Blute

Blute is a primarily Human nation famous for trade. Their fertile plains and rich mountains make Blute the ideal place to live as a laborer. They are the largest trade nation in the world, and their national wealth reflects that fact. Blute is highly regarded around the world for their precious and plentiful resources.

Humans are perhaps the most diverse race in terms of physical qualities. They can stand anywhere between 5’0” and 6’7”. Their bodies can be strong and sturdy, swift and nimble, fraile and lanky, or any combination thereof. Their hair can be black, brown or a range of blondes and reds. Their eyes can be dark brown, hazel, blue and green. Skin tones can be shades of peach or brown.

Politics
There are three leaders in Blute, each with power of their respective districts. Cornelius Brubeck is the governor of the Plains District, regulating the laws and the trade in all of the agricultural areas of the nation. Rodrec McCoy is the current leader of the Mountain District, and Warren Flowers oversees the Sea District. Because of the separate rulers of the nations, laws and customs may be different depending on where one’s location in the nation. At the start of every season, the three meet in Grand Port City, the nation’s capital, to discuss nationwide law and trade.

The governors may resign at any time and when they do, they must name the next governor. They may select a friend, a family member, man or woman, or anyone in the nation. The only requirements are the next governor must have been born in Blute and he or she must have 25 years or more experience working as a miner, fisher, farmer, or general laborer.

Blute’s army is among the weakest in the world. Since Blute was founded, they’ve been a part of very little violence. Their army is designed to be recruited and drafted in a time of need. They have very few trained troops at the ready. While Blute may not have the training or the know how, they do have resources and patriotism. Furthermore, much of Skone has promised some amount of military support in the form of weapons, armor, and troops in the event that something should happen to Blute. Blute is beloved by most of the world and they have an incredibly peaceful past.

Much of the world depends on Blute for their raw goods. Because of this, nearly every nation could claim Blute as an ally. Blute is well aware of their lack of a military, and so they offer discounts to the nations of Skone in exchange for military support should a war breakout. They gain some form of military support from all the nations of Skone except for Trakodo and The Bog. Blute is also friendly with the nations of Guero, excluding Grumlok. They are on good terms with Sprillan, and make trades to Kahl occasionally. Blute does not have any true enemies, and they aren’t really unfriendly toward any nations.

Population: 510,300

Size: 18,900 square miles

Capital City: Grand Port City

History
Blute’s history begins in western Guero, what now makes up Bretonia, Skyaard, and Nuhimm. King Leopold, the first of his name, had taken over the throne and ruled over Old Kahl with an iron fist. He was notorious for mistreating the working class. He would do anything in his vast power to siphon resources and gold from the laborers. Lazily the king sat pretty upon his throne, reaping its benefits without addressing the needs of his people. The struggles which struck the laborers went unnoticed by the city dwellers and nobility. The laborers were unable to gain any support from skilled craftsmen to overthrow the corrupt king. Without skill craftsmen, the laborers were unarmed, unarmored, and seemingly out of luck.

The hardworking folk were stuck with few options. A man named Barron Cross met with some friends to discuss what could be done to save the working class. After their meeting, the four set off on horseback around the country to spread the news of their plan. They asked the laborers to begin hoarding supplies, and explained that on the morning of the 55th day of Spring, 212, Cross and his men would be making a run for the southern coast where they would steal a boat and set off to find a new land. Some called Cross a coward, saying that he and his followers were fleeing from their problems. Many, however, knew they had no better option and agreed.

For the next two seasons, the laborers began hiding a fraction of their yieldings and paying the taxmen what little they could. They laborers were afraid, but they bluffed to the best of their abilities. Very few were caught collecting goods. King Leopold eventually caught wind of the plan and prepared a small army to stop the rebels. He also called all loyal men and women to pick up arms and stop the thieves. This public announcement of Cross’s plan ultimately worked against the king. Some of his subject did as directed, joining the king’s army on the southern coast. Many more did nothing, preferring not to get involved. Even more still took the king’s announcement as a wake-up call and joined Cross’s revolt. On the morning of the 55th of Spring, the laborers set south with horse-drawn wagons carrying their valuables.

