In the mountains above Howalt is the old dwarven fort known as Hiadittr’s Castle. Built during the times of civil war that marked the second and third centuries AS, the fort was used fort as a military base, and then as a palace for decades until finally the population abandoned it for unknown reasons in 482AS. Since then, it has stood empty, slowly being claimed by the hillside, as landslides and avalanches and faults wear away at the structure.

Once a seat of power, now a forgotten ruin, Hiadittr’s Castle stands as both a relic of war and a monument to the resilience of stone against time. Perched on the rugged slopes of Southendia’s hills, the castle was first constructed in the turbulent years of the second century AS, when civil war raged across the kingdom. It began as a military stronghold, overseeing the passes and protecting the heartlands from incursions. As the conflicts waned, Hiadittr’s Castle found a second life as a ducal palace, its halls adorned with banners of peace rather than war. For nearly a century, lords and ladies ruled from within its thick stone walls, until one day, in 482 AS, the castle was abandoned, its people vanishing into history without clear reason.

Now, the ruins tell their own story - crumbling walls, half-collapsed towers, and nature slowly reclaiming what men built. Time and the elements have eroded the once-grand fortress, landslides carving away sections of its walls, while avalanches have buried entire wings beneath rubble. Faults in the stonework have opened gaping cracks in its foundations. Yet despite all of this, Hiadittr’s Castle remains a defensible position, a truth not lost on its newest inhabitants. A clan of kobolds has taken up residence, restoring what they can with wood, scavenged stone, and cunning traps. They are led by a winged kobold of rare intelligence, who styles itself as the Lord of the Castle and rules with a mix of ambition and paranoia.

Among adventurers and travelers, Hiadittr’s Castle is spoken of with wary curiosity. The kobolds have fortified their claim, raising wooden palisades where walls have fallen and using the terrain itself as part of their defense. Rockslides are set to tumble at the pull of a rope, hidden pits line the outer paths, and sharpened stakes wait in the undergrowth for the unwary. Those who seek to reclaim the castle must first contend with its new inhabitants, whose grasp of tactics and terrain make them more than mere scavengers.

The Audience Chamber

Once the heart of the castle’s political dealings, the Audience Chamber remains one of the best-preserved spaces within the ruins. The great hall still holds the remnants of its former grandeur, though much of it has been repurposed by the kobolds.

The Throne Niche. The raised platform at the far end of the chamber once bore the seat of Southendia’s rulers. The throne itself is long gone - either stolen by looters or collapsed under the weight of time - but the niche remains. Now, the kobold lord has claimed the space, sitting atop a makeshift throne of scavenged wood and bones, issuing orders to its kin.

The War Map. Carved into the stone floor, an ancient relief of the duchy still lingers, its surface worn smooth by centuries of footsteps. Once used to strategize military campaigns, it has found new life as a planning table for the kobolds. Small stone markers, bits of cloth, and crude carvings show their understanding of the surrounding terrain, including the placement of their hidden defenses.

The Dining Hall

Once a place of revelry, the Dining Hall now stands as a stark reminder of the castle’s long abandonment. Its high ceilings and long wooden tables remain, though decay has rendered much of it barely recognizable.

The Feast Remains. Though the last human meal was served here centuries ago, traces of the past endure. Plates of rusted silver and toppled goblets remain where they fell, their contents long since turned to dust. The kobolds have not cleared them away, seeing them as eerie relics of those who came before.

The Kobold Banquet. In the farthest corner of the hall, the kobolds have made their own feasting area. A crude fire pit blackens the stone, and wooden crates serve as tables and chairs. Scraps of food - mostly scavenged or stolen - are piled atop greasy cloths, and the smell of roasting meat (or something approximating it) lingers in the air.

The Lord and Lady’s Room

The private quarters of Hiadittr’s ruling family were once lavishly adorned, but now stand as hollowed-out shells of their former splendor.

The Canopy Bed. The massive four-poster bed remains in fragments, its frame broken and its fine drapery reduced to rotting cloth. The kobolds avoid it, whispering of ghosts that haunt the space, though whether this is superstition or something more tangible is unclear.

The Hidden Safe. Behind a loose stone in the wall, a rusted iron safe is embedded in the masonry. Once locked tight against intruders, time and moisture have weakened its mechanisms. Whatever secrets it holds remain undisturbed, as neither kobold nor treasure hunter has yet managed to force it open.

The West Gate

A vital entry point in the castle’s past, the West Gate remains a formidable obstacle, now repurposed as the kobolds’ primary defense against intruders.

The Collapsed Arch. Once a grand entrance framed by an elaborate archway, the structure has partially crumbled. The remains are unstable, and the slightest disturbance may send more stone tumbling down. The kobolds, recognizing this, have rigged the remaining supports to collapse at a moment’s notice, should they ever need to block the passage entirely.

The Watchers. Perched in hidden alcoves and behind crumbled battlements, kobold sentries keep a constant vigil. They are armed with slings, spears, and a deep knowledge of the terrain. Any attempt to approach unannounced will be met with swift and ruthless retaliation, as the kobolds defend their home with a ferocity that belies their small stature.