The Mines
The Mines is a prison designed for close monitoring of inmates who are put to work in the dangerous mines of Allansia.
The prison garrison surrounding the mines itself is stark and utilitarian, reflecting the harsh and unforgiving environment in which it exists. The prison is a one-story structure with battlements, built into the mountains. The prison, made primarily of wood and stone, built for durability rather than comfort, is more functional than it is aesthetically pleasing. There are various towers which includes the Lord Commander's Tower, the armory, the Great Hall, and the barracks, and the cells, all overlooking a sunken yard where wooden stairs descend down to the tunnels. There is also a mechanical elevator, which can be lowered and pulled manually.
Life at The Mines is bleak and harsh, with its inhabitants enduring freezing temperatures, limited resources, and the possible threat of attack from Orcun tribes or Bandits. The guards at The Mines dwell on shifts, and the prison is overseen by an elected Lord Commander.
Heavily manned at all times, the main gate separates the prison and the outside world with a heavy, iron portcullis. The guards are customarily relief guests or visitors of the prison of their weapons and animal companions. The Barracks:
The guards pass the time by playing cards, sharpening their weapons, and complaining about the weather. They look foward to the end of their shifts. The armory is beside the Barracks. The Infantry:
A room with simple beds. Cabinets along the north wall hold medical supplies. Fights often occur in The Mines, and the injured are treated by Doctor Harbor, whose pain receptors have been removed surgically, and is ignorant to prisoner's pain sensitivity. Prisoners avoid this place. The Mess:
Prison personnel dine here. Tables and benches fill the room, and dishes and dulled cutlery are stored in cabinets along the south wall. The mess hall serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Kitchens:
Helmed by Chef Grande, a tiny man with a big attitude for no-nonsense. The kitchen staff are lean and also works on shift. The Eye:
A towering guard tower that stands in the middle of the yard, with its light shining on to the prison at all times. This is the perpetual light source that keeps the corridors and halls lit. Due to the structure of the prison, all four wings of the prison faces the Eye. The Mines:
Spiralling tunnels typical of a mine, with mineral deposits collected shipped back to Allansia. The working conditions in the Mines are tough; The air is often thick with dust, making it difficult to breathe, and strong, musty smell of earth and minerals lingers.
Black Chains
Following the abolishment of the prison in Fire Island, the cells in Allansia were gradually overflowing again when cities could not keep their prisoners. Eventually, the cities passed an unanimous law that prisoners are sent to The Mines to work their sentence away. Every so often, the Fetcher, will go to each cities' cells and collect the prisoners meant for The Mines. They will take the Gap pass into the Frozen Wastes, which is weeks of trecherous journey. Usually, some would-be inmates would perish along the way from bandit raids or harsh travel. The prisoners at The Mines are chained by a special anti-magic manacles that they refer to as "Black Chains". Impossible to break, and spellcasters magic fail at this unknown material of the manacles. All prisoners in The Mines are identified by a number. This simple protocol keeps prisoners on an equal footing. Prison personnel commit these numbers to memory, and the records of all prisoners are kept in the Lord Commander's office.Politics and Factions
The Lord Commander, and his four wardens (one for each wing), form the Black Council which gathers biannually to weigh the merits of reducing the sentence of prisoners based on good conduct or requests from various lords. Needless to say, there are gangs that formed organically in the prisons over time, and each gang has their own leader and politics.Places of Interest
The Main Gate:Heavily manned at all times, the main gate separates the prison and the outside world with a heavy, iron portcullis. The guards are customarily relief guests or visitors of the prison of their weapons and animal companions. The Barracks:
The guards pass the time by playing cards, sharpening their weapons, and complaining about the weather. They look foward to the end of their shifts. The armory is beside the Barracks. The Infantry:
A room with simple beds. Cabinets along the north wall hold medical supplies. Fights often occur in The Mines, and the injured are treated by Doctor Harbor, whose pain receptors have been removed surgically, and is ignorant to prisoner's pain sensitivity. Prisoners avoid this place. The Mess:
Prison personnel dine here. Tables and benches fill the room, and dishes and dulled cutlery are stored in cabinets along the south wall. The mess hall serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Kitchens:
Helmed by Chef Grande, a tiny man with a big attitude for no-nonsense. The kitchen staff are lean and also works on shift. The Eye:
A towering guard tower that stands in the middle of the yard, with its light shining on to the prison at all times. This is the perpetual light source that keeps the corridors and halls lit. Due to the structure of the prison, all four wings of the prison faces the Eye. The Mines:
Spiralling tunnels typical of a mine, with mineral deposits collected shipped back to Allansia. The working conditions in the Mines are tough; The air is often thick with dust, making it difficult to breathe, and strong, musty smell of earth and minerals lingers.
Comments