Highguard Keep

Highguard Keep is a SimuCoin private property located on the trail to Icemule Trace, where the Blue Glacier Mountains end and the Tundra begins.

The castle is open to the the public.

Location

[Blue Glacier, Mountain Pass - 2517]
The view is remarkable from your vantage point at the top of this plateau as you stop to rest. You gaze north to find the snow-blown expanse of the tundra stretching as far as the eye can see. To the southwest, the jagged magnificence of the Blue Glacier Mountains rises to great heights and embraces the clouds. You also see a mithril-tipped black rolaren portcullis set within an imposing granite gatehouse.
Obvious paths: north, southwest

Courtyard

Day

[Highguard Keep, Courtyard - 23276]
Constant activity in this spacious bailey keeps the snow, swirling in over the outer walls, from blanketing the cobbled courtyard. Wooden stables and storerooms cling to the perimeter walls, but the grey granite exterior of the compound's towering inner keep is bare except for an incised cornerstone. Crenellated battlements top the keep, overhanging the steep structure like a beetled brow. Tucked into a protected corner near the northern stables is a small fountain. To the south, a snow-dusted marble statue presides over a row of archery butts. You also see a black rolaren portcullis.
Obvious paths: none

Night

[Highguard Keep, Courtyard - 23276]
Constant activity in this spacious bailey keeps the swirling snow from blanketing the cobbled courtyard. Wooden stables and storerooms cling to the perimeter walls, but the grey granite exterior of the compound's towering inner keep is bare except for an incised cornerstone. Crenellated battlements top the keep, overhanging the steep structure like a beetled brow, and obscuring the stars behind them. Tucked into a protected corner near the northern stables is a small fountain. To the south, a snow-dusted marble statue presides over a row of archery butts. You also see a black rolaren portcullis.
Obvious paths: none

>l keep

Slender arrow slits pepper the grey granite of this formidable fortress, otherwise featureless save for a few narrow windows set high near the embattled parapets. Deeply entrenched within the center of the sheer granite walls of the keep is a pair of heavy ironwood doors, flanked on each side by a small guard station. Situated in one corner is a wooden rain barrel banded in thick iron.

>l cornerstone

This weathered block of granite clearly predates the stonework around it. Stonemasons roughly shaped this raw hunk of native massif and carved a few lines of writing on it.

There appears to be something written on it.

>read cornerstone

In the Common language, it reads:

Roblar's Rock

>l fountain

A determined builder has tapped into one of the hot springs bubbling deep below the surrounding stone to keep the fountain flowing. Even so, rime has formed around the fountain's outermost edge. The steady source also provides a small knot garden, containing a few hardy medicinal and culinary herbs, with enough water and warmth to survive.

>l statue

Carved from polished blue-grey marble, the heroic statue features a detailed image of a young giantman and rearing grizzly bear caught mid-brawl. The powerfully built giantman stands tall, his tightened fists aimed toward the creature's jet-inset eyes and gaping maw. A rectangular bronze plaque is affixed to the base between the two fighters, and it reads: "Birth of a Warrior."

>l butt (Archery Game - fire arrows at it for scoring)

The archery butt has hundreds of holes in it from years of use.

>l portcullis

Set within an imposing granite gatehouse, the portal's massive rolaren beams are capped with mithril spikes, making the keep virtually impregnable by physical or magical means. The vaulted ceiling above the menacing row of spikes is roughly finished with plaster that still bears the grain of the wood used to shape it. A quartet of murder holes opens at the apex of the vault, their throats darkened with pitch. A thick chain attached to a winch allows inhabitants to raise and lower the portcullis at will.

The portcullis is open.

>l holes

The perpetual chill has caused the residue of formerly liquid pitch that once poured from massive pots above the murder holes to solidify into black stalactites. The holes' openings are at least three times higher than a giantman's head, far out of reach yet low enough to prevent the pitch from thickening before it reaches its hapless targets.

>close portcullis

Reaching over, you grasp the thick iron chain next to the black rolaren portcullis and begin to steadily pull hand-over-hand. As the chain moves through the winch high above, the portcullis lowers smoothly.

