Palais de Justice de Naoned
Purpose / Function
The Palais de Justice serves multiple functions in the administration and law enforcement of Naoned. Its primary purpose is the house the courts of Low and Middle Justice, overseen by specially appointed magistrates. A large amount of archives and administrative offices support these proceedings.
The secondary, and more infamous purpose of the Palais de Justice is to house the Yellowjackets, the city watch of the city, as well as the city's contingent of Brassgaurd. Barracks, mess halls, training rooms and maintenance areas are found around the back courtyard. The basement of the building includes temporary holding cells and strongrooms. The Yellowjackets coordinate their citywide efforts from this central location, although smaller stations are scattered around the city and in rampart towers.
Alterations
Prior to the reign of Alan I, the site was occupied by a grain warehouse, a large simple rectangular structure. This structure was converted into a court of low justice by Hoel I, the adjacent lot becoming a small wooden palisade to house a contingent of the Duke's soldiers to keep peace in the city.
Duke Guerech I was captured by the Duke of Anjev, leaving the Duchy in the hands of his wife Aremburga of Ancenis, who consolidated power by reforming the court to administer both low and middle justice, creating a hierarchy of magistrates. The wooden palisade was expanded into a stone rampart,a stone keep and several outbuildings were constructed, and the detachment of Ducal Guards was reorganized into a permanent city watch, made up of Bediz and Teuz, a move made to counter unrest in Korrigan populations who had sprung up during the occupation of Hastings Fireforged.
Duke Alan III drew up ambitious plans for the site, but was assassinated shortly into his reign, the capital moving the Roazhon Duke Jafrez I, pressured by Gallia, Normandi and Anjev in the East, expanded the bureaucracy and garrison complex in Naoned, putting an end to growing unrest in the city and aggressive overtures from Akitania. The ramparts off the garrison were merged with those of the castle, the courtyard was enlarged and made into a training ground and the outbuildings were rebuilt.
The structure's fortifications were increased by Konstanza de Leon, serving as a defensive position as Gallian forces sacked the city in 1097 SI. Damaged sections, including the mess hall and forge, destroyed by Gallian siege weaponry, were rebuilt by Duke Yann I, with small additions and refurbishment continuing over the next hundred years to the present. His son Duke Yann III ordered the construction of the Brassguard vault, momentarily replacing the Teuz garrison, a move which was reversed upon the his own successor, Arzhur II.
Architecture
The Palais de Justice is divided into two sections, the Court and the Garrison. The court is a rectangular building, 5 stories tall, located on the Northern edge of Place Alan II, adjacent to the Ducal castle to the East and opposite a large crescent lagoon off of the Liger River. The older section of the court, located on the left, is made of grey stone with narrow, slit windows and little ornamentation. The larger and newer section on the right is more open, with large windows and more ornamentation. Between each window is a statue, typically of a saint or historical civic figure. 3 Teuz figures are found in these, and 5 Tuatha de Danaan, with the rest being Bediz.
A result of this uneven construction, the main entrance is located in the new section, a large foyer with a central staircase, a 3 story square atrium ringed with fluted stone columns and beneath a large crystaldome. The building rises further on each side, but the space above this dome is open to allow light to fliter in, distorted and amplified to allow for brighter space. Elaborate brass gloworb cages are hung over the atrium and walkways.
The older section houses the archives and administrative offices, a drafty and dark stone construction of Romanesque design.
A covered walkway crosses an alleyway to the garrison, a sandstone enclosure built around a central courtyard. A large rectangular keep, 7 stories high, serves as the main home of the City Watch, as well as a watchtower. The top of the tower is ringed by crenelations, and a small rooftop structure sits in the northeastern corner, housing the stairs, a small office and flare storage. A large Bell is found above this, and flare-launching mechanisms are spread across the roof.
The keep is made up of barracks on the upper floors, followed by offices. The basement is made up of a network of strongrooms and temporary holding cells. The walls of the courtyard are hollow, and outbuildings built into them serve as the kitchen, messhall, and forge. The eastern wall is taken up by stables and support structures, such as feed storage and a farrier. The courtyard itself, made of packed earth, is used as a gathering point or for the running of drills.
The walls themselves are crenelated, but are no longer useful for heavy siege, instead are used for civil disturbances. A drawbridge connects the garrison to the Duke's castle. This crossing is raised or destroyed in the event of an attack.
History
in 812 SI, the city of Naoned was sacked by the Fomorian forces of Hastings Fireforged, bringing the Armorican Peninsula into a 30 year interregnum. The city was retaken by Duke Alan "Al Louarn" II, with Gallian support, establishing it as his capital. Alan II, and his successor, Drogon I built the Ducal castle on the grounds, using it to carry out Justice for the Duchy. The growth of the city and the assassination of Drogon I by Konan of Roazhon, led his successor, Hoel I to delegate the procedures of low and middle justice outside the castle walls, building a small courthouse and garrison. Subsequent rulers continued to build on the site during the Poisoner's Game until the ascension of Konan I, moving the capital to Roazhon. Stripped of its ducal responsibilities, the court restructured into a city focused establishment, the small town watch expanding into a full garrison.
The original courthouse was torn down and rebuilt in the reign of Duke Yann "Ar Ruzh" I, who returned the capital to Naoned, with expansions continuing over the next hundred years under his successors.
Founding Date
862
Alternative Names
The Watchhouse
Type
Courthouse
Parent Location
Owning Organization
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