Great Big Tracts of Land, or How I Bought a Castle

I can see it now..."Stop for the castle, stay for the fully LAN networked game room with stocked with (consoles of your choice) and a free bacon bar."

Michael Zenke wrote:

Additional, because you mentioned plans: I'm a filthy skimmer, so I'm not sure where you are in the process vs. when you started the thread. Is your ownership of Ravenwood a 100% done deal? How goes the take-overship process?

From Page 10, posted this morning:

Teneman wrote:

Quick update: I knocked another hurdle down as of this weekend. There's still one contingency left, and it's a big one, but things are moving along apace.

What Keldar said. Our ownership isn't a 100% done deal at this point. We've cleared most of the major hurdles that would break a deal, but still have one significant contingency left.

It's not unusual for some of the contingencies to take a while to clear on a deal of this size, but it is frustrating. We have literally binders full of things that we need and want to do, but it's not safe to sink any more money than we already have into the deal until we know for sure the deal will close.

Other than that annoyance, the take over is going relatively smoothly. Given the sheer volume of things to deal with, we haven't come up with anything insurmountable.

For perspective on the scope of things we're working with, I have an anecdote. You know how when you buy a house you have an inspection done? A guy comes out with a tool belt, walks around the property poking and prodding things to make sure everything is in its place and functional. Depending on the size of the house, the process usually takes a couple of hours and generates a several page report. Well we had inspections done on the castle as well. It took three days, working ten hours a day, and generated a sixty page report.

I'm sure that was fun reading.

I can say that I will be looking forward to your ownship of said castle/tavern (mostly tavern) and that I will be hopefully be booking a weekend getaway with the wife.

You have bridge trolls, don't you? That'll be one hell of a pest control contract.

Paleocon wrote:

You have bridge trolls, don't you? That'll be one hell of a pest control contract.

I do. Taking care of them is actually the final contingency. And unfortunately billy goats do not come cheap. Particularly the gruff ones.

Teneman wrote:

Well we had inspections done on the castle as well. It took three days, working ten hours a day, and generated a sixty page report.

Please tell me that somewhere, at least once, buried deep within those sixty pages, they managed to sneak in the words "ye olde".

Teneman wrote:
Paleocon wrote:

You have bridge trolls, don't you? That'll be one hell of a pest control contract.

I do. Taking care of them is actually the final contingency. And unfortunately billy goats do not come cheap. Particularly the gruff ones.

Will you serve vampires at your castle? I suspect that would require you to obtain a "very high risk" food license.

Paleocon wrote:
Teneman wrote:
Paleocon wrote:

You have bridge trolls, don't you? That'll be one hell of a pest control contract.

I do. Taking care of them is actually the final contingency. And unfortunately billy goats do not come cheap. Particularly the gruff ones.

Will you serve vampires at your castle? I suspect that would require you to obtain a "very high risk" food license.

Eh, I would think that the castle would come with them...and that the feeding problem would sort of take care of itself.

Inspectors need to understand that only the structure on this side of the dimension door is subject to local laws and codes!

LouZiffer wrote:

Inspectors need to understand that only the structure on this side of the dimension door is subject to local laws and codes!

This made me laugh and laugh and laugh. Thank you.

Paleocon wrote:

Will you serve vampires at your castle? I suspect that would require you to obtain a "very high risk" food license.

One thing about staying at Ravenwood I never could stomach, all the damn vampires.

Nevin73 wrote:

I can see it now..."Stop for the castle, stay for the fully LAN networked game room with stocked with (consoles of your choice) and a free bacon bar."

BACON.

Teneman wrote:

For perspective on the scope of things we're working with, I have an anecdote. You know how when you buy a house you have an inspection done? A guy comes out with a tool belt, walks around the property poking and prodding things to make sure everything is in its place and functional. Depending on the size of the house, the process usually takes a couple of hours and generates a several page report. Well we had inspections done on the castle as well. It took three days, working ten hours a day, and generated a sixty page report.

Did he poke and prod each stone brick individually?
Though I figured, he was doing not just the castle, but also the castle grounds, and each cottage/house, looking for sinkholes, hidden graveyards, unlicensed dimension doors?

Also, do you need a full-time fudge-maker? /applies online (This is to go with Nevin's quote; add something about a year-round fudge bar. Mmmm. fudge bar.)

Full time fudge-maker, no (although there are gift shop possibilities there...).

Full time live-in Innkeeper/Manager, yes. I've got a posting out there now. Let me just say that the type of responses I've gotten for that role are.... interesting.

Teneman wrote:

Full time fudge-maker, no (although there are gift shop possibilities there...).

Full time live-in Innkeeper/Manager, yes. I've got a posting out there now. Let me just say that the type of responses I've gotten for that role are.... interesting.

Bonus points for turning up to interviews in full-on RenFaire cosplay?

Is there an attic at Ravenwood that could be called the Raven Loft?

wordsmythe wrote:

Is there an attic at Ravenwood that could be called the Raven Loft?

We don't go to the Raven Loft.

Wembley wrote:
wordsmythe wrote:

Is there an attic at Ravenwood that could be called the Raven Loft?

We don't go to the Raven Loft.

I was gonna say. So we can avoid it entirely, forever?

wordsmythe wrote:

Is there an attic at Ravenwood that could be called the Raven Loft?

There's always some guy up there, jamming on his Strahd

You guys are being completely unfair to the Raven Loft. I heard it's a friendly place with a seemingly endless amount of helpful residents who will do whatever it takes to make you feel like one of their own.

LouZiffer wrote:

You guys are being completely unfair to the Raven Loft. I heard it's a friendly place with a seemingly endless amount of helpful residents who will do whatever it takes to make you feel like one of their own.

It's better than Ravenholm at least, nobody goes there anymore.

IMAGE(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/165768_484077696922_710886922_6437677_3639762_n.jpg)
I happen to enjoy Dragon's milk.

Come think of it, Raven Wood sounds a lot like a male porn star's name...

There goes the thread.

MeatMan wrote:

There goes the thread.

:P

Quick, Certis, lock the thread while there's still time!

It would make me very happy Teneman if you had promotional posters for a Raven messenger service located around your castle.

1 out of 4 ravens will deliver your message on time every time.

Our Ravens guarantee to not speak to the enemy.

Please do not feed the Ravens corn.

Teneman wrote:

Full time fudge-maker, no (although there are gift shop possibilities there...).

Full time live-in Innkeeper/Manager, yes. I've got a posting out there now. Let me just say that the type of responses I've gotten for that role are.... interesting.

Like retired vet turned auto mechanic / gothgirl / boobwich interesting, or I can barely speak and my teeth are falling out interesting?

Arise, Arise thread!

After what seems like months of delays, we're back on track. While we don't actually close the purchase for a few weeks, we have overcome what I hope is the final major obstacle!

Now all we have to do is... the five million other things that go along with taking over a business

Stay tuned for other announcements in the coming days...

Congrats!!

I, for one, declare for Teneman, and swear him my banner and my fealty.

He has my sword (as soon as I get a sword).