Valjeno Castle

Valjeno Castle is the seat of power in Phlan and houses the Ruling Council, Cinnabar Throne and much of the town's government and bureaucracy within its vaulted walls. Between it's outer walls, its encirclement within the river Stanjow and the impervious Black Gate as its main entrance, it is the most defensible point in the town and capable of holding out for months in a siege if required. The castle is made up of solid stone and over seven stories tall, towering over the rest of the town and is a formidable site, once one of the biggest keeps in the Moonsea. However, like much of the rest of the town, it has been destroyed and rebuilt countless times. Some sections remain missing or battle scarred, whilst repairs, alterations and additions clearly stand out. Lord Speaker Cyrus Halshaw himself has commissioned further work on improving the Castle's defences, building siege weapons and improving the town's fortifications.
The Lord Speaker has traditionally lived in Valjeno Castle and ruled from the Cinnabar Throne, having easy access to the town's main functionaries. Over time, more and more of the main offices of the town's government have also been moved into the castle, including the Council Chamber and its supporting assortment of meetings rooms and facilities, the taxation and customs offices, messenger corps and other bureaucratic functions responsible for the town's running. In time's of crisis, the Council is capable of remaining in continuous session and will stay within the Castle until it's work is complete.
As well as the Keep, there are are a number of other buildings within the walls including a barracks, stables, servants quarters and armoury that services the Castle's occupants and supports the Black Fist. There is also rumours that there are countless underground vaults beneath the Keep which contain months of supplies and the town's treasury, whereas other rumours suggest more sinister purposes....

Places of Interest

• The Black Gate - A large iron portcullis built into ten foot of solid stone, complete with murder holes, supply tunnels and siege defences. It serves as outer defensive point and only entrance to Valjeno Castle. The gate and the buildings inside have been requisitioned as the headquarters of the Order of the Black Fist.


• Cinnabar Throne room - Technically there are two Cinnabar Thrones; one within the Council Chamber that the Lord Speaker chairs the meetings from and the traditional Throne from which the rulers of Phlan have sat for centuries. It is here that the Lord Speaker will have an audience with the citizens of the town and other representative. The throne room itself a large, open ante chamber in the centre of the castle and is relatively sparse by other Throne room standards.


• Council Chambers - Where the elected representatives of the town meet to discuss and vote on Phlan's legislation and policies. Located within the Valjeno castle itself, it is typically well defended and the room sealed from outside interference when in session.


• Town Prison - a simple stone keep connected to the Black Gate with underground access to several cells and interrogation rooms. Given the often brutal nature of the Black Fist's justice, most of it's occupants are temporary and the prison serves as a processing station for most of its inmates.

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Phlan

Owner

Cyrus Halshaw