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Feldor’s Guide to Elturgard

Credits:

Written by Terry Herc

Creative Consultant: Nick Pengilley

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On the Cover: Straßenansicht von Ghent, by William Rainmund Dommerson (1885)

Fantasy cityscape with the Mauritshuis, by Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove (1837)
Blick auf den Schmiedebergerkamm, by Caspar David Freidrich (1837)
Lebhaftes Treiben auf dem Viehmarkt vor den Toren einer kleinen Kreisstadt an einem herbstlichen, by Karl
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The Stream in the Queen's Bower Wood, by Walter Crane and W. J. Linton (1862)
Крэўскі замак, by Unknown (1897)
Cerf dans un paysage forestier, by Gustave Doré (1870)
The Coast of Jutland Seen from Mølleknap Hills in Funen. Study, by Dankvart Dreyer (19th century)
Yosemite (Forest Fire in Moonlit Landscape), by Jules Tavernier (1881)
Character of Renaissance Architecture 0212, from 'Character of Renaissance Architecture' (1905)
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Elturgard is a theocracy that was
founded over 50 years ago, and now rules
over most of the Western Heartlands. A
nation consisting of expansive grassland,
dense forests and rolling hills, Elturgard is
split in three by the Chionthar river, which
runs through the middle of Elturgardian
territory. Travellers in these lands should be
on their best behaviour. The Hellriders and
Companions are two major military factions
who enforce the law, and they will not
hesitate to arrest troublemakers or even
execute those who are found undermining
the values of society.
Elturel is the capital of the nation of
Elturgard. Situated near the center of the
Western Heartlands, it is ruled by the High
Overseer, a priest of Torm named Thavus
Kreeg, who came into power nearly 40 years
   
ago. Now in the twilight of his years, many
are concerned that he has not yet chosen a
successor, though few speak openly.
Floating above Elturel is the
Companion, an orb that continuously emits
daylight, illuminating everything within a
hundred miles. The orb was created by
divine intervention, though there is
disagreement as to which deity created it.
Nevertheless, it has become a symbol of
goodness and many fight for justice in its
name.
Elturel has exploded with commerce
since the appearance of the Companion.
Situated along the northern banks of the
River Chionthar, Elturel is a natural
stopping point for those travelling by road
or boat on the way to Baldur’s Gate.
Elturel has historically been at odds
with surrounding nations and borders have
been inexact. However, it is now generally
agreed that the borders of Elturgard end
when a person on a horse cannot see the
Companion in the sky.
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 Extending for miles, these have been the site
of several fleeting gold rushes. The area
For an in-depth look at the village of would see bursts of activity driven by gold
Triel, please see Feldor’s Guide to Triel fever, as prospectors sought their fortune.
These bursts usually last only until the
Fifty years ago, Triel was another dot winter, when many would give up and leave
along the Trade Way, a major road following poorer than they arrived.
the edge of the Sword Coast. For decades Gold rushes are now quite rare, and
Triel could barely sustain itself amid most agree that mining in the hills is a fool's
shortages of food and fresh water. All that errand. Dozens of abandoned mines dot the
changed with the birth of the Companion, hills, with most long forgotten. There are a
the magical orb that continually emits scant few that operate regularly, and the
daylight above the city of Elturel. Since exact locations are often kept secret.
joining the theocracy of Elturgard, Triel has There are a few communities in the
seen increasing prosperity. Trielta Hills, mostly made up of gnomes and
The lands surrounding the village are halflings. These tiny hamlets are difficult to
filled with farmsteads and Triel is now an see on a surface as they are primarily
important source for grain, stone, and underground, but on occasion one can catch
timber. Triel has grown into a large village the faint whiff of hearth smoke. Most living
and is on the cusp of becoming a small town. in the hills are welcoming, if perhaps
It hosts a sizable market, well stocked shops, cautious of visitors.
and dozens of important villagers. New faces
appear each year as farmers and merchants
arrive looking for a new life.
The village still swells in size each
summer as hundreds of trade caravans pass
through. Peddlers sell their wares to would‐
be adventurers in the Golden Market and
the sprawling campground outside the
village. In years past most would leave in the
fall, but now many stay through the seasons.
Triel sees frequent disputes about
land ownership, especially with the poor
record keeping at the Elturel Land Registry.
Minor disputes are resolved at the village
council, but on rare occasions tensions flare
and blood is spilled. Serious matters are
taken to the high courts in Elturel, where the
Companions or High Overseer Kreeg dole
out justice

The Trielta Hills are rich with

minerals and sandwiched between the
Reaching Woods and the Forest of Wyrms.

