"Take me where there is proper wine and moonlight, and hear me call that place home."
-Mrs. Tetherbank
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While the vast majority of this Campaign is set within the volatile political climate of the city of Blackvine, other locations of note in the surrounding region merit particular attention, and are detailed below.
GUTLEY
The small and meandering town of Gutley lies in the vast shadow of Blackvine, and is about as non-descript and unassuming a place as could be imagined. This is the ho-hum, dead-end small town that every native resident dreams of leaving, but ends up being buried in after succumbing to the boring, repetitious life that so many are doomed to live out. The people of Gutley are, as a whole, an unremarkable bunch, and the only structure of note in town is the infamous Trenchmaw Dungeon, where criminals and vagrants of all stripe find themselves suffocated by the slow march of time under the dagger-thin heel of the cruel and sadistic Warden Zileece.
Recently, Gutley has received some actual attention, as one of the town’s natives, one Pollinor Hustbarver has caught the interest of one of the Blackvine Twins, and is engaged to be married. Indeed, a commoner plucked from one of the most obscure towns in the region has become the stuff of romantic legend, and lends some hope to the exceedingly mundane residents of this exceedingly mundane town.
FORNHOLLOW
The tragic tale of Fornhollow is etched in puss and death. Ten years ago, this once-bustling center of agricultural splendor was ravaged by a virulent Plague that decimated the populace and consumed the farmland in wretched rot. Strangely, the gruesome pestilence that devoured Fornhollow was known as The Blightmare Fever, named as such for the Plague’s rapid path of destruction, followed by its mysterious passing, as if one were waking suddenly from a nightmare.
For exactly 33 days, the plague ripped through the town unchecked before vanishing into the pages of horrific legend. As it stands now, Fornhollow has been abandoned and is considered a cursed and haunted place, and those who remember the calamitous outbreak beg whatever God will listen that the Blightmare Fever never returns again.
Those afflicted broke out in unsightly tumors and soon wept ashen and bloody tears. Fever would rapidly lead to blindness, insanity, and then, mercifully, death. If there is one fortunate aspect of the tragic tale of Fornhollow, it is that the Plague never spread beyond the town walls. Even now, the place lies largely abandoned, with only the truly desperate or completely insane making the graveyard-place their home. Even a decade later, the soil is still worthless and grows only vermin, and no living thing finds comfort there, not even birds in the hazy, acrid sky.
Survivors of Fornhollow are rare, and many choose not to divulge it as their home town, and for good reason. Those who were born on Fornhollow soil are said to be bad luck and looked upon with great suspicion, as if their very existence might spark a fresh outbreak of Plague.
THE SHATTERED FOREST
Densely wooded and crawling with bandits and other, more exotic dangers, The Shattered Forest is aptly named and even less welcoming than the title might imply. Acres upon acres of black-wooded trees and hungry plant-life call the Forest home, and an unskilled wanderer could easily find themselves lost in the endless maze of gloomy dirt trails. A particularly ravenous band of eccentric Goblins called The Green Fiend Crew call the Shattered Forest their home, and they are responsible for a great deal of mischief that occurs there. Their leader is the notorious brigand known as Big Boss Skivel, who delights in preying upon the weak and unprepared unfortunate enough to wander onto his gang’s turf.
A rowdy tavern called The Flayed Fae lies at the heart of The Shattered Forest, and acts as some form of neutral ground to the nefarious denizens who frequent the grim area. No one knows exactly how the Dwarven proprietor and Barkeep Grovodor Kegplug managed to pull it off, but violence is strictly forbidden within the sacred walls of his establishment. This code is strictly enforced by the cutthroats and bandits in the area, and woe be to those who dare shed blood in this place of sanctuary. As a legendary and retired thief and appraiser, Kegplug has amassed great respect from his shady peers, and his name and reputation carry a great deal of weight.
Deep in the bowels of The Shattered Forest there is a cold and rushing creek that winds around a simple and small cabin where two simple headstones are plunked into the moist earth. Within said cabin lives a solitary old Hermit who’s best left undisturbed...
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THE CITY OF BLACKVINE
Without question, Blackvine is the largest city in the region, with a population that is cosmopolitan and diverse. However, after decades of shrewd and calculating rule by Lord Asterlind Blackvine, his sudden death has led to the reins of power being yanked in a brutal tug-of-war between twin sons Yural and Tannard, who each seek to undercut the other’s influence and capture rule of the city singularly. With their father never choosing an heir before his untimely death, the city slides into instability as the Twins struggle for dominance as the gleaming city their Father spent his life building decays around them.
History
The famed city of Blackvine is rumored to have been infused with the mystical power of the Fae eons before time was recorded. It is said that the very soil itself is infused with the remnants of this potent mystical Faery power, and that the very first family to settle the area made some kind of complex pact with the potent Fae who owned the land. It is often explained that this magical soil is what is responsible for what makes Blackvine Port such a potent and desirable Wine.
The city was founded by Lanton Blackvine one hundred years ago, and his descendants have gripped the reins of power ever since. It is said that Lanton tricked the Fae into revealing the secrets of how to brew their delectable Wine, and his family has kept the satisfying secret all this time. Naturally, few believe this Fairy Tale origin, but one sip of the stuff is enough to at least put a hint of credence to the claim.
Economy
Lord Asterlind Blackvine was one of the most talented Vintners to ever attempt the craft, and a famed bottle of Blackvine’s finest sells for a high price wherever it is sold. In fact, the world-class wine that Lord Blackvine has mastered is so formidable that it appeals to the diverse pallets of both haughty Elf and gruff Dwarf alike. As you might imagine, the exporting of this fine brew has made the city of Blackvine exceedingly wealthy over the years.
