The Bridge at Lorancourt
The Bridge at Lorancourt is a wonder of the world. It is the only bridge spanning the great Caldar River, and because of the engineering genius of the Duke's Dwarven allies, it has a double span that can be raised and lowered to allow shipping free access along the river.
The point at which the bridge crosses the river is, relatively speaking, one of the narrowest for more than a hundred miles in each direction. There are significant bluffs rising on both the northern and southern banks, carved out of tough bedrock. Within the bed of the river are two long but narrow bedrock islands upon which the spans rest. It is the span running from the north to the first island that has the drawbridges. On the north bank there are two towers, each 40' square and 60' high. From these two towers there are a series of iron chains that lift one half of the drawbridge up. There are identical towers on the north shore of the island that lift the second span of the drawbridge in the same manner. These two spans of oak decking are 52' long exactly, and meet in the middle of the channel 24' above the river's average surface height. The decks are 35' wide, and 8 riders can cross the bridge abreast with ease.
From the north span, there is another bridge that crosses to the southern island. It is made of 5 stone arches, each arch 65' long and 40' wide. There are small round towers at each end of this span of bridge to protect it. From the second island to the southern bank is a span of 490' and it is covered by 7 65'-arches and two more round towers. There are large stone gatehouses at each end of the bridges to stop unwelcome crossings.
The Bridge at Lorancourt is one of the greatest revenue generating constructions in all the two Kingdoms of Imesse. With a one-way toll of 10s per person, another 10s per horse or pony and 18s per wagon or cart (loaded or empty), the Bridge has an annual gross income of more than 100,000 guilders, in gold and silver.
Purpose / Function
To facilitate the movement of troops, trade and travel across the Caldar River. It is a huge source of revenue for the duchy, netting Lorancourt more than 100,000 guilders in tolls every year. There are numerous ferry services all along the river, but where a crossing by ferry can take (at the minimum) 5 to 8 hours, once the bridge is down a carriage or coach can be across in less than one hour, and a 10-wagon caravan can cross in less than three hours. The same caravan could take two days to cross via ferry... at significantly greater cost and risk.
Architecture
Except for the drawbridge portion of the expanse, the entire bridge is made of finely finished stone, shaped and polished to best move the rushing waters of the Caldar past its foundations with as little stress as possible to the structure.
Defenses
At each shore is a veritable castle guarding the approaches to the bridges. Towering barbicans with multiple portcullises and gates, secondary towers that can rain down missiles on attacking enemies, and an ingenious method of stockpiled material pre-fabricated to replace any portion of the bridge that an enemy might actually manage to damage or destroy.
The standing defensive forces manning the bridges at any one time is no less than two full regiments. With two hundred armored men-at-arms at each of the approach barbicans, and dozens more manning the many towers at each section of the bridge, this structure is one of the most heavily defended in the entire Kingdom of Imesse.
History
The seed of this wonder of engineering and construction came when a close colleague of the Duke (one Crole Blackbeard) noticed ancient stone works during a particularly low river level one summer. It was determined that, at some point in the far distant past, a bridge must have existed but been lost to several millennia of floods, weather and history. All that remained were ancient foundations that were (typically) underwater and not visible to the untrained eye.
Lomain and Crole recruited Dwarves from Gorgomoth and the project was off and running. Over the course of the next two years, the bridge was completed. Ensuring the "good will" of both the High King in Northridge and the King in Southridge was accomplished by promising 40% of all tolls to each crown, and the gift a special gold and silver seal that guaranteed passage to any who bore it to each of the Kings.
Founding Date
220
Alternative Names
The Bridge, The Caldar Bridge
Type
Bridge
Parent Location
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
