Cheliax

Location overview

Cheliax is the diabolic empire that rules Isger as its patron nation — and the source of nearly every chain a Hellbreaker hopes to break. Once the mightiest realm of the Inner Sea and devoted to the god Aroden, Cheliax plunged into despair and civil war when he died, and from that chaos House Thrune seized the throne by binding the nation to the archdevil Asmodeus. Ever since, it has been governed as a state of devils: Asmodeus is its patron deity, the disciplined cruelty of Hell is its model, and its nobles wield bound fiends and ironclad infernal contracts as freely as swords. From its capital at Egorian, Cheliax projects a cold, lawful tyranny across its holdings, crushing dissent without mercy, claiming first pick of its vassals' wealth, and enforcing its will through the Church of Asmodeus and the order-obsessed Hellknights. Its long history of enslaving halflings and grinding down conquered peoples like the Isgeri has earned it the hatred of all who value freedom — making it the great shadow against which the Hellbreakers' fight is cast.
Cheliax is also known for its devil-worshipping practices. Khar’gan traveled there from the Sardenlands seeking battle honors and worthy conflict after hearing of the Hellbreakers, with the hope of eventually returning home. A bounty issued by the government in Elidir targeted dissenters or revolutionaries in vague terms, allowing accusations with little proof. Copies of the Bounty Decree appeared on public boards outside a roadside tavern, leading to concerns that the country was no longer safe.