Wyvernwatch Castle

Wyvernwatch Castle was a hidden, fortified tower in the northern wilderness of Cormyr. It was secretly controlled and used by Lord Vorik Aris as he planned to raid Cormyr's holdings in the Stonelands circa 1369 DR.

Location
Wyvernwatch was located in the low mountains of the eastern Storm Horns, on the edge of Cormyr and the Stonelands. It lay hidden in between the Stonebolt Trail and Moonsea Ride, only accessible by a narrow trail that wound up the mountainside from Gnoll Pass. Castle Crag and Slingdyke lay not far to the south inside Cormyr proper, while Halfhap, Darkenshield, and the Tower of Ruin lay to the north in the Stonelands.

Structure
The black stone walls enclosed a courtyard and were 18 feet tall, with a fortified gateway of two guardhouses flanking 20-foot-tall iron doors, wrought with the repeating symbol of Lord Aris, a skull with three lightning bolts striking from it. The gate itself was controlled from the main tower through an ingenious underground chain and pulley system, with the guards at the gate requesting the opening or shutting via signal flags.

A large stable in the south-east corner of the courtyard held 120 horses for the human and orog troops to use, including Lord Aris' white stallion Perdition.

The tower itself was 75 feet tall and 80 feet wide, giving it a somewhat squat shape. It had 5 levels, with the entire structure made of the same black stone as the outer walls. It was accessed by a heavy iron door with a complicated mechanical lock and an iron door bar. A single-floor barracks was attached to the tower, which contained the bunks for his hundredstrong human soldiers and officers. The barrack's guard room had the locked trapdoor that led down to a stinking pit containing 150 simple skeletons and zombies.

Interior
The ground-floor entry room of the tower contained the winch control for the main gate, and an alarm bell that could rouse the entire complex. The rest of the ground level was taken up by barracks for the 63 orogs of the Eye Killers company.

The second floor held a shrine to Talos and the quarters of the Talassan priestess Tanatha. Her bedroom was relatively mundane aside from the set of manacles fixed to the wall.

The third floor was taken up by the quarters of the Captain of the Guard Tobias Querl, the necromancer Ratakos, and the orog chief Gribbergrash. There was also a guest room for up to five visitors. Ratakos had a grimly-appointed bedroom that resembled a funeral, with all-black decorations and candles, a coffin-shaped bed, and shelves of decorative skulls.

The fourth floor contained a meeting room and study, filled with maps and academic literature. Lord Aris and his officers would meet there and plan their local operations, as well as keep track of his spies which operated in Halfhap, Tilverton, Hillmarch, Arabel, Bospir, Thunderstone, Hultail, and Immersea. The level also contained a fixed portal to his personal estate of Aris Castle near Eagle Peak in western Cormyr. The gateway at his estate had three red gems which could be removed. Removing one would deactivate the portal temporarily, while removing all three would permanently destroy it in a burst of destructive energy.

The fifth and final floor had a dank prison as well as Lord Aris' luxuriously appointed bedroom. It was fitted with ornate and expensive furnishings, including a grossly expensive crystal snifter and decanter set filled with rare brandy, and a wardrobe that contained 20 elaborate ensembles worth at least 250 gp each, as well as a ring of invisibility and a cloak of feather falling. The bed's nightstand supported an expensive colored-glass lamp, with a +2 dagger in the drawer. The fireplace was decorated with a pair of magical rapiers, a +2 rapier and a +3 rapier which bore additional enchantments that allowed its blade to pass through the target's armor.

Defenses
Wyvernwatch was in truth more of a large tower than a small castle, and relied on its secrecy to avoid attack. Nonetheless, it was very well defended against direct assault, with over 160 professional soldiers, 150 simple undead, and various other specialists garrisoning it and patrolling the region.

Large numbers of amoral mercenaries and adventurers were hired on by Lord Aris to search the Stonelands for treasure and strike at targets of opportunity, and wore Lord Aris' symbol to identify themselves. Scouts such as Oznod Brekker and Winaneh Marlowson ranged about the Stonelands and investigated inside Halfhap, looking for treasure-seekers and other troublemakers who could potentially stumble upon the fortress. They would ambush their victims in the wilderness, either killing them or weakening them enough that other predators could finish them off, and brought back any valuables for Lord Aris' treasury. The remains would be left in the open for vultures and ghouls to feast on. Although these scouting parties were generally successful, they too could still fall prey to the terrible dangers of the Stonelands, such as when one such group was attacked by a gorgimera and variously incinerated or petrified.

The basement pit of the barracks contained 75 skeletons and 75 zombies. In times of need, they would be shepherded up to the surface and deployed as shock troops by Ratakos or Tanatha.

Lord Aris managed to partially tame a nearby pair of mated wyverns and their two grown children. These creatures nested in a cave a half-hour along the trail from Wyvernwatch, and were the inspiration for its name. They could be bypassed by people who prominently displayed Lord Aris' symbol, but would attack any others on sight.

When his army marched forth, Wyvernwatch Castle was almost emptied, with only 15 human soldiers, 10 orogs, and a human officer remaining.

Inhabitants
In 1369 DR, Wyvernwatch was used as a base of operations by Lord Aris as he gathered up forces and prepared raids into Cormyr.
 * Lord Vorik Aris.
 * Tobias Querl, Captain of the guard and former member of the Twilight Brigade.
 * Four veteran human lieutenants and 100 human soldiers, including 31 more Twilight Brigade veterans.
 * Tanatha, Stormlord of Talos and his spiritual advisor.
 * Ratakos, a necromancer who helped handle the undead.
 * 75 skeletons and 75 zombies.
 * Gribbergrash, orog chief of the Eye Killers orogs.
 * Three orog leaders and 60 well-equipped orog soldiers.
 * Oznod Brekker, Winaneh Marlowson, and four more veteran scouts.
 * Various other groups and individuals.