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 Soubar is a small village located at the
northern edge of Elturgard territory, just
south of the Boareskyr Bridge. With a
population that shrinks dramatically in the
winter, Soubar is driven by the trade season
and sees its population rise and fall with the
seasons.
Soubar has a history of lawlessness,
and a blade is as good as a word while in
town. With no organized government, folk
are largely left alone, save for the occasional
visit by the Hellriders. Unsavoury folk
pushed out of Elturel may find themselves
here, and Soubar is regarded as being filled
with shadows and those that live among
them.
The largest building is the Winding
Way tavern, which is built atop the ruins of
a temple once dedicated to Bane. The owner
of the tavern is an eerie woman named Mag,
who has run the inn as long as anyone can
remember. None can say exactly how old
she is, and there are whispers that she is
touched by some dark power. She enforces
strict order at the tavern with her trio of
quick-footed swordsmen.
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Scornubel is sometimes known by its
second name, Caravan City. Situated at a
major crossroads along the Trade Way, the
river Chionthar is filled with barges and
boats. Roads leaving Scornubel are filled
with traders headed north, east, and west.
Scornubel fell into decline a century
ago after the disastrous Spellplague. Trade
was disrupted all along the Sword Coast and
many merchants lost their livelihoods
overnight. It was nearly a generation before
Elturgard rose up and the remaining
merchants of Scornubel joined the
theocracy.
Since then Scornubel has entered a
renaissance. Many of the old buildings have
been torn down and replaced, particularly
the gambling dens, to adhere closer to
values of the Church of Torm. There are still
many dark corners in the streets of
Scornubel. The light of the Companion casts
long shadows, and there are still those that
stalk the night as they did before Elturgard
came into power over the city.
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 Marking the northern edge of
Elturgarian territory, the Boareskyr Bridge
was the site of a legendary battle between
the gods Cyric and Bhall. South of the
bridge, where Cyric threw Bhall into the
Winding Water river, the water is tainted
with deadly poison.
Just west of the bridge is the grand
Bridgefort, a keep built by the paladins of
Elturgard. Over time the protection offered
by its thick walls has caused a small
nameless village to flourish. Travellers can
find all the standard village fare including a
tavern, a general store, and a stable.
At this distance the Companion can
only be seen on the horizon from atop the
walls of the Bridgefort. The Hellriders patrol
the south of the bride and rarely venture
across it. The proximity to the Forest of
Wyrms makes it common to see green
dragons in the sky, though there has been no
attack on the Bridgefort in years.
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The Forest of Wyrms is filled with
green dragons, wyverns, owlbears, and giant
redwood trees. With yuan-ti invading the
north from the Serpent Hills and wandering
bands of adventurers to the west, most
dragons now make their home in the eastern
woods. Still, the occasional whelp can be
found along the western edge of the forest,
stealing livestock from nearby farmers.
With many of the ancient dragons
slain or displaced, some say the heart of the
forest is filled with abandoned and treasure-
filled lairs. Those who have ventured into
the forest occasionally return with loot,
while others return only with tales of yuan-
ti temples and horrific sacrifices.
The forest is very wet, and the ground
is often covered in plumes of mist which
makes travel slow and uncomfortable. The
woods grow so thick that sometimes you can
travel for hours without seeing the sunlight.
Most choose to avoid these woods entirely.
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 Hardbuckler is a small gnomish town
built along the Dusk Road as it wraps
around the northern edges of the Reaching
Woods. Protected by an array of ingenious
defences, the high walls and machine
mounted weapons are enough to deter even
the bravest bandits. Considered a pleasant
place to share a meal or a story, Hardbuckler
is a bastion of civilization on the wild
frontier. Located at the edge of Elturgard’s
reach, the gnomes value their independence
and ignore pressure to join the theocracy.
The true town lies below the surface,
where tunnels and cellars create a network
of passages, rooms, and catacombs. For
every room on the surface, it is said there are
five times as many below the surface.
Friendly but private, the gnomes of
Hardbuckler are tight lipped about their
secrets and few know exactly how big the
town is.
Most believe that Hardbuckler
harbours an entrance into the Underdark
and that the gnomes will delve deep below
the surface to retrieve gems
and ore for their inventions.
Some say that the gnomes
have even established an
underground trade route
that rivals the Trade Way
itself.
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Blackened ruins are all that remains
of this fortified keep built along the River
Chionthar. Many years ago, a mysterious
catastrophe destroyed the fort and the
battalion of paladins garrisoned inside.
Dedicated to the glory of Torm, none say
publicly what disaster caused the
destruction of the most sophisticated
fortresses of Elturgard. Questions posed to
High Overseer Kreeg are met only with
anger.
Those that have been near the ruins
have seen the effects of the disaster. Stone
that has sagged under intense heat. A barren
circle of earth, half a mile wide where
nothing grows. Trees twisted and gnarled
for miles, oozing sticky black sap.
A battalion of Hellriders are
permanently stationed outside the ruins
under the direction of a trio of Companions.
