Pauntraal

Pauntraal was the headquarters of the garthraun (local police) in Khôltar, south Faerûn, circa the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR.

Location
This building was located on the northeast corner of the North Way and Raelrur's Run, overlooking the wide, courtyard-like intersection of the North Way with Hael Way. Across the street to the west-northwest was Baharrokhbrur, the Khaundrove mansion. Across Raelrur's Run to the south was Darvoro Plates.

Structure
Pauntraal was a square stone tower, six stories tall, with narrow windows reinforced with iron bars.

Interior
The first floor consisted of a duty office where visitors could get change to pay their entry tax, a guard station, and meeting rooms. The upper five floors were the living quarters and armories for the garthraun. In the basement were cells for prisoners and storage for goods that were seized for failure to pay taxes, property disputes, or criminal investigations.

Activities
If the gate guards could not make change or otherwise handle a visitor's need or request, they were directed to Pauntraal. People leaving the city and planning to return could obtain a chit from the Pauntraal guards after submitting their cargo for inspection. Submitting the chit to a gate guard allowed reentry without paying the entry tax on whatever was recorded on the chit.

Many guards legally supplemented their income by recommending and giving directions to local merchants, crafters, and other businesses  that paid them a small stipend to do so. The guards always challenged unfamiliar faces with some variation of "What's brings you to Khôltar?" and would promote their patrons' establishments when appropriate. Gate-guard strength was around twenty during the day to efficiently collect taxes and keep traffic flowing. Near sunset, the guard was increased to thirtyish in order to quickly process the remaining visitors before dark, to prevent thieves from attempting to steal the day's revenue, and to ensure no one slips into or out of the city without submitting to inspection.

Defenses
Pauntraal guarded Farrgaunlar, the southern gate in the double wall around the Iron City. It had a battery of ballistae mounted behind slits on a deck or flying bridge that allowed firing through the gate or down either North Way or Hael Way.

History
The final walls and gates of Khôltar were constructed during the tenure of Shieldlord Angloam Dubrin (Year of the Alabaster Mounds, 577 DR, to the Year of Orcsfall, 619 DR) so Pauntraal was also completed during this period.