Grayhold

All I can tell you about the Rangers from Greyhold is that they are as they are as strange as they appear, and I doubt you get a straight answer from them. Warden-Commander Galas Curts

Purpose / Function

Greyhold was discovered as an abandoned ruin that held a strategic position that could not be ignored as was given the Forest Guard to watch over its region of the Great Forest and the mountain range bordering The Spine for any dangers.

Alterations

Much of Grayhold lacked the standard means of functioning the castle, resulting in several additions, such as wooden floorboards, rebuilt wall fortifications, restored barracks, and various other rooms, along with two newer towers for food supplies and a messenger bird loft. Several floors would be added to the main building, and it was a large empty space.

Architecture

Many have debated how old the castle truly existed as there are hints of Elvish masonry found with it, only for early barbarian and Bannerlord designs to exist in other areas of the castle. Leading the theory of the castle being rebuilt several times by those who occupied it at the time to add new extensions to it and repair any damage with their knowledge of stonework.

Defenses

Towering Wall A High wall surrounds the castle, making it difficult to climb over or have projectiles go over them, yet those on these walls can easily fire upon anyone from down below.
Steep Ridge: Greyhold was built upon a small, narrow ridge that is often difficult to traverse except for a small path in the rock to allow easier travel; all other directions mean a steep climb.
Dense Forest Much of the region is covered in dense forest, making it difficult for formations and equipment to move straight through it and slowing them down.
Lookout Towers Hidden towers surround the castle to keep an eye on anything approaching the area and raise the alarm when needed.

History

Scattered History

Amongst all the castles controlled by the Forest Guard, Greyhold is by far an enigma, as despite being the youngest castle under its control, it is by far the oldest and lacks any true history behind its past. This mainly stems from the fact that the exact origins of its founding are nonexistent, despite seeing signs of people using its serval time, which can be found throughout its ancient halls. The farthest it goes back to that is of note, which is the time of the ancient elves that once ruled over these lands, but that is just about it, with nothing else being found about its purpose in such an isolated region. Many others occupied it over that time, mainly several human groups that eventually abandoned it at one point or another. Not much else is known besides being mainly a military outpost and later a stronghold, with it most likely used to claim the forest region around it as a personal domain for its resources.
It wouldn't be until it was rediscovered by the Forest Guard eight hundred years ago that it would incorporated into its many holdings to add another layer of defense on the Green Edge. It would also be considered a blessing due to its location within the Great Forest, allowing greater insight into the comings and goings of its denizens without being seen. However, how this division of the guard operates seems to be up for speculation as they have become as mysterious as the castle they inhabit. They are rarely seen outside their territory, and those that do end up outside of it rarely talk about what they tell anyone, the inner workings of their operations. It is no help that the castle is too well hidden for anyone to find it, let alone know about its existence unless they serve with the Forest Guard.

Branching Off

While much of the Garrison with Greyhold has little to no contact with the rest of the Kingdom of Ardania, even their comrades within the Forest Guard, there have been some attempts to piece together on what goes on over there. Those who have been to Greyhold have noted that it has developed a completely different form of regulations and policies that are different from the rest of the castles of the guard. It mainly centers around secrecy and stealth to avoid revealing the location of Greyhold to anyone living in the region to avoid possible attacks on them by the natives in the region. Their Rangers also differ from the rest as they carry out missions in the closest to them within The Spine to deal with Mountain Kin found there, often being called Iron Rangers for their fortitude in such harsh conditions. This would make such a force much more lethal and challenging to find as they adapted to full-on wilderness survival, lacking any dependence on the kingdom to survive, becoming self-sufficient while driving off any dangers they came across without support.

Fate Untold

It is common knowledge that the Forest Guard was destroyed when the Vatian Empire won the War of the Raptors with all of its territory captured or destroyed. Yet the fate of Greyhold has yet to be told in the aftermath of the kingdom's fall. Leading to speculation about whether or not the castle and its forces still live or have been wiped out completely. There have even been some who believe that its occupants have gone into hiding and completely isolated themselves from the rest of the world to avoid complete and utter destruction. Some of the surviving members of the guard have gone out to search for the elusive castle to discover the truth in the hope of finding survivors or a new base of operation to count their rebellion against the empire. These attempts have all been fruitless at this point, with years passing by with no new information and the idea that Greyhold will be forgotten once more like the countless times before it.

Tourism

Significantly few ever come to the Greyhold due to its isolation and difficulty getting there, and only those required to go there know its true location.

Founding Date

?

Alternative Names

Hidden Castle

Type

Castle

Ruling/Owning Rank

Banor

Owning Organization

Forest Guard

Lost Castle

by Jester%

No one knows where the castle is because no one ever goes there in the first place. - Ranger

Greyhold is considered one of the most isolated fortifications within Ardania for a reason: it is lost in dense foliage in an area lacking large populations near the mountains. This has given it the moniker of the Forgotten Fortress, as very few people even know where to find it. It allows its occupants to remain hidden to carry out their duties without the worry of anyone trying to spy on them; those who try often get lost and are never heard from again.

Questionable Methods

by Jester%

How do I know how they recruit at Greyhold? They just come to grab some people to join and disappear like everyone else. - House Soldier

One of the few things people often wonder about the castle is how it attracts people to join it with little to no contact with them; the most common answer is that they are selective in their recruitment methods, only selecting those who are fit to serve and can keep their mouths shut. The ones who think harder believe that its members have turned the castle into their home and have started families within it to recruit them to serve and maintain it or recruited from the local tribes in the region to act as better soldiers. Some even suggested that the means are much darker in the ways of magic that may be at play, involving the hidden past behind the castle.