Session 3: Sightseeing and Vandalism

Characters involved:

• Tredek, half-orc barbarian.
• Shrain, dwarf cleric of Moradin.
• Ulther Stormwind, human fighter.

With the Low Lantern shut down—Tredek's and Ulther's clubs made sure of that—the PCs waited while more Flaming Fist soldiers arrived to secure it. Thundreth had escaped, but the rest of her crew were bound up and the ship itself given a cursory search that yielded very little. Lord Talborn, cleric of Sune, had aided the soldiers and kept his companions on their feet.

With some bits of fruit taken from the galley, Tredek coaxed over the gray and turquoise parrot that had flown down from the ship's rigging. Soon had it perched upon his arm. Finding some string, he secured it to his arm. The parrot whistled and spoke only a few words, and it did so from time to time throughout their city travels that day. “This ship is closed!” (echoing Tredek’s new battle cry), “Lady Captain”, and “Ravengard!” chief among them.

The dwarf cleric Shrain rejoined the group and they talked about where to go next. They’d done, to the best of their ability, what Marshal Ulder Ravengard had asked them to do. But now what?

They heard a child's voice cut through the din of the morning dockworkers coming in. "Harken, people of Baldur's Gate, to Baldur's Mouth! The land changes, and Baldur would have his people know!" It was a crier for the Baldur’s Mouth, some sort of local news source in the city. He was selling, for a single copper piece, copies of a neatly-scrawled broadsheet that detailed the events of the day before: Duke Abdel’s assassination. It even included rough sketches of the "heroes of the Wide," the PCs themselves. The PCs had never seen such perfect handwriting before, and wondered at how so many duplicate copies could be made.  Magic? But all had heard that Gond, the god of innovation and labor, was one of Baldur’s Gate’s patron deities, and Tredek had even heard of “mechanical scribes” associated with his church. Perhaps this was their purpose?

After being thanked by one Lower City resident—whose son evidently had lost all his gold gambling at the Low Lantern—the PCs headed up toward the Upper City, wondering if they could still find and meet with Imbralym Skoond, the mage who first approached them in the Wide the day before, who evidently represented one of the city's other dukes—Duke Torlin Silvershield. Soon they met with Allyck, the kid the PCs met the day before, and who they hired as a guide. Now he was to lead them to their next destination: the Three Old Kegs.

Progress to the Upper City was slowed, as the Flaming Fist had blocked off several avenues in the Lower City and redirected the crowds. The reason: the funeral procession for Duke Abdel Adrian. Citizens of all statue and class were grim, and many wept openly—particularly those with less means. Abdel had been some kind of uniting force, a ruler whom all people loved. While waiting for the procession to pass and the streets to clear, the PCs noticed a well-dressed, red-haired elf regarding them with interest from across the street. When the procession had passed, the elf was gone. They hadn't seen too many full-blooded elves in Baldur's Gate thus far.

At last, the PCs made their way into the Upper City and to the Three Old Kegs, a quiet but immense tavern. Imbralym Skoond was not there, but they did speak with some of establishment's patrons—including an ugly, but personable fellow at the bar who introduced himself as Alstan. The talk of the town was about what the Parliament of Peers would do next. The Parliament, it seemed, was formed some years ago when two dukes had been assassinated and the government of Baldur’s Gate needed an easier way to elect new dukes to the Council. With Duke Adrian slain, who, and when, would they elect a new one? And of course tavern talk included speculation on Abdel’s freakish assassin, and what agency he had come from? Had it been the work of the Guild (as Ravengard insisted), or the plot of foreign powers—rivals Calimshan or Amn, perhaps?

With no sign of Imbralym, the PCs went to the High Hall, the city's chief governmental building and a fortress in its own right. Not as bustling as it might usually be—the city's mourning and miserable quality was everywhere—they gave their names and then Imbralym appeared. He said, "I am sorry you declined to meet with my master." Willing to speak with Silvershield now, the PCs were told by Imbralym that they were welcome to stay at the Helm and Cloak, an upscale inn, for at least one night. Imbralum would inform his master that the PCs would meet with him now, though he couldn't promise when. The events of the day, the funeral, and other matters of state were clearly keeping him occupied. Still, Imbralym would call on them as soon as they were able.

