Where the Bandits Are - Freehold Part 1

 Where the Bandits Are - Freehold Part 1

It is said that Eab Hulder, a powerful wielder of magic, summoned demons to help construct his great tower in the middle of the old fortress. Freehold, mighty Freehold, sitting against a lone southern arm of the Fellreev Forest is viewed with some respect by the other Bandit Kingdoms due entirely to the power of Eab Hulder and the forces he has gathered. He commands over a thousand warriors, one third of them horsemen including a small tribe of Rovers banished from their brethren. His guardsmen include a large contigent of foresters and rangers, half-elves of a disreputable sort and troop of halfling archers.

Eab has attracted a number of apprentices and has with him three journeymen wizards of moderate skill. His castle is a three tower affair, the central building the largest and his dwelling, place of instruction and great summoning chamber as Eab specializes in such dweomoncraft. 

His foremost tower is his great hall where he dispenses justice and hears pleas from the farmers and villagers under his dominion to the south. Normally Eab lets his war chief Cynfor, a exiled Geoffite, sit in his place as the wizard has little time or interest in rulership; He just requires supplies and tribute arrive in a regular and uniterrupted fashion while he involves himself with more important affairs such as summoning demons, devils and whatnots.

The first tower also houses part of Freehold's garrison and Cynfor's chamber. His contingent of Geoff archers as well as the leaders of the various other small bands within Eab's overall force dwell in this tower where Cybfor can keep an eye on them as trust and loyalty do not rank high among the wizard's followers.

The third and smaller tower is a combination guest quarter and prison. Eab is something of a broker for those help for ransom among the Bandit kingdoms and he is often sent 'guests' who await the arrival of interested parties who have paid the ransom. This is a popular service among Bandits who do not want their identity revealed and find the cost of Eab's services as a neutral party worth the anonimity. 

NPC - Derek Spikebeard

NPC - Derek Spikebeard

Derek Spikebeard is a cad and a villain. So say the merchants of the lands south and east of Geoff, but to the farmers of that ravished land he is something of a hero. The son of a farmer himself Derek left before the giants and their allied horrors descended from their mountainous homes to plunder and destroy. He was strong and wiry, quick and steady in the face of danger. It made him a good candidate for a guardsman of the eastern bandit lords who always needed more swordfodder in their continual internecine conflicts. Derek joined the company of Lord Stonetower whose lands bordered the Rift Canyon and who fought the Rovers of the Barrens  as often as his own neighboring lords

The fighting grew to open warfare during the time of Bandit Kings' War in 578cy and Derek survived more battles in a year than had been seen in the last fifty. From a novice, untrained with weapons or armor, he became a bannerman, then a sergeant in the service of Lord Stonetower. Then came the Beastmen from the Rift in such numbers as had never been seen before. They overwhelmed several of the Bandit Kings till many keeps and castles became islands in an ocean of death and fire. Derek accompanied the expedition which struck deep into the Rift and found the black rock and the cavern of darkness that lead to a fortress beneath the earth built by no human hand. Few returned from that expedition. Derek and a dozen others alone and none would speak of what they had seen.

Derek now wore the armor of slain Lord Stonewater who fell beneath the Rift and bore his sword, a powerful blade that drank the blood of any it touched. With his small band of survivors he made his way through the bands of beastmen, cutting them down when he had to, avoiding them when he could. In the south he waylaid a shipment of ale from the first passing merchant he came across. From there his depredations grew in scale as did his band of followers. From north to south he robs and waylays. Along the eastern coast he sometimes takes ship to the ports of the Great Kingdom to sell his goods, but in the west he returns to his homeland and recruits men as the Chieftains of old had done. In his homeland he is generous with his coin and well-liked by the people who are more than happy to give him safehaven when he needs it and thumb their noses at the merchants and Lords of the surrounding lands.

Where the Bandits Are - Wormhall Part 4 The River Tower Part 3

The River Tower Part 3 - The Sea Caves

Basement 1

1. This large area is partly natural cave and partly worked stone. The floor has been leveled while some of the areas of wall and ceiling have been cut to form a smooth section or a higher roof. The roof is between 9 and 10 feet from the ground. At one point wooden walls and partitions existed but they have long since been removed and only knotches cut into the wall show where they once stood.

