FORTIFIED MANOR 1
his article describes a large, fortified
manor house. It is unnamed and
intended to be usable in any fantasy
campaign. It is an example of the sort
of manor house that might be found
on a large, wealthy estate. The lord of
such a manor is only one step below a baron and can
afford to build a fine stone manor house, support a large
household, and live in an impressive style. It may be a
newly constructed manor in a dangerous frontier region
where such strong defences are necessary or it might
be an old, long-settled manor whose defences are now
merely a reminder of days gone by.
The manor house was constructed under the
direction of a skilled master mason. The stone walls
are straight, level, and plumb. As a result, they are
exceptionally tight, strong, and draft free. The wood is all
old-growth oak; single pieces are used wherever possible.
The windows into the nobles’ chambers and the chapel
are made with glass, while those in the other rooms are
made with horn or taut sheepskin. All the windows have
two-inch-thick oak shutters; the ones on the ground floor
are iron-clad on the outside. The surfaces of the flat
roofs of the watchtower and parapets are constructed of
12-inch-wide, six-inch-thick planks of oak, waterproofed
with tarred rope driven into the seams, and covered
with a thin layer of flagstones for fire protection. They
are slightly sloped from the middle out to the sides for
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
good drainage. The pitched roofs are built with narrower,
three-inch-thick planks and covered with slate shingles
to protect them from fire. The gatehouse passage, cellars,
and kitchen are roofed with skilfully fitted groin vaults.
The rooms above them have stone floors.
Instead of braziers, fireplaces are used throughout.
They give out a decent amount of heat and only smoke
a little bit. With good window coverings and well-built
masonry walls, the manor house is remarkably warm
and free of drafts for a stone building. The manor cost
approximately twice the price of a normal building of
similar size and took three times as long to build.
The following pages describe the manor house in
detail. The rooms are numbered, but GMs can adjust
their purpose and change occupants to suit their own
requirements. Descriptions of the inhabitants have been
kept vague. The members of the household are referred
to by their role rather than by name to allow them to be
integrated into any fantasy or historical campaign.
CREDITS
Writer: Kerry Mould
Maps & Plans: Kerry Mould,
Thomas Shook
Illustrations: Richard Luschek
Editing and Layout: Brent Bailey
FORTIFIED MANOR 2
GROUND FLOOR
[1] Dry Moat: The manor house is surrounded by a
moat that is 10 feet deep and 15 feet across. It is
kept dry to keep the cellars from getting damp. Grass
grows in the bottom of the moat and it is used as a
pen for the manor’s geese. The geese make a lot of
noise when disturbed, acting as a living alarm system.
[2] Gatehouse: This is the only access to the manor
house. The groin-vaulted entrance is protected
by two sets of six-inch thick iron-clad oak doors.
The gates are normally open during the day, with
two men-at-arms always on guard. The existing
wooden bridge was supposed to be replaced with a
drawbridge but one was never installed. The bridge
can be dismantled in a half day if necessary.
[3] Courtyard: The courtyard is small but kept neat
and tidy. It is cobbled to keep down the mud. Two
sheds for firewood have been built against the main
hall wall. The manor house’s 16 fireplaces consume
vast amounts of wood. A firewood cutter makes
daily deliveries. A stone-lined well, surrounded by
a waist-high wall, serves the manor. The rope and
bucket are attached to a winch. The water is clear
and cold.
[4] Knight-Retainer’s Quarters: The lord displays his
wealth by keeping a knight as his personal retainer.
The young knight commands the small manor guard.
He shares this fine room with his wife. They do not
yet have any children, but are trying.
[5] Sage’s Quarters: A scholar employed by the lord
to educate the household. This room doubles as a
classroom for the noble children during the day.
[6] Chamberlain’s Quarters: The chamberlain
is responsible for purchasing all supplies and
supervising the household servants. He can read
and write and keeps accurate accounts of household
expenses. He wields significant power because he
effectively runs the household and controls access to
the lord. He has a comfortable corner room that he
shares with his wife, eldest son and daughter-in-law,
and two younger unmarried daughters. The family
members are all employed as domestic servants.
