Kastell Gaillard (V)
Apup Belleum Castrum de Rupe - at the Fair Castle of the Rock
Purpose / Function
A massive stone fortress overlooking the Seana river as it bends through the town of Les Aundelys, commanding a key stretch of the waterway. Located 100 KM Northwest of Per-Ys and 40 KM from Rouan.
Alterations
The castle was built incredibly quickly and largely in one stage, lacking any significant periods of expansion since its construction.
Architecture
Sitting high atop an imposing rock surrounded on three sides, by sheer cliffs, the Castle consists of three enclosures separated by rock-cut dry moats, with a central donjon in the innermost enclosure.
The Outer Bailey is the southernmost feature of the castle, a 5 sided enclosure with 5 towers, three of which stand at the corners of a roughly triangular shape, with 2 smaller towers along the East and West walls between them.
The Middle Bailey is an irregular polygon with cylindrical machicolated walls studded with towers. In surrounds the central bailer and keep, both on a small hillock within the site, accessed by a drawbridge between two flanking towers.
The central keep maintained the King's accomodations and throne room.
History
Built by Richarzh "Kalon Leon" IV, King of Logres and Duke of Normaundie to secure the crucial bend in the Saena. Despite a treaty with Gallia expressly forbidding its construction, Kalon Leon make a secret arrangement with the Queen of Summer to raise the castle, magically reinforced by Sidhe Magik. This angered Gallia and the Church, which placed an Interdict on the Duchy preventing Church rituals from being performed. This essentially prevented burials and bodies were piled the streets awaiting the lifting of the interdict, which in turn lead to outbreaks of Plague and the increases in the undead, such as Fear Gorta and ghouls.
The site was struck by a Bloodrain while Kalon Leon was present, frightening off many of the superstitious mortal workers, but the King remained undaunted by the omen. With the aid of the Summer Queen, the castle was completed, the opening marked by the execution of 3 Galliaed soldiers, who were tossed off the cliff to their deaths in retaliation for their role in conflict in Southern Logres. The Castle became the favoured residence of Kalon Leon, although he did not live long past it completion, dying at the siege of Chalus to the infection of a crossbow wound.
At the death of Kalon IV, Yann Dizouar took the throne, but internal struggles in Logres allowed Gallia, under Phillipe II to besiege Rouan and Gaillard. The local Norman population took refuge in the castle, but began to drain its well-stocked resources. A group of civilians was evicted from the castle and allowed to pass unhindered. Upon learning this, Phillipe was furious and forbade more escapes, hoping to drain the resources of the castle. The second group of civilians evicted found themselves between and army and a locked gate, dying at the base of the castle walls over the next 3 months of starvation and exposure. Fear Gorta ravaged the camp, forcing the Gallian forces to attack to prevent the monsters from turning their attention to the army. The first ward fell, but the others remained held until Gallians discovered a latrine chute over a sheer 100 meter cliff that allowed access to the second enclosure. Scaling the cliff, a group of sappers overwhelmed the surprised defenders and set fire to many buildings. The final ward fell to the Gallians shortly thereafter. The last obstacle protecting movement along the Saena removed, Normaundie fell under the direct control of Gallia.
The castle was used as a prison for the noblewomen involved in the The Nesle Tower Scandal, until their disappearance from the prisons in its depths. They are rumored to remain on site as Dames Blanches.
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