Chamber Descriptions
GROUND LEVEL PLAN
THE WALLS:
These are sixty feet in height and magically reinforced with numerous enchantments. The external face has cultivated “Rose-Vine” growing upon it. This is an old world creeper that grows rapidly and produces beautiful perfect deep red roses. These offer the would be thief an easy transport up the wall. It’s too easy to refuse, numerous vines creep over the walls. The vines are sentient and let the climber ascend almost to halfway up and then, wrap (entangle) the miscreant until smoked loose with vaporised spray guns filled with plant control potion.
OUTER BAILEY:
This is a stone slab covered area. The area echoes with the smithy hammer. Leaning pentice sheds surround the area with green slate roofs and oaken pillars and shuttered fronts.
GATE KEEPER:
This is the operational command room for the Gatekeeper and his guards. A winch mechanism sits here along with a number of tables, chairs and alarm bell. This room is always manned. The Keeper converses either through the door hatch or through the arrow-slit over looking A. There is a small voice hole in the wall through to the inside of the gate tunnel, where the Keeper can issue commands to open or lock the gates.
GUARD CAPTAIN:
Captain of the Castle Guard has this as his operational room and he commands the garrison from here.
Watch 2L: Guard Point. Usually two archers here.
Watch 3L: Guard Point. Usually two archers here.
Watch 4L: Guard Point. Usually two archers here.
A: The ramp is a killing zone with slits looking over it from above. A large
brass bell hangs here from a black iron fitting. The corded chimer
sounds with a loud clear tone, enough to alert the Gate Keeper of the Guard Captain. There’s a small man sized hatchway in the gate, a stationed guard might open the grill slit and speak though it.
The gate is closed as a matter of normality.
B: The winch in the Keeper’s chamber raises or lowers this drawbridge. To be effective as a barrier it MUST be all the way up as nimble footed interlopers might simply rush along its hinge to the other side.
C: Guarderobe. All effluence is piped to the trench in the north west where it forms a poop moat. Water is flushed down here often but it still smells.
D: Farrier and Blacksmith’s Pentice. Both these trades are operated by the garrison’s skilled soldiers.
E: A sloping corridor ending in a thick wooden gate. Usually open and guarded from above by an archer.
F: Stables: The castle has 40 heavy horses and 12 light horses.
G: Fountain and water trough. Used by the horses and cleaners.
H: Kitchens and Garrison foodstore.
I: Bath house: This is a deep stone tiled tub with steps. Up to 12 can take a bath here at a time. No privacy however.
INNER BAILEY: Slab covered much the same as the outer bailey but informal areas of garden exist with a sundial and stone carved benches. Dominated by the Keep Tower, and the rising sky ramp (H) the area is quiet. The northern and western wall is but twenty feet high and single skinned and three feet thick , wooden shuttered pentice sheds lean into the north west corner.
A: Pentice: Armourer
B: Pentice: Armoury
C: Pentice: Bowyer and Fletcher
D: Pentice: Herbalist & Brewer
E: Pentice: Carpenter & Mason
F: Pentice: Weaponsmith
G: Pentice: Cartwright
H: Skyramp: Mooring and gangway for flying vessels.
I: Wild Garden: Stone bench and sundials.
J: Stone staircase, access to dividing curtain wall.
K: Keep staircase. No railings, open to shot from above.
L: The pit.
THE KEEP:
Walls ten feet thick are strengthened by adamantine rods that stretch upwards the whole height of the tower – the rustic stonework glows bronze in the evening sunset and the warm glow of firelight and warm lanterns can be seen rising up to the top. The keep sits on a motte of rock and earth strengthened by a hard covering of granite to preclude undermining. The only access point is up a steep flight of stone stairs where it tops out on a platform and a drawbridge overarching a pit of spiked death. A heavy set of heavy wooden double doors peers out of the archway’s shadowed maw.
FIRST LEVEL PLANS
LEVEL 1:
1: Usually one of the four knights are on duty here at all times. He keeps the drawbridge down and lanterns alight in the area. There’s but one arrow slit in this room and a large hearth that lights much of the place. A large chandelier hung with five polished copper lanterns hangs over the hall giving it the much needed extra light. The floor is heavy stone slab covered and the walls are perfectly dressed granite basalt. The place, though cold stone, has seeming warmth from the colour.
