History
Blackfield was founded in the year 128 S.R. by a band of human and dwarven refugees. They set up residence in the nearby caves for protection, then discovered that the ground held rich deposits of coal and gold as well as fresh well water. After quarrying out enough stone to build a fortified keep (now used as the town center) they focused on mining out additional chambers for their expanding families and storerooms. These old excavations make up the highest level of the mine, simply known as “The Dig” that has continued to expand for the past 490 years. Eventually the citizenry created an outer palisade wall to contain an ever expanding above ground town.
Built on the plains near the base of the Bracken Hills, known for it’s rich deposits of coal. The town itself is surrounded by a stone and clay reinforced palisade with a main and side gate. It’s surrounded by an additional lower defensive wall located 30 feet away from the town walls proper. The outer barbican and intervening ground is pockmarked with small holes that are flooded with coal oil and gas and torched in order to form a moat of flame. The immediate grounds leading to the walls of the city are populated by open plains to the north blending into low rolling hills to the south, eventually merging completely with the Bracken Hills.
Citizens of Blackfield currently live primarily above ground in quarried stone/clay and sod houses and work shifts in the mines for coal, the primary economic export of the town.
Blackfield isn’t near an above ground body of water; underground rivers and wells in The Dig are tapped for the town’s needs and brought to the surface through the use of pumps and drop-wells. The town has a constant black plume of soot rising from the many buildings (which burn coal or gas from the mines as fuel for cooking and heating.) Most of the structures in the city, as well as the fields around the town have taken on a dark sooty appearance from the hundreds of years of accumulating coal dust.
The last major attack on the town was by “The Tribes” in 452 S.R. when a large war band led by the Ogre Mage, Garm Skinsizzler, assaulted the town with a force of over 5,000 allied goblins, orcs, bugbears and ogres. Blackfield’s defensive flame moat proved invaluable in torching the first several waves of ladder bearers. A team of armored Ogres enchanted to resist the flames were sent in with a battering ram to open the main gate, but were removed from existence through the determined assault of Guard Captain Harissa Silvo and her honor guard. She then rallied the troops, opened the gate and led the charge that routed Skinsizzler’s motley war band, and defeated the Ogre Mage in single combat, removing his head and leaving it on a pike on the rampart as a warning to the tribes the price that is paid for the folly of attacking the gates of Blackfield.
During “Darknights” the likelihood of goblins and monsters roaming the nearby fields becomes significantly heightened.
Population
1677 citizens. They primarily reside exclusively within the city walls, with only the militia, hunters and a limited number of farmers and gardeners tending to the town’s immediate fields. Because of this, housing in the town has become quite dense, with many family members stacked up within the same dwellings. It’s not uncommon to find 3 generations and upwards of 2o people living under the same roof. Travelers to Blackfield are relatively uncommon, but not unheard of. Traders from Hylea and Port Flume, cooks and farmers from Burrowdown and the random wandering outsider and exploration party are the most common visitors to Blackfield.
Economy
Primarily coal based (charcoal/creosote/fuel oil) with a secondary market in high quality handcrafted items.
Dig Shares – Most families within Blackfield work in and own shares in the mine, with only a small part of the mine being privately held. Shares are generally passed down along generational lines. The Town of Blackfield controls quite large portion of the shares, and thus a share of the returns from the Coal Caravans. The day-to-day release of these funds is the responsibility of the office of the Mayor, following the long-term directions of the Elder Council. The elder council are the only body that are allowed to issue additional Dig Shares, a very rare occurrence that only has been used to raise finds for defense of the city in times of war.
The Dig is so important to the town that portions of the law penalize bad behavior with the revocation of Dig Shares.
Government
An Elder Council made up of 9 venerable citizens elects a Mayor for an unspecified duration and has the option to replace her given significant cause. Elders are elected via open general election of the citizenry to lifetime appointments and replaced after a death or resignation, or removed from serving via an expulsion vote of the majority of the citizenry. The members of the elder council are generally older members of the town that have proven their wisdom in trying times or have proven themselves in a special way. The current members of the council include:
- Elder Aelor Verona – Female Half-Elf – Former Ranger, has unparalleled knowledge of Blackfield’s surrounding terrain, anti-expansionist.
- Elder Skarin Lotis – Male Human – Former Guard Captain (preceding Anton Silvo’s appointment) , combat veteran and generally a gruff individual. Very to the point, and anti-expansionist.
