Bar Araphor

Bar Araphor is a fortified manor house which is a surprisingly modest residence for a ruler of one of the Seven Dominions. Araphor, however, is confident in her skills as a ruler and does not fear an uprising from her subjects. Similarly she is also confident in her personal guard. No would be assassin has ever got within 200 yards of her manor without being caught. The manor is situated in the woods three miles upriver from where the bridge carrying the Men Miredor crosses the Miriant. Most of the traffic to the manor arrives by water.

The key to the map of the manor is as follows:-

• Horse Gate (1). The arching steel-faced door is protected by two guards at all times as well as two watchmen in the windows above. When the door is unbolted it can admit two horsemen abreast.
• Stables (2). The ground level stables can accomodate 105 horses. Storage lofts surround the upper walls of the huge rectangular hall. A cavalry barracks occupies the smaller third floor.
• Fountain Court (3). Surrounded by a colonnade, this open atrium is full of wonderful sounds and smells. Flowers adorn the gardens that encircle the dancing spring-fed fountain.
• Araphor's Residence (4). Araphor lives in a beautiful four-storey house, a feature of which is two large airy libraries.
• Great Yard (5). The granite-faced yard is at the heart of the fortified residence. Here warriors practice their drills and craftsmen labour at the skills needed to keep the manor self-sufficient. Its two wells produce all the water needed for the complex.
• The Crescent Range (6). Provides accomodation for guests and servants. Its colonnade walk looks southward onto the paved yard.
• Great Halls (7). This tall complex houses a small mill, the kitchens, servants quarters and a festival hall. Food stores are kept in the buildings basement.
• Mirion's Range (8). Erected by Lord Mirion, a distant ancestor of Araphor, in -396 this building is all that survives of the original manor. Its lower hall is devoted to crafthalls. The upper floor houses the armoury and main barracks.
• Outer Yard (9). This area is often filled with barrels and crates for it serves as the main work area of labourers loading and unloading river craft.
• River Port (10). The manor's private docks are here serving boats bringing supplies to the manor.