While a number of tellings of Arthurian legends have Merlin imprisoned under a hill, where he lies asleep in a cave awaiting the call to return and help the English, it is not widely believed that Arthur and his Knights had any special powers beyond those attributed to the sword Excalibur, provided to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake.
Recent discoveries, however, suggest that the mysterious substance ‘Blackwater’ did not just give the Knights of The Order extreme longevity, but also astonishing speed and mystical powers of recovery. The source of Blackwater’s life-extending powers is not known. However, there is no evidence outside of the Indiana Jones movies that the Grail, often associated with Arthur and his knights of the Round Table, provided this ability.
Blackwater is not the only substance reported to imbue the taker with long life or immortality. Numerous other cultures have similar legends, often based around a mysterious ‘elixir of life’.
In China, for example, it is claimed that the zhi mushroom, which grew at the mythical Mount Penglai, would provide those that ate it with immortality. Many academics believe that the Zhi mushroom itself is the same as the ‘Soma, Divine Mushroom of Immortality’ that is recorded in Buddhist legends that originated more than 2,500 years ago.
Thoth, in Egyptian legends, and Hermes Trismegistus, in Ancient Greek, achieved immortality by drinking liquid gold; their stories have formed the basis for the alchemist’s continued search for the philosopher’s stone..
Some think that Blackwater has its origins in the East. In order to become immortal the ancient drink Amrita was taken by Indra, the god of heaven and Agni, the god of fire. Many sources tell of humans also using Amrita, but the knowledge of what it is and where to find it has been lost. Could this be the source of the longevity of The Order? Or could it be something closer to home. Whatever it is, the Knights of The Order now jealously guard the secret."Blackwater is an Eldritch Elixir purported to be that of the Holy Grail with properties of healing, increased strength, and perhaps most polarizing of all an unnaturally long life span.
Lore[]
King Arthur discovered a substance termed Blackwater, a material capable of giving its users incredibly increased strength, senses, and near-immortality. This substance was unable to turn the tide dramatically, however, only allowing The Order to continue the status quo.
Though this substance was incredibly powerful and helped The Order fight against the Half Breeds, its granting of near-immortality made many in the organization question it, with a great many speaking against it.
