Elturel (Pre 1494 DR)
Sword coast Adventurer's Guide, 5e
Elturel is a city on a hill. It stands overlooking the River Chionthar, constantly illuminated by the Companion. A major location along the trade route through the Western Heartlands, Elturel and its environs for many miles around are a safe haven for visitors and citizens alike. Much of this safety comes from the efforts of the Hellriders, whose cavalry patrol the roads that lead into Elturgard, as well as the paths along the river. In the city's center, directly beneath the Companion, is a cliff-sided tor that holds aloft the High Hall. This castle, whose walls surround the summit of the mount, is home to the High Observer, and to a great deal of the bureaucracy of Elturgard. A stream runs out of the center of the castle, spawned by the powerful springs in its cellars. It flows north across the tor's top and then down one of its cliffs in a series of waterfalls called the Maiden's Leap. By canal it forms a moat for the eastern Dock District, before it joins the Chionthar. Along the stream across the tor lies the long, narrow garden, an open place of flowers, wooded paths, and arched bridges. The Garden is a favorite meeting place for citizens of Elturel and retains a wild beauty in winter. The rich folk of the city dwell nearest the garden atop the tor, while folk in the town below live mostly in tall, narrow homes that are rich in balconies and windows. Its benefits notwithstanding, the constant illumination that bathes Elturel can be difficult for newcomers to adjust to. Inns and boarding halls usually swathe the windows of their guest rooms in thick cloth to block out the light so that visitors can get some sleep. Without the onset of dawn or dusk to frame the day's labors, citizens rely on the tolling of the bells from the High Hall to denote the start and end of the workday. The lack of natural darkness means the city sees less of the sorts of activities that city folk in other places often undertake at night. Elturel has a low incidence of brawling and ambushes in the alleys around its inns and taverns, and those who would engage in thievery must be especially careful and shrewd to succeed.Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide, 4e
The city of Elturel rests atop a cliff that dominates the River Chionthar. A shining orb hangs like an eternal promise directly over the city’s center, providing a golden companion to the sun’s light by day, and reassuring sunlike illumination by night. The heatless second sun is called the Companion or Amaunator’s Gift, though no one but the High Observer knows if the object was truly bestowed by the sun god. Whatever its provenance, the Companion’s illumination suffuses the city, and undead of every sort are burned by its touch. Elturel is the capital of the wider kingdom it claims. The city is ruled by the High Observer of Torm, who keeps order within the city and the wider realm through a knighthood of paladins who share Elturgard’s goal of one day bringing righteous judgment to all Faerûn. Numerous citizens dream of joining the knighthood, and many succeed. Though not all serve the same god, all have sworn oaths to Elturgard and wear the blazing insignia of the Companion. As in previous generations, Elturel sees to it that the city and surrounding lands are the safest, best policed, and most efficient trading and farming community in the Western Heartlands. Caravans and riverboat convoys dread tying up in Elturel. More than anywhere else, travelers must be on their guard lest they use profane language, joke in an impious way, or otherwise accidentally anger the righteous port officials. Taxes are high for such offenses, and penalties include stripping a trader of the right to enter the city.Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast, 2e
This city is the farming center of the Fields of the Dead, and its Hellriders guard and police not only Elturel, but much of the farmed and settled portions of the Fields along the Skuldask Road, the Dusk Road, and both banks of the River Chionthar. The long patrols of the Hellriders, 30 riders strong, pass along the roads every four hours, night and day. The upkeep of the patrols is aided by lodges (stockaded outposts) placed strategically within their patrol area, where food, water, flammables, weapons, and fresh mounts are kept for them. These lodges are protected against arson and casual theft by strong wards, one of the tokens for which is shown below. Elturel is ruled wisely and well by High Rider Lord Dhelt, a paladin of Helm who is ever-vigilant when it comes to the defense of his city - and to lawless elements who might skulk in to do business in it. A just, no-nonsense ruler who leads patrols on the road as often as any of his war captains, Dhelt keeps the city a clean, law-abiding place, a firm member of the Lords' Alliance. His 2,000 Hellriders are superbly equipped and trained - a fearsome fighting force equalled by few realms in Faerûn, Hellriders must be skilled at the use of horse bow, lance, and saber before they are allowed to ride the roads. Travelers can rejoice in the safety of Elturel's reach, which extends as far as Triel along the Dusk Road, as far as the intersection with Thundar's Ride along the Skuldask Road to the north, as far as Scornubel along the Chionthar upstream, as far south toward Berdusk as Windstream Lodge (one of the Hellrider lodges), and as far downstream along the Chionthar as Stone Eagle Lodge (another Hellrider lodge). It's easy to tell these boundaries. Sheep and cattle wander on all sides when you're inside them, and brush is cut back, with hedged and stone-walled farms here and there. Outside Elturel's sway, farms and livestock are gone, and scrub trees and shrubs are everywhere.Landmarks
