Strongholds

Learn how to acquire and manage strongholds for Fighters, Rangers, Paladins, and Mages in Shadows of Doubt, including specific quests and rewards.

Fighter - de'Arnise Hold

This is also the stronghold if your PC is a Barbarian, Blackguard or a Monk. You must clear the invaders from the de'Arnise Hold for Nalia and then accept her offer to take over the running of the keep to avoid it falling into the hands of the hated Roenall family. The Keep generates a modest income (500G per week) from tenant farmers but you'll have to act to keep them onside lest a peasant rebellion force you from your newly acquired lands.

Warning: The stronghold costs a lot more money than you earn from it.

You should visit once per week or so to collect rent and check in with the Majordomo who will tell you whether there is anything that requires your attention. You will have to deal with a number of situations. Note that being a cheapskate or a tyrant will likely cost you your stronghold at some point.

1. A merchant named Tolmas Bendelia will say that he has been robbed by bandits. Deal with him as you will and then maybe hire mercenaries to take care of the bandit problem.
2. A guard named Lastin will be caught stealing because he's poor and his wife needs medicine. Executing him will probably not go down well with the peasantry.
3. A priest of Tempus will want to set up a shrine in your castle. If you allow him, you get temple services and a merchant.
4. Lord Fathington Roenall will claim ownership of the keep. Are you going to let him have it?
5. You will have to decide who Chanelle, Lord de'Arnise's adopted daughter, will marry: the poor man she loves or the wealthy man she doesn't.
6. Moneylenders will claim that you and your tenants owe them money. You can have them executed, you know.
7. Your tenants' land will be flooded because of poorly maintained dykes. You will have to decide how much to spend on repairs and compensation.
8. Lord Roenall will try to take your stronghold by force. By this point you and your companions will be what? level 17 or 18? Does he bring a large army? No he does not.

It's not obvious where you collect your rent from. Go upstairs to the library and search one of the cabinets.

Ranger - Ranger Cabin, Imnesvale

Complete the Umar Hills quest and you can accept the position of Imnesvale's ranger. There are three sidequests associated with the stronghold. If you're not timely in attending to them, you will lose your cabin.

Warning: The Ranger stronghold has always been bugged and the bugs have not been addressed in the Enhanced Edition. Therefore, do not store anything of value in the cabin since you can find yourself locked out of it because the game doesn't register the second quest as having been completed (or else Delon never finds you in the first place).

1. The forest spirit Mairyn will complain that humans are cutting down trees in the forest. Go to the Temple Ruins to find Lord Tombelthen and some goons. You can kill them on the spot or learn that Tombelthen is searching for an artefact hidden by an ancestor of his. He will give you Tombelthen's Journal (1st half) which you can combine with the other half you picked up in the Temple Ruins to figure out the hiding place of the artefact.
2. You'll be summoned to the village by Delon. Minister Lloyd will tell you that some Orcs have trapped Madulf and boy named Atta in the Umar Cave. Go there, kill the Orcs and free the victims.
3. Someone claiming to be Umar has told everyone to leave the village...or else. Go to the Temple Ruins where Mairyn will fill you in one more details. Fight your way through the dungeon to the room where you picked up the first Sun Gem and kill the pretend Umar. You will receive +1 Reputation and a Moon Dog Figurine from Mairyn.

Paladin - Order of the Radiant Heart

Rescue Garren Windspear's child from Firkraag's dungeon in the Windspear Hills and you will be offered a place in the order when you speak to Prelate Wessalen. There are three sidequests associated with the stornghold.

1. Some knights need rescuing in the Umar Hills. You have three days to respond. Go to Umar Hills, speak to Sir Alynar and then kill some weak enemies by the Umar Cave.
2. You are required to mediate between Baron Metrich and some "squatters" in Imnesvale. Speak to Metrich and the squatters to learn that they have been driven off their land. The best option is to side with the evictees against the predatory Baron.
3. You are required to protect a young girl, Tyrianna, until her godfather, Hurgis Baltezan, comes for her. Kill the assassins that come to kill her and then decide what to do with her when the man claiming to be Hurgis shows up. You need to use Detect Evil to distinguish whether or not he's an impostor.

Finally, if you didn't kill Firkraag, you will be ordered to do so.

Mage / Sorcerer - The Planar Sphere

Complete the Planar Sphere quest and Lavok will bequeath it you. Go back inside and a Cowled Wizard named Teos will teleport in and offer you a deal: they overlook the death of Tolgerias in return for you doing some contract work. Your first task is to help out the Knights of Solamnia. Teos will point you towards Ribald in the Adventurer's Mart or the High Hall. If you speak to Ribald, he knows someone who can send them back to their own plane for 9000G; you'll receive a Golden Girdle in return. Alternatively, Prelate Wassalen will agree to take them in. Your next task is to train up three apprentices. This involves having them learning how to fashion magic items and scribe scrolls, which can be hazardous to the inexperienced. Each time,