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Blackpoint

General Info

  • Government : Feudal Monarchy
  • Population : 30,000
  • Region : South March Province
  • Ethics:
    • Imperial
    • Aristocratic

Society

Government

The city of Blackpoint is divided into about two dozen interlocking walled enclaves. The central enclave is controlled directly by the Dohlaran Crown, while the rest of the city is ruled jointly by the members of the Privy Council.

The Council's authority within the city is not absolute however. With centuries of tradition and shifting balance of power between the Crown and the nobility, navigating the intricacies of the complex power sharing structure is a delicate and often dangerous task. Many attempted reforms by the Council and the Crown have been stymied by the convenient discovery of a superceding, long lost document granting the aggrieved parties precisely the necessary rights to quash the reforms.

The city itself is surrounded by several large fiefdoms controlled by the oldest Dohlaran noble houses. Although not legally considered part of the city proper, especially by those inside the walled enclaves, they nevertheless form an integral part of the society and wellbeing of Blackpoint.

Notable Locations

  • Rock of Cashel :

    A heavily fortified castle from the late First Age, the Rock of Cashel is now the royal palace for the Dohlaran Crown.

    The Rock of Cashel has served as the traditional seat of Dohlaran Kings prior to the Imperial Period. The fortress sits at the center of the Royal Enclave, and was the first fortified section of the city according to the accepted history. The Rock has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, the home of the Royal Mint and it’s successor the Imperial Mint, and the permanent home of the Crown Jewels, before once again serving as the seat of the Crown itself.

  • Draseotheoa :

    A First Age temple dedicated to long forgotten gods, the Draseotheoa was appropriated by the early followers of the Cult of Five. Many of the old idols and statues are still present, thanks in large part to the strong deference given to First Age relics by the population.

    The Draseotheoa is the holiest site in Blackpoint. A massive First Age temple, the Draseotheoa boasts a massive central nave flanked by two rows of intricately carved columns. The stained glass windows that line the Aisles depict imagery of the Old Pantheon's miracles, though the accompanying lore has largely been lost to the ages. Two transepts flank the central altar, in which the idols and statues of the ancient gods are kept as a reminder of what once was. An octagonal chapterhouse abuts the choir, in which sits a colossal statue of a dragon.

    The statue of the Dragon God is a massive marble statue and one of the cultural treasures of Blackpoint. During the First Age, the Draseotheoa was constructed to honor the old pantheon, but as the city's patron god, the Dragon God was given a dedicated room in the temple.

  • Cloughoughter Cathedral :

    While the Draseotheoa is the holiest site in Blackpoint, it is Cloughoughter Cathedral that serves as the seat of the Primacy in Blackpoint. The Cathedral is not generally open to the public, though special ceremonies are held throughout the year for the nobility.

  • Caherminnaun Dun :

    The home fortress of the Dusk Templars. The fortress is known to hold nearly 800 Templars at any given time, ready to supress any threats against the Dohlaran Crown.

  • Kilmainham Gaol :

    An ancient fortress and one of the oldest structures in Blackpoint, the Kilmainham Gaol has been used as a state prison by the Dohlaran Crown since before the Great Sack. The fortress currently holds a wide range of prisoners, from petty thieves to nobles who have offended the Crown in some manner.

  • Gondarus Oratory :

    Located on the estates of the Broderyck Estates, this ancient church dates back to the founding of Blackpoint. Originally a farmer's church, the building resembles an overtuned boat. According to the common folklore, the building was dedicated to a powerful fey who helped the early inhabitants of the city survive through a famine.

  • Blarney House :

    Largest City Watch precinct within the Inner Enclaves. Typically handles the investigation of minor crimes, as the Inner Enclaves are primarily patrolled and policed by the Nobles' private forces.

  • Leighilnbridge :

    A secondary Dusk Templar fortification within the Inner Enclaves. This fortress has a reputation for handling would-be rebellions among the more foolish nobility swiftly and brutally.

  • Stewyrt's Castle :

    A fortification built by Lord Stewyrt, Chancellor and Regent prior to the Restoration within his estate. It is generally accepted that the purpose of the fortress was to provide another powerbase to maintain control over the nobles.

  • Finn Barre's Cathedral :

    The last cathedral constructed before the Great Sack. The cathedral replaced an older temple that had burned down.

  • Mél of Ardagh :

    This temple was named after a figure from the city's early history, remember for shunning their noble birthright to watch over the poor and downtrodden. The temple sits in the Outer Enclave of the same name.

  • Iosa the Redeemer :

    A public house in the Outer Enclaves known for feeding the poor and wretched.

  • An Rath Ringfort :

    An otherwise empty mound within the city, this location marked the first loss suffered against Baltatrax by the defenders. The mound has been left empty as a memorial to the lost.

  • Old Crom Castle :

    Headquarters of the City Watch, located in the Outer Districts.

Prominent Figures and Organizations

Nell Reynfred

Chancellor of the Kingdom of Dohlar. Reynfred, unlike every one of his predecessors, is not a native of Blackpoint but rather a prominent nobleman from Ravenshelm, appointed to office as a compromise candidate between the Blackpoint Aristocracy and the Crown.

Thamior Maximillien XII

King of Dohlar. Formerly a wayward son of an old and respectable Blackpoint family, he was named Thamior XI's successor upon his death following the Templar Uprising.

Culture

The people of Blackpoint are strongly religious, honest, and hardworking, but suffer from a deep seated paranoia with regards to outsiders. With decades of social and religious indoctrination spreading a message of fear, the common folk view anyone not from Blackpoint as barbarous, deceitful, and malevolent. As far as the people are concerned, those from outside the walls would like nothing more than to drag the people of Blackpoint into the chaos and devastation that still festers in the world beyond.

As for the nobility, there is first and foremost an overwhelming sense of superiority over both the common folk and outsiders. It is only natural that the Gods would choose Blackpoint to survive the Great Sack where all other cities fell, for Blackpoint embodies the natural order of the world. Only the strong survive, and only the noble shall rule. There is no doubt that the Five have chosen Blackpoint as the ember from which civilization shall once again light the world.

Core Beliefs

  • Feudal Society
  • Aristocratic Elite
  • First Age Inheritors
  • Divine Mandate

Prejudices

  • Monstrous Heritage
  • Backwater Provincials
  • Republican Agitators

History

Timeline

Date Name Event
162Y Shay Cowen Hung Shay Cowen, upstart rebel leader, is put to death by hanging at the Kilmainham Gaol courtyard by order of the Crown.
570Y 8M 6IDE Fires Destroy the Royal Enclave Mysterious explosions rock the city, causing widespread fires and building collapses throughout varios disjoint enclaves. The Royal Enclave is particularly hard hit, with various historical landmarks damaged or destroyed, including the Rock of Cashel and the Caherminnaun Dunn. The devastation forces the surviving Templar forces to flee the city.
570Y 9M 3IDE Blackpoint Incorporated into the Republic Following a second attempted coup by the remaining nobility, Thamior XII receives Lord Protector Stonhyr at the An Raith Ringfort ruins, where he recites the Republic's Oath on behalf of the Dohlaran Crown.