Blech
Demographics
Majority: Wood Elves, Dragonborn
Minorities: Humans
Enclaves: Half-Elves
Groups: Gnomes, Halflings
Individuals: Tieflings
Government
Law
Heads of State
There are two Heads of State in Blech, Prince Testikulos and Prince Zauberer. Prince Yinric would have been the third, had he not been assassinated. Prince Zauberer tends to deal with magical affairs, while Prince Testikulos on the other hand tends to deal more with militant, and law enforcement affairs. They rely heavily on their advisors to help them make decisions on the other aspects of Blech’s governance, as well as running the Principality of Berfordia as a whole.The Royal Council
Within the Royal Council, there are a few advisors that are most respected and listened to by the Princes. These are the High Priest of Vandor, Medsvar's Representative, the Civil Servant, and the Royal Rogue. The High Priest of Vandor advises the Princes on religious and divine affairs. Usually helping the Princes plan religious festivals and rituals for Berfordia, in order to earn the favor of Vandor. This position has become especially influential since the start of the Berfordian-Wistonlandic War, because the Princes—and the rest of the very religious Berfordia—heavily prioritize having the god of nature on their side. Medsvar’s Representative, sometimes also known as the Archdruid, essentially provides the council of Medsvar, the primal dragon, to the Princes. This is necessary because Medsvar is unable to be present within Blech, due to his size and because he simply does not wish to leave his Wilds. In times of peace, this counsel has usually consisted of environmental advice, although of late, Medsvar’s insight into The Blight and the Primal Beads has been of increased value. The Civil Servant is an advisor to the Princes on civilian and economic affairs. The Civil Servant is always a commoner, who has since risen through the ranks of the Royal Council, thus giving him working experience and knowledge of the average civilian’s life. The Civil Servant is chosen by the Princes, and often is chosen based on their popularity with the people. The Royal Rogue essentially acts as the head of intelligence for Berfordia. He advises the Princes on the underground criminal organizations, the secret affairs of other countries, and controls a large network of spies in order to gain such information. It takes a skilled individual to be able to avoid his sight within the entirety of Berfordia.Courthouse
There is one large courthouse in the city of Blech. It is situated near the Oaken Palace—as if to imply that justice is served under the watch of the Princes. The judges whom serve in the courthouse are handpicked by the Princes, with advice from the Civil Servant.Law Enforcement
The law is enforced primarily by The Roots of Law (more commonly shorted to “The Roots”), the primary law enforcement organization in Blech. They are well-respected and organized—being watched carefully by Prince Testikulos himself.Civics
The Great Houses
There are three great houses within Blech, each corresponding to one of the Princes. Axe House, which consists of Prince Richard’s bloodline. Mage House, which consists of Prince Zauberer and his family. FInally, there is Primal House—the most well respected of the three (due to Yinric’s connection with Atsa)—consists of Prince Yinric’s family; although at this time, none of them have stepped up to take the throne, leaving a major power vacuum within both Blech and the whole of Berfordia. These houses tend to think of—and treat—each other as family. The heirs to the throne especially think of each other as siblings, due to their close proximity during their lifetimes.Education
All children within Blech are educated to the age of 18, and from that point they can choose their vocation. Many choose the artisanal or merchant paths, a highly valued vocation in Blech because of its bustling trade economy and cultural emphasis on art. Many of these students will throw in with the Woodweaver’s guild, as sculptors or makers of fine goods. Others may choose to throw in with the Blech Trading Co., the primary merchant guild within all of Berfordia. Others may choose the life of military service or law enforcement, serving the people of Blech to the best of their ability. These are the justice seekers of the city. Some of them may even work directly under Prince Testikulos, if they rise through the ranks that is. Some choose to seek druidic magic, leaving the city life in order to better protect the environment, and learn its secrets. Some of these may even end up meeting Medsvar himself, and working with him to keep the forests of Berfordia healthy. Another popular vocation to choose, and quite a recent one at that, is to become a healer. With Prince Yinric’s assassination as well as the horrid Blight spreading throughout Berfordia, the number of students going on to become healers has exploded in a race to combat the Blight, which has—unfortunately—been ultimately unsuccessful. One of the most sought after and respectable positions within Blech though, is that of a Woodweaver. Although in some cases this can overlap with more mercantile vocations, the most respected of Woodweavers are those that go on to become the architects of Blech itself. These masters of plant growing magic serve as the designers of the magnificent Blech, as well as those who create its defenses. For example, they are the ones responsible for the Oaken Palace, and its defense mechanism of locking down when Yinric was assassinated. Note: The positions listed above are not the only vocations chosen in Blech, merely examples of some of the positions associated with the culture of Blech. Other positions, such as farming, government, finance, tavernkeeping, etc. all still exist within Blech.The Hall of Records
