Locations · Fortification · Any
Blue'd Tower
Most towers and baileys are defensive, protecting defenders from attackers. This keep tower and bailey is used to protect everyone else from what is within.
Blue'd Tower (pronounce bluuued Towrr by the locals) was not always a prison. It started as the keep tower for a local lord, House Shenesta. Being build along a common path between north and south, it has seen a great deal of action. It had been attacked, sacked, razed, and rebuilt a number of times over the last few centuries. In the last 'Time of Troubles' most of the outer defenses and baileys were destroyed first by siege and then by terrible magics. It was from this event that the tower fell into its current purpose.
It was only due to the last minute re-enforcements (including a unit from The Order of Argalas) that the day was not lost. The Slarran Wizard and his apprentices were mostly taken alive, as well as Lord Welken, the most blue blooded of them all, and his traitorous court. The Order marched them in Hexel Manacles to the surviving Keep Tower and set watch. Within the hour, the tower was marked with a sloppy line of blue paint (warning of magic, akin to the grey line marking a plague zone). A ring of four chanting WitchHunters was kept up until proper glyphs of holding could be erected. A few solider assisted the securing of the prisoners (noble, magical, and mundane).
Over the course of the 'troubles' various traitor and wizards were brought here. Soon a court was set up and the execution of the various noble and knighted traitors (and their minions) began. If it was not for the rains that year, the flagstones of the bailey courtyard would be befouled and red beyond cleansing.
Wizard blood was occasionally spilled. The overlapping jurisdiction between Cannon and King's Law made their 'removal' complicated. However most are still alive wearing Hexels until The Gods claim their tainted souls.
Over the last few 'troubled years' and those past, the tower and bailey have been repaired and enhanced. The Tower is still a three and a half story tall square tower. It has a broad blue band of paint around the second story to replace the original scrawled one. The gate towers are an odd sight, set to repel those outside and inside the bailey wall. The inside of the bailey wall is scribed with a number of mystical glyphs to deflect and protect against magic.
The inside courtyard has the most famous chopping block in The Land. Some historically notable nobles have found their skeins ended here. Encircling the stone block are a number of gold runes engraved in the stones around it that will block all attempts to garner magical power from those deaths. (A little known fact is that the inner runes are a death spell for those who touch it magically).
The keep is still staffed with King's Guard and WitchHunters of the Order. While most of the prisoners are aging traitor wizards or newer captures, the occasional nobleman, knight, or spy finds their way here.
Note: The actual name is for the keep is Shenesta Tower (even though it has been generations since one had lived there before the Time of Troubles). The locals and those of The Order call it the Blue'd Tower. Blue comes from several source. The blue line on the wall and the blue blood spilled there, as it is a place of noble execution.
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This is related to the setting that we are casually working on.
http://www.strolen.com/guild/index.php/topic,1642.0.html
Interesting, a prison for mages. Probebly hated by mages/witches everywhere.
Is this a Guantamano Bay for mages/witches or are they all guilty?
Pretty much everyone in there is guilty. The old guys were traitors to their country and violated the laws in their use of magic. The new guys not only violated the laws of the land regarding magic, they did it enough that they were caught.
WitchHunters would like to take out all magic users, but they are bound by their own rules and those of their 'faith'. When I write them up their detect ability (the glyph on their palms) makes it easier to determine who has summoned fallen creatures or have trucked with spirits. The taint is detectable.
Not to side line: Guantamano Bay has mostly people who were captured in combat, actively shooting at troops. The problem with our current round of terrorists is that without governmental association, the Geneva convention (and international law) is a bit fuzzy about what to do with them. They are not soliders technically, thus not completely covered by the laws... yet they are enemy combatants... so they are covered by some of the laws. And if you want to go through this, start a thread in the tavern or natter zone.
Ah, well presented a neat idea. I think it would be more reminescent of the Tower of London rather than a prison camp, its prisoners being sorcerers, and patricians rather than commoners.
If they are unregistered magic-users, then they are by definition guilty... or at least automatically suspicious. I am intrigued by the thought of such a world. Reminds me of Babylon 5 and its telepaths.
It is a world where magic is not 'wonderful'. Certain magics are listed as downright 'Evil' in popular opinion, law, and faith (Summon and entreating of demons and spirits, mind magics (including telepathy, charm, and sleep), magics that can harm (what other purpose does fireball serve but to be a weapon... so what does a civilian mage need with that?), soul bindings, etc). Magic has been associated with assassinations, rebellions, evil overlords (including the creation of orcs and other evil races), and so on... thus is not seen as a positive thing. Thus some magic is acceptable, but needs to be closely scruitinized.
Practioners are licensed by the local government/ church... certified, just like scientists and doctors were in the Late Medieval/ Renaissance period of Europe. Where magic can be safely practiced (for others to avoid being accidently tainted) is restricted. Given their history with magic, as I see it, they seem very justified.