Forgotten Realms History

In the Year of the Bow, 1354 DR, the rogue angel Zariel enlisted the aid of the Hellriders to mount an assault on Avernus itself in an attempt to end the Blood War between demons and devils. Yael was one of the three Hellrider generals participating in the assault, along with Olanthius and Haruman. When it became clear the Hellriders had lost the day in a most disastrous fashion, Zariel relinquished her sword to Yael with hope she could hide it before she was forced to swear fealty to Asmodeus. Zariel distracted the brigade of devils, fleeing towards the River Styx while Yael and and Lulu could safely flee to hide Zariel’s sword from Asmodeus. Zariel purposely drank from the River Styx to erase her memory of relinquishing her sword so Asmodeus would be unaware of its whereabout after her transformation to be his servant. Yael and Lulu, Zariel's hollyphant companion, successfully fled with the Sword of Zariel while being chased by a horde of demons under the command of Yeenoghu. The demon lord sent his pet, the horrifying Crokek'toeck, to chase after the pair. Just as Yeenoghu's pet was about to devour them, Yael plunged the Sword of Zariel into a stone while Lulu channeled all the holy power she could muster into it. A mighty fortress sprang into existence around the sword, shielding it from all evil: the Bleeding Citadel. Exhausted from the effort, Lulu fled, leaving Yael behind. Lulu flew to the River Styx and also drank from it to help preserve the secrecy of the sword’s location. Under Asmodeus' power, Zariel was named ruler of Avernus with access to legions of devils she could use to continue the Blood War against demons.

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.

In the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, Thavius's infernal contract with Zariel was voided by the Party of the Damned through the release of Gulthias from his prison within the Gulthias Tree. The contract's other expiration point was set to occur in 1494 DR (50 years after Thavius Kreeg's contract with Zariel). Gulithias' emergence from imprisonment within the Gulthias Tree coincidide with the Companion's morphing into a black orb that tore the whole of Elturel and its populace from the Material Plane and spirited it away to Avernus, first of the Nine Hells. The only thing left in a crater where Elturel once stood was an Infernal Puzzle Box.