During the rule of House Thrune the region east of Aquesta endured an explosion of violent and bloody depredations by various different monsters and dragons. Among those affected by the attacks was a young woman named Tula Belhaim, who lost her family when a black dragon named Aeteperax destroyed her hometown of Nazilli in the southern edge of the now known Trent. She would go on to become a great hero, and a the mercenary company she founded - the Slayers of Nazilli - defeated more monsters than any other group in those days. Her final triumph was the slaying of Aeteperax in the heart of a tundra in Trent.
For her servive, the house of thrune awared Tula the title of Baroness and the stewardship of the Verduran Fork region, including all of Dragonfen. Her legion of admirers soon founded a town bearing her name, its buildings built of limestone quarried nearby.
A few years later a band of Iroran priests presented themselves before the Baroness of Belhaim and asked her permission to build a monastery east of the town, overlooking Dragonfen. Lady Tula granted their wish and soon thereafter the monks built a fine monastery on the far side of the swampy area.

The Iroran sect grew and prospered in this setting along with Belhaim, and over the years developed strong ties to the town. Lady Tula eventually married one of her fellow Slayers, Arturic Canteclure, and built a castle atop one of the town's hills. The couple had four children, but each one died of accident or misadgenture before the age of 9, leaving the new barony with no heirs.

Tula's and Arturic's relationship grew strained as the baroness grew morbid and obsessed with building a grand tomb for herself and her family. As she and her husband grew apart, Tula amended her will to have Arturic burtied in a separate part of the tomb, rather than alongside her.

The bodies were found by servants soon thereafter, and Belhaim mourned a tragedy they couldn't understand or comprehend. The bodies were quickly taken to Tula's crypt and buried according to her wishes, and the site was sealed.

The rule of Belhaim then fell under the control of the Canteclure family which revealed itself as a very House Thrune adjacent noble family, with cruel and often violent rule, one that was overtuened during the events of the War of Iron and Thorns. Ever since, the town has grown smaller and smaller by the decade, eventually becoming a small agricultural town with a very complicated history.

Upheaval was not limited to the town however. A month prior to the razing of Castle Tula during the overturning of the tow, afterward referred to supersitiously as the Witch Tower, the monks of the Monastery of Saint Kyerixus vanished mysteriously and their home fell into ruin.

Belhaim Today

Nelhaim presentss a sleepy, rustic façade to the wandering visitor. The town is in large part self-sufficient. Its main commodities are pottery and fish, but the town doesn't receive enough trade to garner much renown from these industries. Most of the town's inhabvitants work for family businesses or provide services. Residents are fractious, and they have long memories. Minor squabbles are common among neighbors who have differing beliefs.

Belhaim's Factions

The greatest political concerns in Belhaim are inexorably entwined with the residents' religious beliefs.

• Abadar: The Abadarans hope to see the city someday become a hub for trade and exporet again. Ever pragmatic, the Abadarans frequently come into conflict with the Shelynites, whom they regard as layabouts.
• Shelyn: Shelynites prefer Belhaim as it is - a cozy town that doesn't see much action. They see the Abadarans as greedy traditionalists who have forgotten how to take time to enjoy life.

Important People

• Lady Origena Devy. The current leader of the town, the current town's baroness.
• Bassy. A gnome of 414 years of age, she has lived for a very long time and she's managed to avoid the bleaching through a combination of frequent sightseeing trips throughout Astravia and her own hobby of writing historical fiction.

Known Locales

The Wise Piper Inn

Owned by Talia Orem, the young proprietor is a human female who is trying to make sure that the inn doesn't go bankrupt after a few difficult years after the death of her father and last family member Derril.