### **[[Whitewood Hall]]** – Ancestral Seat of **[[House Whitewood]]** --- ## **Basic Information** - **Name:** Whitewood Hall - **Type:** Noble Estate & Fortress - **Region:** Southern Issia, near the Rostlandic border - **Scale & Population:** - A **large fortified manor** with surrounding lands, villages, and farmland. - Home to **House Whitewood’s** ruling family, retainers, and **approximately 2,500 subjects**, including farmers, craftsmen, and soldiers. - Functions as both a **family estate** and a **regional power center**, with strong ties to noble politics in Brevoy. - **Primary Inhabitants:** - **House Whitewood’s noble family** and their closest vassals. - **Knights & Retainers** – Sworn warriors maintaining the family's military power. - **Merchants & Artisans** – Smiths, tailors, scribes, and masons supporting the Hall’s operations. - **Farmers & Villagers** – Providing food, labor, and occasional militia service. - **Issian-Born Nobility** – Some members of **House Surtova’s faction** maintain diplomatic contact, though tensions remain high. - **Climate & Terrain:** - Situated in the **rolling plains and forests of southern Issia**, with cold winters and temperate summers. - **Rivers and roads connect Whitewood Hall to major Brevic trade routes**, but proximity to Rostland makes it vulnerable to unrest. - The land is **fertile yet contested**, with past skirmishes fought over territorial claims. --- ## **Geography & Layout** - **Key Features & Landmarks:** - **The Whitewood Keep** – The heart of the estate, a **fortified stone manor** known for its **white ashwood accents** and its elegant yet battle-ready architecture. - **The Western Wall** – A thick outer wall reinforced with ironwood, manned by **Whitewood knights and watchmen**. - **The Ancestral Crypts** – A series of underground tombs housing generations of **Whitewood ancestors**, rumored to hold forgotten relics. - **The Dueling Grounds** – An open courtyard where **Whitewood knights and young heirs** train in martial combat, often attracting challengers from Rostland. - **The Whispering Groves** – A **sacred woodland** on the estate’s edge, where local druids claim to hear the voices of ancient spirits. - **Notable Districts/Areas:** - **The Great Hall** – Where formal gatherings, noble councils, and political discussions occur. - **The Knight’s Barracks** – Housing for Whitewood’s elite warriors, known for their loyalty and discipline. - **The Lord’s Library** – Contains **historical records, tactical treatises, and ancestral lore**, accessible only to the ruling family and their trusted scholars. - **The Ashwood Village** – A **thriving settlement just outside the keep**, providing food, trade, and labor for the estate. - **Connections & Accessibility:** - **Roads to New Stetven & Restov** – Vital trade and diplomatic routes link Whitewood Hall to Brevic power centers. - **Hidden Paths to Rivermarch** – Old hunting trails could serve as **covert escape routes or supply lines** if tensions rise. - **Proximity to the Sellen River** – Grants access to **waterborne trade and potential military logistics**. --- ## **Culture & Society** - **Local Governance:** - **Ruled by Lord Aldric Whitewood**, with **Lady Evelyne Whitewood** managing household affairs and diplomacy. - **Sir Brinnard Whitewood**, the family patriarch, serves as a **military advisor and mentor** to the younger generation. - Governance follows **a blend of Issian feudalism and Rostlandic warrior traditions**, favoring both **noble strategy and martial prowess**. - **Economy & Trade:** - **Horses & Cavalry Equipment** – Whitewood Hall is known for its **warhorses and fine-quality saddles, lances, and armor**. - **Timber & Ironwood Exports** – The surrounding forests supply **high-quality wood for shipbuilding and fortifications**. - **Steel & Forging** – Weaponsmiths trained in **Issian and Rostlandic techniques** craft excellent blades and dueling weapons. - **Tactical Consultations** – Whitewood knights and tacticians are **hired by other nobles as military consultants**. - **Religion & Beliefs:** - **Erastil (God of Community & the Hunt)** – Patron deity of farmers and hunters in Whitewood’s lands. - **Gorum (God of War)** – Revered by Whitewood