Blackshore

History

Before Summer 816wk, Blackshore was an abandoned holding in SE Carzala, some 10 miles west of the town of Avoca and about five miles south of it.

Information - as of Summer 816wk

File:BlackshoreMap.jpg ‎

Blackshore is surrounded by hills, which descend to marshy moors, and rise to black sand dunes which face the sea. Without extensive draining, it is unsuitable for agriculture.
A thick copse of oak and beech trees, some five acres in area, stand at the base of the hills to the west bordering the marsh to the north a ways. The marsh on this side flows with clean water, and is particularly fertile, increasing the chance of finding beneficial herbs by +15. This is modified by seasonal modifiers as usual. The clean marsh may be harvested once in Spring, twice in Summer and three times in Autumn.
The eastern side of the marsh leads to a bituminous sump which has tainted the land around it somewhat, which penalises any attempt to gather herbs by 20. Unless the herbs are darksome in nature, when the chance rises by 10. This is modified by seasonal modifiers as usual. The darksome marsh can be harvested once in Summer and twice in Winter.

The sump is a pool about 20 feet long and about 12 feet wide. About 17,500 gallons of bituminous pitch can be distilled from it every year, taking 2 man hours for every 50 gallons, and requiring the services of a Rank 3 Alchemist or better. For every Rank above 3, they may make 10 pints of lantern oil, for ever Rank above 4, they may make enough naphtha for 3 Greek Fire grenadoes per year, and for every Rank above 5, they may produce 3 phials of oil of vitriol per year.

Alchemical Products
Product	Unit	Price
Pitch	50 gal	60 sp
Lantern oil	1 lb	52 sp
Greek Fire	Grenado	600 sp
Oil of vitriol	3 oz	?

As a rough guide, multiply the length of a ship by its beam and draught then divide by 180. This will give about how many 50 gallon barrels needed to caulk it. Each barrel weighs 480 lbs.

At the eastern end of the beach is a narrow, granite cove, about 75 feet long and 12 - 15 feet wide. The tide varies by as much as nine feet. There is evidence that a caisson was used to close the cove off from the sea to create a graving dock. A Mechanician skilled in marine architecture would be able to build another one, given time and resources. It is, however, a major endeavour and would require hundreds of guineas to complete. It would also draw the attention of the Duke who would want to monitor any military craft that used it.

The bay curves much more sharply at the western end, providing a sheltering harbour for ships and boats. An old, ramshackle jetty, however, is all that remains, although there is a large villa nestled behind the dunes along the estuary where the marsh runs out to sea. It has two floors and a basement, with a tower-like structure on the sea-facing side which climbs another two floors. There are eight bedrooms and a large hall, along with the usual things associated with a large house. There are no servants quarters, although there are two other buildings nearby where servants might stay.
There is another, much rougher building which holds a byre on one side and a barn on the other. This stands next to a stables, a falconer's mews and a dovecote.
Gryphons have been known to come as far south as Blackshore, some of which are intelligent, keep records and practice vindictiveness.

Herbal information and plants resident here

Late Autumn 816wk

A patch of Daggertooth Lily was planted beside the manor house in a small pool.

Upon Tsayoi attaining Rank 6 Herbalism;

Late Summer 817wk

A Ghost Narcissus was planted to the side of the manor house in the area of the secure garden.

Also planted were seeds and cuttings of;

• The_White_Rose_of_Gerantia
• The_Marist_Rose
• Whitethorn

Changes Summer 816 onwards

Summer 816wk

As a result of successfully completing the adventure The Mikado Affair, Serifan the Lord of Patterns has interceded with the Duke of Carzala to settle Blackshore on the successful party members. These were the following SAG members:

• Rahne
• Dellith
• Boris
• Tsayoi.

Autumn 816wk

Tsayoi returns from yet more arduous adventure suffered during the (War-wolves of Londinium) in late Autumn to see what he may do to enable comfortable living in the new holding over what will be the next winter.

1. Tsayoi spends a week cleaning some of the villa and travels to Novadom to arrange building materials and supplies to be sent to Blackshore along with a group of 5 retired Soldiers who will live in the villa while there's room to do so. These 5 men have been employed as guards for Blackshore and paid for by Tsayoi.
2. Tsayoi travels to Seagate to speak with friends and start training.

Winter 816wk

Tsayoi establishes a grove near the villa to plan some interesting plants, herbs and fruit trees.

The Rebuilding of the villa goes slowly due to winter weather but by the end of the season it has been mainly rebuilt and extended to accommodate the owners and their staff.

