City of Westgate

**Westgate** is the most prolific port on the Sea of Fallen Stars. With wide and well-traveled trade highways connecting the city to the Western Heartlands and the Sword Coast, this metropolis is the "*Gateway to the West*." There is an ever-present flow of merchants, refugees, escaped slaves yearning to breathe free and pilgrims in search of enlightenment as they make their way through this colorful and lively *must-see* location.

An open city, and independent political force of the Southern Dragon Coast, it is a law-abiding society with a responsive local government where anything can be accomplished with only nominal facilitation fees to municipal officials.

A rich – *and wealthy* – history, with tremendous commerce and potential for even more growth, it is believed to be the oldest city on the shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars.

## History

This area, often included as part of the Dragon Coast, was first settled by humans from the Vilhon Reach roughly 1,000 years before the Standing Stone was erected in Cormanthor. It achieved notoriety as one of the largest cities while enduring the cruel rule of the great topaz dragon Kisonraathiisar.

Since then, there have been periods of normal aristocratic rule, pirate lords and turbulent territorial claims that come from neighboring kingdoms coveting this bustling port town.

After the Spellplague, the Sea of Fallen Stars partially drained into the Underdark. While the River Thunn continued to flow from the Giant's Run Mountains to the west, the lower water caused the shoreline to recede. For several decades, the harbor of Westgate became an outdoor market and cargo staging area for "Tidetown" – an ad hoc municipal extension as the city adapted to the conditions.

When the waters recently returned, that area was razed to prevent navigation hazards and the old docks have since been restored to their full capacity.

## Foreign Policy

By **1489**, Westgate is one of the few cities on the Dragon Coast not occupied by either Cormyr or Sembia. In order to preserve its independence, the Westgate Municipal Authority (technically a city-state) played both powers against each other, allegedly even supporting insurrections within Cormyr's borders to stem its expansionism.

Before the Cormyr-Sembia land rush, Westgate was the nominal regional authority extending into the Dragonmere itself along the southern shore to nearly Teziir, which was its former regional competitor (since annexed by Cormyr). The majority of Westgate's influence extended down the main trade highway: the ***Grand Ride***, including Reddansyr and all the villages between.

## Minor Players

The Thayvians have a small compound in the city, naturally, and the Zhentarim (now nominally part of the Lords' Alliance) also have an official presence in the city. The Shadovar had a diplomatic mission in the city which subsequently closed after the fall of Thultanthar. There are rumors they are still active in the city and likely still a potent force in the literal shadows.

With the massive armies of the north now clashing in Westgate's back yard, maintaining valid territorial claim over the area wasn't realistic. Both northern kingdoms have made no secret of their desire to bring Westgate under their suzerainty, and it's also no secret that both kingdom will devastate the city if the other actually manages to claim it. Either way, it's lose-lose for Westgate, who now maintains their neutrality at all costs.

That neutrality comes at a price, mixing locally-based mercenaries and pirates with the resident criminal syndicates and corrupt city leadership for a particularly toxic metropolis. The black-market trade was already thriving, every sordid habit well-supported in the city, while Cormyrean and Sembian spies started operations to play criminal organizations off each other and the opposing factions.

The big question is the Stonehearth diplomatic posture. **House Stonehearth** has been moving inland, holding the **Barony of Esparia** in Cormyr itself and maintaining a minor (non-landed) aristocratic Merchant House in Sembia. Having a foot on both sides of the fence, Stonehearth is technically neutral in the Cormyr-Sembia conflict and appears to be working to maintain that neutrality.

Political scholars point to Stonehearth possibly driving both Cormyr and Sembia to expand to the south after the Marquisate annexed **former Netheril** to the north just two years ago. This is in addition to maintaining the **Barony of Impresk** (a technical vassal of the Kingdom of Tethyr) about 300 miles south southwest.

While Stonehearth hasn't "indicated any interest" in the Dragon Coast, that doesn't mean its agents don't operate within its walls. If Stonehearth ever decided to annex Westgate, locals fear an "Audit and Rectification" would likely be a negative experience for many of the city's residents and businesses.

## Demographics

 **Races**
 Demonym
 **Imports**
 **Exports**
 **Religions**

### Merchant Gate fees

Upon arrival by land or sea, Westgate charges minor tariffs to merchant traffic for use of the city as a trade hub and this one of the primary forms of revenue generation. Declared merchants (those pulling a cart of goods) are subject to flat gate fees of 2 sp per small/medium cart or wagon, and 3 sp for a large cart, regardless of the value of the freight.

The dock fees work in a similar fashion, with the overall cargo broken into "lots" (essentially what will fit on a wagon). The dock fees are a bit cheaper than the gate fees, keeping the city an attractive option for the maritime trade that would otherwise have an easier time finding alternate wharfs and markets.

