makes it known that he is seeking those who might know about the strange dreams in the area. The tiefling speculates that the dreams are connected somehow. "If nothing else, these two events happening simultaneously is strange, aye?!" he queries. In particular, the tiefling would seek those who wizards who might have knowledge of the Planes.

Malign is also seen speaking to the local farmers, but he doesn't seem to put much stock in their earthy wisdom on the matter...

[Alurianna]

Several crewmembers of the Relentless Storm were seen arriving at the Fist Compound, leaving a short time after. Having provided chunks of what was left of the rumored Ghost Ship as proof, the crew were paid. The bounty set forth by Duchal decree - the Ghost Ship - was claimed.

[Cenerae]

One of the members of the Radiant Heart might be spotted performing late night patrols of the farmlands, taking her time to investigate the local wells and livestock, and checking with the local farmers to make sure things are well.

If asked what she is looking for, the young squire replies that she is seeking out any rumors of strange happenings in the area.

[White Raven]

Bristling and weaponised male dark furred tabby wander the wide circling young merchants tables...

[Miasmata]

Soon after the dawn's first light, after the knight rises from his prayers in the courtyard of the Radiant Heart Auxiliary Chapterhouse, Lord Al'maire makes a rather direct path into the city. His breath rises in puffs of fog about him, the chill of the morn still present in the air though it doesn't exactly seem to touch him. His gait is sure, his heading trained to the north. He enters the Palace District of Baldur's Gate, moving inerrantly through the maze of streets into the Shelf of Many Books.

Once within, he greets Janice with the blessing of Lathander and a smile that displays warmth. He relates to her that he seeks information of a very particular variety.

[Miasmata]

An armored Lathanderite stands outside of Ragefast's tower in the Palace District of the Gate for a time, somewhat pensive of visage. His gauntleted hands rest upon the low stone wall surrounding the place, fingers drumming heavily in thought before he strides up to the front door and lets himself in to the mage's domain.

He waits for any others within the place to conclude their business with Ragefast and leave before he leans forward upon the counter to introduce his own business in a discreet tone of voice.

[lum]

[electric mayhem]

A dwarf and a regular at the Elfsong spend an evening sharing a bottle of Tethyrian Tanagluth and discussing various things ranging from Trades of the day through to "what were the last thoughts of that beholder on the wall..."