At the north end is a 30ft curve of wall and this is where Rex lairs with 3 female gnolls. These females fight as males but are generally unarmored and armed with longswords. If there is time they will don studded leather armor and grab shields as well. At the very least they are never without knives. The area is thick with carpets and rugs. an iron chest and two small chests contain Rex's treasure. The iron chest has several books on tactics and on strategy. It also contains a pouch with a small amount of gems and jewlery. A wooden box in the chest has 6 vials of healing potion. The smaller wooden chest has some platinum coins, a larger amount of gold and several gold bars. The larger chest has silver and copper coins.

The west wall below area 2 is lined with barrels boxes containing supplies for the tower, mostly food, but also lumber, firewood, oil, arrows, some spare suits of leather armor, etc... There is a goodly amount of stuff. It has been arranged into sections of similar good and is surprisingly orderly.

2. This is the ladder up to the 1st floor of the tower.

3. This is a deep pool. There is an iron grill across the top. A 5x5 section can be pulled aside but it is normally locked and bolted shut.

4. These are wide stairs going down to Basmment Level 2


Basement 2

This entire cave has been widened and shaped to hold a dock and a large iron caged area. The cages are normally filled with slaves waiting to be shipped to the Horned Society (10-20 Humans and Elves on average). The Gnolls choose 1 or 2 of the fatest and take them to their cage in the tower.

1. There are 4 Gnolls on guard here at all times. One will head for the tower as soon as a boat is spotted entering the sea cave. Rex always comes to meet the boats and to accept payment for the slaves from the agents of the Horned Society or to see the offloading of another shipment of slaves.

2. Stairs going up to Basement Level 1

3. A series of iron cages. Half the area is a single large cage but the other hald is made up of smaller 10x10 cages to hold special prisoners.

4. If boat is docked this is where it will be.

Where the Bandits Are - Wormhall Part 3 The River Tower Part 2

The River Tower Part 2

The Gnolls -
Around 50 Gnolls inhabit the tower. They are all armed with longbows. Their armor varies between leather, studded leather and chain. Sone use large shields and all use one-handed weapons, longswords, battle-Axes, flails and maces prefered. There is a distinct order of authority from their pack leader to the last follower but none of these gnolls is a runt or weakling.

Rex is their pack leader and he is head and shoulders above the intelligence and ability of the others. He was something of an experimemt by a Wizard who resides in the Rift Canyon. He is bigger, stronger and most importantly stronger than your common gnoll. He wears enchanted plate armor and carries a two-handed sword can that break unchanted armor and weapons on a natural 20.

`The River Tower 2nd Floor

1. Murder Holes line the floor. A large barrel of oil is in each corner of this area. The Gnolls will break open one of the barrels and let oil pour onto intruders beneath. The floor is sloped so that the oil will pool in the center and empty through the holes. A torch applied to the oil will send a stream of flame down to ignite any soaked beneath and the pool below. The Gnolls havent need to use this before and are unaware that the burning oil will ignite the inner door but not the portcullis. The outer portcullis is meant to be dropped in place after intruders have gained entrance hopefully trapping them in the hall below. The mehanism for raising and lower both sets of portculli are in this area.

2. This area is similar to the first floor area 2 but the crossholes for archers are set lower and there is no step below them,

3. Steps going down to first floor

4. Steps going up to third floor.

The River Tower 3rd Floor

1. This is a crenalated balcony. A Gnoll watchman is always on guard here, though often asleep.

2. This area is similar to second floor area 2.

3. Stairs going down to second floor.

4. A ladder going to a trap door in the roof.

The River Tower Roof

1. A trap door and ladder going down to the 3rd floor

2. The roof is peaked and sharply angled except for a small walkway around the outer edge that allows access to the four small guard towers. The roof is kept slick with tar and is sheeted in metal. It has enchantment to rersist it from heat and flame. Landing on the roof is extremely difficult.

3. A small guard tower. Each has a stout door and archer crossholes in the two walls facing out from the tower. Extra quiversd of arrows are kept in these rooms and a gnoll occupies each one. The duty is boring and the are often asleep.

Where the Bandits Are - Wormhall Part 2 The River Tower

Wormhall Part 2 The River Tower

The River is Constructed on a small, rough island of rock that sits in the middle of the Ritensa River between Wormhall Port and the lands of the Horned society.

