Thordal Castle Fortress

Purpose / Function

Reason for Construction: 

Decree. A ruler, or governing group, ordered that it be built.

Protection. 

The fortress was built to keep something safe. Whatever that something is, it is no secret that it resides in the fortress.

Design

Design Theme: 

Piety. Righteousness and ascendance.

Entries

Alternate Entries: 

Drain, Blocked. A drain pipe emerges somewhere in the landscape outside the fortress. Its final several yards are entirely filled with large stones to allow water to easily pass, but not intruders.

Keep Entry:

• Raised Entrance: Stairs lead to an upper-floor entry, wrapping around the structure, if necessary.
• Entry Defenses: Reinforced heavy door.

Denizens

Residents: 

Original. The original residents, their descendants, or successors are in residence. This might be the person responsible for building the fortress and/or their family, or the people they stationed there (or their descendants/successors).

Resident Relations: 

Family Squabbling. There has been arguing among the resident family of late, regarding a recurring issue. If the primary, or ranking, resident is not there with family, their arguments have been with family, or close relations, outside the fortress, either via correspondence or during a recent visit.

Resident Hobbies: 

Music (listening or playing)

Resident Attitude: 

Irritated. The residents are perturbed by this place. Something about it, or their situation, is irksome and grates on them daily.

Current Issue:

Structural Damage [Weather]. An area of the fortress has been damaged by the elements

Issue Severity:

Serious. The issue is a cause of real concern and requires attention soon, lest it worsen.

FORCES:

2nd (Shifnalia) Regiment

• Formed in 516SA
• Stationed in the castle fortress in Shifnalia County between Thordal and Thorbeck.

Regiment composition:

• Cavalry: 2475
• Archers: 394
• Infantry: 359
• Artillery: 2

Contents & Furnishings

Expense: 

Significant. The fortress was built with a large budget, allowing for high-quality materials and some luxury elements.

KEEP:

• Shape: Round. A circular keep can offer defense against certain weather and attacks, as the curved surface (depending on its extremity) will deflect weak or glancing blows. However, the interior can be limited, especially in an overall small keep.
• Size: Medium. (7x7 / 9 squares)
• Exterior Wall Thickness: 10 ft. (2 squares)
• Number of Floors: Three. Two above-ground floors and a cellar.
• Furnishings: Good. Most of the contents of the keep are of decent quality, or in good condition, and some may be excellent or in fine condition.

ROOMS:

(1) Bedroom

(1) Kitchen

(1) Dining and Receiving

General Storage

• Storage for non-food, non-equipment supplies.

Stables

• Houses mounts for residents and visitors. (attached to the outer wall of the keep)

Solar

• Living/recreational room for the main resident(s)

Cell

• Holding area for prisoner(s).

Guest Quarters

• Area set aside for guest occupation.

CASTLE:

• Geographic Advantages: none.
• Style: Concentric. Similar to a fortified keep, but with a second, additional wall surrounding everything. Additional outbuildings (typically of lesser strategic value) may be placed in this additional space.
• Size: Small
• Curtain Wall Thickness: 15ft
• Curtain Wall Height: 10ft
• Curtain Wall Towers:
• Tower Shape: Box
• Tower Size / Height (= to wall height +[ ]): Large [+20 ft.]. (7x7 / 9 squares)
• Tower Roofs: Flat Roof

Barracks Location:

• Single, Separate Structure. The barracks are situated in a single, large building in the bailey of the castle, housing the garrison. Within, there could be separate quarters (for officers, training, etc.), or there could simply be common areas, used as needed.

Bailey Outpost Buildings:

• The bailey is the space within the castle’s innermost walls. In this space are located any additional buildings needed by the residents.
• Small. 6x6 / 36 squares (Chapel/Priest’s Home)
• Medium. 8x8 / 64 squares (Servant’s Quarters)

Special Properties

Oddities: 

Strange Visitors. On occasion, the fortress experiences visits from unusual beings or creatures. If anyone is aware of these visitors (they may stay hidden), no one knows where they come from.

Architecture

Condition: 

Strong. The fortress is well-maintained and presents no obvious vulnerabilities. If the fortress is of a significant enough age, doors, timbers, fixings or other elements may have been added, updated, or replaced. It is likely kept relatively clean. If under construction, the fortress is very nearly complete, perhaps waiting on some superficial or decorative elements, and completion is likely within the month. The residents are able to live comfortably.

Primary Building Materials: 

Brick. Man-made blocks, composed of mud, clay, or sand, mixed with a binding material such as straw, baked hard.

Resource Origin: 

Entirely Salvaged. Building materials were all salvaged from various demolished structures.

Defenses

GARRISON:

Modest. The garrison’s size is large enough to sufficiently defend the fortress and allow for reasonable guard shifts.

Garrison Equipment: 

Exemplary. Guards are equipped with the best kit available, and have a dedicated training area, complete with the best of any and all training equipment and practices that would be required.

CASTLE:

Curtain Wall Defenses:

Bossing. 

Various stones protrude from the wall’s surface. These effectively reduce impacts, like catapult shots, that hit the bossing. A potential drawback could be making the wall easier to climb (unless the protrusions are sufficiently rounded).

Batters.

The bottom portion of the wall slopes outward and is, therefore, much thicker. This hinders the approach of siege towers, makes undermining difficult, and stretches siege ladders to breaking point, if they can bridge the distance at all. In addition, it removes a blindspot for defenders - the area directly beneath them.Brattice. A singular projecting space (similar to machicolations), placed over a vulnerable area, such as a passage. Like machicolations, this allows defenders to rain down attacks on an enemy directly below them, and also allows for flanking fire along the wall.

Barbican: 

• This is a forward structure acting as a checkpoint and, for attackers, a forced navigation of lethal obstacles leading up to the castle’s main gate. If the castle is concentric with a second wall, this is the entry through the outer wall.
• The gatehouse, preceded by a drawbridge, leads to a walled approach, ending in an additional drawbridge.
• Gatehouses: A gatehouse guards a primary passage through a castle wall, and is often one of the best protected parts of the castle. A gatehouse has, at the very least, large, heavy doors, able to be barred when necessary. There could also be a portcullis (a large grill made of heavy wood or metal) to be dropped to seal attackers out (or in!).
• Strong Gatehouse. One and a half times the height and thickness of its wall. Entry is covered by heavy doors and a portcullis.
• Barbican Gatehouse: Grand Gatehouse. Twice the height and thickness of its wall. Entry is covered by heavy doors and a portcullis.

Moat: 

• Dry Moat [Trapped]. The moat is dry, but filled with some extra defensive measures, such as spikes or vicious animals.
• Moat Width: 30 ft.
• Moat Depth: 25 ft

History

History: 

Notable Family Tree. A resident within the fortress has (or had) very interesting lineage.

Founding Date

Age: Old. The fortress was completed between 100 and 200 years ago.

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Thordal

Environmental Effects

Location in Relation to Settlement: 

• Outskirts. The fortress is located on the very fringes of the settlements’ occupied land, perhaps within farming country, or the stretch of land between the settlement proper and the wilderness.
• The fortress exists in the stretch of land between Thordal and Thorbeck.

Environment:

Plains. The fortress is in the wide open fields.

Local Impact:

Innocuous. The fortress’ construction had little impact on its surroundings, causing no trouble, but also not any great benefit.

Local Impact Change:

Negative. Things have gotten worse.