The king underestimated his opponent. His army was small, and Cross’s following was massive. Cross’s following was also largely unarmed and entirely without training. The skirmish that ensued was quite detrimental to Cross’s following. Men, women and children were viciously slain in an effort to seize their plans. A group of men led by Elliot Blute told the others to make for the coast. Blute and his men distracted the opposition and impaired the king’s pursuit to the best of their abilities. Most of these men died, but not in vain. Cross and his followers made it to the shore, fighting off the guard and boarding the ships as quickly as possible. After they’d done so, they set sail east along the coast of Guero in search for a new home.

Many of Cross’s followers were killed in the skirmish. Many more died on the voyage. The laborers of Kahl were unskilled, most had never been on a ship, but they improvised to the best of their ability and successfully navigated to northern Skone. They were in awe to find that the land they’d wound up at largely by accident was largely uninhabited and contained rich soil and vegetation. Immediately, the men and women got to work doing what they do best: gathering resources and planting seeds. After a hard day’s work of hunting, foraging, and planting, the new settlers prepared a feast. Cross rose, clanking his wine glass, and toasted to the new settlement. He advocated that they name their new settlement Blute, as a tribute to Elliot Blute and his regiment who heroically sacrificed their lives for their cause. Everyone was in agreement, and their feast was a fine one.

The people of Blute began colonizing their new land. Building homes wasn’t too difficult. There were few skilled architects, but the laborers were all handy folks able to work wook and tools. Breeders began mating horses, strong and sturdy horses which could traverse the hills and the mountains of the region. Breeders also got to work domesticating the creatures around them. Water buffaloes are intelligent and took to domestication quickly. They are hardy creatures perfect for pulling plows and heavy wagons. The grey foxes in the area quickly became a hunter’s best friend. While perhaps slightly less loyal and predictable than hunting dogs, grey foxes are witty, perceptive, and sneaky. The grey fox did not kill out pet dogs, however. Many breeders still bred dogs.

After the Blutians were situated and had worked for a few weeks, they found that they were able to produce goods more quickly than they ever had before. They decided in 216 to scope out the area and discover their neighbors. Perhaps their neighbors would be willing to pay for these excess goods. Blute could begin making friends and pulling in coin. And so, scouts set out to see what was in store for Blute. They returned about a week later saying that they’d met with several different races. Dendroids, Gnomes, Dwarves, three races friendly and eager to begin trades. The men also told of fearsome creatures that they had seen: dog-men, insectoids, overgrown lizard beings, and terrifying skinless, eyeless creatures. Nevertheless, they advised caravaneers to proceed, but to steer clear of the grotesque creatures. This prompted the beginning of Blute’s reputation as a trade nation and sparked trade all around Skone.

By the time the caravaneers returned, Blute was nearly ready to send them out again with a new supply of goods. Blute began cycling caravaneers sending new supplies out once a week. Before long, the Blutians were raking in gold at a tremendous rate. They decided that in order to be taken more seriously as the traders they aspired to be, they would name themselves an official nation and claim their land.

In 235, Blute had named themselves a nation and gathered to decide how to establish leaders. The nation had three major sources for their goods: the shore, the mountains, and the plains. They decided to name a tradeking for each of these three districts. To prevent corruption, the Blutians instituted a law that only a person, man or woman, with 25 years or more of experience working a labor job could become the tradeking. As the tradeking would become familiar with all the business in their district, the Blutians also decided that the tradeking could choose his next heir to the throne. Most often, tradekings would choose the most dominant traders to take the throne. To pass the throne to one’s own kin is frowned upon without unquestionable incentive to do so.

By 270, Blute had established companies. Through the company system, the owner of the company draws in most of the cash associated with their trade. Overseers are the next highest paid, receiving a slightly larger budget than the general laborers. The owner is responsible for paying his workers, establishing trade routes, human resourcing, and bookkeeping. More often than not, the owners will turn up to toil. This is generally done as a method to boost morale of the laborers. Overseers work physically nearly as hard as the laborers, but they are also responsible for filing work reports to the owner. These reports detail their weekly production, as well as the work ethic and production rate of the employees. If a general laborer needs to be replaced or deserves a raise, it is the overseer’s responsibility to communicate that to the owner. In 288, Athena Dodd of the Mountain District, Orville Blodget of the Sea District, and Iris Hoyt of the Plains District met to create a uniform law stating that the owner of a company could not make more than 175% what their employees were paid. This law is still in effect today, and is meant to ensure that trade still emphasizes the importance of laborers.

