Shadow's Gate
Shadow’s Gate isn’t a grand, polished structure. It’s a brutal, almost organic extension of the surrounding mountain range itself. Constructed over centuries by the Shadowguard, it’s a sprawling complex of sheer stone walls, massive blockades of carefully placed boulders, and strategically positioned towers built directly into the mountainside. The overall effect is one of overwhelming, impenetrable solidity.
Defences
The Blockade Wall
A colossal wall of interlocking boulders and angled stone slabs, averaging 30 feet in height and 15 feet thick. It’s riddled with narrow, defensible slits designed for archers and crossbowmen. The walls are layered with jagged protrusions and strategically placed, unstable rockfalls – a deliberate deterrent to any assault.
The Watchtowers
Five watchtowers, spaced approximately 100 yards apart along the Blockade Wall. Each tower houses a small garrison and provides a commanding view of the pass.
The Gatehouse
A heavily fortified gatehouse, located at the narrowest point of the pass. It houses a massive, iron-bound portcullis and a heavy wooden gate reinforced with steel bands.
Points of interest
The Barracks
A series of simple, stone rooms within the lower levels of the fortress, accommodating the Shadowguard garrison.
The Echo Chamber
A natural cavern within the mountainside, used for strategic briefings and amplifying voice commands.
Architecture
The fortress is primarily constructed from the locally sourced stone, rough-hewn and fitted together with minimal mortar. The towers are squat and rectangular, constructed from layered stone blocks and reinforced with thick timbers. There's a lack of ornamentation – no carvings or decorative elements; only the cold, brutal practicality of a fortress designed to withstand attack.
Climate
The air around Shadow’s Gate is perpetually cold and damp, and the silence is broken only by the wind whistling through the pass and the occasional clatter of weaponry. A sense of oppressive dread hangs in the air – a testament to the tribe's dark rituals and the knowledge that many have met a grim end attempting to pass through.
Comments