Place: Weatherworn Country Manor

This manor, three days travel southeast of Bloodhelm, is one of many country manors which used to be used by all the Houses as a winter retreat for the northern ones and a summer retreat for the southern Houses. It is also where my six heroes have their world turned upside down, where what they think they know turns out to not be.

The surrounding area is forest land, a nearby stream and the manor is a day ride on an old cobbled road from the High King's road which leads to Bloodhelm and Midway.

The manor is two visible stories, all of native woods and a clay tile roof. The doors and window shutters were made of stout wood, decorated with lightning and cloud motifs (to go along with the House coat of arms), dragons and fairies. Now, though, most hang off rusted, metal hinges, though the main door is still mostly in place. There is a six foot wood wall around the building and stables which are mostly intact, but there are holes in the defense here and there. Both the wall and the buildings are partially covered in ivy and shrubbery, plants growing in unlikely spots in the yard of the manor. Moss grows liberally upon the roof and the porch and some of the support beams look none to sturdy. The cobbled road is over grown, save for the ruts from centuries of wagons.

The downstairs of the manor holds a greeting hall, with chairs, a fireplace, couches, furs, and tapestries. All the furnishings are rotten and probably not in their original locations. The glass in the windows are mostly broken, though there are many of them around the room. The library is directly across from the main hall, full of rotten books, paintings, tapestries, and small animals. There are several broken chairs, tables and suits of armor. Animal nests abound, since the main window which faces to the east is broken. A dinning room and kitchen are off to the right. The kitchen has cooking utensils and pots scattered around it and rodents have made them their homes. A ballroom is off to the left, but would hold two dozen people at most.

Upstairs on the left side has three bedrooms and a small sitting room as does the right side. The middle of the upstairs is open to the library. The bedrooms harbor rotten furniture, tapestries, bedding, and clothing. All the windows are blown out and the birds have taken over.

The small, secret room under the library holds a small library in it, mostly of family history, spellbooks, and history in general. The books are in good condition because of the magic upon the room. And there is a large circle of interspersed thumb sized gems upon the floor, a map of all of Martapa made of stone and small divets at each major city upon it hangs on the wall nearby.

Good use for this place in your campaign is simply as an abandoned manor which could hold monsters or forgotten treasure. Perhaps Weatherworn wants the party to retrieve something of value from it. And if not Weatherworn, perhaps a rival House. There are manors from all the major Houses here in the area, so feel free to substitute "Weatherworn" with what ever House you wish to use.
Tomorrow: History of Runner Stations