I Used to Have a Home!

This weekend while I was travelling back from Toronto, I was spending the tedious 6 hours thinking of random stuff when all of a sudden - Blammo!!! Whatever happened to adventurers having holds, keeps and castles?
I remember sitting down many a weekend having to tally all the money I would have to dish out to keep everyone happy in my keep.  The fields had to be tilled, the keep had to be kept in good repair. Servants, workers, militia(or military) all had to be paid every month.  I remember always thinking that the score I brought home from adventuring would be awesome in getting me some cool stuff for the keep.

I wonder where that went to.  It can't be because kids are playing the game; heck I was a kid while I was designing my own keep and all the amenities.

Whatever the case may be, I was thinking that once I retire my character in 4e, I will ask my group members to sit down and establish a community where our retired characters can work together to either better the community we are involved in, make some profit, or just dictate and subjugate the populace.

Seems like the Dungeons & Dragons has evolved to no longer include things such as strongholds.  You can refer to two guides which contains many ideas to help you build the stronghold of your dreams.

 This is old school, but good school.  Here are the major headlines you can find in this book:

• Chapter 1: The Feudal System
• Chapter 2: In the Days of Knights
• Chapter 3: The Tournament
• Chapter 4: The Evolution of Castles
• Chapter 5: Castle Construction
• Chapter 6: Unusual Castles
• Chapter 7: Warfare!
• Chapter 8: Quick Resolution Systems
• Chapter 9: Generic Castles
• 
  

The most important chapter is the one that is highlighted.  All these chapters do however combine together if your group chooses to role-play the setting in the future, either as a recurring town for future PCs or a recurrence of your retired NPCs.

This book is a little more recent, but still good.  Both books together may be able to help you achieve the castle of your dreams.  

Major headlines of this book:

• Chapter 1: Building a Stronghold
• Chapter 2: Stronghold Components
• Chapter 3: Strongholds in Your Campaign
• Chapter 4: Examples of Strongholds

Your heroes have adventured for 10, 20, maybe even 30 levels.  You have invested much into them and they should have a good lifestyle when they retire.  Building a keep with your party members can be a good thing.  It can bring your friends closer together and provide a rich setting for future characters:  take the time and invest in the character you worked hard on.  It will only help your group bond for the future.

Have any of you built keep with your party?  How did you retire your old characters?  Drop a comment or two?