Cycle of Man or Monsters? Almebezbik Campaign

Tangleton

Tangleton is a settlement being constructed at the Mount of Walls by a joint force of halflings and kobolds. Sparta Longshanks and Nyza vethIxen, two members of an adventuring party initially based out of Redemption, conceived the idea of Tangleton as a way to oppose the de facto rule of the Tanglewood by Cedarcleaver. Nyza, for her part, also wishes to bring her kobold kin into closer contact with outside races.

Famous Creatures and Places

Just northeast of the Crater, the area immediately surrounding Tangleton is home to a number of ancient creatures and unexplored ruins.

- In a library just to the southeast is Gresham the Golden, a human lich and formerly the vizier of Zodyu the Grotesque.
- Isildul, another human lich, is only a stone's throw away to the southwest in his floating tower.
- Also currently present in the area is Destibier, an astoundingly large, ghostly red dragon. Helpfully, the spirit is warding off attack by Cedarcleaver on Tangleton.
- Less famous is the clan of giants that also take up residence in this part of the Tanglewood.
- Currently unexplored by the Tangleton settlers, a tremendously deep sinkhole lies just south of the thorp.

(notes on geography)

-There is a ravine leading south southeast of the mines. As Sparta mentioned, there is a creek at the bottom of the ravine.

- The ravine indicates there are steep walls on both sides of the valley. If we declare the ravine deep enough, and build a wall across both ends, the bottom of the valley will be safe enough from casual intrusions. A persistent threat could climb on top the ravine and assault us from above, but then we can retreat into the mine for protection.

-Gresham's library is built into a tree close to the ravine, less than a mile into it.

-Inside the mine/tunnels are: a thermal vent, some edible lichen, plenty of coal, and a vein of pure copper(and calamine/tin & cassiterite/zinc).

Make a map of the immediate area - the valley, keep locations, Gresham's Library.

Walls

Is this accurate? The City-State of Walton was located where the crater is now, and the crater is where the Mount of Walls is. So Tangleton should be at or very near the crater (and the lich's tower).

Starting from the top left. We have the mine entrance, a few halfling homes, and a wooden palisade surrounding the thorp and ending directly in the mountainside. Done easily before winter. If we want to actually be able to shoot past the walls, we might need a guard tower or two (also made of wood; nice, cheap, wood).

When conditions are more favorable in the spring, we could put up a more permanent stone wall. I included some cylindrical mural towers in the drawing, but y'know, whatever is effective. Also, I didn't draw it but I figure any farmland lies beyond the protection of the walls.

Next up, I wrote in a keep. The building is tall so its field of fire reaches over the outer walls. It blocks off the mine entrance so traffic has to pass through the keep - this is D&D after all, so I was worried flying creatures could just bypass the walls and fly inside to attack. And of course, if the settlement were ever under siege, the civilians could enter the mines and use the keep as a last line of defense.

Last, an idea of what expansion to the town could look like. If the population grew beyond the means of the wall, we could set up another one. And then to really get crazy, there's all sorts of defensive extras that could be added: a moat, barbican, and arrow slits built into the mountainside.

I know that at present, Tangleton's population doesn't really warrant such lavish defenses. But keep in mind that when Nyza and Sparta max out their leadership feats, we'll be looking at around 500 followers, to say nothing of non-follower residents. (And let's not even get into epic leadership / legendary commander)

Thoughts?

Blueprints

Here is the area around the mine entrance, Gresham's Library and the sink hole. This area is about equivalent to the area taken up by Troll's Bridge. The different colors are differences in elevation of twenty feet. The terrain is more sloping that it appears, but is easy to see how hobbit-holes can be dug into the sides of the ravines and valley and standard structure built on top ridges. There are some smaller trees. The ones shown are the big Tanglewood ironwoods.

The mine entrance is at the base of the cliff that comes to a point in the middle of the north end of the map. Gresham's Library is the middle of the map on the east side. The sinkhole is on the south edge, half-way up the western slope of the valley.

Tangleton at the beginning.

Spring sees some more progress in building before our heroes return and orc and giants invade. This prompts Dale to raise a berm around the area to protect the hamlet from the chaos in Tanglewood caused by the activities of Cedarcleaver and his clan.

Kobold Keep

Tangleton surrounded by Dale's berm.

Step 1: Select a Site.Temperate (+0%). Primary Settlement: Troll's Bridge (large city 49-112 miles away, -1%).

Valley walls (+8%), Cliff overlooking keep (-2%), Legal dispute (land is within Ran's empire, -5%), Controlled Income Source (mine, +10%), Monsters nearby (orcs and giants, about -14%).

Total cost modifier: -4%.

Step 2: Choose a Size.

Huge castle (about 80 spaces).

Step 3: Purchase Components and Walls

Discounts from spellcasting: Air Walk, Move Earth, Stone Shape, Wall of Stone (16th), Wood Shape.

-25% cost adjustment for height, -3% per space on ground floor, free moats, -5% per space with hewn stone walls, free hewn stone walls, -5% per space with wood walls.

Goal: Quarters for ~300 followers (~2000 in a few levels), city defense. Nice to have: burrowing stronghold for 50 soldiers + ballistas (to reinforce other kobold tribes under seige).

