Yes. My group has finished Book 1 and I brought up the Fangwwod Keep. Now my Cleric PC has declared that he wants to hold the fort and turn it into a shrine/ church for his god. And is also contemplating shifting gods because he wants a different Domain.
My suggestions (because I plan on using these):
Depending on which NPCs survived Phaendar, have one of them (most likely Aubrin) declare this a bad idea because just what you told your players- unable to hold the fort nor safely leave the refugees there. And she refuses to move to the Keep and so the rest of the refugees also refuse to go.
If the PCs decide to occupy the Keep, after one week, have the Ironfang Legion surround and lay siege to the Keep. The goal of the PCs should be to deny the Ironfang Legion the power contained in the Keep not occupy it. Have the Legion starve them out of the Keep. The supplies are already mostly used up and the PCs will need to make a desperate break out from the Keep. Unless they can all fly and be invisible. which is possible at 5th level really.
Or, alternately, as I suggested in a different post, move the Keep into Fangwood proper. Then it becomes just like the ranger forts.
