Pelegar: The Mercenaries of Zelhamat

More stuff on Pelegar...because I've decided the first week of September is "Pelegar Week."

A Paladin of the Order of Night

The mercenaries of Zelhamat

Zelhamat is the northernmost city state of Pelegar. Zelhamat's dominated by an order of knights known as the Templars of Night, which was until recently dedicated to Molabal. They recruited mercenaries to defend the northern frontier against Dalevar barbarian incursions, and regularly recruited from orcish stock, seeing orcs as superior fighters and also extremely cheap; a side effect of so many orcs is a local culture that leads to more interbreeding and general acceptance of half-orc children. 

Two years ago when Pelegar was thrust into civil war after the grand reveal of the vampiric overlords the Zelhamat were first to act, cutting down their rulers (regardless of vampiric affiliation), and placing Lord Davon Galkharest of the Order of Night in charge of the city-fortress. Galkharest executed most of the older aristocracy on charges of conspiring with the undead, and appointed his trusted lieutenants and followers into their positions of power, doling out the properties of these slain nobles as he did so.

Six months ago when the Cult of Molabal collapsed, the Order of Night swiftly set about retaining its grasp of power by executing or imprisoning the monks and priests of the cult which failed in their powers and proclaimed that they had been found unworthy. Galkharest declared that the will of The Four was the true power of the land, and subsequently allowed the founding of a new temple ot the Four. These avatars (Obohon, Meretrox, Dyshara and the last one who's name escapes me at the moment) have never been worshipped in Pelegar before, and in fact it was a crime by order of the cult of Molabal to worship them, so this was a huge gain for the avatars. However, it has put Zelhamat at odds with its allies, who recognize the need for Zelhamat to protect the land from the Dalevar barbarians but dislike their acceptance of the foreign avatars.

Locally it is suspected that Lord Galkharest has actually been forging an alliance with the Dalevar Barbarians and dwarves, to cease hostilities. There is a suspicion that he may seek to forge them into an army, to make a power play using these foreign mercenaries to assault the southern city states of Pelegar to bring them under his control and unite the land under his banner as a new king. This is a rumor you had heard before leaving the city!