Kriegenstadt Castle - A Keep on a different Borderland

Inland from Kamminer Bay, not far from Isoldur Village and on a hill rising up from the southern bank of the Forton River there is Kriegenstadt Castle. This is a fortress controlled by the Heldannic Knights with two main functions. Firstly it is a bastion of the Heldannic Knights against their foes, both chaotic humanoids and also Heldanner rebels and freedom fighters. Secondly it is a high-security prison that has become a lot more busy since the subjugation of Landfall by the Knights. Although the knights don’t often take prisoners, they sometimes take hostages to ensure compliance, and also those the knights want to interrogate, typically prisoners with information about the knights’ enemies. None have escaped from the castle, and only a few have been released alive and well. 

Borderland Protection

Kriegenstadt Castle was originally built about 100 years ago by a Heldanner nobleman who governed swathes of northern Heldannic Freeholds. His holdings were raided by orc and bugbear tribes from the Hettafjall mountains, so he built the castle as a military base from which to launch counterattacks and also provide safe haven for his subjects within the area. When the Knights of Vanya invaded the Freeholds in 950AC this nobleman’s son, who was never keen on the castle anyway, decided to leave for Landfall. The knights found the castle mostly abandoned and promptly took it over. 

Since then the castle has still served its original purpose as  orcs of the Gnass-Dol tribe and the Suth-Vlak bugbears continued to harass human settlements regardless of the new rulers. The local villages have some farms but tend to focus on herding sheep, cattle and horses, all of which are excellent meals for orcs and bugbears. Hettafjall hill giants and trolls have also been known to accompany these raids on the off chance of picking up tasty morsels. The knights will often launch counter-raids into tribal territories to kill their warriors and drive the survivors deeper into the mountainous wilderness. 

A new foe has also emerged - Heldanner freedom fighters, the successors to the original freeholders. Of course the rebels are sensible enough not to attack the castle directly, but harassing patrols and supply caravans with hit-and-run tactics has become quite common. As well as strengthening these targets with additional troops, the knights are also trying to track the freedom fighters down to their bases in the wilderness, trap them and then destroy them. 

There are several civilian settlements nearby including Isodur village and these are often the targets of humanoid and bandit raids. However, the knights do not allow these civilians to seek shelter within the castle - they are not trusted and the knights believe that rebel sympathisers may enter the castle on the pretext of seeking sanctuary, and then gather information on castle defences and activities. As such, Isodur village has had to develop its own defences (currently a ditch and wooden palisade) and nearby farmsteaders have learned to seek safety in Isodur rather than being turned away at the castle gates.   

There is an inn immediately outside the castle, the Crusaders Rest. Although perhaps more vulnerable to raiders and monsters, it is the only place in the keep’s vicinity where the knights will allow adventurers to stay. Some of these adventurers are after humanoid loot and will launch expeditions against the orcs, bugbears and trolls - thus Kriegenstadt plays a similar role to other bases of adventurers such as Castellan Keep in northern Karameikos. Other adventurers take a darker path and have put their unorthodox methods to finding and killing Heldanner freedom fighters on behalf of the knights. Although the knights appreciate this enough to pay a bounty for heldanner heads (10gp each!), many folks outside of the Knights are more sympathetic to the Heldanners and regards such mercenary adventurers as no better than assassins. Other folk also appear at the Crusaders' Rest and as it is at least nominally a non-military establishment anyone can come and go. Heldannic traders bringing supplies will stay here (useful for selling loot from adventures) and it is also where some espionage takes place - both agents of the Knights and the free Heldanners sometimes hang out here trying to gather information without being identified. Traders from both Oceansend and the Northern Reaches (particularly Vestland) occasionally turn up here though since the miltary operation in Landfall there have been no traders from that city. 

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The Prison

The cellars of Kriegenstadt were already extensive before the knights came along but they expanded them further and used enslaved locals to turn the subterranean parts of the castle into a prison complex. The quality of the cells vary considerably from the almost decent to the absolutely squalid. The two main groups of prisoners are hostages (who tend to be treated slightly better - after all it becomes awkward if a hostage dies accidentally or from neglect) and suspects with information for whom horrible accommodation is part of their torture. 