Components:

(This includes defenses for all of the walls, but not construction costs for Sparta's clanhold. Nyza has enough spare money to build the framework, but nothing too fancy.)

x1.5 Army Base cluster (36,000gp)

x.5 Cavalry Base cluster (20,000gp)

x3 Residential, Basic cluster (36,000gp)

x7 Barbican (7,000gp)

x2 Chapel, Basic (2,000gp)

x7 Gate House (7,000gp)

x40 Guard Post (12,000gp)

x4 Labyrinth (2,000gp)

x2 Library, Basic (1,000gp)

x2 Magic Laboratory, Basic (500gp)

x2 Prison Cell (1,000gp)

x3 Shop, Basic (1,200gp)

x2 Smithy, Basic (1,000gp)

x5 Storage, Basic (1,250gp)

Throne Room, Basic (2,000gp)

Adjustment for height: approx. 7,500gp x .75 = 5,625gp

Subtotal: 135,575gp

Walls: All hewn stone or wood (on the first floor). Free. No magic walls (yet).

Doors:

x5 Portcullis, Iron (3,750gp)

x40 Arrow Slit (1,200gp)

x4 Lock, Amazing (600gp)

x20 Lock, Very Simple (400gp)

Drawbridge, Wooden (1,500gp)

Staff: Most followers are already equipped? If not:

100 Archers (6,300gp: adjusted for heavy crossbows)

50 Heavy Infantry (11,100gp)

30 Horse (weasel) Archers (6,480gp)

20 Light Cavalry (6,300gp)

Step 4: Purchase Extras and Wondrous Architecture

Decanter of Endless Water (9,000gp)

Lyre of Building (13,00gp) - reduces cost of stronghold by 30%

Moats: At the north and south main walls. Free.

Mobility: 23,500 per space for 48 mi/day of burrowing.

Traps: 5,000gp worth. (Assorted arrow, poison dart, and burning hand traps)

Siege Weapons:

x4 Ballista (2,000gp)

x2 Heavy Catapult (1,600gp)

Step 5: Determine Final Price

Before modifiers: 13,000gp lyre + 190,805gp

Modifiers:

Ground floor: All but half an army base, the barbicans, and the guard posts. -3% of 159,805 = -4,795gp

All spaces: -5% for spaces with stone wall (all of them), -30% from lyre. -4% from Step 1. -39% of 190,805gp = -74,413gp.

Savings: 79,200gp.

Total Price: 13,000gp lyre + 111,605gp = 124,605gp.

Burrowing stronghold: About 17 spaces. 23,500 * .61 = 14,335 x 17 = 243,695gp.

Final Price: 368,300gp. (out of 400,000gp)

Build time: 37 weeks.

Income: Stronghold generates 3,683gp annually from the mine (it pays for wages, so I don't have to play accountant).

Step 6: Map Your Stronghold

White areas are walkable, but they are not rooms (ie, they are the ceilings of the rooms below). Black areas are not walkable, at least not without dropping down 10 feet first. The entire keep is capable of burrowing underground and travelling at 2mph, or 48 miles/day. Also, there are elevators (pulled by rope) that can move siege engines from the 2nd floor armory to the 3rd floor battlements.

The full complement of the keep is: 50 soldiers, 6 servants, 1 prisoner, 3 ballistae, 1 catapult.

basement: engine room / war room (1ss)

1st floor: 4 barracks (4ss), 1 gatehouse (.5ss), 1 guard post (.5ss)

2nd floor: 1 dining hall (2ss), 1 gatehouse (.5ss), 3 guard posts (1.5ss), 1 armory (1ss)

3rd floor: 1 servant's quarters (1ss), 1 kitchen (1ss)

4th floor: 1 armory (1ss), 2 guard posts (1ss)

towers: 1 kitchen (1ss), 1 guard post (.5ss), 1 prison cell (.5ss)

(NW tower: .25ss, NE tower: .5ss, SW tower: .75ss, SE tower: .5ss)

Total size: 17 ss. Keep is 50x50ft at the base, with the building proper rising up 50ft, and towers reaching as high as 80ft.

A map of the northern fortified area follows. Keep in mind that, as Paul pointed out, trees, groves, and knolls are not pictured here (but they are present). Most of the buildings are one story tall and stretch two stories underground. The wall circling the keep is about 30ft + 10ft elevation for 40ft. The walls to the east are 20ft tall.

Guard Towers are 2 guard post spaces each. Wall entrances are fortified with a barbican, gatehouse, and a guard post. The north/south wall does not have guard towers, but the bridges do have the barbican/gatehouse/guard post combo.

Any of the 40 guard posts not already accounted for are inserted in walls to provide more arrow fire.

The blueprints thus far support 300 followers. At level 21, Nyza will have something like 1000 to 1500 followers, so the valley will become crowded quickly.

Step 7: Get Approval

I am now requesting approval for these build plans.

Future construction: More army bases for additional followers. Add more rooms to the burrowing structure so it can transport more troops. (Put the more elite followers in there). And put Nyza's throne room somewhere! I have it budgeted already.

Sparta's Villa

Step 1: Select a Site - The same as Nyza's Keep

Temperate (+0%). Primary Settlement: Troll's Bridge (large city 49-112 miles away, -1%).

Valley walls (+8%), Cliff overlooking keep (-2%), Legal dispute (land is within Ran's empire, -5%), Controlled Income Source (mine, +10%), Monsters nearby (orcs and giants, about -14%).

Total cost modifier: -4%.

Step 2: Choose a Size.

Hmm, my map is around 240 5 foot squares and 4 stories tall.

Step 3: Purchase Components and Walls

Gotta figure this part out yet

Step 4: Purchase Extras and Wondrous Architecture

This too

Step 5: Determine final price

I hope I can afford this

Step 6: Map Your Stronghold

My favorite part!

Ground Floor: