A Fortress is a stronghold raised on Wilderness. A Sealborn's shard, or a coreless lineage's will, anchors a kingdom; its strongholds are where that anchor holds the ground.
Lose every Fortress, and the kingdom is lost for the Turning. A Sealborn keeps the core but loses their hold on the ground, and wakes again at the next casting. A defeated Human lineage loses its current lord's command, but its recorded name stays for the next heir.
Every kingdom begins with a foothold. Wen Sarai of the Newcomer's Grace, who returns every Turning, raises no stronghold beyond hers and waits there instead of enlarging it. She can still be defeated, and she is not spared when her walls fall. Why she waits is not yet told.
A Fortress shelters folk within its walls, and heaven counts every stronghold in a kingdom's Weight. But walls need keepers. In a long deficit, strongholds eventually collapse as their keepers leave.
Player-visible facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Construction cost per building | 5000 geld, 0 mana |
| Ordinary upkeep per spent turn | Varies with the kingdom; included in observed upkeep |