With companies in full swing, Blute was producing goods at an astonishing, groundbreaking rate. The nation continued to pull in gold, ever accumulating wealth. This had an unpredicted effect. Acting as a laborer, overseer, or owner of a company drew in more wealth than many other professions in Blute. However, because Blute was so efficiently farming, mining, and fishing, laborers, overseers, and owners decreased in demand. Starting a new company meant making a name for oneself and competing with those who were already known around all of Skone. Owners only hired the most skilled, most efficient workers. Unskilled labor became the most sought after job in the nation, and men and women around the nation were training and studying to learn all the tips of the trade.

In 716, Blute was paid an unexpected visit by the Dwarves of Coalhearth. They came with news of a steam engine they called a train which could simplify trading throughout Skone immeasurably. The Dwarves told the Blutians that they would need Blute’s help to get the railroad system up and running. The Blutian tradekings agreed enthusiastically to fund and provide the necessary components. Many Blutians also offered to lend a hand in the building process. It wasn’t until a year later, in the fall of 717, that the development began. By the summer of 720, the railroad was built and Dwarves had two locomotives and dozens of cars prepared to begin circling the nation, distributing and collecting trade goods. The train was also good for quickly transporting passengers around the nation.

In the winter of 720, the Dwarves set out to the west as ambassadors Skone to establish trade with Guero. Many of Guero’s nations accepted the trade offers, and Blute’s economy spiked like never before. Blute became a reputable trade nation among several of Guero’s nations. This was an opportunity for the Blutians to found more companies and tap deeper into the resources at their disposal. Drehr Behrkán, a nation which never showed much promise in trade but was always trustworthy, offered their ships to deal with trade to Guero. Blute and the other nations of Skone agreed. Drehr Behrkán had a powerful navy and beautiful vessels. They are also quite reliable and uninterested in gold, assuring that they wouldn’t undermine any of the nations.

The Blutians continued to have great success with their trade, until an issue in 1112 promised to throw a wrench in Blute’s gears. Halign Mak’kai, Drehr Behrkán’s closest ally, announced it would be going to war with Sivverlynn and Utopia. The Dendroids of Drehr Behrkán were peaceful creatures. Their contribution to the war of their allies, instead of fighting, would be cutting off trade with the High Elves. Blute was unhappy with this decision, as the High Elves supplied amazing imports and paid handsomely for Blutian exports. With a bone to pick, McCoy, Flowers, and Brubeck traveled to Drehr Behrkán to speak with the Dendroids. They stated that Blute was aligned with Sivverlynn and Halign Mak’kai, and to force them to take sides by cutting contact with the High Elves was unfair. The Dendroids agreed, but told the Blutians that Drehr Behrkán would not be traveling to Sivverlynn under any circumstances. The Dendroids promised, however, not to interfere with any Blutain ships which would travel to Sivverlynn. This is how Blute began taking control of their own trade with Sivverlynn and Utopia.

In the Spring of 1119, Sivverlynn demanded that Blute reduce the price of their raw. They also requested that Blute and Sivverlynn trade with less frequency and in lower quantities. Many Blutians claim that Sivverlynn’s crafted goods have dropped in quality. Blute is unsure of what to make of this unusual behavior from the High Elves, but in an effort to communicate their good intentions, the Plains District and the Mountain District have agreed to Sivverlynn’s terms. The Sea District, however, has cut its ties with Sivverlynn. All of Blute seems to have lost contact with Utopia.

Trade
Blute is a huge trade nation. Their goods are exported all around the world on every continent but the Savage Lands. Blute is the only nation which trades with Kahl. Their lands are rich with resources of all types. Each district is responsible for different types of goods. The Mountain District does a lot of digging, collecting various types of metals, coal, and gems. The Plains District is responsible for farming crops and fabrics. The Sea District gathers fish and pearls.

