Holden's Keep

Just a day’s ride from the crossroads town of Valith rises Holden’s Keep, a formidable stone fortress seated atop a low ridge. It is the ancestral seat of Lord Wylan Holden, a noble sworn to the crown of Aldamar. Towering walls, broad courtyards, and ever-watchful sentries mark this keep as a place of discipline, strategy, and leadership.

Though its banners bear the symbol of House Holden—a black stag on silver—its halls carry the scent of uncertainty. The keep serves not only as a military outpost but also as an administrative hub for the surrounding farmlands.

Key Features

The Keep Walls

Solid stone ramparts with thick parapets.
Armed patrols from dawn to dusk, visible from miles away.
Defensive ballistae and signal torches positioned at the towers.

The High Courtyard

The Hall of Oaths: Lord Holden’s audience chamber; used for announcements, disputes, and diplomatic guests.
Knight’s Barracks: Home to the local garrison, with a training yard open to sparring and drills.
Rider’s Gate: The main entrance to the keep, with watchtowers and reinforced gates.

Inner Buildings

Lord Holden’s Study: Decorated with scrolls, ledgers, and old heirlooms of House Holden.
Chapel of Arhel: A modest place of worship and lawkeeping.
Servants’ Quarters & Storerooms: Housing for attendants, stewards, and quartermasters.

Life Under the Lord

Lord Wylan Holden is respected but not beloved. He commands with a sense of duty, not warmth. His taxing policies strain relations with nearby Valith, but few doubt his commitment to maintaining order. Travelers passing through Holden’s Keep can expect:

Clean, organized barracks or guest rooms (if allowed entry).
Well-stocked armories and basic smithing services.
Limited but fair access to supplies for coin or favor.

Despite its harsh exterior, Holden’s Keep stands as a key bulwark protecting southern Aldamar—and a waypoint for those traveling deeper into the kingdom.