Tombstone

The Tombstone was the fortified central keep of Surcross in Thay, and was known by this name as of the late 15 century DR. It served as both the seat of power for the Thayan military governor and as the final line of defense if the city came under attack.
==Structure==
It was a squat and ugly stone tower that was the most heavily reinforced structure in Surcross.
==Interior==
The interior walls were covered in runes. The keep included a courtroom known as the Hall of Petition as well as a modest torture chamber with manacles on one wall. The cellar contained a vault that was defended by skeletal guardians.
===Zulkir's Chamber===
At the top of the Tombstone was a grand chamber decorated much more opulently than the rest of the keep, and which was a perfect replica of an audience chamber in the Citadel of Szass Tam. It contained a golden throne flanked by heavy curtains and faced by a small amphitheater, and the whole area was lit by braziers that needed no kindling and which exuded a peculiar transparent smoke. The twin chambers were linked such that individuals in either one could open a line of communication to the other, causing illusions of everyone in the other room to appear and be able to converse. This was used by Szass Tam and his emissaries to give orders to and receive reports from Surcross. The chamber in the Citadel additionally had the power to teleport anyone on the Tombstone side into the Citadel.
==Defenses==
The main gate could disappear by melding into the stone walls if the keep came under assault. The internal walls were enchanted.
If needed, the Tombstone could be reinforced instantly by Thayan soldiers arriving via teleportation circles from the city's Garrison.
==History==
As of the late 15 century DR, the military governor of Surcross was Ukulsid, who occasionally held court in the Hall of Petition to hear citizens' grievances and reported to Thay via the Zulkir's Chamber based on a schedule. He also made use of the torture chamber: by far his most frequently used means of torture was to have his spellcasters regenerate a victim's flesh as it was continually devoured by ghouls in a practice known as the "endless feast". Torture was used both to interrogate captured enemies as well as to punish disobedience.
Around the , Valindra Shadowmantle was using the vault in the Tombstone's cellar as an ossuary to store the bones of dragons, which she hoped to use to create dracoliches. Only she and her minions were permitted access to this vault.
==Appendix==
===References===
Category:Keeps
Category:Fortresses
Category:Locations in Surcross
Category:Locations in the Bonedark Hills
Category:Locations in Thay
Category:Locations in the Unapproachable East
Category:Locations in East Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril
Category:Year of Metropolises