[7] Kitchen and Bakehouse: This room has stone
walls and groin vaulting for fire protection. A
massive fireplace, 10 feet wide and large enough to
cook an entire ox, dominates the room. A smaller
baking oven flanks it. The double doors from the
courtyard are usually left open during the day to
dissipate the heat generated by the cooking fires. A
trapdoor just inside the entrance opens to the cellars.
A block and tackle suspended from the ceiling above
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
the trapdoor is used to lower crates and barrels into
the cellars below. A spiral stone staircase leads up to
the nobles’ quarters and down to the cellar. Although
the lord prefers to use the stairs in the great hall to
reach his solar, everyone else has to pass through
the kitchen, making it a very busy place.
[8] Great Hall: The social and legal hub of the manor.
By night, the lord hosts feasts for this friends and
liegemen. By day, he manages the concerns of the
manor from his seat on the dais. Once a month, he
presides over his manor court. Two heavy doors
enter at ground level, one from the courtyard and
one from the kitchen. The wooden dais supports the
lord’s table. Four large fireplaces heat the massive
room, keeping it passably warm in all but the depths
of winter. A stone staircase rises to the catwalk
above. A locked door secures access to the cellar
and siege stores below.
[9] Bathhouse: The bathhouse has a large wooden tub
and a big fireplace to heat the water and keep the
bathers warm. The servants draw water from the
well and heat it in a pair of large cauldrons over the
fire. It takes several hours to heat enough water to
fill the tub. Fortunately, the lord only bathes once
or twice a week. A drain empties into the dry moat,
where the water slowly seeps away.
[10] Brew House: This building is dedicated to
supplying the massive quantities of beer and ale the
household consumes every day. Extra beer and ale is
kept cool in the cellar of the great hall.
[11] Granary: The three aisles and two lofts of this large
barn hold the finished products of the threshing and
other agricultural work done in the outer yard. The
contents include the products of the lord’s demesne
land, such as grains and smoked and salted meat
for the household’s consumption, plus seed for next
year’s planting and a reserve in the event of crop
failure. The granary is kept neat, tight, and dry to
keep the valuable food from spoiling. Numerous
barely domesticated cats keep the rats and mice to a
minimum.
[12] Kennel: The manor lord keeps a number of prized
hunting dogs in this large, comfortable kennel. By
day, the dogs are free to roam the courtyard, coming
here only to sleep.
[13] Stables: The warhorses of the lord, his knightretainer, and steward, plus three of the most
valuable palfreys, are kept in the stalls during the
night. In the morning, the ostler takes the horses,
plus those from the stable in the outer yard, out to
the pasture to graze. Tack and saddles are hung
along the front wall.
FORTIFIED MANOR 3
GROUND FLOOR
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 4
SECOND FLOOR
[1] Guard Room: A staircase from the courtyard
provides access to the second floor of the
gatehouse. The guardroom at the top of the stairs
has a fireplace and a table and stools for the guards
when they are not on watch.
[2] Nursery: This snug, warm room at the end of the
corridor is occupied by the three ladies-in-waiting
(all noble relatives), the nursemaid, and the lord’s
two small children.
[3] Chapel: The chapel is simply furnished with
benches and an altar and religious tapestries on the
walls. The large window is done in stained glass.
[4] Priest’s Room: The priest provides spiritual
comfort and advice to the household. He also
supervises weddings and funerals and administers
the sacraments. His room is spacious but plain. The
second bed is for noble guests; two more single cots
can be added if necessary. When guests visit, the
priest moves in with the sage on the ground floor.
This room has been earmarked for the lord’s children
when they are old enough. When that happens, the
priest will move in with the sage permanently.
[5] Steward’s Room: The lord’s closest confidant is his
steward. The steward, who is also a knight, visits and
inspects the lord’s other manors several times a year.
This helps ensure the honesty of the bailiffs. The
steward is in his forties, not as quick as he was when
he commanded the manor guard in his youth, but
more experienced. He can not only read and write,
but also is skilled with numbers and auditing and can
easily spot a scam or embezzlement. He shares his
well-appointed quarters with his wife, their two boys,
and their infant daughter.
[6] Solar: The solar (lord’s bed chamber) is the finest
room in the manor. It is richly decorated with a
large, elaborately carved four-poster bed with richly
embroidered heavy curtains to keep out the chill.