But before settling in at the new—and obviously more comfortable—inn, they knew they should check back in at Wyrm's Rock to report to Ravengard, and to inform their other companions where they'd be staying. On their way, Allyck offered to take them to Brother Hodges, an Ilmatari—a priest of Ilmater, the god of suffering.

Brother Hodges worked out of a shrine to the Crying God, a stone monument depicting the worn hands of Ilmater lashed with rope. There he doled out meager food to the homeless and the poor, but when the PCs appeared, he pulled them aside and spoke with them. He offered his services, and advised them on other places in the city where they could seek spiritual council—the High House of Wonders (Gond's temple, but politically tied), the Lady's House (Tymora's temple), and other shrines—but he warned them against going to the Water Queen's House (Umberlee's temple). He spoke about Duke Abdel Adrian and his concerns about the plot behind his assassination. Brother Hodges seemed an honest sort, with a genuine concern for those less fortunate, but he admitted he had no political clout in this city and wouldn't be of much help in matters of influence.

They spoke for a while with him about old legends, the Time of Troubles, and the dead gods. It seemed Bhaal, the Lord of Murder, the god of assassins, played some sort of role in Baldur's Gate's past, and Abdel himself, even though Bhaal himself had been slain during the Time of Troubles. Remembering the creature at the Wide, Shrain decided they were at some kind of risk of possession. He wanted to perform some sort of ritual of excorcism on himself—neither Tredek nor Ulther protested but neither were they interested.

Eventually, the PCs returned to Wyrm's Rock. Ravengard was not present, but they passed along the news of their new inn of choice. At some point, the PCs also visited the High House of Wonders, the majestic, white-pillared temple of Gond. Full of workshops and engineering wonders, it offered many sights and showed an echelon of holy workers: brick-makers, building-repairers, smiths, and other craftsman all plying their trade in the sacred name of Gond. Shrain, convinced after their talk of dead, evil gods, asked the Gondsmen if he could purified. So they put him to work to do the holy labor of the Wonderbringer, while the others retired to the Helm and Cloak.

The Helm and Cloak was opulent indeed, and the PCs' first night was paid for on Silvershield's coin. They got a good night's sleep and awoke the next morning feeling far more rested than before—having had only brief nightmares. The next morning, some sort of disturbance drew them back outside. Notices were being posted about some sort of new (or returning) sumptuary law:

By decree of the Council and with concurrence of Parliament:
   To preserve the decency of citizens and promote the general weal, all citizens of Baldur's Gate must attire themselves in a manner befitting their station. Furs, silks, damask, velvet, samite, and satin are forbidden to all but those numbered among the patriars, as is jewelry incorporating inlaid gems or magical properties. Those who violate these terms are subject to fines or imprisonment.

Baffled at this, the PCs wandered out and found arguments starting between members of the Watch and the Lower City merchants. It seemed those of comfortable means but not part of the nobility, the patriars, often did display their wealth in their appearance. Evidently, this wasn't acceptable anymore. The well-to-do, of course, were not bothered with this at all. Later, they even witnessed a Watchman tearing the jewelry off of a Lower City merchant's wife on the street, in plain view of everyone, and casting it to the cobblestones.

There were also reports of vandalism and theft spreading around the city, mostly in the Lower and Outer cities. Signs hung up or painted on walls or properties of the state. "Down with the Patriars!" and "Free Baldur's Gate!" seemed to be common slogans. The PCs even spotted a pair of youths in an alley painting up a banner. Confrontation of the vandals nearly turned violent, but the PCs decided to let them go; their banner was something about the Flaming Fist.

Tensions were rising, clearly between the classes and various organizations.

The PCs continued to roam the city and seek information. Tredek decided to return to the temple of Gond and ask for a library. Perhaps more could be learned about Baldur's Gate's history, or Abdel Adrian himself.