Types of Strongholds

CHOOSE A SIZE

D&D measures the size of your fortress in “stronghold spaces” (ss). A stronghold space isn’t rigidly defined in terms of square footage, but most stronghold spaces take up a 20-foot-by-20-foot-by-10-foot space; a simple one-room cottage takes up one stronghold space. Most of the stronghold components you’ll select in Step 3 take up one stronghold space each.

Each of the following things fit in a single stronghold space:

• An opulent bedroom suite, two normal bedrooms, quarters for six servants, or barracks for ten soldiers.
• Kitchen space for fifteen residents.
• An alchemical laboratory, wizard’s workshop, or nice office
• A small smithy or a stable for six horses.

A complete of list of stronghold components can be found in Chapter 2. At this point, you only need to give some thought to how many stronghold spaces your finshed stronghold will have.

The size of your stronghold determines how many of your walls are interior walls—important if you’re trying to save money by building a stronghold with tough exterior walls and weaker interior walls, for example. Many of the magical extras you’ll buy for your stronghold, from intruder alarms to force shields, have prices that depend on how many spaces they cover.

Size Estimates

As noted, a simple cottage takes up 1 stronghold space. Most strongholds are much larger, of course. Use the following table to estimate the size of the stronghold you’re building.

Table 1–4: Stronghold Sizes

Stronghold Type	Size in Stronghold Spaces
Cottage	1
Simple house	4
Grand house	7
Mansion	15
Border tower	4
Keep	12
Castle	20
Huge castle	80
Small dungeon*	30–60
Medium dungeon**	61–120
Large dungeon†	121 and up

*Such as the sample dungeon provided in Chapter 4 of the DUNGEON MASTER’s Guide.

**Such as the dungeon found in The Sunless Citadel.

†Such as the Crater Ridge Mines found in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

PURCHASE COMPONENTS AND WALLS

Now decide which components you want your stronghold to have from the list in Chapter 2, and pick the materials for your interior and exterior walls.

In general, you can choose whatever components you can afford, but some of them have prerequisites. For example, you can’t have a luxury dining hall unless you also have a luxury kitchen. Many of the components take up 1 stronghold space, but others occupies more or less.

Some components come in normal, fancy, and luxury varieties. All three kinds are functionally identical, but fancy components have nicer furnishings, art, and architectural features. Luxury components have dazzling art, masterwork furniture, and stellar craftsmanship throughout.

At any point in Step 3, you can choose some of Chapter 2’s clusters: groups of components and extras that work well together. There’s no difference in price, so choosing clusters simply saves you time. You can always purchase components and extras individually if you like.

Component Example: Brightstone Keep

Karlerren wants the following components for Brightstone Keep: a basic bedroom suite for himself (800 gp), four bedrooms for his compatriots (two basic bedroom components at 700 gp each), a basic bath (400 gp), a basic kitchen (2,000 gp), a dining hall (2,000 gp), barracks for 30 soldiers (three barracks components at 400 gp each), three guard posts (300 gp each), a basic library (500 gp), a basic magic laboratory (500 gp), an armory (500 gp), a basic smithy (500 gp), some basic storage (250 gp), a barbican (1,000 gp), and servants’ quarters (400 gp).

These components cost 12,350 gp and take up seventeen stronghold spaces.