Fort Tamal

Fort Tamal was a very small keep standing on the southern shore of the Winding Water near Boareskyr Bridge, where the Trade Way crossed the river, in the Western Heartlands in the latter half of the 15 century DR. It was occupied by the paladins of the Order of the Companion, defenders of Elturgard. It was previously the site of a keep known as Bridgefort.

Description
The original Bridgefort was a rough stone fort surrounded by a moat, which was poisoned with the Winding Water. Nearby spread a rough and lawless trading center, but the fort was the only permanent structure. People could shelter within its walls when threatened by raids.

History
Bridgefort was built before the mid–14 century DR. Its moat was poisoned when Cyric slew Bhaal, god of murder, on the bridge during the Time of Troubles in 1358 DR. It later fell into ruin.

The ruins of Bridgefort had long been used by passing caravans and travelers as a campsite. Here, they could rest safely on a grassed area within the old walls and share watch-keeping duties.

Circa 1450 DR, during a crisis of leadership in Elturgard over the position of High Observer, the likely successor, the Companion paladin Tamal Thent, and her whole retinue and caravan vanished at a caravanserai near Boareskyr Bridge. Despite an investigation, no trace of any of them could be found. Soon thereafter, the post of High Observer fell to a priest of Torm named Thavus Kreeg, incidentally a rival of Thent's. One of Kreeg's first decrees was to rebuild Bridgefort and name it Fort Tamal in Thent's honor. Unable to explain the disappearance, the paladins undertook frequent patrols of the area and constructed Fort Tamal.

Circa 1479 DR, despite the fort's vigilance, oathbound human slaves of Najara traversed the bridge regularly, with Elturgard unsuspecting.

By 1489 DR, business at the bridge was routine and relatively peaceful and a small village grew around the fort, with a caravan ground outside that for the caravans, travelers, and pilgrims.

Activities
The paladin contingent watched over crossings of Boareskyr Bridge and mounted patrols of the road and lands around, in worried remembrance of their predecessors' unexplained disappearance and to guard against the serpentfolk of Najara.

Inhabitants
Fort Tamal was occupied by paladins of the Order of the Companion, but there were two distinct kinds here by 1489 DR. The first were greying old veterans who'd been there since it was built, had families in the village, and were content to do their duties and rest in semi-retirement. The second were young hotheads and agitators from all around Elturgard posted to the remote fort apparently as punishment for insubordination of some kind, but this was uncertain.

Rumors
The ranger Aedyn Graymantle once visited Fort Tamal and, writing in Far from the Misty Hills, wondered on the reasons for it being a punishment posting, supposing it was to cool the ardor of the young firebrands as they learned from their elders on the frontier. However, Fort Tamal seemed to her too well defended for a place so distant from the rest of Elturgard, even so close to Najara, and with only camping caravans to guard. While it seemed a waste of the paladins' strength, she assumed High Observer Kreeg knew what he was doing in sending so many of them here, given the nearness of Najara, the history of Boareskyr Bridge, and the threat of Dragonspear Castle.