Year of the Seductive Cambion

Plague / Epidemic

In the Year of the Seductive Cambion, 1444 DR, Gulthias the High Rider of Elturel was discovered to be a vampire, with a vast network of vampire spawn, charmed minions, undead allies, and sycophantic collaborators. Now exposed, the undead infested Elturel, and whatever victories the Hellriders won during the days, they lost sorely in the nights. It was said the Elturians prayed to the gods each night just for the dawn to come sooner.   One, Thavius Kreeg, then a priest of Torm, pleaded to any power to save his city, and in that moment his reckless prayer was answered—by the archdevil Zariel, stepping from a pillar of fire with a deal to make, to which he hastily agreed. Though the city would receive its much-needed aid, it would last but fifty years, after which Zariel would take the whole city and its people. Thavius also swore to serve her in all ways for all time.   Then a second sun appeared in the sky, turning night to day, and blasting the vampire lord and his spawn to ashes while the remaining undead cowered from its light. Elturel was swiftly liberated from their dead grip. Taking the credit, Thavius was acclaimed as the savior of Elturel, and few would doubt his goodness or his intent. Only he knew the true origin of the mysterious second sun.   The Companion, as it became known, remained; the "miracle" brought pilgrims: the sick, the curious, and the devout of many faiths, including many paladins. The best of the paladins was appointed ruler of Elturel, titled the High Observer, who then established the Order of the Companion and the Creed Resolute to keep the paladins of different faiths in order.

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In the Year of the Seductive Cambion, 1444 DR, the High Rider of Elturel was discovered to be a vampire, with a vast network of vampire spawn, charmed minions, undead allies, and sycophantic collaborators. Now exposed, the undead infested Elturel, and whatever victories the Hellriders won during the days, they lost sorely in the nights. It was said the Elturians prayed to the gods each night just for the dawn to come sooner.   One, Thavius Kreeg, then a priest of Torm, pleaded to any power to save his city, and in that moment his reckless prayer was answered—by the archdevil Zariel, stepping from a pillar of fire with a deal to make, to which he hastily agreed. Though the city would receive its much-needed aid, it would last but fifty years, after which Zariel would take the whole city and its people. Thavius also swore to serve her in all ways for all time.   Then a second sun appeared in the sky, turning night to day, and blasting the vampire lord and his spawn to ashes while the remaining undead cowered from its light. Elturel was swiftly liberated from their dead grip. Taking the credit, Thavius was acclaimed as the savior of Elturel, and few would doubt his goodness or his intent. Only he knew the true origin of the mysterious second sun.   The Companion, as it became known, remained; the "miracle" brought pilgrims: the sick, the curious, and the devout of many faiths, including many paladins. The best of the paladins was appointed ruler of Elturel, titled the High Observer, who then established the Order of the Companion and the Creed Resolute to keep the paladins of different faiths in order.   The contract saved the city that day but doomed it to the Nine Hells 48 years later when Gulthias was released from his prison within the tree in the Sunken Citadel. To make matters worse decades before the fall of Elturel an annual tradition of fealty to the city was slowly corrupted until it to bound the souls of the people to the same contract Thavius signed allowing them to also be taken to hell. This ritual was known as the Oath of Elturel and an even more binding oath of the Hellriders was too perverted ensuring that when they fall they summon a powerful fiend in their place to further the nefarious plot of Zariel.