House Blackwood

by **Mallucis** Sun Jun 07, 2015 5:20 pm

House Blackwood

Overview: House Blackwood is one of the oldest noble houses from the Eastern Lordaeron (now the Eastern Plaguelands) in the Eastern Kingdoms, and one of the biggest families sworn to the House Menethil. They once ruled the Blackwood Barony, with the Town of Blackwood as their seat.
Town of Blackwood is located in Eastern Lordaeron north of Corin's Crossing (now Plaguewood). Some Blackwoods are buried in there, while others are buried beneath the chapel of Light's Hope.

History: See: Extended Annals of Blackwood

House Name: Blackwood
Head of House: Baron Blackwood (not established).
Lands: a barony stretched between Northdale from the North, Corin's Crossing from the South, Browman Mill from the East, and Blackwood Lake from the West.
Fealty: House Menethil and the Grand Alliance.
Noteable Members: Baron Blackwood (a.k.a. Lord Blackwood), Myriah Damara Blackwood, Aramal "Wieldhammer" Blackstone, Tyrellius "Wolf" Blackwood, Kain Templeman-Blackwood;
Relations with other houses: House Ravensmantle (friendly), House Yore (neutral).
Blazon: Two headed white carrion bird "Mal"; two known branches uses the common symbol of an open hand with different side elements (lightforge ore, a hammer on an anvil, a pick, and a horseshoe for Blackstones);
Colours: Black and red
Traits: coal black of hair, blue to dark brown eyes, dark complexion.
Motto: unknown; presumably: "Roots go deep."

Played Family Members:

Aramal Blackstone, 28, Lord of Blackwood, former Minister of Trade of the Kingdom of Stormwind, Knight of the Kingdom of Stormwind, Captain of the Ninth Company of Stormwind, blacksmith (Mallucis@Defias Brotherhood).
Character description
Tall, but tough. Big hands (complexion differs from the rest of his skin). Long arms. His face, due to some serious manipulations currently portrays more an elderly man than one of his age. Black hair.

Myriah Damara Blackwood, 48, Countess of Moonbrook, Lady of Blackwood, Family elder, advisor, fortune teller, poison specialist, user of daggers (OC: Rogue), council member of the Stormwind City Council, proprietor of the Slaughtered Lamb teahouse in Stormwind City., (Myriah@Defias Brotherhood).
Character description
Her figure, nor her constitution are accordingly to her age. She is a slender beautiful woman with a toned muscle structure, weighs relatively light. She moves elegantly with grace and agility. Regular height, tanned skin, black hair dropping down onto her shoulders, dark brown eyes. Think of a Roma (Gypsy) like woman. A few minor wrinkles can be seen around the eyes, but again nothing suggesting her real age. She used to have grey hair, but (dark) magic has been used to turn it back to it's original colour. When dressed as Lady Mira she wears finely tailored dresses and jewellery, clearly showing off her wealth. She would only wear pants as a Lady when absolutely necessary. When in public in Stormwind she tends to wrap a large scarf around her head and face 'to keep her hair from getting messed up in the wind'. She usually carries a set of matching decorated daggers. A pouch for her set of Tarot cards and a smaller pouch for coins and other small items. Rides her horse Besnik, which usually carries a pair of saddle bags attatched to the richly decorated saddle. When dressed as Claudia/Cindy she wears plain leather and/or cloth clothing and armor of good make, always wearing pants (no dresses) and always covering her head and face to hide her true identity. When in public she usually speaks in a lower voice as Claudia than her normal voice as Myriah. No jewellery, Tarot cards or too much coins on her. Rides her horse Andrzej.

Warvick Blackwood, 25, Master Tracker of the Ninth Company of Stormwind.
Character description
His parents were traveling merchants, but, when he was born, they had to stay in Darkshire. At the age of 14 he started to show some interest in hunting and because of that his father started to teach him how to use a gun; he was progressing quick and, later on, his parents had to hire a hunter to teach him, because his father couldn't teach him more.

When he was at the age of 17 he had to move from Darkshire to somewhere else due to the fact their business was getting worse and worse each day. That was also the moment when he had wished to stop his training. They decided to move to Redridge and try starting business in Lakeshire. On the way to Lakeshire their caravan was ambushed by a group of three Worgens. Those beasts killed his parents within a few moments, he saw the corpses of his parents hit the ground after that tall Worgen stood in front of him staring into his eyes. He was filled with anger yet he couldn't do much. When it looked like the end of his story he heard a whistle. The worgen looked back and in that moment his head was pierced with a bullet followed by someone shouting bullseye. The two other Worgen escaped and he was approached by a group of three men; one of them had a gun in his hands and some wolf pelt over his head. The man offered Warv to help with burying his parents and he accepted it. After that he told the man that he has nowhere to go now and the man asked him if he hadn't wanted to join them. Without any further thinking he accepted the offer and that's how the next chapter in his life started.