Although there are similar prisons in other strongholds of the knights, particularly Freiberg, Altendorf and Hockstein, Kreigenstadt’s closeness to Landfall has meant a sudden rise in prisoners since the subjugation of that previously free city.  The city itself is not considered safe and under control enough by the knights to keep valuable prisoners there, so Kriegenstadt is both close enough and secure enough to be the best option. Although there are 50 cells, the knights have recently taken to doubling or trebling up cell mates so currently there are probably 140 or so prisoners - the knights are reluctant to divulge exact numbers or names of who might be there. 

The Garrison

The castle holds 480 troops, of whom 70 are knights and squires and another 30 are clerics of Vanya. The rank and file are organised into 7 companies of 55 men each, composed of 48 soldiers (F1), 4 sergeants (F2-3), 1 lieutenant (F3), a captain (F4) and a company chaplain (C3). Their equipment varies with their roles but they are usually heavy infantry (chain mail, spear, sword, shield) or crossbowers (light crossbow, chain mail, sword, 20 bolts)

The  knights are organised into7 x 10-man Lances of 4 squires (F1-2), 4 knights (F3), 1 Knight Bachelor (F5-6) and 1 Knight Chaplain (C4-5), and are always equipped as heavy cavalry (banded armour for squires, plate mail for knights and above, with shield, sword, lance and warhorse). 

The Subjugation of Landfall

This post takes part of Mystara and takes it in a non-canon direction. If alternative history is considered counterfactual, this might be described as counter-canon. I have ignored canon in both Ierendi and the Pearl Islands, though this is a bit different, in that here the starting point for this event is generally within canon but then the event takes it off in a different direction. . 

Cartography by JTR based on Thorfinn Tait

cartography by Thorfinn Tait

Background

The Heldannic Knights are the strict, brutal and bigotted rulers of the Heldannic Territories, formerly known as the Heldannic Freeholds - there are few free people there now. The knights' ideas of law and order look more like tyranny to many outside observers. To the north, where the Known World of southeast Brun meets Norwold in the northeast of Brun, is Landfall, a free city that has previously defied the Heldannic Order. 

There has always been tension between the two, with the chaotic Landfall contrasting with the lawful though harsh Heldannic Order. Neither side is particularly pleasant or benevolent - for its part Landfall has been rife with crime, especially piracy, its government corrupt and incompetent, unwilling to tackle the powerful lawbreakers within the city. If anything the government had to tread carefully around the crime lords and strike morally dubious deals with them to keep the peace. Rumour had it that slavery, drug smuggling and cults of Chaos could all be found within Landfall. 

The Invasion

Four weeks ago the merchant vessel The Purple Porpoise set off from Kammin, a coastal town in the northern territories. Pirates from Landfall intercepted and attacked, easily overpowering the civilian crew and taking everything onboard as plunder. In response a flotilla of two Heldannic navy ships (the Righteous Fury and the Unquestioned Command) set out from Freiburg and sighted the pirates in less than a week. The pirates fled north back to Landfall, and the Heldannic flotilla pursued. Within sight of Landfall itself the flotilla was met by both official Landfall ships and privateers in the service of Landfall, who included some mercenary battle mages with powerful spells. In the ensuing naval battle a number of ships were lost and hundreds of sailors and marines died. Commodore Augsprecht was slain and the vaunted Captain Rakksburger went down with her ship, the Righteous Fury. The remaining Heldannic Ship, the Unquestioned Command, was beaten back and returned in shame to Freiburg. But rather than keeping the Heldannic knights at bay, this was seen as an insult to be avenged and a Casus Belli. 

Two weeks ago the invasion was launched. 2 Glory of Vanya divisions  and 500 marines (2900 men) were transported by 15 naval ships of the 1st Armada, escorted by the 1st Luftflotte Division of 6 warbirds (Heldannic military skyships)  while another 2 divisions (2400 men) marched north along the coast. They met up outside the city a week later and encircled it. There was an attempt at battle as the braver members of Landfall city guards formed up into an army 600 strong along the edge of the city which did not even have a proper wall. Formal resistance did not last long. The Heldannic warbirds landed a force of 200 elite knights right in the middle of the city and they quickly sacked the governor's residence, killing Lernal the Swill and his family. While residents fled in terror, some Landfall soldiers fell back from the city outskirts to stop the knights, but that is when the main assault began, with the Heldannic forces surrounding the city advancing inwards. Official military operations ceased that evening when the City Treasurer, the most senior surviving official in Landfall, surrendered the city unconditionally. He was then dragged out to the market square and executed. It was a bloody day - anyone who resisted was killed. Anyone who looked like a pirate was killed. Anyone who looked like Landfall Army or Navy was killed. Anyone who insulted or made fun of the Heldannic Order and its knights was killed. On that day the population of Landfall fell from 10,000 to 8,500. Only about 300 fled the city and survived though others died trying. In this situation the lack of a city wall made escaping easier. 