Two high-backed chairs with comfortable cushions
stand on an imported carpet in front of the fireplace.
Over the mantel are a pair of large crossed battleaxes and a shield bearing the lord’s heraldic crest. A
ladder leads up to the loft.
[7] Catwalk: The great hall is a lofty 30 feet tall. Half
way up the walls is a five-foot-wide catwalk. It
encircles the hall, providing access to nine arrow
slits and an oak door leading to the lord’s solar. The
great hall was the first building built on the manor.
Where the catwalk is now was the original height of
the second floor and the main hall. The door to the
solar was the original entrance to the tower. When
the other buildings were constructed, two new doors
were cut into the ground floor to provide easier
access to the kitchen and courtyard. The wooden
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
floor was removed to make a taller, grander hall.
Two large chandeliers were commissioned to light
the room. They can be lowered from a winch on the
catwalk. The catwalk is a popular place for lowerranking visitors to sleep, as this area is kept warm
by heat rising from the fireplaces in the hall below. A
steep ladder leads up to the parapet.
[8] South Parapet: This parapet faces the river. Shaded
by the granary and great hall and dominated by the
smells of the brew house, it is not as desirable as
the east parapet, but is still pleasant on a summer
evening. It has become the unofficial gathering spot
of the senior servants of the household, who must
make way for the lord and other nobles seeking shade.
[9] Hay Loft: The lord’s prized horses consume vast
amounts of fodder. The voluminous hayloft can
store large quantities and could store more if the
centre section was planked over. At the chamberlain’s
recommendation, the lord ordered several trees be
felled last winter. These have been cut into planks and
timbers, which are drying in the woodcrafter’s yard.
They will be installed late this summer, more than
tripling the amount of fodder that can be kept in the
loft. This will ensure enough for all the lord’s horses,
not just those kept in the manor house stables.
[10] East Parapet: This broad parapet looks out
over the countryside. On hot muggy days, it is an
excellent place to catch a breeze. The lord, his
knight-retainer, steward, and herald, along with their
wives, use the parapet to relax on warm summer
evenings. Chairs are brought from the hall and a
brazier set up for fires in the evening.
[11] Herald’s Room: The herald is a relative of the
lord. He keeps track of the lord’s clan business,
teaches clan history to the household, and conducts
negotiations on the lord’s behalf. His large desk is
strewn with records of heraldry, family trees of the
noble families of the kingdom, and official manor
records. He shares his comfortable, quiet room with
his wife. Their children are grown and have moved
into their own households.
[12] Physician and Harper’s Room: Two old bachelors
share this room. It doesn’t have a fireplace and can
be cold in winter. They spend much of their time
in the herald’s room when it’s cold. In the warmer
months, the two play chess in front of the window.
[13] Clothier’s Room and Workshop: The lord’s
bonded clothier lives here with his wife and two
children. His apprentice sleeps in the loft at the top
of the spiral staircase. The clothier weaves and dyes
all the clothing for the household. A large loom for
making cloth dominates the room. The chamber is
warmed by a fireplace and well lit by three windows.
FORTIFIED MANOR 5
SECOND FLOOR
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 6
THIRD FLOOR
[1] Guard’s Quarters: A trapdoor and ladder give
access to this chamber from the guardroom below.
The manor’s garrison consists of a sergeant
(medium foot), two men-at-arms (light foot), and two
archers (longbowmen). The sergeant also acts as the
lord’s huntsman. He is an accomplished rider and
is allowed to use one of the lord’s fine palfreys. The
guard’s quarters have a single bed for the sergeant
and two bunks for his men.
[2] Sleeping Loft: At the top of the spiral staircase
is the main sleeping quarters for the servants and
lower-ranking guests. The large room has a sloped
roof. The floor is finished with broad planks that
hundreds of feet have polished to a shine. Several
straw ticks are already laid out for the servants who
sleep here, including two areas sectioned off with
blankets for the cook and his wife (the alewife) and
the ostler and his wife. Extra bedrolls are stacked,
ready for use. The only source of heat is the warm
air that rises up the stairwell from the kitchen and
noble quarters below. It can be quite warm in the
summer but the windows can be opened to let
the heat out. In the winter, the rising heat is rarely
enough and the loft can be bitterly cold at night.
