Blacktown

Blacktown’s keep is an imposing structure and one of the few stone buildings in the small town. Fully two stories tall, the building has only a few windows, most of which are little more than arrow slits. A pair of guards standing in front of the portcullis that protect the main entrance, notices your approach. The towns muddiness doesn’t hide any possible beauty. The dark cloudy sky drops thick rain over the buildings. The shoddy dilapidated homes cast dancing flickering shadows over the dirt road that runs through the town. People don’t seem to notice you as you enter, or maybe they just don’t care. Smells of rat stew and wet mud are pungent, and the sounds of puddle splashes and dogs barking are apparent and obnoxious. Crime in Blacktown is rampant, with deaths or serious injuries just about every day.

History

Brookman's Well in Blacktown This small spring supplies most of the town's fresh water. It's named for the resident who dug it 40 years ago, Dreklas Brookman, a man who has big plans for expanding the town with engineering works and architectural projects, including a cathedral and a great stone bridge. He was gaining the support of the town's residents when he crossed old Thalsin Blacktown, Moriarty’s father. Dreklas ended up having an accident in the wood cut yard shortly thereafter, even though he didn't work there. The Blacktown family immediately took control of the well; their thugs guard it night and day, and charge a hefty fee for its use. Those who can't afford the fee have to settle for attempting to sneak a bucketful from the well after dark, when the guards are often drunk, or otherwise rely on the dirty water collected from rain that falls from the aged roofs.