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@Guido's Fort main :
Overview:
@Guido's Fort main is a remote, fortified outpost located at the eastern bank of the
wide @Hillfollow River .
- It is at the edge of mapped territory and serves as a final staging ground for
expeditions into the wilderness.
- The fort is nominally under the rule of a distant sovereign but operates with
full autonomy.
- It faces a looming volcanic hill across the river.
- The surrounding terrain is dense with forest, rocky outcroppings, and ancient
ruins.
- The volcanic hill is riddled with lavatube-like tunnels and remnants of a collapsed
monastery.
Appearance:
The fort's architecture is rugged and utilitarian, built from stone and timber.
It has high defensive walls, watchtowers, and a central keep.
The layout includes barracks, stables, a market square, a riverside dock, and
a small shrine.
@Lion's Den Tavern & Inn at Guido's Fort serves as a hub for adventurers and mercenaries.
The fort's appearance reflects its purpose as a bastion of survival and preparation.
The atmosphere is tense and pragmatic due to its proximity to hostile territory.
Culture_and_Society:
The population is a mix of transient soldiers, traders, mercenaries, and wanderers.
Life is governed by a strict military hierarchy.
The culture is shaped by discipline, resilience, and a shared understanding of the unforgiving wilderness.
The social structure is dominated by the garrison, which consists of fifty to
one hundred trained soldiers.
Military_and_Defense:
The garrison includes archers, spearmen, and veteran officers.
Defensive structures include stone walls, fortified gatehouses, and siege weapons
like ballistae.
Patrols monitor the riverbanks and forest perimeter, maintaining a defensive
posture.
Resources_and_Sustenance:
Resources are limited but sufficient.
Food is imported via river barges or hunted locally.
Small-scale farming focuses on root vegetables and hardy livestock.
Trade is brisk in weapons, armor, potions, and maps.
The fort's economy is driven by adventurer traffic.
Relations:
Relations with the central authority are loyal but distant.
The fort is welcoming to adventurers but enforces strict discipline.
Its relationship with the wilderness inhabitants is openly hostile due to dangerous creatures and rival factions.
Key_Figures:
Name: @Guido Falcone
Role: Military Leader
Traits_and_Functions: Veteran strategist, rarely seen, commands deep respect.
Notable_Locations:
@Lion's Den Tavern & Inn at Guido's Fort .
@Guido's Fort Market
@Guido's Fort Chapel .
@Guido's Fort Commander's Quarters .
Volcanic_Hill:
- Across the river lies the volcanic hill, a region of layered danger and intrigue.
- It once housed a monastery devoted to a now-defunct chaotic religion.
- Remnants of the cult remain, including a ghoulish graveyard and shattered statues.
- A surviving cleric, Moray Vaco, now serves as high priest to a hobgoblin warlord.
- The hobgoblin warlord has established a stronghold and declared himself king,
posing an imminent threat.
- Potential Allies:
- Rosalinda and Rosabella: Two mysterious crones with powerful magic who
inhabit a magical cottage on the hillside. They will offer aid if treated respectfully.
- Neanderthals: A tribe of primitive warriors who may be persuaded to join
forces against the common enemy.
Objectives_and_Dungeons:
- The primary objective is to infiltrate the monastery-turned-fortress and eliminate
the hobgoblin king.
- The monastery and its upper dungeon levels are filled with monsters, treasures,
and a magical fountain.
- Beneath the monastery are two additional dungeon levels, accessible only after
the king is dethroned.
- These lower levels are populated by a chaotic mix of creatures and a small red
dragon.
- One faction in the depths is a group of berserk humans led by a delusional warlord
named Derywinki III.
- The module encourages negotiation and subjugation over outright slaughter in
the lower levels.
Reputation:
- Locals: See it as a brave outpost and a place of opportunity.
- Wanderers and Fortune-Seekers: Holds a legendary reputation as a launchpad
for low-level expeditions.
- Distant Lands: Regarded as a vital bulwark against encroaching chaos.
- Political: Loyal to a distant sovereign but operates autonomously.
- Social: A melting pot of hardened soldiers, opportunistic traders, and ambitious
adventurers.
- Military: Well-defended but stretched thin, relying on discipline and vigilance.
Visual_Assets_Planning:
- Guido's Fort: High stone walls, timber watchtowers, a central keep, and a
bustling market square. Key interior spaces include a dim, crowded tavern; a
simple, serene shrine; and functional, spartan barracks.
- Volcanic Hill: Jagged terrain, lavatube tunnels, monastery ruins, and factional
encampments.
- Magical Cottage: Ethereal and secluded.
- Lower Dungeon Levels: Evoke claustrophobic ruin, surreal architecture, and
chaotic monster ecology.