The Companion

The Companion The second sun that sits directly above Elturel  burns night and day. Some ascribe it to one deity or another, the most common alternate name being Amaunator's Gift. Where the natural sun journeys across the sky and disappears at night, the Companion is steady and loyal, ever preventing creatures of darkness from assaulting the city. This second sun provides daytime illumination to the people of Elturel at all hours, and its illumination is as harmful to creatures vulnerable to sunlight as the sun is. This constant daylight lessens the farther one travels from Elturel, casting a sort of wan dawn light for fifty or so miles around the city. Beyond that, the orb is visible as a bright beacon in the sky. It ~an be seen clearly at night from as far away as Boareskyr Bridge and Berdusk, looking like an unmoving star low on the horizon. It might be fa irly said that every land touched by its light is now under “Elturel’s Shield,” but such claims raise hackles among Elturgard’s neighbors
The story of The Companion begins in 1444 DR. Elturel was a local power, one with grand designs. But then its leader, the High Rider, was discovered to be a vampire. The High Rider's undead allies and charged servants took on the Hellriders in a battle for control of the city. The undead plague swamped Elturel, and although its Hellriders made some gains by day, in darkness the vampire and its minions inflicted cruel losses. Each night, the good people of Elturel prayed to the gods that dawn might come more swiftly.
Then, on a particularly disastrous night when all seemed lost, dawn did come. A warm golden light suffused the city and surrounding lands, cast down from a golden orb that hung unwavering in the sky, so bright that it seemed a new day had dawned. Caught outside when it happened, the High Rider and his vampire spawn burned away to dust, and the other undead quailed in its illumination. In short order, Elturel was free.
When the true dawn came, the new sun remained. It has remained there ever since.
Now pilgrims of all faiths visit Elturel to see The Companion, and an order of paladins has also dedicated itself to preserving order in its name, the Order of the Companion. They have sworn the Creed Resolute, an oath of service to Elturgard and all good people.