Baldur ' s Gate Baldur ' s Gate , also called simply the Gate , was a metropolis and city - state on the Sword Coast and Western Heartlands border , on the north bank of the River Chionthar about 20 miles ( 32 km ) east from its mouth on the Sea of Swords . It was located to the south of the great city - state of Waterdeep and to the north of the country of Amn , and was located along the well - traveled Coast Way road . This wealthy port metropolis , whose population , according to many accounts , exceeded that of Waterdeep , was an important merchant city on the Sword Coast . Its strong watch and the presence of the powerful Flaming Fists mercenary company kept the city generally peaceful and safe . Demonym . A person from Baldur ' s Gate was known as a Baldurian . History . In ancient times , the seafaring human hero Balduran returned from Anchrome with great wealth . Balduran used this wealth to build a wall at the end of the Chionthar river . Balduran later vanished , never to return . After Balduran vanished , local farmers took control of the wall and begin to tax sailors arriving . The sailors overthrew the ruthless farmers and the four eldest took control , calling themselves " dukes . " Eventually , the city came to be called Baldur ' s Gate and was led by the Council of Four , the Four Grand Dukes of the City . The inner portions of the city were divided into Bloomridge , where the wealthy lived , and the Twin Songs , the homes of the sailors and the clerics . The city became the most powerful force in the Western Heartlands and joined the Lords ' Alliance . The city was only recorded to have been called upon by the Alliance once , in 1235 DR , when the Black Horde attempted to invade . They sent their top military general , Eldrith , to drive them off . While she experienced victory at first , she would eventually betray Baldur ' s Gate and be killed ( but later resurrected ) in the Marsh of Chelimber by Baldurian forces . The Flaming Fists began operating in Baldur ' s Gate in the early 14th century DR . Midway through the century , in 1356 DR , the adventurers Drizzt Do ' Urden and Wulfgar came to the city seeking their friend Regis . Then , in 1368 DR , the Bhaalspawn Sarevok Anchev orchestrated a major conspiracy to send the city to war with Amn . The plan failed and within two years all Bhaalspawn were killed due to the actions of Baldurian Abdel Adrian . A guild of thieves , Xantam ' s Guild , moved into Baldur ' s Gate early in 1374 DR . Three adventurers , Vahn , Kromlech , and Adrianna arrived and defeated the thieves guild . Joined by the Harpers , they discovered the thieves guild to be only part of a larger plan involving Eldrith the Betrayer . After defeating Eldrith , they discovered the plan to have become more complex with the evil alchemist Mordoc SeLanmere getting involved . However , Mordoc too was defeated . In the year 1384 DR , the Grand Duke Valarken , along with General Ikhal , attempted to usurp the leadership of Baldur ' s Gate . The failure of his attack led to the dissolution of the Baldurian police and the Council of Four . In its place , the Flaming Fists and the Baldurian Parliament came to rule . In the following year , the Realms suffered the Spellplague , a situation that would double Baldur ' s Gate ' s population and area . Baldur ' s Gate was able to adapt to the change and experienced relative peace until the year 1437 DR when the elfsong returned to the Elfsong Tavern with an undead crisis , as well as worsening relations with Elturgard and the stealing of a Tome of Cyric . All of these crises were considered minor when General Ikhal returned with a lycanthrope army far greater than the army of Baldur ' s Gate . The Flaming Fists resolved the conflict . Following the death of the previous Flaming Fist Marshal and Duke at the hands of Valarken , Abdel Adrian replaced him in both positions . By 1479 DR , Baldur ' s Gate was Faerûn ' s most powerful and important city , and it was once again stable . At this time , it was no longer bothered by Valarken and Amn . It maintained a positive relationship with the nation of Elturgard and the other regions in the Western Heartlands . However , the expansion proved to turn the city on its heels , threatening to send it into civil war . Economy . Baldur ' s Gate was the greatest center of trade along the entire Sword Coast , out - competing both Waterdeep and Amn around 1479 DR . In 1368 DR , stone was usually imported from Mirabar via Luskan for use in construction , having been magically transported . This was an expensive process . Baldur ' s Gate contained a very effective thieves ' guild , as well as a powerful and honest mercantile guild , the Merchant ' s League . Additionally , the Knights of the Shield and the Knights of the Unicorn were both active in the city . Various thieves guilds had risen and fallen in Baldur ' s Gate , including Xantam ' s Guild and the Hands of Glory . Since the fall of both in 1374 DR , new thieves ' guilds arose . Government . Baldur ' s Gate was once ruled by four grand dukes , the Council of Four . Shortly before the Spellplague , the rulers included Duke Eltan , the then leader of