So I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post this question, if not please direct me to the right one, thanks!
Anyways, I have a Lawful Neutral Barbarian who, long story short, lost his family against the forces of the Flaming fists at the order of the Council of Four in Baldur’s Gate. I’m in the Waterdeep campaign, first time playing so no spoilers if you can, but I really want to know which faction would help me either mobilize water deep to help me sack Baldur’s Gate or help get a large enough army to do the same?
Uh, none of the above? For one, the Council of Four and the Patriar class of Baldur's Gate use the Flaming Fist to "police" the lower city as well as maintain an outpost presence in Chult for colonial/trading purposes. Depending where you are on the social pecking order, Flaming Fist can be viewed as an oppressive occupying army to keep the lower and outer city in line. "Sacking" Baldur's Gate would have the most consequences on the people of the lower and outer city who really had no stake or responsibility for your character's family or tribe's death (and btw on that, not sure what level you're at but I'm not sure if any faction with the capacity would raise an army to raze a city because someone's family was killed). So all the "good guy" factions, even those with animosity toward Baldur's Gate, are out. I don't think any of the "bad guy" factions are in the army growing capacity to help new friends on vendettas camp either, their presence in Waterdeep is more to seek opportunity within the complexities of Waterdeep.
If you gained status somehow within the Lords Alliance, maybe your grievance with the Council of Four could be brought forward and reparations discussed. Depending where you are in the Forgotten Realms timeline, you could go to Elturiel, somehow gain major favor of theirs and maybe if you and likely the survivors of your tribe or clan or whatever pledge loyalty to their theocracy, Elturiel tends to beef with Baldur's Gate on matters of trade and all around lifestyle choices (but depending on where you on in the Forgotten Realms timeline, that may be complicated).
You could also go to Baldur's Gate and force yourself into some sort of power there ... it's not really a stable place, hence a larger mercenary organization on the books to maintain law and order (but the Flaming Fist seems like they'll hire anybody, hint hint).
Factions in Forgotten Realms, outside of a few major tentpole hardback adventure books, tend not to go full on army mobilization. They interact and advance their interests more through "Cold War" type subterfuge. That's why they're often secret societies rather than standing armies.
Hmm, so it seems getting Waterdeep to Mobilize is basically impossible. It sounds like the most I could do is get the Lords Alliance to put some economic pressure on Baldur’s Gate. The outside options are either infiltrating the Flaming Fists and ruining them from the inside or going to Elturiel, is that Elturgard? I’m in the year 1492 DR. I was looking into the Zentherium, couldn’t I join them, raise a bunch of money and hire their army with the promise of handing Baldur’s Gate to them after the battle?
Elturel is the capital of Elturgard. Or rather Elturgard is a collection of lands and smaller communities under Elturel's "protection." In 1492 it's still the power that I outlined. They're a Theocracy and at some point in an alliance they'd probably want you to sign their Creed Resolute, pledging yourself to the Elturel, they got a book and everything. With Baldur's Gate, one of the Dukes of the Council of Four, Ravengard, is actually the commander of the Flaming Fist and received his Duke status through the Flaming Fist's status in the city.
Baldiur's Gate DitA takes place two years after your current time frame
it presupposes the Flaming Fist are still the Law and Order of BG's common and underclasses, and events at the start of the adventure make that hold pretty tense, if you and your characters were to migrate there, whether you play the adventure straight or adapt the events to your campaign (recommended, the book is a bit messy and needs some TLC to bring out its potential, if you're DM likes putting in that sort of work, you'll have a good time) there is definitely a "chaos is a ladder" moment in Baldur's Gate (and neighboring Elturgard) where a character like yours can satisfy his vengeance need and rise in prominence.
EDIT: whoops, got carried away in spoiler forgot about the Zentarim. I don't know. I like them best when they broker and take power from subterfuge. They're more insidious than conquerers in my game. Why invade and occupy when you can exploit and profit? I don't have anything explicit in the lore on hand, but given the Zentarim worldview, and the politics of Baldur's Gate, I'm guessing their are some significant and long standing pacts and partnerships both politically and economically between powers in Baldur's Gate and the Zentarim. Why would they sack a good trading partner and at least sympathetic ally?
Lastly, at the end of the day, this is all something to talk over and brainstorm with your DM and table, since the world that you all are building overtakes any assertion from my or Lyxen's take on lore. In my game world, to get any of the factions to do something like send an army to your aid, you must be the point person for a world existential threat type challenge. If you're level 20 they might listen to you about mustering to aid you with a "personal matter." But that's my game world, where my 4-6th level groups are still learning about what a big world Faerun is. If your DM is the sort that encourages you to use factions in the manner you've outlined, go for it and have at it with epic battles and simple spoils or the revelation that victory may be a bitter event. And again, if your character ever actually explores Baludr's Gate, they'll learn pretty quick there are likely a number of local factions who could be cobbled together for not a sacking their home event, but something like a coup, where a whole litany of scores are violently settled and the survivors "make peace" and usher in a new order to the city (Baldur's Gate has a very organized thieves guild, there are also neighborhood "crews" that are not exactly local mafia in every case but thing benevolent community associations with teeth, in the outer city you have a Calishite community that seems marginalized and Dwarven community that elects to stay in the outer city, and then in the upper city there are partiar families who might be open to table flipping if they feel it's their families time for a seat at the big table). That ... actually seems to happen in Baldur's Gate a lot.
