Blüthaven
A tale told by Ramona Vântu, the Traveling Minstrel
"Blüthaven carries a fetid stench and a miasma of apathy, that is suffocating it with filth; foul; and disease,"-Oliver Cline, Letter to St. Ogden's Mission
There was a time, many years ago, when Blüthaven was a trading hub for the Western Marshlands. A port town situated almost directly in-between the Sea of Isolation and the Sea of Desolation, where farmers from minor settlements would bring their wares to the market in exchange for goods that could not be sourced locally. With the eventual decline in the whaling trade, the town of Blüthaven began an agonizing and slow decay that choked the inhabitants and left a cesspit of what was once a flourishing town.
The Lay of the Land
"I am not sure why anyone would want to visit Blüthaven unless they were on merchant business. A town that is gripped in the ferocious jaws of death? It's only a matter of time before either the sea claims that port town, or the surrounding bogs swallow it up."- Llin Lacey, Steward to the Chief Cook of Blessing of the Ocean, Drinking at The Hangman in White Chapel
The town of Blüthaven isn't a settlement that is easy to reach. There is no means of getting there by foot or cart, as the region is surrounded by treacherous mountain ranges that lock it away from the rest of the country. Unfortunately this only leaves voyages to the settlement by Naval Vessels, and depending on the time of year; that might just not even be an option. Settled next to the anchorage of Blüthaven Bay, nestled amidst the bogs and swamps, barely a scant few feet above the brackish brine, rests this town of ill repute. Blüthaven owes its existent to the unnaturally dredged depths of the bay, where even the largest mechant vessels of White Chapel may lay anchor for the Annual Freeze.
Whether you like the Weather or not
The region surrounding Blüthaven receives near constant drizzling rainfall and sleet with frequent fog that rolls off the anchorage and shrouds Blüthaven in a blanket of despair throughout the warm season. Much of the cold season receives similar excessive precipitation, leaving the repugnant streets of Blüthaven as a constant putrid cesspool of brine, bile, and bullshit. Without the means to divert the boundless rainfall into a run-off, many of the streets and back alleys have vast puddles of standing water. These malignent pools of filth erode the already shoddy stonework of the town's foundation and roads.
In an effort to abate the slippery stone and harden the muck beneath Folk feet, straw and gravel are often spread along the well traversed streets of cobble as the limited means of maintanence. The lack of upkeep is borne of the hoarding of taxes by the ruling Baron, and itself perpetuates the invasive growth of mildew throughout the port town. The mildew’s odious and heavy musk permeates even through the thick brine of the anchorage, so that the only scent the Folk experience is the miasma of decay and rot.
Something about a Noble, and the people He Employs
In better times, the town of Blüthaven and by extension, the Western Marshlands, was governed by a man of high repute, exceptional in court and afield. Much has changed since his untimely death and the region has since been ruled by his lackluster progeny. His title endured but the post is now destitute and corrupted.
Law & Disorder
"A Soldier doesn't complain about his lot in life, even if his boots are soaked through and his jerkin feels like it weighs an extra 10 pounds from all of the rain. Nor does he make an issue when he is only issued a shield but no weapon."- Pvt. 1st Class Phineas Deweg, Chastising his best friend; Pvt. 2nd Class Quincy Gibbs
Town Guard
Occupying the lowest tier of authoritative power is the Blüthaven Town Guard. With what limited power they have been given by the Baron, they are responsible for defense and maintaining a semblance of order within the town. According to the records that the Scholars of White Chapel maintain, service is compulsory for all able-bodied males 18-24, though some volunteer to continue service beyond this point. This is not without benefits as Guardsmen are provided food and shelter as well as 3 Copper Pieces per duty shift. On the other hand, they are only issued gear once and it is usually of inferior quality.
The Midnight Council
While the Guard can make rulings in regards to minor squabbles and infractions, major offenders will face the judgement of the Midnight Council. The Council is the highest authority of judicial law save the Baron, and pass judgment and sentencing in his name. In accordance with traditions from before the first bricks of Bluthaven were laid, members of the Midnight Council adhere to a code of strict anonymity. This is so that no form of influence or bribery can be made to change their impartial opinion of the accused facing trial. When it is time for them to come together for a trial, from Separate Chambers, six members emerge. They are laden in billowing Midnight Blue Robes of a higher quality and hand carved alabaster white masks of whale bone, denoting their position above those that are judged. Behind them is one more member, this one clad in a rich violet robe and a mask of masterful craftsmanship. He is the adjudicator, the voice that only speaks when the other six members are in a stalemate during deliberation.
