Coldbay Keep

Coldbay Keep is a fortified garrison. The northern area of Bukhisal was isolated and raiders would often risk the dangerous northern waters due to the ease of raiding if they succeeded in arriving, leading to the founding of the Coldbloods to protect the area. The Keep survived intact, with the Coldbloods who were still within the fort surviving and, in the time since, gathering power and people to their name.

Purpose / Function

Coldbay Keep was founded to provide a point of law and order in the northern reach of Bukhisal; the settlements were often attacked by raiders or wild animals and had little to no defences against them. The Keep was built to house and support the organisation founded to defend the area and maintain their equipment.

Alterations

The fortress was added to and expanded over time. Initially, it was nothing more than a keep for the Coldbloods to reside in but expansions were added to ensure they could support their needs. A blacksmith forge was added to the courtyard initially, with housing provided for the smiths to live in. The walls were expanded to include a secondary courtyard used for grain farming and a few animals, primarily ducks and pigs.
After the Cataclysm, the survivors quickly sought out any surviving stonemasons and put their skills to use in shoring up and further expanding the Keep. While walls have been raised at times, only those in the Coldbloods know what they now protect.

Architecture

Large stone blocks were used in the construction of the keep, the corners rounded off after being set into place. The shaved corners were repurposed, put to use in adding to the defences of the keep through crenelations on the outer walls and the roof of the keep.
The later additions are composed of a more random appearance; the stone is gathered from wherever it can be sourced, and though less uniform in appearance and block size, is no less effective as a defensive measure.

History

The Keep was founded to aid in the protection of the northern reaches, acting as an early defence against raiding forces. It was added to and enhanced over time to enable its function without trade in the event of a siege due to the isolated nature of the keep and its surrounding territory.
The Keep and its occupants proved valuable in repelling a number of raids and hunting down beasts which grew too bold and approached the surrounding settlements, to the point that a messenger of the royal family arrived with a reward for their leader.
The Keep proved its usefulness during a surprise attack from the north; what was thought to be a Triton trading vessel approached Floetown one evening, only to reveal that it had been captured by the Drow. Their leader opened a portal for many more of their warriors to attack, and though they did capture some of the population the Coldbloods arrived in time to drive them back, slaying many of the raiding Drow before they could flee.

Type

Fort

Parent Location

Bukhisal