⚔ Aᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ ⚔

Blackwake Hold is a floating fortress secretly controlled by the Zhentarim, drifting near the uncharted reefs west of the Nelanther Isles. Formed from the lashed-together hulls of dozens of sunken or seized ships, the Hold is both haven and hunting ground—serving as a mobile command post for Black Network operations across the Sea of Swords. From here, the Zhentarim coordinate piracy, smuggling, and the retrieval of arcane relics from drowned ruins. Its crews, drawn from ex-slavers, mercenary mages, and former corsairs, operate under strict meritocratic order; success brings gold and rank, failure means burial at sea. Beneath the decks, eldritch laboratories churn out sea-monster hybrids and enchanted stormglass—gifts for wealthy clients or weapons for sabotage. While appearing as a myth to most sailors, Blackwake’s influence can be felt in every vanished convoy and every mutinous whisper born from gold-stained contracts.

At a distance, Blackwake Hold appears as a malformed shadow skimming the waves—a dark, patchwork isle crowned in torn sails and crooked masts. Only as one nears do the details emerge: ships of many origins—galleons, dhows, longships—lashed together by tar-streaked ropes, blackened chains, and beams carved with infernal runes. Tidal lanterns, flickering with green flame, hang from creaking rigging, casting an eerie glow over barnacle-bitten decks. Central to the structure rises a jagged watchtower of driftwood and armored hull plating, topped with an ever-burning brazier that pulses like a heartbeat. Below, gangways weave like a labyrinth between ships, leading to gambling dens, soul-brokers’ chambers, and armor-forges built inside gutted hulls. Inside, crew members tattooed in Bane’s sigils sharpen blades beside vats of enchanted ink and whispering mirrors. The air reeks of sea salt, rust, and oil-slick blood. Deep in the lowest holds, alchemical tanks churn with brine and bone.