• Check locations here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OLBUKdDrF2NbDwPJ5M5kRsKu7_iEVi8CHelbGYg1fFk/edit
  
• Recommended basement size -9х7.
  
• Place stairs module and build rooms around assuming environment and available space.
  
• Build garden pavements inside castle - they provide same speed boost as carpets, but almost free.
  
• Use vampiric elevator.

This guide is not about PVP, it's about crafting and optimizing routes indoors.

Screenshots are in 4k - enlarge them for details.

The real castle heart. I use 2x1 stairs because they-re most compact. Stairs are grouped into 3x4 module to provide route to any room around.

• Workshop - 3x3. 4 lumbermills, 4 grinders (or 3 advanced ones) + table.
  
• Forge - 4x3. 6 smelters (or 3 advanced ones), +1 instance of every other structure.
  
• Tailoring room - 4x3. Tailoring Bench, Leatherworking station + 3 looms + 3 tanneries (or 3 advanced ones)
  
• Library - 3x3. 3 paper presses + 1 actual research table.
  
• Jeweller's Chamber - 3x2
  
• Alchemy lab - 3x3. Without summoning circle - 3x2. One rat nest is enough. The rest can be built at the castle entrance.
  
• Prison - 3x2 at start. Later should be expanded to 3x4 or 6x2.
  
• Crypt - 3x2
  
• Cemetery - 3x3. With additional rat nest - 3x4.
  
• Teleporter - 2x2. Fits perfectly in the staircase module on the first floor.

It's a very simple idea, but it's satisfying.

We put small portals on top of each other. Then movement between floors becomes almost instantaneous.

I put a couple of portals at the crossroads of the staircase module. Red portal to floors 1 and 2. Yellow to floors 2 and 3. Two teleports and you're up to the prison from the first floor. One-time time saving is not great, but during the walkthrough you will appreciate it.

And finally - it's just fun.

Or moving the castle to a new location

• Go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OLBUKdDrF2NbDwPJ5M5kRsKu7_iEVi8CHelbGYg1fFk/edit and make sure there is enough space on the free location you like. Pay attention - some locations have 2 levels. And if there is not enough space on the first level, you can consider the first level as zero, and place the heart of the castle on a hill. This will allow you to make the layout freer and place some rooms in the “overhang” above the zero level.
  
• Place the heart of the castle approximately in the middle of the future castle foundation. Cut down the forest and stones around it, put the foundations according to the plan to make a rectangular 9x6.
  
• Move the heart to the far side of the foundation
  
• Put up a staircase module with one stair going to the second floor
  
• Place walls
  
• Build the foundation of the staircase module on the second floor, put the staircase on the third floor
  
• At this point, you can turn your brain off and start arranging the remaining walls, furniture, pavements, etc.

This is my 5th or 6th castle in 2 walkthroughs. This time I am satisfied with the layout, there was not much running around in the process of levelling, so I will build the next one in the same way. I didn't improve anything on purpose, it turned out that way after opening all the technologies.

With teleport and warm (not) company


Vampiric buddies at the left and undead buddies at the right

Main floor

Since the chosen location has a 9x7 foundation, it turned out pretty loose.

To the left of the stairs is the workshop, to the right is the library. They're next to each other, so it's not far to carry sawdust for the paper press.



The room next to the library was a tailoring room. I had to carry a lot of threads from it to the library. In previous castles I tried to place a sewing room in a 3x3 room - it was so bad.


The forge is next door to the workshop. Between them we carry stone dust and materials for reinforced bars.


A jewelry chamber was placed in the center.

From it teleport the 3rd floor and the warehouse.

There's a warehouse next to the teleporter.


There's a prison on the right.


On the left is the alchemy lab.

There is room for the summoning circle, but I placed it in the entrance area.

Having already finished the game, I decided to try to cram in the impossible and place everything on a 7x7 foundation. After some amount of remodeling turned out unexpectedly well, and even managed to squeeze everything into the limit of 140 cells - that is, into the limit of the castle of the 2nd level, which opens almost immediately. But - on the second floor everything is very dense. If you decide to copy - peep this guide. The location of each structure is calibrated and chosen among many other worse cases. As a bonus - everything became even more compact and you will need to run even less.

Entrance




Tombstones - 4x2 room, managed to put up 11 tombstones out of a possible 12.



Servants - 3x2. The picture shows 5 coffins since the castle is only level 2.



The alchemy lab. There's plenty of room to spare.

The entrance from the lab is through the vampiric elevator.




Just ahead is a 2x2 jewelry chamber.

Further clockwise.
Tailoring room. It's very tight. We'll have to put cabinets in the library next door.



Library. Connects to the tailoring room through a large gate.



Workshop



Forge

Entrance/Throne Room. Allowed myself to add a creepy red light)




Prison at the left



There's an equally vacant room on the right. Like a warehouse.

First 30 seconds - Bill of Materials (kind of)