Bloodmen

The Blood Bound, or Bloodmen, are a slaving barbarian hoard that inhabit the East coast of the Southern continent. In the past the tribes were dispersed and engaged with constant fighting, but have been united under one great war chief. An uneasy trade relationship and peace has been formed between the Bloodmen and the Kingdom.

## **Appearance**

   Bloodmen are typically among the tallest and most muscular in Convergence. They wear very little clothing and many charge into battle naked as braving the cold unprotected is seen as a sign of endurance and wearing armor is considered unmanly. To this end they are less effective in many combat scenarios, but being unreliant on such comforts means only the fittest men live to reproduce.

Both men and women tend to grow their hair long and keep it oiled. A shaved head is a sign of punishment or failure. While clothing tends to be minimal, display of one's wealth and power is always in fashion, however those who put on airs to appear more wealthy than they are do not keep it for long. Men keep a weapon on them at times, at least a dagger, the quality of which is important to appear dangerous, but again, a Bloodman only owns what he can defend, too ornate a piece for too weak of a man will often be stolen. The hides of great beasts slain are the most respected clothing option. Loved slave women of wealthy, powerful chiefs are given an assortment of jewelry and finery.

The men are expected to walk tall and proud at all times other than in the shame of defeat. A stride lacking confidence can be seen as a sign of weakness and can attract challenge. Slave women are expected to walk humbly, eyes down cast, some fear the spells a woman can cast simply with her gaze, thus direct eye contact is discouraged.

The Bloodmen use smoke bathes and essential oils to prevent the worst rancid smells, but otherwise find too much bathing to be unmanly. The scents of combat, sweat, and blood are things they wear proudly.

## **Culture and customs**

Bloodmen culture centers around violence and dominance. It is like a wolf pack, but less predictable. The biggest, strongest, best fighters command the most fighters under them and the most property, some of which are slaves. There are no elderly men in among the Bloodmen as any weakness, including old age, is an invitation for someone stronger to kill you and claim your property. Wise chiefs share their wealth with their men for a stronger collective, however whatever instinct that allows other tribes to grow around this concept of sharing seems to be absent. There is however respect for strength and most see the wisdom in having a leader, though his position is constantly suspect.

The fighting men of the tribe, are the tribe. All other women, animals, and children of property of these men. While cruel, this structure allows for greater survivability of the tribe. If a community is entirely destroyed and sacked the men of the tribe can still survive and live to take more women and animals for the restoration and continuation of their values and bloodlines.

Despite all this violent chaos, some systems of law can be detected. The honor oaths between warrior men are taken extremely seriously, and will be remembered many generations later such that two descendants of two honor bound men will remember and respect such oaths, trade weapons reaffirm these bonds, and refuse to kill each other. No war chief would last long without at least some allies to guard him while he sleeps, and the most successful men have at least a small group of oath bound men they can trust utterly. The rituals to seal these oaths are mysterious and entirely secret to those who are not part of them, but whatever they are, they are certainty effective to be able to bound the otherwise, seeming random violence of the Bloodmen.

### **Governance**

The day to day governance of the Bloodmen can shift dramatically in a short time, but a few rules seem consistent. What was once a dispersed and volatile number of tribes has been united under one great war chief, Carth the Brave. By a great display of force, and a balancing act of allowing a measured amount of in fighting to resolve conflicts Carth has forged the nation into one many fear the potential of. Because Carth is able to cease infighting he deems too disruptive, and organize more controlled duels to determine hierarchy the Bloodmen have formed something like an organized nation.

### **Faith**

The Bloodmen believe they honor their Ancestors by fighting, killing and dying bravely. Cowards are discarded and forgotten. For men, asking the Gods for help or guidance is seen as weakness, though many do so in private regardless.

While the Bloodmen technically worship the same Gods that all folk do, they see the pantheon quite differently. Estus is placed at the top of a divine hierarchy and is given a much wider breadth of domains. He is associated with the sun, lordship, manhood, heroism, lightning, thunder, storms, rains, river flows and war. Iria is reduced to representing womanly trickery, a figure to be respected, but dominated ultimately as his soul ferrying servant. Auravea is, like everywhere else, considered His divine wife, but of course more as a servant to his lordship over the heavens. His Sister Dutreana, still has domain over rivers, but only in their soft, motherly, nourishing aspects. Surging rapids and floods are His domain. Dutreana is respected as a figure of feminine care taking, healing, and sensitivity to children. In the sense that She encourages non-violence, pacifism, and universal love in women, women are encouraged to worship Her and embody those traits so as to be more obedient servants of men. If a man were to worship Dutreana it would be considered perverse, pathetic, and sick. Even worship of Estus is done in such a way as to honor Him, but pathetic begging, praying, and other cowardly behaviors I believed to be ignored by Him, or even punished with swift death.

