# ### **Basic Information** - **Name:** Varnhold Keep - **Type:** Fortress/Settlement Center - **Region/Location:** Varnhold, eastern Stolen Lands - **Size/Scale:** Moderate fortress capable of housing approximately 200 people in emergency conditions - **Notable Features:** Central stone keep, outer walls, barracks, stables, small temple, market square - **Government/Leadership:** Ruled by Maegar Varn, founder and lord of Varnhold ### **Description & Appearance** - **General Landscape:** Situated on a strategic hill overlooking the Kiravoy River valley, with excellent visibility of the surrounding plains and the distant foothills of the Tors of Levenies to the east. The fortress commands the primary trade route through the eastern Stolen Lands. - **Architecture & Layout:** Constructed in a practical frontier style that prioritizes defense over aesthetics, though not without attention to comfort and functionality. The design shows clear Brevic influences, particularly from Rostland military architecture, adapted to the specific terrain and available materials of the region. - **Notable Structures:** - **The Main Keep** – Three-story stone structure serving as Maegar Varn's residence and administrative center - **The Outer Walls** – Sturdy stone fortifications encircling the central settlement area - **The Barracks** – Well-maintained quarters for Varnhold's standing militia - **The Stables** – Substantial facility reflecting the settlement's focus on horsemanship - **Desna's Shrine** – Small but beautifully appointed temple to the goddess of travelers - **The Market Square** – Central trading area where local goods are exchanged - **Atmosphere & Sensory Details:** The air carries the mixed scents of horses, cooking fires, and the distinctive mineral tang from the nearby quarries. The keep has a frontier atmosphere—practical and somewhat rough-hewn, but with touches of civilization and comfort that reflect Maegar Varn's vision of building something lasting. The sounds of construction are nearly constant as the settlement continues to develop, punctuated by the calls of merchants and the training exercises of the militia. ### **History & Significance** - **Founding & Origins:** Established approximately five years ago when Maegar Varn, a minor noble from Brevoy with military experience, received a charter to claim and develop the eastern Stolen Lands. The keep was the first major structure built, serving as both protection and symbol of the new settlement's permanence. - **Major Historical Events:** - **The Founding** – Initial construction of the keep and establishment of Varnhold - **The First Winter** – Challenging season that tested the settlement's preparations and resolve - **The Centaur Accord** – Diplomatic agreement with local centaur tribes establishing boundaries - **The Expansion** – Second phase of construction that enlarged the keep and outer walls - **The Trade Festival** – First major gathering that established Varnhold as a regional trading center - **Cultural Importance:** Represents the easternmost outpost of civilization in the Stolen Lands, serving as both a defensive position against threats from the Tors of Levenies and a symbol of Brevic expansion into previously unclaimed territories. - **Strategic Value:** Controls a key river crossing and trade route, while providing a buffer between more established settlements to the west and the largely unexplored wilderness to the east. ### **Function & Operations** - **Primary Purpose:** Serves as the administrative center for Varnhold territory, a defensive stronghold against external threats, and the economic hub for the surrounding region. - **Daily Activities:** Houses governmental functions, military operations, trading activities, and community gatherings. The keep bustles with activity from dawn until dusk, with reduced but continued operations through the night hours. - **Defensive Capabilities:** - Stone walls approximately twenty feet high surrounding the central settlement - Watchtowers positioned for maximum visibility of approaching threats - Barracks housing a standing militia of approximately 50 trained soldiers - Armory containing weapons and armor sufficient to equip an additional 100 defenders - Emergency provisions stored to withstand a siege of up to two months - **Administrative Functions:** Contains Maegar Varn's council chambers, record-keeping facilities, and quarters for key officials overseeing various aspects of the settlement's operations. ### **Population & Society** - **Permanent Residents:** The keep itself houses approximately 75 permanent residents, including: - Maegar Varn and his personal staff - Military officers and elite guards - Administrative officials - Skilled craftspeople maintaining the structure - Servants and support personnel - **Transient Population:** During daylight hours, the keep's population swells with: - Merchants and traders using the market facilities - Farmers and crafters from outlying areas seeking protection or services - Visitors from other settlements - Militia members rotating through training and duty shifts - **Social Structure:** Reflects a frontier adaptation of