Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gurel 06-23-05, 08:39 AM	Im currently playing in a campaign that is set in Forgotten Realms, mostly in Cormyr and that region. My character, a fighter, have future plans for conquering the stonelands and claim the title as Baron of the Stonelands. This will probably happen when our party is about 11-12th level. I'll by then have a heavy infantry mercenary company of 100 men to hold areas we conquer, and need a strong base of operation where we can raid from as we drive the savage humanoids of the lands back. Now, my question for you guys is the following: How can I construct a foreward base in the quickest possible manner? Things to consider: Ill be building inside a clifftop that we have located that should be suited for the purpose, digging most of it out of the rock, with only a few defensive buildings located outside. The amount of manual digging should be kept to a minimum as miners will need supplies and protection, and I need the soldiers to keep the camp and supplies secure. With the priest in my party, my priest cohort and a priest that has agreed to help with my cause we get 16 stoneshape per day, and the wizard should be able to cast transmute rock to mud 3 times pr day. With the levels that they have then we should get around 1000 cubic feet dug pr day. Stoneshaping will extract the stone in brick sizes, and the mud baked for bricks, giving us alot of stone for the external buildings. Now, 1000 cubic feet in a day aint bad, but still it will take 4 days to dig out 1 stronghold space (from Stronghold builders guidebook, 20x20x10 feet) The basic camp I need for my soldiers will need 29 stronghold spaces. Thats 29x4 days out in the wilderness under constant attack from bugbears, gnolls, orcs and other vermin. Our party could of course handle most of the rabble, but knowing my GM he wont just throw horde after horde of stupid level 1 warriors at us, as that would be realy boring and crap anyway :P So, sitting out there will be tough, no doubt. So. Anyone know a way to make a large fortess in a cliff quicker? Can Earth elementals do this? Are there spells I have not thought to use?
Druidsrule 06-23-05, 09:10 AM	Have Constructs build the fortress. Have the halls guarded by Constructs. Let Constructs perform your every bidding. Constructs rule nearly as much as Druids. At least, as minions. Wait, no, Druids shouldn't be minions. Constructs rule as minions.
Super Guy 06-23-05, 12:15 PM	Ally with the Hobgoblins? Yeah... probably not unless you were evil. But that'd be a hell of a way to become powerful. Take Leadership. Use magic. Over a period of time you can have enough permanent images to make things appear at your stronghold that aren't there. You can make it seem like the cliff extends, like your castle entrance is in the same place as a pit, etc... Use Hallow as many times as you need to cover the area. You can tie some spell effect to it (most likely Dimensional Anchor)
Seeker95 06-23-05, 12:41 PM	The Stronghold Builder's Guidebook has all this and more in one handy place! SBG (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786926554/002-9988777-2183250?v=glance)
Illion the Red 06-23-05, 12:42 PM	Wall of Stone anyone?
spamfiltre 06-23-05, 12:42 PM	The Stronghold Builder's Guidebook has all of the information you need, including how to adjust costs if you have spellcasting available to you. You should be able to purchase a used copy for around $10, or you could check it out from the library if you will only need it for this one project. [edit: beat me to it] As an addition, the SBG will also give you an idea of how many square feet your stronghold is, how many people it takes to maintain, how many bathrooms (guarderobes) you'll need, etc. These things are often lost on people who don't draw blueprints for a living.