Naja Bellandi's Pact with Zariel

In 1447, High Rider Klav Ikaia of Elturel was discovered to be a vampire by High Watcher Naja Bellandi. His secret exposed, High Rider Ikaia and his numerous vampire followers began a bloody civil war in Elturel, attempting to retain control of the city by force and violence while numerous members of the Hellriders attempted to besiege the city from the outside.   High Watcher Bellandi was the highest government official left alive that opposed Ikaia, but despite her best efforts the hold of the vampires did not seem to be weakening.   Bellandi was then contacted by the Cult of Zariel, who offered her aid in expelling the vampires in exchange for a pact. Bellandi refused their offer, but following the tragic High Harvest Slaughter on the twentieth day of the conflict, she changed her mind, unable to take any more innocent deaths.   Upon signing the contract, the Companion magically appeared in the sky above Elturel, its magical light imitating that of the sun, immolating most of the vampires instantly, giving the Hellriders the break they needed to retake the city.

Unaware of the existence of pact between Bellandi and Zariel, most Elturians believed the Companion to be a gift from Torm or Helm and cherished the object of their salvation.

Her role in ending the Reign of Vampires propelled Bellandi to leadership of Elturel, where she served as its first High Observer. Bellandi kept the terms of her contract secret, intending on finding a way to subvert it before the fifty year time limit was up, but only two years later, in 1449, Bellandi was assassinated by the Cult of Zariel. She was succeeded by Cathasach Restat, the founder of the Order of the Companion and a man who was unaware of the pact's existence.   While it was believed all the vampires had been wiped out, Klav Ikaia himself actually survived the appareance of the Companion by good fortune. His forces defeated, Ikaia retreated into the Maze underneath Elturel, where he began biding his time and rebuilding his forces, favoring dhampirs over true vampires.   On the 2nd of Eleasis, 1497, the terms of Bellandi's Pact came to pass, and Elturel and everyone in the city was teleported into Avernus. The city was chained over the river Styx and devils prowled the city streets, inticing the populace to take infernal contracts, which would lower the city deeper and deeper until it was submerged in the Styx. Meanwhile, Hell Knights, transformed members of the city government, the Hellriders, and the Order of the Companion began prowling the streets, killing any member or descendent of a Hellrider or member of the Order of the Companion and eliminating any magic users in the city that could fight back.   Though Elturel's damnation continued for weeks (which translated to months on the Material Plane), the city was ultimately rescued by the Lost Star Detectives, when a redeemed Zariel voided the contract and the Companion was was used to return to the city to the Material Plane.