Caraint Cathedral

Caraint Cathedral, formally known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew and Saint Paul in the City of Caraint, is a large church located in the city of Caraint, in the south-east of of Alonia.

Caraint was originally the ecclesiastical capital of the Kingdom, and was the original home of the tomb of Saint Reginius for over three hundred years, before much of the Cathedral was completely destroyed in an earthquake in 1041, save the crypt.

Caraint Cathedral is noted for being the first major Cathedral built in the Kingdom, with most of the building being finished by 1152.

Due to its history and prominent location beside the sea, the Cathedral also serves as the Regimental Chapel of the Imperial Navy, which is headquartered in this City, and also has chapels dedicated to the Armed forces and the Imperial Legion.

History
Most of the framework for the current structure dates from between 1056 and 1150, with the Chancel, the towers and the fléche over the central crossing all dating from this time. In 1376, the Bishop of Caraint ordered a full renovation of the Cathedral, which installed much of the Gothic detailing, and introduced stone ceilings to a region where many buildings used wood. It also installed two spires onto the towers, which were originally capped with pyramid-shaped roofs.

Battle of Caraint and Rebuilding
In June 1482, during the Battle of Polaume, which saw the majority of the Imperial Fleet leave the city, Caraint was attacked by several pirate ships from Isteria, who took advantage of the Navy's absence and sought to pillage the town, disguised as Navy vessels.

At first their attack worked, and they quickly sprung out of their ships and into the city, carrying torches with them to cause as much destruction as possible. They laid siege to the Cathedral, and burned the North-West tower, felling the bells and causing the 98 year-old spire to collapse to the north, also damaging the nearby tower of St. Martin's Church.

Their plan backfired, however, as the battle ended halfway during their plan, a decisive Alonian victory. They were apprehended, and it was found through investigations that some of the men were very wealthy merchants. With this revelation, half of the men were executed at Caraint Castle, and the survivors were forced to pay for the damages.

It was through this money that the Cathedral received its latest restoration, which gave it a Perpendicular Gothic appearance. The North-West tower was rebuilt in the original style except for the spire, which was made taller as a memorial to all who fought and died defending the City during the battle.