The Watchtower of Filigree Plain

Filigree Plain is a desolate area of little vegetation in a deep valley close to where the Black Mountains meet the World Edge mountains, right on the border of the Ogre Kingdom of the Great Maw and nary far from the Dark Heart of Stygian Wood where the Beastmen dwell.

Being open and clear of obstacle, it has long been a scene of battle over the centuries between the evil creatures of the mountains and the hard bitten settlers of those parts but in happier times the clear terrain also afforded an open view to watch for coming enemies.

The Watchtower of Filigree Plain, and others like it, was part of the grand vision of Gerard D'Astatic, the great Bretonnian hero who founded Tempest Falls, some one hundred and fifty miles to the south. He envisaged the whole of the Border Princes as one great valley of prosperity, one day cleared of all fell creatures and standing as a great bastion of civilisation, protected by mountain and sea on almost all sides.

The building of Tempest Falls took all Gerard's life and the lives of three further generations of strong sons and it wasn't until then that the Tempestrians could reach out and begin the work of building the Watchtowers that had been part of this grand design.

Each watchtower became the bastion of a brave knight and his men as they watched for trouble and sent messengers home to report of the movements of their enemies.

The Watchtower of Filigree Plain was completed in 1635 and became the home of the line of d'Arion. It was Luc D'Arion who first took charge of the tower and the lands about and he fought a brave battle against the beasts and Orcs of the forest.

And so life went on and the watchtower remained in Tempestrian hands until the Calamitous Times.

For then did dark mists spirit Tempest Falls itself away from the Border Princes. And cut off suddenly from support and supplies and with no great armies to hold the evil ones at bay, this watchtower as well as all the others, became suddenly very alone.

To the honour of the line of d'Arion, they fought off all enemies for three full years. But in that last winter, when the Beastmen of the Stygian Wood were starving and filled with mad rage, they came to the Watchtower in numbers too great, and the Knights and their men-at-arms, and their ladies and children, were all dragged away to their doom.