Blackoaks

Written for Prompt 3 (2019 Summer Camp)

Written by David_Ulph

Blackoaks is a mid-to-large town in Lionmidden - a region of Mylrondia - situated a days slow ride south of the region capitol Blackrock.

Government

Ran by House Lakemont, a mercantile House under House Blackstone and headed by Syre Damien. They rule from Castle Blackoaks. As a noble House that rose from lowborn merchants, House Lakemont are one of the many Houses in Lionmidden that can draw their heritage back to the age of the Golden King. With the mines within the walls and being on the road to Blackrock, House Lakemont is extremely rich and don't particularly care much about anything without their walls unless it affects their wealth. They are highly devout to the Elder Faith, and are known for their insistence to hold ceremony within the town.

Defences

High, fortified walls surround the town of Blackoaks, with bonfires atop them illuminating the lands surrounding the town at night for the merchant militias that patrol on them. The walls are decorative and strong at the same time, due to House Lakemont's wealth, built from bright white stone. Large and thick black oak gate with local iron portcullises separate the town from the wilderness to the north, south and west.

Castle Blackoaks

This decorative castle is situated on, and completely fills, an island in the Emerald Lake just off the coast from the main town. Castle Blackoaks is built from the same white stone as the town walls and a red daub and wattle. In the courtyard is a small pool, and also a water gate with a protective inner harbour for small fishing boats. A large prison is securely held below the castle.

Industry & Trade

Blackoaks is famous throughout the northern areas of Elgerlia - especially Lionmidden, Valhol and Gliniswari - for its industrial capabilities despite only being the size of a town and not a city.

Large iron and coal deposits are found beneath the site of the settlement, with many mines dotted between houses and marketplaces that dig up raw ore to trade or smelt and manufacture up to 1,000 shields or weapons a month by the workforce. With next to no focus on agriculture, the labouring workforce is split between mining, smithing, logging the natural blackoak trees, and a small fleet of fishing vessels in the Emerald Lake. To the mountains in the west, there is a broad fertile valley with a prominent vineyard that grows a northern variety of grape which provides Lionmidden and Mylrondia as a whole more local wines. The manor house connected via road to Blackoaks' western gate includes a wine press and cellar, all built from the same white stone and red daub and wattle.

An undoubtedly mercantile town, countless members of the merchant class sift in and out of the town, either on their way to or from Blackrock, or to trade for the famous ore and wine. The Emerald Isle is possibly one of the largest inns in the Great Western Empire, remodelled from the old manor house of House Lakemont before Castle Blackoaks was built, and named after the island the castle now sits on.

Guilds and Factions

Just outside the northern gate, in the blackoak forest, is a small two levelled temple dedicated to the Elder Faith and covered in thick vines. The ground level contains shrines to each God, including Arassai, and small benches for worshippers to gain wisdom from the resident Friar-Crows. The level above contains the sleeping quarters for the monks, and a balcony with apparatuses used for reading the stars. By the temple is a lychgate leading to a crypt where locals from Blackoaks are entombed.

Geography

Blackoaks is built on the western banks of a large freshwater body of water known as the Emerald Lake because of the green hues the high levels of algae cause. Close to the western bank is the Emerald Isle which Castle Blackoaks is built on, and there is another large island with an ancient willow tree and a barrow where all House Lakemont members are buried. The lake is open, with a river flowing north towards the Frozen Sea. The lake provides House Lakemont with an excellent source of fresh water, transportation and shipping, fishing during spring and autumn months, and defence of the island castle.

On all the banks surrounding the Emerald Lake is a dense forest of oak trees only naturally found in this area, with the darkest wood seen in known Terralba giving name to the town. The blackoak forest stretches up north round the town and east into the wilderness. From the south of the town, hills flank the straight cobbled road leading to Blackoaks. This section of the forest has been cut down for generations but some atop these hills have been left to grow old and large and are used as hanging trees to set examples for anyone coming to the merchant settlement to not betray peoples trust and keep by the laws.

Alternative Name(s)

Blackoaks Castle

Type

Town