Blackmore

Written by Heart

Do you crave power, little human? Do you wish to see your foes fall before you, strike back at those that have burned your home, slaughtered your cattle, taken your eye, but even more than that-- what little pride a pathetic creature like you had? If you do, then take my hand. I offer you that power, I offer you everything. In return? Does it truly matter? Very well. Then I will take the one thing you have to offer me, your future, and the future of every descendant you will ever have.
— The Dark One, Daemon

Currently, the Blackmore Family is the third most powerful noble family in the Ceridian Empire, and the strongest family of magical warriors within the continent. They have strong connections to the Black Market, and slave trade due to constantly searching for the perfect specimens to breed with to continue strengthening their future generations. This is also how they played an intricate role in the current Emperor defeating Camelot in the war ten years prior through their betrayal of the King and Pendragon's as a whole. The public agenda is for the "betterment of the world", in reality, they are power-hungry and desire only to eventually rule the Empire themselves. Often clashing with the Ravenfield due to them both holding great sway over the Black Market. However their greatest opponents are the Everlight family due to them knowing them only as merciless betrayers that backstabbed the Pendragon's mercilessly. It is known that the family all drink a special "medicine" amongst the populace, and the reason given is that due to their selective breeding they have powerful bodies but suffer from many ailments due to their "polluted blood". Due to this, they must take the medicine to survive. In reality, this medicine is a specifically designed potion that changes their blood color from black to red, in order to mask their tainted blood.

Assets

The Blackmore have the entire country of Conlis under their thumb, as well as holding tremendous sway in the Continental-Black Market. As such unlike the rest of the Empire that is struggling to balance out its economy after the war, the Blackmore are overwhelmingly rich, with strong connections to the Emporer due to their betrayal of the Pendragons. They hold multiple Fiefs, castles, territories, and access to the finest trained troops that the Empire has to offer.

History

The Blackmore family began as a simple tribe in ancient times several hundred years after the "Great Rupture". Descendants of the humans that served as the Daemon's elite warriors, having drunk the blood of the beast for power. They were named "Blackmore" due to their original land being found at the foot of the Daemon's mountain, and as such was often found cast in the shadow of the mountain. As such, named "The Dark Hill", the Blackmore. After the "Great Rupture", and the Daemon was forced into slumber. The Blackmore found themselves on a continent that had drifted far from the great tree and had lost many of their members. Still holding the dormant blood of the Daemon within them, they made their alliance with the dark beast an eternal secret and would never speak of it but to the most high ranking of the clan's members. As the years passed and the tribe eventually became a small clan that ruled over a castle, the lands began to develop. The original fighting techniques that had been taught to them by the Daemon in search of power were honed over the generations. Eventually, the man named Julian Blackmore, a power-hungry young man even by Blackmore standards, would begin to make the motions to attract more power to himself. Making a deal with the Praxis clan that had raised up a great ruin into a city after beating back their Firstborn oppressors in the first age. They agreed to become the "Eternal, Faithful Servants" of the Praxis family and with the two clans' power, the Praxis became the first royal family of the new continent. However, Julian's goals were anything but honorable, and instead, he began planting the seeds of betrayal in order to rule the continent himself. As time passed, another family was taken in and rescued by the two families. The Pendragon were a small tribe of slaves that had fled from their Firstborn oppressors, and come to Camelot hearing of one of the first human cities. Originally the scribes of the Firstborn they were fluent in Primordial, and as such were taken in to educate the City and become the first scholars of Camelot. Noble servants, they swore allegiance with eagerness to serve the Praxis, those that had so willingly taken them in and given them a home. The complete opposite of the Blackmore. Founding the first concept of the "Black Market" on the continent, Julien would work in secret to begin increasing the new Country, Brittania's power. For the next ten years, the Blackmore and Pendragon's would bring in more families, more tribes, and clans. Teaching them combat, educating them, and strengthening the country into one of the most powerful that dotted the lands. As Camelot grew strong, the Blackmore finally made their move when Julien's son, Mikhail, poisoned the King after his only heir, Jeremy Praxis was banished temporarily as punishment for his misdeeds against the Kingdom. However, the Blackmore's plans were foiled as though the king died, he named Atrurien Pendragon the new King of Camelot. The Pendragons now named as the royal family, found the Blackmore bowing to them. Offering them their allegiance just as they had the Praxis. Accepting it, assuming their feelings sincere due to their long loyalty, no one knew of what was to come. Several generations later when Emperor Magnus Cerdius III began his great crusade across the continent, the Blackmore's current leader Modred Blackmore approached the empire. Offering them the Blackmore's connections, power, and easy access to the Pendragon's to overtake Brittania. With the pact in order, the Blackmore had the Pendragon's killed under false accusations as traitors. Overtaking the country from within just as the Emperor's forces assaulted the city, the combination ended the war in a single day as Lancelot surrendered. Now the heads of Brittania--turned Conlis under Imperial rule--the Blackmore bide their time for the next step of their plan. Conlis isn't enough, they desire the entire continent.

Demography and Population

As the rulers of Conlis, the Blackmore hold substantial land. However, despite this their population is relatively small for a Noble Family, with their current head and his family being the only members of "rightful blood". Despite this, there is a wide variety of partial Blackmores decorating the continent that aren't officially recognized by the family as heirs.

Family Symbol