Tradeking Rodrec McCoy handles all the trade in and out of the Mountain District. Their mountains are rich with gold, silver, tin, copper, iron, lead, nickel, quicksilver, platinum, palladium, titanium and zinc. The mountain district also mines obsidian, all sorts of gemstones, oil shale, limestone, rock salt, potash, gravel, clay, diamonds, sulfur, potassium nitrate and coal. Mountain District lumberers collect cedar, cypress, firs, hemlock, pine, and aspen. Hunters and trappers collect pelts from beasts around the mountains. The Mountain District sometimes produces and sells charcoal, black powder, and ingots, but typically they distribute raw goods almost exactly as they’d extracted them.

Tradeking Cornelius Brubeck and the Plains District produce timbers of cypress, firs, yews, hemlock, redwood, chestnut, ash, basswood, cottonwood, and ebony. They grow a great variety of crops, such as apples, cherries, nuts, plums, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, figs, berries, lemons, limes, peppers, peaches, pears, strawberries, artichoke, arugula, asparagus, beans, peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, grains, herbs and spices, lettuce, mushrooms, parsley, potatoes, turnips, radish, sugarcane, and spinach. The blutians raise cattle for milk, cheese, and meat. They bring up sheep for wool and meat. Pigs, chickens, turkeys, and other domesticated animals are also good sources of food. Blutians generally do not weave their own fabrics. They sell their thread on spools. Their threads are wool, silk, cotton, and linen. Hunters and trappers collect furs and skins of the different native animals in the woods and plains.

Tradeking Warren Flowers of the Sea District leads the trade of several types of commodities as well. His lumberers chop down trees on the coast. They are most well known for their fishing and trapping. They bring in a variety of fish in many different sizes. These fish can be frozen or salted, then shipped around the country. They trap crustaceans such as lobsters and crabs for their meat as well. Pearls, sea shells, sea glass, and other beautiful things found in and around the ocean are sold for jewellery. Seaweed, scales, eels and snails are collected and dried for use in alchemy. The plumage of waterfowls make for great fletchings, and the oil on their feathers can be harvested for alchemy uses.

Blute trades with most nations. Their favorites are Coalhearth, Wixicroft, Sivverlynn, Utopia, Skyaard, and Sprillan, as these six nations either import in great quantities, or are willing to pay high prices for Blutian goods. Second to these nations, Blute favors trade with Nuhimm, Kahl, and Bretonia. Each of these nations will arrange trade with Blute only when they are in need desperate need of raw goods. Trade with these three nations is somewhat unreliable and sporadic. Striking a deal with any of these three nations is thought of as a sort of bonus to their usual income. Even less frequently, Blute will trade with Halign Mak’kai, Hauntos, and Uss’Ssah. These three nations are often seen as reclusive, and most Blutians are pleased to have any connection with the nations at all. Blute does not trade with either of the factions of the Bog, neither of whom have any wealth to offer. They never trade with Grumlok or Kroga, who are seen as too primitive for trade. They do not trade with the Ogre Kingdom, as they are terrified of the Ogres. Blute very, very rarely trades with Trakodo, as Trakodo is also a respectable trade nation, and they do not need the goods Blute has to offer.

All of Blute’s trade across Skone is handled by the railroad system. Blutian workers travel the tracks dropping off commodities to their respective nations, and picking up imports to take back to Blute. Most of their trade with Guero is handled by Drehr Behrkán. The Dendroids collect the Guero-bound commodities and transport them to Halign Mak’kai by ship. Once at Halign Mak’kai, the Dendroids carry the goods across the nation by wagon to Bretonia. From there, the Bretonians daisy chain the goods to Skyaard and Nuhimm. The Blutians themselves handle trade with Utopia and Sivverlynn, as the Dendroids refuse to. Blutian ships travel to Sivverlynn’s western coast to drop off supplies and retrieve payment. From there, Sivverlynn is responsible for delivering Utopia’s goods. Blute’s navy is just about non-existent, so they cannot handle the pirates around the Savage Lands. If Kahl wishes to trade with Blute, Kahl needs to send it’s own ships to pick up goods. Blute uses caravaneers stationed in Wixicroft to trade with Sprillan. The caravaneers gather Sprillan-bound goods from the railroads in Wixicroft, then carry them through the transporter to Sprillan. They even disperse the goods around to Koyan cities.

