Chapter 57 Livington
Baldur's Gate, this city was originally just a desolate and remote rural settlement. At that time, it was not called Baldur's Gate, but was called Gray Harbor.
Centuries ago, the hero Bodean spent several years across the Sword Sea and the continents of more distant places. In the process of constant exploration, excavation, and adventure, he gradually accumulated an astonishing amount of treasure. wealth.
When he finally returned to his homeworld of Gray Havens, he brought these treasures with him, many of which he gave to his friends and family, and his generosity and favor greatly improved the After deciding the fate of Gray Harbor, people developed commerce, expanded the wharf, and built defensive walls around it. More and more people came to settle here. In the process, Gray Harbor became more and more prosperous and prosperous. It grew bigger and bigger until it reached the scale it is today, a giant city with a population of more than 125,000 and containing almost all races in the world.
When the city was built, in order to commemorate their heroic sponsor and protector, the citizens named a portico on the new city wall after the hero, calling it [Bode door].
And in less than a generation, the gate became synonymous with the community, and the settlement known as Baldur's Gate began to appear on the map of the Northland, also known as the Sword Coast.
——
Baldur's Gate, where all legends begin.
Nohir, wearing a large cloak and hood, is standing outside Baldur's Gate, which is the city gate of Livington District, watching the endless flow of people and caravans coming and going. , most people are dressed brightly, but it is rare to see refugees from Eltoril.
But this is normal, because it was less than ten days before the fall of Eltoril, and the distance between Baldur's Gate and Eltoril is very long, even if there is Using horse-drawn carriages, ox-carts and other means of transportation would also take at least ten days.
At this time, Nohir and Scar have not separated. Although the top management of Baldur's Gate must have learned about what happened to Eltoril, due to the existence of the inner ghost, what will Nohir do to Baldur's Gate? The attitude towards receiving the refugees is still uncertain.
This is because most of the refugees this time are Eltoril, and the two cities can be said to have long-standing grievances. In addition, the specific identity of the man at Baldur's Gate is unknown. , but there must be high-ranking insiders, and those flame fists guarding the gates may not be too friendly to these suffering people, so Nohill and Ska plan to patrol the outer city for half a day, and then based on what they see and hear to decide whether to continue with the previous plan.
This level of caution is very necessary. Nohill, who has lived here for a period of time, has the right to say this. After all, he was able to survive in the wilderness for five years at the age of three. A ruthless person, but after arriving at Baldur's Gate, he was cornered by this damn city in less than half a year.
As Nohir and Scar moved forward, they carefully looked at the familiar low city gate. Those rude Flame Fist soldiers were shouting towards them with a voice that could almost deafen people's ears. Pedestrians passing by asked for entrance fees, and once there was a congestion due to too many pedestrians, these soldiers would not hesitate to step forward and open the passage with three punches and two kicks.
After seeing this familiar scene, the past memories hit Nohir's mind like rain hitting banana trees. He suddenly remembered all the unbearable memories in this city. experience.
He was stolen, blackmailed, kidnapped, and during the fight back, he was regarded as a thug by Yan Fist who was passing by. After explaining the reason, he directly offered bribes on the spot...
At that time, he didn't see the situation The wonderful Nohir chose to fly away immediately and moved directly from the Sow's Trotter area to the Livington area, and then bought a boat ticket to Eltoril as quickly as possible, which he didn't know until now Is he wanted by Flame Fist in Sow's Trotter District?
Ska, who was next to Nohir, also frowned because of these vulgar and rude soldiers. In his city, if a soldier dared to treat citizens like this, he would be charged with dereliction of duty and be punished. Depriving him of his status as a soldier and sentencing him to two months of hard labor was the lightest punishment.
"Although I have long heard that the garrison at Baldur's Gate has a bad reputation, such a style is really eye-opening."
Ska's words suddenly woke me up. Nohir was caught in memories, and he could only sigh silently in response to Scar's question. "What you see in front of you is pretty good, but what's worse is that you haven't seen it. After all, Flame Fist is said to be the city's defenders, but in fact it still retains the title of a mercenary group until now."
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Yes, the Flame Fist is a mercenary organization funded by the city, or more accurately, hired by the Council of Four. The Grand Marshal of the Flame Fist is none other than Urd Ray, one of the Four Dukes. Wengard, their duty is to protect the residents of the lower city and outer city, but there is no trace of civilization or consideration in their methods.
"Let mercenaries protect the city? Tyr, this is a big joke!"
Yes, it may be a joke in other cities, but for Bode For Zhimen, a hodgepodge of people from all over the world, the existence of a neutral mercenary group like Flame Fist that never favors locals and outsiders is very necessary.
“During the period when Baldur’s Gate was first founded, the city’s rapid development attracted all kinds of people, civilians affected by raids and wars, suffering from hunger and drought. Penniless farmers, pirates seeking to sell stolen goods, or adventurers with lofty ambitions, the participation of various people brought countless disputes to the city, and during that period, the Flame Fist used an incomparable brilliance The image saved Baldur's Gate from chaos."
"Although the glory of the Flame Fist has faded since then, they have maintained the apparent balance of the city."
"But secretly, various crimes are common, and the Flame Fist is When encountering such an incident, justice may be done, but it may also turn a blind eye.”
Nohir took out a silver coin and threw it at the soldier, indicating that he and his party were two, and the soldier only glanced at it. He glanced at him and waved his hand, signaling for him to pass quickly.
After staying away from the noise at the city gate, Nohir took out two gems from his pocket and motioned to Scar to use them to replace his equipment.
“Just two streets back, there is a weapons shop called Livington General Store. The store manager is a master blacksmith named Gilderoy Angle Iron. The weapons he makes are very good. ”
"Although we can only buy some basic equipment with this little money now, it is better than your inferior and useless weapons."
Ska did not shirk too much, because this city is not safe, and On the premise of being unsafe and not having a weapon to defend yourself, it will be even more hindering.
Even the most seasoned adventurer will tread on thin ice in Baldur's Gate, a place where life is as cheap as copper, where greed is deadlier than dragon's breath, and where crime and opportunity go hand in hand.
Anything can be bought, sold or seized with violence. Anything that can be priced is being sold somewhere in Baldur's Gate. Drugs and poisons are placed next to the medicinal wine and herbs. Chu Wart's wares, Neverwinter's mechanical wonders, Calimshan's magical tomes, or lifelike imitations of them can all be found on the city's stalls.
A hero once commented on this city: "Watch your steps in the dark, watch your back in the sun."
"Earn a reward more outrageous than your wildest dreams, or disappear into forgotten history, where every day your life hangs in the balance and every day can become a legend."
"Welcome to Baldur's Gate."
(End of Chapter)