Rohrmarch castles

Two powerful castles can be found in Rohrmarch, a legacy of its long history of strife and the need for strong defenses against enemies - both internal and external.

[top]Castle Oden

This was the seat of government up to the death of King Wilhelm, before it fell under the control of Prince Oden, forcing King Alaric to set up his court in Kiedel. With Prince Oden?s death, the castle has opened its gates to the new regent, although the province of Rohrgaard remains subject to the attacks of Kurt Warkinde. The castle is a simple stone tower keep by the Khurinlach. The lake feeds the moat that surrounds the keep. Beyond the moat is the city of Oden, surrounded by stone walls built during Prince Oden?s time.
The castle has three levels. A gatekeep holds the drawbridge and protects the entrance into the keep. The entrance opens to a large room on the first floor, this room serves as the meeting hall for the king, adjoining rooms lead to a small guardroom, a chapel and scribes? offices. A spiral staircase leads to the second floor, which is dominated by quarters for the garrison. The garrison normally consists of 20 archers and 30 men-at-arms. Not all will be found here, of course, as many will be on duty. The third floor holds the living quarters for the king and his family. Despite his regal sounding name, the King of Rohrmarch lives in spartan surroundings. Only a few tapestries decorate the castle. Heating is primarily by braziers and lighting is provided by oil lamps and arrow slits. The spiral staircase leads finally to the roof of the keep. Crenelated battlements surround the flat roof, complete with raised steps and firing positions.
In the last year of Prince Oden?s reign, work had begun to expand the keep into a proper castle, with the demolishing of buildings near the castle and the building of an outer wall. For now, work has stopped pending the new regent?s orders.

[top]Redwing Castle

Redwing Castle, in Osternord, stands at the gateway of Bannen Pass, a mountain pass that runs through the Vicissitude Mountains leading to the Vampire?s Domain. The castle has two layers of walls. The outer walls on the side of the pass facing the Vampire?s Domain bridge the two sides of the pass, preventing any passage to and from Vampire?s Domain. Here too did the walls of the original Redwing Castle stand until they were torn down under the Vampire?s onslaught in 53 MR, together with the rest of the castle. The rebuilt Redwing Castle is built on a small rise over which the ruins of the first castle were buried. The castle proper behind the outer wall is of octagonal shape with seven round towers at each point. The last point at the southernmost end is anchored on a large donjon of circular shape. Unfortunately, the castle is not under the custody of the new regent. The castle, even under Prince Oden?s time, was manned at all times by 20 men-at-arms and 20 archers, led by a priest of Kirche, Hansel Donner (MBr, Pr6, Reynir, tainted, 7). Despite the death of Oden, the castle remains in Donner?s hands and he has refused to recognize the authority of the current regent.
While the ruins of old Redwing Castle are buried, rumors persist that a powerful artifact lies amidst the ruins. If these rumors are to be believed, the artifact was first discovered by Alder II who placed it in Redwing Castle in the hope that its power would deter the Vampire. Some believe the artifact to have some residue of the Sinister?s bloodline, which had escaped the Vampire as he slew the Sinister, and that this artifact represented weakness of the Vampire that could be exploited by those who held the artifact. However, the artifact did not appear to have slowed the Vampire down. He invaded Osternord and destroyed Redwing Castle in his search to find the artifact. However, it is believed the Vampire failed to uncover the artifact.
While no king of Rohrmarch has searched for the artifact, for fear of provoking the Vampire again, Donner has begun preliminary excavations through the cellars of Redwing Castle. Murmuring amongst the castle guards express fear that such action could bring the Vampire?s wrath on the castle.