the Flaming Fist s ; Belt , a powerful warrior and divine spellcaster ; Liia Jannath , a mage ; and Entar Silvershield , the richest man in Baldur ' s Gate at the time , but also a strong warrior in his own right . The Council was also part of the Lords ' Alliance , which included Waterdeep and Silverymoon , among others . After an attempted coup by former Grand Duke Velarken , Baldur ' s Gate ' s government underwent a major restructure and the new Baldurian Parliament elected the Dukes . In the late 15th century DR , it was ruled by Grand Duke Portyr at the behest of the Baldurian Parliament . Foreign relations . At present , Grand Duke Portyr and the Baldurian Parliament are uninterested in involving Baldur ' s Gate in the affairs of others . For the most part , the city is respected as a neutral power in relation to the other states of the Sword Coast and the Western Heartlands , a reputation it earned in part through its open door policy towards refugees during the fallout of the Spellplague . Perhaps more importantly , Baldur ' s Gate , while undoubtedly a rich prize , is so well - defended by its massive walls and well - trained Flaming Fists protectors that few would ever seriously consider invading and occupying the city . Historically , Baldur ' s Gate has had a long enmity with its southern neighbor , Amn , which nearly resulted in war during the iron crisis of 1368 DR . In 1479 DR , however , the only major threats to Baldur ' s Gate were the pirates operating out of the ruins of Luskan or the merchants of Waterdeep , who resented the city ' s growing wealth and power . Baldur ' s Gate had allies in the Lords ' Alliance and the nation of Elturgard . Description . Since its founding , the city of Baldur ' s Gate grew immensely . It grew from being a couple of shanty huts aside a walled fortress to a sprawling city stretching across its neighboring regions . The most remarkable feature of the city was the Black Dragon Gate , the original feature of the city , built by Balduran . It withstood the effects of time , albeit with reinforcements and renovations . The main part of the city , comprising the old " city core " was commonly referred to as Bloomridge . The center of Baldur ' s Gate ' s prominent aristocracy , it was one of the regions confined inside the Black Dragon Gate . Bloomridge was home to many buildings of wealth , including manors and a few temples , though most were in the Twin Songs . Bloomridge also housed various taverns for adventurers to drink in and inns to accompany them in a motel fashion . The Temple of Ilmater and the Temple of Helm were two of the well - known temples within Bloomridge , though the former hosted the deadly Crypts of Ilmater and the latter likely dissolved following the fall of Helm . Also within the Black Dragon Gate was the Twin Songs temple district . Although some temples were in Bloomridge , most were in the Twin Songs . The Twin Songs hosted temples to virtually any god , even evil gods like Bhaal and Bane . Baldur ' s Gate had many places of worship . Before the Spellplague , in 1369 DR , there were three major temples , devoted to Gond , Umberlee , and Tymora , and many shrines . Following the mass expansion of the city , the three religions , although still prominent , were no longer the dominant temples , with smaller ( and some malign ) religions gaining more and more influence . The Twin Songs was the only place inside the Black Dragon Gate that unified the cultures of all of Faerûn . These were all found in the Twin Songs District . The final district within the Black Dragon Gate was the Wide , which , mixing in with the city Outskirts , proved to extend outside of the gate as well . With a horrible stench due to the various cultures coming together in its blend with the Outskirts , only part of the Wide was hospitable to those who preferred a finer way of life . This area was a marketplace where produce was purchased alongside other objects . The Outskirts , however , were often regarded as the slums of the city and were largely populated with the poor and a few of the middle class . Landmarks . Taverns and inns . Bloomridge housed many taverns often used by adventurers or nobles : Manors . There were many manors in Bloomridge as well . These manors were owned by the richest of Bloomridge ' s nobles and housed many servants . Places of worship . Like most cities , Baldur ' s Gate had many places of worship . Untouched by the Spellplague , Baldur ' s Gate swelled in size and diversity . An impact was the formation of Twin Songs . Here temples and shrines to a great diversity of gods existed . All temples and shrines were accepted . Even shrines devoted to the worship of evil were ignored by the Flaming Fist s . Although home to many temples , the city ' s most renowned and well known were : The city was also home to several shrines . The most renowned and famed are : Harbor . Baldur ' s Gate had a large and busy harbor that opened up into the River Chionthar . The harbormaster resided in a small shack near the piers . The harbor was closed after sunset , after which no ships could tie up . Latecomers had to wait out in the river until sunrise .