The Dukes of Baldur's Gate

"The Dukes of Baldur's Gate" is a common book that describes a few details about the political landscape of Baldur's Gate and the roles of certain characters within it.

This book is redolent with the enticing smell of paper and ink.

Properties

• Books
• Author: unknown
• Rarity: Common
•  Weight: 0.5 kg / 1 lb
• Price: 14 gp
• 
  UID

  BOOK_GLO_GeneralLoreBook_TheDucalCouncil
  UUID

  52cf114d-386c-4e64-b740-36ff5175bd0e

Where to find

• Sold by Nansi Gretta
• Baldur's Mouth X: 61 Y: -61
• On a bookshelf in Peartree's Home X: 39 Y: -91

Text

Wealth speaks with a loud voice in a city founded and made prosperous by trade. Baldur's Gate has always been governed by its Parliament of Peers, consisting of the heads of the richest patriar families, with executive rulership by a Council of Four, the four most powerful dukes, one of whom is designated Grand Duke.

That tradition has held for many centuries, with the occasional interruption in times of crisis. And a crisis is where we find ourselves again, which accounts for the recent change in our city's administration. Last year, the Council of Four was Duke Belynne Stelmane, Duke Dillard Portyr, and Duke Thalamra Vanthampur, chaired by Grand Duke Ulder Ravengard. After the death of Duke Vanthampur and the worrying dissappearance of Grand Duke Ravengard during the Fall of Elturel, the question of who would make up the Council of Four going forward was postponed pending the return, or confirmed loss, of Ravengard.

Into this power vacuum rose a brash new contender, Lord Enver Gortash, who promised that his leadership would see the city through its series of crises. When Ravengard finally returned and actually endorsed Gortash for that leadership role, Baldur's Gate gratefully turned to its new Archduke to bring its citizens back to safe harbour.

Notes

• Clarifies that the Council of Four is led by a single "Archduke."
• Clarifies that the Parliament of Peers is composed of "patriars."
• As the current year during the events of Baldur's Gate 3 is 1492 DR, "last year" refers to 1491 DR.
• Adds more detail to the story of how Enver Gortash rose in political power.
• Provides evidence for how recently that Belynne Stelmane was a member of the Council of Four.
• Provides evidence for how recently Ulder Ravengard served in the role of Archduke, prior to his disappearance.
• Serves as another piece of evidence that the events of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, a prequel to Baldur's Gate 3, is considered a "recent crisis", and also clarifies that Ravengard went missing around the same time.