Two months after he joined them they started to work together. They were hunting rare beasts, killing bandits, helping townsfolk here and there. But after numerous actions like that it started to get boring for them and after 6 years they decided to try their luck in Bizmo's Brawlpub Brawlers Guild. It took some time but they've finally reached the top-rankings. They were about to move away from Storwmind for now but he decided to stay. After he was asked why he answered that he still has two Worgens to kill. His friends left the city but they've gave him a gift, a suit armor made out of fel iron.

He has now joined a military unit in hope that it will help him find his targets and avenge his family. But he doesn't know what he will do after avenging them. Maybe he will stay in the guard unit or he will try finding his friends again. But that's yet to be decided because for now he has to focus on his main goal, finding those foul beasts.

In game guild http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/guild/defias-brotherhood/House_Blackwood

Family Tree: http://www.familyecho.com/?p=CKKNJ&c=156wcsb98qz&f=551857388459737187

More info at: http://defiaseu.wikia.com/wiki/House_Blackwood

by **Mallucis** Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:02 pm

Extended Annals of Blackwood
by Lord Aramal Blackstone

Aramal Blacstone wrote:
Foreword
We, the remnants of the once mighty House Blackwood of Lordaeron,
are doing all we can to bring back all that might help us sustain the heritage of our noble ancestors.
This work is a collection of facts and some speculations based on those facts,
that We, the living Blackwoods have gathered throughout the years.
Pardon us, if we are wrong.
Help us, if you can.
Correct us, if you know better.
Praise us, as we strive to retake what we all have lost.

Chapter I
Origins

All dates back to around -2,800LC (-2208KC), when united forces of High Elves of Quel'Thalas and Arathorian Empire defeated the Amani Empire during the Troll Wars ("Arathor and the Troll Wars"). Following the defeat of the Trolls, the disenfranchised lords of Strom, capital of the nation of Arathor, were part of a group that left Strom because of their desire of the verdant lands to the north. In the result of the fraction, around -1,200 (-608KC), the Seven Kingdoms emerged: Lordaeron, Alterac, Gilneas, Dalaran, and Stromgarde were formed on continental Lordaeron, north of Khaz Modan; the kingdom of Azeroth (later known as Stormwind) was formed on continental Azeroth; the Kingdom of Kul Tiras was formed off of the coast of Khaz Modan.
The Barony of Blackwood was under the government of Stratholme, the second most populated city in Lordaeron. Those who were given the land stretched between Northdale from the North, Corin's Crossing from the South, Browman Mill from the East, and Blackwood Lake from the West must have been not only very important allies to House Menethil, but also in good contacts with High Elves, as the barony bordered with Quel'Thalas.
[...]
The last known head of the House was Baron Blackwood. It is said he died leaving no heir to the Barony, and was later on brought back by the Forsaken to legitimate their claims to the area (see: Lord Blackwood, Baron Blackwood, Blackwood). Due to the Baron's proffession it is believed, that many of the Blackwoods were magi.

Chapter II
Blackwood Barony

[...]

Garithos' Rule (?/? - 598KC/6LC)
After House Blackwood fell, the land was ruled by Baron Garithos. The baron's son, Othmar Garithos, joined the army as a knight during the Second War, where he saw combat in Quel'Thalas defending the elves' homeland from invading orcs. While he was in Quel'Thalas, however, a small band of orcs broke off from the main invading force and burned Blackwood to the ground, killing all of its inhabitants in spite of the valorous defense marshaled by its lord. Othmar's family perished doing their duty, defending the homes and lives of their subjects. He blamed the elves for the loss of his town and family, believing that the elves diverted forces away from the Alliance's true goal: the defense of humanity alone. After his father’s death, Othmar was awarded his title and continued his service in the armies of Lordaeron.

Razing of Blackwood (598KC/6LC)
The Razing of Blackwood occurred during the Second War, as part of the Horde's invasion of Quel'Thalas.
During Orgrim Doomhammer's assault on the elven kingdom, a small band of orcs broke off from the main invading force and attacked the town of Blackwood, on the shores of Blackwood Lake. Baron Garithos marshaled his subjects to defend the town, but they were all slain by the orcish forces. Though the burning of Blackwood had marginal strategic effect on the Second War, it carried a lasting impact on the baron's son Othmar Garithos, who was stationed in Quel'Thalas at the time and blamed the elves for his family's death.

