Cur'A'Mol (Blackhold)

Blackhold is a strange, alien town to those who come from beyond the United A'Mi Duchies. Black basalt walls and slate roofs dot the dark beaches of Blackhold. Blackhold itself operates as the seat of government for the special administrative duchy of Black Island, and its people owe allegiance to none but the Head Islander, decided by the people of Blackhold every 10 years. Because owning the town, and island as a whole, would give any one duchy too much power, the island functions as subsidiary of the UAD, though not part of any duchy. This does not however make Blackhold the capital of the UAD (it is far too small), this honor instead goes to the city of Ti'Al on Pale Island.

Industry & Trade

Home to the Black Forge and the Black Citadel, and a large proportion of the population either works in the Forge/Citadel or works for a Forgemaster or Umbramage.

History

Blackhold was originally founded as the base for a cult known as the Darkborn, also known as the original Umbramages. They were attracted to this location due to its extremely powerful Umbramagic energy, and founded a small village, known as Dark Town, in the site of the Black Citadel today. After many raids by the Kingdoms of Rar and Cul seeking to destroy the center of Umbramagic energy, Dark Town became a fortified settlement, and a base of operations for the formalising community of Umbramages, the Darkborn cult having died off many years ago. With the construction of the Citadel, Dark Town was renamed to Darkhold, and later to Blackhold.

Architecture

Black basalt or other dark stone is used to build almost everything, including the Black Forge and Black Citadel. Lighter stones are used sparingly and decoratively as they mainly have to be imported from the mainland.

Geography

The windswept grassland that surrounds the town is permeated only by long hardened lava flows and the mist covered peaks of distant volcanoes. Blackhold lies on the mouth of the Glass river, which winds its way down from the hilly interior of Black Island. The land would be good for farming owing to all the minerals in the soil, but strong winds and dark, long winters make harvesting anything valuable from the thin layer of topsoil a very difficult task. Black Island itself is located in the A'Mi Bay, though the plains of the larger Pale Island provide little protection from violent offshore storms.

Natural Resources

Blackhold has jurisdiction as the regional centre of the Black Island, and thus is capable of exploiting the islands many resources, from Obsidian to Fish to Basalt.

Alternative Name(s)

Darkhold, Dark Town (both now obsolete). The Hold (colloquially)

Type

Town

Inhabitant Demonym

'Hold-Folk' to other islanders, 'Black Islanders' to those on the mainland.

Location under

Black Island

Included Locations

• Black Citadel
• Black Forge

Owning Organization

United A'Mi Duchies