Nova Albion
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Nature: Secret underground outpost/sanctum/treasure 'vault'. Also where Drake's Hoard was kept for centuries.
First Encountered: Plot uncertain; the time the cabal quested for the Crystal Skull so Skadi could Initiate properly, whereupon they discovered this place.
Notable Interactions: 5.2 "There but for the grace of Us", where the Cabal finally gets to claim the entire hoard for themselves and transport it back home to their sanctum.

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Info: When Sir Francis Drake explored the Americas and its west coast in the latter part of the 1570's he, like all the other Europeans at the time, plundered and pillage gold and valuables aplenty from the native peoples he came across. Yet on this voyage the notorious and infamous sleepwalker seems to have had awakened company with him, and together they specifically sought out the more mystical and supernatural treasures in their path, presumably to preempt their political and/or ideological rivals of the time. Given that Drake, and therefore presumably his wizardly associates, was deeply involved in the controversial Shoal of Night this apprehension isn't really all that surprising.

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The fact remains that upon returning to Britain their cargo would naturally enough be counted, tabulated and cataloged by the state, and no matter one's awakened loyalty it's never a good idea to let sleeper authorities get too close a look at a ship's hold full of enchanted wonders. As such they decided to hide the most vital and most egregiously magical acquisitions in a secret location before continuing onwards. Historical records tell us that on the 17th of June in 157, Drake landed somewhere north of Spain's northern-most claim at Point Loma. Here he and his crew found a good port, landed, repaired and restocked their vessels, then stayed for a time, keeping friendly relations with the natives. He claimed the land on behalf of the English Crown and called it Nova Albion — Latin for "New Britain". Assertions that he left some of his men behind as an embryo "colony" are founded on the reduced number who were with him from then on.

The precise location of the port was carefully guarded, believed by the sleepers to be motivated by a desire to keep it secret from the Spaniards and by the awakened assumed to be part of their attempts to keep their ''buried treasure'' out of Diamond and Seer hands. Several of Drake's maps may even have been altered to this end. In any case, all first-hand records from the voyage, including logs, paintings and charts, were lost when Whitehall Palace burned in 1698.

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Ever since amateur archaeologists and treasure-hunters have looked for any proof or remains of New Albion up and down the west coast, with the new findings either being laughed at or revealed as one hoax after the other, at least among un-Awakened academia. Among mages, however, the rather unusual situation developed where it seems likely that a series of mages, singly or in cabals, discovered this place one after the other, and yet all chose to not only keep its existence and location secret but also limited themselves to only taking away a relatively small amount of valuables for themselves instead of running off with the entire haul. Well. Until now, that is.

Indeed, it was by identifying several of these items in different situations, like at the Athenaeum or in the hands of their rivals, and then realizing where they must have come from, that the Eye of the Storm managed to finally discover New Albion for themselves.

Description: On the north-side of the bay, on an unmarked, unremarkable and fairly desolate piece of beach, it's possible to open a secret passage and stairs down by writing the correct symbols in the sand. This lead to the 'sanctum' constructed by Drake's crew and his awakened companions, a place to rest and plan ahead while resupplying. A local base of operations, with chambers and fireplaces and even a statue-lined colonnade and treasure-vault further in, but to get there one must get past one of the two Auric Aztec Armor Automatons guarding that place.

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