Many castles need to be placed where they can interdict a foe, or strategically interfere with his movements. A hidey-hole on a mountain is only one of the purposes of a castle. Then there are more conventional forts, like Sartarite hill forts, motte-and-bailey structures, walled towns, and so forth. Castles are not the only problem. In fact, castles aren't all that common in Glorantha. I think true castles are only found in Malkioni lands (including Carmania), Kralorela, and Vormain. There are old ruined castles in Pamaltela, from the Six-Legger time. Fortresses and stockades there are aplenty, but not true castles.
>And why spend a fortune on a typical castle when flying is so easy
>that it too makes castle walls useless against a determined and
>serious opponent.
Because castles and forts are cool, and I want to (A) have them in my games and (B) have them present a real obstacle to the PCs (or the foe, if the PCs are inside).
>Sylphs can carry people. I don't think gnomes present any more of
a >problem than sylphs.
Sure they do. A sylph carrying someone is pretty darn visible, plus sylphs are vulnerable to missiles and magic. In addition, you're typically deposited somewhere non-useful, like atop a tower. If you make your sylph carefully lower you to the courtyard below, everyone gets lots of crossbow shots first. A gnome would be totally immune to enemy senses and weapons until you popped up just inside the gate
>Furthermore, a sylph could drop a rock from a mile up and the
>kinetic energy alone would destroy much of a typical castle.
Only the spot that was hit. Remember, your typical sylph, which is maybe 3m in size, can only carry a 250 lb rock, which is maybe two feet in diameter. I don't see how much worse this is than a trebuchet attack, which throws a heavier load, plus you can set it on fire (a burning load will kill the sylph), _plus_ the ballista/whatever is probably more accurate than the sylph, who's no expert at aiming and whose rock has to fall a mile or so, being buffeted by winds all the way.
I do admit that barbarians probably use sylphs to substitute for ballista and the like, but I doubt siege weapons like those would often force a fort into submission all by themselves. Even a modern fort bombarded by explosive shells can hold out quite a while.
I do think that Gloranthan forts often have underground shelters.
Sandy P.
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