Do traditional castles make sense as defensive structures in a fantasy world of dragons and spells?
Our images of fantasy worlds are rife with castles, but the more I think about, the less they seem like impenetrable fortresses in a world with dragons, gryphon-riders, and spells. Traditional castles, and walled cities, were designed to protect from armed men on foot, horse and chariot trying to enter in a horizontal direction. They were also meant to give the defenders higher ground from which to attack at range with arrows and boiling oil and such, from behind arrow slits and crenellations which protected them from return fire. Castles are well equiped for those purposes. But to paraphrase Wrath of Khan: this pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking.
Rather than lateral attack from swords, arrows, ballistae and battering rams, fantasy defenders need to worry about aerial bombardment. In a world of dragons, flying demons, gryphon-riders, and sorcerors slinging spells, it strikes me that a traditional castle would serve the defenders poorly. A simple Magic missile spell strikes your target without fail, if the wizard can see the archer peer out the arrow slit, then bam, he can strike unerringly and wear him down. Dragons breathing fire from above could take out troops on ramparts, set fire to wooden roofs, land in courtyards and munch with impunity. Winged cavalry would have superior position above the castle defenders, and could drop missles, flaming bags of pitch, blast fireballs and lightning strikes down over the walls and gates.
In fact, I recently saw Prince Caspian, which had the most beautiful and creative use of gryphons I have ever seen. Their stealth gryphons dropped advance scouts and strike troops onto the castle walls and tower tops in the dead of night--allowing them to sneak into the castle to lower gates, sabotage castle defenses, even give them the opportunity to assassinate leaders without any notice or alarm sounding.
All this makes me think that a practical, realistic fortification in a typical fantasy world would have to look very different than a medieval castle. I have no idea what shapes and designs would actually work and prevail in such a world, they would certainly be time tested and function better than what I can come up with my imagination. But here are some thoughts to consider:
1. The Dwarves got it right! Underground delves and citadels hewn deep into mountain rock would provide ample protection from aerial assault.
2. Think London during the Blitz. Air-raid shelters, bunkers, underground tunnels and chambers you could hole-up in with a few feet of rock or concrete between you and the explosions above.
3. What about advance warning systems? Like the air-raid sirens announcing tornadoes and missile attacks? Watchful troops stationed on nearby mountain tops with bonfires (a la Lord of the Rings), might give you a few minutes notice to prepare for that dragon swooping in. But you might want some divination spells set up around the perimeter, at different distances, especially magic mouths, glyphs of warding and such. Heck, I think simple nervous, squawky birds in cages set around the ramparts would be good warning, ones with keen eyesight, the typical prey of hawks and other raptors, ones that will freak out when they spy a dragon in the distance. These, or something like them, would be mandatory I think.
4. No wooden roofs. You want slate, or maybe iron-jacketted beams with steel and stone lintels and supports. Non-flammable materials.
5. No exposed rampararts, no flat tower tops. Those picturesque crenellations would be useless and thus would not be seen in a fantasy world. All towers and walls would have roofs to protect the soldiers; probably angled roofs to deflect missiles and shed acids and liquids over the side. Towers might still have those iconic, conical roofs. With generous eaves. But domes would probably work even better. Onion domes might be better still, as they would make it difficult for a flying critter to find purchase, and the lateral bulge, so good for shedding snow during the winter would serve equally well to divert fire, noxious liquids, missiles and other dangers from falling down the wall into the windows below.
6. You want windows you can shutter in a hurry, probably steel shutters, to protect against dragon flame and hurtling fireballs. Magical protection highly recommended, including anti-magic shells, magically durable glass, large-radius circles of protection, etc. I hear gorgon's blood mixed with paint prevents teleportation.
7. Not sure the traditional walls and courtyard setup of a castle would work all that well. Perhaps something like the Colliseum with a stone dome on top, or something like modern superdome-style stadiums (stadia?) would provide more comprehensive protection to those within. Pyramids, ziggurats, maybe even giant bee-hive shapes strike me as much better suited to aerial defense. Gaudi once designed some paraboloid skyscrapers; those shapes might provide impressive integrity and defensibility. Perhaps even the Sydney Opera House might serve as a model for effective fortification design in a fantasy setting.
8. Extra-dimensional spaces, gates and portals are a major consideration. Troops storm in to find an empty castle? Ah, they forgot to look in the 4th floor linen closet which hides a door to Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion where the king's court retreated! But it's not merely a consideration for defense, but for offense too. Imagine a trojan horse, clown car, treasure chest or cooking pot with 40,000 troops streaming out. Or the ambassador's pocket has a portable hole sewn in it containing swarms of stirges, battle sprites or a giant killer ooze.
I haven't even gone through the list of D&D spells that might have implications for use in sieges and defensive architecture. I don't even know where to begin with "wish" and "miracle".
What do you think? How would D&D style magic and mystical beasts realistically affect the predominant architecture of a fantasy world?
