Athkatla¶
The capital city of Amn is the most influential and important city in the Merchant Kingdom and, as such, is a breeding ground for plots, intrigue, and betrayal, with loyalty going only to the highest bidder.
Rulers¶
Power in Athkatla is shared (though not willingly) between the official government and the local thieves' guild.
The anonymous Council of Six have ruled Amn for the past three decades through political machinations and economic coercion. The Council are known only by their titles:
- The Meisarch
- The Tessarch
- The Namarch
- The Iltarch
- The Pommarch
- The Dahaunarch
Naming names is fatal
Revealing one of the councillors' true identities is punishable by slow torture and eventual death.
The Shadow Thieves also wield considerable influence in the city, though recently many of the guild's members have been defecting to a rival (and as yet unnamed) organization — one of BG2's central early-campaign tensions.
In-game districts¶
Although the manual doesn't list them, the campaign places notable encounters in:
- Waukeen's Promenade — the great marketplace, home of Ribald Barterman's Adventurer Mart.
- Government District — the seat of the Council of Six and the Order of the Radiant Heart.
- Temple District — home to the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart.
- Bridge District — Five Flagons Inn and its playhouse.
- Docks District — Shadow Thieves' base of operations.
- Slums — the Copper Coronet and the rougher edge of the city.
Source: bg2ee/original_manuals/baldurs_gate_2_ee_amn_survival_guide.pdf — "Overview of the Realms" → "Athkatla".