Castle Crag Castle Crag was a castle in northern Cormyr designed to protect it from the threats of the Stonelands in the mid – 14th century DR . Location . Castle Crag lay in the central north of Cormyr , at the base of the Storm Horns mountains . It stood at the southern end of Gnoll Pass , east of the Mountain Ride road to Arabel and north of the Dragon Trail to Hillmarch . Structure . Castle Crag was a smaller and simpler construction than High Horn , a castle further east and higher in the Storm Horns . History . Fearing that bandits , orc s , and other marauders in the Stonelands and Tilver ' s Gap might one day threaten the northern border of Cormyr itself , the kingdom began building the fortress of Castle Crag around 1347 DR . It was intended to be a local strongpoint to protect the frontier , and it marked the greatest expansion of the kingdom in quite some time , being the easternmost outpost toward Tilverton . Construction continued for the next ten years , and was still underway by 1357 DR . It already had a garrison , however , and in Eleasias of the Year of the Prince , 1357 DR , the defenders were doubled in number , to guard against bandits and raiders taking advantage of conflict in Daggerdale . Castle Crag took less time to complete than its counterpart at High Horn , however , owing to its smaller and simpler design and easier terrain . Work was complete by 1367 DR . However , with Cormyr ' s annexation of Tilverton in 1357 DR , Castle Crag was no longer its easternmost outpost . By 1367 DR , Castle Crag had stopped all goblin raids further south , as had the waning of goblin power in the Goblin Marches . Castle Crag was once the most important military location in Cormyr , but this declined alongside the goblins . Nevertheless , it remained a key defense of the realm . However , Zhentarim had begun recruiting goblin bands to their side and using them against tribes and raiders ; if they grew strong enough , they would threaten Cormyr again . By 1367 DR , Tallsword had begun keeping a psionicist on his staff , in order to instantly transmit secure messages via telepathy to Arabel in the event the castle was attacked . The leadership in Suzail studied the system and considered implementing it throughout the realm if it proved successful . However , some conservatives feared it would trigger an arms race with Zhentil Keep and the Stonelands and would be costly and difficult to manage . Furthermore , they feared the psionicists themselves and giving them such a vital role in the kingdom ' s defense . However , Bren ' s psionicists proved their worth when one , Ormion Bowbreaker , not only warned of but predicted a vicious gnoll raid . War Wizards interrogated Bren ' s psionicists and declared them trustworthy , and a recruitment drive began across Cormyr . Inhabitants . The castle was garrisoned by around 500 Purple Dragons and a detachment of five War Wizards . They were led by Bren Tallsword , who answered to the Warden of the Eastern Marches in Arabel . Unusually , Castle Crag also had a small staff of psionicist s . There were no civilians at the castle , nor were there any lords , heralds , or merchants based there . Adventurers were not welcome and any who turned up were sent away as soon as possible , if not sooner . Furthermore , there were no temples on site . Tallsword even had taverns and hostels near the castle demolished to prevent distractions to the soldiers , but soldiers and adventurers regularly rebuilt them with the tacit approval of the Warden of the Eastern Marches . Activities . Castle Crag was intended to defend Cormyr ' s northern border and guard against incursions from the Stonelands and Goblin Marches beyond Gnoll Pass , such as bandits , orc s , and other creatures in the north and east , as well as other foes coming down from Shadow Gap and Tilver ' s Gap . Because of the turbulent nature of the Stonelands , Castle Crag was a key defense for Cormyr . However , the castle was unable to protect travelers through the Pass on the Mountain Ride . The defenders had a standing order to hold the castle against invaders at all costs . Commander Tallsword had no qualms about obeying it , but was confident reinforcements from Arabel would arrive or rout invaders before any got past him , provided he gave them time . Commander Tallsword called for frequent drills and inspections .