Tradekings are in charge of trade in Blute. They are paid a percentage of all profits for the nation. Much of their wealth is reinvested in trade and paying government workers, such as guards and wardens. The wealthiest citizens in Blute are the company owners. The more successful the company, the wealthier the owner. Next come the overseers, then the laborers. Because of the law stating that the owners of companies cannot earn more than 175% of their employees’ average pay, richer companies have richer employees. Most laborers are paid accordingly to their work ethic and their production rate. The middle-class of Blutian society are the independent laborers. These farmers, miners, or fishers produce commodities without being part of a formal company. Often these independent workers will sell their goods at a reduced rate in bulk to company owners, who can then ship the goods for trade. The lower-class citizens work skilled jobs, such as blacksmithing, shoemaking, or carpentry. These jobs are certainly necessary, but they are often outsourced. Wealthy traders and laborers prefer to purchase their crafted goods from other nations, where the quality is higher. Lower class work is usually done for middle-class and other lower-class citizens who cannot afford to imported goods.

Blutians import from all around the world. Nuhimm trades the Blutians various types of potions, elixirs, literature, and spell books. Farmers use Nuhimmian concoctions to repel insects or kill weeds. Citizens who are especially curious or interested in Nuhimmian culture will import their clothes, weapons, and armor. Nuhimmian art is dark and mysterious, but beautiful. Many Blutians import the art to hang on their walls.

Skyaard also trades potions, elixirs, literature and spell books. Their clothing is less extrinsic than Nuhimmian clothing, and many Blutians enjoy their robes and other clothes. Skyaard also has exceptional enchanted items.

Blutians import a number of commodities from Sivverlynn. High Elven furniture is gorgeous and comfortable. Their clothing is stylish, and acts as a symbol of status. Blutians who can afford a Sivverlynnian wardrobe must have a great deal of wealth, as the clothing is quite expensive. High Elven cheese and wine are delectable and the sign of a fantastic formal party. Their tobacco, while expensive, is light and flavorful. Many prefer High Elven tobacco to Dwarven or Koyan tobacco, as it less impactful on the lungs and doesn’t affect work as much. High Elven ornaments, weapons, curtains, and armor make for beautiful home or inn decoration. As of late, many Blutians are reporting than Sivverlynn’s products have lost quality.

Trading with Utopia is a bit of a hassle for the Blutians. Despite that, they rely on Utopia for their high quality paper and ink. Blute has not had luck getting in contact with Utopia. Perhaps it is due to their concentration on the war they are fighting.

Blutians are very interested in firearms. This is the main reason for their trading with Bretonia. Bretonia has the finest guns in the world, and Blutians are willing to pay high prices to get their hands on these fine weapons. They also occasionally import Bretonian arms and armor. Most Blutians are not skilled in combat, and these arms and armor are usually imported as decoration or for hobby.

Blutians don’t trade too commonly with Hauntos or Uss’Ssah. When they do, it’s often to import unusual decorative items, the likes of which are nearly impossible to find anywhere else in the world. Hauntos also has decent medicine which is occasionally imported to Blute. Uss’Ssah has exotic commodities and rare meats and vegetables to offer the Blutians.

Blute imports Dwarven alcohol and tobacco on a very regular basis. Dwarven brews are considered by many the best in the world. Dwarven tobacco is rich and dark. Nothing is better to wind down from a hard day’s work than a nice Dwarven cigar. The Dwarves also make handsome handguns and rifles. Dwarven weapons, armor, and ornaments are very popular decorative items in Blute. The Dwarves have also promised Blute military support in the form of men and supplies should Blute ever find themselves in a war.

Drehr Behrkán does not partake much in trade, but Blute does import some of the few things the Dendroids have to offer. Dendroid tea is soothing and flavorful, and their alcoholic drinks are unusual but quite good.

Wixicroft has a variety of techmaturgical devices to offer. Blute imports a small number of these devices for those few with the capability to use them.

Sprillan is one of Blute’s favorite trade partners because of the goods they have to offer. The Siyokoy specialize in flavored tobacco, sometimes described at sweet or even tangy. They are also the the undisputed experts of chewing tobacco which is a favorite of miners and boatmen because smoking can be hazardous for these workers on the job. Sprillan is the only nation in the world which produces coffee which many Blutians enjoy. The Siyokoy are masters of an art they call pharmatugy, which is the combination of scientific medicine and magic. The Blutians import a select group of pills to heal the sick or injured. Sprillan, despite their desert climate, produces some of the rarest, sweetest fruits in all the land. Blute has also taken an interest in Sprillan’s scientific inventions, including guns, juicers, coffee grinders, among others.