>open portcullis

Reaching over, you grasp the thick iron chain next to the black rolaren portcullis and begin to steadily pull hand-over-hand. As the chain moves through the winch high above, the portcullis rises smoothly.

>open doors

Giving the ironwood doors a firm pull, they reluctantly open with an audible groan. Warmth washes over you on an ale-scented breeze that rushes out of the keep.

>close doors

As you lean against the ironwood doors, they reluctantly close with a muffled *THUD*!

Ambient Room Scripts

A faint scraping can be heard on the other side of the portcullis, followed by the loud howl of a ghost wolf, before it is quickly chased off.

A sudden brisk breeze whips through the bailey, a whirlwind of snow twirling around the courtyard in its wake.

A soft breeze carries the burbling sound of a small fountain, and the faint scent of herbs.

Loud stomping and snorts sound from the direction of the stables, quickly accompanied by the shouts of stable hands as they try to quiet a restless steed.

The banner high atop the battlements snaps crisply in the chill winds, as a faint howl is heard off in the distance.

Great Hall

Earthnode

[Highguard Keep, Great Hall - 23273]
Large enough to swallow a modest inn whole, the great hall is clearly the heart of the castle. Braziers and a massive fieldstone hearth provide just enough light to reveal exposed ironwood beams high above the bearskin rugs and leather chairs scattered throughout the chamber. Tapestries depicting scenes of battles and hunts add color to stone walls. Pine boughs arranged on a T-shaped table that could seat a small army combine their fragrance with the pungent aromas of ale and roasted meats. A grey granite throne inlaid with ironwood rises amidst a menagerie of trophy heads. You also see a pair of heavy ironwood doors and a flight of tall stone steps.
Obvious exits: west

>l hearth (Functional)

The quartz and feldspar rocks that most likely littered the keep's grounds before it was built now make up the surround and chimney for a hearth large enough to hold a tree's worth of logs. The mantelpiece appears to be the same ironwood that forms the ceiling's beams, cut in half lengthwise. Even split, the slab of wood is massive. A basket of wooden sticks sits nearby.

>l beam

Adorned here and there with colorful banners, these beams traversing the width of the great room must have come from trees of truly mythical proportions.

>l banner

Two shields have been expertly embroidered side by side on the upper portion of the banner. The shield on the left is pure white over a field of black, while the other boasts a green serpent entwined around the blade of a sword. The bottom section depicts ten black claws grasping a red-gold circle with an inset blue diamond. A golden panel joins the upper and lower portions, centered with the words "Strength, Honor, and Loyalty."

>l tapestry

Made of thickly padded wool, the wall hangings serve a practical purpose as well as a decorative one, preventing the room's warmth from being lost to the surrounding granite. Some tapestries are free-hanging while others appear to be tacked tightly against the wall. Behind several of the tapestries you see slender arrow slits overlooking the courtyard. In times of war, the keep's occupants can strip the padded fabric from the walls and defend themselves from invaders.

>l on table

On the T-shaped table you see a gold-banded oak keg, a tray of winterberry tarts, a plate of hard smoked cheese, some loaves of hearty brown bread, a platter of juicy mammoth steaks, a leg of roasted snow hare and an opaque glass bottle.

>l under table

Under the T-shaped table you see a wooden barrel.

>l throne

If it didn't have a thick leather cushion and a couple of furs draped across its back, this throne could be mistaken for an unusually decorative cliff. Panels of carved ironwood along the arms keep the occupant's arms from touching the chair's cold granite. The throne rests at the center of the T-shaped table's crossbar, where an array of trophy heads can fix their glassy gazes on it.

>l heads

From heavy-tusked mammoths to ferocious bears, all of the region's fiercest wildlife is arranged closest to the throne. Trophy heads further from the throne appear to come from more distant lands, but all the creatures have similar feral expressions. In the southwestern corner is a small plaque bearing the head of a thyril.

