Lev’s Keep is a minor fortification and noble residence situated in the Storm Horn Mountains in western
Cormyr. From the beginning of its construction in 1372 DR, it has served as the base of the
House of Lev and the primary residence of its House Head, the Baron Levev.
Appearance
Constructed more similarly to a military fort than a traditional Cormyrean noble estate, Lev’s Keep looms ominously above the rocky foothills of the Storm Horn Mountains. The stones comprising the fortification’s imposing walls are hewn from the dark local bedrock, making the keep look almost like a silhouette in the dim light typical of the area. Conversely, the interior of the keep, while still likely considered a bit rugged by the standards of metropolitan Cormyrean nobles, is quite ornate and luxurious, almost an oasis in the harsh surrounding environment. As the keep rarely entertains important visitors, its interior is designed to be comfortable first and impressive second, the inverse of most other Cormyrean noble residences.
Location
Situated on a ridge overlooking a minor mountain pass within the Storm Horns, Lev’s Keep is isolated from Cormyr’s settlements and infrastructure. The closest notable town is Espar to the southeast. Lev’s Keep is connected to the Way of the Dragon by a small trail, known affectionately as the ‘Way of the Axe’. This trail allegedly connects through to the High Road on the other side of the Storm Horn Mountains, but the trail has not been reportedly followed this way for several decades owing to its small size and the many dangers lurking within the mountain range. Despite its isolation, the considerable wealth of the House of Lev ensures the keep remains well-stocked, well-supplied, and well-informed.
History
The construction of Lev’s Keep began in 1372 DR at the behest of its eponymous
Lev "the Axe". Lev had recently been ennobled for his valorous acts during the so-called Goblin War of 1370-71, and was granted a substantial demesne within the mostly unoccupied western Storm Horn Mountains. With no existing fortifications in the immediate area, and any minor settlements in his territory ravaged if not abandoned due to the war, the somewhat reclusive Lev elected to construct his noble residence on the ridge of a minor mountain pass near the base of the Storm Horns. As well as offering an uncontested defensive position in Cormyr’s then-devastated and unstable northwest, the location provided easy access to and through the interiors of the Storm Horn Mountains, where Lev could engage in his hobby and former profession of hunting.
While initial construction began as early as 1372 DR, construction and improvement of the fort would occupy much of Lev’s reign as Baron. With his somewhat limited funds, Lev hired a proficient castle builder with some experience working on Cormyr’s prestigious High Horn stronghold further north in the Storm Horns, as well as about seventy workmen and masons. Lev himself assisted heavily with the labour-intensive construction, an act that would typically be considered beneath a Cormyrean noble, even a lowborn one. Lev also moved into the fort as soon as one room was completed, and remained there throughout the construction due to the location’s isolation and the devastation of any nearby settlements. While the fortification was largely completed to its initial specifications by the end of the decade, Lev continued to order constructions and adjustments until his death in 1398 DR.
Lev, as a hunter and outdoorsman accustomed to living harshly, had focused on the purely practical aspects of the keep’s construction, leaving the interior quite sparse and spartan. Conversely, his descendants focused primarily on improving the fort’s liveability, aiming to transform it into somewhat of a palatial estate. Lev’s son and heir
Nikolay, having substantially bolstered the House’s coffers through his establishment of gem-mining settlements such as Trofimstead, ordered the first major interior renovations of Lev’s Keep around 1410 DR. Over the proceeding years, the structure was gradually transformed from a rather inhospitable fortress into a very defensible Cormyrean estate. Lev, renowned for his self-reliance, had neglected to employ any staff during his tenure as Baron, but Nikolay employed several servants within the newly renovated estate. Nikolay, an avid reader, also established a substantial library within the upper layers of the keep, though this would typically go ignored by his descendants.
At present, the last major renovations to the keep were carried out by the current reigning Baron,
Sergey Levev, at the very beginning of his tenure. Sergey, second-in-line to the barony for most of his life, was suddenly thrust into the position when his older brother
Andrey was crushed by a large stone that crumbled from the fort’s battlements. In response, Sergey swiftly ordered a full surveying and refurbishing of the keep’s stone fortifications ‘to prevent any further tragedy’. Surprisingly, very little of the fortifications needed any replacing or reinforcing, the least stable area having mostly crumbled onto Andrey.
At present, Lev’s Keep is occupied by the reigning Baron Sergey Levev, his son and heir
Ivan, and a coterie of servants. The fort also formerly housed Sergey’s daughter
Emilia, though she absconded from it in 1491 DR to seek adventure.
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