Crosswinds Keep

Crosswinds Keep was a fortified town in the Elserryn Cluster, within the Astral Plane.

Geography
The keep was built on the head of a dead god. A number of houses were built around the keep, alongside a guard post and stables.

Government
The Stalwart Lions banned entry to githyanki, githzerai, illithids, yugoloths, devils and demons. They also gave permission to settle for those who wanted to build on their territory.

Trade
Crosswinds Keep proper was a stop for travelers, an outpost for foes of the gith, and otherwise a safe haven.

Meals cost 5 sp for a common meal and 7 sp for a good meal. A room for a night cost 3 gp. A private dining room could also be rented for 7 gp, with 15 gp for every diner. The keep also boasted a library and a shop for common supplies, though they had a 50% markup. New supplies were brought weekly by a servant using plane shift to make purchases in Waterdeep.

Defenses
The keep's walls were 30 feet tall and 15 feet thick at the base. A single portcullis granted access across the walls. An orb of isolation restricted entry to a single point within the keep's territory, making it impossible to enter anywhere else.

To gain entry, one would have to swear to leave any regional conflicts outside the keep. In spite of this rule, conflict was common both around and within the keep; the Stalwart Lions protected the place against attack, and were often joined by the patrons.

To counter githyanki raiders from nearly Vala'Koth, the Stalwart Lions employed five astral squidships to patrol the area in a mile around the keep. Lookouts were often posted on astral balloons, wearing goggles of astral seeing. Inhabitants of the keep also had learned to fear fazes.

History
Crosswinds Keep was built by the Stalwart Lions at some point between and, after Bran Oakenshire pledged his love to Moala Addrell; they departed for the Astral, looking for a place where Bran's lifespan would not lag behind Moala's. After founding the keep, they were often harried by githyanki, but the raiders were not capable of extracting a toll from the keep or the travelers.

The Stalwart Lions later found catacombs excavated in the rock, which they cleared of beings from the Lower Planes. At some point, they purchased a squid ship retrieved from The Pyre by a visitor to the Keep, and commissioned copies of it, managing a fleet of five more as of By that year, the original ship had disappeared.

Rumors & Legends
The masters of Crosswinds Keep were not aware the catacombs had been excavated by devils.

Inhabitants

 * Bran Oakenshire
 * Syussa Broar
 * Elthure Vildenof
 * Moala Addrell