Because of the threat of fire, the chamberlain has
forbidden the servants from bringing a brazier up
here to keep warm. On cold nights, the servants
often sleep on the catwalk of the great hall.
[3] Squire’s Loft: A ladder leads to this loft from the
lord’s solar. The lord’s squire sleeps here, at the beck
and call of his master. The current occupant doesn’t
mind it in the winter; the warmth from the fireplace
rises and makes this one of the most comfortable
places to sleep. However, in the summer it can
become stiflingly hot. The lord usually allows him
to sleep on the catwalk in the great hall when the
weather is too warm.
[4] Strong Room: Most wealthy men tend to secure
their valuables in the cellar. This manor lord has
chosen to store his wealth as high as possible above
his solar. The strong room is aptly named. Twelveinch-thick planks line the floor and sloped walls of
the roof. An iron-clad door with a stout lock protects
the lord’s treasure and valuables. The lord holds the
only key.
[5] Loft: This loft is rarely used, as it can be reached
only by ladder. Overflow guests usually prefer to
sleep on the catwalk above the great hall. However,
the room is spacious and available for use, if a bit
dusty.
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
HOUSEHOLD
The number of residents varies throughout the
year, with the lord taking many of the residents with
him when he travels. The numbers can also vary
depending on visitors and guests, some who stay for
extended periods. The following is a typical list of
the household when the lord is in residence:
Lord and Lady (noble)
Their two small children (noble)
Lord’s squire (noble)
Steward and wife (noble)
Their three children (noble)
Herald and wife (noble)
Knight-retainer and wife (noble)
Three ladies-in-waiting (noble)
Priest (noble)
Nursemaid
Chamberlain and wife (domestic)
Eldest son and wife (both domestics)
Two unmarried children (both domestics)
Cook and wife (alewife) *
Baker *
Clothier and wife (domestic)
Their two children
Apprentice *
Ostler and wife (domestic) *
Apprentice *
Kennel boy *
Physician
Harper
Sage/Tutor
Sergeant/Huntsman (medium foot)
Two men-at-arms (light foot)
Two archers (longbowmen)
Six domestics (in addition to those listed above)
Notes: The six additional domestics are women
from the village. They normally go home each night
and do not sleep in the manor. The members of the
household marked with an asterisk (*) sleep in the
sleeping loft.
FORTIFIED MANOR 7
THIRD FLOOR
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 8
FOURTH FLOOR
[1] Gatehouse Parapet: The parapet roof is used as a
watchtower and sentry post. Generally, an archer is
on duty here only if trouble is expected. He reports
anyone approaching the manor to the man-at-arms
at the gate below, giving him sufficient warning to
bar the gates if necessary. From this vantage point,
an observer can see much of the lord’s manor.
[2] Great Hall Parapet: The roof of the great hall
has a parapet running around its perimeter. It is the
same height as the gatehouse but rarely manned.
A very long and spindly ladder from the catwalk
16 feet below is the only access. It would normally
be manned only if the manor house was besieged.
Some of the younger boys like to sneak up here
when they are trying to get out of work.
SIR OSBERT
Note: This character is presented as a possible NPC in
the manor. GMs may prefer to replace him with a character
suitable for their own campaign.
Sir Osbert’s family have been nobility for many
generations. This manor is his clan’s primary seat.
However, it is his cousin, not he, who holds the reins
of power. Sir Osbert’s father and the manor lord’s
father were first cousins. Sir Osbert himself is the
youngest of three sons. By the time he came along, his
father’s small inheritance was long spoken for. When
he reached adulthood, Osbert decided to become a
herald instead. He spent many years learning about the
history of the kingdom and of his house. His memory
for detail is excellent. By the time he was 30, he had
risen to the very highest levels as personal assistant
to the king’s own herald. He grew to be an influential
man, his opinion and council courted by earls and
bishops. Now nearly 80, he has largely retired from the
world and accepted a position as the family herald for
his second cousin.
Although getting on in years herself, Lady Edna,
Sir Osbert’s wife, is still very active. Her eyes now
milky white with cataracts, she navigates the house
by memory. She is close friends with all the ladies
of the house. Four decades older than most of the
other women, she has taken on the matronly role of
grandmother, councillor, and confidant. No longer able
to embroider or knit, she often sits quietly and tells
tales of her youth and travels with her husband in the
king’s royal retinue. She spins a fine yarn and has a way
of making decades-old gossip seem exciting and new.