2: Stout double doors of iron-oak bound with bands of blackened steel, studded and tough, stand there with a large cross beam with which to brace it. A tough five foot wide drawbridge is raised or lowered from the alcove by a ratchet wheel. The ratchet is power assisted, so someone with a strength of but 9 can crank it against someone with 18:00 strength.
3: Hearth, carved from white limestone in the form of a large arch. Black steel cooking equipment hangs above the log fire, and numerous polished copper pots and pans hang around the hearth’s sides.
4: Well. This is a deep shaft going down some 180ft. The water there is cold and pure, it can be used for drinking with just a standard boil.
Watch 1 U (Upper): Usually two archers stationed here.
Watch 2 U (Upper): Usually four archers stationed here.
Watch 3 U (Upper): Usually four archers stationed here.
Watch 4 U (Upper): Usually two archers stationed here.
GREAT HALL:
This is where the garrison eat, sleep and socialise, all in together in one enormous happy community. It’s a very lively place. Usually, the lord and the knights NEVER go there unless invited by the troop, because it’s supposed to be the place where they have their home. They are controlled by the sergeants in this hall. It’s a stone hall, with large wooden truss arrangements above supporting the roof and two spires. The walls are broken by many arrow-slits in both front and back, ventilation is important here with forty soldiers here. Two shifts of twenty is the norm, day and night. There are twenty five bunk beds here, many armour racks and as many large lockable foot-lockers. Weapons racks stand near the doors and are also against the stone block that the staircase climbs. Regimental award flags from previous campaigns hang around the hall, dating back many hundreds of years. This place is usually lively, even at night with the knowledge that each bunk has enchanted noise eliminating curtains to enable tired soldiers to sleep as their friends drink and play dice.
LEVEL TWO:
This is better lit by far than ground level. Two slits and a window allow reasonable light into the chamber, though the northern and western sides still require lanterns. This functions as the knights hall, where the four knights of Twruchel sleep, clean their armour and read books in their spare time. Personal effects are kept in free standing wooden closets and trunks. A barrel sits near the hearth where spears and glaives sit. The chamber is the typical bronze castle stone, features such as the hearth, staircase railing banister and window arch, window bench and iron ball cradle are from dressed white limestone.
5: This is a navel that has a hole within it. When under siege, the large stack of iron balls are rolled down the hole where they exit the wall above the drawbridge crashing into the enemy as they stand on the staircase. Boiling oil might be an option, but iron balls are cleaner and not so smelly.
LEVEL 3:
This chamber is lit by the standard two slits and a window with additional light coming from a lantern chandelier. The purpose of this room is that of a War-Room, with a large circular table set with hundreds of small pieces carved in different woods and metals. A few large maps inked onto a tapestry hang on the north eastern wall, the place is that of an Island called Kral Malveth, somewhere far, far away.
6: The staircase up and down both have viewing balconies over the north western forest, a very beautiful panorama indeed.
LEVEL 4:
This chamber is the lords personal chapel and is sectioned off from the staircase by a wall of fine oak paneling set with arched stained glass. Double doors lead through the panel into the chapel. The chaplain uses this as his study area. The chapel is lined with fine semi-translucent marble and some tiles are carved with the symbol of Hethea. The ceiling is painted with images of the goddess riding a giant owl propelled chariot across a night sky surrounded by bright electrical discharges. Inside, many shields hang on the walls surrounding a shrine to Hethea, the goddess of the Blue Cloak paladins. While not strictly a blue cloak any more, he is certainly a paladin of sorts and his new adoption of livery and name might be disguise enough to avoid detection by Siriol.
LEVEL 5:
The Lords personal chamber. Open thoroughfare enables him to keep abridge of happenings within the castle as he intercepts his friends as they come and go. Suits of fine armour stand about this chamber, half lit by lanterns and the light from the window and double slits. Potent weapons stand in racks and a number of old paintings of strange far off lands hang here. A small library on ancient history and philosophy sit in oaken book cases around the room. A small robust single bed of plain oak is made habitable by a thick mattress of packed straw and a number of plain, old blankets of navy blue and gray. A number of battered old shields bearing heraldry from Siriol’s XIIIth army hang around the bed area. Half a dozen stout ebony chests banded with black studded steel sit in various locations, each locked and heavy looking. No built fireplace is here though a small brazier with orange red glowing crystals in the chambers centre heat the room with great efficiency.
