Execution Pits

The Execution Pits, located in the stony center of Kartool City on Kartool Island, were the usual venues at which various punishments and executions were carried out by the Cult of D'rek - the 'Worm of Autumn' - in the time when the Cult was dominant over the entire island and all of its inhabitants.Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 2, US TPB p.27/29-33
==In Deadhouse Landing==
The Pits, themselves, were a variety of approximately cylindrical holes which had been carved into the stone. Some of these Execution Pits were small enough to hold only a single individual, standing up; while the rest were of increasingly larger sizes and bigger capacities. The largest Pit, by far, was the Civic Pit which was "a circular depression a good four chains across", surrounded by tall walls and "amphitheatre seating" made of stone. The executions were held on the periodic lunar feast days, and were extremely popular with the citizens of Kartool. The gathered crowd members would spend their time between executions at the Pits gossiping, cheering, laughing and betting amongst themselves, laying wagers on the length of time each of the condemned - "man, woman or child" - would be be able to "last".Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 2, US TPB p.28-29 The days on which the executions were "on", would begin with the punishment of "petty criminals, minor cult offenders and the like", and would then build until the final execution - ideally involving a major personage - which would be held in the Civic Pit in front of packed crowds.Deadhouse Landing, Chapter 14, US TPB p.272-273
==Notes and references==
Category:Kartool
Category:Structures