The building of castle Trifels [60x100]: Elaborate castle construction in six phases, a study project and roleplaying quest (free version)

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The building of castle Trifels: A study project and roleplaying quest

I finally combined the opportunity to work on maps with my studies to become a history teacher and developed a concept for a course. There, a class is supposed to deepen the knowledge gained about the European Middle Ages in a kind of joint role play over a series of lessons, always at the end of a lesson, and bring them closer in a playful way. At the end of each lesson, the students would then have to discuss and vote on decisions related to building the castle in order to continue building this castle.

This concept can also be implemented very easily in a classic role-playing game with the heroes as construction managers :)

What follows is a section with my historical research and then a section about possible role-playing uses

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My research results on the historical facts about castle building and its process

The construction time of a typical castle was between one construction season and 30 years. On average, probably more like 10 years. Depending on the weather, the work was completed in December and not resumed until April. People can work as long as its bright outside.

Basic requirements: money, time, workers (can also be used as resources in role-playing games to deepen decisions)

Step 1 to build a castle: The location

Find the correct location that meets the following conditions

• Elevated (best on a mountain)

• Water access (if necessary, build very deep wells (e.g. 120 meter deep wells are known)

• The base must withstand the load of the stones (otherwise the castle may collapse later)

• Strategically sensible (protection of the surrounding area, cutting off supply routes if the castle is ignored)

• Money must be obtained

Step 2. The preparations

• Workers must be mobilized. Two groups are important here

1. Simple workers for simple tasks (usually this can be achieved through free labor) 2000 people in large companies

2. Trained workers (usually itinerant craftsmen or entire groups of them have to be hired, brought to the construction site, paid regularly and also accommodated) (This castle needs: 400 bricklayers, 200 stone cutters, 30 lumberjacks, 30 blacksmiths that build important individual pieces made of iron (gate mechanisms, etc.) and also new tools, which are constantly wearing out)

• Leveling the surrounding area to an appropriate height

• Construction of quarters for many of the workers

• Materials must be obtained

1. Materials can be found and mined on site (please pay attention to ownership or usage rights; in some cases only a certain number of wood or stones may be felled)

2. Materials can be brought from outside (e.g. some English castles that were built with French sandstone) (expensive to purchase and transport but better material and you save the labor in the quarry or forest)

3. Material counting:

Stone, wood, iron (tools and gate), glass (windows), straw, mortar,

For the roof: Thin metal plates (such as lead), straw, oak, slate or even clay

Step 3: Start construction

• The architect was responsible (usually there was a main architect who probably drew up a drawn plan. The client was also involved and sometimes visits the construction site (usually this lord or king had military know-how and was also the person responsible for the money)

• Depending on the subsoil, a more or less deep foundation must be built (Caution construction pit. Danger to life No. 1)

• Construction site security (e.g. through a wooden fence around the construction site)

• Ordered stones arrive or are cut in the quarry. Transport is preferred over rivers and then on horse-drawn carts for the rest of the route

Step 4: Building the Walls

• The wall is constructed by stacking two parallel stone walls with mortar. When they are one meter high, the space between them is filled with rubble and mortar to create the connected wall. Then the next meter is increased and it repeats.

• From a certain height we need wooden scaffolding and ramps on which the heavy stones can be pulled up

• This is done for all sections of the castle (outer wall, towers, inner wall, keep)

Step 5: Roofs and the Interior

• After the exterior walls were completed, came the interior work and roofs

• Floors are built inside (first lay heavy wooden beams in them, then place a wooden floor made of individual logs over them and nail them in place) and walls

• Fireplaces are integrated directly into the walls

• Most of the roofs were made of wood because of the weight (the wood was usually processed and impregnated to make it more durable)

• The roof was specially coated, depending on the cost and environment (e.g. thin metal plates (such as lead), straw, oak, slate or even clay

Step 6: Initiation and brutal partying and drunkenness (also historical documented :)

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Roleplay decisions

Decision Session 1: (Strategic significance of a castle)

Where do we build the castle? (Strategic significance of a castle and the associated effort)

1. On the mountain nearby (Strategically stronger and defensively better but requires more effort (transportation and deeper well)

2. On a high hill (weaker, short transport routes, cheaper)

Decisions Session 2: (Workers)

Who do we hire?

1. The star architect from France together with his trained craftsmen who will finish this cathedral over in France in about two months? (Expensive and is it really only two months?)

