Castle Akthos
Castle Akthos is a border fort in Arduli. It is on the Arduli-Qamenkas border. The town of Amberhold is nearby.
Government and Defences
Castle Akthos is commanded by the female Khiravi Tiefling Exarch Phelaia Hedayati, Caestus Attaliate. She heavily dislikes the many adventurers that constantly go through their gates, but has been commanded to let them pass. Seven allagia of the Dicarian Legions guard the castle. One allagia is sent to guard the nearby town of Amberhold in shifts. Two walls have been built across the canyon, one in front of the castle, and one behind. The front-facing wall was built by Ahagwuena after their conquest of Khidiana, and the back-facing wall was built during the Khidianan War. Both walls, as well as the castle, are mounted with siege weapons. The back-facing wall has fallen to disrepair, since its upkeep is less important than the other defences of the fort.Geography
Castle Akthos is located on the southwestern border of Arduli, in East Khidiana. It is located at the mouth of Melantho’s Pass, where the mountainous and forested Khidiana becomes the desert of Qamenkas. Four miles away from the castle is the settlement of Amberhold.History
Castle Akthos originated as the castle town of Rakh during Khidiana’s period of independence from external powers as the Kingdom of Khidiana. It was constructed sometime in the 600s MT. However, it was conquered by the Tyfilian Empire during the Elhyseian Conquest in the late 600s MT and rechristened as Castle Akthos. The town around the castle was eventually abandoned; it is unknown if the town’s abandonment was forced, happened over time, or if because the town was decimated during the conquest. As time went on, the fort’s importance lessened greatly, so smaller and smaller forces guarded the castle. When the War of Western Wensuas came to Castle Akthos, the fort was so barely guarded that the Ahagwuenans took it with ease. After the conclusion of the war, Ahagwuena began using it as a border fort, renaming it Castle Rakhuto, a Nimadization of its previous name. During the Khidianan War, Arduli’s territorial gains cut off easy access to Castle Rakhuto. Ahagwuena held the fort throughout the war, but the fortification was passed over to Arduli as part of the Treaty of Westherma. After it was, Arduli rechristened the fort once again as Castle Akthos. In 1239 MT, the red dragon Uxingier attacked Castle Akthos, obliterating the small settlement that was there. After Uxingier left, the residents of the town noticed that her attack had caused a portion of a nearby mountainside to collapse, revealing a great vault from the era of the Kingdom of Khidiana. Since quite a few of the buildings around the vault still stood, the townsfolk decided to settle there, creating the settlement of Amberhold.
Founding Date
600s MT
Alternative Names
Rakh, Castle Rakhuto
Type
Fort
Parent Location
Owning Organization
