Carcassonne

**Carcassonne** — First seen in Touch the Dark #1

## Introduction

**Carcassonne** is a castle with reputation filled with centuries of torture and horror in 17th Century France. It was the leading castle in the medieval witch hunts.

Cassandra Palmer goes to Carcassonne in repeated visions in 1661. This is where Cassie finds Françoise as part of Louis-Cesare's history.

## About

### Common Name

* Gate of Hell: called so by the common folk

### Powers, Magic, Spells

* Something has been done to it, some spell laid, making it impossible for the Ghosts to interfere.

### Character / Nature

* France's most infamous house of horrors.

### Uses

* Used for torture for centuries.
* The leading castle in the medieval witch hunts.
* King Louis used it as a place of incarceration for any who disagreed with. him

### Known Inhabitants

* Radu
* Francoise
* Louis-Cesare
* Pierre
* Etienne
* Horde of Ghosts

### Physical Description

* The corridors were icy cold from miasma of spirits crowded into it.
* Hulking outline of the castle, with its conical roofs making ominous black shadows against the dark sky.

### Escape Route

* There's an underground passage from the foot of one of the towers to the river Aude has long been used to escape in times of trouble.

### Other Details

* The ghosts, Pierre as spokesman, say they have could not have stood by letting such atrocities happen for centuries if they could have stopped it—but some spell stops them.
* The torturers and the troops supporting them were all found dead one morning in 1661, causing the greatest fortress of the Middle Ages to be abandoned.
* It fell into ruins and wasn't restored for two hundred years.

## Town of Carcassonne Outside Castle

The city that surrounded the castle was very creepy at night, with the rows of houses leaning so far over the road in places that neighbors on opposite sides of the street could have shaken hands.

## Other Associated Characters, Groups, Places, etc.

* Tomas
* Cassandra Palmer
* Mircea Basarab
* Rasputin
* Myra
* Dark Mages
* Black Circle

## Events in the Series

*This section may have **spoilers**. Think of the book title as a "Spoiler Warning" if you haven’t read it yet*.

### 1. Touch the Dark

Cassie has two visions taking her there. In the first she witnesses Francoise burned to death through Louis-Cesare's eyes.  Cassie returns again this time in spirit form with Tomas. Together the get Francoise out of the castle directed by the ghosts Etienne and Pierre.

Cassie takes Mrcea back on a mission to Louis-Cesare from Rasputin and Radu from his cell. Cassie and Mircea inhabit the living bodies of Louis and his bed-mistress. They deduce that Rasputin is more likely to go after Radu that Louis to prevent Louis from becoming a vampire. Mircea then races to Radu's cell and Cassie goes to recruit a ghost army and heads to Radu's cell. She finds Louis/Mircea bitten and bleeding in three places and needs to recover before they can move Radu.

Myra appears with Rasputin in Time Traveling spirit form and with Black Circle mages at Radu's cell, her shadowy dagger in hand. She is told to kill Radu. Cassie steps in front, but Myra walks though her. Cassie's Dagger Bracelet sent two daggers that put holes in Myra—they hurt, but no blood. Cassie's ghost army attacks Rasputin's group while her daggers attack the Dark Mages and her ward get one and protects her from a fire spell. When Cassie tries to console Myra, the girl fiercely aims her dagger at Cassie's heart. Agnes freezes the scene. Agnes says the power must not go to Myra, she's either evil or incompetent. Cassie does not want the Power or the job. Agnes says she may just be the best of the Pythia's yet and admires her ability despite not having any training.

## Book References

1. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
2. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
3. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
4. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
5. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
6. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
7. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
8. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
9. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
10. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
11. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14
12. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
13. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 4
14. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 7
15. ↑ *Touch the Dark*, ch. 14

## External Links

* Carcassonne - Wikipedia
* Carcassonne's History
* Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
* Things to See in the Languedoc: Historic Cities: Cité of Carcassonne & Bastide of Carcassonne
* Carcassonne | Office de tourisme de Carcassonne
* Photography of Virtual tour of the medieval fortified French town of Carcassonne - photoJPL.com .::
* Carcassonne - castle in France
* Carcassonne, my old friend | EJLienonleaveAude (river) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
* Château Comtal de Carcassonne - Well Preserved Medieval Cathar Castle in France
* ‎www.castles.org/castles/Europe/Western\_Europe/France/Carcassonne-Provence/
* ▶ CARCASSONNE - YouTube
* ▶ Carcassonne Medieval Castle France | Travel Video - YouTube
* ▶ Carcassonne, France day 2 walking tour - YouTube
* carcassonne castle - Google Images