2. Bernd from Trier as an architect and we announce that individual craftsmen on the search should join us

How did we use our forced laborers?

• A lot of work on the construction site (less money, faster progress)

• Also work on our other goods (more money, slower progress)

Decisions Session 3: (Materials and Construction Safety)

Where do we get our stones?

• Have carved sandstone from the French Vosges come by ship across the Moselle (very expensive, time consuming but constant and a lot, beyond our control if there are problems. But the rock is beautiful (prestige) and very stable)

• We have stones hewn from our local quarry. We are allowed to do this thanks to royal privilege (We are not allowed to cut more than a certain number of stones per year, so there is a possibility that we will run out of stones while we work. The rock is ugly gray and slightly porous but in principle suitable. The rock must be specially dismantled and carved by craftsmen (logistics and costs))

How do we treat the workers? Workers complain about harsh working conditions and poor site safety.

• We carry on as usual (accidents)

• We make them work even harder (lots of accidents, high speed, low morale)

• We ensure more security (less speed)

Decisions Session 4: (Construction environment safety, tradesmen and seasons)

There are rumors that outlaw bandits have been seen near the construction site and wild animals have also been heard.

• We are doing nothing

• We let the craftsmen build a wooden fence (loss of time)

• We hire mercenaries to protect the construction site (expensive)

There was a dispute on the construction site. A master stonemason is said to have been badly beaten by a journeyman blacksmith. How do you judge?

• One group will be unhappy (not punishing the master has fewer consequences)

It's a fairly mild November and you could actually continue working, but the workers want to go on winter break.

• We are finishing the construction site for this year

• We continue to build (speed increases, morale decreases and dangers increase)

Decisions Session 5: Domination and Defense

Enemy troops have recently frequently advanced into our lands and have also come close to the construction site.

Some of the city's craftsmen, as well as some temporary workers from the construction site, volunteer to serve as armed militia in the event of conflict. But maybe nothing happens. Our enemy the Count of Luxembourg claims that these are all gangs of robbers and not his troops.

• Do nothing

• Have the craftsmen armed

• Recruit more mercenaries

Enemy troops tried to storm the construction site, but it is already a large bulwark and they fail on the march up and against the unfinished walls. The losses are in accordance with the previous decision)

Decisions Session 6 (Finale battle and Party)

It is clear that Luxembourg has finished arming itself and has found allies. The storm will soon begin and the final work on the castle will be completed. We lack iron for swords. Which of the options do we take?

• Plowshares to swords

• Buy (very expensive, if not enough then heavily in debt)

They are on their way and have to take care of our castle first, otherwise their supplies will be cut off. Many people from the surrounding area also flee to the castle to seek protection.

• Let them in (A few more defenders and fewer supplies in a siege)

• Reject them and let them die

The castle is under siege and we are in it! Alea iaacta est! The Luxembourgers decided on a long siege and the construction of siege equipment. Trebuchets should shoot our walls ready for storming.

Soon there will be large gaps in our walls

• We force our craftsmen to temporarily close the gaps under fire

• We don't risk their lives as much. We close off as much as we safely can and then defend doggedly

The end is near. The food is running out and the Luxembourgers have to storm because they too are running out of food. The decision until now decide how this will end!

Do we ourselves charge into battle or do we wait at the top of the keep?

•YES!

• Into battle Subordinates! (we are waiting here :)

Victory!?

How hard do you want to party?

•Yes! (Hardest party you've ever attended)

Possible other decisions

• Where do you get money from? Raise extra taxes, raids, austerity?

• Where do you get the people from? What if a competitor poaches you or even kidnaps them (not uncommon in the middle ages)

• Special event if the construction goes too quickly: The rumor goes around that the architect (whom no one likes because of his micromanagement) is in league with the devil and has pushed the construction forward so incredibly quickly (Do you want a devil's castle? Workers' strike , murder and manslaughter, problems with church people, execution of the architect?)

• Wooden scaffolding has collapsed and wood is becoming scarce. You can cut some in the forest, but transporting it takes a while. The work would stand for a long time. But the good oak wood for the planned magnificent interior beams of the great hall is already there. This could quickly be made into scaffolding.

• Craft the good oak into scaffoldings...

• Not my good oak!!

I wish a lot of fun with my little project :)

-AtarxianBear
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The assets used here are exclusively from Crosshead. Here you can get his assets: https://www.patreon.com/Crosshead