Arbor Grange

Arbor Grange was crafted by and is the former residence of the archmage Fineahir Shinebright. It is located north-northeast of Gravesford and north-northwest of Seaton.
The path to Arbor Grange winds between steep hillocks and through copses of conifers, in the forested area east of the inland marshes of Salinmoor. This path leads straight to a deep gorge whose sides are nearly sheer and whose bed is lined with jagged rocks far below. The gorge extends out of sight in both directions and there is no way around it. The gorge is real but dramatically enhanced visually by a massive permanent casting of Hallucinatory Terrain. In reality the gorge's basin is only 25 feet below and is not line with jagged rocks. An invisble bridge, discovered recently by the Red Badges, traverses this gorge.
The current warden and resident of the Arbor Grange is the half-orc barbarian and animal caretaker known as Guz. After some recent damage to the structure by a Bed Dragon Wyrmling, Guz is presently working on repairs.

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Architecture

Rather than stone or glass, the large house has been formed from the living branches of four sturdy oak trees. These have been shaped and woven to create three thick platforms. The lowest of these platforms is perched upon the trunk of a thick oak and stands 15 feet above the ground. The platform itself is about 35 feet across and is protected from view by a wall of upward curling branches that form a rough bowl shape. Flowers and small trees can be seen growing around the edges of this garden platform, which also contains a number of animal and livestock pens. The only obvious route up from the ground is a gentle slope formed of roots and branches that connects roughly with the main path.
The trunks of two larger oaks, bent slightly toward each other as if ackowledging a shared burden, support the second and largest platform. Rising 25 feet from the ground, it is 60 feet across and is fully enclosed with a circular wall formed from twisting branches. From the outside can be seen evenly spaced, window-sized gaps, as well as a door and ramp connecting it to the garden platform. The living platform contains three rooms; a large study, a reception room, and a dinning hall with seating for 10 or more individuals.
The last platform is supported atop the tallest of the mighty oaks and rises 40 feet above the ground. This is also the smallest of the three platforms and houses only private quarters of the current master of Arbor Grange. These quarters are linked to the central living platform by another small slope.
Scattered on the ground beneath these platforms are several small wooden huts and a large outhouse, formerly occupied by groundskeepers or mercenaries.

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History

Originally crafted by the master transmuter Fineahir Shinebright decades ago, the Arbor Grange was eventually seized by his apprentice, Ahmed Noke. Noke held Shinebright captive in the polymorphed form of a sheep for several years. In that time he surrounded himself with hired thugs and mercenaries whom he subsequently polymorphed into giant animals to enhance their feasomeness and fighting capabilities.
During the most recent Celebration of Life, when a lycanthropic plague broke out, Noke devised a means of taking advantage of the situation from the safety of his sanctum. Knowing the local militias of Saltmarsh, Seaton, and Burle would be far too busy trying to stem the tide of panic and chaos, Noke saw the unprotected settlements of central Salinmoor as perfect targets. He sent out his mercenaries, particularly those in wolf or predator forms, to ravage the countryside and bring back anything of value. Noke reasoned that lycanthropes would be blamed while he would regain the wealth he had previously squandered to maintain the illusion that he himself was an archmage. Noke's plot was discovered by the Red Badges of Overwatch, who took down the pretender and killed or dispersed the remaining polymorphed mercenaries.
A ledger of accounts found in the study revealed that Noke had also been accepting payments and magic items from The Culling to provide information on the leaders of Castle Overwatch and The Blackspire. In addition, it appears The Culling may have used the Arbor Grange as a staging point for operations on more than one occasion. It is unclear if they have plans to return.

Alternative Names

Brighthome, the Oak Steading

Type

Tower, Mage

Owning Organization

Viscounty of Salinmoor

Characters in Location

• Fineahir Shinebright