Northern Blacklands
Woodsgate
The gateway to the blacklands, Woodsgate is the largest town in the area.
The Eorl of the Blacklands, Hamstrel Stourley lives in Woodsgate in
a fortified inn, the Stourley Arms. His retinue includes his personal advisor
Toleneous Stone, his son, and a number of chosen militia (including the
Longsor Devotee Matthew Oak )
After quests were completed in the names of the Seven Gods, Woodsgate
has been given Divine protection. The area bounded by the town wall is
inpenetrable to ALL undead. The protection this offers has caused a large
migration of people into the town
In the centre of town a shrine to the Seven Gods of light is maintained
by the Eorl.
Mercinaries and scouts are acommodated and trained in the militia barracks,
run by Forestor James Asheart.
The new Guild House stands outside the town wall, and contains limited
facilities and stocks of equipment for the other guilds.
Mercia Road
The only way in and out of the Blacklands, this road runs between Woodsgate
and Mercia.
A caravan travels to Woodsgate in the third week of each month, bringing
supplies and adventurers to the area. It returns to Mercia three days later.
The caravan is the only sensible way to travel to or from the area. Even
this has become more dangerous, with attacks by the Trisp becoming more
common every month.
It is extemely dangerous to leave the road, because as well as the
danger from foulspawn there are also invisible portals to the Lands Beyond
Dawn.
Briarton
This small village had managed to survive in the depth of the Blacklands
for many years thanks to a well organised guarding system. During 996 however
the village was finally evacuated due to increased raids by the Trisp and
the severe undead problem. A few people remained in the village, refusing
to leave their homes.
Briarton was retaken in 999
Dark Wood
Also known as the Lost Wood, this is the home of the Dark Elves. Due to
some form of magical protection, humans are unable to navigate within the
wood. Those who have entered have reported strange creatures and effects.
A group of adventurers were recently hired by the dark elves for a
mission within the Wood, but since their return none of them would speak
of their experiences.
Forbidden Wood
This is the forested area between the Seal and
Dark
Wood. Full of traps and undead it had not been entered for many years.
As part of the peace treaty with the Dark Elves, Eorl Stourley agreed to
clear the wood and allow it to be considered part of Dark Wood.
This clearance has been completed, and the land is now considered elven
territory.
Orc Village
A very large encampment near to the Seal, inhabited
by a large tribe of foulspawn, the Seven Clans. To enter uninvited is foolish
in the extreme, usually fatal.
The Seal
Also known as the Trading Post, this is a large lead coloured disk, laying
on the ground. The boundary runs through the centre
of it. Runes engraved into the surface say that the boundary can only be
removed by placing a number of pieces of a key on it. For many years this
has been used as a point of exchange between those "inside" and "outside"
the boundary, although those inside are seldom seen. When trading is not
scheduled undead appear to congregate at this point.
The Boundary
A magical boundary, visable only to those trained in the ways of soulfire.
It only allows living beings to pass through in one direction, although
undead appear to be able to pass both ways. Annajue Le Fan, a Vleyborian
priestess, voluntarily crossed the boundary in order to heal a wounded
comrade. Her friend Kassandra followed a few months later in a rescue attempt.
Neither have been seen since. Guildmaster physician Bran died within the
boundary and was pulled through and resurrected by the White Council. After
being expelled from the Guild of mages and attempting to kill the Witchfinder,
Martyn Jenkins fled through the boundary to avoid punishment. He can occasionally
be seen at the edge of the Boundary hurling abuse or spells at adventurers.
Longstorian Shrine
The local shrine to Longstor still stands, despite many attempts by heretics
to damage it. It is run and maintained by creatures of the Seven Clans,
and is known to have been defended by a leprechaun and a wolf man.
Vleyborian Shrine
Although this shrine is located by the roadside, often left unguarded,
it has never been damged or defaced. This is probably due to the respect
for the goddess built up by the White Council.
Dead Wood
A very dense wood separating the Northern and Eastern Blacklands. It gained
its name from the large number of undead that used to prevent passage.
A path was cleared through the wood in 994 by a group of adventurers, and
had been kept open by the Lord High Necromancer. Since his rejection of
the arts of necromancy the area has again become impassable, cutting off
the Eastern Blacklands from civilisation.
Mountains
The Mountains to the West of the Blacklands are unexplored and considered
impassable. It is rumoured that the old road that runs to them used to
lead to Sortho.
Eastern Blacklands
This area has been ruled by necromancers for longer than living memory.
When the area was rediscovered by an adventuring party six years ago, the
"Lord High Necromancer" of the time, Jocelyn Staffort, agreed to hand over
control of the lands to Eorl Stourley. In return for this he was made a
Baron, and given stewardship of the lands.
Manual labour in the Eastern lands has traditionally been performed
by "Silent Workers", allowing the living to persue a relaxed, leisurely
life.
Crime was virtually non-existant before the opening of the area, as
a combination of Truthtell / Strikedown made a very good deterrant.
The current situation there is unknown, as the route in via Dead Wood
was cut off by large numbers of undead.
Luckton
The southernmost village in the Blacklands, Luckton contains the remains
of an old Traldan church. A party visiting here, and trying to proceed
through the woods to the south, reported meeting a strange Traldan and
a powerful Sidhean/Crowan warrior.
East Fort
Ancestral home of the Necromancers who ruled the Eastern lands, the black
tower here can be seen from miles around.