STONEWULF KEEP 1

 

Hook: Far out on the edges of Stone Lake in the Misty Forest lay the black edifice of Stonewulf Keep. You've heard about it... But, no one likes to speak of its resident. The say he is a warlord of exceptional skill. That his sword howls when he fights. And his eyes glow crimson under a helm of black steel shaped into the visage of a fierce wolf. He is the local ruler, Lord Were. They say he haunts the moors and hills of his small land in the guise of a large, black dog, or wolf, and that he feeds on the undeserving and black of heart. But, no one takes any chances and lock up tight their windows and doors when the night falls. His men are ruthless, dressed in black armour, with wolf-crested helms, a black wolf standard upon their banners and shields and tunics... It is The Wilderness, and many things can live there without contention or question. Lord Were and his people keep to themselves. He runs a land of brutal justice, but, no one says anything, because the wolf lord and his retainers protect them and keep the peace. But, even the people are a bit strange, you've noticed. Not evil, necessarily. Just 'odd', noncommittal, and slightly nondescript. They work hard, in the field, at the forge and benches where they ply their trades and services, and welcomed you with warmth enough, and they dress brightly for their dismal land. What you don't understand is why you have this strange feeling of discomfort crawling up your spines, your nerves on end, the entire time you've been here... One custom you found strange, but, not unheard of, is the ban on killing wolves. Apparently, they worship them, or hold them as sacred, somehow. And that is when you noticed it... They watch. Like scared prey. Ready to flee at a moment's notice and quick to scare...

Details: Lord Were is actually a Strixian Witch Lord, but, he is no longer part of the Strixian army or its agenda. He settled in The Wilderness, on a lake he dubbed Stone Lake, inside the Misty Wood, with a group of Lumenorian warriors and servants he led during the days of the Apocalypse. What remains of them are their descendants, though Lord Were is the original leader from the time of the war. Their land is known as Nemoria, which is Lumenorian for 'pleasant woodland'. It is small, and includes a handful of militarised villages patrolled by soldiers, all clustered together in the deep, but open, woods near enough to The Road they can trade with passing caravans. No one knows about the cult of Strixa operating within the land, even the majority of the descendants, themselves, except for the village elders, cannibalistic werewolf Strixa worshippers, called The Wolf Pack, or Lupī (LOO-pie). Most Keltik people just know Nemorians are an odd folk who prefer the dense wood and isolation to League Lands. Which is how Lord Were likes it, and works hard to keep it that way by using magic and spreading rumours he is a neutral force who, though perhaps frightening and strict to outsiders, is an agent for good. Even the Dawn Patrol give Were and Nemoria a wide berth and a certain measure of respect, saying that the Nemorians are free to practice as they choose. The village elders know who and what he is, and they do not like interlopers involved in their affairs. The local soldiery is strict and used to protect and patrol the region under the guise they've built a peaceful community in the woods. Lord Were left the Strixian army to live in peace, as wolves in packs, but, the secret cult still does worship Strixa, though the majority of the people honour The Lady of Light. The cult is actively involved in cannibalising its own people, as well as meddlesome newcomers. The gargoyles on the castle are alive, commanded by Lord Were, when he needs spies or aerial attackers. The larger statues are doom wolf gargoyles. They're large, obsidian wolf statues with ruby eyes, in pairs sitting back-to-back, like watch dogs. They come alive and attack when there are unwelcome intruders. The gargoyles are for nighttime aerial missions. Rarely for combat. Inside Lord Were's chamber are six cells, kennels, in which he keeps his 'heralds', real, undead doom wolves he sends to deal with problems. They're a pack and travel that way, and attack as one unit. Lord Were also uses them in his nightly hunts to track down prey for sport. There are not many servants, just enough to keep the castle clean and tend to Lord Were's needs. There is one scribe, an intermediary between the public and Lord Were, himself, to protect the lord's daytime rest in his central chamber. 

There are 3 more maps, an undercroft, second story/lower battlements, and upper battlements.