Earldom of Blackwood

The Earldom of Blackwood refers to both the title in the Stormwind Peerage, and the land traditionally held by the house of Blackfyre, located in the region of Duskwood. The Blackwood itself is quite small in comparison to the territories controlled by more prominent aristocratic families, and consists of four main estates, spread out over a little less than 21,000 acres. The Earldom of Blackwood also includes several thousand acres in the County of Westbank, located just 40 miles outside the Blackwood.

People
Save for the Blackfyre family, the land is inhabited almost entirely by the hard working men and women who labor in the silver mines, the vinyard workers, a handful of merchants, and their extended families.

Culture and Economy
Hard workers and devout worshipers of the Holy Light, the citizens of the Blackwood have worked the land for centuries, and continue to improve it. Despite the curse that has befallen much of Duskwood, the resilient people of the Blackwood have endured with grace and dignity. Largely independent of Stormwind's bureaucracy, they have formed their own militia to deal with the constant threat of feral worgen that roam the forests, and have been largely successful in culling the vicious beasts.

As much of the Blackwood's economy is dependent upon the silver mines, most citizens have found employment rather easily. With the recent passage of a law that guarantees them a reasonable wage and death benefits, many of the homeless denizens of Westfall have also found work in the Blackwood's mines.

Once a bustling center of trade, the Blackwood is now home to only a handful of merchants, the second largest part of its economy now derived from the two vineyards.

Duskwood Holdings

 * Castle Blackfyre
 * Ludlow Castle
 * Hamilton House
 * Rivergrove
 * Danica's Vinyard

Stormwind Holdings

 * Westvale House
 * Canal Street Pub

Coat of Arms
The Arms - Quarterly, 1st Sable a Tower (Blackfyre); 2nd Argent a Lion Passant, Guardian Or; 3rd Argent a Horse Sinister Gules; 4th Sable an Ankh Or. (Ludlow)

The Crests - 1st A Horse Sinister Argent, Armed Or; 2nd an Earl's Coronet.

The Motto - "Bravery Alone Is Not Enough"