Ravens Keep

Ravens Keep is a small pallisaded town of approximately 150 built around a wooden motte and bailey. It sits on the west bank of Long Lake near the southern edge of Finhorns forest.

A few miles south of the town is Green Creek; a tributary of the Adena river. A small jetty is located here where barges are loaded with timber and other goods to be sent elsewhere in the valley.

To reach Ravens Keep, travellers must follow the north track and then ferry across Green Creek.

Locations

 * The Bailey

This stout wooden tower built atop a low hill is residence for Philip Crosse, more commonly known as the Bloody Baron, and his family.
 * The Tavern

Ravens Keep is the last stop on a distant road, and so gets very little traffic. However, a small, dingy tavern has a few rooms that can be rented when available. The tavern itself is the local watering hole for the local hunters and lumberjacks.
 * General Goods

A squat building offers a limited selection of trade goods to be bought and sold.
 * Blacksmith

A simple smith, able to repair weapons, or sell some that are imported from Oldstone. Mostly services local hunters.
 * Shrine to the Raven Queen

It is widely known that the Bloody Baron is a worshiper of the Raven Queen, goddess of death, and that he has built a small underground shrine within the town walls.
 * The Sawmill

The sawmill is a short distance from town on the edge of Green Creek. A large portion of the towns residents work here, preparing timber to be sent elsewhere in the valley.

Demographics
The towns population of about 150 is made up of humans (75%), dwarves and halflings (20%), and elves (5%). Race relations in Ravens Keep are not great.

Economy
The local economy is driven by demand for lumber and furs elsewhere in the valley. The Wood Walkers don't take kindly to outsiders that enter their domain, however, the residents of Ravens Keep have come to some level of agreement, allowing them to harvest timber from this southern most edge of the forest.

Hunters and trappers also brave the craggy valleys of the Iron Range to collect furs and game which can be sold at a high margin.

History
Ravens Keep was formerly the domain of Lord Vern, whose family had controlled the land for decades. But in 1415AD the Bloody Baron murdered him for unknown reasons and took his seat. It is recorded that there was no resistance from the townsfolk to his coup.

Military
The lands around Ravens Keep are rife with danger, and so the Bloody Baron has a permanent standing militia to stave off any unwanted attackers.