Hrads (Joran Castles)

Joran castles (known as Hrads in the Joran language), can refer to castles built in Joraje in any style, but can refer to the style of castle specific to the Jorans. Hrads (Hrad singular) were first built during the First Anarchy as both military fortifications and the residences of local lords, and have continued to be constructed into the modern day, serving not only as fortified homes, but also as centers of local administration. The word may less commonly refer to a manor-house or watchtower.

## Design and Common Features

Hrads often share several common features and traits in their varied designs. Hrads are almost always built in a square or rectangular shape, with a large, rectangular keep often making up one of the four walls. A large tower, called a Bergfried, stands disconnected from the keep, often either incorporated into, or sometimes entirely separated, from the surrounding walls, which is used not only to watch for approaching enemies, but also as a strong redoubt the defenders may retreat to, should the walls of the castle be breached. The separation of the keep from the largest tower is a defining feature of Hrads, which separate them from Vechtish, Amastrii, and Derlanyan castles.

Hrads are often built on hills or rocky outcrops, to prevent an enemy from bringing up siege engines to the walls, and often a dry moat may be dug in front of the gates to further frustrate attempts at besieging the castle, with a raiseable drawbridge to hamper attacking forces approaching the gate.

### Location

Hrads are often built on high hills and easily defendable areas, though they may be located in less defensive, yet more strategic locations, such as on an important road or river, or in a town, to control either the trade on that area or to control the urban population. Such Hrads are known as a Toll Hrad or an Urban Hrad respectively.

## History of Hrads

### Origins

The origins of Hrads date to the Second Century of the Joran Calendar, during the early and middle stages of the Anarchy. The accumulation of wealth and resources by the nobility, and the need for defense in the chaotic times, lead to the construction of the first Hrads. Influenced by the older Hillforts of the Jorans in use before and during the First Dynasty, as well as the early castles being raised by the Vechtese in Tanderland at the same time, these early Hrads were often small constructions of wood, often being just a single fortified house or tower, often inside a short palisade. These early Hrads, constructed between 150 and 170, were often built on the sites of older hillforts or atop high hills, where they could keep watch over a larger region, and where an enemy would have difficulty assaulting it.

### Introduction of Stone Hrads

Starting around 175, the first stone Hrads would begin to be raised, though they would not become common until about 200. These would be small keeps, often only one or two storeys, heavily influenced by Vechtese designs. The keeps, often rectangular, would have little ornamentation, and would be surrounded by a wooden palisade.

Even as the first keeps were being constructed, a new type of fortification was emerging, the Bergfried. An independent tower, these were often built alongside the wooden block house keeps, disconnected from the walls, and were made of thick stone. The high towers were unsuitable for long-term habitation, but were able to withstand long sieges, and could be used as strong redoubts if the Hrad’s palisade were ever breached.

These stone castles would be relatively rare until about 200, due to the associated cost differences between stone and wood. A wooden hrad would cost about 20 pounds of silver, whereas a small stone hrad could cost between 100 and 300 pounds of silver, with larger Hrads such as Hrad Ishtar costing up to or beyond 3,000 pounds. By about 300, a unique style of castle architecture, called Hrad after the castles which employed it, had emerged, characterized by long rectangular keeps, whitewashed walls, and the bergfried.

### Modern Day

Hrads would become increasingly common throughout Joraje as time progressed. Throughout the Second Dynasty, stone Hrads would become increasingly common, though wooden Hrads would still maintain their defensive significance, as evidenced by Hrad Wortishe, a wooden Hrad built during the Anarchy, which has been maintained and garrisoned until the modern day. The number of wooden and stone heads are thought to be equal.

## Modern Uses

Heads evolved from simple homes of the nobility and centers of local defense into centers of local and regional administration. A ritter or baron will often hold his court in his hrad, and his courtiers would see to the smooth running of his fief from it. Taxes would be collected from the Hrad, often by the lord’s knights and enforcers, and they would be kept there in a treasury until needed. Grain will also be tallied in the local hrad.

Despite the number of uses of Hrads in the modern day, they still maintain their original use as defensive strongpoints in case of a war or raid, and the homes of the nobiilty. Often Hrads are able to withstand many months of siege, and a single resisting hrad is often enough to halt the advance of an invading or rebelling force, so that the nobility may summon their retinues and push the attackers out (such as during the Derbeck Revolt, where the defenders of Hrad Orust were able to withstand a siege by the rebellious Derbeck forces, until they were relieved by the forces of the Duchy, and the Derbecks were defeated in the open field).

Hrads have maintained their significance throughout their existence, never dwindling in use.