So I’m not sure if this is the right forum to post this question, if not please direct me to the right one, thanks!
Anyways, I have a Lawful Neutral Barbarian who, long story short, lost his family against the forces of the Flaming fists at the order of the Council of Four in Baldur’s Gate. I’m in the Waterdeep campaign, first time playing so no spoilers if you can, but I really want to know which faction would help me either mobilize water deep to help me sack Baldur’s Gate or help get a large enough army to do the same?
Uh, none of the above? For one, the Council of Four and the Patriar class of Baldur's Gate use the Flaming Fist to "police" the lower city as well as maintain an outpost presence in Chult for colonial/trading purposes. Depending where you are on the social pecking order, Flaming Fist can be viewed as an oppressive occupying army to keep the lower and outer city in line. "Sacking" Baldur's Gate would have the most consequences on the people of the lower and outer city who really had no stake or responsibility for your character's family or tribe's death (and btw on that, not sure what level you're at but I'm not sure if any faction with the capacity would raise an army to raze a city because someone's family was killed). So all the "good guy" factions, even those with animosity toward Baldur's Gate, are out. I don't think any of the "bad guy" factions are in the army growing capacity to help new friends on vendettas camp either, their presence in Waterdeep is more to seek opportunity within the complexities of Waterdeep.
If you gained status somehow within the Lords Alliance, maybe your grievance with the Council of Four could be brought forward and reparations discussed. Depending where you are in the Forgotten Realms timeline, you could go to Elturiel, somehow gain major favor of theirs and maybe if you and likely the survivors of your tribe or clan or whatever pledge loyalty to their theocracy, Elturiel tends to beef with Baldur's Gate on matters of trade and all around lifestyle choices (but depending on where you on in the Forgotten Realms timeline, that may be complicated).
You could also go to Baldur's Gate and force yourself into some sort of power there ... it's not really a stable place, hence a larger mercenary organization on the books to maintain law and order (but the Flaming Fist seems like they'll hire anybody, hint hint).
Factions in Forgotten Realms, outside of a few major tentpole hardback adventure books, tend not to go full on army mobilization. They interact and advance their interests more through "Cold War" type subterfuge. That's why they're often secret societies rather than standing armies.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
Hmm, so it seems getting Waterdeep to Mobilize is basically impossible. It sounds like the most I could do is get the Lords Alliance to put some economic pressure on Baldur’s Gate. The outside options are either infiltrating the Flaming Fists and ruining them from the inside or going to Elturiel, is that Elturgard? I’m in the year 1492 DR. I was looking into the Zentherium, couldn’t I join them, raise a bunch of money and hire their army with the promise of handing Baldur’s Gate to them after the battle?
Elturel is the capital of Elturgard. Or rather Elturgard is a collection of lands and smaller communities under Elturel's "protection." In 1492 it's still the power that I outlined. They're a Theocracy and at some point in an alliance they'd probably want you to sign their Creed Resolute, pledging yourself to the Elturel, they got a book and everything. With Baldur's Gate, one of the Dukes of the Council of Four, Ravengard, is actually the commander of the Flaming Fist and received his Duke status through the Flaming Fist's status in the city.
Baldiur's Gate DitA takes place two years after your current time frame
it presupposes the Flaming Fist are still the Law and Order of BG's common and underclasses, and events at the start of the adventure make that hold pretty tense, if you and your characters were to migrate there, whether you play the adventure straight or adapt the events to your campaign (recommended, the book is a bit messy and needs some TLC to bring out its potential, if you're DM likes putting in that sort of work, you'll have a good time) there is definitely a "chaos is a ladder" moment in Baldur's Gate (and neighboring Elturgard) where a character like yours can satisfy his vengeance need and rise in prominence.
EDIT: whoops, got carried away in spoiler forgot about the Zentarim. I don't know. I like them best when they broker and take power from subterfuge. They're more insidious than conquerers in my game. Why invade and occupy when you can exploit and profit? I don't have anything explicit in the lore on hand, but given the Zentarim worldview, and the politics of Baldur's Gate, I'm guessing their are some significant and long standing pacts and partnerships both politically and economically between powers in Baldur's Gate and the Zentarim. Why would they sack a good trading partner and at least sympathetic ally?
Lastly, at the end of the day, this is all something to talk over and brainstorm with your DM and table, since the world that you all are building overtakes any assertion from my or Lyxen's take on lore. In my game world, to get any of the factions to do something like send an army to your aid, you must be the point person for a world existential threat type challenge. If you're level 20 they might listen to you about mustering to aid you with a "personal matter." But that's my game world, where my 4-6th level groups are still learning about what a big world Faerun is. If your DM is the sort that encourages you to use factions in the manner you've outlined, go for it and have at it with epic battles and simple spoils or the revelation that victory may be a bitter event. And again, if your character ever actually explores Baludr's Gate, they'll learn pretty quick there are likely a number of local factions who could be cobbled together for not a sacking their home event, but something like a coup, where a whole litany of scores are violently settled and the survivors "make peace" and usher in a new order to the city (Baldur's Gate has a very organized thieves guild, there are also neighborhood "crews" that are not exactly local mafia in every case but thing benevolent community associations with teeth, in the outer city you have a Calishite community that seems marginalized and Dwarven community that elects to stay in the outer city, and then in the upper city there are partiar families who might be open to table flipping if they feel it's their families time for a seat at the big table). That ... actually seems to happen in Baldur's Gate a lot.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.