The Tower of Oaths
A tower overlooking the Sentinel Hills in the Kingdom of Caloth. Once a symbol of tyranny, now a symbol of hope and protection against conquest. It is the site where the rebellion began and a kingdom was born.
Purpose / Function
The Tower of Oaths, then known as Dragon's Watch, was built as a garrison and watchtower for the King's Way Road through the Sentinel Hills for the Drakenvos Dominion. It was also served as the prison of political prisoners, due to the rough terrain and alliances with several barbaric tribes in the area.
In the present day, it stands as the site of Athos Caloth's declaration of rebellion against the Drakenvos Dominion, after his captive wife and child were murdered while held in the tower.
Alterations
The tower has lost its lusters in the centuries since the fall of the Dominion. It's stone wall has crumbled in sections and the road leading to the tower has fallen into disrepair. It had been commandeered by the Caloth military as a garrison post during the war against the Dominion but has since become more a monument to that fateful war. A small garrison is kept at the Tower to watch over the road through the Sentinel Hills. Much of the interior of the tower is the same as it had been under Dominion control.
Architecture
The tower was constructed from stone and wood. It was surrounded by a 15 ft. high stone wall and stood roughly 50 ft. in the air. The tower had four floors and a cellar for storage. The first floor was the common area, where food was prepared and eaten. The second floor was the garrison barrack, able to sleep, twenty men. The third floor was the holding cells, able to hold up to half a dozen prisoners at any time. The fourth floor was a secondary barracks and officer's quarters and was the interior access point to the top of the tower. On two sides of the wall, ladders carved into the stone exterior of the tower led from the top of the tower to ground level in case of a fire and had murder holes carefully placed between the handholds in case of siege or incursion.
History
The tower was constructed during the reign of the Drakenvos Dominion to watch the connecting point between the cities Valston and Kynewal and control the flow of travelers and merchants between the two cities and fend of bandits in the area. Over time, the tower, then known as Dragon's Watch, became a prison for political enemies to the Dominion, where they were held as bargaining chips or examples against those who would speak out against Dominion rule. To better the security of this new guard post/ prison, an alliance was made with several of the bandit and barbarian that lived in the sentinel Hills, providing steady food and supplies and a cut from the trade tax that came from the King's Way Road, in exchange for their support of the tower's defenses.
In 6980 CB, the wife, and two sons of Athos Caloth, a prominent noble in the Dominion capital, were taken to Dragon's Watch when he was implicated in a growing dissident movement within the capital. This movement was summarily squashed and Athos and several of his allies were taken to Dragon's Watch until their execution was to be held in Kynewal. While there, Athos was tortured for information on other rebels. When he did not break, the commanding officer of the tower had his wife and sons murdered in front of him as punishment. This broke Athos, but instead of becoming compliant, he broke free of his bonds in a rage and led the other prisoners against the garrison. Against all odds, the prisoners won out against the garrison, and Athos declared open rebellion against the Dominion.
The new rebels held Dragon's Watch against the barbaric allies of the Dominion until reinforcements arrived from Kynewal and surrounding villages, rallying to the rebels' cause.
Today, the now named Tower of Oaths stands as a symbol of resistance against tyranny, a promise that the free peoples of the Kingdom of Caloth shall never against bow before monsters.
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