Carberg

The castle is located at the top of the Carberg (the hill) 682 ft. above the city of Doingorod and 2,082 ft. above sea level in the Duchy of Cirdan in the nation of Impiltur. The hill from which the fortress derives it's name is part of the rising foothills of the Cidrean Galenas. The elevated position of the fortress allows the garrison to command views of the western Wye river valley, as the great river itself flows swiftly by the southern rocky face of the hill. From the highest tower of the Carberg, a sure sighted scout could, in more dangerous times, make out the watchfires were they to be lit on the top of the Golden Palace in Wye and could in turn be seen from Tower Lauviger and Tower Ithfell.

Seizure of the Rock

It is known that the current Carberg is not the first castle to inhabit this site. In fact, it was a well-used fortification for millenia before the arrival of House Von Doin by the Tepestani people of the western forests. The besigement of the last native castle to rise above the River Wye is documented by Borril I von Doin in his records of his clan's war against the Gorodain and their last king, Berengoth II. The first Duke von Doin had received a writ of warrant for the land and title from the hand of King Imphras I Heltharn, of whom Borril I was one of his regarded peers. The fortress of Berengoth was burned during the seige and was later demolished by the triumphant Borril I. Though the construction of the Carberg was begun in 1099, it wouldn't be officially completed until the reign of Duke Halmurst von Doin nearly fifteen years later.

The line of von Doin bore an ancient claim to the Vale of Wye dating back to the Tepest kingdom and the Covenant Wars of 1070-1082 in which the loyalist Clan Dain was routed from their family seat at Carberg by rebel forces under the white rose led by Berengoth I "the Shield Arm".

Old Keep

Construction on the original fortification was begun under a series of unsuccessful master architects before the assignment of Joren the Builder, a common itinerant architect from Ithfell successfully organized the build. Together, Joren and Duke Borril I envisioned both a functional fortress, and powerful symbol of the new order of their patron Imphras I. Thus, the Aerie, the most challenging structure of the Old Keep was designed and constructed at great cost. When completed, the Aerie overtopped the clocktower of the Golden Palace at Wye by the height of a man, creating the highest man-made point in the Vale of Wye and an enduring symbol of the power of the von Doin family.

Over the years, minor alterations were made to the keep to accomadate the growing power and wealth of House von Doin, elevated by their close ties of friendship and, eventually, family with House Heltharn. With the marriage of Lady Aliia von Doin to the eldest son of Imphras I, Imbrar Heltharn, in 1120 DR, a new structure was begun to commemorate the new prestige of House von Doin, the Queen's Garden. Though begun as a gift of joy to the young couple for a hoped for royal visit by the Crown Prince and his von Doin wife, such a happy occasion never came to pass. When King Imbrar vanished in 1127 beyond the Watchwall, the realm was plunged into sadness, none less than the newly widowed Queen Aliia. Consigning her young son Imphras to the care of his aunt, Ilmara Heltharn, the Queen-Regent, Aliia retired to her family home where she was known to wander the delicate gardens and walkways of her garden on the family terrace until she flung herself from the battlements into the icy River Wye in 1131.