5. Half Circle Wall GC4

Veering out from the sheer, straight walls of the Citadel comes this smooth, rounded surface-a mere 20 feet high in the shadow of the great fortress's forbiddtng barrier. Many a casual observer has smugly judged this to be the Citadel's weakness, the little touch of architectural vanity that would prove the castle's undoing in the face of a truly persistent attack.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The illusion of an easy approach is very much intentional: this nice, gentle wall providing a convenient step halfway up the side of the main Citadel wall. Though the courtyard above the wall lies under the fire of two towers, the actual surface of the Half Circle Wall is screened from missile attack in most direction.

The intent of the wall is to draw an attacker onto the courtyard above the Half Circle Wall. A savage attack would quickly result in many defenders packing themselves into this small area. But this courtyard, far from offering easy access to the Citadel, will then become a killing ground.

Huge grates, disguised until the moment of use, allow many barrels of oil to be poured from the adjacent towers onto the surface of the courtyard. A slight, almost imperceptible, slope carries the flowing oil across the area. Torches are then tossed into the oil-drenched troops, and within seconds several companies of attackers might be incinerated.

No matter that the oil might burn off the doors into the towers, or the gate into the Citadel courtyard. As these fall to ashes they reveal nought but cold, gray stone behind them. All three portals are false--there is no door leading into the courtyard of Half Circle Wall.

GC4; Half Circle Wall. Oddly, this wall is only 20 feet high. The courtyard behind the wall is 10 feet below the level of the rest of the Grand Citadel’s courtyard. A 5-foot-high, 3-foot-thick wall notched with arrow slits runs along the edge of the courtyard at the dropoff. A door is set into the lower part of each of the two square towers anchoring the wall. A huge door stands in the short southeastern wall; it appears to lead into an underground area below the Citadel’s main courtyard. Half Circle Wall took advantage of a natural shelf on the high bluff on which the Grand Citadel sits, and it was designed as a trap. It appears to be a weak spot in the outer defenses, but any force that manages to scale the low wall and get into the half-circle courtyard will be incinerated by oil poured into the yard and set aflame. Archers on the two towers and along the low wall bordering the courtyard will shower murderous missile fire into the attackers, The three doors are false, merely wood coverings over stonework. No guards are posted on Half Circle Wall, but illusory “guards” are sometimes placed there.