Locations/IsleOfBlackHearts

The quintessential home to pirates all over the west is Bluehaven, a fortress of the sea, surrounded by deep Sargasso’s and the wrecks of ships both ancient and of more recent caliber. Nigh impenetrable to even the great fleets of the modern Realm, it is the greatest stronghold of the dreaded Lintha Pirates. Yet it is not their only stronghold.

The Isle of Black Hearts

Located several hundred miles east of Bluehaven, about seventy miles off the Violet Coast, is the famed "Black Heart Isle". Surrounded by a deadly ring of coral reefs called 'the Thresher', the Black Heart Isle is home to the jagged Lost Peak and boasts one of the largest collections of Bucaneers and Ruffians outside of Bluehaven. Traditionally held by one of the higher-ranking grandparents of the Lintha 'family', Black Heart is held as a convenient stopping point for pirates raiding the profitable trading lanes between 'the Neck' (the slightly narrower stretch between the Blessed Isle and the Lappish Peninsula) and the open waters of the West -- Lintha pirates stop off there often, and the place would probably be a lot more important than it already is if not for one simple fact...

The realm scours the island's small city, Blackgold, every few decades. Most of the Lintha survive, hiding out in the seaside caves and extensive tunnel networks under the Lost Peak, but it still takes its tool. Hard to attack, the Black Heart Isle might be -- but it's not nearly as impossible to assault as Bluehaven.

Even so, Blackgold gets rebuilt every time and the Realm has never successfully occupied the Island (nor has it tried, in over a century.)

the Thresher =

The Black Heart Isle has ever been surrounded by a ship-crunching slab of reef known locally as the Thresher. When the sun is in the sky and the water clear enough, you can see right down into the jagged hell below. Sharks, barracudas and worse prowl the waters -- joined by the wreckage of countless ships that have perished on the trip to the Isle. The coast of the isle is rife with flotsam and wreckage as well, forming a dire vista for any approaching ship as well as a warning to all who approach. However, the reef and the graves of dead sailors is not all one can see when the water is clear enough.

During the First Age, large channels were cut through the reef -- seared right through with powerful sorcery or some lost artifact, providing seven basic paths through the reef and onto the isle. The paths are safe enough during the day, when you can see where the channels are even if you might not have a good view of them -- narrow, winding and hard to navigate, but easy enough for a competent pilot. When the waters are rough, or in the dark of the night, however...then, the Thresher brings only death.

Braving the Thresher:</b> Navigating through the Thresher on a good day (no strong winds or currents, reasonably clear water, etc.) is a standard Dexterity + Sail roll requiring one success. Safe enough for anyone with nine dots in his pool, and not a huge threat to the careful. When conditions are not nominal, but it's still daylight, the difficulty can increase to two. At night, the difficulty is typically three -- suicide for most human pilots, but something a gutsy Exalt can pull off.

If you fail to get enough successes for your roll, however, you immediately have to make another Dexterity + Sail roll. In normal conditions, the difficulty is three. Bad conditions raise this by one or two, and if you were trying to cross at night raise the difficulty by another two. If you succeed on this roll, then you only scraped the reef a bit before veering back over the channel. You've damaged your ship pretty badly but you can probably make it to the dock at Blackgold, or at least /live/ through your ships slow descent. If you fail this roll, though, the next passerby on a clear day will see the remains of your ship and crew resting on the reef...

the Isle

The Isle of Black Hearts was probably once volcanic, but the Lost Peak has long since gone dormant and now the island is famed only for it's black heart-shaped rock formations and it's beautiful beaches. Most of the civilization is lined up along the southern end of the isle, which stretches up around the jagged foothills and ravines of the Lost Peak -- before melting into the Ocean in the angular Kraken Bay. Nearly 56 miles of beautiful sandy beaches -- filled with shells, crabs, and flotsam -- line the bay, and the occasional underwater cave has been used by paranoid pirates for decades to hide their treasures. Some still remain there, after their original owners perished, lost and forgotten.

At the head of the bay lies Blackgold herself, sitting right before the steep face of the Lost Peak. Most of the city is one large dock, with assorted taverns and brothels along with the occasional merchants. The Lintha Elders all have estates, some grand and others less so, upon the hills of the city.

Jungles line the western edge of the island, filled with wild animals and spiked with the occasional Wyld zone. A few Fae commoners lurk in the depths of the Jungle, but they keep largely to themselves. Once there were a few Manses, but if any remain they have gone unclaimed. Most have long since faded to rubble or exploded from gradually building essence -- leaving behind untapped demesnes, some of them potent.

A small jutting cape hooks off the northern edge of the island, and only one small channel leads to this area. It's nearly abandoned, except for a few hermits and watchers (who keep in contact with Blackgold with signal fires) who keep watch for approaching fleets and ships. Some pirates navigate the channel here, though, using the peninsula for some purpose or another. Buried treasure, combat training, releasing prisoners for sport, or simply a bit of privacy.