It is said that they bring their own rations
and eating anything from the nearby lands
causes a terrible sickness. All entrances to
the fort are blocked with magical barricades.
Nothing can enter or
escape while under
the vigilance of
the guardians
of the ruins.
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 The Reaching Woods are located east
of Elturel and stretch across both sides of
the River Chionthar. The woods are humid
and misty from the constant rain and the
low river banks. The edges of the forest are
dotted with the sites of abandoned villages
and ruins, packed between the ancient trees.
Once home to a mighty herd of
centaurs, they have not been seen in many
years, and most are believed to have been
killed by bands of roaming bugbears. Some
say the centaurs simply moved into the
deepest depths of the forest, abandoning all
connection to outside civilization.
Satyrs, dryads, and other fey creatures
are known to inhabit the forest. They are
very protective of their home, yet they have
been known to help a lost traveller find their
way. Recently High Overseer Kreeg has
banned entrance or exit from the woods.
The official decree states that the quarantine
has to do with a fey sickness, however there
are few that believe that explanation.
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The Wood of Sharp Teeth, sometimes
known as the Glimmerwood, lies south of
the River Chionthar. Since the coming of the
Companion the trees on the northern and
eastern edges of the forest have grown to
some of the tallest ever seen. The trees can
be seen from many miles away, rising on the
horizon like mountains.
Once home to an ancient group of
elves, they abruptly abandoned the forest
many centuries ago. The woods are dotted
with traces of their culture, and it is
common to find pieces of stone inscribed
with weathered elven script.
Lycanthropy is prevalent in the woods
and many folks infected with the disease
find their way here. Casting off their feral
reputation, the lycanthropes have built a
complex society and claimed the forest as
their own. Some say they inhabit an elven
ruin deep within the forest and are restoring
it to its past greatness. To date, none have
seen such a fabled place and proven the tale.
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 Berdusk is a massive city located on
the banks of the River Chionthar near the
southern reaches of Elturgard. Renowned
for its artisans and trade power, since
joining Elturgard it has seen mixed success
conforming to the pious aims of the
theocracy. There is a lot of old money in
Berdusk, and the source of wealth at times
remain questionable.
Berdusk has seen tough times yet
continues to grow, with official residents
numbering well over twenty thousand. The
activities of the Harpers seem to be centered
on this city, and although the Companions
do no officially condone their activities, they
generally turn a blind eye and see them as a
force of good in the world.
Great poets, writers and artisans are
born in Berdusk, and they rival those of even
Waterdeep. The city exports fine art and
frequently hosts the performance of plays
and famed bards. The local nobility is not
born of high blood, and instead has
purchased their way into the upper reaches
of society. Though they have persisted for
generations, there are still those who resent
them.
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These expansive grasslands stretch
across the Sword Coast and have been the
site of hundreds of ancient battles. Buried
beneath the surface are thousands of lost
soldiers whose names and causes are
forgotten. It is common for a farmer to dig
up a rusted sword or helm while tilling their
field.
Since the appearance of the
Companion the grasslands have seen
incredible growth, and the blades blow in
the wind like a wild green sea. The southern
reaches of the Fields are ideal for farmland
and land is quickly being doled out to eager
homesteaders. Sections of land have been
dug up as far north as the Boareskyr Bridge
as many seek a new life in Elturgard.
Shepherds and free folk disapprove of
the homesteading in the Fields, who view
the land as their ancestral home. There is a
great deal of tension between the new
farmers, who want to earn a living, and the
old residents, who see their lives having
been stolen. The Triel village council must
often resolves these land disputes, and
heated arguments have often come to blows.
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 to be shepherds or cobblers are agents in
disguise, listening with eager ears for secrets
This small isolated forest is about a to be sold.
half a day’s travel north of Hardbuckler. Although open about their allegiance
Home to tribes of goblinoids, the forest is to biggest sack of gold, the Zhentarim have
ruled over by a ruthless hobgoblin king. A other goals. They cautiously seek to reclaim
fierce creature, he keeps his troops in check the power they have lost in recent years.
with strict punishments and brutal Each day more agents of the Zhentarim
executions. make their way out from Darkhold to
Some say the hobgoblin king has his infiltrate the highest ranks of other nations.
eyes set on Hardbuckler, seeking to loot the It is said that some of High Overseer Kreeg’s
town for the mysterious gnomish treasures. inner council in Elturgard report directly to
It is said that the goblinoids have allied with the Pereghost, although the rumors must
forces in the Underdark and intend to attack surely be false.
Hardbuckler from both above and below
ground. Orc bands have also been seen in
the area, and finely crafted siege equipment
have been glimpsed between the trees.
Rumors that the goblinoids have a
powerful magical artifact are believed to be
false. However, a missing detachment of
Hellriders lead many to be concerned. High
Overseer Kreeg says nothing openly about
the threat, but none the less, a group of
Companions have been dispatched to the
area.

