Carcerem Fortress

It was probably inevitable - everything that made it a good prison has made it into a fortress not worth taking. High walls in multiple rings makes it hard to get out, but it can easily be turned around to hard to get in. The clear cut land it sits on, that made it impossible for escaping prisoners to hide, means that we can't get close. Hells, we were stupid enough to decide they should have to grow enough food to take care of themselves so we wouldn't have to haul any in. The first thing they did was to secure the farmland, and now they can probably weather any siege we throw at them.
Can I ask why we really care? Set up a loose perimeter, enough that they stay bottled up. They're still in prison, right?

— Sir Henry Stere
Knight tasked with reclaiming Carcerem Prison
785 CE

Purpose / Function

The Carcerem prison was established in 755 CE, in the Principality of Vellene to hold both criminals and political enemies of the Principality. Since the uprising in 785 CE, the prison became the Carcerem Fortress, home to a free state.

Alterations

Since serving as a prison, the fortress has been adapted to be much more livable. Some of the political prisoners were experienced builders, and they were able to improve the living facilities substantially. In addition, walls have been adapted to allow for defense, and the farmland supporting the fortress has been walled behind earthworks and wooden palisades.

History

For years, the Principality of Vellene had been a haven for criminals of all sorts. A thieve's guild operated almost openly, and effectively ran the city. When Prince Holan took the throne, he decided that this would end, and looked to take down the leaders of the guild. He arrested four of them, and scheduled their executions after a brief trial he conducted. That night, fires started throughout the city, and dozens were killed. The Prince's chamberlain explained the situation, and the Prince claimed conversion to Adalci and commuted their sentences, sending them instead to the gaol. This worked for everyone, until the Prince found that the leaders were operating as usual, just in what had become comfortable quarters being paid for by the state.

Prince Holan started to build Carcerem Prison, fifty miles away from the closest town. Built with high walls in concentric rings, with guard posts on each ring, it was nearly impossible to escape, or to have forbidden contact with the outside world. The forest was razed for a mile in all directions, to allow for the prisoners to farm their own food, and to keep escaping prisoners from hiding. It was completed in 755 CE, and the guild leaders were moved there. No fires were started, and the guild suffered as new leaders began to take over.

Eventually, Holan's successors started to dump any undesirables in the prison. Political prisoners mixed with thieves guild leaders and hard men who had escaped the executioners block.

Eventually, these groups came together under the leadership of Lasym Hardedge, a dwarven warrior who was imprisoned for refusing a demand from the current Prince to assassinate a rival. He led a revolt, with the prisoners killing every last agent of the Prince. They quickly secured the farms, digging earthen works to keep them from the forces they knew would come.

The Prince decided to attempt to wait them out, and the prisoners settled into new lives. Over the last hundred years, the Principality has fallen, but the Carcerem Fortress is still holding off any outside government attempting to enforce its will.

by Chance Rose

The residents of Carcerem value their freedom, and will fight to preserve it.

Founding Date

753-755 CE

Alternative Names

Carcerem Prison

Type

Fortress

Parent Location

Principality of Vellene