The Axe Bridge, originally named the Clan Kuldelver Bridge, was an ancient dwarven bridge that spanned the Splendarrllur river in the eastern reaches of Amn.[2][1][note 1]
Location[]
The bridge carried the Eshpurta Road over the Splendarrllur, positioned a little under halfway from Keczulla to Eshpurta. The similar Star Bridge lay further to the west towards Keczulla.[1]
Structure[]
The Axe Bridge was a massive stonewrought structure that spanned the widest possible floodheight of the Splendarrllur, and it was of identical design to the Star Bridge. It was built of extraordinarily resilient stonework, such that by the 14th century DR it bore only the slightest traces of wear and tear, mostly from recent heavy cart traffic. It was decorated with the heavily faded runes for Clan Kuldelver Bridge on the railing stones, with the axe symbol granting it its later name.[1]
History[]
The bridge was built around −5500 DR by the dwarves of the High Shanataran realm of Korolnor as part of their great network of surface projects. It was inscribed with the name Clan Kuldelver Bridge, after the dwarves that built it.[1][2]
Long after the fall of Shanatar, humans from Calimshan settled the region and discovered the twin bridges. With little dwarfcraft to compare to, the true origins of the Kuldelver bridge went largely unknown, though they were widely used by travelers. Only the careful examination by scholars and dwarves of the bridges' eroded runes eventually revealed the fact that the bridges had originated in the ancient dwarven ages, built by Clan Kuldelver.[1]
During the 14th century DR, the Axe Bridge marked the eastern extent of the Council Army patrol from Keczulla.[3]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ There is some confusion in the sources as to which dwarven bridge, either the Axe Bridge or the Star Bridge, crosses the Vudlur and to which spans the Splendarrllur. Lands of Intrigue: Book 2: Amn, on page 38, claims that the Axe Bridge crosses the Vudlur, yet it makes no mention of the Star Bridge. Page 43, on the other hand calls the Star Bridge the western bridge (Vudlur) and the Axe Bridge the eastern bridge (Splendarrllur). The map included with the Lands of Intrigue box set shows this latter arrangement, as does the Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas map of Amn. Lost Empires of Faerûn on page 118 further complicates it with the mention of the Star Bridge over the Splendarrllur and the Axe Bridge over the Vudlur.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 43. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 118. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.