Reds and Blues (SC'20)

Written by Steve Tremblay

In the world of Theria, more specifically on Ellara as that is where the Essai (warforged) were created, the market for "reds and blues" is non-existent. Rubies and sapphires have been blacklisted as a monetary item for many reasons. While they can be used in jewelry it is considered bad taste, probably bad luck and may just get the owner killed if the wrong being sees it. More than 100 years ago, the mages in Uman' Yiro created the first batch of Warforged to help defend their city. One of the 'ingredients' for lack of a better term was sapphires of a certain size used for the eyes. Nearly 20 years ago, King Zannon Carter ordered the creation of a new batch of soldiers, these using rubies for eyes as that was more readily available for their location. The overall result was the same. Inhuman constructions with previously valuable gems for eyes, fighting a war they did not want to be a part of and having no control over. One thing most normal thinking people on the continent could agree upon, the trade, sale and transport of these stones seemed wrong. It meant that someone took the time to pry the eyes out of dead soldiers with the intent to make money from it. The local governments saw it as war profiteering or as putting the gems back into the hands of those who would use them to make even more of the soldiers, continuing the circle. The (then) Overwatch leadership saw anyone carrying these stones as defilers of the dead carrying contraband and would be dealt with in the most severe manner, likely being turned into a Warforged for the army, possibly using the very stones they carried for their new body. The sentiment surrounding reds and blues has filtered down even to locals in smaller villages as superstition. Having these in a persons possession leaves them open to a haunting or put in danger by the magical powers that created the Warforged or the vengeance of the being the gems were taken from.