Elturel

Elturel was a city lying on the River Chionthar in the Western Heartlands. It was a center for agriculture and trade in the region, and was renowned for its elite mounted defenders, the Hellriders.

Geography
The city was situated atop a bluff or cliff dominating the River Chionthar. This was both a good defensive position and a good crossing-point, as the river below was narrow, shallow, and easily traversed by poling barges; the city was founded here for this advantage. The river linked it with Berdusk, Iriaebor, and Scornubel, and to Baldur's Gate on the Sword Coast.

The Skuldask Road ran through Elturel, linking it to Thundar's Ride in the Fields of the Dead in the northwest, and to Berdusk and Uldoon's Trail in the sorthwest. The lesser-used [[Dusk Road began at Elturel and went northeast to meet the Trade Way at Triel.

After the Spellplague of 1385 DR, a small pocket of plagueland appeared a few miles south of the city.

History
Once an independent city, in 1479 DR, Elturel served as the capital of Elturgard.

Government
By 1356 DR, the city was ruled by its High Rider, Lord Dhelt, a former leader of the Hellriders. He remained in power through 1367 DR and past 1372 DR. His focus was on maintaining Elturel as the most efficient, secure, and well-policed city in the region, with interests in farming and trade. The Hellriders helped Elturel establish and maintain civilization in these harsh lands. He was known to be respectable and tolerant, as a leader who actively promoted trade while letting merchants getting on with business with minimum interference.

Elturel has only ever been noted as having a single, absolute ruler. Around 1479 DR, the city was ruled by the High Observer of Torm, who made certain that the city was run efficiently and that the area surrounding the city remained safe.

Relations
It was a member of the Lord's Alliance in the mid–14 century DR.

Elturel was a mutual rival of Scornubel,  a city of comparable size and capability lying upriver. Lord Dhelt looked for ways to overthrow Scornubel's position as the major trading town between Iriaebor and Waterdeep. and Elturians themselves endeavored to beat them in riches.

Defenses
Elturel's main defense in the 14 century DR was the Hellriders, a 2000-strong elite unit of well-equipped, loyal, and close-knit mounted troops. They were not only the guards and police of the city, they also patrolled the River Chionthar and surrounding roads, and escorted caravans from Waterdeep to Iriaebor. Significant raids, expeditions, and punitive assaults on aggressive demihumans were commanded by Lord Dhelt, the High Rider, or by the High Watcher of Helm Berelduin Shondar. All Hellriders were required to give a tenth of their earnings to Elturel's coffers.

After the Spellplague, Elturel was the home of many paladins, who ably protected the city from the forces of evil and plaguechanged creatures coming from the south. A shining orb known as the Companion hung over the city, although only the High Observer truly knew if this was a blessing of Amaunator. The orb produced light that was painful to undead, and could be seen from virtually anywhere within Elturgard.

Trade
Elturel was the farming center of the Fields of the Dead and thrived on the trade that passed through its domain. It was commonly rated as the second-most economically powerful city in the Western Heartlands after Scornubel. Traders greatly appreciated the protection afforded them by the Hellriders; caravans and convoys of riverboats chose routes through Elturel's zone of control so they could relax their own security, if only for a day or two.

The Dragoneye Dealing Coster had a way-base in Elturel around 1356 DR.

After the founding of Elturgard, the officials who handled trade in the city became overly righteous and handed exorbitant taxes and punishments to traders who demonstrated even the slightest impiety.

Culture & Society
It was said that every boy and girl of Elturel and the lands around dreamed of being a Hellrider some day, even those whose talents lay in the intellectual more than the martial arts. To call such a child a "hellion" was not an insult but a compliment, marking one as having the courage and drive to ride the Hellriders' destriers. Though they didn't all get special training, Elturians were practically raised in the saddle, learning how to ride and growing familiar with how horses behaved in any situation, even those that never became Hellriders. The downside was that, rightly or wrongly, some folk thought Elturians always smelled of horse.

In turn, all true warriors of Elturel were most likely Hellriders. Those who resigned were stripped of their gear, exiled from the city, and named a heretic in the eyes of Helm for abandoning their post. In the mid-1360s DR, there were no living ex-members of the Hellriders—too many had died in battle.

Elturian wizards, meanwhile, were safer in the saddle, being skilled at attacking from their mounts. They were much more capable of avoiding or resisting attacks while mounted than they on foot, being less able to react fast enough.

Often overlooked in the city's commercial success, Elturian rogues were themselves merchants and traders. They were charismatic, talented in subtle negotiations and driving slick bargains, and skilled in appraising items. However, fighting was bad for business, and Elturian rogues made poor and less-resilient combatants.

Description
The city was split into two districts: an upper city known as the High District and a lower city known as the Dock District.

In the mid-1300s DR, Elturel was home to two major temples: Helm's Shieldhall and the High Harvest Home. Thanks to Lord Dhelt's patronage, the Shieldhall was both the most influential temple in the city and one of the strongest temples of Helm, God of Guardians, in the North. High Watcher Bereldum Shondar ruled it with an iron fist and was aggressive in defense of the Helmite faith. The High Harvest Home, meanwhile, was dedicated to Chauntea, the Grain Goddess, and was managed by Raulauvin Oregh. There were also a few shrines, to Ilmater, the Crying God; Tempus, Lord of Battles; Tymora, Lady Luck; and Waukeen, the Merchant's Friend, which was rededicated to Lliira, the Joybringer, by 1367 DR after Waukeen's absence.

Notable Locations

 * Buildings:
 * High Hall, the castle where the High Rider lived.


 * Temples:
 * Helm's Shieldhall: a large fortress dedicated to Helm.
 * High Harvest Home: a temple to Chauntea.


 * Inns & Taverns:
 * A Pair of Black Antlers: the best known tavern in the city.
 * The Bent Helm: a tavern of poor quality.
 * Gallowgar's Inn: a ramshackle inn.
 * Hondakar's House: a big, expensive inn.
 * The Oar and Wagonwheel Inn: always crowded, noisy and often draughty.
 * Phontyr's Unicorn: a famous and expensive place to stay.
 * Symbril's House: a cozy place with pleasant view of the city's garden.

Appearances

 * Adventures:
 * Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Hoard of the Dragon Queen
 * The Rise of Tiamat
 * Video Games:
 * Icewind Dale
 * Icewind Dale: Heart of Winter