Bleak End was a high-security prison established in the year 122 of the Common Calendar. By decree of the Council of Commonlight, it was administered by member states of the Common League. Its purpose was explicit and severe: to send the worst criminals as far from Commona as possible, both physically and symbolically. The prison stood isolated from population centers and trade routes, intended to sever its inmates from influence, allies, and memory alike.
The structure that became Bleak End was not originally built as a prison. It began as a guard garrison known as the "Aonefort", constructed shortly after Common Unification on Aone Island. The isle was the southernmost of the vast Brimstone Breath archipelago, and lay less than eighty miles from the Sound of Silveril. The Aonefort’s original charge was to watch for ships or other threats arriving from the western Elthysi Sovereign, a task considered vital after the Unholy Siege Of Fort Verdane.
Over more than a century, that vigilance was deemed unnecessary. No ships ever sailed from Elthys, and the Aonefort’s strategic value steadily declined. Rather than abandon the site, the Council of Commonlight repurposed it to serve multiple functions. The garrison was expanded and rebuilt, its walls thickened and its layout altered to support long-term confinement. Thus, the Aonefort became Bleak End, retaining its watchful role while taking on a far harsher mandate.
Carved into the seaward cliff of Breakbleak Rock to protect its residents from the harsh winds of the southern Shifting Blue, the prison formed a low, star-shaped complex dominated by a central tower. Four guard towers rose from the outer points of the structure, while sections of the prison backed directly into the island’s rock, creating interior chambers that felt more excavated than built. The main tower rose some 140 feet above the prison, which itself was 160 feet above a dock to the Shifting Blue. The dock was accessible by a crane elevator, operated via switch to allow oncoming boats which brought in supplies and staff.
The prison had been arranged as a panopticon, with individual cells surrounding a central surveillance hub that allowed guards to observe inmates without interruption. The central tower rose above this hub, serving both as an administrative center and as a lookout over the sea; the surrounding cliffs and treacherous waters served as the first and most enduring barrier to escape. A courtyard, exposed to the elements, provided limited space for prisoner movement, who were expected to assist with prison duties while under intense supervision.
Arcane locks sealed nearly every door, gate, and hatch, keyed to the wardens and guards and layered so that force or cleverness alone could not bypass them. Prisoner cells were further constrained by permanent suppressive fields that rendered Spellcraft inert within their bounds. Beyond security, magic was also used to keep the prison habitable, as key corridors, cells, and working spaces were held at a stable warmth through embedded enchantments. This prevented exposure or frostbite despite the surrounding environment, which often fell far below freezing for most of the year.
Bleak End housed those criminals deemed most dangerous, most defiant, or most politically inconvenient to be held elsewhere. These inmates were stripped of their names and only referred to by number. Inmates labored under guard or remained confined to their cells, while a greatly expanded garrison maintained constant patrols. Guards nearly doubled the population of prisoners, as they were tasked with containing inmates while also watching the eastern horizon.