castles in D&D

[RangerWickett]

I recall a long time ago, I started a thread about a fantasy arms race, where people took two cultures with primitive magic, and developed their magical technology based on how they fought each other. We developed lycanthrope warriors and charmed sea monster ships for one side, and plant-based defenses and evocations for the other side. I recall for some reason the plant side surrounded all their cities with rings of rosebushes, placed in amid the crops.

Maybe it's time for a new fantasy arms race, centered on castles.

 

[Azgulor]

Dont you think Prohibitions don't really work. I mean if I am an evil wizard who wants to attack a city do you think rules will stop me (or maybe I misuderstood you)

I was thinking that in a world like the forgotten realms forts would have some kind of anti-magic shield (kinda like the typical shields that one would have in sci-fi)

What else would you need to defend your castle (or how would you build it) in a typical D&D type world?

I agree that prohibitions wouldn't work in all cases - thus providing us an in-game definition of rogue wizard. It would however, explain the rarity of wizards in armies and architecture consistent with the Middle Ages in the context of the setting/game.

Azgulor

 

[Nifft]

IMC, pyramidal structures see more use, since people want defenses vs. airborn attackers (and the ability to shoot them).

-- N

 

[bolen]

IMC, pyramidal structures see more use, since people want defenses vs. airborn attackers (and the ability to shoot them).

-- N

That's a very good point. I was thinking of roofs. (if magic is so pervasive just make it with stoneshape)

 

[Nifft]

Also, hovering pyramids are just cool.

-- N

 

[boredgremlin]

All the castles that I have seen in D&D, have architecture like Europe. But this would not be the case if magic were around? Flying would reduce the effectiveness of walls. I realize if you played in a low magic world like conan, Newhon, or even Middle Earth, that this issue would not be so important but if your game was in the Forgotten Realms or Ebberon?

Has anyone addressed this in their world either home brew or published

Dispite what forgotten realms fantasy novels and videogames might lead you to believe high level characters are actually just as rare there as anywhere where else. Read the campaign setting again, most of the high level guys mentioned are between 10th and 15th level with only about a half dozen epic level individuals.
On to castles. Just follow the DMG demographics and you will see why castles still work great most of time. Invisibility is a 2nd level spell, which requires a 3rd level caster. So a village or small town has a slight chance of having a wizard who can cast it. A large town will have 1 wizard of level of level 4-7 and a single apprentice of half that level. And invisibility is foiled by the gaurd dogs you will likely find in any halfway important place.
Fly is a little harder but not nearly unbeatable with normal architecture. Fighting forts had small windows with bars so your not flying into any windows in a castle. There would likely only be a few trapdoors on roofs and all would be gaurded with dogs to best the invisible flyers and of course padlocked so that after the dogs start going nuts and the gaurds start shooting everyone in the castle has plenty of time to move to internal positions to repel invaders. Sure you got over the wall. So? If your attack doesnt go well then after that fly wears off it might not be a good thing to be stuck inside the walls.
Sure it requires a little more drilling of the troops and some internal security points being set up but its not a castle cracker. Add in that as a 3rd level spell it requires a 5th level wizard to cast so you have one per large town who can do it (if he is willing) and he can only fly in himself. Maybe with a high Int modifier he will be able to fly in 2 people. Now are 2 people really gonna take down an entire castle garrison, including higher level officers?
The castle and fort is just about as usefull in D&D as it ever was. Especially against stupid creatures like orcs that dont have any wizards.
For any question about how NPC's might affect a game world just look at the demographics in the DMG and see how few people of any power there really are in the world.

 

[Sigurd]

I've not seen any attention paid to contingency stone wall spells that heal damage or fill tunnels.

Just replacing the stone would seem a reasonable thing with an instentaneous spell. Couple of tunnels filled with seamless rock and or/ some damage just being washed away would dampen any seige enthusiasm.

S

 

[shilsen]

I recall a long time ago, I started a thread about a fantasy arms race, where people took two cultures with primitive magic, and developed their magical technology based on how they fought each other. We developed lycanthrope warriors and charmed sea monster ships for one side, and plant-based defenses and evocations for the other side. I recall for some reason the plant side surrounded all their cities with rings of rosebushes, placed in amid the crops.

Maybe it's time for a new fantasy arms race, centered on castles.

Sounds like a great idea. I remember the old thread and it spawned some excellent discussion and ideas.

 

[Ourph]

Castles are vulnerable to flying attackers (both humanoid and monstrous). In fact, the most terrifying of all castle-attacking beasts is the horrible winged dragon. Thus, in addition to the usual fortifications you would expect of a real-world castle, all D&D castles have extensive dungeons beneath them to provide cover from aerial assault. These dungeons are populated by numerous traps and have winding corridors laid out in a confusing and illogical manner to provide cover for the defenders and confuse would-be invaders once they've overrun the castle proper.

Unfortunately, the best laid plans sometimes do not suffice and many a castle has fallen, despite the valor of the brave men who died defending it. Most of these fortresses are long abandoned and have fallen into ruin. The labyrinths beneath have become the home of strange, foul creatures of the darkness. In some cases, the men who died defending those hallways cannot rest easy and their shades rise to defend the mouldy corridors once again when explorers dare to disturb their eternal sleep in search of hidden riches.

Thus, the landscape is dotted with ancient ruins, beneath which the slimy, dank stones of many a dark and mysterious dungeon lie. Only a brave few dare these musty tombs of yore to seek ancient gold and forgotten knowledge.

Do you have what it takes.....to enter the realm of Dungeons & Dragons!?!

 

[S'mon]

Thanks Ourph, that really pepped me up.