[COR - CH1] The Vault Guard is Born

[LegacyBuilder]

Mortimer Studsbury clattered along the roads that led to the Studsbury House; his family’s old country retreat quite a ways outside Corrington’s capital. For months, he had pushed aside the anxieties of returning home to face the ledger books he knew must be in disarray after the passing of his father.

His deep thoughts briefly silenced the clanking and shuffling of boots and armor filing along behind him. He glanced to his rear to behold an armored troop in red cloaks. They were weary; few in words, likely all just as immersed in thought as he was. This troop following the heir to a large banking estate was comprised of numerous veterans of the Long War who had no home or family to return to, no jobs or prospects after so many years of fighting. When the armies were disbanded after Corrington’s defeat, so many armed men with nothing to do spelled trouble for the roads and the safety of trade and commerce.

Mortimer, with dreams of nobility on his mind, one leading his own vassal soldiers in the name of the king, vowed to his comrades that even if the crown would not support them, he would find a way. Thus was the Vault Guard established; hardened men who knew the business of fighting now joining the business of making money.

Before long, the company drew up to the front gates of the old country manor. The old guardsman on watch vanished briefly from the wall until Mortimer saw his mother, Maria, appear at the front gate, her silvery hair glinting more pronounced than last he saw her. She rushed out to meet him, with the estate chamberlain behind her.

“Mortimer! She exclaimed with a joy she likely had not experienced for some time. “It is so good to see you well. This house has been so sullen since your father…” her voice trailed off as she looked behind him. “Why in heaven is half the king’s army with you?”

Mortimer nodded a pleasant smile. “It is good to see you again, too, Mother.”  He gestured behind him from the seat of his horse. “Let me introduce you to my companions from the late war. Their help will open up opportunities for us. We may not struggle so much with debtors refusing to repay debts, for one thing.”

The chamberlain caught up with the pair and interjected. “If I may, that may be just what we need now. Without you or your father or the bold men of the country to keep the books in order, many stingy debtors are simply refusing to pay their dues.”

Mortimer dismounted approached the chamberlain. “Do not worry my friend, I will not let you or my father down. The gold will flow again like it once did, and the Vault Guard will help me be sure of it.”

With that, the men were ordered to set up camp for the time being until their first assignment was issued.

 

 

[Ross Fisher]

A great build! And a lovely idea for a story. You might benefit from increasing the brightness of your photos, but this is a good start.

[NOD]

This is a prestigious property and a well-told story! A castle-like house made of stone and wood with an additional defensive wall. I like the skylight on the house and the round tower on the defensive wall.

[LegacyBuilder]

16 hours ago, Ross Fisher said:

A great build! And a lovely idea for a story. You might benefit from increasing the brightness of your photos, but this is a good start.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice!

1 hour ago, NOD said:

This is a prestigious property and a well-told story! A castle-like house made of stone and wood with an additional defensive wall. I like the skylight on the house and the round tower on the defensive wall.

Thank you!

Edited November 1, 2025 by LegacyBuilder

[evancelt]

Nice job @LegacyBuilder! I really like the dormer window you added on the roofline, and the vegetation surrounding the wall of the compound. Excited to see where Mortimer's story takes him

A fun tool you can try out for free is remove.bg - it can remove the background on your image so you can drop the subject on a solid color background. I've found removing the background helps people focus on the meat of the image a bit more. Nice entry for the challenge!

[LegacyBuilder]

27 minutes ago, evancelt said:

Nice job @LegacyBuilder! I really like the dormer window you added on the roofline, and the vegetation surrounding the wall of the compound. Excited to see where Mortimer's story takes him

A fun tool you can try out for free is remove.bg - it can remove the background on your image so you can drop the subject on a solid color background. I've found removing the background helps people focus on the meat of the image a bit more. Nice entry for the challenge!

Thanks, and I will give it a try!

[Khorne]

A fine fortified manor! The introduction of Mortimer and the Vault Guard is an interesting read. I like how his how isn't just a regular castle, but a big homestead. As the others have pointed out, the roof window is a nice touch and I like the use of the tiles for its sides, instead of bricks. It adds to the thatch style of the roof.

Is there also an interior? From the WIP photos I thought you were also planning on adding an interior.

[LegacyBuilder]

4 hours ago, Khorne said:

A fine fortified manor! The introduction of Mortimer and the Vault Guard is an interesting read. I like how his how isn't just a regular castle, but a big homestead. As the others have pointed out, the roof window is a nice touch and I like the use of the tiles for its sides, instead of bricks. It adds to the thatch style of the roof.

Is there also an interior? From the WIP photos I thought you were also planning on adding an interior.

Thanks! There is an interior, but it’s mostly unfinished as I ran out of time and just needed to get it done unfortunately!

[Brickwolf]

Big build with a beautiful house and nice figs!

[LegacyBuilder]

1 hour ago, Brickwolf said:

Big build with a beautiful house and nice figs!

Thank you, sir!