Ocean Fort 23

A protected mobile military installation in service to the Concordian Trade Defense Navy.  

Physical description

A tall, thin, dark blue castle some 20 stories tall. It has lots of interconnected towers, with a sort of skeletal look overall. The entire top is covered by a continuous roof, preventing any skyborne access to the interior. There is no land around the castle; it floats independently in the sea, and the front gate is sized for ships, not people.   The entire castle is covered with or made of metal. There are signs of wear and tear, rust and tarnish. The fort has seen plenty of damage and repairs. The walls and armor plating are mostly copper and bronze, layered, while the internal structure is iron and steel. To those with the eye to see it, the fort shows all the signs of an efficient and proficiently engineered military installation, but one that is now old, worn down, and beaten up. To those with good ears, the sounds of moving machinery can be heard, with lots of metal-on-metal chain sounds that perhaps are linked to elevators.   Some flags are visible on the outside: One dark blue and green flag, another with a red eye symbol on it. Humanoids armed with all-metal halberds can be spotted manning the walls.   The fort has multiple entrances. The main entrance is the huge front gate, some 500 feet wide, with a drop-bridge covering it. There are several other entrances higher up, presumably leading into weapons bays. Reports suggest that the faction controlling the fort has access to powerful beam cannons. Entering through the main gate is advised; things that try to fly or climb over the sides or through other gaps don't tend to survive.  

Population and facilities

The current population is roughly that of a small town, some several hundred people. That population is but a drop in a bucket compared to the number the fort is capable of servicing; the barracks can house several thousand.   The fort's inn is similarly enormous, enough to serve a thousand people at a time, but it looks to have fallen on hard times. The waitstaff is known to have strangely (possibly magically) deep pockets. The food isn't anything to write home about, but it's cooked and prepared supernaturally quickly, with the time between orders and serving potentially being under a minute.   The fort is known to have access to at least one "rescue dragon" for tracking down the survivors of wrecked ships.  

Policies

Invaders to the fort tend to be killed. Those who are lost and in need of directions, however, are typically picked up and helped on their way home. For visitors with a more martial bent, the fort authorities have authorization to grant privateer licenses.   The prison is handled by a big, bald half-ogre. He keeps the place in good military order and cleanliness.  

Secrets

In early 24 ARL, Doyle Bellcroft discovered a vast underground area in the castle. There was a shiny skeleton he wasn't able to get in contact with, and there were a bunch of rooms, apparently big vaults, that cycle in and out of accessibility. It seemed the people currently running the castle don't know what those are and may not know these deep facilities exist. According to Doyle, these vaults contain treasures of an ancient advanced civilization. The risk is great, however; the area is magic-dampening, apparently.