Tari establishes a Tunnel from the other side of the hills across to the Blackshore flatlands and fortifies the ends with help from other Militarily inclined guild members. This is The Blackshore Tunnel

Spring 816wk

1. Rahne, Boris and Tsayoi return from The Coils of Spring and plant some new varieties there.
2. The manor is fully rebuilt (with some lower level extensions and other improvements) just in time before the start of the summer season.

Summer 817wk

On the 5th of Heat the residents are away purchasing supplies and getting more cattle when a party of 7 fly into the estate and land near the manor-house. The guards quickly ascertain that they are in fact guild members who are dropping off a gift for the owners. They are seen to deposit a stone in the gardens and then depart. The owners are apprised of the situation and take note and care not to disturb the stone's resting place.

Autumn 817wk

Continued work on the land ahead of the coming winter.

Initial Assets

As a result of The Mikado Affair, Blackshore holds certain properties for the benefit of those of that ilk:

Ichor of a Distant Moon

This confection of glassware comprises a bulb about 12 cms round from which emerge two tubes, one vertical and the other spiraling around it to a height of 60 cms.
It contains a yellow, viscous fluid, which responds to lunar influences of a moon in another dimension and the entire thing weighs about 7lbs.
Using it as part of the process allows an Astrologer to divine:

what number will lucky for an aspirant this season

the future on a different plane of existence that they are aware of.

In addition, they may cast a horoscope for an aspirant to predict what influences will bear over the next season. This will cost 17 FT and take a day. The Astrologer draws up a parchment full of dire warnings and imprecations, which the aspirant must carry about them.
The parchment will contain Points of Influence depending on the Astrologer's Rank which may be used to alter, slightly, the aspirant's fate. They may not be applied directly to a Strike Check, Resistance Check or Cast Check, but they may be used to:

change the reaction roll result of an encounter

revisit the results in a game of chance

find a hiding place while pursued by an outraged husband

discover an unlocked window when "visiting" at night

Influence Points
Rank	Points
1 - 3	1
4 & 5	2
6 & 7	3
8	4
9	5
10	6

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Victoria	Living Plant	Herbalism	Quest		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

Red Iron Bowl

This bowl of red iron about 20cms across and 4 cms high. It weighs 12 lbs.
If Waters of Strength are made in this bowl, then the Adept only use half the normal ingredients making it cost half as much.
The bowl may be used no more than 20 times before this ability is lost.

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Victoria	Formerly living	None	8,085sp		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

Jade Funeral Urn x 6

This urn is a cylinder of turned jade 9 inches long by 4 across. The vessel is 1/4 of an inch thick and weighs 20 oz.
The urn will hold the cremated remains of one adult human. While this does not provide the ability to communicate with them, those interred remain sentient within. They may be communicated with by any form of questioning or conversing with the dead, and will be able to pass on such knowledge or teach any Skill, Spell or Ritual they know.
They are most helpful to those who they know to be their descendants.

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Victoria	Formerly living	Necromancy	7000sp		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

Bag of Rhinoceros Phallus

This hessian sack weighs 5 lbs and is lumpy in the expected way.
If the bearer holds the image of a mature female rhinoceros in their mind, the bag will become turgid and weigh 40 lbs.
Male bearers may feel some sympathetic discomfort.

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Victoria	Formerly living plant	Folding	3,500sp		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

In addition, in return for gifting Sakura to the Lord of Gardens, they receive a year. They are not, however, delivered, the Blackshore community must travel to him to collect this remittance.

Mortal Cherry x 4

These cherries will remain fresh until consumed and will change the state of anyone who eats them from long-living to short-living. Those who are short-living creatures are, by and large, unaffected by this, although if they have been in some manner granted eternal life, that boon will have been terminated.

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Edwardia	Living plant	Plant	Quest		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

Cherry Blossom x 8

The blossoms must be dried and added to chrysanthemum tea whereupon it will keep indefinitely, one blossom being sufficient for about 6 cups of tea. Whoever drinks this as a part of a tea ceremony will automatically succeed in their next (1) Check to avoid Fear, Horror or Awe, or will automatically recover from their next Stun condition.

Adventure	Season	Plane of Origin	Aura	Nature of Magic	Value	Cursed etc.?	GM
The Mikado Affair	Summer 816	Edwardia	Living plant	Plant	Quest		Jim Arona 021 076 9376

Additional assets

As the result of further adventures the following items/artifacts etc are also to be found here in Blackshore.