The Herald of Woe (adventure hook)
The king is dead. He died without a legitimate son
or naming an heir. The kingdom is in chaos. Rumours
swirl that five decades ago, while in exile after a fight
with his father, the king secretly married a commoner
and produced two sons. The woman died giving birth
to the second son and he was allowed to return from
exile and be crowned king. If rumours that he was
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
married are true, then those two sons are legitimate
and legal heirs to the recently vacated throne. If
the rumour is false, then they will be excluded from
consideration.
There are few still alive who were present in court
before the king was crowned. There are fewer still that
might have been privy to such secrets. Most have died
of old age. The sole remaining eyewitness is Sir Osbert.
Despite his retirement, his memory is still sharp and
his word unimpeachable. If he were to give sworn
testimony as to the king’s marital status when his sons
were born, it would be as good as a legal document.
There are two groups interested in Sir Osbert.
There are those who desperately wish for his testimony
to be given and those who will kill to prevent it. The
PCs have been hired to get to Sir Osbert first. Whether
they are there to kill him or protect him is up to the
GM. If he stays alive, his protectors (the PCs or an
NPC group) will want to move him to the capital. He is
80 years old. It won’t take much to kill him.
FORTIFIED MANOR 9
FOURTH FLOOR
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 10
CELLAR
[1] Kitchen Cellar: The cellar is cool and dark. It is
used to store food for the immediate consumption
of the household or more delicate food that can’t be
stored in the granary. Items such as smoked meat,
vegetables, and dried fruit hang from the ceiling.
Barrels of salt beef and fish are stacked neatly
against the wall.
Most daily fare is pretty bland but spices can
improve the flavour. In the summer and fall, the
household diet is augmented with fresh food, but
during the winter, residents survive on a diet of
salted (sometimes rotting) meat and pottage. Spices
are imported over great distances are are extremely
valuable. A wealthy man, the lord buys spices in
bulk. They are kept in chests in the spice room;
the chamberlain and the cook both have keys. The
contents of this room are worth a small fortune.
Average wine (for the lord’s liegemen or lowerranking guests) is kept in the kitchen cellar or the
granary. Good wine (for the lord’s daily table) and
excellent wine (for special occasions and important
guests) is kept locked in the wine cellar. Only the
lord, steward, and chamberlain have keys for this
room.
[2] Siege Stores: Below the great hall is a large groinvaulted cellar. The room is dry and cool and filled
with food set aside in event of famine or siege.
Foods that will last a long time are preferred, such
as salted meat, sacks of grain, and other preserves.
Barred double doors lead to the kitchen cellar for
easy access when delivering large or heavy objects,
like barrels or crates. The door at the top of the
stairs is locked. The lord, steward, and chamberlain
have the only keys to the siege stores.
The great hall is the last line of defence for the
manor. If the gatehouse or walls are breached, the
defenders will fall back to the great hall to make
their last stand. In addition to siege stores, the great
hall has its own well for emergencies.
The manor lord keeps a large inventory of
arms and armour to equip his militia in times of
war. The armoury contains numerous short swords,
maces, axes, short bows, spears, plate half-helms,
round shields, and leather jerkins. There are a few
broadswords, longbows, three-quarter helms, and
mail byrnies. There are many sheaves of arrows,
suitable for both short and long bows. Most of
the equipment is of only average quality. The
broadswords, mail byrnies, and three-quarter helms
are old-fashioned designs. In general, the weapons
are well greased, but there is rust on some items.
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
[3] Secret Passage: This hidden escape route was
constructed when the kitchen and solar block were
added to the great hall. Only the lord and his wife
know of its existence. The entrance to the passage
is hidden behind a bookcase in the lord’s solar. A
narrow landing gives access to a vertical shaft built
into the thickness of the wall. A ladder descends
26 feet in the pitch dark to another small landing. A
second secret door opens into the great hall cellar.
