Iron Throne headquarters

The Iron Throne headquarters, occasionally shortened to the Iron Throne, was an underwater tower that had submerged beneath the Gray Harbor of Baldur's Gate. As of the late 15 century DR, it was used as the personal prison of the chosen of Bane, Lord Enver Gortash, one of the three chosen that formed the leadership of the Cult of the Absolute. It was previously the seat of power for the Baldurian branch of the Iron Throne mercantile organization, which sought to monopolize the production and trade of weapons across the Sword Coast in the century prior.
==Location==
Its most current location was at the bottom of the Baldurian Gray Harbor. When it sat aboveground however, it was situated in the Lower City, just north of the docks.
==Structure==
The Iron Throne Tower was built out of stone, marble and wrought-iron metal. It boasted five floors, along with a spacious basement and an easily-accessible roof.
==Interior==
===Original Construction===
The ground floor of the tower encompassed a grand meeting hall. Its green marble floor was adorned with the symbol of the Iron Throne, the rear of a stately throne painted iron grey. Lush furniture, brightly-dyed carpets and imposing statues of armored figures adorned the columns that supported archways above. Two staircases in the rear of the room led upwards to the second story.
The next level of the Iron Throne headquarters featured the same, green marble floor set in a ring, that formed a gallery overlooking the tower's ground level. 15 columns framed the edge of the gallery, each set with an accompanying white marble statue, and connected by wood-and-metal railings. There were three notable paintings set upon the walls of this floor, two of which depicted scenes from far beyond Realmspace, on the planet of Krynn. One painting showed a group of adventuring heroes, standing before an imposed black-helmed warrior. Yet another displayed a great "flying citadel" that was not unlike Netherese enclaves of old.
The third story of the tower housed its primary dining hall and kitchens. Two grand feasting tables sat parallel to one another, each facing a third, smaller table set atop a raised platform.
The fourth floor of the Iron Throne was divided into four large rooms. The space around the paired stairwells was incorporated into a bar and lounge, the perfect place for merchants and clients to come together and discuss business. Just beyond the lounge was the Iron Throne's library. Over a dozen bookshelves held all manner of informative history books, including: the History of Tethyr, the History of the Dales and the Elven Court, and multiple volumes of the History of Shadowdale, along with numerous magical scrolls stuffed inbetween. On the opposite end of the libraries were two lavish meeting rooms, complete with luxurious furniture, beauteous art and impeccable decor.
The uppermost level of the tower housed the personal residences for the leaders of the Baldurian branch of the Iron Throne. Most notable among these was the residence and office of Richtar, also known as 'Rieltar Anchev', Arm of the Sembian Iron Throne.
===Post Renovation===
After its submersion, the uppermost level of the Iron Throne headquarters was retrofitted with a metallic, cross-shaped structure that allowed it to remain accessible while underwater. This new addition was nearly entirely made of metal, and featured specially-constructed pumps connected via pipes to storage tanks, in order to offset the pressure put on the structure by the waters of Gray Harbor. Specially-made hatches within could be opened via door-locking wheels, or mechanical levels.
The four chambers in the added structure were arranged in the cardinal directions, built around a smaller, central room with adjoining tunnel and access hatch. Hallways connected each of the four chambers to the central room, while diagonally-set hallways connected the western-facing chambers with each other.
===Atmosphere===
In its original iteration the Iron Throne remained an austere, yet lavish establishment within which those who were well-connected enough could conduct business, legitimate or otherwise.
As a prison, the Iron Throne remained a truly terrifying place to reside. The cold metallic surroundings and partially flooded floors offered prisoners little if any connection to the world above, along with the sense of innevitable doom.
==Services==
Certain submersibles could be docked atop the central hatch of the Iron Throne. This was the only means by which prisoners could be transported to and from the prison.
==Defenses==
The Iron Throne headquarters was protected by numerous guardsmen and mercenaries, as was typical for most mercantile organizations.
As a prison, the Iron Throne's greatest defense was its secluded location combined with the fact few seemed to know of its actual existence. Sahuagin roamed the prison's hallways, thought it was unknown if they came into the structure on their own, or were commissioned to guard the prisoners within.
==History==
===14 Century===
Throughout the mid–14 century DR, the tower served as the center of trade and business for the rather unscrupulous and often-times criminal organization known as the Iron Throne. It was not until the , when the Iron crisis began to plague the Sword Coast, did it become a hotbed for political intrigue and trans-relations relations between nearly warring city-states. It was during that year that Rieltar and his cronies Mulahey, Tranzig, and Tazok, began to sabotage iron-mining operations across the coast, from Baldur's Gate all the way south to Nashkel in neighboring Amn, while maintaining sole control over the collection of ore from the mine in the Cloak Wood. His ultimate goal was to ignite a war between the two powers and profit by selling the finest iron to the councilors of Baldur's Gate.
It was a few years later, in the , that Richtar's adoptive son Sarevok Anchev orchestrated a plot of his own scheme, after moving beyond the constraints of the Iron Throne's headquarters. He moved against his father and his weak allies, using the ongoing Iron Crisis and employing doppelganger assassins to strike out against particular figures and install himself as Grand Duke of Baldur's Gate. Just like his father before him, Sarevok's plot was foiled by his half-brother Abdel Adrian, and ultimately failed.
After the Iron Throne's branch in Baldur's Gate was defeated and their organization toppled, their headquarters was used as a civic building to serve a more altruistic purpose. Following the Iron Crisis, the new threat of the Shining Crusade brought the threat of war to Baldur's Gate once again. Many small towns and villages were overrun by the growing army of Caelar Argent, and their peoples flocked to Baldur's Gate for safety in droves. As best they could, the city's Flaming Fist and representatives of local churches housed as many refugees within the Iron Throne headquarters as was possible.
===15 Century===
After the treachery of the Iron Throne and Sarevok's plot being foiled, the city of Baldur's Gate hired wizards to transport the Iron Throne headquarters to the bottom of the Gray Harbor as symbol of justice and a warning to the illicit organization. By the late 15 century DR, a new structure was added atop the tower, and it was repurposed by Lord Enver Gortash to serve as a prison for his personal enemies, along with those he needed to manipulate in order to achieve his goals. It remained in use as of the .
==Inhabitants==
===Tower===
Notable inhabitants of the Iron Throne tower, included:
* Richtar, head of the Baldurian branch of the Iron Throne and orchestrator of the Iron Crisis.
* Rasaad yn Bashir, who dwelled within during the refugee crisis of 1368 DR.
===Prison===
Random sahuagin roamed the halls of the underwater prison, presumably to watch over Lord Gortash's captives.
Notable individuals that traveled to or were held within the Iron Throne prison, were:
* Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard
* Marlono Rhandle
* Obelia Toobin, a Gondian from Baldur's Gate.
* Omeluum of the Society of Brilliance
* Redhammer the Deviser, a dwarven pilot who navigated his submersible to and from the Iron Throne for Lord Gortash.
==Appendix==
===Gallery===
Iron throne hq concept art.jpg|Iron Throne headquarters concept art from Baldur's Gate (game).
Iron Throne headquarters.jpg|Iron Throne headquarters after being magically moved to the bottom of the Gray Harbor.
===Appearances===
===External links===
* 
===References===
Category:Towers
Category:Prisons
Category:Locations in Gray Harbor
Category:Locations in the Lower City
Category:Locations in Baldur's Gate
Category:Locations on the Sword Coast
Category:Locations in the Western Heartlands
Category:Locations in West Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril