Hello everybody Jorphdan here the PH is silent.
Today I’d like to talk about the region Elturgard and more specifically it’s capital
Elturel.
With new lore added recently thanks to Baldur’s Gate Descent into Avernus.
This video will have some Descent into Avernus spoilers, so if you’re playing in that game
you might want to stop this video.
Don’t spoil the epic adventure for yourself!
Elturgard is located in the western heartlands, just west of Baldur’s Gate off the sword
coast.
Elturgard was ruled from the city of Elturel as a theocracy.
Priests and Paladins of Torm directed the cities government.
The river Chionthar is next to Elturel and flows down past Baldur’s Gate into the ocean.
It was in the late 1350s DR that Elturel started conquering the neighboring cities and placed
them in “Elturel’s Guard.”
which made them the regional power.
“Elturel’s Guard…”
“Elturgard” get it?
Elturel was a natural stronghold that was held by trolls, then orcs, before humans drove
them out and settled there.
It’s main industry is trade, with agriculture from the surrounding regions contributing.
The people of Elturgard have their problems, goblins, orcs, even nagas and other creatures
harass and attack it’s citizens.
Protection was partially how Elturel was able to acquire the nearby land.
Elturel has an elite group of cavalry known as the Hellriders that patrol Elturgard and
protect its citizens.
The Hellriders were well-established and famous across Faerun through the late 1350s.
It was rumored that the Hellriders got their name because long ago warriors of Elturel
rode through a gate into the first layer of the Nine Hells, Avernus, to destroy devils
that had been plaguing the city.
It wasn’t until we got more information in the adventure Baldur’s Gate Descent into
Avernus that the true story really came out.
Zariel an angel from Mount Celestia defied her superiors and came to Elturel where she
rallied an army of warriors and trained them to fight.
Her goal was to take them into the Nine Hells and fight in the blood war, stopping both
devil and demon.
In 1354 DR Zariel led her forces in an event known as “the Ride.”
Her mortal warriors fought bravely but the devils and demons proved too much and many
of them fled the Nine Hells and sealed the portal behind them.
Leaving Zariel there with many of their compatriots.
Never revealing their shameful retreat the warriors came back to Elturel and became known
as the Hell Riders.
The leader of the Hell Riders was known as the High Rider, and in 1444 DR the High Rider
was discovered to be a vampire, with a network of charmed minions, other vampires, and undead
allies.
This was a shock to everyone, even most of the Hell Riders, but the undead were so entrenched
within Elturel it seemed impossible to root out the entire problem.
It was said that all Elturians prayed to the gods each night for the dawn to come sooner,
to keep the undead and vampires at bay.
Then one terrible night where the morning seemed like it would never appear a second
sun manifested in the sky.
This suddenly turned night into day and the High Rider Vampire Lord and his spawn suddenly
turned to ash.
The remaining undead forces fled out of Elturel to get away from the light.
This light was like a small second sun, it hovered above the High Hall of Elturel and
illuminated the entire city.
It became known as The Companion.
The people of Elturel cheered at the gods saving them and assumed the light would disappear
once the natural sun rose that morning.
But it did not.
The Companion stayed and although shed no heat did protect Elturel and the surrounding
areas with its sunlight.
No-one was exactly sure where the second sun had come from.
Many started calling it “Amounator’s Gift” Amounator being the sun god.
This re-invigorated the city.
Many traveled to be bathed in the light of The Companion, some thought it would heal
their sicknesses, others wanted to experience the blessing of a god.
Paladins of Torm got together and formed the Order of the Companion protecting Elturel
from threats.
Despite Torm being the major deity worshiped in Elturel other gods were accepted, even
those Paladins who are part of the Order of the Companion would worship Tyr, Helm, or
Amaunator.
These Paladins live up to an oath they took more than a directive from a particular god.
Their oath is known as the Creed Resolute, which says they must serve the High Observer
and the greater good.
To uphold Elturgard’s law.
The Hellriders also adopted this creed and Elturgard was seen as a holy place, with holy
warriors.
It was Thravus Kreeg who took credit for the Companion, the sun above Elturel.
He said it was his prayers that were answered and was soon declared High Observer ruling
over Elturel and wisley ruled he did.
Elturel became a Holy City of Torm under protection from the Order of the Companion, and the elite
calvary the Hell Riders.
It can be difficult for newcomers coming to Elturel with the constant daylight.
Inns often hang thick cloth to block out the light so visitors can sleep, and citizens
rely on the tolling of bells to know when labors have ended for the day.
Thavus Kreeg, High Observer of Elturel and priest of Torm, had a secret.
He prayed to Torm to protect his city from the undead threat.
He prayed to other gods for their intervention.
Finally he prayed to anyone who would hear him, and it was Zariel that answered.
This second sun was not the doing of Amaunator, nor any god.
The fallen angel Zariel appeared before Thravus Kreeg in a pillar of fire and offered him
a deal.
Thravus seeing no hope left quickly accepted.
Zariel offered to save Elturel, but for a price would be paid later on.
The second sun of radiant light hovering above Elturel was in actuality an imprisoned planetar,
The clock was ticking and after several decades of peace and prosperity the city of Elturel,
and Thravus Kreeg had to pay their dues.
The large white orb, The Companion, transformed into a crackling ball of black energy that
grew and enveloped the entire city.
Transporting Elturel into Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells.
Thravus Kreeg escaped because he knew the time and date when Elturel would be taken.
It’s currently up to you, adventurers of the realms who can travel to the Nine Hells
and hopefully figure out a way to return Elturel back to the Prime Material Plane.
Thanks for watching and thanks to my patrons on patreon that keep these videos going.
It’s interesting how Wizards of the Coast expanded upon this mythology setup in 3rd
and 4th edition.
I believe that’s the fun of the Realms.
The unexplained stuff that new writers can take and make into an interesting story.
Give the video a thumbs up, share it with your gaming group and I’ll see you all in
the next one.