Science
Science is rarely seen as anything more than a hobby to Blute. Their greatest scientific advancement is limited really to ship building, and art which the Blutians surely have not mastered. Blute imports a fair number of engineered goods from other nations, but very few have any understanding how the devices work. Some who are particularly interested in science may reverse engineer other nations’ gadgets in their free time, or study at the library, but the vast majority enjoy the luxury their imported knickknacks bring without questioning how they work. Very few men or women make a living as a scientist in Blute. Those who do, however, usually earn a decent living, not as an inventor, but as a handyman able to repair broken devices.

Magic
Like science, magic is viewed as a hobby in Blute. It’s very uncommon to see any form of magi actively practicing in Blute. Some citizens use magic for practical purposes, such as lighting a room, but their understanding of magic is limited to very simple spells. Magic is accessible enough in Blute. Spellbooks litter the shelves of library. Few citizens take advantage of the library, and those that do don’t read spellbooks.

The lack of knowledge about the arcane arts in Blute has proven parlous for men and women born with magic in their blood. Sorcerers live their lives, never learning of their abilities or how to control them. In moments of stress, these unknowing sorcerers can erupt with burst of unfettered power they never knew they had.

Similarly to the sorcerers, priests often do not recognize their power. People who pray to the gods regularly may be able to invoke the gods’ powers. They seldom practice this ability, however, and when they expel magic to create a desired effect, they believe it to be the gods answering their prayers.

Acid/poison, dark, fire, and psychic magics are outlawed in Blute. These types of magic are considered particularly inimical. This law went into effect over 200 years ago, and has withstood ever since. The tradekings don’t believe that these magics can be used for anything but harm and destruction.

Religion
The Blutians are quite a religious bunch. There is no national deity, and the Blutians have absolute religious freedom. Many, especially in the Plain District, worship Li’ina, the goddess of light and justice. Most pay little mind to the idea of protecting the weak because Blutians are not skilled fighters. They revere her as the sun goddess who gives their plants the energy to grow. They pray for bountiful harvest. The sun has become a symbol for hard work in Blutian society.

Slyvix does not have a great following in Blute. Slyvix’s teachings say to arm oneself with knowledge and protect that knowledge through secrecy. The Humans of Blute are not particularly fond of either of these aspects, as their nation was built fundamentally on elbow grease, not on knowledge. Some miners find a connection with Slyvix as they spend dig in the darkness of the tunnels, sometimes going weeks without seeing the light.

Kira’Zhin is sometimes worshiped, but rarely as the goddess of death. She wishes for her followers to balance pain and pleasure by working toward a goal. This demand sits well with many Blutians, who believe in the good of back-breaking hard work for its results.

Syra is most popular among hunters, trappers, gatherers and fishermen. Connecting with Syra can make these activities more successful and fulfilling. Others revere Syra as the goddess of beauty, and thank her for the art and nature in their lives.

Vorb doesn’t have a place in the heart of very many citizens. The concept of chaos frightens Blute. This fear of mayhem is even enough to deter Blutians from revering Vorb as the god of art. Those who have a great appreciation of art thanks Syra instead, as she is the goddess of beauty.

Language
Blute’s national language is Common. It’s atypically, and frankly quite surprising, ever to hear any other language spoken in the trade nation. To learn a new language requires hours of practice and studying. Blutians are not opposed to practice and studying, but none wish to spend their free time studying a new language. It’s just too impractical in Blute.

Culture
Blutian culture is based around trade and work. Blutians are always striving to be the best workers they can be. Most have aspirations to become great laborers and they won’t give up this dream until they are too old and frail to work efficiently. The emphasis on laborers in Blute has affected the culture in a number of ways.

Because labor is among the most successful professions in Blute, and the only profession which can ultimately lead to any real power within the nation, Blutians of any class often raise their children to be hard workers with dreams of joining a company. This has resulted in tremendous production rates for Blute. The nation has truly mastered onerous work unlike any other nation. On the other hand, Blute’s focus on labor work has stunted their skill in other trades. Parents do not educate their children on worldly events, arithmetic, or skilled trades.

