Helgabal

Helgabal, formerly known as Heliogabalus, was the largest city in Damara, and was once the seat of government until King Gareth moved the capital to Bloodstone Village in the mid-to-late 14 century DR. The capital was subsequently moved back to Helgabal in the mid-to-late 15 century DR.

Geography
Helgabal was located in central Damara, and sat on the northwestern shores of Lake Mogador at the mouth of the Goliad River. It lay within the borders of the Barony of Morov.

14th Century DR
Baron Dimian Ree of Morov also held the title of Mayor of the city beginning in 1357 DR. After 1359 DR, he was subordinate to King Gareth Dragonsbane.

15th Century DR
Lord Yarin Frostmantle ruled as a tyrannical king in the late 15th century DR.

Trade
Various independent merchant and trade guilds allowed Helgabal to heavily influence the supply of goods to all of Damara. Helgabal was the farthest stop north for most merchants traveling north into the Bloodstone Lands. Independent, and loyal to no one outside their respective guilds, the people here rarely objected to anything unless it interfered with day-to-day business.

Defense
The merchants guilds once maintained their own private militias by way of hired mercenaries. In 1367 DR, by decree of the king Dragonsbane, the guilds were ordered to disperse their private armies. The defense of Helgabal was maintained by paladins of Ilmater who led young recruits in protecting the city.

Guilds

 * Merchants Guilds - various
 * Trade Guilds - various
 * Thieves Guilds - Tightpurse

Faith
Although many Damarans were bitter about the loss of their former way of life before the rise and fall of Zhengyi, the worship of Ilmater gave them strength in the face of hardship and high hopes for the future. Paladins of Ilmater, particularly those from the Order of the Golden Cup, were a common sight, as were monks of Ilmater from the Monastery of the Yellow Rose.

History
Helgabal was founded as "Heliogabalus" around 1075 DR by Feldrin Bloodfeathers, First King of Damara. The Bloodfeathers had a long, unbroken line of kindly kings who ruled Damara from Helgabal until Zhengyi the Witch-King seized control of the kingdom in the. Up to this point, Helgabal had enjoyed the singular status of being its own separate province of Damara belonging to the crown. However, Zhengyi's newly appointed Baron of Morov, Dimian Ree, quickly moved his seat of power from Morovar to Helgabal, and then annexed Helgabal into the Barony of Morov. Dimian Ree would struggle to control the powerful merchants who ran the city, and clashed with Baron Gareth Dragonsbane of Bloodstone in the Bloodstone Wars two years later.

Following the defeat of Zhengyi and the crowning of Gareth Dragonsbane as the King of Damara in the, the capital of Damara was moved from Helgabal to Bloodstone Village. Meanwhile, Baron Dimian Ree still maintained a large amount of loyalty in central Damara where Helgabal lay. Publicly, Baron Ree proclaimed to be a public servant of the crown, but Grandmaster Kane of Spysong suspected Ree to be in cahoots with the Citadel of Assassins.

In the, Bloodstone Village (by then called Bloodstone City) was razed by the Warlock Knights of Vaasa, and the capital returned to Helgabal. The last heir to the Dragonsbane dynasty had been assassinated at this point by Lord Yarin Frostmantle, who had seized the throne. One of his edicts was to outlaw the old name of "Heliogabalus" and declare the city be called only "Helgabal." Any who violated this proclamation could be sentenced to death.