Hillfort Keshla

Hillfort Keshla was one of the southern fortifications of Amn, part of a chain including Hillfort Ishla and Hillfort Torbold.
==Description==
The fort's structures were made of logs sealed with mud batting, and required constant maintenance. In addition to the lodgings for hundreds of troops, Keshla held an armory, blacksmith, stables, and a large garden that supplied food for the garrison.
==Geography==
Keshla was the easternmost of the three Hillforts on the South Road in the eastern Tejarn Hills. It was the closest Amnian fortification to Riatavin, and the secret Dark Redoubt lay just south of the road halfway to Hillfort Torbold.
==Defenses==
Hillfort Keshla had a more primitive and old-fashioned construction than the newer-built Cloud Peaks citadels. The fort crowned a hill and had an outer palisade and oft-flooded ditch ringing it, with the main structure made of tall, thick log walls reinforced with earthworks, as well as some towers and a central keep. During the tenure of Captain Arbas Rosznar, an underofficer devised a means of channelling oil into the ditch, allowing it to be set alight as another defense.
The Hillfort was garrisoned by the Council Army on behalf of Amn's Council of Six. It was a little larger than its fellows and had a normal complement of 400 soldiers, 35 officers, and the commander. It had enough spare room to host 900 more within its walls in cramped security. Under the despotic yet effective command of Captain Rosznar, the quality of the troops improved from utterly hopeless to somewhat acceptable, though still far below that of nearby Torbold or the Citadels. Under the influence of Rosznar, the troops were generally miserable and spoiling for any outlet for their own frustrations.
==History==
Keshla was built on the site of a long-lost pre-Shoon fortification, similar to the Nine Sentinels. Despite being an important border garrison, the Council refused to release the funds needed to make Keshla more habitable or defensible, and so the garrison were left endlessly maintaining a constantly degrading wood and log structure. This most remote of postings eventually became a punishment posting for troops and officers who were extraordinarily incompetent or politically inconvenient. This negative reputation was so strong that most soldiers refused to enter the fort if at all possible, lest they somehow become trapped there with the rest of the failures.
In the , Captain Arbas Rosznar was transferred from Citadel Rashturl to Keshla after accidentally killing a rich woman's lover. Rather than being complacent, he used murder, extortion, and other dark acts to gain command of the fort and set about whipping it into shape. Driven by his frustration at the situation, he tyrannised the complement of incompetents into performing their duties properly, and as a result Hillfort Keshla became a perfectly-maintained and efficient fortress, though they hated him for his cruelty.
Captain Rosznar aimed to have General Labak Craumerdaun perform an inspection and see his hard work, but it took until 1370 DR to get a response. Craumerdaun agreed to one for Midsummer, and Rosznar drilled his garrison even harder. Before this could happen, Riatavin declared independence and the Council Army was mustered in preparation for an attack on the rebel city. On Eleasis 11, four days after the start of the Sothillisian War, the army finally assembled at Keshla and absorbed half of its garrison. The word of the war arrived three days later, and Craumerdaun took half of the assembled troops with him, leaving the rest in place under the authority of Major Tharundar Olehm. With news of the threat to Murann, Major Olehm sought to assemble all available forces to march, but many officers ignored the orders and remained in place for several days. The forces at Keshla only started moving on Eleasis 23 after many underofficers threatened mutiny against their paralyzed superiors, and went on to join Major Olehm on his march west.
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
===Connections===
===References===
Category:Fortresses
Category:Locations
Category:Locations on the South Road (Amn)
Category:Locations in the Tejarn Hills
Category:Locations in Meiritin
Category:Locations in Amn
Category:Locations in the Lands of Intrigue
Category:Locations in West Faerûn
Category:Locations in Faerûn
Category:Locations on Toril