Tricross Castle

Set at a major junction of the Blood Way which links the capital of Ymeris, Vonstorm to the north east and west of the Desolation of Hissh, Tricross Castle is a place whose name strikes joy into the hearts of Vampires and fear into those mortals unfortunate enough to know its name. This is because the castle is the centre of blood production for the Midnight Court, ensuring that a ready supply of the Vampires' main form of sustenance is available for all of Ymeris’ denizens, allowing them to devote their time to other pursuits and enabling them to hunt for the pleasure of it rather than for pure necessity.

Demographics

It is only the court of the Vampire lord of Tricross Castle that are regarded as official citizens or residents of the citadel, with all of the living souls who reside in Tricross and its environs being regarded as ‘livestock’, see below.
The importance and scale of the agricultural work (as the Vampires regard it) of Tricross Castle means that it’s lord, Sanguinus Linniarital has a large retinue of younger Vampires in her service, thought to be one of the largest concentrations of Vampires in Ymeris outside of Vonstorm.

The 'Livestock' Pens

Tricross Castle is famous throughout Ymeris and infamous beyond its borders for one thing and one thing only, the production of high quality blood. Ever since the establishment of Ymeris as a geopolitical entity, its resident Vampires have pondered how best to balance their need to seek sustenance with their desire to accumulate knowledge and wealth and the desire to languorously enjoy their undead immortality. The ideal solution was the application of agricultural principals to the production of blood, i.e. the farming of humanoids. Whilst this has generally translated into most Vampires simply demanding a non-lethal tithe of blood from the serfs of their estate it has been taken to new industrial and gastronomic heights at Tricross.
Thousands of living humanoids are kept at Tricross Castle in pens where they are well-fed, exercised and treated with the sort of regard by their Vampire handlers that a farmer would treat their prize cattle. Over the course of many years they are meticulously looked after, not for their own benefit, but in order to create the finest quality blood possible. The humanoids kept at Tricross are meticulously monitored and their blood routinely tested in small quantities, in a similar manner to how a vintner would test wines. When the blood is deemed to be at its peak, the unfortunate humanoid in question is killed and their blood drained and bottled. This blood is then sold to Vampires across Ymeris and beyond the borders of the Desolation of Hissh and the produce of Tricross Castle is a highly prized luxury that all Vampires clamour to have at their tables.

Ruling Lord

Tricross Castle is governed by Sanguinus Linniarital, a Vampire from the line of Linniara Istarital herself. Sanguinus Linniarital is known as the Master Sanguinelier and she is regarded as being the most knowledgeable authority in Ymeris on the production of the most delectable blood. Her skill means that she is widely courted by Vampires from across the Midnight Court, but her first and primary loyalty is ultimately considered to lie with Linniara Istarital, Ymeris’ ruler.
She is unusual in that she has a large number of other Vampires from many different bloodlines in her service, rather than just commanding the loyalty of Vampires that she has created. The reason for this is that Vampires from far and wide pledge service to her in order to acquire the necessary knowledge to become Sanguineliers, connoisseurs of producing, tasting and serving blood in all of its forms.

Defenses

The castle has a considerable body of defence, beginning at its heart, the fortified keep that acts as the residential quarters for Sanguinus Linniarital and her court. Beneath this central keep are the blood cellars, where the harvested blood is bottled and stored, awaiting transfer to buyers across the Desolation of Hissh and beyond. These cellars are heavily guarded by mundane and arcane defences and certain bottles of blood are deemed to be so precious that they are kept separately, only accessible to Sanguinus Linniarital herself.
Beyond the keep itself, there is a curtain wall surrounding it and creating an enclosed courtyard that houses the sepulchres in which the castle’s undead guards reside, along with the slaughterhouse where humanoids are killed and fully exsanguinated and a glassblowing workshop that produces bottles for the storage of the harvested blood.
A further, much larger defensive ring exists beyond the inner, within which the pens and exercise yards for the humanoid livestock are situated, along with all of the related apparatus and infrastructure needed to look after them.

Geography

Castle Tricross is set within a natural bowl in the landscape, which protects it from the worst of the weather that occasionally rolls off the Dragons' Tears Mountains to the south, whose peaks can be seen in the distance on clear days.

Alternative Names

The Bloody Vineyard

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Desolation of Hissh

Owning Organization

Ymeris

Population

Exact numbers are unknown to outsiders, but it is estimated that there are several thousand living souls kept in Tricross Castle.

Demonym

The living souls kept at Tricross Castle are referred to simply as ‘livestock’.