knights and soldiers. - **Abadar (God of Law & Wealth)** – Worshipped by the merchant class and noble financiers. - **Ancestral Honor** – Whitewood Hall upholds **a semi-spiritual reverence for family legacy**, with annual ceremonies honoring fallen warriors. - **Laws & Customs:** - **The Whitewood Oath** – Every Whitewood knight swears a **vow of service to the family and its protection**, with strict consequences for betrayal. - **Trial by Combat** – Disputes between nobles or knights can be settled by **formal duels** under strict codes of honor. - **The Winter Vigil** – A traditional Whitewood practice where heirs spend a night in the crypts, listening to their ancestors’ wisdom (or their own fears). - **Hospitality & Fealty** – Guests of noble blood are treated with respect, but **violating Whitewood laws results in exile or execution**. - **Languages Spoken:** - **Common (Taldane), Issian Dialect, Rostlandic Traditions** - **Old Brevic (Used in certain ancient documents and Whitewood rites)** --- ## **History & Lore** - **Origins & Founding:** - Established centuries ago by a **Whitewood warlord**, the Hall began as a **fortified hunting lodge** before growing into a regional power center. - Legends claim **the first Whitewood lord tamed a silver-eyed stallion**, which became the sigil of the house. - **Major Historical Events:** - **The Issian-Rostlandic Rift** – Whitewood Hall served as a **neutral ground** for negotiations, but ultimately sided **cautiously with Rostland** in most conflicts. - **The War of the Stolen Crown** – The Hall endured multiple sieges when House Surtova took the throne, resisting direct subjugation. - **The Duel of Three Lords** – A famous Whitewood heir once **dueled two Surtova noblemen at the same time and won**, securing political autonomy for another generation. - **Current Conflicts or Issues:** - **Political Pressure from House Surtova** – The ruling family faces increasing pressure to **prove loyalty to the throne**, despite lingering tensions. - **Potential Alliance with Rivermarch** – Rivermarch’s rise could shift Whitewood’s standing **toward greater independence or conflict with Issia**. - **Bandit Raids & Pitaxian Saboteurs** – Increased criminal activity on Whitewood’s roads suggests external manipulation—perhaps from **King [[Castruccio Irovetti]]**. - **Rumors & Mysteries:** - **A Hidden Heir?** – Some believe an **exiled Whitewood scion** could challenge the current leadership. - **Ancient Vault Beneath the Crypts** – Sealed by magic and legend, said to contain **forbidden relics or long-lost family secrets**. - **A Forbidden Alliance?** – Whispers suggest certain **Whitewood nobles have secret ties to Restov and the Aldori**—potentially dangerous if revealed. --- ## **Notable NPCs & Factions** - **Key Figures:** - **Lord [[Aldric Whitewood]] (Ruler & Strategist)** – A master tactician balancing power between Issia and Rostland. - **Lady [[Evelyne Marwin-Whitewood]] (Diplomat & Matriarch)** – A skilled negotiator handling political intrigue. - **Sir [[Brinnard Whitewood]] (Veteran General)** – A battle-hardened warrior guiding the next generation of Whitewood knights. - **[[Brinn Whitewood]] (Rivermarch Lord Regent)** – A rising power in the Stolen Lands, his actions may force Whitewood Hall to pick a side. - **Factions or Power Groups:** - **The Whitewood Knights** – Elite warriors maintaining the family’s legacy. - **The Ashen Circle** – A secretive order rumored to advise the Whitewood rulers from the shadows. - **Major Monsters or Threats:** - **Basilisks & Dire Wolves** – Creatures that lurk in the deep forests near the estate. - **Pitaxian & Surtova Assassins** – Political enemies seeking to **eliminate Whitewood influence**. --- ## **Adventure Hooks** - Whitewood Hall requests **aid in protecting trade routes from Pitaxian saboteurs**. - [[Brinn Whitewood]] is summoned home for **an urgent family matter—an arranged marriage, a noble dispute, or a political gambit**. - A **Rostlandic emissary offers a secret alliance**, testing Rivermarch’s loyalties. How involved should **Whitewood Hall** be in Rivermarch’s politics? Would you like a **family conflict**, a **diplomatic test**, or an **external invasion** to push the story forward?