Frosthold
The capital of Rückenmark; an ancient ironwood fortress lodged high in the Spines with a vantage point of the Ruskan frontier
A three level keep with a small, unrailed courtyard ending in a sharp drop off the side of the mountain
Servants' quarters, sculleries and storerooms take up the first floor
A hall, a parlor, a chapel and some guest rooms on the second
A nursery, a few better-furnished rooms for guests of honor, and the lord's and lady's apartments make up the third
Separately: a longhouse for the castle guard, a stable, a smithy, a tiny greenhouse, a barn
On lower plateaus nearby, the castle town: a handful of crude huts that house commoners not bound to the keep
Effectively accessible only by the Rime Lift, though a suicidally dangerous footpath exists

Notable Persons:
Otto, the Steward of Rückenmark; in his 50s, lank greying hair, bony face
Elke, his wife, the Keeper of the House; in her 50s, stern and stoic
Gyda, a lady's maid; young, clever
Sassa, a lady's maid; young, not so clever
Klaus, the stableman, who also oversees the care of the castle's livestock and produce; 30s, rawboned, tough as sinew
Johann, the smith; 40s, one of the few commoners afforded any respect by the castle guard; consequently, he eats well enough to be brawny
Gunnar, called Ironeyes, captain of the castle guard; about 60, retired from campaigning, a bully
Emil, a young soldier of the guard; about 16
The castle smallfolk: an underclass of servants, tradesmen, craftsmen, farmers, hunters, and the like; about 50 in all
The castle watch: a dozen or so berserkir loyal to Aurich, mostly greybeards or green boys