The Founding of Baldur's Gate
[The abridged version of Plamondon's popular history of 'the Gate', written in a breezy, conversational style more accessible than that of most scholarly histories. For example:] The cosy crescent of land around Grey Harbour has been settled for at least 1500 years, favoured by bucolic fisher folk and beachcombers as well as the less savoury smugglers and outright pirates. But there wasn't really much of a permanent town there until one of its seagoing entrepreneurs, a fellow known as Balduran, returned from an expedition with a hold full of gold. And he was generous in spending it, building wharves and warehouses along the waterfront, and a great granite wall curving across the slopes to protect it all from raiders sweeping down from the Fields of the Dead...