The Dusk Watch
Lastly is the smallest but by far most capable group in Bluthaven, the Dusk Watch. Conceived as a small and mobile strike force should a full scale armed conflict occur within the boundaries of Western Marshlands, they are currently lead by the stoic Captain Faye Sweet. Despite the original intention of such a group, the current Nobility only seems to utilize them as a personal security force at the Dinnsmore Estate. Volunteers are selected from able bodied women between 18 and 24; they can can expect the highest martial training within the Western Marshlands; as well as the best armaments the nobility can afford.
Members are encouraged to perform the occasional patrol, usually in preparation for Lord Dinnsmore or other high nobility entering into Blüthaven proper. It is at these times that citizens and ne'er-do-wells must be extra vigilant and cautious of Blüthaven's laws. The Dusk Watch is both swift and brutal; whether it is quelling an insurrection, collecting evidence against those who stand accused before the Midnight Council, or the execution of punishment.
Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?
Criminal Punishment can be pretty varied in Blüthaven, and largely dependent on what crime was broken. That being said, there is no crime that is punished harsher and more swifted than thievery. Under the previous Baron, a punishment befitting thievery regardless of how petty or how grand; was often time spent locked away. At the time, it was not common but still not entirely unheard of, that a neighbor would be convictet and setenced to an extended time locked away in a set of stocks. These punishments rarely lasted longer than a Tenday, as the previous Ruler knew how dependent most families were, and that it was not conducive to the management of Blüthaven to leave someone locked up.
When the previous Baron, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore Sr., passed away to illness; and his progeny took over the leadership and rule of Blüthaven, the very first ever public execution was held within the courtyard of Grot Square. Attendance was mandatory and the exhibition was meant as a demonstration to curb anyone else from even considering the possibility of theivery. This unfortunately was not to be, as in the following months, more and more Folk were publicly executed for various crimes with more depraved severity.
A Brief History Lesson of Blüthaven
According to what written record remains, prior to the Fall of the House of Gallowmere, the area in which Blüthaven Bay is settled had always been a point of landfall for the vessels that made voyages between the Sea of Isolation and the Sea of Desolation. It is a common belief of the Scholars of White Chapel, that captain and crew would use the anchorage of the bay as a means of protection for their ships against the severe weather of the Annual Freeze. As the winds would shift towards the south and deliver an arctic chill, temperatures would drop low enough to create sheets of impenetrable ice along the surface of the sea.
Currently, the Scholars of White Chapel are only willing to allow this simple traveling minstrel a single peek at the remains of a memoir. A memoir written with a sloppy hand that belies a lifetime of alcoholism and regret. I should mention that quite a bit of it was difficult to read beneath the dim glow of a candle, and a fair bit of the parchment was illegible as the memoir was apparently only just recovered some twenty years ago.
"...It came without warning well after last light... ...Poor lad in the nest, caught unaware as he surely dozed... ...Best not dwell on what cannot be changed, instead I turn my thoughts to the lives under my command... ...We made landfall hours before first light... ...The crew were steadfast, with my second taking charge in directing the work... ...With the crest of Solas over the Horizon, the white peaks and valleys of the still sea cast a blinding glare... ...We count a loss of 13 Men, and 6 Women. May their Souls find peace..."
- Captain Eli Flynn, 10 and 9 Cycle, the Year 281 of the King's Crowning
Shortly thereafter, perhaps only a few seasons by anyone's best guess, more and more vessels began to make landfall in the anchorage of Blüthaven Bay earlier than they had in previous voyages. This may have something to do with the Annual Freeze, as it is believed by the Scholars of White Chapel, that the severe weather formed earlier than it had in previous seasons. At any rate, this temporary haven of shelter witnessed the foundation of a settlement as captains and crews needed to wait longer for the Annual Thaw in order to continue their voyages.
It is agreed upon by various Scholars of White Chapel, that it was not until the Year 307 of the King's Crowning, that any form of leadership was installed in order to govern the settlers of Blüthaven Bay. Previously, while there may have been the occasional issue or two, there had been no immediate need for a centralized power or authority, as if by some unspoken rule, Folk governed themselves and by extension; their neighbor.
By a transcribed account, here in the Hall of Records, The High King of the Autumn Court, granted the land on which Blüthaven Bay was settled and the surrounding territory to a fledgling Nobility. It only stands to reason that within a few short years, no less than a dozen, the new Lord and Lady of the region were granted their first and only offspring. A son, the previous ruling Baron of Blüthaven Bay and the Western Marshlands, and the father of the current Baron; The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore II.