Pushing the torch bracket up and out activates the
secret door. A locked door leads from the landing
into a small secret room. In the past, this room has
been used to conceal those the lord did not wish the
household to know about, including couriers and
outlaw clan members. The chest contains preserved
food, clothes, weapons, and money in the event the
lord has to flee his manor. Bedrolls, backpacks, and
canteens are stacked next to the chest. A second
locked door leads to a long dark corridor across the
manor and under the granary to the secret sally port.
The sally port opens into the dry moat. A ladder is
kept just inside the doorway to make it easy to climb
out of the moat. The geese will still raise the alarm
if someone enters the moat by this fashion.
War Axe
Among the
weapons in the armoury
is a tall bearded war axe. At
first glance, it appears unremarkable
except, perhaps, for its lack or rust. On closer
inspection, faint runes carved along the edge of the
blade are visible. This is, in fact, the long-lost axe
of Athelstan the Glorious. It was taken as booty in
a battle long ago and unknowingly lumped in with
the militia weapons. It is a venerable weapon with a
long legacy. The dwarves forged it to fight trolls. It
is lighter than it looks and perfectly balanced. It will
never rust and the edge is always sharp. A warrior
wielding this axe against a troll always strikes
first, ignores armour (natural or worn), and does
maximum damage.
FORTIFIED MANOR 11
CELLAR
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 12
ADVENTURE HOOKS
Lord: The lord of this manor has died without an
heir (or in disgrace). One of the PCs has done a great
service for the king or one of his earls or barons. In
return for his service, the PC is granted the manor. On
his arrival, he is met by the former lord’s household,
including his grieving widow and other relatives. The PC
must decide what to do. Who will stay and who will go?
Retainers: The PCs are (loyal?) retainers of the lord
of the manor. They can fill any of the positions listed
or new ones at the GM’s discretion. For added dramatic
tension, the lord is angry, vicious, and petty. The PCs
must find their way through the daily drama. Can be
combined with any of the other hooks.
Guests: The PCs are friends of the lord or have
done him a service. He invites them to come and stay
at his manor for a while. The PCs are surrounded by
suspicious retainers and servants wondering if the PCs
are there to replace them. The reception is cold at best.
Murder: The lord is a friend or patron of the PCs.
They arrive for a visit only to discover he has been
murdered just the night before. His tearful wife calls them
aside. She suspects someone in the manor house has
killed her husband and intends to kill her and her children
next. Since the PCs have just arrived, they can’t have
done it. No one has left yet today. She begs them to solve
the murder of her husband.
Twist: As per the hook above, but instead, the PCs
have been hired to kill the lord. Once they do, they need
to put the blame on someone within the household.
Feast: The lord has announced he will be hosting
a feast for his liegemen, friends, acquaintances, local
persons of note, and “interesting” people. The PCs
receive an invitation. It is a free meal and a chance to
mingle and perhaps discover a new patron. The manor
is full to bursting and the PCs must bargain for a place to
sleep in keeping with their rank (or lack there of).
Hunt: One of the lord’s liegemen is getting married.
The PCs have been hired or impressed to help with
the hunt as beaters, driving the animals to the hunters.
Afterwards, they must carry the carcasses back to the
manor house to be used for the meal. If they are crafty,
they might be able to swing themselves a meal and
perhaps some free beer for their trouble.
Prisoners: The PCs have done something to anger
the local lord. He has clapped them in irons pending
sentence. Lacking a proper dungeon, they have been
thrown into the kennel temporarily. Can they escape?
The Goose Lady (adventure hook)
The manor has a large flock of white geese
tended by Modron, the goose lady. At night, they are
kept in the dry moat. They are easily disturbed and
let out a great din of honking and hissing, making an
excellent living alarm. Each morning, Modron walks
to the manor from her house in the village. With the
assistance of one of the guards, she lowers a wooden
ramp into the moat. She rounds up the geese and
leads them down to the fishponds to feed. Modron
is unusual, to say the least. She is given to strange
outbursts and bizarre ramblings. Occasionally, she will
appear as if from nowhere and seize a person’s hand.
Her grip is unnaturally strong. She will flip over their
palm and read it. Her predictions have a disturbing
habit of coming true, especially those involving the
subject’s death.
The PCs are visiting the manor. One morning,
while walking outside the manor house, one of the
PCs is seized by Modron. She looks at his hand and
says “tsk, tsk, tsk.” She looks at him and says, “Beware
the summer solstice. Five boar’s heads hunt the road.
