Built on the outskirts of Csyrial, outsde of Imperial City. Blackgate Prison is the main jail for Imperial City. Housing some of The Realms most dangerous criminals it is categorized as a maximum security facility.
Structure and Layout[]
With maze like interior inside of a rectangular design and fortified by guarded walls and fences, Blackgate Prison has been built to be as hard to get into as it is to get out of.
Situated on Lake Rifton the prison had to literally be built into the rocky shoreline. Surrounded on three sides by water the only viable exit would be through the front gate which can only be opened through automated levers and control panels.
The prisons exterior as seen from Lake Rifton.
Cell Block[]
The prison contains four cell blocks. A, B, C and D. All of which can house up to 200 prisoners each and have guard posts adjacent to each block. Each Each cell block consists of three levels with a guard booth and a lockable stairway between cell blocks C and D. An interrogation roomset sits in the back of the building.
Thanks to technology implemented by Professor Sokal, the prison has had a recent addition of new security features, including alarms, loudspeakers, and automated door controls. Should an alarm sound, the doors to the cell blocks will all close and lock. Individual cell doors are controlled by a machine outside of the Wardens Office.
Magic Ward[]
One of the higher security parts of the prison, The Magic Ward is a smaller cell block, capable of holding 50 prisoners at a time. What makes this section of the prison more secure is the addition of some type of force field, which when entered into renders magic users incapable of using their powers.
Maximum Security[]
The Maximum Security Ward is the most secure level of Blackgate Prison. Only the most high risk prisoners are kept in this area. The criteria for being put in here varies but typically the prisoners in here:
- Have bounties over ₴10,000
- Are political prisoners.
- Are extremely powerful/have committed infamous crimes, atrocious, and/or whose mere existences have become a major threat to The Empire itself.
Warden Katrina has said even a single Maximum Security prisoner managing to somehow get free poses an incredible danger to the public. The prisoners in this ward have been sentenced to death. And typically these sentences are carried out within a few days of their capture, unless there are exceeding circumstances.
History[]
Built in 442 CY on the orders of King Ulsar The prison originally was intended to house prisoners of war during the Crown Wars but had since become repurposed as a general use prison. Housing the most dangerous offenders in Imperial City and throughout the Realm itsself.
For the most part the prison serves as a way point between a criminals arrests and when they meet the gallows. Trials are restricted to nobility accused of crime and under the reign of the honorable Lord Regent, The City Watch have the full authority to execute anyone suspected of committing a crime on the spot.
Though regarded as one of the most impenetrable prisons in the realm, small breakouts have occurred at least half a dozen times over the 100 year history. The most recent being Arlongs escape in 540 CY.
The prison has also had a number of riots throughout its history. The last riot occurring in 550 CY and resulting in the death of Warden Mivandtrot along with dozens of guards who were killed attempting to suppress it. Mivandtrot was replaced soon thereafter with Warden Katrina the first woman to hold the position.
In 554 CY after the arrest of Hoblon The Bandit General. A coalition of criminals from across the heartlands met to plan on a way to break him out of the facility. This group primary composed of the notorious criminals Slackjaw, Rothgore, Ithicard, Ederstar, Ria, Regan, Lizzy Stride and included the respected gangs, crews and syndicates each of them ran in their own right. The combined forces of these seven criminals numbered at around 800 people.
The coalition caused havoc across Imperial City attempting to distract The Watch by causing wide scale destruction in every ward in an event known today as "The Rot Riots." Their plan succeeded and they managed to rescue The Bandit General along with inadvertently allowing the escape of 86 other prisoners.
List of known inmates[]
- Kedma †
- Paulie †
- Pazilo
- Griselda
- Grant Huckop
- Unnamed Dark Elf Spy
- Gw’ebot †
- Reegas
- Gestenscream †
- Jasper †
- Eando Kline
- Thadha
- Thornam
- O’thgra
- Moore
- Yennefer
- Triss Merigold