If you allow Bastions in your campaign, characters acquire their Bastions when they reach level 5. You and the players can decide together how these Bastions come into being. A character might inherit or receive a parcel of land on which to build their Bastion (see “Marks of Prestige” in chapter 3), or they might take a preexisting structure and refurbish it. It’s fair to assume that work has been going on behind the scenes of the campaign during a character’s early adventuring career, so the Bastion is ready when the character reaches level 5.
The shape, style, and function of a character’s Bastion are up to the player to determine. For example, a Wizard might build a tower, a Cleric might establish a shrine, a Fighter might build a fortified keep or similar stronghold, and a Rogue might establish a guildhall or lodge. Characters of other classes might choose one of these forms or combine them—a Paladin’s Bastion might be similar to a Cleric’s shrine but as fortified as a Fighter’s stronghold. And multiple characters can combine their Bastions to form a single large structure (see “Bastion Map”).
Every Bastion has facilities that serve basic needs as well as special ones, such as libraries, menageries, and workshops (see “Basic Facilities” and “Special Facilities”).