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Picket Keeps of the Heartlands
Picket Keeps of the Heartlands were at one time dotted all over the edges of the foothills and in some low hills across the Heartlands to watch and defend against the Orrish raids from the Dark Lands and Underlands of the Steel Realms. They were not large, and had only military significance, no economic or community centers were based on them. Most were bare bones and had no luxuries, and held less than 50 inhabitants (many less than half of that). Sheep, goat and hogs were grown for food & supplies, and a few valleys used for sparse crops – but most of its larder was imported by troops cycling through it on a monthly basis. All were near small springs, streams, or wells for a water supply. The massive Pacification Garrisons have come to take the place of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands – the small and numerous fortified small keeps that once dotted the landscape to watch for and be a bastion against Orrish incursions.
Upper Keep: This is typically a single story keep and sometimes a tower. The top is a series of fortified positions and open to the sun. Soaked canvases were often erected to counter fire arrows. Most had a stable, and a few of these contained a shrine to the Wyld Faith. All of them had a shrine to the old path of Osten-Paullus thought more often the Lightbringers in the last thousand years they were used.
Under Keep: This was mostly a single level of store rooms, hold out positions, and used for medical facilities. Other than air vents, typically there was only a single (with defensive gateway) entrance to the Under Keep.
History of Picket Keeps of the Heartlands
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Picket Keeps of the Heartlands were at one time dotted all over the edges of the foothills and in some low hills across the Heartlands to watch and defend against the Orrish raids from the Dark Lands and Underlands of the Steel Realms. They were not large, and had only military significance, no economic or community centers were based on them. Most were bare bones and had no luxuries, and held less than 50 inhabitants (many less than half of that). Sheep, goat and hogs were grown for food & supplies, and a few valleys used for sparse crops – but most of its larder was imported by troops cycling through it on a monthly basis. All were near small springs, streams, or wells for a water supply. The massive Pacification Garrisons have come to take the place of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands – the small and numerous fortified small keeps that once dotted the landscape to watch for and be a bastion against Orrish incursions.Over thousands of years, many were sacked, rebuilt, and sacked again – providing a sacrifice to delay the enemy and gain necessary time to organize a greater defense. Their ruins are all over the realms. Some were abandoned as the darkness grew quiet in recent times. A few are used as hold fasts by local settlements, a few captured and used by bandits and mercenaries, and a few simply taken and used as a benefit for a land claim in risky areas bordering known incursion sites.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
The Heartlands Picket Keeps don’t follow a standard footprint, but are all small and relatively remote (at least at one point). All were made from stone and lumber, with large, rough cut stones forming the base to make it harder to crack and break in fire. None of the typical ones of the heartlands were made for winter weather in particular – the hinterlands have their own style.
Reflected Illumination: One unique hallmark is the secure oil braziers that could light the entire inner courtyard nearly instantly if the walls were breached at night. The backs of the lips at the brazier well tops were lined with polished bronze to reflect light. Most ruins have had this valuable material scavenged.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
Most were known to have some sort of a short, narrow, cramped escape tunnel for emergencies. All of them were typically sponsored by a local lord or lady as part of tithe to a higher lord.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Cornerstones: As part of their creation, most were laid with a deep cornerstone with artifacts from the sponsored builder. This would contain minor charms, artifacts, and trinkets – nothing terribly unique, but maybe something of religious power for the Lightbringers or Wyld Faith or the olden Osten-Paullus.