Kraken Bay

57 miles of looping beach, filled with sea-caves and ice-cold waters. Hungry ghosts are the main danger of the bay, for the sailors who perished on the Thresher invariably wash up here -- often times joined by the love-haunts so common around the Violet Coast. Despite the beauty of the bay and it's perfect beaches, few casually stroll that far from Blackgold -- those that do too often join the spirits that keep others away.

More interesting are the ring of islands that line the end of the bay, looping around like a curtain. "The Wall" by most of the pirates of Black Heart, is simply another barrier. While not even close to the danger of the Thresher, it's all to common to ram into a submerged rock while trying to angle between two of the small specks of sand that make up the rock. Combined with shallows, more than a few captains have braved the thresher only to end up downed on the wall, waving to the next passing ship for rescue. Thankfully, the wide natural channel at the front of the bay ("the Gate") provides a handy entrance into the bay proper.

Any but a full blown invasion of the Realm typically is fought off with a layered defense. The first ring is set between the edge of the Thresher and the Wall, attacking the ships as they move through the Channels. The second, if even needed, cuts off and boards ships singularly as they pass through the Gate. Only the Realm, with their sorcery and first age weapons, has really made it past the Gate uninvited.

Lost Peak

One of the tallest island-mounts of the Southwest, the Lost Peak was an active volcano long ago, but now it's little more than a dark and forbidding mountain. Albeit a dark and forbidden mountain riddled with caves, dungeons, pits and safe-houses. Almost another little city, the Peak is in a way the true heart of the island. The Realm has destroyed Blackgold several times, but it's never burned all of the Lintha out of the peak. Nor will it, ever, the Lintha proudly proclaim.

The two most common tunnels into the cave system open up from Blackgold itself, and lead into two different parts of the cave system. One, in the small merchant district, opens up into the Slave Pens and the Stores. Food for months on end is stored under the peak, and other important goods are kept locked away as well. A small fortune in Jade and Silver lingers in some of the most well-protected parts, and a few even know the locations of a few lost artifacts. The Slaves, on the other hand, are more 'stored within' than 'stored away'. Few can find their way through the cave system unaided, and escapes are quite rare. While it's possible to find your way back out into the sun, an escaped slave is just as likely to wander into some other part of the caves...

The other entrances (and exits) to the system are many and varied. Most of the Lintha Elders have tunnels leading into the caves from their estates, and a few of the larger businesses also have connections. No few places along the mountain side open up into the cave system, and some tunnels even lead to the different parts of the island. One tunnel is said to lead into the Jungles near an ancient Demesne, while at least three connections exist to the near-abandoned northern parts of the islands. Some tunnels even lead to various undersea caves along the bay, though these tend to be quite cramped and lengthy indeed!

Blackgold, City of Scum and Villainy

Home to well over four thousand permanent residents, the city of Blackgold is centered around one primary industry: Piracy.

Due to it's status as one of the primary holes of the Lintha Family, Blackgold serves a primary purpose in letting captains unload the cargo and less liquid forms of loot that most raids recover; the Lintha maintain large warehouses and shipping houses, buy the loot from pirate captains and send it off to Bluehaven, one of the other strongholds, or some other ports for sale. Independent shipping contractors and simple fences are available as well, more than willing to buy even the more exotic items that the Lintha are less likely to touch. The Guild has been known to dock in Blackgold, filling it's holds with cheap cargo stolen from other traders.

The Slave Trade has always been strong in Blackgold as well, and captives from all over the west end up in Blackgold to be broken and eventually sold back to the Lintha, the Guild, or some other group. Most businesses in Blackgold rely heavily on slaves, and the merchant district is heavily dominated by the slave pens and courts where fresh meat is unloaded upon the public.

Supplies are just as important to any Captain and his purser, and entire industries spring up in Blackrock to support the pirates that need everything from fresh feed to new weapons. Moneylenders are also had, though only the desperate frequent them.

Yet the true flesh and blood of the cities economy is dedicated not on the folk who run the ships, but on the lusty sailors that crew them. The extensive docks of the city hold row and row of entertainment districts, dedicated to providing every possible need to the crew in on shore-leave with their hard fought gold. A place to stay, as cheap or as luxurious as you want! Ale, and whores! Fine food (or just a lot of it), good drugs (or just a quick high) are both easily found, and gambling houses are ubiquitous. A single large arena shows frequent fights (between voluntary opponents, mostly), which are popular both to watch and to bet on -- even to participate in! Brawling is quite a popular sport in the city, as various grudges are settled in dark alleys after one too many ales are downed.

And, of course, the ever present draw of the sea. People come to Blackgold looking to sign on as a pirate, or simply find their way there and can find few other ways to leave. Every trip to port ends up with a few hands missing, and thus replacements are quickly found. Still, a desire to rob the seas blind can -- if not quickly fulfilled -- turn into a heedless search for shelter, drugs and patronage. Which usually leads the unfortunate dreamer into the employment of one of the above entertainers. More than a few prostitutes, servers and such found their start in a such a way.

Locations/BlackgoldLocations\\ Locations/BlackgoldEstates

First Age Ruins

== Inhabitants of the Isle ==