1st Floor

1. These are the main doors. A path leads down from them to a small quay where a single medium boat can tie up and offload goods. There is a small crane for offloading bulky items.

The entrance doors are thick and stout with a metal portculus that can be lowered in front of them.

The doors themselves are damp and swollen from the spray of the river crashing against the rocks and even magical fire will have a difficult time setting them ablaze. The tower is constructed of thick stone. It radiates faintly of evil if detected for as it was raised by devils summoned by the Hierarchs of the Horned Society.

The roof of this passage is lined with murder holes in the cealing.

The interior doors are thick and a second portculus can be lowered in place before them. These doors, while stout, have no special resistance to fire.

2. The interior of the 1st floor is filthy. The floor is covered in dirty hay, cracked bones, and cloth scraps pushed into piles. At least 10 gnolls can be found here at any given time.

The stone walls are all pierced with loopholes for archers. The ceiling is 10ft high and there is a small step before each loophole which is set 6ft above the ground giving the archers on the 1st floor the ability to fire down a little on those outside without the ability for the loopholes to be used against those inside. There are pegs on the wall by the loopholes to hold quivers of arrows.

There are weapon racks on each wall and quivers full of longbow arrows at hand.

3. Stairs going up to Level 2

4. A trapdoor leading down to the Basement

5. A metal cage usually contain a captive or two. The gnolls have a taste for fresh meat.

To be continued

Where the Bandits Are - Wormhall - Part 1

2. Wormhall -

Leader - Baron Oltagg Ftr/Thf 4th/9th
Troops - Cav 150, Inf 400, Gnolls 100
Population - 9,000

Wormhall gets its name from the ancient fortified manor on the banks of the Ritensa River. There is a town and small port on the river. An out-cropping of rock in the center of the stream holds a small fortified tower. The Baron keeps a contingent of 50 Gnoll archers in the fortress. Their longbows tipped with tarred arrows waiting to be ignited are a fearsome deterent to any attacks across the river by the Horned Society.

Baron Oltagg maintains the appearance of a cultured gentleman but is actually under the control of thew Horned Society. He supplies them with slaves purchased from other Bandit Kingdoms or taken as captives in the endless border fighting. He maintains logging camps and exports lumber up the river but also uses his camps to raid the Fellreev Forest attacking Sylvan Elves for the most part.

Wormhall of Wormhall is actually in a decent state of repair. 100 of the Baron's infantry are based in the Manor. and 50 of his cavalry. There is a gnoll tribe that serves Oltagg based in the cave system within the forest to the north. He maintains two small forts along the border with his fellow Bandit Kings with his remaing cavalry and infantry split evenly between the two.

The bulk of the population, 5,000 people, live in the town and farms around the manor. The rest are split between forest camps and small farming villages.

Where the Bandits Are - Warfields Part 1

Bandit Kingdoms

Warfields

Leader - Guardian General Hok (Ftr 11)
Troops - Cavalry 300, Infantry 500
Population - 12,000

Warfields is one of the most stable and strongest of the Bandit Kingdoms. It maintains a peaceful yet wary existence with the Shield Lands and has not proven a thorn in the side to the Horned Society worthy of exerting the forces needed to destroy it.

Guardian General Hok was once a common soldier in the Shield Lands. He served the previous lord of Warfields till he overthrew him and seized the leadership for himself. Since then he has trained his followers and bloodied them against the encrouchment of his neighbors and tribes of demi-humans. But the real strength of Warfields is the old castle that overlooks the Ritensa River. Hok has reinforced it and with his dwarven architect Gralon turned it into a formidable citadel for its size.

Warfields the castle and port-town are the main population center for Hok's territory. Over 10,000 people occupy the port with a small scattering of demi-humans (mostly Dwarves). The Horned Society deals with Baron Oltagg of Wormhall but the merchants from the Shield Lands and beyond find it safer to base themselves in Warfields. In any case Hok applies a small tithe on all goods sailing up the river on the way to Critwall.

The rest of the Warfields population is generally close to the castle in small fortified farming towns and cattle ranches. Hok's cavalry spends most of their time patrolling the area around the herds and ranches while there are two small fortifications that watch the border with Wormhall to the North and Tangles to the East.

Guardian General Hok