Ford of Goliad

The Ford of Goliad was a strategically valuable crossing point of the Beaumaris River in Damara, and the site of two important battles against the forces of Zhengyi the Witch-King in both the Vaasan War and the Bloodstone Wars.

Description
"We cannot cross the Ford of Goliad without being at a great disadvantage; if they crossed the ford first we could prevail in battle, but they show no signs of such foolishness, more is the pity."

- Baron Tranth of Bloodstone, the

The Ford of Goliad was an incredibly important strategic location. First, it was one of only two reliable crossing sites of the Beaumaris River in all of Damara during the mid 14 century DR. Second, the Ford's natural layout was such that any army positioned on one of the banks could easily annihilate another army as it attempted to cross. This made the Ford a highly defensible, but potentially deadly, site for a battle. A third and less well-known detail that proved critical in the wars against Zhengyi was that the lich's undead minions could only travel a certain distance from his citadel at Castle Perilous, and the Ford of Goliad lay very close to their maximum range.

Geography
Although it shared a name with the Goliad River, the Ford actually crossed the Bearmaris River about west of where it joined the Goliad River. The town of Goliad lay on the northern bank of the river just east of the Ford.

First Battle of Goliad
In Kythorn of the, the Ford of Goliad was the site of the critical final battle of the Vaasan War. The invading Vaasan forces of Zhengyi the Witch-King were forced into a stalemate at the Ford by the Damaran army of King Virdin Bloodfeathers. While the armies prepared to wait for winter when the frozen river would be safer to cross, Zhengyi set in motion a plan to manipulate King Virdin into sending his army into a trap. Using his agent Felix, who was a trusted advisor to Virdin, Zhengyi tricked the Damarans into believing that they could cross the river undetected with the help of a powerful magic wand, which was actually just a simple stick with twelve castings of Nystul's magic aura on it. The plan worked, and Zhengyi's army waited patiently as the Damarans entered the river, only to strike and massacre them at their most vulnerable moment. King Virdin was assassinated during the battle, finalizing Zhengyi's victory and heralding his conquest of Damara.

Second Battle of Goliad
Two years later, during the Bloodstone Wars of the, the Ford of Goliad was the site of a second stalemate between the forces of Zhengyi and the forces of Damara, now led by Baron Gareth Dragonsbane of Bloodstone. This stalemate was broken when Gareth and his adventuring companions launched an attack against Zhengyi's citadel at Castle Perilous, slaying the lich and severing his connection to Orcus. With their leader slain and their undead allies reduced to dust, the Vaasan forces were easily routed and fled back to Vaasa, with many taking refuge in the Black Holes of Sunderland.

Appearances

 * The Bloodstone Wars • The Throne of Bloodstone
 * Bloodstone Pass • The Mines of Bloodstone
 * Bloodstone Pass • The Mines of Bloodstone