But all great opportunities must come to an eventual end, and who can say exactly when it began? As the settlement flourished, it was also in a slow state of painful suffocation. The surrounding wilds, which had always been dangerous to the Common Folk, grew worse with every season. Crops were lost to blight, as the ground grew sour over time, until only the heartiest and most robust roots would struggle to survive. Even the Seas were producing less, and it was not an uncommon sight to witness a fishing vessel return to port with meager scraps. Perhaps Blüthaven Bay was not meant to be a permanent settlement, but that hasn't dissuaded the stubborn descendants of the original captains and crews from fighting tooth and nail to hold onto a semblance of survival in these harshest of times.
A Few Places Worth Visiting in Blüthaven
Place Holder Text
The People who call Blüthaven Home
The Common Folk
Place Holder Text
Folks who Exchange their Serivces for Wealth
Place Holder Text
The Noble in Charge
Place Holder Text
How Blüthaven Celebrates their Heritage
Religion is Very Important to the Folk
Place Holder Text
The Various Celebrations of Blüthaven
Place Holder Text
Appendix
Place Holder Text
Credits
Blüthaven Theme music is credited to superanonymau5.
Editing for Blüthaven is credited to HonganOs.
Artwork used for the Article Header is credited to JonasDeRo and is listed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
"Best to keep your hands to yourself, lest you want them removed,"
-Common Blüthaven Expression
Meta Information for Blüthaven
Nickname(s): "The Town Before the Bog"
Geography
Country: Kingdom of Breznvaczech
Region: Western Marshlands, Northwest Breznvaczech
Area
- Total: 96,000 ft2 (8,924.54 m2)
Elevation: 12 ft. (3.6 m)
Society
Settled: Year 281 of the King's Crowning
Consolidated: Year 307 of the King's Crowning
Government: Barony
Baron: The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore II)
Judicial Law: The Midnight Council
Executive Law: Blüthaven Town Guard
Religion: Ursula, Cúchulainn, Zalera, St. Ogden
Demonym: Blüthavener Folk
Demographics
Population
- Total: 513
- Estimate (Year 430 of the King's Crowning): 523
- Density: 233/Acre2
Ethnicity
- Folk: 89.6%
- Half-Elf: 5%
- Halfling: 3%
- Half-Orc: 1%
- Teifling: 1%
- Elf: <0.2%
- Dragonborn: <0.1%
- Gnome: <0.1%
- Other: 2%
Gender Ratio
- Female: 58.8%
- Male: 40.2%
Median Age: 39.4 Years
Avg. Daily Wage
- Male: 5.61 Copper Pieces
- Female: 4.89 Copper Pieces
Avg. Cost of Living: 3.71 Copper Pieces per Day
Avg. Cost of Housing: 25 Copper Pieces per 3 Tenday Period
Asset Value
- Low Class Est. Monetary Worth: 1.11 Copper Piece per Person per 3 Tenday Period
- Middle Class Est. Monetary Worth: 3.49 Copper Pieces per Person per 3 Tenday Period
- Upper Class Est. Monetary Worth: Nil
Commerce
Imports
- Devil's Piss
- Cotton
- Hemp
- Iron
- Parchment
- Leather
Exports
- Wool
- Whale Oil
- Blüthaven Bay Ale
- BrambleBriar Cider
Natural Resources
- Fish
- Livestock
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Grain
Notable Landmarks
Sharkfin Wharf
Grot Square
The Laughing Scarecrow
Quillian's Quills
The Iron in the Fire
The Devout Altar of Ursula
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While the Guard can make rulings in regards to minor squabbles and infractions, major offenders will face the judgement of the Midnight Council. The Council is the highest authority of judicial law save the Baron, and pass judgment and sentencing in his name. In accordance with traditions from before the first bricks of Bluthaven were laid, members of the Midnight Council adhere to a code of strict anonymity. This is so that no form of influence or bribery can be made to change their impartial opinion of the accused facing trial. When it is time for them to come together for a trial, from Separate Chambers, six members emerge. They are laden in billowing Midnight Blue Robes of a higher quality and hand carved alabaster white masks of whale bone, denoting their position above those that are judged. Behind them is one more member, this one clad in a rich violet robe and a mask of masterful craftsmanship. He is the adjudicator, the voice that only speaks when the other six members are in a stalemate during deliberation.
