Elturgard
Elturgard, also known as the Kingdom of Two Suns, is a realm in the Western Heartlands of West Faerun. Ruled from the city of Elturel, Elturgard was a theocracy dedicated primarily to Torm and most well-known for the Companion, which hung above its capital city.
Structure
Elturgard is officially ruled from its capital, Elturel, by the High Observer. Each of the various settlements within Elturgard, except for the capital cities have their own governors and rulers that coordinate with the Imperial Commission, based out of Old High Harvest Home in Elturel.
History
For centuries, the various cities and towns that made up of Elturel were in close partnership, trading amongst one another and banding together in times of war. Of these cities, none was great than Elturel. Famed for its Hellriders, Elturel often found itself patrolling the lands of future Elturgard, keeping it safe from bandits, goblin warbands, and other threats. In time, people began to refer to the various cities in this region of the Western Heartlands as being "under Elturel's guard."
In 1447, Elturel's fortunes suddenly turned for the worse when the city's High Rider, Klav Ikaia, was revealed to be a vampire. Thus began the 20 day Reign of Vampires, which ended only upon the appearance of the Companion in the skies above the city. Naja Bellandi, a priest of Helm who was credited for the creation of the second sun, was named the city's new ruler as High Observer.
Bellandi died suddenly in 1449 and was replaced by Cathasach Restat, the founder of the Order of the Companion. Restat began leveraging the order's cultural and military influence to bind those under "Elturel's guard" into a more organized union. In 1453, Restat declared the creation of Elturgard as a genuine political entity.
For the next 50 years, Elturgard continued to slowly expand. The various other towns and cities in the country began to to assimilate more into Elturian culture and Restat's successor Thavius Kreeg, ordered that the management of Elturgardian cities had to be performed from the capital. Old High Harvest Home became the site of the city's Imperial Commission. Elturgard also began to pose a more significant threat to Baldur's Gate, though the two remained rivals only in trade and not yet in war.
During the Great Dragon War, Elturgard opposed the forces of the Cult of the Dragon but did officially join the Council of Waterdeep.
Foreign Relations
Even before the formation of Elturgard, Elturel and Baldur's Gate have shared a storied rivalry. While Baldur's Gate is often defined by its lawlessness and crime, Elturgard is known for its piety and lawfulness. Whenever Elturgard or Elturel detected that Baldur's Gate was seizing too much land, the nation imposed heavy taxes on all shipments coming down the Chionthar River. This generally served to curtail any inland expansion, though neither side is eager to test the military might of the other.
Founding Date
1453
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
Kingdom of Two Suns
Demonym
Elturgardian
Leader Title
Head of Government
Government System
Theocracy
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Items
Notable Members
Comments