### **Economy**

The Bloodmen are the only culture that actively captures and sells slaves. While many cultures discourage or outlaw the slave industry there is always a market for it somewhere. Some suggest the Kingdom is in fact the main purchaser of these slaves. A number of strange artifacts come out of the Blood markets as well, magic items not sourced from Frostshield, who's smiths will warn of the impure energy or even curses on such items, but the power and appeal of these items remain regardless. It is unclear how sustainable this violent, raiding culture is on the world market as they produce very little that they do not use themselves.

They breed a blood red species of horse that is known to have great endurance and speed, it is highly valued and sometimes traded. A few herbs and minerals that only grow in the unique volcanic region are also traded.

### **Language**

Burg is the main language of the Bloodmen, very few are literate, or bother to learn another language, even Dwarven is mostly a forgotten tongue.

### **Culinary customs**

The unique ecosystem the Bloodmen live in creates unique challenges and opportunities. The volcanoes of the Ruby Range frequently rain ash on the land so growing crops is difficult, though the soil is fertile, and a number of rivers make irrigation easy. Specialized huge fungi, insects, and other strange beasts are all utilized and some are cultivated. The sea provides a large portion of their foods and the estuaries are known to be especially plentiful with shellfish. Cannibalism is known to happen, especially a ritualized form when a man kills a respected foe who's power he wishes to consume for himself.

They intentionally reject any complex or sophisticated culinary skills or traditions, claiming that such sickly, opulent, indulgence is degenerative and disorienting, creating overly picky people who become addicted to fine dishes and unable to enjoy or appreciate the simple nourishment of food. Whether this is truly out of concern for the health of their culture or simply because they lack the stability to attract or train professional chefs is... a matter of debate.

### **Structures**

   Strange dark and twisted ruins emerge from the ground all over the lands of the Bloodmen, many of which they have inhabited. Otherwise yurts are a popular means of habitation. Stone arrangements and obelisks are common to the Bloodmen.

### **Settlements**

City of Valor can be considered the capital of the Blood Bound Tribes. Set in a maze of bizarrely shaped ruins, it is mostly a meeting place where nomads gather to trade, settle disputes, pay tribute, form bonds, and simply to socialize. Carth's cohort of servants and warriors lives here year round.

### **Marriage, sexual relations, and childbirth**

The Tribes employs a very strict hierarchy and clear division of roles between the sexes. Free men are expected to be competent fighters and providers. Most women are restricted to domestic roles bound to service under a patriarch and expected to bare children needed to replenish soldiers lost in battle. Those women gifted supernaturally are allowed to serve under a patriarch.

Women are always enslaved to a man, the Bloodmen see other cultures as weak or naive to let women obtain any position of authority. Women are respected as care takers, mothers, healers and even priests, but also considered potentially dangerous for their capacity for manipulation, sorcery, and are seen to always be looking for a weakness in her man that she can exploit.

Pregnant women are relieved from any duties and cared for by her sisters and mothers. The men are expected to provide foods and other needs during this time especially.

A pregnant Blood woman will often pray to Eatora for her child's health and a safe delivery. Offering whatever goods her man allows her which is often oddly generous for an otherwise cruel patriarchy. The men are known to be particularly gentle and patient with pregnant women, giving them whatever they ask for, though perhaps it is out of a desire that their child be strong and abundant in energy.

### **Death**

The Bloodmen believe they join their Ancestors in the sky if they lived and fought courageously, along with those that served them well. Cowards and unloved slaves disappear into nothingness.

Honored Bloodmen are cremated in large pyres so that they may rise up into the sky with their Ancestors.

The belongings, including slaves, of the deceased patriarch are given to the man who defeated him in official combat, though if the death was murder or of other causes fighting for the remains is common.

The highest form of dominance is to consume one's fallen foe, particularly the heart. Corpses who's death was not witnessed are avoided for fear of disease.

### **Military**

While it is not entirely honest to call Blood culture military as it is too disorganized, it is certainly martial in nature. Indeed Blood life is more centered around and organized by violence than any other. In as much as it has been organized a system of violence based hierarchy has been established with Carth at the top ensuring some respect for a chain of command is obeyed.

### **Other beliefs and superstitions**

Magical healing and advanced medical science are seen as sources of decay as it enables the weak to survive and pollute their bloodlines. Martial warriors are valued more than spell casters and many train specifically to assassinate magic users on the battlefield.

The Tribes brew an alcoholic and mildly hallucinogenic mushroom drink, it is dark, earthy and is heavily spiced in various ways. It is used ritualistically by some warriors to find their totem animal, though this practice is common to many other cultures in Convergence who live more so in wilderness.

They're cruel treatment of women can be more clearly see as a terrible fear when the men encounter naked women, especially foreign women they do not control. The fear it seems is that their sexuality will have some power over them, contaminated them, or somehow mind control them. It is possible the power a woman has to make them feel something triggers a deep insecurity for those obsessively manly and self controlled. Or it may be that erotic feelings in general are a kind of vulnerability, one they make specific efforts to control. Or it may be a literal fear of mind control, as some people are capable of such magic, though it is not limited to women, or any erotic experience.