The Dusk Watch
Lastly is the smallest but by far most capable group in Bluthaven, the Dusk Watch. Conceived as a small and mobile strike force should a full scale armed conflict occur within the boundaries of Western Marshlands, they are currently lead by the stoic Captain Faye Sweet. Despite the original intention of such a group, the current Nobility only seems to utilize them as a personal security force at the Dinnsmore Estate. Volunteers are selected from able bodied women between 18 and 24; they can can expect the highest martial training within the Western Marshlands; as well as the best armaments the nobility can afford.
Members are encouraged to perform the occasional patrol, usually in preparation for Lord Dinnsmore or other high nobility entering into Blüthaven proper. It is at these times that citizens and ne'er-do-wells must be extra vigilant and cautious of Blüthaven's laws. The Dusk Watch is both swift and brutal; whether it is quelling an insurrection, collecting evidence against those who stand accused before the Midnight Council, or the execution of punishment.
Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?
Criminal Punishment can be pretty varied in Blüthaven, and largely dependent on what crime was broken. That being said, there is no crime that is punished harsher and more swifted than thievery. Under the previous Baron, a punishment befitting thievery regardless of how petty or how grand; was often time spent locked away. At the time, it was not common but still not entirely unheard of, that a neighbor would be convictet and setenced to an extended time locked away in a set of stocks. These punishments rarely lasted longer than a Tenday, as the previous Ruler knew how dependent most families were, and that it was not conducive to the management of Blüthaven to leave someone locked up.
When the previous Baron, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore Sr., passed away to illness; and his progeny took over the leadership and rule of Blüthaven, the very first ever public execution was held within the courtyard of Grot Square. Attendance was mandatory and the exhibition was meant as a demonstration to curb anyone else from even considering the possibility of theivery. This unfortunately was not to be, as in the following months, more and more Folk were publicly executed for various crimes with more depraved severity.
A Brief History Lesson of Blüthaven
According to what written record remains, prior to the Fall of the House of Gallowmere, the area in which Blüthaven Bay is settled had always been a point of landfall for the vessels that made voyages between the Sea of Isolation and the Sea of Desolation. It is a common belief of the Scholars of White Chapel, that captain and crew would use the anchorage of the bay as a means of protection for their ships against the severe weather of the Annual Freeze. As the winds would shift towards the south and deliver an arctic chill, temperatures would drop low enough to create sheets of impenetrable ice along the surface of the sea.
Currently, the Scholars of White Chapel are only willing to allow this simple traveling minstrel a single peek at the remains of a memoir. A memoir written with a sloppy hand that belies a lifetime of alcoholism and regret. I should mention that quite a bit of it was difficult to read beneath the dim glow of a candle, and a fair bit of the parchment was illegible as the memoir was apparently only just recovered some twenty years ago.
"...It came without warning well after last light... ...Poor lad in the nest, caught unaware as he surely dozed... ...Best not dwell on what cannot be changed, instead I turn my thoughts to the lives under my command... ...We made landfall hours before first light... ...The crew were steadfast, with my second taking charge in directing the work... ...With the crest of Solas over the Horizon, the white peaks and valleys of the still sea cast a blinding glare... ...We count a loss of 13 Men, and 6 Women. May their Souls find peace..."- Captain Eli Flynn, 10 and 9 Cycle, the Year 281 of the King's Crowning
Shortly thereafter, perhaps only a few seasons by anyone's best guess, more and more vessels began to make landfall in the anchorage of Blüthaven Bay earlier than they had in previous voyages. This may have something to do with the Annual Freeze, as it is believed by the Scholars of White Chapel, that the severe weather formed earlier than it had in previous seasons. At any rate, this temporary haven of shelter witnessed the foundation of a settlement as captains and crews needed to wait longer for the Annual Thaw in order to continue their voyages.
It is agreed upon by various Scholars of White Chapel, that it was not until the Year 307 of the King's Crowning, that any form of leadership was installed in order to govern the settlers of Blüthaven Bay. Previously, while there may have been the occasional issue or two, there had been no immediate need for a centralized power or authority, as if by some unspoken rule, Folk governed themselves and by extension; their neighbor.
By a transcribed account, here in the Hall of Records, The High King of the Autumn Court, granted the land on which Blüthaven Bay was settled and the surrounding territory to a fledgling Nobility. It only stands to reason that within a few short years, no less than a dozen, the new Lord and Lady of the region were granted their first and only offspring. A son, the previous ruling Baron of Blüthaven Bay and the Western Marshlands, and the father of the current Baron; The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore II.