The Current Situation in Landfall and Heldann

The Heldannic Order now rules Landfall with an iron fist and brooks no dissent. On the surface there is no resistance. However, many of Landfall’s criminal elements are not the kind to confront such a strong enemy face to face. Even before the invasion there were spies from different nations jostling for strategic position in the taverns, merchant halls, back alleys and marketplaces of Landfall, and now folks with these skills are needed more than ever. Alphatian agents in particular are closely monitoring the knights while trying to stay out of trouble. Agents' communications with their respective governments continues, and only now are the chaplains of the Heldannic Order understanding how much is going on behind closed doors. Some chaplains are advocating a no-nonsense robust approach to spies or anyone who might be a spy, but there are some who would rather take a more subtle approach, finding out what is going on and who are the spy masters before arresting and executing individual agents are. 

There is also talk about an escape route. Smugglers used to dealing with contraband, stolen loot and rustled livestock are now being asked to get people out of the city, usually people who feel particularly threatened by the Heldannic Knights and also have the means to pay the smugglers.  

The Provisional Military Government of Landfall is the name given to the new rulers. Their priority is security and control, with prosperity, trade and the happiness of citizens barely considered at all. The Heldannic Order and knights see this as a great victory, confirmation that they are favoured by Vanya. The piractical wretches of Landfall stole from and attacked the Heldannic Order, and appropriate justice was served, conveniently adding another town to the Heldannic Order's holdings. 

The Freeholders and partizans of Heldann have sympathy for the people of Landfall but do not feel they can do much to help. There are a few townsfolk who fled westwards further inland, and those who were not caught and slain by humanoid tribes were instead taken in by the Freeholders. The Freeholders are careful not to do anything too drastic to help Landfall as they have no wish to endure the wrath of the knights again. 

The Current Situation Internationally

Emboldened by their sweeping success in taking Landsfall the Heldanic knights are now looking at Oceansend, a more difficult proposition due to its increased population, better military and further distance from the Heldann homeland. The rulers of Oceansend are horrified at what has happened to Landfall and are doing their utmost to strengthen their defences.  Similarly the Kingdom of Alpha further north has noted the invasion with alarm. There are talks of an alliance between Oceansend and Alpha. And although Oceansend does not wish to become a puppet of Alphatia, the rulers concede that Alphatia seems less terrible than the Heldannic Order. One proposal heard in Oceansend is the idea of supporting the partizans in the Heldannic hinterlands, but others are wary of linking Oceansend to those fighting the Order: it could become another casus belli. 

Many in Thyatis approve in principle of bringing Landfall into line - pirates from Landfall have attacked Thyatian merchants as well. But even then some Thyatians are a bit concerned about the level of bloodshed and how necessary all the killing was. And then there is the demonstrated military might - having a strong ally in the Heldannic Order is generally good for Thyatis. But an ally that could rival and possibly overtake Thyatis, particularly around its interests and holdings in Northern Brun, is a little concerning. The Order taking over Thyatian holdings in Norwold is currently only a worst case scenario, but if the Order is seriously eyeing up Oceansend and its defences…

Not many in Alphatia have paid much attention to the events in Landfall -  to them it is a small foreign town with little magic or anything worthwhile. And if they could not defend themselves with magic, then maybe they should have studied harder at their arcane schools. Nonetheless there are those who recognise that the Heldannic Order has links to Thyatis, and an ally of Thyatis threatening Alphatian interests in the Sea of Dawn should worry any right-thinking Alphatian. Such interested Alphatians agree that rather trying to retake Landfall, it would probably be better to help Oceansend, and perhaps reinforce Alphatia's own defences. 

The Isle of Dawn is another area close to the invasion, not yet directly affected but a ship with refugees has landed in Helskir on the northernmost tip, having set sail from Lighthall a few days after the assault on Landfall. Allies and provinces of Alphatia and Thyatis are keeping a close eye on the situation, and although they feel relatively secure that the Heldannic Order would not directly attack holdings of the two Empires, they are concerned with trade routes being threatened. Landfall may have been a troublesome and chaotic place, but it was still an important trading port. Now however, trade there has all but ceased - merchants are rightly scared of doing business there and the consequences of running afoul of the Heldannic Knights. .