Location

Snownook sits midway from "knuckle" to "tip" of the southern-most, and furthest extending "finger". It is the largest fortification for more than 30 leagues, as the raven flies. Snownook sits atop a craggy mound with sea on two sides, a road (truley a glorified trail) extends southwest. To the northeast lies little save for marshes, rocky coastline, and fog. Once upon a time a great swath of land was sworn to Snownook, but as of 282 AC only a meager few squared-leagues remain. A small hamlet exists just outside the walls.

Features & Layout

Snownook's primary defense is its remote, inhospitable, and undesirable terrain. It's secondary defense is curtain wall that stands higher than three men and is about as thick as a man's height. It's topped by a squared stone parapet that protects "the cat walk" – a narrow walkway used by sentries and the garrison in times of defense. The yard between the wall and keep holds the training yard, stables, and staging areas for military drills and outfitting.

There exists a moderate crypt under the castle. For generations the Jasper deceased have been interred in simple tombs with only their names chiseled into the stone. They are placed in sequence of death from "The Andal" to a series of blank tombs. Most houses keep food stores in cellar spaces, but the rocky ground of The Fingers  made excavating the crypts a formidable enough task. There also exists, separate from the crypt, a small dungeon featuring a few iron cells. The castle's garrison is responsible for the cells.

Within the walls of the castle itself exists the great hall, adorned with a long, threadbare, Myrish carpet that is flanked by rows of simple wood pews oriented toward the chairs of Lord and Lady Jasper. As one exits they pass through rooms of the ranking members of the household. Most rooms on this level have stone walls and floors that are simply adorned. The hall is at the northern-most side of castle and has a high vaulted ceiling. Next comes the kitchen and dining room. The dining room is a simple yet cozy space with a large hearth, banners of allied houses, and scents from the adjacent kitchen wafting in. The rooms of House Jasper and courtiers are on the other side of the dining area, admittance to these spaces is rarely granted to non-family members. Storage for food, other miscellaneous supplies, and auxiliary bedrooms are at the south end of the castle.

The second floor features the ravenry, the maester's quarters, the infirmary, the barracks, and additional rooms and storage. The floors are of simple timber construction while the walls are mortared stone.

History

Theobald "The Andal" Jasper laid the cornerstone of Snownook with his own hands many millennia ago. The final stone for the parapet was quarried the day he died. After interring Theo in the previously vacant crypts his son, and heir, laid it with his own hands at sunset the very same day. Snownook has been the seat of House Jasper ever since. Although their land holdings and status have waxed and waned over the centuries Snownook has been constant. It is a source of pride. Fires, storms, invaders, and raiders have all taken their turn trying to tear down the castle, some more than once, and all have failed.