Blute has two very distinct economic and social classes. Those involved with the companies find themselves up to the knees in gold. Because Blute does not have very skilled craftsmen, the upper class citizens import nearly all of their crafted goods. These men and women are easily distinguished by their exotic material items. They may wear Nuuhimian or Skyaardian clothing. Some will even wear armor from around the world, despite their lack of training in combat. Those with more than enough gold to spend often wear High Elven clothing and jewellery. Most Blutians cannot afford an entire High Elven wardrobe unless they’ve inherited gold from a wealthy family member. The exceptions are overseers and company owners, who make more gold than just about anyone else in the nation.

Blutians are defined by their commodities. Many tradesmen around the world can distinguish Blutian products from products of other nations. They, however, do not have a style of their own. Their clothing, art, music, and architecture are all borrowed from other nations, if not directly imported. Because Blutian craftsmen are so under appreciated, immigrants from all around the world have begun flocking to Blute. In Blute, skilled craftsmen have very little competition and materials are very cheap. Blutian architecture parallels that of Bretonia.

The poorer citizens cannot afford the imported goods of the wealthy citizens. These men and women wear drab clothing, often of a single color. Their material goods are built by the hands of other Blutians, most of whom work harder to become recognized by the companies than they do to master their trade.

Regardless of class, most citizens live fairly similar lives after nightfall. They change into their most comfortable clothing, smoke some tobacco, have a few drinks, and either read or kick back with their family or comrades. Richer folk will generally smoke High Elven cigarettes or Dwarven cigars, and drink high Elven spiced wine or Dwarven mead. Lower class citizens smoke Dwarven pipe tobacco or Koyan cigarettes and drink Dwarven beer or ale. Some also enjoy cider from Drehr Behrkán or Sprillan. Most every Blutian enjoys reading. Nuhimm, Skyaard, and Wixicroft have the best literature. Nuhimmian and Sivverlynnian poetry are also quite popular.

Lower class citizens live apartment-style complexes, small buildings with three stories. Each family has a floor to itself. The floor has a small kitchen area, a living area, and a single bedroom, only large enough for a single bed and a nightstand. The three families share an outhouse with a toilet and a bathtub. Some families can afford to build workplaces with a living space.

Most laborers involved in the companies will have a nice home in the city. Laborers will spend weeks or seasons away from their home and family, living on location. Overseers live with their families in cabins or houses based around their places of work. Mining overseers live near mining shafts, farming overseers live in farmhouses, fishermen live in houses on the shore, and so on. These overseers are forced by their company owner to build living quarters for their men. Living quarters are typically relatively small in size and consists of little more than a few rows of bunkbeds and trunk for each of the men. The living quarters will also have a nice patio area where the men can sit outside to smoke and chat at the end of a hard day. Miners will sometimes set up bedrolls in the mining shaft for the nights, as traveling back to the living quarter may entail a several-mile hike.

Blutians are a religious bunch. Once a week, the blutians will gather in nearby churches or religious altars and pray together.

On the 45th day of winter, Blutians celebrate the national Day of Rest. No one works on this day. Blutains away from home will often travel to their families to spend the day with them. On the 55th day of spring, Blute celebrates the day their ancestors fled from King Leopold’s rule to establish a new nation. It is a day of remembrance, tribute, and above all, patriotism.

Laws, which vary only slightly among the three districts, are upheld by guards appointed by the tradekings’ commander of the guards. The guards are among the only few citizens of Blute who are trained in combat. They wield a sword, a shield, and a bow. They are distinguished by their shoddy, Blutian-made armor and their tabard which depicts the insignia of their district.

Crime has become a real problem for the Blutians as the upper class and lower class have drifted further apart. Poor men are inclined to do desperate things to support themselves and their family. Many of these crimes go unpunished. The guards of Blute are poorly trained and underpaid. They can easily be bypassed or bribed. The penalty for committing a crime is quite severe. Petty theft or other victimless crimes will result in two or more seasons in the dungeon. More dire crimes are often cause for execution. Throwing men in a holding cell in the dungeons costs the tradeking money, ensuring that the prisoner is fed. Execution costs nearly nothing. Tradekings would rather reinvest their gold in more trade than on criminals.