Elturel thrives on trade. It's a city of folk passing through. Barge trade on the Chionthar meets overland trade in the city where a six-wagon ferry crosses the river. The heart of the city is a cliff-sided Ward Token of a Hellrider Lodge tor, a natural stronghold that was held by trolls and then orcs before humans drove them out and first settled here. Its south or river end is capped by the soaring turrets of High Hall, the castle from which the High Rider rules. A long, wooded park runs along the ridgetop of the heights, watered by a spring that rises in the cellars of High Hall and runs down the Winter Garden to cascade off the tor at the northern end in a spectacular series of falls known as Maidens' Leap. On the slopes around are the tall, narrow, many-balconied homes of the nobles. Below this High District are the flatlands of the city, known as the Dock District. The Dragoneye Dealing Coster has a major waybase hard by the docks, and the caster's organized presence and the watchful patrols of the Riders, assisted by a trained and loyal guild of handlers (goods loaders and unloaders on the docks and wagons), keep this one of the safest dockside areas in all Faerûn. To the east, warehouses and hovels crowd together around the docks and the crammed stalls of Shiarra's Market. The more prosperous and orderly homes and shops west of the heights are still part of Dock District, but are increasingly referred to as Westerly, a separation used to imply cleanliness and prosperous success - or, to look at it from the other view, laziness, soft living, and pretentious arrogance. Whatever the sneers exchanged, no one denies that this city is wealthy. The traveler can wander about anywhere in Elturel in perfect safety. The chief danger is from pickpockets, not knife-wielding thugs. No thieves' guild is tolerated in this city - and the best way to attract some hard questioning from a lot of eager-looking Riders with drawn swords is to whisper that so-and-so is a member of or such-and-such an incident is the work of a thieves' band. The inns and taverns of the city are all fairly good - the lone exception that comes to mind is the poor but cheap Oar and Wagon Wheel Inn, and even it is always crowded with noisy patrons. The establishments described in this guide are among the most interesting - that is, shady and rough - in the city. Elturel is home to a shrine to Tempus and two important temples. Both of the temples give temporary shelter and aid to the devout. Helm's Shieldhall is a large holy fortress ruled over by High Watcher Berelduin Shondar, also known as Bereld the Just, a stern priest who leads as many Rider patrols as Lord Dhelt. The High Harvest Home, a temple to Chauntea, is presided over by High Harvestmaster Baulauvin Oregh - one of the most goddess-favored servants of Chauntea in all Faerûn.Forgotten Realms Adventures, 2e
Who Rules: High Rider Lord Dhelt (LG hm Pal(of Helm)16), a tolerant and respected man who keeps his city part of the Lords' Alliance (see Baldur's Gate, above). Who Really Rules: Lord Dhelt's rule is unquestioned, and considered both fair and just. He takes a light hand in daily affairs, leaving the merchants of Elturel freedom to operate within the large boundaries he permits. Population: 26,778 (registered real population averages 29,000 in winter and about 33,000 in summer, not including the farmers of the Fields of the Dead, who crowd into the city in times of war. The many warehouses and cellars of the city (hewn out of solid rock beneath the houses of the High District) allow Elturel to briefly hold upward of 400,000 folk, if plague or an orc horde comes down on the land. Major Products: Leatherwork, livestock (meat, cheese), wool, and glues (rendered from the hooves and horns of livestock). Armed Forces: The Hellriders, consisting of skilled horsemen armed with spears, composite bows (they can fire from the saddles of their moving mounts without penalty), and long, curved sabres (treat as scimitars) are usually 2,000 strong. They guard and police the city, even patrolling the river nearby by means of four rowing-barges, and protect the lands around with their famous mounted patrols. A patrol is typically 30 strong. Fresh mounts are kept at guardhouses throughout the Fields of the Dead, and a patrol passes a given point on the roads about every four hours, every day and night around. Warning beacons have been set up all across the farmlands north, east, and west of Elturel, and watchers on the roofwalks of High Hall are always on duty, peering over the lands below in search of approaching Hellriders or the light and smoke of a lit beacon. Notable Mages:- Baranta Chansil (CG hf W14), a diminutive, bright little whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm, whose name is often linked romantically with that of Lord Dhelt, by watchful and wistful citizens.
