Community Atlas - Peredur - Torstan Castle [WIP]
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I have made a start on Torstan Castle, which is modelled after Carrickfergus Castle, one of my favourite castles, in Ulster.
Here is the map to date. I am not quite happy with the rocks yet, and I have more crenellations to do. As well, some catapults etc. I used Weatherman Sweden's great wave edge striping. I also managed to get the frame so the dark edge was all inside (and hid a bit of an overlap problem with roses from CSUAC).
Is there anything either in the map or what structures should be there etc, etc, etc? (think The King and I with Yul Bryner). I know the sea is a bit too repetitive, but i will fix this with the next iteration.
My plan is to do 4 floors and a basement - I have most of them already figured out on paper. The keep will be 4 storeys, the towers 3, the walls 2 and the buildings 1.
I also have included the map plan of Carrickfergus Castle itself, plus a few diagrams and photos I took when Trina and I were there in August 2017.
Comments
Here are some of my photos, and some more diagrams. Also a bit of history, and how they kept prisoners. A very uncomfortable place - no standing room. I soon got out of there.
Great mapwork there, Quenten :)
This is a pure coincidence, but have you heard about the November mapping competition being run by Michael Tracey over on DND/RPG Maps on FaceBook? It's being sponsored by Profantasy, and the subject is castle maps.
No worries if you aren't a member of that group, but it's right here if you want to show your stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/256388815313777/permalink/680900526195935/?notif_id=1605854734852506¬if_t=group_post_mention&ref=notif
Thanks for this Sue - I have just entered my map
Very nice. I love castles.
But wouldn't the ground inside the walls be mostly dirt, and not paving stones?
Well, it was paving in the real castle. And this is the King's capital city and chief city residence. His favourite place is a sprawling manor at Murky Frogbottom, however.
But was the paving historically there, or something that had been put in there at a later stage (it still look historical, and is much better when you have lots of visitors). When I look at the drawings you posted and the picture of the model, it certainly looks like dirt in most of the courtyards.
Much of it was later. Some was dirt, I admit. But not in Torstan's Royal Castle. Be thankful he didn't order marble (he is a bit like Mad Ludwig of Bavaria).
And no matter what you say, I will come up with increasingly ridiculous reasons to say why it isn't so in Torstan Castle. ?
Final rendition bar any fixes required by your desired critique.
Here are the Map Notes - both FCW and notes have been submitted.
Torstan Castle
Torstan Castle is the king’s residence when he comes to stay at Torstan (which is not often – he loves hunting and wenching). In the meantime, it is served by his Seneschal, Sir Daffyd Manawwydan, a serious and conscientious man, but somewhat of a martinet. He is not particularly loved by the populace or Town Council.
INNER BAILEY
Keep: This is the main building, a tall, though slender, tower of five stories.
Knights: This 2 storey building hoses three Knights Banneret that are given charge of the Castle’s defences. Sir Ifor Parry, Sir Edwyn Cadwalader and Sir Alwyn Davies
Armoury: This two storey building stores a wide range of weapons and armour. On top is a flat roof used to mount catapults.
Stables: These house five noble steeds, for the use of the Knights and the Senseshal. The Head Ostler, Aneurin Maddex and 5 stable boys live in the second storey.
MIDDLE BAILEY
Supplies: This two storey building houses all sorts of supplies, from candles, to chees, dry biscuit, smoked meat (with a smokehouse attached), kegs of wine, spare bedding, sheets, clothes, boots. And the second storey is housing for the spinsters, the leather-workers, the vintners, the victuallers and other folk required to manufacture and keep the Keep stockpiles against any siege. The Quartermaster, Sergeant Ceridwin Nist is in charge of all activities here.
OUTER BAILEY
Smith: Anyon Wendsir is the Head Smith, and with three apprentices, he supplies the garrison with armour and weapons, the horses woth shoes, the Lord and Lady with utensils, cookware and ornate filigree work.
Artisans: Here live several craftsmen, on the storey above their shop – ropemaker, baker, and catapult-maker.
Armoury: This is another armoury, mainly for the defence of the walls, with barrels of oil for boiling, many shafts of arrows, and ballistas and catapults with their missiles, some in the process of repair. On its roof is another catapult platform protecting the small harbour below.
Barracks: Here are housed thirty men-at-arms, who use the roof on this two storey building for military practice. In a siege, it is another platform for catapults, protecting any approach from the bay to the west.
Stables: This house various fast messenger horse, as well as a few sheep and milking cows.
Lady Tower: This tower is now used as a prison and inquisitor’s ‘workplace’. It gets its name from the wife of the third Seneschal who took to gazing west from where she had come for a forced arranged, and unhappy marriage. Her evening room is still untouched on the fourth floor. At the tower’s base is an underground chamber for enemies of the State. It is presently unoccupied.
CHAPEL TOWER: This large four storey tower has the castle’s chapel of St Gwenifer, presided over by Venerable Malwin Einog, a celibate, dour and judgmental cleric holding to firm strictures of the Faith. He and the Seneschal are about the only two people who like each other. Unlike the Seneschal, few respect the priest. The tower also houses a guardroom, quarters for Malwin, and his three elderly handmaidens, and the main kitchen for the Outer Bailey
SENESCHAL’S TOWER: This is where the Seneschal lives when the King is in residence – which rarely occurs. Otherwise, it is the family quarters for his son, newly appointed Bailiff, Sir Maelon Manawwydan, and his wife and three daughters – all very pretty, eligible for marriage and very, very coy and manipulative.
Between these two towers is the well fortified Gatehouse, with murder holes, drawbridge workings and boiling oil paraphernalia. On the top of both towers are huge catapults.
ROYAL DOCKS: These docks are used by the Castle for conveying important guests (such as the King) directly to the Castle. It also picks up supplies and its vessels are used as Royal Couriers. Its entry and exit is via the Middle Bailey.
AMERGIN’S CAVE: This cave extends for a fair way below the castle foundations. The full extent is a State secret. It is rumoured to be the dwelling place of a selkie woman who worked magic for a seneschal long ago. There is no evidence as to whether this is true or false.