Buttery

[Highguard Keep, Buttery - 23277]
This storage space is so packed with food that builders have added a wooden loft to hold the excess. Cheese wheels, wine casks, salted meats, and barrels of vegetables would surely be enough to withstand a months-long siege, yet the freshness of the food suggests it's just the weekly supply. Round wooden covers conceal a pair of brick-lined chambers dug into the frosty soil where perishables can be kept cold.
Obvious exits: east

>l loft

A short flight of steps leads to an assortment of boxed fruits and vegetables. Bottles of everything from fiery preserved peppers to salty fish sauce stand ready to add savor to any dish. Judging by their scent, a pair of smaller barrels contains rum-soaked fruit. The space beneath the loft holds tuns of mead and wine.

>l in chamber

In the brick-lined chamber you see a red-banded oak keg.

Landing

Day

[Highguard Keep, Landing - 23272]
Pale sunlight illuminates a row of suits of full plate armor that stand like sentinels along the landing. To the west, a series of narrow mullioned bay windows that enclose a polished oak bench offer an expansive view of the remote trail that connects Wehnimer's Landing and Icemule Trace. A few sheets of parchment and a scattering of mithril figures, arrayed for battle atop a painted map, rest upon a narrow table at one end of the landing. A bookcase stands nearby, filled with leather-bound volumes and additional maps. You also see a tempered glass trophy case mounted on the wall, a massive ironwood door with rolaren hasps, a trapdoor in the ceiling accessed by a ladder and a flight of tall stone steps leading down.
Obvious exits: none

Night

[Highguard Keep, Landing - 23272]
Torches illuminate a row of suits of full plate armor that stand like sentinels along the landing. To the west, a series of narrow mullioned bay windows that enclose a polished oak bench offer an expansive view of the remote trail that connects Wehnimer's Landing and Icemule Trace. A few sheets of parchment and a scattering of mithril figures, arrayed for battle atop a painted map, rest upon a narrow table at one end of the landing. A bookcase stands nearby, filled with leather-bound volumes and additional maps. You also see a tempered glass trophy case mounted on the wall, a massive ironwood door with rolaren hasps, a trapdoor in the ceiling accessed by a ladder and a flight of tall stone steps leading down.
Obvious exits: none

>l armor

Whether it's enameled and engraved ceremonial armor or plate meant for battle, each suit of armor is beautifully polished.

>l window

You gaze through the bay window and see...

[Blue Glacier, Mountain Pass]

The view is remarkable from your vantage point at the top of this plateau as you stop to rest. You gaze north to find the snow-blown expanse of the tundra stretching as far as the eye can see. To the southwest, the jagged magnificence of the Blue Glacier Mountains rises to great heights and embraces the clouds. You also see a mithril-tipped black rolaren portcullis set within an imposing granite gatehouse.

Obvious paths: north, southwest

>l parchment

A map of the surrounding terrain has been painstakingly drawn on the parchment. Dozens of circles have been placed along the trail with notations of known bandit activity. Several of the circles have large X's drawn through them, marking threats that have been eliminated.

>l bookcase

Dusty books on military strategy and tactics line the top few shelves of the bookcase. Spread out on the lower shelves are what appear to be recently-read books on the arcane. Neatly rolled maps fill the rest of the available space.

Bedchamber

Day

[Highguard Keep, Bedchamber - 23275]
High ceilings and smooth, plaster-coated stone walls give this large room a surprisingly airy feel. A smaller version of the fieldstone fireplace in the hall below keeps the bedchamber comfortable, as a north-facing window lets in more light than chill. Although a rough-hewn oak bed lavishly draped with furs dominates the room, a free-standing grindstone and a well-stocked weapons rack draw attention near the window. Two small tables guard the bed, while an enormous mithril vault is built into the opposing wall. You also see a tall silver-framed mirror and a massive ironwood door with rolaren hasps.
Obvious exits: none

Night

[Highguard Keep, Bedchamber - 23275]
High ceilings and smooth, plaster-coated stone walls give this large room a surprisingly airy feel. A smaller version of the fieldstone fireplace in the hall below keeps the bedchamber comfortable, as a north-facing window is shuttered tightly against the evening's chill. Although a rough-hewn oak bed lavishly draped with furs dominates the room, a free-standing grindstone and a well-stocked weapons rack draw attention near the window. Two small tables guard the bed, while an enormous mithril vault is built into the opposing wall. You also see a tall silver-framed mirror and a massive ironwood door with rolaren hasps.
Obvious exits: none

>l fireplace (Functional)

You see a neatly laid-out pile of wood and tinder awaiting only the application of flame to come to life. Nearby is a basket of wooden sticks ready to be used to light the fire or to keep it burning.