- Elder Chloe “Shaleskin” Buta – Female Human – Ex-Miner, hero, long time foreman of the dig, anti-expansionist.
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Elder Faris Delcatta - Male Human - Esteemed breeder of the town’s horses, including those trained for pulling the coal caravan wagons as well as those armored mounts used by Charger Cohort, anti-expansionist.
- Elder Boynton Seron – Male Human, anti expansionist due to the power granted by the tie breaking vote.
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Elder Picarin Imbrulio – Female Halfling, businesswoman and proprietor of the Wayhouse, supports expansion.
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Elder Felicia Worthwords – Female Human – Extremely well educated, a Wizard, Scryer and crafter of quality magical implements. Worthwords is always seeking new knowledge and often makes others aware of how much in this world they are blissfully unaware of. Supports expansion
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Elder Josia Nevarro – Female Human, supports expansion.
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Elder Xander Galipo – Male Eladrin – Hylean expat and current ambassador to the elven city to the West. Regularly meets with his associate, the Hylean Trade ambassador to plan the course of future interactions between the (primarily) human and elven cities. Supports expansion.
The office of mayor executes the day-to-day business of the town, manages The Dig (with help of the foreman) and implements the decisions of the Elder Council. The current mayor of the town is Therese Grable (Human Female), she is a relatively recent appointee, serving in the Mayors office for only the past 3 years.
Town Hall – Includes an attached hall of records (library) is the seat of the town’s government. Has a large meeting hall for regular town meetings and celebrations but is primarily used for meetings and hearings held by the Council of Judgment. The hall also contains a secured vault to secure the government’s wealth, the Elder Council Antechamber, and the Mayors office. The building is hardened and defensible, with a tall watchtower built onto the rooftop. Once per hour the sentry on duty in the watchtower uses a large metal horn to blow a number of notes indicating the time of day.
The Dig – The most important aspect to the town of Blackfield is the extensive undermine known as “The Dig”. Primary used as a coal mine, the Dig generates thousands of pounds of coal, as well as trace minerals and precious gems. Nearly half the citizens of Blackfield are employed in the workings of the mine and it’s various support processes. The Dig itself is accessible by 4 entrances. The primary entrances (Shafts #1 and #2) are accessible by elaborately built elevators, powered by counterweights and water/horsepower. The elevator in Shaft #1 is primarily used for transporting mine personnel and light-duty tools and leads to “The Hub”, an excavated and heavily supported central cavern and the heart of the underground mining operations. Rail lines and a mine car turntable exist here in front of the foreman’s underground office. Coal is moved down a side tunnel to the heavy-duty elevator in Shaft #2, where it’s loaded onto the massive hopper for transport to the surface on a heavily reinforced elevator.
Dangers of the dig include the possibility of explosions, collapse, monsters, asphyxiation, drowning, etc.. Not to mention the fact that it’s grueling work swinging a pick every day to extract the chunks of precious black coal from deep in their underground seams.
Workers in The Dig work on rotating shifts (3 per day) and are notified of their shift changes through a series of bells strung throughout the mines. Prospectors are independent workers that pay for access to the mine, but work on their and are given access to long abandoned portions of the mine for exploration and extraction of coal and precious gems that might have been missed by work crews from long ago. Being a prospector in the dig is the quite probably the most dangerous job in town.
Law
The law of Blackfield is based on the code “For the safety of all citizenry, for the good of the town and for the execution of justice.” The law is enforced by members of the militia on civic patrol duty. Visitors and citizens of Blackfield are subjected to these codes and in the case of their abuse, are taken into custody and brought before the “Court of Judgment” at the soonest possible time. The court is held in the Town Hall and presided over by 3 rotating members of the Elder Council, the final stop for justice in Blackfield. Arbiters serving as Defenders and Pressers are allowed to present witnesses and evidence to support their case, but the court’s ultimate decision is only able to be overridden by a majority vote of all sitting members on the the Elder Council.
Example laws and punishments:
- Theft – Minor Offense – Equal value penalty to reimburse the offended party and a week’s service in The Dig on scut work.
- Theft – Major Offense – Tattooed “T” on the right hand, revocation of a portion of legacy Dig Shares.
