layout for a castle ...

[fba827]

Short version: I need to have a rough idea for a castle but not entirely sure what sort of rooms should go in to such a structure... All I really have at this point:

* Throne room/public room - easily accessible through main courtyard entrance where the king would see people and otherwise he would preside over his courtly matters
* Kitchen (not far from the dining room)
* Pantry / Larder (or both I guess; joining the kitchen)
* Dining Room (main floor, somewhat easily accessible)
* Armory
* Guards Quarters
* Guard posts (i.e. watchtowers or open rooms with easy view/access to key hallways, etc)
* Servants Quarters
* Storeroom(s)
* Royal bedrooms - set off on a separate floor or wing
* Some sort of ballroom/party room (or would this be the aforementioned throne room, just reorganized for these special events?)
* Guest rooms
* Stables
* alchemists/study/library area
* some sort of garden/pool/scenic area
* a shrine to a particular god if he's religious

Any room ideas that I might be missing?

 

[Mark]

I suggest picking up a Dark Furies PDF. Masterwork Maps: Strongholds & Sanctuaries might be good or Masterwork Maps: Vaugrox Castle 25mm Floor Plans.

 

[Thondor]

I think you got most of the really important ones however you can also have:

-Captain's quarters (of the guard)
-training area
-library
-seneschal/stewards rooms
-blacksmiths
-guest rooms
-childrens rooms

the garden area might well be outside the walls.

 

[haakon1]

Redoubts & Waybread

Some ideas. Some from actual castles, some from fantasy

- Gatehouse (for containing and murdering intruding forces)
- Redoubt (outer gatehouse, just to make it that much harder to even reach the gatehouse to assault it)
- Dunjon (inner fortified tower, for once the outer castle has fallen)
- Safe Room (place to hide out during an attack)
- Treasury
- Escape Tunnel/Smuggling Tunnel
- Teleportal room (the only place no warded against teleporting, heavily guarded to prevent unauthorized intruders)
- Secret Passages
- Kennels
- Aviary (for flying mounts or scouts)
- Prison
- Well
- Healing facilities for the troops
- Food creation or storage facilities (mundane or magical, e.g., lembas making magic bakery, and lembas storage)
- Button to cast AD&D "Guards and Wards" spell over the whole place

 

[Haltherrion]

I think you got most of the really important ones however you can also have:

-Captain's quarters (of the guard)

That's a good one to have. Sometimes the castellan had his own mini-chambers and small hall in the gate house. Sort of a big keep for the lord with a big hall and his chambers and smaller set of chambers and a working hall (for when the lord wasn't present) for the castellan. Depending on what you are doing with the castle, having a second "HQ" to the castle and one more likely to be used might be a nice little surprise for the players.

An aviary might have its own keep- one could imagine fairly large stables for flying creatures plus roof top access. And with hungry flying creatures, perhaps fairly large stocks of beef outside the walls or in an outer ward.

You could add an observatory perhaps if the lord is a astronomer/astrologist enthusiast or if there is the appropriate person in the castle.

Gardens in a cloister or a puzzle room.

Should probably have lots of storerooms for food and war materials- the ground floor of all keeps and towers could be supplies. In addition to the well you mentioned, possibly multiple cisterns.

Also postern gates...

 

[Steel_Wind]

Your requirements are, impressively, quite small.

Seems to me that there is an actual castle which meets those requirements. If you've never been there - you really should go to see the White Tower in the Tower of London at least once in your lifetime. The Royal Chapel is, far and away, the most impressive element in the White Tower. (Royal menagerie, optional )

 

[fba827]

thanks everyone