>l window

You gaze through the window and see...

[Icemule Trail, Tundra]

Large, granite boulders dot the landscape, left behind by the receding glacier sometime in the distant past. Considering the size of the rocks, the power of the glacier that moved them must have been amazing.

Obvious paths: north, southwest

>l bed (Scripted sheets)

Plain cotton sheets are a cool contrast to the luxurious furs heaped on the massive bed. Carvings of bears in various positions decorate the bedposts and appear to have been the work of a talented amateur. However, the rough nature and untrained quality only add to the charm.

>l rack

Bladed weapons of all shapes and sizes line the rack, ambient light glinting from the smooth, polished edges. Rows of various types of knives are carefully aligned above all manner of broadswords along the outer portion of the rack, while the center contains numerous waraxes and claidhmores. There is one empty space in an honored position with words inscribed above it.

There appears to be something written on it.

>read rack

In the Giantman language, it reads

Undoer ~ The Bane of Luukos

>l table (Ambient lantern)

A pair of matching oak tables flank the bed, each holding a small silver lantern. Sitting on one table is an axe sharpening kit, complete with an oiled rag and a rough whetstone. Alongside the other table is a small wooden bucket.

>light lantern

You light the silver lantern, and a small flame flares into existence, casting a dancing shadow along the ground.

>extinguish lantern

You carefully extinguish the silver lantern, causing a small jet of smoke which quickly dissipates.

>l on table

On the bedside table you see a small silver lantern, a shield-etched heavy glass tankard, a handful of peanut butter cookies and a leather-bound tactical journal.

>l vault

A large square of solid mithril has been inset into the thick stone wall to secure the Warmaster's most precious possessions. A large wheel with three spokes is mounted in the center next to a plate with a large keyhole.

>open vault

Grasping the large wheel you turn it hard to the left, using all of your strength to get it to move. With a loud *THUNK!* the massive steel bars that secure the door slide free and you open the vault.

>close vault

After firmly closing the door of the vault, you grasp the wheel and give it a quick spin to the right. A loud *THUNK!* echoes through the bedchamber as the massive steel bars slide into place and secure the door.

>peer mirror (Functional)

You look at yourself carefully in the silver-framed mirror...

Rooftop

Day

[Highguard Keep, Rooftop - 23274]
Crenellated granite walls provide protection for archers, but offer little defense against the ever-present northern winds at this altitude. From this vantage point, the surrounding territory unfurls like a map, and small groups of people moving along the trail appear no larger than toy soldiers. Though now home only to a pair of snowy owls that have built a nest in the lee of one wall, a discarded ballista bolt suggests the roof recently held weapons of war. A tall flagpole stands firmly in the ironwood planking. You also see a small fireworks press and a large iron brazier.
Obvious paths: none

Night

[Highguard Keep, Rooftop - 23274]
Crenellated granite walls provide protection for archers, but offer little defense against the ever-present northern winds at this altitude. From this vantage point, the lights of surrounding lodges and townships become tiny constellations mirroring the ones above you. Though now home only to a pair of snowy owls that have built a nest in the lee of one wall, a discarded ballista bolt suggests the roof recently held weapons of war. A tall flagpole stands firmly in the ironwood planking. You also see a small fireworks press and a large iron brazier.
Obvious paths: none

>l flagpole

As tall as a mast and almost as thick, the flagpole holds aloft a banner of ten black claws grasping a red-gold circle with an inset blue diamond, signaling when the lord of the keep is at home.

>l planking

Deep gouges mar the ironwood flooring covering the rooftop, evidence of heavy equipment being dragged around and repositioned. A worn track around the inner edge of the wall tells of the passage of many a guard, keeping watch on the surrounding area. In the center of the floor is a trapdoor.

>l press

The fireworks press is a device composed of two iron plates joined by a hinge. Each plate has a molded depression on the inner side and fanciful scrollwork on its exterior. An ornate iron lever is attached to the top plate and a small green crystal is embedded on its side. The crystal is dark.

