Bleakstone Castle
A large fortified manor house in the heart of the Desolation of Hissh, Bleakstone Castle is famous across Ymeris as the staging ground for the Midnight Hunts, a monthly festival of bloodlust and debauchery which take place every full moon, led by the castle’s lord Arpaktiko Phobosital.
The Midnight Hunts
On the eve of every full moon, the Midnight Hunt sallies forth from Bleakstone Castle. These hunts are great occasions which draw Vampires from across Ymeris, looking to enjoy the thrill of the chase. The hunts are also vital networking events for the Vampires, especially those who live beyond the walls of Vonstorm, the Midnight Court’s seat of power, and Vampires who dwell beyond the borders of Ymeris. In order to cater for these events, a large herd of prime warhorses are kept in the castle for the use of the many honoured guests who pass through its halls each month, and a large kennel of hunting hounds are also kept in the castle for use in these hunts as well. These hounds are considered to be the pride and joy of the castle’s lord Arpaktiko Phobosital.Demographics
All of the castle’s living populace are serfs, owned by the castle’s lord Arpaktiko Phobosital (see below). As a result, they are all indentured labourers who toil away in the castle, ensuring that the whims of the many guests that their lord receives are taken care of and that his large herd of warhorses and pack of hunting hounds are kept in the peak of physical condition. There is no dominant species amongst the castle’s serfs, and members of every sapient race are represented amongst them, something that is a matter of pride to Arpaktiko Phobosital, in the same manner that an antiquarian would take pride in their collection. The serfs dwell in basic quarters cut into the rock of the plateau on which the castle sits. It is rare for them to be allowed outside the structure of the castle itself.Ruling Lord
Bleakstone Castle is ruled by Arpaktiko Phobosital, a Vampire from the bloodline of Phobosa Linniarital and one of the members of the Phobite Brood. Arpaktiko has resided in the castle for the last 400 or so years.Defenses
Bleakstone Castle sits atop a flat-topped plateau that rises up out of the Desolation of Hissh, providing a natural defensive point that gives an extensive view over the surrounding landscape and the nearby slopes of the Dragons' Tears Mountains to the south. Access to this plateau is provided only by a sloping ramp, carved into the rock, which is defended by a fortified gatehouse just before one reaches the top of the plateau itself. Beyond this, Bleakstone Castle has few other defensive features, and the majority of its structure takes the form of a sprawling manor house.
Architecture and Amenities
As a place of revelry and pleasure, Bleakstone Castle is lavishly appointed with many luxuriously decorated and provided guest bedrooms, a grand feasting hall, prodigious wine and blood cellar and all manner of lounge and retiring spaces for guests to take advantage of. The castle also has a small landscaped formal garden which lies between the main structure of the manor house and the large stable and kennel complex on the south side of the estate. Everything about Bleakstone Castle oozes luxury, an essential quality given that Arpaktiko Phobosital has hosted the highest members of Vampiric society within its walls, including the ruler of Ymeris, Linniara Istarital.
Alternative Names
The Hunter’s Lodge
Type
Mansion / Villa
Parent Location
Owning Organization
Related Traditions
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