But all great opportunities must come to an eventual end, and who can say exactly when it began? As the settlement flourished, it was also in a slow state of painful suffocation. The surrounding wilds, which had always been dangerous to the Common Folk, grew worse with every season. Crops were lost to blight, as the ground grew sour over time, until only the heartiest and most robust roots would struggle to survive. Even the Seas were producing less, and it was not an uncommon sight to witness a fishing vessel return to port with meager scraps. Perhaps Blüthaven Bay was not meant to be a permanent settlement, but that hasn't dissuaded the stubborn descendants of the original captains and crews from fighting tooth and nail to hold onto a semblance of survival in these harshest of times.
A Few Places Worth Visiting in Blüthaven
Place Holder Text
The People who call Blüthaven Home
The Common Folk
Place Holder Text
Folks who Exchange their Serivces for Wealth
Place Holder Text
The Noble in Charge
Place Holder Text
How Blüthaven Celebrates their Heritage
Religion is Very Important to the Folk
Place Holder Text
The Various Celebrations of Blüthaven
Place Holder Text
Appendix
Place Holder Text
Credits
Blüthaven Theme music is credited to superanonymau5.
Editing for Blüthaven is credited to HonganOs.
Artwork used for the Article Header is credited to JonasDeRo and is listed under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
"Best to keep your hands to yourself, lest you want them removed,"-Common Blüthaven Expression
Meta Information for Blüthaven
Nickname(s): "The Town Before the Bog"
Geography
Country: Kingdom of Breznvaczech
Region: Western Marshlands, Northwest Breznvaczech
Area
- Total: 96,000 ft2 (8,924.54 m2)
Elevation: 12 ft. (3.6 m)
Society
Settled: Year 281 of the King's Crowning
Consolidated: Year 307 of the King's Crowning
Government: Barony
Baron: The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore II)
Judicial Law: The Midnight Council
Executive Law: Blüthaven Town Guard
Religion: Ursula, Cúchulainn, Zalera, St. Ogden
Demonym: Blüthavener Folk
Demographics
Population
- Total: 513
- Estimate (Year 430 of the King's Crowning): 523
- Density: 233/Acre2
Ethnicity
- Folk: 89.6%
- Half-Elf: 5%
- Halfling: 3%
- Half-Orc: 1%
- Teifling: 1%
- Elf: <0.2%
- Dragonborn: <0.1%
- Gnome: <0.1%
- Other: 2%
Gender Ratio
- Female: 58.8%
- Male: 40.2%
Median Age: 39.4 Years
Avg. Daily Wage
- Male: 5.61 Copper Pieces
- Female: 4.89 Copper Pieces
Avg. Cost of Living: 3.71 Copper Pieces per Day
Avg. Cost of Housing: 25 Copper Pieces per 3 Tenday Period
Asset Value
- Low Class Est. Monetary Worth: 1.11 Copper Piece per Person per 3 Tenday Period
- Middle Class Est. Monetary Worth: 3.49 Copper Pieces per Person per 3 Tenday Period
- Upper Class Est. Monetary Worth: Nil
Commerce
Imports
- Devil's Piss
- Cotton
- Hemp
- Iron
- Parchment
- Leather
Exports
- Wool
- Whale Oil
- Blüthaven Bay Ale
- BrambleBriar Cider
Natural Resources
- Fish
- Livestock
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Grain
Notable Landmarks
Sharkfin Wharf
Grot Square
The Laughing Scarecrow
Quillian's Quills
The Iron in the Fire
The Devout Altar of Ursula
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-
281 AC
9 /10
The First Recorded Settlement of Blüthaven Bay
FoundingThis is the first written account of a foundation of a settlement in the area that would later become named Blüthaven Bay. -
307 AC
The Installment of a Governing Body
Political eventA fledgling Nobility is granted the land on which Blüthaven Bay is settled, and the surrounding territory of Western Marshlands by appointment of The High King of The Autumn Court . -
319 AC
19 /11 03:00
The First Birth of Nobility
Life, BirthThis entry comes from the Dinnsmore Clan's Family Codex. Dated for 19 and 11 Cycle, the Year 319 of the King's Crowning. The name is scrawled and the ink faded with time but the date matches what the Scholars of White Chapel, believes to be the birth of The Rt. Hon. The Lord Tobias Dinnsmore Sr.
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