Elturel

[DM Leverage]

Elturel (Large City, 22,671)
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting -

If Elturel's ruler, High Rider Lord Dhelt (LG male human Pal17 of Helm), were an evil man, his city's position atop a cliff that dominates the River Chionthar would cause no end of trouble for the other trading cities of the region. Fortunately for the peace and prosperity of the Chionthar valley, Dhelt confines his competitive instincts to running the safest, best policed, and most efficient trading and farming community in the Western Heartlands. In these harsh lands, civilization depends on military power, and Elturel proves the rule with a crack army of two hundred mounted warriors known as the Hellriders. Caravans and riverboat convoys take routes into Elturel's zone of control just so that they can relax and leave a day or two of vigilance to Lord Dhelt's soldiers.

[DM Leverage]

- Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast -

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 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.


The Bent Helm - Tavern

This dockside tavern is Elturel’s rowdiest dive. It is a brawling pit visited by those who like to get thoroughly drunk and then have a good fight.

Its signboard is visible from afar: a brightly polished, gigantic war helm hanging from a spar on a stout chain. The helm was worn by a giant in a long-ago battle just north of Elturel. It is bent halfway up at a sharp angle to the right as a result of a leaping dwarf king’s axe. The death of the giant was the other result.

The helm now serves as a beacon for brawlers from all over the city, as well as visiting adventurers and caravan guards. Don’t come here if you want to relax, enjoy some minstrelry or quiet, or conduct a little business in peace. All the flying tankards make it hard to concentrate.


A Pair of Black Antlers - Tavern

This tavern stands on the west side of Maidensbridge Street, just south of where it swings westward to cross the bridge it is named for and run around the northern end of the central heights of the city to link up with Westerly. Outside the city, A Pair of Black Antlers is the best known of Elturel’s taverns because it’s the gathering place for those who seek adventure. Old, retired warriors, young and bright-eyed would-bes, and weary adventurers alike all come here.

The walls of A Pair of Black Antlers are decorated over the bar with a truly gigantic rack of antlers. I climbed up on the bar—as many others have done before—to measure them, marveling. They’'re fully 20 feet across! The walls are also dotted with the relics and trophies of many adventurers: old, notched and scarred weapons; split shields; the heads, tails, and claws of sundry shocked-looking, dusty, long-dead monsters; and fading maps, bloodstained and covered with angry error-correcting scribbles, of old castle dungeons, dwarven holds, tombs,and other subterranean complexes that presumably once held rich treasures. (Some of these maps may well be palpable forgeries.)


Gallowgar’s Inn - Inn

This ramshackle, well-worn inn sprawls in all directions in the midst of Elturel’s dockside stockyards, looking just like the spider web of clumsily linked buildings that it is. Well known for its affable host, Guldin Gallowgar, it’s also known as the Manure Pile to folk of delicate noses who'’ve had to stay there in hot summer weather.


Phontyr’s Unicorn - Inn

This famous inn is named for the ally, lifelong friend, and possible love of the long-dead mage Phontyr Wonderspell —a glowing unicorn whose hooves never touch the ground. Some say the seldom-seen unicorn is a manifestation of the goddess Mielikki. Others swear she is a polymorphed sorceress that Phontyr loved who is trapped forever in unicorn form— Phontyr could not free her from magic greater than his own. Still others say it is Lurue or Silverymoon, the Divine Beast. Cult of the Unicorn members bought the inn to be near the unicorn. They typically fall on their knees and chant with adoration when it is seen.