Post by DM Leverage on Mar 23, 2012 22:43:51 GMT -5
Dark Arrow Keep
After his defeat at the hands of Emerus Warcrown in the Citadel of Many Arrows, Obould Many-Arrows led a few hundred of his toughest, most experienced warriors to this lonely hold in the high vales of the Spine of the World. Unlike many other castles and towers in these bitter mountains, Dark Arrow Keep was raised by slave-driving orcs, who built a fortress to stand against their numerous enemies. While the original builders of the keep are long gone, wiped out in some forgotten battle or another, the keep remains. Obould and his warriors drove out the giants who occupied it, and set about fortifying and repairing the old castle in a furious burst of effort.
Obould named his new seat Dark Arrow Keep. It may not be as well made as a good bit of dwarfwork but what it lacks in craftmanship it makes up for with massive weights of stone, build alleys, crude traps, and confounding corridors raked by hidden arrow slits. From this fortress Obould carefully gathers his strength for his next task - the unification of the orcs of the mountains beneath his banner. Obould blames the loss of the Citadel of Many Arrows not on "a few short, bearded fools" (opportunistic dwarves), but rather on the huge orc horde that swept down to besiege him. That horde shattered the citadel gates and sapped the strength of Obould's defenders before the dwarves attacked.
Another such horde is now building, and Obould is waiting for it to burst forth and shatter the battle-might of the Silver Marches before sending his own "Army of Arrows" into the fray. He plots to regain the citadel and the lands around, but is determined not to be overwhelmed by this new horde, or by the allied armies and magic of the Silver Marches.
Although he's determined to sit on a throne in Many Arrows once more before he dies, Obould dreams of ruling Silverymoon itself. If his tuskers can conquer all the lands north of the Rauvin, that might be enough territory to divide among his eight restless sons - and keep them from each other's throats long enough that an orc empire, Obouldar, might be born. Obould only hopes he can keep his oldest, fiercest spawn, Scrauth, and his brothers Araug and Brymoel, from raising blades against him while he waits for the rising (and passing) of the horde. His energetic patrols are one way to keep his sons busy and to keep most of his warriors well away from their whispering tongues and ready bribes.
Every day Obould's skull-adorned, horned throne seems less solid under him, and with each passing month his spies mutter of new treacheries and strange happenings among his people. Rage and restlessness are growing in the Master of Many Arrows, and soon it will be time for a bold stroke, horde or no. Soon he will have to be seen to do something decisive, or murmurings of his cowardice and weakness will arise around every Dark Arrow campfire.
Dark Arrow Keep is home to nearly two thousand of the forty-five hundred orcs under Obould's rule. The orcs who don't live in or around Dark Arrow Keep dwell in caverns and fortified mountain villages nearby, mustering warriors at Obould's Command.
Source: Forgotten Realms - The Silver Marches 3.5
After his defeat at the hands of Emerus Warcrown in the Citadel of Many Arrows, Obould Many-Arrows led a few hundred of his toughest, most experienced warriors to this lonely hold in the high vales of the Spine of the World. Unlike many other castles and towers in these bitter mountains, Dark Arrow Keep was raised by slave-driving orcs, who built a fortress to stand against their numerous enemies. While the original builders of the keep are long gone, wiped out in some forgotten battle or another, the keep remains. Obould and his warriors drove out the giants who occupied it, and set about fortifying and repairing the old castle in a furious burst of effort.
Obould named his new seat Dark Arrow Keep. It may not be as well made as a good bit of dwarfwork but what it lacks in craftmanship it makes up for with massive weights of stone, build alleys, crude traps, and confounding corridors raked by hidden arrow slits. From this fortress Obould carefully gathers his strength for his next task - the unification of the orcs of the mountains beneath his banner. Obould blames the loss of the Citadel of Many Arrows not on "a few short, bearded fools" (opportunistic dwarves), but rather on the huge orc horde that swept down to besiege him. That horde shattered the citadel gates and sapped the strength of Obould's defenders before the dwarves attacked.
Another such horde is now building, and Obould is waiting for it to burst forth and shatter the battle-might of the Silver Marches before sending his own "Army of Arrows" into the fray. He plots to regain the citadel and the lands around, but is determined not to be overwhelmed by this new horde, or by the allied armies and magic of the Silver Marches.
Although he's determined to sit on a throne in Many Arrows once more before he dies, Obould dreams of ruling Silverymoon itself. If his tuskers can conquer all the lands north of the Rauvin, that might be enough territory to divide among his eight restless sons - and keep them from each other's throats long enough that an orc empire, Obouldar, might be born. Obould only hopes he can keep his oldest, fiercest spawn, Scrauth, and his brothers Araug and Brymoel, from raising blades against him while he waits for the rising (and passing) of the horde. His energetic patrols are one way to keep his sons busy and to keep most of his warriors well away from their whispering tongues and ready bribes.
Every day Obould's skull-adorned, horned throne seems less solid under him, and with each passing month his spies mutter of new treacheries and strange happenings among his people. Rage and restlessness are growing in the Master of Many Arrows, and soon it will be time for a bold stroke, horde or no. Soon he will have to be seen to do something decisive, or murmurings of his cowardice and weakness will arise around every Dark Arrow campfire.
Dark Arrow Keep is home to nearly two thousand of the forty-five hundred orcs under Obould's rule. The orcs who don't live in or around Dark Arrow Keep dwell in caverns and fortified mountain villages nearby, mustering warriors at Obould's Command.
Source: Forgotten Realms - The Silver Marches 3.5