>l brazier

Massive iron legs support a brazier large enough to warm half a dozen soldiers at once, and the heat of the flames is welcome. The large fire also serves as a bright beacon to travelers.

Ambient Room Scripts

A tall flagpole creaks and bends precariously in the vigorous breeze, snapping to attention the moment the winds relent.

The ironwood planking emits a deep, sorrowful groan as the aged keep settles slightly on its foundations.

The crisp *CRACK* of cloth snapping in the wind fills the area, reverberating off the surrounding stone walls, as the banner atop the flagpole strains against the frigid gale.

Fiery orange and yellow flames writhe and dance within the brazier, as the arctic breeze seeps into your bones.

The shrill cry of a hawk drifts in from high overhead and is quickly answered by the protective *hoot* of the owls.

Dungeon

[Highguard Keep, Dungeon]
A massive granite brazier in the center of the chamber casts fitful light over its sparse furnishings, the heat of the banked coals not enough to banish the chill radiating from the dark stone walls. A scarred butcher block table near the brazier holds an array of implements and a bowl set back from the edge. Manacles chained to the walls range in size to encircle any race's wrists, though never comfortably. A canted wooden slab fills one corner of the room, and a barred hole in the floor occupies another. You also see some uneven stone steps that steeply rise out of sight.
Obvious exits: none

>l brazier (Ambient lantern)

The coarsely carved stone brazier contains coals banked around an assortment of pokers and brands. Some of the tools glow with their own fierce heat, ready to leave their searing mark on exposed flesh. A flue in the arched ceiling above the brazier keeps smoke from gathering in the room.

>l under table

Under the butcher block table you see a corroded vat.

>l vat (Custom trash)

Welded bolts and nuts hold the steel sides of the vat in place, their fused joints creating an angular vessel that is both large and high-sided. Viscous liquid of a greenish yellow variety burbles in the bottom, sporadically sending bubbles to its surface which explode against the sides and leave residual splatter marks in their wake. Sludge, mottled with brown and red, floats on the surface near the left edge.

>drop stick in vat

You cautiously drop a hefty stick into the corroded vat, careful not to cause a splash as the streaked liquid fizzles and pops, slowly consuming the stick. An acrid aroma burns in your nostrils.

>l implements

Unlike the rough-hewn table beneath them, these torture tools are exquisite in their craftsmanship. From polished steel petals folded into a pear shape, to slim copper reeds precisely curved to fit under fingernails, the selection of implements is as impeccably maintained as a swordsman's arsenal.

>l bowl

Wads of stained linen half-fill the vessel. Although you can't quite see everything that's in the bowl, the mingled smells of copper and ephlox moss from the dark liquid in the bottom hint at both healing and harm.

>l slab

Crafted from a single piece of wood as broad as Pinefar's mightiest trees, the slab is fitted with straps on all sides. A system of gears and pulleys on its base tightens the leather straps. A broad but shallow groove around its edges acts as a gutter, while the table's tilt carries fluids away to leave the gruesome work surface relatively clean.

>l hole

A series of bars forged into a hinged hatch prevents an unwitting fall into the yawning hole beneath. The raking angle of the firelight makes it difficult to see the dimensions of the pit, but the echoes of your footsteps suggest the cell below is as deep and narrow as a lightless well.

Ambient Room Scripts

A clump of ash falls from the coals in a massive granite brazier, brightening the room for a brief moment before the gloom descends again.

A massive granite brazier hisses as condensation on the clammy stone above it drips onto a heated brand.

Distant echoes of voices and the clattering of crockery hint at the normal life of the keep continuing far away from the dungeon.

The thick, coppery smell of decay drifts toward you, but you can't tell if it's coming from the grim, wooden slab in the corner or the stained manacles lining the walls.

Tentatively sticking its nose out of a pile of straw, a rat dashes across the floor and scurries up one leg of the butcher block table.  Without hesitation, it makes its way across the various implements arranged on top and stops at the bowl to pilfer a blood-soaked rag from within.  Clutching it tightly in its jaw, the rat hastily returns to its den of straw.

The faint clanking of chains echoes loudly from the barred hole, the sound amplified within the confined space.