Fort Kentigern

At the edge of the ice bridge that links Volgen to the mainland is the fortress of the Order of Kentigern. What once was a monastery is now a high keep built to withstand a siege, with tall towers and parapets equipped with burning oil. But these defenses were not built against any mortal siege. Indeed, no army has dared to attack the fort in hundreds of years. Rather, the Order of Kentigern is Grarjord’s first line of defense against the encroaching coldfire menace from Volgen. The ten-foot thick walls of the fortress hide catapults and trebuchets that can fire burning pitch. Ice drakes carrying bombardiers can take off in moments at the first sign of blue flame. Evoker mages can hurl fireballs from the topmost ramparts. No effort is spared from preventing coldfire from reaching the mainland. All those within the keep know the consequences should coldfire reach the land of Kandar.
Originally built as a monastery for an order of contemplative monks, Fort Kentigern has become the last shield between the coldfire waves and the rest of the northlands. The high keep is built in a style similar to the fortresses of the south, with thick stone walls shaped by both craftspeople and mages. Here, the Order of Kentigern gathers, not for contemplation, but as defenders of the living—and, perhaps, the world.

Independent Order.

Unlike the rest of Valika, the clans hold no sway in Fort Kentigern. Once a person has joined the order, their past is forgotten; their life becomes devoted to one single cause. A majority of the order is drawn from Valikans, but people from all over Etharis count themselves among their number. While some members initially retain their suspicions concerning arcane magic or the faithful, they soon realize that any skills brought to bear against the coldfire have their value. The Order of Kentigern’s accepting and inclusive outlook is not out of philosophy, but out of necessity: all are welcome in the fight, for as long as they are able to fight. And many, many members of the order die in the line of duty. Some adventurers join their number for a time, then leave to pursue other missions. While the order would prefer that people fully commit, they are, as a whole, practical enough to never refuse help, even if it is temporary. The order’s penchant for ignoring their volunteers' pasts has made Fort Kentigern a welcome home for reformed criminals and exiles. Some people even take on new names when they arrive at the fort as a way to separate themselves from their past. The members who permanently dedicate themselves to the order undergo a purification ritual, where they touch their skin with flame to symbolize burning away their past and accepting the trials and tribulations of their new future.

Defenses.

The fort’s curtain walls are 10 feet thick and sport defensive siege weaponry. The ramparts are lined with catapults, trebuchets, and ballista, all of which are designed to hurl flaming pitch into the cold blue flames. The ramparts also feature enclosures where evokers can hurl their own fireballs to the grounds below.
Many mundane animals reside in the stables—reindeer are a favorite for the terrain and for slower journeys, but some intrepid members of the order have also trained polar bears and giant lynxes as war mounts. The most popular mounts of the Order of Kentigern, however, are the ice drakes. To be elevated to the rank of lieutenant or higher, members of the order must master riding in flight. Flying squads of order bombardiers are the first to leave the fort when a flare of coldfire is spotted. The mounts are trained to carry barrels of explosive oil, and the riders are well-equipped with other explosive grenades.
And yet, despite all the efforts of the Order of Kentigern, the coldfire continues to freeze Valika and its people. Of the few settlements that once existed on Volgen, only a handful now remain, and even those have shrunk as their residents flee the danger—or die before they are able to run.

Type

Fortress