CONTENTS Contents Extras ....................................................................43 Introduction ...............................................................4 Magic Items ......................................................43 What’s Inside..........................................................4 Cursed Magic Items .........................................44 How to Use This Book...........................................4 Artifacts .............................................................45 Chapter 1: Building a Stronghold..............................4 Moats and Trenches .........................................47 Step 1: Select a Site................................................5 Mobile Strongholds ..........................................47 Climate/Terrain Type...........................................5 Portals ...............................................................49 Primary Settlement.............................................6 Create Portal......................................................50 Nearby Features..................................................6 Spells.................................................................50 Behind the Curtain: Nearby Features Permanency or Magic Item? ............................50 in the Campaign..............................................6 Improved Arcane Lock........................................51 Site Example: Brightstone Keep.........................7 Traps..................................................................61 Step 2: Choose a Size ............................................8 Other Ways to Beat a Trap................................64 Size Estimates.....................................................8 Repairing and Resetting Mechanical Traps.....67 Size Example: Brightstone Keep ........................8 Weapons............................................................67 Step 3: Purchase Components and Walls .............8 Wondrous Architecture ........................................69 A Stronghold Builder’s Glossary........................8 Creating Wondrous Architecture......................70 Component Example: Brightstone Keep............8 Disabling Wondrous Architecture....................70 Do-It-Yourself Spellcasting.................................9 Wondrous Architecture Descriptions ..............70 Wall Example: Brightstone Keep ........................9 Chapter 3: Strongholds in Your Campaign .............87 Step 4: Purchase Extras and Building a Stronghold ..........................................87 Wondrous Architecture.......................................9 Location, Location, Location............................87 Step 5: Determine Final Price................................9 Lining Up Workers............................................88 Site Modifiers......................................................9 Running a Stronghold..........................................89 Build Time...........................................................9 Delegate ............................................................89 Extras Example: Brightstone Keep ...................10 Making It Pay ....................................................90 Free and Unusual Labor ...................................10 The Ties that Bind ............................................91 Staff Costs.........................................................10 Protecting a Stronghold.......................................91 Landlord ............................................................10 For the Dungeon Master..................................91 Step 6: Map Your Stronghold ..............................11 Let Others Do Your Work for You ....................92 Mapping Techniques ........................................11 You Don’t Live in a Vacuum.............................92 Organizational Tips ..........................................11 Keep a Low Profile ............................................92 Step 7: Get Approval ............................................13 Use It or Lose It................................................92 Final Cost Example: Brightstone Keep ............13 Hire Those You Can Trust ................................93 Behind the Curtain: Build Times and Outposts ...........................................................93 Medieval Realism..............................................13 Keeping Watch ..................................................93 Chapter 2: Stronghold Components .......................14 Assaulting a Stronghold.......................................94 Component Descriptions.....................................14 Strike Team .......................................................94 List of Components ..........................................14 Laying Siege ......................................................96 Books.................................................................25 Smoking Them Out ..........................................96 Torture...............................................................32 Attacking the Structure.....................................97 Building Up and Down.....................................33 Begin with the End in Mind ...........................100 Clusters .............................................................33 Commandeering a Stronghold ..........................101 Walls .......................................................................34 Welcome Home ..............................................101 Material Descriptions .......................................34 Disarming a Stronghold.................................101 Freestanding Walls............................................36 Containment or Abandonment......................101 Layered Walls ....................................................37 Rearming a Stronghold ..................................101 Lead-Lined Walls...............................................37 Retrofitting a Stronghold................................102 Wall Augmentations .........................................38 Retaining Staff.................................................102 Augment Object.................................................41 Destroying a Stronghold....................................102 Doors, Windows, and Locks................................41 Neutralizing It.................................................102 Windows............................................................42 Looting ............................................................103 Locks .................................................................42 Bringing It Down ............................................103 Staff ...................................................................42 Sealing It Away................................................103 2 CONTENTS Chapter 4: Example Strongholds...........................104 Table 2–8: Doors......................................................41 The Cheap Keep .................................................105 Table 2–9: Windows.................................................41 The Basics.......................................................105 Table 2–10: Locks.....................................................42 Getting In ........................................................105 Table 2–11: Typical Staff Members..........................42 The Interior .....................................................105 Table 2–12: Stronghold Locomotion.......................47 The Second Floor............................................107 Table 2–13: Stronghold Mobility .............................48 The Coral Castle .................................................107 Table 2–14: Stronghold Planar Mobility..................48 The Basics.......................................................107 Table 2–15: NPC Binding Costs ...............................51 Getting In ........................................................108 Table 2–16: Base Cost and CR Modifiers for Defense ...........................................................108 Mechanical Traps .................................................62 Room Descriptions.........................................108 Table 2–17: Raw Materials Cost and CR Modifiers The Dwarven Redoubt........................................110 for Magic Device Traps ........................................64 The Basics.......................................................110 Table 2–18: CR Modifiers by Poison Type...............65 Getting In ........................................................110 Table 2–19: Craft (Trapmaking) DCs.......................66 Defenses..........................................................111 Table 2–20: Siege Weapons .....................................68 Room Descriptions.........................................111 Table 2–21: Special Ammunition ............................68 The Floating Tower.............................................116 Table 2–22: Wondrous Architecture ........................72 The Basics.......................................................116 Table 3–1: Elevation Bonus on Spot Checks ..........94 Getting In ........................................................116 Defenses..........................................................116 Key to Map Symbols Room Descriptions.........................................116 The Citadel of the Planes ...................................120 The Basics.......................................................120 Door Ballista Getting Around ...............................................120