- Assault – Minor Offense – Time in the stocks in the town square
- Assault – Major Offense – Bonded Hard Work in the Dig
- Murder – Revocation of the family’s Dig Shares and Hanging
- Arson – Underexile or Expulsion
- Treason – Death by Hanging
Military
The town’s active militia of 120 citizens (including current initiates) is led by Guard Captain Anton Silvo (Human Male) and trained by Sergeant at Arms Gim “Son of Nim’ Cinderhearth (Dwarven Male). All citizens serve for 2 years in the town militia once they reach age 17. These trainees are arranged in cohorts of 5 to 15 individuals and actively trained for months before being put on duty guarding the town, patrolling the countryside, guarding the monthly coal caravans, or exploring mine shaft breakthroughs, etc.. Should these conscripts desire to continue their service in the militia, they may have the opportunity to join one of the long lived specialized Honor Cohorts. Additionally, should a training cohort win enough honor and renown, their cohort may be promoted to the ranks of a permanent Honor Cohort.
The Honor Cohorts currently carrying out duty in Blackfield and their specialties include:
- Aegis – Oldest veterans, well balanced honor guard to Guard Captain Anton Silvo and to the Elder Council. Known members include Brogan Hamut (Principal-Paladin)
- Dragonsbreath - Focused primarily on arcane, divine and magical energies.
- Raven – Scouts and rangers focused on keeping the immediate area around Blackfield safe.
- Charger – Mounted warriors and officially responsible for the safety of the Coal Caravans.
- Hammer and Anvil Cohorts – Anvil is comprised of Heavily armored defensive troops used for static defense works in conjunction with Hammer Cohort to provide the “Hard Place” for the “Rock” to do it’s business. Hammer cohort is the shock force of foot troops used for heavy assaults on enemy positions, excellent flankers.
- Barrage – Focused on archery, and artillery combat in defense of the Town. They maintain the ballistae in the gatehouses and towers. Known members include Kieran Ewanson (Ranger)
Training Cohorts currently on duty include.
- Wolfhound – (2nd Years)
- Javelin - (2nd Years)
- Stormers - (2nd Years)
- Dragonslayers (Previously known as the Black Wolverines) – (Initiates) Known members include Davros (Warlock), Kailithe Solace Guard (Wizard), Kurock Stonehammer (Fighter), Poe (Cleric), Pendrynn (Paladin), Barack Tenderfoot (Rogue) and Froimos (Warlord)
- Talon – (Initiates) Known members include Desand (Rogue), Althea (Wizard), Kelric (fighter), Durgan (Fighter), Edarius (Ranger) and Evon (Cleric)
During times of war, every citizen of Blackfield over the age of 17 can be activated and be ready to defend the city at a moments notice, creating a temporary defensive force around 1100 strong.
Enlisted ranks from lowest to highest are:
- Recruit – Paid 2 gold per week
- Watchman – Paid 5 gold per week
- Warden – Paid 10 gold per week
- Hunters (Secret Rank) – Paid 15 gold per week, and mission based bounties.
- Sergeant – Paid 25 gold per week
- Sergeant at Arms - Gim Cinderhearth – Paid 40 gold per week.
Officer ranks (and pay) from lowest to highest are:
- Cohort Leader – Paid 5 gold per week
- Principal – Paid 30 gold per week
- Marshal – Sevana Hoff – Paid 50 gold per week.
- Guard Captain – Anton Silvo – Paid 100 gold per week.
Barracks – The Barracks contain individual housing for the Guard Captain, officers, a small jail cell, the quartermasters office, and armory. Behind the barracks there is a training field with archery targets, training fields, jousting run, and obstacle course (The Thresher).
Active duty militia members are housed in individual barracks by cohort. Honor cohorts have much higher quality living conditions than the training cohorts (who don’t even have locks on their doors..)
Society
The people are hardworking and generally happy. There isn’t much crime of note, and the jail, stocks (and very rarely the gallows) tend to keep bad actors in check. Most of the people of Blackfield stay close to home their entire lives, aside from travel to Port Flume for trading. It is home to a limited number of Dwarves and Wood Elves, with around 90% of the population being human, the rest being Elves, Dwarves and Half Elves.
Because the outside of the town is so dangerous, citizens are not allowed outside the gates, unless specifically granted a pass by the town elders or on official town business. Some members of the town chafe under this prohibition and want the ability to come and go as they please. A growing movement of these individuals has been called the “Expansionists” or “Separatists”, many of whom are followers of the teachings of Erathis. However, aside from swaying the rulings of the town council, they have little chance of making this happen. (There are only 2 current Expansionists on the council, Elder Faris Delcatta and Elder Xander Galipo.