- Orsar Greencloak (NG hem W(T)15), a close-mouthed recluse concerned with making and perfecting spells, items, and potions concerned with flight. He is a secret friend of Lord Dhelt, and serves the lord as a spy within the city; unbeknownst to most of his fellow citizens, he spends much time slipping about cloaked in magical invisibility while in wraithform. He makes his living selling the potions he makes. There is a 1 in 10 chance that Orsar will have 2-5 potions of any particular type requested on hand (though at phenomenal prices).
- Helm's Shieldhall, temple of Helm; High Watcher Berelduin Shondar (LN hm P18), Bereld the Just, a stern and warlike patriarch who leads Hellrider patrols as often as Lord Dhelt does; 21 priests, 85 followers.
- The High Harvest Home, temple of Chauntea; High Priest and Harvestmaster Raulauvin Oregh (NG hm P20 18 priests, 42 followers.
- Shrines to Ilmater, Tempus, Tymora, Waukeen.
- Hondakar's House, a large inn in the heart of the High District (excellent/ expensive
- Symbril's House, a small, cozy inn near Maidens' Leap in the High District, overlooking (and opening into) the Garden (excellent/moderate).
- Phontyr's Unicorn, a converted former factory, which is ramshackle, eccentric, and friendly, the scene of shady deals and much late-night business (good/cheap
- Gallowglar's Inn, a warm but wellworn, low-beamed place that sprawls amid the aromatic stockyards (fair/ moderate
- The Oar and Wagonwheel Inn, a raucous, drafty barn of a place, always crowded and never quiet (poor/cheap).
- The best-known of Elturel's taverns is A Pair of Black Antlers, a dimly-lit, wood-panelled place adorned with a pair of stag's antlers fully 20 feet across, and many adventurers' relics and paraphernalia.
- Also popular among louder carousers is The Bent Helm, a dockside establishment favored by smugglers and other shady sorts, and often visited by 20- strong Hellrider foot patrols, called in to quell yet another brawl.
- Dathlyr the Hammer Greybold (LG dm F8), an adventurer active in exploring the ruins of The Fallen Kingdom, from which he has gleaned many treasures.
- Folehar Flametree (CN half-m F6/T7), an adventurer and merchant often chided by Lord Dhelt when his smuggling activities anger authorities in Amn, Baldur's Gate, Iriaebor and Waterdeep. He deals in rare and unique goods, such as magic plundered from tombs, gems stolen from royal treasuries, kidnapped heirs and heiresses, and the like.
- Mither Mandaroze (CN hm T6), a fat, jovial weapons outfitter and fence of stolen goods.
- Shandeir (CG hf W16), a sharptongued, spirited adventuring mage known for salty jokes, pranks, and for riding a friendly copper dragon about, when she travels.
Type
Capital
Population
18,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Elturian
Comments