The Dukes of Baldur's Gate
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.