Château Montsombre was a black castle located in Gallica. It was ruled by Lord Deparnieux in The Icebound Land, but was later handed over to Philemon. Halt and Horace were temporarily held prisoner in the tower keep by Deparnieux.
Description[]
Château Montsombre was described as sitting on a plateau, which was in turn surrounded by a forest. On top of the plateau, surrounding the castle, was a grassy plain. A narrow, winding path lead to the castle, allowing for reasonable access from friendly forces, but preventing invaders from approaching in large numbers. Lining the road were a number of iron cages, which contained the remains of Deparnieux's past prisoners. Near the top, the road was blocked by a heavy iron gate. Next to it was a post with a large brass bell, meant to be used by arrivals to alert the castle's occupants of their presence.
The castle itself was squat and powerful, with thick walls and heavy towers at each of the four corners. It was a dark, brooding, and forbidding structure, built only for war. It's name means "Dark Mountain" in Gallican.
The central tower of Château Montsombre was essentially a holding cell for prisoners, for although it was large and well furnished, there was no doorknob. It also had a spacious dining room where Deparnieux normally ate alone, sometimes accompanied by prisoners.
However, Halt left a burning torch and oily rags in the keep, setting fire to the castle. Horace noted that the walls wouldn't burn, but Halt replied that the floors and their support beams would. The ceilings and stairways would burn and collapse as well, and the heat would damage the walls, some of which would collapse, effectively destroying the castle.