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/bluprint.jpg http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/hotel_render.jpg http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/hotel.jpg
Our images of fantasy worlds are rife with castles, but the more I think about, the less they seem like impenetrable fortresses in a world with dragons, gryphon-riders, and spells. Traditional castles, and walled cities, were designed to protect from armed men on foot, horse and chariot trying to enter in a horizontal direction. They were also meant to give the defenders higher ground from which to attack at range with arrows and boiling oil and such, from behind arrow slits and crenellations which protected them from return fire. Castles are well equiped for those purposes. But to paraphrase Wrath of Khan: this pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking.
Rather than lateral attack from swords, arrows, ballistae and battering rams, fantasy defenders need to worry about aerial bombardment. In a world of dragons, flying demons, gryphon-riders, and sorcerors slinging spells, it strikes me that a traditional castle would serve the defenders poorly. A simple Magic missile spell strikes your target without fail, if the wizard can see the archer peer out the arrow slit, then bam, he can strike unerringly and wear him down. Dragons breathing fire from above could take out troops on ramparts, set fire to wooden roofs, land in courtyards and munch with impunity. Winged cavalry would have superior position above the castle defenders, and could drop missles, flaming bags of pitch, blast fireballs and lightning strikes down over the walls and gates.
In fact, I recently saw Prince Caspian, which had the most beautiful and creative use of gryphons I have ever seen. Their stealth gryphons dropped advance scouts and strike troops onto the castle walls and tower tops in the dead of night--allowing them to sneak into the castle to lower gates, sabotage castle defenses, even give them the opportunity to assassinate leaders without any notice or alarm sounding.
All this makes me think that a practical, realistic fortification in a typical fantasy world would have to look very different than a medieval castle. I have no idea what shapes and designs would actually work and prevail in such a world, they would certainly be time tested and function better than what I can come up with my imagination. But here are some thoughts to consider:
1. The Dwarves got it right! Underground delves and citadels hewn deep into mountain rock would provide ample protection from aerial assault.
2. Think London during the Blitz. Air-raid shelters, bunkers, underground tunnels and chambers you could hole-up in with a few feet of rock or concrete between you and the explosions above.
3. What about advance warning systems? Like the air-raid sirens announcing tornadoes and missile attacks? Watchful troops stationed on nearby mountain tops with bonfires (a la Lord of the Rings), might give you a few minutes notice to prepare for that dragon swooping in. But you might want some divination spells set up around the perimeter, at different distances, especially magic mouths, glyphs of warding and such. Heck, I think simple nervous, squawky birds in cages set around the ramparts would be good warning, ones with keen eyesight, the typical prey of hawks and other raptors, ones that will freak out when they spy a dragon in the distance. These, or something like them, would be mandatory I think.
4. No wooden roofs. You want slate, or maybe iron-jacketted beams with steel and stone lintels and supports. Non-flammable materials.
5. No exposed rampararts, no flat tower tops. Those picturesque crenellations would be useless and thus would not be seen in a fantasy world. All towers and walls would have roofs to protect the soldiers; probably angled roofs to deflect missiles and shed acids and liquids over the side. Towers might still have those iconic, conical roofs. With generous eaves. But domes would probably work even better. Onion domes might be better still, as they would make it difficult for a flying critter to find purchase, and the lateral bulge, so good for shedding snow during the winter would serve equally well to divert fire, noxious liquids, missiles and other dangers from falling down the wall into the windows below.
6. You want windows you can shutter in a hurry, probably steel shutters, to protect against dragon flame and hurtling fireballs. Magical protection highly recommended, including anti-magic shells, magically durable glass, large-radius circles of protection, etc. I hear gorgon's blood mixed with paint prevents teleportation.
7. Not sure the traditional walls and courtyard setup of a castle would work all that well. Perhaps something like the Colliseum with a stone dome on top, or something like modern superdome-style stadiums (stadia?) would provide more comprehensive protection to those within. Pyramids, ziggurats, maybe even giant bee-hive shapes strike me as much better suited to aerial defense. Gaudi once designed some paraboloid skyscrapers; those shapes might provide impressive integrity and defensibility. Perhaps even the Sydney Opera House might serve as a model for effective fortification design in a fantasy setting.
8. Extra-dimensional spaces, gates and portals are a major consideration. Troops storm in to find an empty castle? Ah, they forgot to look in the 4th floor linen closet which hides a door to Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion where the king's court retreated! But it's not merely a consideration for defense, but for offense too. Imagine a trojan horse, clown car, treasure chest or cooking pot with 40,000 troops streaming out. Or the ambassador's pocket has a portable hole sewn in it containing swarms of stirges, battle sprites or a giant killer ooze.
I haven't even gone through the list of D&D spells that might have implications for use in sieges and defensive architecture. I don't even know where to begin with "wish" and "miracle".
What do you think? How would D&D style magic and mystical beasts realistically affect the predominant architecture of a fantasy world?
http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/bluprint.jpg http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/hotel_render.jpg http://www.gc.cuny.edu/images/hotel.jpg
