Blackhorn Estate

Founding History

Blackhorn Estate stands as a forsaken monument on the edge of Highmarsh, a vast, rotting expanse where the trees drown and the earth itself festers. Founded in 863 of the Fourth Age, the estate was born of greed, built upon promises of untapped wealth—iron-rich stone, blackened ore, and endless timber from the half-sunken forests. It rose two centuries after Highmarsh had first earned its cursed name, when the land was already whispered to be unclean.

Despite warnings of unnatural phenomena and the beasts said to stalk the mists, nobles from Rivermond and Redmond flocked to invest, drawn by the scent of profit. Construction was a grim affair. Men vanished in droves; whole work parties dissolved into the mire, never to be seen again. Rumors persist that Blackhorn Estate was never truly completed—that certain wings, certain halls, were simply swallowed by the swamp. Records that could confirm or deny these claims have long since disappeared.

Still, the estate was declared operational once the first timber shipments and ore carts left its gates. Those who lived within its crumbling walls did so knowing they would likely die there, sacrificed to the estate’s endless hunger for labor. For seven blood-soaked years, Blackhorn was hammered into existence; for ten more, it bled the land dry. Profits flowed, but only upward—to the coffers of those who had never dirtied their hands in the marsh.

Mercenaries held the perimeter, their loyalty measured only in coin and the thin hope they might outlive their contracts. Then, in 880, Blackhorn fell silent. No rider emerged, no smoke rose from the hearths. Expeditions sent to investigate either vanished or returned broken and mad. In time, the nobles turned their backs, choosing silence over sacrifice. Their records were sealed, their tongues stilled.

Now, Blackhorn rots, abandoned. The locals whisper that new masters have claimed it: beasts born of nightmare, restless dead, or something fouler still—things that do not heed the laws of flesh or reason.

Bastion Layout Defenses:  Structure Current Status Twin Watchtowers Heavily damaged; upper levels partially collapsed. Outer Palisade Wall/Gate Rotting and partially collapsed; gates hang loosely, easily breached. Wooden Bridge Collapsed; broken planks and debris scattered below. Inner Stone Wall Mostly intact; some sections cracked and crumbling. Structures and Facilities: Structure Current Status Blackhorn Manor Structurally compromised; upper floors partially collapsed. Worker Housing Severely rotted; roofs sagging, unsafe for habitation. Lumbermill Machinery rusted and seized; partially overgrown. Lighthouse Tower Light extinguished; structure mostly intact but unstable at the top. Grand Forge Salvageable; interior hazardous from debris and soot. Apothecary House Mostly intact; infested with rot and vermin. Archive Shelled but standing; reports of eerie phenomena inside. Special Enhancements:  Structure Current Status Cost Personnel Commander(s): Key Staff: Garrison:  Special NPCs: Bastion Benefits Income: Extras:  Threats and Challenges Enemies: Events: Vulnerabilities:  Notable History Key Events:

Blackhorn Estate Bastion An Estate built on the excess greed of nobles of old turned into a Bastion for a group of young heroes. Established 863 Fourth Age Owner None - Vacant Location Barony of Redmond Type Estate Purpose Timber/Ore Personnel Active Temporary Former Deceased Bastion Main Features Allies Enemies Bastion Alliances Allies Enemies