Beware the summer solstice…” Then she turns and
walks away. No amount of persuasion can get her
to repeat the warning or explain it further. If the
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
PCs try to force her to talk, the lord’s men will
intervene. The lord considers her a soothsayer and will
not allow any harm to come to her.
The summer solstice is four days away. The PCs
are off to their next destination. Who or what the five
boar’s heads are is up to the GM.
FORTIFIED MANOR 13
VILLAGE DESCRIPTION
Centred on the village green, the village houses the
lord’s tenants. Freeman farmers and serfs (villeins, halfvilleins, and cottars) work the lord’s lands. On this manor,
more serfs than normal are cottars, who work on the
lord’s demesne. Called familia, these agricultural workers
are paid 1d per day plus a noon meal and ale. Resident
craftsmen provide additional services not available within
the manor. On either side of the green are tofts (where
the villager’s house is built) with a croft behind (for
vegetable gardens and animal pens). The village is larger
than average and appears prosperous and well run.
[1] Reeve: The reeve is the senior tenant officer of the
manor. Normally the villein with the most unfree
acres, he supervises the operation of the manor. He
presides at the village moot, decides what crops to
plant, supervises the formation of the plough teams,
and makes sure everyone does their proper share of
work. He has a large stone house with a small walled
compound surrounding his garden and fruit trees.
[2] Priest: An ordained priest tends to the village’s
spiritual needs. He lives in a comfortable timber
frame house built by the villagers. Acreage known as
the glebe is attached to the local church to support
the priest. The villagers pay their tithe in coin or
kind. The poorest may exchange labour on the glebe
in lieu of payment. As one of the most important
and educated members of the manor, he also acts
as a marriage councillor, financial advisor, tutor, and
advocate. In winter, his house is used as a community
meeting place, as the church is harder to heat.
[3] Church and Village Green: The centre of
community life, the church is the second largest
building in the village proper. Built of stone, this
one room building is sturdy but rather plain. The
priest holds regular services on holy days. It also
doubles as a community hall for weddings and
important community occasions. Each morning,
the Reeve doles out work assignments to the
assembled members of the village from the church
steps. In front of the church are the communal well
(the centre of daily gossip) and village green. The
green is a common space used by all the villagers.
Temporary hurtles (wattle fences) can be erected
to pen sheep for shearing or cattle for branding. At
other times, the residents use the open space for
celebrations and games. Visitors sometimes camp
overnight when passing through the village.
[4] Blacksmith: The village smith produces all of the
metal goods required for village life, including things
like nails, tools, horse shoes, and bands for wheels
and barrels. He also shoes horses and oxen. A
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
fixture in the village, he can be found most days hard
at work at his anvil. His prime location gives him a
good view of everything occurring in the village.
[5] Salter: Preservation of food is vital to the survival
of the community. The salter preserves food through
brine or vinegar, drying, or smoking.
[6] Wood Yard: In this village, a father and his three
sons pool their expertise in one large manufacturing
enterprise. The woodcrafter (the father) is in overall
charge of the operation. One son specializes in barrel
making (the cooper) and another in wagon building
(the wheelwright). The eldest son left the village
for several years and earned his master’s rank as a
timberwright. He harvests timber for building houses,
barns, and sheds and supervises their construction.
In practice, the four men work as a team and there
is considerable overlap in their activities. A large
number of timbers is currently drying in their yard
and will be used to renovate the granary.
[7] Woodward: The woodward manages the fief ’s
woodlands and ensures no one poaches the lord’s
game. He also decides which trees will be cut and
plants new ones in their place. The woodward on
this manor is also a yeoman longbowman.
[8] Beadle: The beadle is the village policeman. A
trusted yeoman, he enforces the fiefholder’s rules,
impounding stray livestock and collecting fines
imposed by the manor court. Effective, intimidating,
and loyal, he is well thought of by the lord’s steward,
less so by the other villagers. Backed up by the
woodward and the lord’s men-at-arms, he is an
effective blunt instrument.
[9] Herder: The herder manages the fief ’s pasture and
livestock. Given the large amount of pasture land
immediately around the manor house and village,
this is a very high profile and important position. He
is assisted by his sons, brother, uncle, and cousins.