## Travel Advisory

**WARNING**
 While some areas are marginally safer during daylight hours, and certain temples are generally left unmolested, the entire city is unsafe because of critical levels of kidnappings, hostage taking, bombings, widespread military combat operations, piracy, vampirism, demonic summonings, and terrorist and insurgent attacks, including attacks using alchemical or arcane improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

### Westgate Hostile Encounter Table

The later it gets, the less people there are on the streets. The safety-in-numbers (security by obscurity) factor and the higher probability that the party will have an encounter that requires them to roll for initiative (with a belligerent directly challenging them). The Cross-fire column is the possibility that the party will simply be present when there is some other action going on in the city.

* In easy mode, take the lower value column. In hard mode, take both columns.

### Probable assailants (NPC)

* **Bandits** (2), if targeting the party
* **Cultists** (2), if targeting the party
* **Thugs** (2), if targeting the party
* **Guards** (2), if targeting the party; they'll attempt extortion/intimidation before violence.
* **Bandits** (6) vs **Guards** (6); cross-fire [50% chance/criminal | 50% chance/insurgents]
* **Assassins** (2) vs **Guards** (6); cross-fire
* **Cultists** (6) + **Cult Fanatic** (1) vs **Guards** (6) + **Veteran** (1); cross-fire

## Notable Locations

### Inns, Taverns, and Festhalls

* Big Edna's Tavern
* Black Boot Inn
* Black Eye: a festhall with bad food and good company
* Blais House Inn
* Blind Eye: tavern/hookah den with shady connections and a strong menu
* Blue Banner: a tavern and inn in the Shou District
* Empty Fish Tavern
* Gatereach Inn
* Gentle Moon Inn
* Jolly Warrior Inn: where the visiting nobility stay
* Leaning Man (inn)
* Lilda's: a festhall in the Shore Ward. Clientele leans toward sailors
* Old Beard Tavern
* Purple Lady: a festhall for those with tastes for Cormyrean culture
* Rising Raven Inn and Rooming House: merchant hospitality outside the walls
* Rosebud Tavern
* Rotten Root Tavern: for the functionaries, scholars and those with arcane leanings
* Spitting Cockatrice (inn)
* Westward Eye (inn)

### Shops

* Aurora's Emporium:  semi-famous franchise of curio shoppes
* Gondeth's Mageries: magic shop
* House of Silks: fine textiles shop
* Chalaratha's Fragrances: perfume shop and factory
* Dawn's Dress Shop: far more than "Clothes, Travelers," this sports styles from across Faerûn
* Imryth Tower (potion shop and alleged Harper safehouse)
* Myrkeer House: merchant house of Shalush Myrkeer

### Temples to Good Gods

* Morningstar Haven: Temple of Lathander
* Fortuneboon Hall: Temple of Tymora
* House of Ilmater: Temple of Ilmater
* Abbey of the Blinding Truth: Temple of Tyr
* A shrine to Sune

### Temples to Neutral Gods

* House of the Sun: Temple of Amaunator
* House of the Wheel: Temple of Gond
* The Hidden House: Temple of Leira (subterranean)

### Temples to Evil Gods

* Whitecap Hall: Temple of Umberlee
* House of Winds: Temple of Talos
* Painbliss Hall: Temple of Loviatar
* The Place of Waiting Death: Temple of Talona (subterranean)
* House of Spires and Shadows: Temple of Mask; also called The Shadowspires. Abandoned circa 1480 DR.

### Other Locations

* Westlight: The Harbor Tower lighthouse.
* Westgate's city walls maintain five gates. Clockwise from the eastern tip:
	+ The East Gate
	+ The River Gate gate (allowing water traffic down the River Thunn)
	+ The West Gate (the main gate)
	+ The High Gate
	+ The Quad Gate (northwest end, closest to the shore)
* The Shore: A slum district, just outside The River Gate.
* Shou Quarter: District home of many immigrants from Shou.
* Castle Thalavar: headquarters of the Eye of Justice.
* Darkdance Manor: Home of House Darkdance.
* Timeless Blade: A Fencing school.
* The Quivering Thumb: Gladiatorial games with gambling.

## Organizations and Factions

* **Westgate Municipal Authority:** Joint-powers association of the local noble houses (see below) who keep the peace in the city and the immediate surrounding territory.
* Eye of Justice: Paladin order dedicated to the worship of the Threefold God.
* Fire Knives: Assassins' guild at war with the Nine Golden Swords.
* Night Masks (guild): Thieves guild driven out of Westgate by the Eye of Justice in 1391 DR. The surviving guild is slowly working its way back into the city.
* Nine Golden Swords: Shou organization with criminal roots by way of Telflamm; opposes the Fire Knives.
* Zhentarim: A mercenary company.
* Thayvian: diplomatic mission and import company
* Cormyrean diplomatic mission
* Sembian diplomatic mission
* Shield Guild of Westgate: A mercenary company.

### Noble Houses

* Athagdal: symbol is a set of russet weighing scales
* Bleth: symbol is seven suns
* Cormaeril: symbol is a red wyvern and a silver horn
* Guldar: symbol is a black hawk
* Malavhan: symbol is a red sun
* Ssemm: symbol is an ivory bird's claw
* Thalavar: symbol is a green feather
* Thorsar: symbol is a blue hand holding corn
* Urdo: symbol is a yellow eye
* Vhammos: symbol is a steel-gray open hand