LEVEL 6:
The Lords parlour. This would function as a family room, if said lord had a family. The chamber is panelled in carved oak and the ceiling above is painted with heavenly scenes. Fine tapestries hang around depicting forested scenes lit by strange lights while dryads hide half submerged into the boles of trees. A number of fine wooden thrones are randomly placed around and there is a large, circular ebony table covered in drowish carvings – a curiosity indeed for those that spy its intricacies. A circular spiral staircase ascends from the centre of the room to the bright and airy space above.
LEVEL 7:
Twenty four wide windows fill the circular wall of this chamber, this spire base room is a viewing gallery that scans out in every direction. Bright daylight fills it and the stone floored area is devoid of furnishings of any type. The lord and his knights use this as their personal combat training area. For a few hours every morning, this large spire vault is full of noise before the quiet viewing platform becomes serene and contemplative of the northern forests beauty. The spiral staircase continues upwards through a panelled domed ceiling into the truss arrangement. This is known as the “Crown Room” because it sits where a crown would on the head, just below the high hat.
LEVEL 8:
Brightly lit by four large windows, one North, one south, one east and one west, this chamber is panelled in smoothly planed oak and is inhabited by a wizard. Each wing of the hall has a thick, heavy curtain drawn across it, deep purple in colour and embroidered across the valance with alchemical, astronomical and mathematical symbols. In the north wing, a chemistry lab sprawls around on marble workbenches. In the south, a small library fills the space with a pair of comfortable leather wing chairs inviting the viewer to study. This is there the wizard has her current materials and memorises her spells. At night it is lit by a glowing crystal sphere on a small oak three legged table between the seats. The eastern wing is the wizard’s personal sleeping area, fine screens of embroidered silk stand about areas where exposure is likely. There’s a chaise lounge covered with velvet cushions and the windows are draped with huge folds of while lace curtain. The bathing tub in the western wing is typical – a ten foot wide wooden tub of ensorcelled water, always clean and hot, sits there steaming slightly. Wooden pegs offer to hang the clothes and there’s a number of candles around the edge of the tub, a small ladder to help one get in and out. Likewise, a screen stands afore the tub and the curtain, prohibiting invasions of privacy.
LEVEL 9:
This pointed chamber is within the top of the great spire and has no windows. Lit by a bright globe of glass glowing with enchanted phosphorescence, this small circular area has shelves running around the perimeter. These shelves are full of reference books, this is the Wizards treasured library. Unlike the reading area on level eight, this is full of non current study material.
SPIRED TOPS:
These are standard trussed spires that have been used to store arrows as would be needed in a siege. About a thousand arrows are in each spire in bundles of one dozen.
Watch 1R
Watch 2R
Watch 3R
Watch 4R
GATE ROOF:
This open area is viewed over from the nearby watch spires. Two ribbed spires crown this area, reached by a stout stone enclosed staircase from the Great Hall below. Here’s a storeroom for the gatehouse, plus a triplet of stone built slate roofed chalets for castle guests (who might not be close enough to stay in the keep.) These are small, clean and simple rooms with a heat crystal brazier in each for warmth, basic furnishings which are high quality enough to keep people happy. Windows allow a view over the outer bailey and viewing balcony at the front of the gatehouse functions to hold a flagpole. Should a knight request hospitality, the lords flag here will confirm it will be given in advance from a distance.
UNDERCROFT:
There are four levels of undercroft. These are only reachable via passwall or teleport and cannot be entered into through manual means. They are unreachable by digging or rams etc.
Keep -1 Treasury
Keep -2 Siege stores in magic crates/barrels. Enough for three months.
Keep-3 Enchanted Treasury
Keep-4 Reservoir linked to the well and the water table. Note that the water table is not large enough to breech and enter. It’s a network of tiny fractures in the rocks that collect water. In times of protracted siege, this can be magically linked to the elemental plane of water for refills.
Designed and Written by O.G.Osborne
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