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“And we’re supposed to believe the Steel Watch were some sort of monstrosities! Just supposed to take their word for it, aren’t we? ‘Cos the factory blew up and now there’s nothing left for us to see. Not a thing! Convenient, that. Real convenient. The fairest watchers we’ve ever had out in Baldur’s Gate and they’re evil as all get out, or so we’re told.
“Course they don’t like to mention that it was the Flaming Fist who was shepherding them around, do they? If these things were so evil surely they woulda noticed, right? Since they were with them day in and day out and all. So they’re telling us that the Steel Watch was all evil monsters but their little buddies didn’t do none of it? Ravenguard pardoned every last one of them! Said they were “confused.” Said it “wasn’t their fault.” Maybe we don’t want fools who are so easily “confused” running around and pointing weapons at our families, did they ever think about that? And I don’t know about you, but I sure remember who it was back then who was demanding money from me and it sure as hell weren’t the Steel Watchers. They can lie all they like but we were there! We know the truth! The Flaming Fist never looked after no one but themselves and we all know it.
“And why’re they so eager to make the Steel Watch look bad, anyway? It’s ‘cos of Gortash, see. He was common born! He was from the Lower City, like us. His parents were cobblers. He knew what life is like down here. He knew what we needed! He was a common man working for the common man, and you know they didn’t like that, up there in their big fancy houses. He was gonna make them treat us right! He made them repeal those laws about all that fancy stuff we couldn’t wear, remember that? And they hated him for it! That’s why they wanted him out of the way so bad, that’s why they made up all that muck about the Steel Watch but said the Flaming Fist didn’t do none of it!
“It’s all Ulder Ravenguard’s doing. You notice how he kept control over the Flaming Fist when he became Grand Duke? No one’d ever done that before! Even Abdel Adrian gave it up and he loved the Fist. But Ravenguard, he thinks he’s so special. He thinks he gets to do whatever he wants. And funny, isn’t it, that he’d say that the Flaming Fist were all innocent when he’s their commander? And we’re just supposed to believe him? Course he’d say they’re fine and dandy, he’s the one who was telling them to do all that rot!
“And he abandoned us, too, soon as there was a real threat to the city! As soon as the Absolute came heading our way what does our fearless leader do? He takes off! Left us all to die, if it weren’t for Gortash and his Steel Watch. Oh sure, he’ll say he was trapped in the hells with Elturel. What a load of rubbish! We’ve all seen his devil son! He wasn’t trapped, he went out there to make deals! He was selling us all off for power, you mark my words! That’s why–
“See, see, they’ve sent their dogs to arrest me! They don’t want you to know the truth!”
– An excerpt from a speech given in the Lower City by an unknown man, 1494 D.R. After the man was arrested by the Flaming Fist, a cloaked and hooded individual in the crowd was heard by many to remark (some claim fondly) “I just know that you’re laughing down in the hells, you bastard”