In 1712, a small group of settlers fleeing persecution on Europe arrived to the fog-laden shores of what would become Blackharbor. Blackharbor sits on the Washington Coastline and sports a natural harbor, jagged cliffs and a dense verdant forest. Unbeknownst to the settlers, the land was steeped in the supernatural. Their leader, Elias Black grew the settlement, its foundation built with blood, sweat and a few whispered rites.
The Colonial Era (1712-1785)
As Blackharbor grew and became a booming port town, its wealth was built on trade and shipbuilding. The town’s prosperity came at a cost. Local’s spoke of strange occurrences such as ghostly lights in the harbor, unearthly howls in the forest and sudden unexplained disappearances. Rumor also began to swirl that Elias Black had made a pact with the devil.
The indigenous tribes in the area avoided the harbor and warned settlers of a great evil in the water, however their warnings were ignored and dismissed. Over time their sacred sites were either abandoned or desecrated with the expansion of the town.
Disaster struck in the early 19th century when a massive fire broke out and swept through Blackharbor. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to ash and over half the population perished. The fire’s origins remain a mystery to this day.
In the aftermath of the fire, Blackharbor was rebuilt with the gothic stone architecture that still stands to this day. The reconstruction brought an influx of immigrants, each group adding to the town’s cultural tapestry.
The Industrial Boom (1850-1910)
The Industrial Revolution transformed Blackharbor into a bustling and vibrant city. Factories, Railroads, and a booming shipyard industry turned the city into a hub of commerce. With this ear of progress came a darker aspect. Reports of factory accidents far exceeding norms, unexplained illnesses and strange sightings in the harbor became common place.
Prohibition and the Golden Age of Crime (1920-1933)
Blackharbor quickly turned into a hotbed of crime with Prohibition. Smugglers, speakeasies, and illicit trade flourished and the supernatural world took advance of the chaos. Kindred used the underground liquor trade as a means to consolidate power while mages vied for control of the city’s ever expanding underworld. The Glasswalkers entrenched themselves into the mob.
This era saw the rise of “The Red Lantern”, a speakeasy that became infamous as a neutral ground for supernatural dealings. It was within the walls of the Red Lantern where a fragile truce between the supernatural was brokered. This truce still holds today.
Modern Day (1980s-Present)
Blackharbor has grown into a sprawling metropolis with its shadowy history buried beneath the layers of urban decay and modernization. Skyscrapers loom over crumbling tenements and gentrification battles with the city’s deeply entrenched poverty.
Vampires vie for dominance with the Camarilla, Sabbat, and Anarachs. While The Garou fight to protect their earn and the remnants of sacred sites. Mages delve into the mystery of the city’s nodes, seeking power. Mortals remain largely oblivious but a number of hunters have began to take notice.
