Aegisage

Aegisage, or the "Righteous and Holy Prison Protectorate of Aegisage", is a prison created by the Inquisition of the Divine Church to hold the most dangerous heretics and apostate mages believed to still have some use alive, whether as bargaining chips with their comrades or simply to exploit their knowledge and skills.

The guards of the Aegisage are selected from the most fanatical of the Inquistion, and the prison is considered the home and main headquarters of the Inquisition's Order of Venator.

## Overview

The prison is largely underground, and underwater, on an undisclosed island far in the oceans. Even those who work as guards are unaware of it's location, as they are blindfolded at the start and end of their shift, which lasts a year. The Aegisage is designed to hold the very worst and most dangerous magical prisoners, particularly those who may be able to cheat a death penalty- through methods such as body-cloning or a phylactery.

The upper levels of the prison are the "nicest", having small holes less than a few inches wide to peer out of and see the icy cold waters that surround it. The prisoners in these cells are frequently found frozen to death in the winter months, which many would consider a merciful end.

More dangerous prisoners are held deep underground, where the temperature is so hot the guard's armor has to be enchanted to prevent it's weight from roasting them alive.

## Life of a prisoner

A prisoner is stripped bare and bound at the neck, wrists, and ankles, and has their head covered with a hood for the first part of their journey, to keep the location of the prison a secret. Once they arrive within the Aegisage itself, the hood is removed and their hair is removed so that they can be checked for magical sigils or other spells that have been placed upon their bodies. They are branded with the sigil of the prison over their navel, enchanted to prevent spellcasting within the walls. To further degrade the prisoners, sometimes patches of hair will be burned off down to the folicle, leaving them with at best patchy regrowth.

Should a mark be found that is believed to be enchanted in some way, the skin where it is located will be instantly flayed off, and then disposed of- frequently fed to a guard animal of some sort as a show of force.

If the prisoner is considered dangerous enough, their tongue may be removed and/or the tendons in their wrists and ankles cut, leaving them unable to walk, run, or speak, stopping mages from casting spells even if they manage to get out of the prison's powerful anti-magic and counterspell wards.

The prisoner is once again hooded and escorted deep underground along the old lift, until they reach their level of confinement.

### After Confinement

Prisoners will spend their life in the cells, fed slop once a week to keep them weak and docile, and given drinks only rarely. The inhumane conditions lead to many to give up on life. Those who are belligerent or are believed to have information are often brutally tortured, as well, until they become docile. Each cell is solitary and spaced so that the prisoner is unable to make physical contact with any other prisoners, and in lower levels unable to see them either, to promote a sense of isolation.

It is not uncommon for lower-level prisoners to starve to death, either because they forget to eat or the guards forget to feed them for too long.

### Release

Occasionally, after an incredibly long sentence, convicts sentenced to rehablitation are released. These sentences start at a minimum of a century, meaning death for most species through old age regardless. Most of those released are too damaged following their time to provide for themselves in a meaningful way, and typically become homeless and shunned for the remainder of their lives.

Some may end up becoming part of the Order of Venator's personal Argue Obsecra, should they prove their urge to repent is honest, or should they strike a bargain to prove their powers or knowledge are too useful to keep locked away.