Brevic society, with: - Clear leadership hierarchy headed by Maegar Varn - Respected positions for those with military or practical skills - Emphasis on contribution to the community's success - Less rigid class distinctions than in more established regions ### **Politics & Governance** - **Leadership Structure:** Maegar Varn serves as the unquestioned lord of Varnhold, though he governs with a practical approach that values competence and results over strict adherence to rank or protocol. He is assisted by: - **Willas Gunderson** – Militia commander and security advisor - **Edran Foss** – Steward overseeing administrative matters - **Cephal Lorentus** – Treasurer and trade coordinator - **Caspar Morgarion** – Diplomat and advisor on indigenous relations - **Laws & Enforcement:** Maintains a pragmatic legal code focused on: - Protection of life and property - Fair trade practices - Sustainable use of local resources - Respectful relations with indigenous peoples - Mutual defense responsibilities - **Foreign Relations:** - **Neighboring Settlements** – Generally positive trading relationships - **Centaur Tribes** – Carefully maintained peace based on territorial agreements - **Brevoy** – Nominal allegiance while maintaining practical autonomy - **Other Stolen Lands Settlements** – Cooperative but competitive relationships - **Internal Politics:** Generally unified under Maegar Varn's leadership, though occasional tensions arise between: - Military and civilian priorities - Trading interests and security concerns - Expansion advocates and those favoring consolidation ### **Economy & Resources** - **Major Industries:** - Horse breeding and training, with Varnhold stock gaining regional recognition - Quarrying of high-quality stone from nearby deposits - Agriculture focused on grains and hardy vegetables - Hunting and trapping in the surrounding wilderness - **Trade & Commerce:** The keep's market serves as the primary trading center for the eastern Stolen Lands, where: - Local products are exchanged for imported necessities - Merchants from Brevoy and other settlements conduct business - Prices for basic goods are regulated to ensure fair access - Taxes on transactions fund community services and defense - **Infrastructure:** Continues to develop, with recent improvements including: - Enhanced water collection and storage systems - Expanded granaries and food preservation facilities - Improved roads connecting outlying farms and resources - Workshop spaces for skilled craftspeople ### **Threats & Challenges** - **Current Dangers:** - **Spriggans** – Fey creatures occasionally raiding outlying areas - **Centaur Tensions** – Periodic boundary disputes with certain tribes - **Wilderness Threats** – Dangerous creatures from the Tors of Levenies - **Bandit Activity** – Opportunistic raiders targeting trade caravans - **Environmental Challenges:** The region faces seasonal flooding from the Kiravoy River and harsh winter conditions that can isolate the settlement for weeks at a time. - **Resource Limitations:** While generally self-sufficient, the settlement struggles with: - Limited access to specialized crafting materials - Occasional shortages of certain foodstuffs - Difficulty attracting and retaining skilled specialists - **Political Vulnerabilities:** As a relatively new settlement, Varnhold must carefully navigate: - Potential changes in Brevic policy toward the Stolen Lands - Competing claims from other would-be settlers - Internal pressures as the population grows and diversifies ### **Locations of Interest** - **The Lord's Hall** – Maegar Varn's audience chamber where official business is conducted - **The Armory** – Impressive collection of weapons and armor for the settlement's defense - **The Stablemaster's Office** – Center of Varnhold's renowned horse breeding program - **The Cartographer's Tower** – Where maps of the surrounding territories are created and maintained - **The Travelers' Rest** – Comfortable inn serving visitors and merchants - **The Quartermaster's Stores** – Where supplies for the settlement are managed and distributed - **The Training Yard** – Where the militia hones their skills under Willas Gunderson's watchful eye ### **Notable Characters** - **Maegar Varn** – Lord of Varnhold, former Brevic military officer and visionary leader - **Willas Gunderson** – Gruff but effective commander of Varnhold's militia - **Edran Foss** – Meticulous steward managing the keep's day-to-day operations - **Cephal Lorentus** – Sharp-minded treasurer with extensive trading contacts - **Caspar Morgarion** – Diplomatic advisor specializing in relations with centaur tribes - **Maestro Ervil** – Master stonemason overseeing ongoing construction projects - **Ilaria Varn** – Maegar's cousin who oversees the settlement's horse breeding program ### **Adventure Hooks** - Investigation of mysterious disappearances from outlying farms - Diplomatic mission to ease tensions with a newly arrived centaur tribe - Recovery of valuable breeding horses stolen by organized bandits - Escort duty for an important shipment of supplies from Brevoy - Exploration of ancient ruins discovered during quarrying operations