The Keep

[OGRE MAGE]

Located just east of the Crystalmist Mountain range, in the Southwest corner of The Yeomanry, in the famed World of Greyhawk, sits a fortified settlement known to most locals as merely “The Keep”. Positioned many leagues south of the capital city of Loftwick, this castle and keep was built about 30 years ago, situated along an important local trade route known simply as the “North Road”.

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Not an exact match, but still pretty cool.

[OGRE MAGE]

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Taking a leisurely stroll past all the inner buildings of the Keep, the majority appear to be constructed of mortar and fieldstone ground floors, with wooden second stories and roofs. Some of these buildings look more recently built than others, and repaired damage from past raids is obvious in many places. The construction is generally old and weathered, though all of it appears to be maintained to some degree. Nothing inside the keep looks new or extravagant in any way. You don’t see any standards hanging from the tower walls, but there are a few multicolored flags and banners scattered about on homes and other buildings.

Directly inside the gates are a stable and warehouse, one long attached building that runs north and south. Around the first turn is stout stone tower with a crenellated roof. The first story has large open doors and contains an obvious forge for smithing.

A row of small private homes lines the southern wall of the keep, some of them have a small painted wooden sign attached to their door. The place exudes a multitude of different sounds and smells, and small children dart about here and there.

a The first reeks of fish, both fresh and smoked. A fish symbol is painted on the door. Half of the tiny home is drab looking, while the other half is vibrant, with several tiny gnomish children playing and crawling about.

b The second home has a shoe with a tiny hammer painted on the door sign, and the evidence of many more children within.

c The third home has a pen and quill on the door. You see several small desks, chairs, and tables situated about the inside.

d/e The neighboring house has a needle and thread on the door, and their neighbor shows a fleshing knife. The latter has a bit of a skunky odor, but it’s not overpowering.

Around the next turn, you see a larger, extremely well built square edifice of thick stone. A faded blank space above the door may have once held a sign, but now all you see is a shingle with pawnbrokers scales and key painted on it.

You smell hints of manure and warm milk around the angle tower area. (12) A trail of large hoof prints leads up to the door from the main road.

f No sign is present on the 6th private home, but it appears immaculately cared for, with colorful flowers and potted plants decorating every open space.

g The seventh home smells great, the loaf of bread painted on the door likely signifying this place as the bakers house.

The next two buildings are also connected, and clearly house the Keeps inn and tavern. Along the outer wall is a market area with a few permanent wooden stalls set up and a few smaller empty stalls stacked against the wall. Often one or two wagons are normally parked here, even on non-market days. A large decorative fountain takes up the central area of this courtyard, complete with a carved statue of a nymph splashing cold water from her mouth into a wide, water filled basin.

h/i Two more private homes, a carpenter and a copper, by the looks of them are nestled behind the inn. They both show evidence of more children, likely many more. A handsome stone Merchants Guild-house, and a slate roofed Chapel make up the remaining buildings of the outer courtyard.

An impressive Inner Gatehouse completes the tour of the Inner Baily, with stout iron bound doors currently swung wide open to display an enclosed field of multiple crops beyond. Though likely once used as a defensive bastion containing an armory and barracks, the decor of the gatehouse now appears homey and well lived in. Again, children playing with toys and games are scattered all around this area.

[OGRE MAGE]

I moved this thread here to use if you don’t know where else you should post, or if your action is not necessarily location specific.

The bandit crew could use this for planning purposes etc.