The Scourge of Lordaeron (612KC/20LC - 625KC/33LC)
Like the Western Plaguelands, the Eastern Plaguelands were once beautiful and brimming with farms and small villages. The regional government was centered around the city of Stratholme, the largest city in Lordaeron. Also nearby were the towns of Darrowshire, Corin's Crossing, and Tyr's Hand, and to the east of Stratholme was the pass leading into the southern boundaries of Quel'Thalas.

In the opening hours of the Third War, the investigations into the origins of the Scourge led Prince Arthas and Jaina Proudmoore through the Tirisfal Glades and what is now the Western Plaguelands (more specifically, the towns of Andorhal and Hearthglen), where they confronted the necromancer Kel'Thuzad and his Cult of the Damned. Kel'Thuzad told Arthas to seek out the leader of the Scourge in Lordaeron, the Dreadlord Mal'Ganis, at Stratholme. While en route via Hearthglen, Arthas and Jaina were joined by Lord Uther, master of the Silver Hand. When they arrived at Stratholme, Arthas realized that the villagers had been infected with the Plague of Undeath. When Uther refused to obey Arthas' command to purge the city, Arthas relieved Uther of command and disbanded the Silver Hand, then slaughtered the townsfolk himself. After hunting down Mal'ganis in Northrend, Arthas returned as one of the Lich King's death knights and toppled the Kingdom of Lordaeron by murdering his own father, King Terenas. After the fall of Lordaeron's capital, the plague spread throughout the northern regions of Lordaeron, turning them into the blighted lands they are today.

The resistance against the Scourge was particularly bloody at Darrowshire, where the ghoul Horgus the Ravager and the death knight Marduk Blackpool (alias Marduk the Black) led an army of Scourge against the town. Only surviving paladins under Davil Crokford and the Darrowshire militia under Captain Joseph Redpath were able to stand in their way. Though they put up a valiant fight, the defenders of Darrowshire were not enough to stave off the endless legions of Scourge. Davil managed to defeat Horgus in combat, but he succumbed to the horrific wounds the ghoul had inflicted. Captain Redpath fell to Marduk's necromancy, his soul taken from his body and corrupted into the service of the Scourge, where he proceeded to turn on his fellows and tear Darrowshire apart, killing everyone who hid in their homes.

After the fall of Lordaeron, Alexandros Mograine formed a Crusade from the remnants of Lordaeron's Knights of the Silver Hand and attempted to retake the shattered kingdom from both the Scourge and the undead renegades known as the Forsaken. In the Eastern Plaguelands, they took control of both the town of Tyr's Hand and the western districts of Stratholme, where they battle the forces of Baron Rivendare to gain control of the destroyed city. After the death of Alexandros Mograine, the Crusade went through a schism; forming factions such as the Brotherhood of the Light and the Argent Dawn which established themselves in Light's Hope Chapel, and with those who remained in the original Crusade renaming themselves the Scarlet Crusade. Meanwhile, the Alliance and Horde continued to fight over the abandoned Lordaeron towers scattered around the Eastern Plaguelands.[2][3] Eventually, the master of the Scourge in Lordaeron made his return to the blighted lands. From his citadel of Naxxramas, floating over the Plaguewood near Stratholme, he prepared to continue the work he began in the name of his master, the Lich King. Recently, Naxxramas floated away from the Plaguelands and reappeared over Dragonblight in Northrend, though it was replaced by Acherus: The Ebon Hold over the far eastern portion of the zone. From there, Arthas sent his death knights to exterminate both the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn and leave his grip over the Plaguelands unchallenged. But, there is that old saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men (and Lich Kings)...

Chapter III
Modern Blackwood

Location: Northeastern Lordaeron
Capital: Stratholme
Races: Scourge, Human, Forest troll, Wretched
Government: Dictatorship
Rulers: Lord Maxwell Tyrosus
Major settlements: Light's Hope Chapel, Tyr's Hand, Plaguewood.
Minor settlements: Terrordale, Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave, Northdale, Darrowshire.
Affiliation: Contested between Argent Crusade and Scourge remnants
Resources: Herbs: Arthas' Tears (rare), Khadgar's Whisker, Liferoot, Sungrass; ore: iron, gold, mithril, truesilver (questionable: dark iron, lighforge).