A11 Milinous Manor

A Bastion of Military Nobility in Verbobonc

At the terminus of Greyfist Road, where the lane climbs toward the outer walls of Castle Greyfist, stands Milinous Manor—half fortress, half noble house, and all hard-edged martial pride. Its thick stone curtain, arrow slits, and plate-armored sentries proclaim Lord Simon Milinous’s belief that nobility is earned and kept by the sword, not by silk.

This is both Simon’s city residence and the High Quarter seat of House Milinous, whose black griffon banner flies from every tower and shield. Within these walls, strategies for the Mounted Borderers are argued, old battles retold, and future campaigns quietly weighed.

Location & Architecture

• Strategic Position: The manor occupies a commanding plot at the foot of the Greyfist walls along a row of lesser noble houses, with the Wrinkle Academy of Magic a short march away—an unspoken reminder that steel and spell both guard Verbobonc.
• Fortified Elegance: Heavy stone walls, corner turrets, and arrow slits give the structure the feel of a compact keep. Above the defensive lower level rise tall mullioned windows, steep gables, and chimney-stacks that speak to wealth and old status.

Approaching Milinous Manor

Appearance & Atmosphere

Visitors approaching along Greyfist Road see the black griffon on azure snapping from a high banner-pole; four guards in full plate, tabards bright with the same crest, hold the gate.Location and Architecture.

Inside, the air smells of oiled leather, smoke, and wine. The parlour is a warrior’s refuge dressed as a gentleman’s sitting room: high-backed leather chairs, battle tapestries, shelves of campaign histories and strategy treatises.

The dining audience hall is long and austere—dark paneling, candelabras, weapons mounted above the hearth—yet the table is laid with rich fare when Lord Simon entertains nobles or officers.

• Strategic Positioning: Located on Greyfist Road, a street renowned for its luxurious mansions home to Verbobonc's minor nobility, Lord Milinous' manor commands an enviable position that reflects its owner's significance.
• Fortified Elegance: The manor's architecture is a masterful blend of military fortification and noble residence. Thick stone walls adorned with arrow slits ensure its defensibility, while the luxurious living quarters above offer comfort and a strategic vantage point.

Manor Grounds and Entry

• Guarded Entrance: Visitors are greeted by four plate-clad guardsmen, a testament to Lord Milinous' emphasis on security and martial readiness. The manor's proximity to the Wrinkle Academy of Magic adds an arcane allure to its already formidable presence.
• Crest of House Milinous: Every retainer and guard proudly bears the crest of a black griffon, symbolizing the house's valor and Lord Milinous' personal coat of arms.

Interior Splendor - Key Areas

• Gatehouse & Courtyard: A small gatehouse opens onto a rectangular yard used for drills and musters. Retainers and squires spar under the eye of veteran sergeants; a corner well and armory door provide convenient rally points when the manor shifts from home to redoubt.
• Great Hall of Arms: The main dining audience hall doubles as reception chamber. Walls bristle with lances, shields, and trophies from Emridy Meadows and border patrols; above the fireplace hang three prominent shields—black griffon of Milinous, allied arms, and an empty hook where a former ally’s banner once hung (often a quiet nod to the broken Asbury betrothal).
• War-Room Parlour: Off the hall lies Simon’s favored parlour, dominated by a large campaign table bearing maps of the Viscounty, Kron Hills, and Gnarley Forest. Here Lord Milinous and his Mounted Borderer captains plan routes, discuss raids, and argue over troop placements.
• Family & Private Wing: Upper floors hold Lord Simon’s chambers and the sparse but well-appointed rooms of his kin and senior retainers. Lady Elinor Asbury’s former guest room remains, its furnishings untouched—an unspoken shrine to a betrothal turned bitter.
• Barracks & Stables: A rear wing houses a permanent garrison of Milinous men-at-arms, many veterans of the Mounted Borderers, and stabling for Pegelous, Simon’s warhorse, and other mounts barded in mastercraft chain and plate.
• Shrine to Heironeous: A small vaulted chapel off the courtyard honors Heironeous and Pelor, with Canon Egbert Slaghuis of Heironeous often in attendance. Here, oaths of service are sworn and arms are blessed before campaign.

Security & Military Presence

Milinous Manor is effectively a hardened forward post in the High Quarter:

• Four plate-clad guards always man the entrance, backed by a dozen or more retainers within.
• Loyal men-at-arms wear tabards and shields bearing the black griffon, and Lord Simon is rarely seen without at least half-a-dozen retainers at his back.
• In crisis, the manor can rapidly arm and mount a small strike force of cavalry to support the Mounted Borderers or reinforce Castle Greyfist.

Simon’s martial ideology—“power and authority are rightfully bestowed upon those who demonstrate unwavering might and resolve”—permeates the household. Non-humans receive chilly courtesy at best, and anyone suspected of weakness or disloyalty is swiftly dismissed.

House & Politics

House Milinous is famed for valor at Emridy Meadows, where Simon led the Black Griffon men-at-arms under Sir Jacque Kolgrim, earning lasting honor and scars.

Once betrothed to Lady Elinor Asbury, Simon returned hardened by war; his growing severity and attempted use of Asbury debts to force the match broke the alliance and left a lingering tension between their neighboring lands. Milinous territory still lies directly north of House Asbury, and talk of a renewed alliance—or renewed hostility—never fully dies.

Within Verbobonc’s politics, Simon is a blunt instrument: indispensable for defense, often uncomfortable at purely social gatherings. He represents the hardline human-first, sword-forward faction among the nobility.

Regular Visitors

• Noble Lords and Military Leaders: The manor frequently hosts Verbobonc's lords and high-ranking officers of the Mounted Borderers, serving as a crucial hub for military and political strategizing within the Viscounty.
• Loyalty and Vigilance: The presence of Lord Milinous' loyal retainers underscores the atmosphere of unwavering loyalty and vigilance that permeates the manor, reflecting its master's values.

Adventure Hooks

• Audience with the Griffon: The Viscount (or another patron) sends the party to win Simon’s support, escort his riders, or negotiate a joint expedition. Convincing him requires demonstrations of courage, competence, and discipline—mere eloquence wins nothing here.
• Debt and Honor: Rumors surface that old papers concerning Asbury debts are still hidden in the manor’s archives. A faction asks the PCs to recover or destroy them before they can be wielded again—either by Milinous or his enemies.
• Borderer’s Call: Milinous receives troubling reports from his lands bordering House Asbury and the wilder marches beyond. He offers the PCs a chance to prove themselves by riding with a Black Griffon patrol or investigating threats (bandits, cultists, or monsters) that even his knights find vexing.
• Wrinkle Road Alliance: With the Wrinkle Academy so near, a young wizard seeks to broker cooperation between Milinous and the mages—but someone is sabotaging the effort. The party must uncover whether the resistance comes from Simon’s human-first loyalists, jealous rival nobles, or agents of the Temple of Elemental Evil.