Tandeli Bridges

Major Bridges on the major roads of Tandeli.

The river Mente has two bridges, one by the mouth and one around the top third of the river. The river Azulon also has two bridges, one near the mouth and one north of the Lealamo. The Rivers Aliado, Mentira, and Ayuda each have one major bridge.

All the bridges mentioned are on the main roads, so they are at least wide enough to traffic to pass by each other safely, and are sturdy enough to take the weight.

## Vinculo Bridge

The southernmost bridge on the River Mente is Vinculo bridge. It sits on the main coastal road between Puerta Guía and Puerta Pepuna, effectively linking the two over land. It is also a common spot for couples and newlyweds. Someone tried to start a tradition with heart-shaped glass, but it proved expensive and too delicate, but someone took the time to insert glass into the sides of the bridge, reflecting into the water below.

## Nudo Bridge

The north Mente bridge is the Nudo bridge. It is the sight of one of the biggest battles between then Grancinco and the Waldren Trading Company. After winning the battle, Waldren took the land and named it Tandeli, and would continue to take land from Grancinco until they reached the Ayuda Forest.

The only real sign of this is a small plaque in the Common Tongue set into the stone of the bridge.

## Miedo Bridge

The Miedo Bridge is on the main road to Oscureloj, crossing the Aliado river. Any experienced traveller will tell you that the bridge is perfectly safe to cross, but it really doesn’t look it; in fact, it looks like it’ll fall down if you sneeze too hard. The stone appears worn, the wooden structure rickety, it moves in the wind. In truth, this is down to careful planning and structural design.

No one can really decide why the bridge is like this. Was it to keep invaders out, make them too afraid to cross? Or was it to keep invaders hemmed in at the north? Perhaps to stop Fae from crossing in the rest of the kingdom?

On top of everything else, there are rumours that it’s haunted. The locals go ham for it, telling ghost stories and spooky encounters to travellers.

## Lirio Bridge

The bridge near the mouth of the Azulon River, south of Puerta Casóm, is the Lirio bridge. This was named for the extensive fields of wildflowers that supposedly covered the area before it was converted to farmland. The nearby settlements have kept flowers ever since as if to compensate. In more recent times the local farmers have a section of their farm dedicated to wildflowers, under direction from Head Advisor Thomas. They are subsidized for the land that isn’t being used (and not involved in rotation).

It’s a large bridge, wide enough for three carriages to ride alongside each other with swinging room between them. You could just about fit four carriages, but it would be cramped.

## Uvo Bridge

The northern Azulon bridge is the Uvo bridge. It on the edge of the wine (and sugar beet) region of Tandeli, and was named and designed appropriately. Metal grapevines are entwined between the railings of the bridge and are wide enough for two carts of grapes to cross abreast.

## Escama Bridge

Mentira’s bridge sits close to its mouth and is known as the Escama bridge, so named for the flashes of fishes scales you see if you look from the bridge in good sun. It is an excellent fishing spot, although mostly used by amateur anglers. You’ll spot them on any day off or in the summer evenings, all down the length of the bridge.

## Ayuda Bridge

The last bridge of mention is the Ayuda bridge, over the river of the same name, and in the forest of the same name. It is the only safe place to cross the Ayuda river. It is also the widest bridge, capable of four lanes of traffic, and is predominantly made of wood with river stones and stone from both countries on the surface. It has a rather lovely, albeit unintended, pattern.

It serves as the only safe place you can cross the river between Tandeli and Grancinco.

Back in the time before Waldren, before Tandeli became separate from Grancinco, it served as a trade route for those who didn’t want to take the boat.

During the Waldren Occupation, the bridge was attacked many times, and even destroyed to prevent Waldren getting to Grancinco that way.

It was rebuilt during the reign of the first Queen of Tandeli, as a sign of goodwill. However, after the attempted assassination of the Queen, border patrol at the bridge was implemented and strictly enforced.

Many people who believe that Grancinco was going to take over during the Dragon Witch’s rage wonder how they got past the border patrol. They were allowed to pass because Tandeli needed all the help it could get, and Grancinco wasn’t happy with a giant dragon nearby.

These days, the bridge is rather busy, with trade going between the two nations and relations better than ever. Both sides have a border patrol of their nations, although it’s not uncommon for off duty patrols to hang out on the other side of the bridge.