Neighbors
Port Flume – River City to the north, primary market for Blackfield’s coal supplies. Monthly armored wagon caravans loaded with coal travel north along the Sootway from Blackfield to Port Flume. The caravans return loaded down with goods from the market district and frequently stop at Burrowdown to supplement Blackfield’s limited local food supplies.
Burrowdown – Farming village to the northwest, located on the edge of a defensible canyon and primary source of Blackfield’s fresh foods. The Cornucopia Canyon houses massively large fields and gardens and are tended to 25-5 by the farmer and gardener guilds. It supplies most of the food to Port Flume and Blackfield, as well as smaller outposts and settlements in the region. The entrance to the canyon is secured by a well armed contingent of soldiers and a massive 3 layered gate.
Hylea – Elven protected city in the forest of Feywood, located due West of Blackfield. The elves are limited trading partners and shun the use of coal for their abundant wood resources.
The Tribes – Nomadic orc encampment in the hills to the southeast. Issues regular raiding parties, is working on digging into a coal seam deep in the Bracken Hills (based on scouting reports). Primary and regular nuisance to Blackfield. Made up of a loose confederation of competing Goblin, Orc, Hobgoblin and Bugbear clans.
Businesses
Temple - The town has a temple to each of the 5 major gods of Moraenne: Pelor, Ioun, Bahamut, Moradin and Melora; as well as several of the more popular deities: Erathis, Avandra, Corellon, Kord and the Raven Queen.
The temple to Pelor, is run by Brother Maynard. It also serves as a market for tinctures, healing draughts, and blessed items and charms.
Brother Gharam Newell presides over the temple to Bahamut.
Findings (Arcane Emporium) – Small shop with limited enchanted items. More like an Antique shop, great place for the PC’s to sell their items, run by an older human wizard Scholar Tristan Simones.
Cinderhearth Smithery – The town metalworking shop, run by Pim (Son of Nim) Cinderhearth, brother to Sergeant at Arms Gim. The trace amount of metals mined in the hills tend to end up on Pim’s anvil being worked into some amazingly intricately crafted weapon or tool.
Will’s Mill – The town farmers market and mill, run by William Granger (“Call me Will!”).
Bits and Bobs – The town’s general store, run by halfling Turley Tunhill. Sells just about any adventuring gear you might need, and does a fairly good bit of business doubling as the quartermaster for the Militia.
Food Drink and Lodging
Sooties – A heavily frequented miner tavern/inn located directly outside the mine gate entrance. Julian Inhoff is the owner of the establishment, Esmerelda is the resident bartender/entertainer. Open 25/5 in order to serve the never ending stream of workers coming out of the mine’s 3 shift work cycle, there is always something interesting going on at sooties. Stop on by for a game of “Sabotage the Dig” (a miner favorite) or perhaps a game of “Three Dragon Ante” if you’ve got a heavy coinpurse.
The Braying Housewife – The quintessential Inn, a chosen landing point for the average traveler, the inn is home to an excellent kitchen and clean safe rooms.
The Wayhouse – Located in the wealthier part of town, the Wayhouse is the destination of choice for the well moneyed traveler. The rooms are exquisitely decorated, the food and entertainment unbeatable and the staff is ready to serve you hand and foot. The inn of choice for foreign dignitaries and those who have a desire for safety and privacy. Owned and operated by Elder Picarin Imbrulio.
Regular Events
An armored Coal Caravan departs monthly on a trading mission to Port Flume on the Anwar river. It drops off the town’s coal load, stocks up on spices, tools and supplies then continues on to Burrowdown for fresh food staples on the return leg. It’s a 10 day round trip, and extremely dangerous.
The temples usually perform fertility and/or prosperity rituals every Moonmeet (when the 3 moons overlap, twice per year, or every 5.5 months).
When a Darknight occurs, monsters tend to wake and roam the countryside. Often they attack towns and cities, Blackfield locks down and has all militia on watch for these dangerous events. It’s not known when a Darknight will occur, nor how long they’ll last. (This knowledge was known in the past, but lost to the ravages of time and war.)
Notable NPC’s
Quartermaster Turley Tunhill [Halfling]
Lizette Tunhill [Unsure] massively unattractive daughter of Turley Tunhill and hopeful future wife of Pendrynn.
Sage Corvara – Pendrynn’s contact within the Temple of Erathis
Toad – Barack’s lackey, currently operating under orders to gather, support and train the downtrodden and outcast children of Blackfield
Nim son of Pim Cinderhearth – Proprietor of Cinderhearth Smithery and purveyor of finely crafted instruments of combat.
