Kaledonija

From MicrasWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search

Kaledonija is the administrative capital of Caledonia, an autonomous republic within Cerulea, which lies on the mouth of the River Albanmach. The river then flows out into Lake Caledonia. Much of the land in and around this area is very flat and low lying, used for rearing dairy cattle. Towards the south of Kaledonija, however, the land is higher than most areas in southern Caledonia, an example of this being the Braun Cairn Hill which is situated due south of Drooningfort, the citadel of prehistoric origins situated on the southside of the river. North of the river is found the quayside and breakwater of the Spar, the fishing village subsumed into Kaledonija during the period of Cerulean rule, which is the landing site for catches of the highly prized Caledonian Sturgeon. The prosperity of the settlement was severely impacted by piracy on Lake Caledonia.

Drooningfort

The Drooningfort, originally a prehistoric structure, was extensively cleared and rebuilt during the Normark-Cerulea war of 1727. Situated at the junction of Lake Caledonia and the outflow of the River Albanmach, the rebuilt fort's main axis laid upon a north to south line whilst its plan took the form of a symmetrical elongated hexagon, with a bastion at each angle. The perimeter of the fort was marked by a floodable outer ditch along the landward fronts complete with a covered place of arms and a sloping earthwork glacis. The distance from this ditch to the rampart was contrived to be broken up by wire obstacles, chevaux de frise, and stake pits, placed so as to greatly inconvenience any force tasked with storming the fort. The revetted earthen ramparts of the fort comprised of wide fighting platforms atop of a steep escarpment, access to which was provided by broad run-up ramps from within the fort orientated towards the cardinal directions. The fighting platforms between the bastions were dominated by excavated sconces and parapets built up with heaped earth and masonry rubble. The three northern bastions included mortar pits and covered firing positions with excellent coverage of the river and the bridge which divided the town. Within the ramparts were two parallel lines of trenches, following the course of the outer defensive works, in which the majority of the defenders would be expected to shelter whenever not called forward to the fighting platform. Communication trenches connected the inner lines of trenches to the bastions and the fighting platform.

The centre of the fort was dominated by a stone tower, the remnant of the previous historical structure, before which had been established a levelled parade ground of pounded earth fronted on three sides by administrative buildings and barracks accommodation.