Drakehall Keep
Early History
Drakehall Keep was built many generations ago in the untamed wilderness of the M’Chekian grasslands, and served as the first ancestral fortress of the powerful House Drake. The Drake’s carved out a name for themselves in the harsh and unforgiving wilds, and this fortress provided a beacon of safety and protection to the men and women living in this region.
Situated in western M’Chek, the Keep is nestled in a shallow valley and is surrounded by low, sweeping hills and fertile farmlands. It borders Nelthropian lands and the Hills of the Order of the Way to the north, with Westshore and Bachwood edging its southern boundaries. The Keep is made of stone and is 2 stories in height, with a small watch tower built atop the southwest corner of the roof. Underground rooms provide storage and other necessities.
As time passed the Drake’s power and influence grew, and with it a new port rose out of necessity nearby along the western coastline. Westshore was established and the Drake’s shifted their seat of power to that newly settled coastal settlement.
Drakehall Keep was still used by the Drake’s and those loyal to their banner over the next few generations, but over time it was neglected and fell into disrepair.
Change in Ownership
Lord Constantine Drake of Westshore served as the ruling noble in House Drake. It can be reasoned that this power was not enough for him, and he craved more influence over M’Chek. To this end, he spearheaded efforts at what became plans for an eventual coup attempt.
Constantine’s plans for a coup focused on many fronts. He conspired with numerous individuals to kidnap the young nephew and niece from Chasworth Keep, Edgar and Audra Harwood, the heirs of Lord Tobias Chasworth, as well as General Cassius of the M’Chekian Army. Additionally, aided by General Percival Tate and the disgraced Colonel Tanners, there were many attempted assassinations of multiple nobles in key positions of power and influence. The men also flooded the southwest and the northwest M’Chekian countryside with bandits to sow panic and confusion within the general population.
With the aid of a force hired by Prime Minister Deth and Lord Harvingdale, many nobles were protected from assassination attempts and the ultimately captured the elusive Lord of Westshore. The soldiers of the Skybolt Battalion subdued Lord Drake’s army and all the key players were in custody with the exception of General Tate, who evaded capture.
Lord Constantine Drake was executed by hanging in the Garrison Square of Mikona, after being tried by a jury of his peers in the Noble House. Numerous charges were leveled against him and his co-conspirators to include treason, conspiracy to murder more than a dozen nobles, kidnapping, and a number of other undisclosed crimes. Lord Drake did not swing by the neck that morning by himself; both Colonel Tanners and a mercenary named Geoffrey were executed alongside the disgraced noble.
Current Status
In the wake of the death of Constantine Drake, the Noble House deemed it necessary to offer Lord Chasworth reparations for the injuries inflicted on his heirs while held captive by Lord Drake’s conspirators. Lord Chasworth was gifted several select pieces of ancestral Drake lands by the Noble House, specifically Drakehall and Drakeshore in western M’Chek.
Sir Thaylis Beign had just recently retired from serving as the Brigadier and commanding officer of the Blackhawk Brigade, and after some private discussions with Lord Chasworth, the former officer and Hero of M’Chek accepted a position as vassal to the older man. Sir Thaylis Beign was granted stewardship of the Drake family ancestral home and the lands surrounding it. With this new responsibility, he is entrusted to oversee the prosperity and welfare of Drakehall Keep and the loyal M’Chekian citizens who live in the surrounding holdings.
Once Sir Thaylis took control of Drakehall, many structural repairs needed to be carried out on the neglected fortress. The repairs were quickly made and Thaylis put a public notice out to the public, asking for former Blackhawks to fill the ranks of a company of guardsmen needed to serve at Drakehall Keep. Nearly 2 dozen men and women answered the call to his banner. Additionally, Rickus va’Alor, priest to Toran, serves as the garrison commander of the Keep. In addition to these duties, Rickus had requested a small chaplet be built on the lands of Drakehall and to this end, roughly a dozen followers of Toran has joined him. They serve as part of the guard company as well, swelling the number to roughly 35 men and women. A newly built guard tower was constructed adjacent to the Keep, and all members of the company were given a silver insignia which identified them as Drakehall soldiers. The insignia is circular in design, depicting the heads of a hawk and a silver dragon facing each other on a field of M'Chekian blue.
Drakehall Keep’s main export is an assortment of beers with a distinctive taste in the region. Under the watchful eye of the Keep’s brew master, Flint Wrightson, Drakehall has forged a name for itself with a variety of quality ales and stouts Growing their own barley and adding a variety of additional imported ingredients gives the finished products a distinctive taste.
PC’s associate with the Keep
- Rickus va’Alor - Garrison Commander. Priest of Toran. Former Blackhawk officer.
- Kara Kalinor – Guard Captain. Former Blackhawk officer.
- Kate Benneset – Guardswoman. Former Blackhawk soldier.
- Ursula Seleivara – Minstrel of Drakehall Keep