Blackwood
House Blackwood
House Blackwood was once a prominent noble family in the city of Castlemere during the reign of the Ravencrest Dynasty. Known for their wealth, arcane prowess, and whispered connections to the occult, the Blackwoods held influence both in the courts and in the shadowed corners of the realm. Though their name has faded from polite society, the legacy of House Blackwood endures in whispers, bloodlines, and curses.
History
The Blackwoods rose to power during the early years of the Ravencrest rule, securing lands on the outskirts of Castlemere’s enchanted woodlands. They gained a reputation as reclusive nobles, hosting secretive salons, sponsoring esoteric research, and cultivating ties with the arcane and the forbidden. Their ancestral estate, Duskwatch Hall, was said to sit atop ancient ley lines and cryptic Barovian ruins.
Their fall from grace came swiftly and quietly, tied to scandal, heresy, and a tragic romance that fractured the line forever.
Primrose Blackwood
Primrose Blackwood was the matriarch of the final generation of the Blackwood bloodline. A Barovian witch of considerable power, she was feared more than loved, and whispered to commune with spirits older than the Ravencrest line itself. Primrose was known for her chilling beauty, her mastery of blood magic, and her unwavering devotion to dark prophecy.
- Titles: Lady of Duskwatch, The Pale Thorn
- Affiliations: Barovian Witches, Forgotten Circle (rumored)
- Known For: Curses, necromantic rites, and shaping the destiny of her only son, Harker.
Harker Blackwood
Harker Blackwood was the last scion of House Blackwood, heir to a legacy both noble and cursed. Handsome, brooding, and gifted in sorcery, he captured the attention—and the heart—of none other than Empress Narri Castlereagh. Their secret love affair was the subject of court gossip and forbidden poetry.
However, tragedy struck when Harker was turned into a vampire under unknown circumstances. Consumed by obsession, he attempted to turn Narri into a creature of the night, believing they could rule together eternally. Narri resisted. As punishment for his betrayal, she imprisoned Harker aboard The Babylon—a massive, arcane zeppelin that now endlessly circles Castlemere City, serving as both his prison and eternal reminder of what he lost.
- Titles: Lord Harker, The Crimson Heir
- Status: Undead (Imprisoned)
- Affiliation: None (estranged from all noble lines)
- Fate: Bound within The Babylon, warded against escape by royal decree.
Legacy
Though House Blackwood is no longer recognized among the noble families of Castlemere, its blood runs quietly through forgotten descendants and hidden cabals. Some say the family’s curse remains unbroken, and that the fall of the Ravencrests was prophesied by Primrose herself.
Artifacts bearing the Blackwood seal are considered cursed but highly valuable to collectors of forbidden lore.
Known Residences
- Duskwatch Hall – The ancestral estate, abandoned and rumored haunted.
- The Babylon – The arcane zeppelin prison of Harker Blackwood, still visible from Castlemere on cloudless nights.
- The Moonmere Crypts – Burial site of early Blackwoods; off-limits by imperial decree.