Citadel Altaerein — Age of Ashes

Overview

Citadel Altaerein is a stone keep sitting atop Hellknight Hill, a low-rising prominence roughly one mile northeast of the town of Breachill in eastern Isger. The citadel occupies a position in the foothills of the Five Kings Mountains and is visible from the town below. A rocky but well-demarcated path winds up the hill's gradual slopes to the keep's main gates.

Built as a single-tower fortification with an octagonal central structure, the citadel served as the inaugural headquarters of the Hellknight Order of the Nail for decades before being abandoned. It has since passed through disuse, occupation by goblin squatters, and a violent Cinderclaw incursion. Now in the hands of the party, the citadel has been repaired and is being shaped into a home base, with the Bumblebrasher goblin tribe continuing to reside within its walls as long-standing residents. Beneath the keep, connected to an ancient elven portal network, the renovated facility conceals resources and capabilities that far exceed its modest outward appearance.

For the Bumblebrasher tribe, see their dedicated lore entry. For Alseta's Ring and its gates, see the Alseta's Ring lore entry.

History

Founding (4638 AR)

The newly formed Order of the Nail pledged itself to fighting lawlessness in the untamed wilds. Impressed by the peaceful and well-ordered functionality of Breachill, the order chose a hilltop site outside the town for their inaugural fortification. Citadel Altaerein was constructed that year, and for decades it served as a supply nexus for the knights. Many Breachill townspeople found work as laborers and staff attending the keep's needs.

Departure (4682 AR)

Only 44 years after completing construction, the Order of the Nail relocated west. Lured by Queen Domina of Korvosa, they established a far larger and better-funded home — Citadel Vraid — in Varisia. The most important valuables and documents were removed to Varisia.

One exception was deliberate. The lictor overseeing the departure had the deed to the citadel placed in the vault of the deepest sub-level, left as a prize for whoever proved resourceful enough to find it.

Full Abandonment and Decline (4711–4717 AR)

In 4711 AR, the Order of the Nail withdrew entirely from Isger. Over the following years, looters stripped the foyer of armor, stole the art from the walls, and scattered what remained of the Hellknights' documents and insignias. Imps, believed to have entered through some old ritual, settled comfortably into the upper reaches.

In 4717 AR, the Bumblebrasher goblin tribe relocated to the citadel, establishing themselves in the dungeons below and eventually on the battlements above.

Cinderclaw Invasion (4719 AR)

The Cinderclaw cult — worshippers of Dahak — activated a portal called Huntergate in the vaults beneath the keep and sent a vanguard through from the Mwangi Expanse. Their grauladon beasts drove the Bumblebrashers out of the lower dungeon. Pursuit caused the main interior stairwell to collapse, trapping the creatures on different levels and burying the primary access to the vaults under rubble.

The party arrived, cleared the Cinderclaw threat, recovered the deed to the citadel from the Order of the Nail's abandoned vault, and claimed legal ownership of Altaerein by Isgeri, national, and Hellknight law.

Restoration (Current)

The stairways have been cleared and repaired. The party has begun customizing the citadel for their own use, with the Bumblebrashers remaining as residents. Through their bond with the keep and its underlying aiudara network, the party has access to the Vaultlink Conduit. Huntergate and Dreamgate have been unlocked and are now accessible through Alseta's Ring below.

Architecture and Layout

Exterior

The citadel is built of reinforced masonry. The perimeter overgrowth that once choked the approach has been cleared or managed. Several sections of outer wall that had crumbled have since been repaired or are in the process of restoration. A well-hidden secret entrance remains in the hillside west of the central tower, accessible through a narrow passage connecting to the vaults below.

Above the main gate hangs the tarnished seal of the Order of the Nail: a sunburst rendered in nails. The carved motto beneath it — in both Common and Infernal — is worn but still legible.

Ground Floor

Interior ceilings stand 20 feet throughout. The central octagonal structure is ringed by a corridor providing access to both wings.

Northern Wing — Once reserved for public trials and administrative offices. The formal and functional character of this section has made it easier to repurpose for the party's own organizational needs.

Southern Wing — The Hellknights' former living, eating, and training spaces. The mess hall retains its long tables; the kitchen and quarters have been made functional again.

Drill Auditorium — Stadium-style benches face a wide dais, with an iron gate to the north opening into the courtyard. This room served as the staging area before field drills. The party may use it for their own training or assembly purposes.

Hellknight Test Chamber — The room used for the Order of the Nail's infamous induction rites. Its character and design remain intact.

Central Courtyard

The courtyard is sunk slightly into the earth, open to the sky. The collapsed northern stairwell that once blocked access to the vaults below has been cleared, restoring circulation through all levels. The battlements rise from here, and the rope-and-stair configuration up to them has been reinforced.

Battlements

The battlements provide a commanding view of the surrounding hills and Breachill in the distance. They remain a favored position for the Bumblebrashers.

The Vaults Below

Beneath the main floor lie the crypts, storerooms, and the deep sub-levels leading to Alseta's Ring. The chamber once used as the Order of the Nail's vault predates their occupation by thousands of years and was originally the living quarters of Alseta's Ring's caretaker. The stairways connecting all levels have been cleared of rubble and are passable.

For the full description of the portal network, its active gates, and the incarnation of Dahak imprisoned within, see the Alseta's Ring lore entry.

Vaultlink Conduit

Supernatural Feature of Citadel Altaerein

Traits: Abjuration, Extradimensional, Exploration, Legacy Activate: 3 Actions (1 minute total) — Concentrate, Interact Frequency: At-will

As attuned custodians of Citadel Altaerein, the party can access the Vaultlink Conduit — an arcane storage matrix integrated into the aiudara network beneath the citadel. By focusing for one uninterrupted minute, a character conjures a portal resembling the aiudara's shimmering mist, allowing them to deposit or retrieve items from the party's shared vault.

Requirements:

Recognized attunement to Citadel Altaerein.
Not in initiative or immediate peril.
Conscious, stationary, and with a free hand.

Limitations:

Inert in dead magic zones or areas suppressing dimensional effects.
Cannot store living creatures or cursed items bound to specific planes.
Fails if the ritual is interrupted before completion.

Special: This conduit is a legacy of the ancient elven architects, activated through the party's bond with the citadel and its underlying aiudara. If control of Citadel Altaerein is lost, the conduit becomes inaccessible until stewardship is restored.

Notable Figures

Armiger Alak Stagram — A junior member of the Order of the Nail, formerly of Citadel Vraid in Varisia. Visited Altaerein on personal leave searching for his late parents' family signet ring. Charming and sardonic, he confirmed on behalf of the order that the deed-holder's claim to the citadel would not be contested. The Nail has no interest in Isger.

Helba — Chieftain of the Bumblebrasher goblin tribe. Led her people to the citadel in 4717 AR and managed their survival there through the Cinderclaw invasion. Knows the layout of the keep and its secret entrance. A capable warrior and potential trainer for those on good terms with her tribe.

Warbal — Bumblebrasher ambassador to Breachill. The person who initially brought the tribe's plight to the town council, setting the events of the party's first mission in motion. She continues to serve as a liaison between the citadel and Breachill.

Voz Lirayne — A Breachill bookseller and secret worshipper of Norgorber who attempted to use Altaerein's vaults as the foundation for an assassination guild and necromancy operation. Her plot was uncovered and stopped by the party.