However, both of Asterlind Blackvine’s sons lack the knowledge or the passion that their father exemplified in his winemaking, and as such, more recent batches of the House’s prized export are gradually slipping in quality. Mix this with the rapidly dwindling fortune that the Blackvine twins are spending trying to destroy each other, and you have a recipe for oncoming economic cataclysm.
Law
The head of the Blackvine City Watch is the grumpy old Dwarf Rugvard, who also has the unenviable task of acting as peace-keeper between the bickering Twins Yural and Tannard Blackvine. As trusted Bodyguard for Asterlind Blackvine for the last three decades of his life, the Dwarf is inscrutably loyal to the House that he serves, but recently, his attentions have become focused primarily towards keeping the peace between the Blackvine Twins rather than tending to his duties as City Watch Captain.
As a result, corruption has set in, and lax law enforcement has caused the streets of Blackvine to become far more...interesting than they once were. Blackvine City Watch Guards are often times more than willing to overlook this or that offense in exchange for a handy bribe—I mean, fine. However, even with the rather...malleable state of law enforcement in the City proper, a clever criminal takes great pains to ply their trade undetected.
Climate
Famous for its eerie, sometimes all-encompassing fog, Blackvine city is almost always glazed over with a blanket of ghostly white mist that gives the city a mysterious, romantic atmosphere.
One of the most famous features of Blackvine is the dotting of strange little glowing ember-colored wisps that shed ghostly illumination onto the cobblestone streets. Some claim that this is perfectly natural phenomena and use some long-winded science to explain it, but those of a more whimsical stripe claim that the souls of ancient Fae still haunt the winding streets of Blackvine.
Culture
As its most famous export, Wine plays a significant part of the cultural identity of the people of Blackvine, and they take some pride in that fame. From without, many might mistake anyone from Blackvine as a haughty elitist with a tendency towards elaborate scheming and double-talk. While, naturally, this snap judgement is patently false, with the people of Blackvine City coming in all diverse personality and stripe, the stereotype exists regardless that all citizens of Blackvine are methodical schemers with a taste for both wine and power.
Holidays
The most celebrated day of the year is known as Vintner’s Deal, which celebrates the legendary day that Lanton Blackvine was granted (some say stole) the secrets of brewing Blackvine Port from the Fae who he is so closely associated.
On Vintner’s Deal, wine flows like a river and celebratory souls wear brightly color Fae wings in reverent celebration. As you might expect, it is inevitable that debauchery abounds on this most celebrated day.
The Strangled Tower
When one thinks of Blackvine, one most certainly thinks of the legendary Strangled Tower. This imposing, majestic obelisk Clocktower stands proudly in the center of the city and is streaked in thick, entwining black and thorned vines that possessively wrap around it.
The Four Wards
The City of Blackvine is split into four distinct Wards, each with their own distinct flavor and architecture. The Wards of Blackvine are like little nation-states unto themselves, and Ward Pride is a very real thing. While this very rarely ends up in fisticuffs, the Wards have a friendly rivalry, and if you were born in a particular Ward, it often has a very distinct effect on your personality and how others perceive you.
Iron Terrace: This hard-working ward is comprised mainly of artisans and laborers. The salt of the earth sorts that build and produce and toil. Of all the Wards, those from Iron Terrace seem to have the most pride in their Ward, as they have a very valid claim that it was their industrious ancestors that build Blackvine to the architectural marvel that it is today.
As you might expect, sturdy, finely built structures dot the landscape of Iron Terrace, and the people here are often times blunt and without affect. Those from this Ward see little point in flowery words and despise deceit. As one might expect, there is a notable Dwarven population in Iron terrace. Easily the largest Ward, Iron Terrace houses numerous forges and is the industrial heart of Blackvine.
Riverly: As its posh name might indicate, the Ward of Riverly and its inhabitants are the polar opposite of the straight forward, plain common-folk of Iron Terrace. Those who can afford to dwell in this elegant domain are afforded all the comforts that wealth and privilege offer. It is in the Ward of Riverly where the legendary Blackvine Manor are located, and this most affluent Ward is where the nobles ply their meticulous schemes and do all they can to advance upwards through the Halls of Power.
As one might expect, recent events have turned Riverly into a hotbed of political intrigue due to the overt power struggle between Brothers Yural and Tannard. Underneath the majestic allure of grand ballrooms and expensive carriages drawn by fabulous horses, a powder keg of secrets and backstabbing is about to erupt in this picturesque place.
Stridmont Hill: This colorful Ward is home to all manner of eccentrics and artists, and is rumored to have been built upon an enchanted Fae Glade that infuses the area with creativity and glamour. While these claims are more than a bit hyperbolic, none can doubt that the Ward has a tendency to attract those of highly...unconventional mindset.
Poets, artists and writers seem to flock to this Ward to soak up the Fae inspiration they claim permeates the land itself, and the Ward is famous for its highly stylized (some would say obscene) statues that dominate the architectural landscape.
Knotsworth: By far the youngest (and most troubled) Ward in all of Blackvine, Knotsworth has had a bleak history ever since its founding. As a whole, the Ward isn’t even fully constructed, as Lord Blackvine’s death interrupted any and all construction on the Ward as a whole, and the Blackvine Twins have shown little interest in seeing the construction reach its completion. Besides, they have far more pressing use for the veritable fortune it would cost to complete.
As a result of its abandonment in mid-construction, Knotsworth is lined with incomplete structures and partially built homes. It became a natural magnet for vagrants and those wishing to escape notice, and as such, it has become the most dangerous Ward in Blackvine, with scant guard patrols and frequent crime.
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