Rivenroar Estate

Location

The Rivenroar Estate is located about 5 miles NE of Brindol, just of the road that runs parallel to the Dwarf Road.

Description

The estate was a moderate sized one by Thorast standard, spanning a few hectares, and built upon the parcel of land that enjoyed a southerly facing elevation (perfect of maximising sunlight). The physical buildings comprised of a standard villa, a series of stone storehouses and the family mausoleum.

History

The Rivenroar Estate takes its name from the last family to own it, although the land itself passed through a number of inter-related families in the centuries before its demise.

The first people to settle on the land was the Von Kauthin family - wealthy Merebians who owned a series of vineyards across Dominus and who wanted to gain a foothold in the Thorast markets. They bought this land shortly after the signing of the Thunder Accords, in around 70IC. Records show that Von Kauthins were fairly unsuccessful at getting the land to turn a profit and although were wealthy they couldn't maintain an estate that continually turned a loss forever. At some point, in 92IC, the decision was made to sell the land (at a considerable loss) to the Von Urstadt family, who were related to the Von Kauthins via the marriage of two people at the fringes of the family tree.

The Von Urstadt family didn't bother trying to run the estate as a profitable venture. Instead it was more of a 'Summer residence' where parties and trade deals could be conducted, some distance from the heart of the Empire and away from anyone who might take an interest in what can best be described as "mostly lawful" activities. The Von Urstadt family were also keenly interested in magical research, particularly 'summoning', and it was thought that the gaze of the The Cerulean Chancery would not extend out that far. This was to be a tactical error on the family's part.

In 127IC the entire Von Urstadt family was executed for treason for a range of crimes, none of which would be considered particularly heinous by today's standards. However it was widely considered, at the time at least, a way for the Chancery to demonstrate their control over the courts and that practising magic without their oversight would be treated in the harshest way possible.