Darkhold is situated in the Far Hills

under the shadow of the Sunset Mountains.
With the Companion a barely visible speck
from atop Darkhold’s walls, the reach of
Elturgard stops well short of the fortress.
The westernmost stronghold of the
Zhentarim, it is ruled over by the mysterious
Pereghost, a powerful and seemingly
immortal leader. Under the Pereghost, the
Zhentarim have shed their reputation as
cutthroats and have reborn as a group of
ruthless mercenaries.
Built in the shadow of the keep is the
small village of Darkhold Vale, which has
flourished under the watch of the
Zhentarim. Travellers should be wary of
what they say in town, as many who appear

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These are some of the groups that can
influence events in Elturgard. Some groups
operate solely in secret, while others act
openly.
The Church of Torm is a powerful
group in Elturgard, seeking to reinforce
their religious hold on the nation with the
construction of new temples and
monuments. Many support the church’s
aims, although some worry they will
overwhelm other religious sects and erode
the traditional values of the region. Most of
the Companions worship Torm, but there
are some who do not.
The Companions are a religiously
diverse group of paladins united by their
Creed Resolute. The official borders of
Elturgard are marked by the divine light of
the second sun, the Companion, and these
paladins dole out justice anywhere the light
touches. There are two hundred
Companions, all of whom report directly to
High Overseer Kreeg.
The Emerald Enclave views the
endless day brought by the Companion as
unnatural and see its effect as detrimental
and destined to fail eventually. They wish
that the light of the Companion would cease
immediately before more of the natural
order is disrupted. Members of the Emerald
Enclave do little to support Elturgard.
The Harpers have many supporters
in Elturgard, with many believing they are
seated in Berdusk. The Harpers have great
respect for the Hellriders and hope they can
restore their former glory. In contrast the
Harpers buckle under the Companions,
seeing their application of the law as
reckless.
The Hellriders are an ancient
military force that has protected the lands
around Elturel for centuries. The Hellriders
were nearly destroyed when their leader was
   
turned into a vampire, and it was only the
divine light of the Companion that saved the
order. They are now little more than the
standing army of Elturgard, relegated to
simple patrols and city defence. There are
currently about two thousand members of
the Hellriders.
The Lord’s Alliance has little sway in
the region, however there have been visitors
from the far north suspected of meeting
with High Overseer Kreeg. The Alliance
seeks new allies and a friend in Elturgard
would help keep the North free. People
claiming to come from Waterdeep are
usually suspected of being members of the
Alliance.
The Order of the Gauntlet has a
strong standing in Elturgard and most
worshippers of Torm would lend support to
the Order’s cause. Most of the Companions
are suspected to be members of the Order,
and many believe that High Overseer Kreeg
is deeply immersed. Members of the Order
would find open doors in Elturgard, with
many moving to the nation with the promise
of peace.
The Zhentarim are officially
outlawed within Elturgard, and members
are punished with imprisonment or death.
However, the amount of trade passing
through Elturgard many to suspects that the
Zhentarim seek a stronger foothold. Anyone
could represent the Zhentarim, though they
would soon be discovered by the Hellriders
or the Companions.
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Feldor Brewbarrel was a legendary
bard who perished far too soon. His ancestry
stretched back to one of the greatest dwarf
clans of Mirabar, but he was very much a
citizen of Waterdeep, where his heart and
his feet rest most of the time. Feldor spent
much of his youth travelling the Sword
Coast and beyond, learning the songs of the
locals, and singing them at loud volumes
late into the night. A soul who followed his
whims wherever they took him, he broke
many hearts, and was not prone to staying
to pick up the pieces.
12
For many years he had kept extensive
journals of the people and places he had
travelled. There were few more well read or
better travelled than he. It is from these
records that he began publishing his great
treatise about the Sword Coast. Scant was
there an inn, ale house, tavern, or gambling
den he had not set foot in. An incorrigible
sort, he would talk the ear of an earl, and
then spend the evening whispering sweet
poetry into the ears of a duchess.
So many were the words and ways of
Feldor, that it was such a terrible shame he
met his death too early. It was on his most
dangerous and ultimately final journey that
he once again met with Moradin at the
eternal forge. May his soul rest in piece, and
his words live on so that others can share in
some of the bliss he experienced in life.
Another round of drinks for the great
Feldor Brewbarrel!
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