Elistrond

Elistrond is the chief western city of the empire of Argonheim and the home port for its royal navy. It was once a powerful independent city-state ruled by the Elys before its incorporation into the empire.

Elistrond Beseiged

Elistrond dominated the coast for centuries and stood unchallenged until the rise of the Belosian king Argos the Unbending, whose campaigns led him to stand beneath its wall and demand fealty. Elistrond's army met him on the battlefield but were hopelessly outnumbered and so routed. Elistrond's captain, defiant and unwilling to surrender his navy, stowed away the magistrate and many of the elite and sailed to Kandorr. From the defeated army Argos shackled the noble sons of Elistrond and marched them before its walls, again demanded fealty or death, saying "Yield or I will enslave every man, woman and child who survives the storm of my fury; from hereon those who bend the knee shall be fettered only by obligation and not iron." The city surrendered and opened its gates and Argos entered with his host. It is sung that he was so entranced by Elistrond's beauty that he spared it the torch, but he took hostages from its noble houses back to Belos and wed them to his lords there.