Apel's Clan

Where the great sun-beaten plains of Light territory gets swallowed by the sands of the Shifting Expanse, in a rocky area not too far from the shadow-riddled Hewn City, that’s where the Blackspire Clan has made their home.

The name is a remnant from their early days, when the clan -- founded by the old matriarch Lethe -- was shaped and forged in the wilds of the Ashfall Wastes. After a devastating eruption of a nearby volcano, the clan was happy to leave their homelands behind and seek a new fortune.

Nowadays it’s a small but prosperous clan, specializing in trading and crafts, together with scholarly and otherwordly pursuits. They have strong ties with the nearby harpy populations, and trading and alliances are very common.


The landscape is riddled with meandering valleys and deep canyons, often with creeks and rivers at the bottom; between them rise high sandstone mesas and plateaus, rocky outcrops and sky-piercing spires. The air is dry and the winds often carry the faint sounds of rolling thunder from the desert.


- Blackspire Citadel
In the heart of Blackspire territory lies the Citadel; nestled on top of an immense sandstone cliff, just at the edge of a deep valley. The stone has been carefully carved and built upon to form the foundation of the clan's main stronghold.


- The High Court
Clustered at the very top, with a view of the immense landscape below, are the buildings and gardens of the High Court. The palace, the Queen's quarters, and the council chambers are there.
The next level below is reserved for the temples of the Lightweaver and the Flamecaller, lesser altars for other gods, and the oracles.


- The Lower Court
The third level is the Lower Court; mostly consisting of living spaces, trading markets, shops, small gardens, and that is where most of the everyday activities take place. Most of the inhabitants of Blackspire live there, and its inns and taverns have many rooms for visitors.


- The Midnight Guard
Deep inside the butte, under the citadel, are the Night Halls. Winding passageway and large catacombs, carved from the sandstone and always cool and still beneath the bustling activity of the outside. Not many are allowed in here - this is where the Midnight Guard keeps its headquarters. They are the the clan's first defense against the dark things lurking in the nearby Hewn City, and sometimes their methods are hard to distinguish from their enemies'.

Much of the space is used for storage. Both materials and food, but also large quantities of water in times of drought.


- Shrouded Valley
Far beneath the rock walls of the Citadel, the slow, meandering river that runs through the valley nourishes a lush, vibrant landscape around it. Protected from the dry winds above, the water is edged by ancient wetlands and wildwood groves, as well as cultivated land. The orchards, gardens, and plantations near the water supply a lot of food and materials the clan uses: wood, food crops, herbs for healing and enjoyment, spices, plants producing fine dyes, and pastures for grazing animals.

It is an unlikely sight; dense and abundant growth, so different from the harsh desert above. Thick mists rise from the water in the mornings, shrouding the river in a golden haze, giving the area it's name.

- The Outer Reaches
The Outer Reaches are the edges of the clan’s territory, deserted and uninhabitable land. Guards and scouts commonly patrol these lands, often aided by allied harpies. To walk safely there, you need the assistance of the dune guides.



notes to self:


http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/ibaz/1973761


courier/diplomat
treasurer
soldiers

A forum signature graphic should be 525 pixels wide and 100 pixels tall.
A forum post graphic should be 525 pixels wide.
A clan profile page graphic should be 400 pixels wide.
A dragon description graphic should be 640 pixels wide.

---