There are a dozen herders, a mix of swineherds,
cowherds, and shepherds. They are permitted to
carry shortbows to deal with varmints.
[10] Mill and Bakehouse: The grist mill is the largest
and most impressive stone building in the village.
Two millstones grind all of the village and manor
demesne grain, with the miller keeping one part in
twelve. The third floor of the main building is the
well-appointed home of the miller and his family.
The second building in the compound is the village
bakehouse. The miller’s brother is the baker. His
large ovens make enough bread for the whole
village. Although residents are not required to bake
their bread there, most purchase from him because it
is cheaper than making it themselves.
FORTIFIED MANOR 14
DEMESNE
The demesne is land that the lord does not farm out
to any tenant. Most lords retain a demesne. The amount
depends on the availability of labour, the inclination of
the lord, tenant contacts, and other local factors. There
are manors with no demesne, where the lord collects rent
from everyone, and there are some which are entirely
demesne, where the tenants are all slaves, or serfs who
hold no land other than their cottage and garden.
Demesne arable maybe divided into selions and
scattered throughout the open fields, like that of the
tenants, or can be retained as a single parcel near
the manor house. However it is organized, the unfree
peasants work the demesne as part of their labour
obligations.
On this manor, the lord has retained the majority of
his fief as demesne. Approximately one quarter of the
acreage is devoted to the manor’s woodland. Another
quarter is divided between the freehold tenants, villeins,
and glebe. The three free farmers, craftsmen, and glebe
pay rent. The eight villeins, mainly the tenant officers and
their extended families, owe labour. The remaining half
of the manor acreage is worked as demesne by cottars
hired by the bailiff. This allows the lord great control over
his estate and has proven to be very profitable.
OUTER YARD
The centre of demesne agricultural operations is
the outer yard of the manor house. Some of the single
male and female familia live in the dormitory above the
stables. They are watched over by the bailiff and his wife,
who live above the cart house. Each morning, cottars
from the village make their way down the lane to the
manor for work. From the outer yard, workers fan out
across the demesne to undertake the many different tasks
necessary for the successful operation of the manor.
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
[A] Hay Barn: This large building is used to store the
animal feed for the winter. Fresh, sweet hay is piled
into the building through the summer.
[B] Ornamental Herb Garden: A small, walled
pleasure garden with flowers and herbs; it is popular
with the noble ladies of the household.
[C] Slaughter House: Animals are brought in one at a
time to be killed, hung, and butchered.
[D] Salting House: After the animals have been
slaughtered, the meat is brought here to be salted
and packed into barrels for storage over the winter.
[E] Vegetable Garden: The larger working garden
provides fresh vegetables for the manor kitchens.
[F] Shearing Shed: Used for shearing the lord’s several
flocks of sheep.
[G] Bull Shed: The bull is kept separate from the cows
except during breeding season.
[H] Cow House: The herd of milk cows are milked
before they are let out into the pasture in the
morning and when they return in the evening. The
building includes a buttery and cheese-making room.
[I] Dove Cote: This hollow tower is lined with alcoves
for doves to nest in. They provide a year-round
source of tasty bird flesh for the lord’s table.
[J] Oxen Stalls: The docile oxen are sheltered here.
[K] Stables: Over the horse stables is the dormitory for
the grooms and farm workers.
[L] Cart House: Above the storage for the wagons and
carriages is the home of the bailiff, who runs the
operation of the demesne and outer yard for the
lord.
[M] Great Stone Barn: This is the centre of industry in
the outer yard. Two massive pairs of doors, placed
in the projecting porches opposite each other, allow
the wind to pass through the building and across the
threshing floor. The building is stacked high with
sheaves of wheat.
[N] Pig Pen: Several large sows and one big boar are
kept here at night and led out into the woods during
the day by the swineherd.
[O] Orchard: The orchard has apple, cherry, peach, and
pear trees. There is a series of bee hives throughout
the orchard, tended by the beekeeper.
[P] Fish Ponds: Weirs have been built across the
stream to retain water. Trout are reared in the ponds
for consumption in the manor house.
GM MAP
Copyright © 2010, Kerry R. Mould
FORTIFIED MANOR 15