It is rumored that a Hall of Records exists within the Oaken Palace, although no official statements have confirmed this yet. It is said that there is an entrance within the Oaken Palace to a secret area of the palace where important documents—such as the treaties between the original tribes of Berfordia—are kept.The Cemetary of Blech
The Cemetery of Blech is thought to be one of its most impressive architectural and cultural achievements. The Cemetery is a massive oak that lies in the center of the town. Although, unlike the other “buildings” in Blech, this one is in a perpetual state of construction. When a citizen of Blech dies, their body is taken to the Cemetery in Blech and laid face up on the current top level of the tree. Woodweavers then grow the tree around the body, encasing it in wood, and leaving a permanent replica of their body, somewhat like a fitted coffin. This way, their features are preserved permanently even once the body eventually decays. Below where the body is laid an epitaph is carved, allowing them to never be forgotten. A notable exception to this is that the Princes are buried, but upright within a hall in the Oaken Palace. This burial process is symbolic for and of the people of Blech. They believe heavily in the power of nature, believing themselves to be both at its mercy and servants of it. When someone dies, this cemetery system is a way for them to “return to the nature from which they came,” as Prince Yinric once said when first advocating for the idea of such a cemetery. To the people of Blech, death is not an end, it is merely becoming a part of something new—a never-ending cycle.Infrastructure
Communication Networks
People in Blech communicate via hand written letters and word of mouth. Prince Zauberer can also use spells to sound the alarm. There are also braziers throughout the city that when lit, burn a harmless, green fire that can be used to warn the city.Water Supply
Blech primarily uses water from the Knutton River. Although they are able to use magic to create water the magic required is much harder than the magic required to purify water, thus only do this if there are shortages. There is a special occupation where the mages learn to use magic to purify the water from the river, so that the people do not get sick.Waste Management
Waste management within Blech is perhaps one of the most interesting cultural aspects and achievements of the city. The Berfordians are extremely environmentally conscious, and did not want to dump their sewage into the river Blech is situated on, as that would pollute the water and ecosystem. Thankfully though, they were able to effectively become part of an ecosystem in order to deal with their waste. Around the year 50 R.H. a trader from Gatrinh brought over a species of giant dung beetle from the desert, introducing it to the Berfordian ecosystem and society. These beetles reproduced overtime, eventually their population grew to be so large that people started regarding them as pests. They would often wander into peoples' homes on the outskirts of Blech looking for their excrement, annoying—and sometimes scaring—the residents. These beetles would then take said excrement and tunnel into the earth, burying the feces. However, when the gardens of those on the city outskirts began producing healthier plants, Prince Yinric decided to investigate further. It was found that the feces buried around the plants by the beetles was actually giving nutrients to the plants, making them grow better. It was after the benefits of the beetles' behavior was discovered that Prince Yinric was struck with the idea to create a mutually beneficial pact of sorts with the beetles. In exchange for staying out of peoples' homes, the city of Blech would build a modified sort of sewer system (a series of tunnels that didn’t actually empty anywhere) for the beetles. The beetles would then be able to use the fecal matter of Blech’s inhabitants as a food source, and would use the remainder to fertilize Blech’s farmland on the outside of the city, as specific buildings in the main city (such as the Oaken Palace). It would also be made illegal to hunt the beetles or use pesticides on crops to injure the beetles. The treaty was agreed to by the Queen Beetle, whom makes sure the treaty is adhered to. The Queen Beetle (whom was the first brought over from Gatrinh) often spoke with Prince Yinric in order to keep both sides of the agreement happy, although these conversations have since moved to Prince Zauberer following Yinric’s death. Their waste management techniques and willingness to work with the Berfordians have made the giant dung beetles both one of the most important and one of the most unusual allies of Blech.Shipping and Transport
Docks
There are large docks along the river Blech is situated on, which are used primarily for trading ships. Some of the smaller docks are also used for fishing boats and ferries.Post Office
There are a few post offices around Blech, and quite a few “postal workers.” These postal workers come in a few forms, although the most common are various birds and squirrels. Magic is used to tell the workers whom to deliver to, and in return the animals are given food. The citizens of Blech have the option to go directly to the post offices to receive their mail, or they may wait for it to be delivered.Roads
The roads in Blech, which are primarily cobblestone, are very well taken care of; a testament to the overall wealth of the city. The roads are often packed with people, horses, wagons, and the like.Stables
There are many stables in Blech, the largest ones are found at each of the city’s entrances; however, many smaller ones can be found throughout the interior of the city. Stables also tend to be placed near the docks so that if a ship is carrying horses, they may be tended to while the captain and crew rest.
Founding Date
12 Tvarstune, 22 B.R.H
Type
Capital
Population
Approximately 15,000
Inhabitant Demonym
Blechite
Owner/Ruler
Additional Rulers/Owners
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Reports (Secondary)
