Crownpost

Crownpost was a fortified Purple Dragons outpost and stables on Calantar's Way in Cormyr.

Location
Crownpost lay atop a hill near Calantar's Way in the grasslands of the Heartlands of Cormyr between Immersea and Arabel. Following its destruction, the Blisterfoot Inn was built nearby to the east.

Structure
The fort was made up of two concentric earthwork rings with a ditch between them, and a wooden palisade atop the inner ring. Inside the palisade were a well, barracks, and stables.

Activities
The fort served as a base for Purple Dragons and War Wizards in the region, a secure overnight lodge for travelers, and a place for royal messengers to get fresh remounts while racing along the road.

History
Around 1345 DR, Crownpost was ravaged by a sudden lightning storm that blasted the structures apart and burned the ruins. The storm also unearthed massive iron doors buried under the stables, from an ancient and unknown origin. The doors led to an extensive hidden underground wizard's lair consisting of gate-connected rooms, home to many powerful and magical monsters that poured forth to attack the surface. They were met by a large force of War Wizards, who destroyed the invading horde before it could ravage wider Cormyr.

During this magical battle, the energies expended led to the creation of the first wild magic zone in Cormyr. The wild magic persisted afterwards, and the area was haunted by strange creatures that seemed to phase in or out of existence, particularly chimerae. In the years that followed, the War Wizards performed expeditions every spring into the subterranean structure, later known as the Wizard's Pit, not managing to fully explore it even after two decades of efforts. Though several War Wizards died from traps or other hazards, they brought out great amounts of gold, gems, and other treasures, including a staff of power and a staff of swarming insects. The ruins of Crownpost remained a dangerous site regardless, killing a few careless travelers and attracting adventurers who delved into it.

After its destruction, the ambitious Buer Eltagar built the Blisterfoot Inn on the next hill to the east, seeking to profit from the travelers that the Crownpost could no longer service.