Atlas: The Five Fortresses and Wizard's Glade
Kerrindale was settled near the end of Fulskatar's reign with two major migrations. The first established the economic center of Garrenfold and two small fortresses. The second cleared the whole valley from the coast to the Western Wall, and three more fortresses were built.
Unlike some of the other military outposts in D'nashk Re'at that are examples of beautiful architecture and promote the image of a growing and sophisticated kingdom, the Five Fortresses of Kerrindale are extremely modest looking from the outside. In fact, the majority of them are hidden and cannot be seen from a distance.
The fortresses were built economically, fast, and for practical reasons - to allow Royal Guards to patrol the areas on a regular schedule and respond quickly to any threats that the citizens of the kingdom may encounter. Guards typically do not stay long at any single fortress, but only for two nights for the smaller ones, and up to five nights for the larger ones. Then they continue their rotation to the next fortress and so on, eventually ending up back at their homes for a time before starting a new patrol cycle. Each morning, for all the fortresses, a new patrol is leaving, and in the evening a patrol is checking in. And there is always at least one patrol stationary during the day, or more than one depending on how large the fortress is.
Green Pass Overlook is the oldest of the fortresses and the initial defense built to guard the town of Garrenfold during the first Kerrindale settlement period. It is a series of caves high up along the mountain pass, hollowed out to make a guard station. The location was originally occupied by Goblins, and there is a single (known) entrance directly on the mountain pass trail that is well hidden until a traveler comes around either bend in the trail.
The Lake Fortress was built after Green Pass Overlook during the first Kerrindale settlement period. It is a series of caves on the side of a bluff, hollowed out and extended with rooms for the guards. The fortress is far enough off the main road that the two entrances are not visible unless you follow the trail from the road and get within fifty yards.
The Northern Fortress was built during the second Kerrindale settlement period. It is a series of caves on the side of a bluff, hollowed out and extended with rooms for the guards, and there is a discrete watch tower reachable by tunnel on the top of the bluff. The fortress is difficult to see from the main road unless you are looking closely, and completely invisible at night. There is a single entrance that is well hidden even during the day by shadows from the curves and bends in the bluff.
The Mountain Pass Fortress, built during the second Kerrindale settlement period, is the largest of the remote outposts. It spans both sides of the only known pass across the Western Wall to the other side of Kerrindale. It is a series of caves along the mountain pass trail, hollowed out and extended with rooms for the guards. There is a high watch tower reachable by tunnel that can be seen from a distance. There are multiple small entrances along the trail and a large cave opening high up off the trail, on the side of a cliff.
The Southern Fortress, built during the second Kerrindale settlement period, is the Royal Guard's favorite location, having the most enjoyable architecture features, including a refreshing water fall. It is a series of chambers and hollowed caves, some of them quite large, with two major rivers flowing through the complex that come together at the foot of the bluff. A large watch tower is positioned by itself in front of the fortress and can be seen from a distance. There is a main entrance with a grand stair case and also a small hidden trail to the right of the water fall that climbs up the bluff and enters one of the large caves directly.
In addition to the Five Fortresses, there is a special location called Wizard's Glade hidden deep within the Dark Forest. It was created by the Royal Court of Magicians as a magic item cache for future need, in the event war broke out with the eastern kingdom of Da’rahad. The original name came from old Elvish tongue that the locals could not pronounce, so they renamed it – to the disappointment of the Court. The area can be reached by trail, but the rock formation in the middle of the glade has a secret doorway to some inner chambers that has been hidden by magic.
