High Khôltar

High Khôltar was the fortress in the center of Khôltar, the Iron City, located in south Faerûn circa the Year of Wild Magic, 1372 DR. It was the residence of the Belarkh (the elected chairman of the council of lords, known as the Onsruur).

Location
This citadel was located in the center of the city in an area known locally as "Deepcoin". It was accessed by a street called the Iron Way which started at the middle of Erethorn's Ride and proceeded due north until it reached High Khôltar. It then split and circled the fortress, rejoined on the opposite side, and continued north to meet Suldroon Street.

Structure
High Khôltar was built using black stone, but exposure to soot over the centuries gave it the look of gray marble. Two towers rose up from the keep, a taller one directly behind a shorter one. A landing platform extended out from the first tower and was supported by the spire of the second tower. This deck was used in the past to accommodate griffin and hippogriff riders and their mounts, but no such beasts had been seen for many years before Enklaevur Rostigror took up residence. Without large winged quadrupeds to snap at them, the plumphaers (the local pigeons) took over the roost and guards were occasionally seen casting weighted nets over the platform to catch some meat for their stew.

Interior
The smaller tower held the council room for Onsruur sessions, other city offices, and the armories for the official guards. The taller tower was the Belarkh residence and barracks for the guards which included his personal bodyguards. The interior floors of High Khôltar were plated with metal. The private chambers of the Belarkh used copper while the rest of the castle used an iron alloy called "brightsteel", and they were polished to a mirror-finish. During his tenure, Enklaevur Rostigror had a platoon of guards that were just for show. He chose comely young men and women and put them in shiny armor that was merely decorative. Their metal-clad footwear was designed to generate sparks as they strutted around the castle.

History
This citadel was built sometime before the tenure of Hulik Strathtar, who took office in High Khôltar in the Year of the Wandering Sylph, 687 DR.

Rumors & Legends
When folks talked about the old days, they spoke of not only hippogriff and griffin riders landing on High Khôltar, but wyvern-riders too.