Population & Demographics

Today’s post is a bit of a departure from previous content; it is much more about logistics than story. I feel that it might be useful to know the relative proportions and numbers of the various races both in Butter Bay and the individual nations, and so here it is.

Butter Bay

Beginning with the Bay as a whole, there are approximately 26 000 people living in the five nations. The inhabited territory of the Bay makes up 4489 km² or 1754 sq mi, and therefore the population density of the Bay is roughly 5.79/km² or 14.83/sq mi. Though this population density is rather low, the uncertainty of food supplies during the long winter makes it necessary.

While the population is evenly split along gender lines, the races are more varied in their numbers. Humans are the most numerous of the races, making up 33% of the total population, almost 8600 individuals. Uruks are next at 19% or 4900 individuals, followed by the hodekin at 18% or 4700. The alfar make up 14% of the Bay’s population, 3600 people, while the elben make up only 8%, 2100 people. Finally, the various half-bloods make up the remaining 8% of the population.

The half-bloods can be broken down further into the 10 combinations, the most common being aldekin (alfar-hodekin) at 1.2% of the population or about 310 individuals. Next in line are the elruks (elben-uruk), greuns (human-uruk), hodems (hodekin-human), mondels (elben-human), and sonners (alfar-human), all with 1.1% of the total population, about 280 people. Next come the rarer urdekin (hodekin-uruk) at 0.5%, 130 individuals, and the faruls (alfar-uruk) at 0.4%, 100 individuals. Lastly we arrive at the rarest varieties of half-bloods, the alps (alfar-elben) who make up only 0.25% of the total population, or 65 people, and the frightening-looking svugar (elben-hodekin) who make up 0.15%, only about 40 people in the entire Bay.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	14%	3640
Elben	8%	2080
Hodekin	18%	4680
Human	33%	8580
Uruk	19%	4980
Half-Blood	8%	2080
- Alp	0.25%	65
- Aldekin	1.2%	312
- Elruk	1.1%	286
- Farul	0.4%	104
- Greun	1.1%	286
- Hodem	1.1%	286
- Mondel	1.1%	286
- Sonner	1.1%	286
- Svugar	0.15%	39
- Urdekin	0.5%	130

Alfar Nation

The Alfar nation comprises 15% of the population of the Bay, which comes to 3900 people. As it has a land area of 1161 km² or 453 sq mi, the population density is 3.35/km² or 8.57/sq mi.

As one would expect, alfar are the most numerous race in the Alfar nation; they make up approximately 60% of the population, over 2300 people. Humans and hodekin are the bulk of the rest of the population, counting for 27% of the population between them, split fairly evenly with just over 500 people apiece. 3.3% of the population are uruks, about 130 people, while various half-bloods make up just over 8%, more than 300 individuals. A few elben also live in the Alfar nation, but comprise only 1.7% of the national population, less than 75 people.

In terms of half-bloods, aldekin are quite numerous with 3.3%, followed b y sonners with 2.7%. Faruls are about 1% of the population, and hodems, are 0.7%. Lastly, 0.3% of the population, only about 15 people, are alps. Other half-bloods may exist, but in negligible numbers.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	60.2%	2340
Elben	1.67%	65
Hodekin	13.38%	520
Human	13.38%	520
Uruk	3.34%	130
Half-Blood	8.03%	312
- Alp	0.33	13
- Aldekin	3.34%	130
- Farul	1%	39
- Hodem	0.67%	26
- Sonner	2.68%	104

Elben Nation

Only 9.75% of the people of the Bay, 2500 individuals, live in the Elben Nation. The nation’s small land area, 522 km² or 204 sq mi, means that its population density is actually higher than the Alfar nation’s; 4.85/km² or 12.42/sq mi.

The elben make up 51% of their nation, the lowest of any race in their home nation, which comes to 1300 people. Humans make up just over 15%, about 400 people, as do the uruks. Half-bloods are the next largest segment of the population at 10.3%, 250 individuals. Bringing up the rear are the 5% of the nation that are hodekin and the 2.5% that are alfar, about 130 and 60 people respectively.

The breakdown of half-bloods in the Elben nation begins with elruks and mondels, each with approximately 100 people, just over 4%. Greuns make up 1% of the population, 25 people. And alps and svugar each make up 0.5%, or about 15 people.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	2.56%	65
Elben	51.28%	1300
Hodekin	5.13%	130
Human	15.38%	390
Uruk	15.38%	390
Half-Blood	10.26%	260
- Alp	0.51%	13
- Elruk	4.1%	104
- Greun	1.03%	26
- Mondel	4.1%	104
- Svugar	0.51%	13

Hodekin Nation

In the Hodekin nation, 18.5% of the Bay’s total population live, roughly 4800 people. The nation’s land area is comparable to the Elben nation’s, 651 km² or 254 sq mi, resulting in the highest national population density of 7.39/km² or 18.91/sq mi.

Hodekin comprise nearly 65% of the nation’s people, 3100 individuals. Alfar and humans are the next largest segment with 10.8% each, a bit over 500 people. Almost 200 elben live in the nation, making up 4% of the population, while uruks are only 2.7%, about 130 people. Half-bloods make up 7.5% of the people.

Most of the Hodekin nation’s half-bloods are either aldekin, 2.7% or 130 people, or hodems, 2.1% or 100 people. Urdekin make up 1.1% of the population, roughly 50 people. 0.55%, about 25 people, are sonner, and a tiny 0.25%, about 15 people, are svugars.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	10.81%	520
Elben	4.05%	195
Hodekin	64.86%	3120
Human	10.81%	520
Uruk	2.7%	130
Half-Blood	6.76%	325
- Aldekin	2.7%	130
- Hodem	2.16%	104
- Sonner	0.54%	26
- Svugar	0.27%	13
- Urdekin	1.08%	52

Human Nation

As the most populous of the five nations, the Human nation contains almost 37% of the Bay’s people, about 9500. It is also the single largest nation in area, covering 1358 km² or 530 sq mi; this means the population density is 7.03/km² or 17.99/sq mi, rivalling the Hodekin nation.

The Human nation also boasts the most diverse balance of races in the Bay. Humans are, predictably, almost 67% of the population, nearing 6400 people. The various half-bloods make up 8.7% of the human nation. Hodekin and uruks both have respectable showings at about 8.2% of the national population, nearing 800 people each. Next are the alfar, over 500 of which live in the nation, making up almost 5.5% of the population, and last are the elben with 2.7%, over 250 individuals.

Unlike the other nations, the Human nation boasts countable populations of all ten half-blood varieties. The half-humans all boast around 1.6%, around 150 people, while non-human hybrids are less common. 0.55% of the population are aldekin, and the same for elruks, together numbering around 100, while faruls and urdekin are each 0.25%, about 25 people. When it comes to alps there are actually more in the Human nation than in either the Alfar or Elben, 0.4% of the national population, or about 40. Svugar are about as numerous in the Human nation as in the Elben and Hodekin nations, making up 0.15%, just over 10 individuals.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	5.45%	520
Elben	2.72%	260
Hodekin	8.17%	780
Human	66.76%	6370
Uruk	8.17%	780
Half-Blood	8.72%	832
- Alp	0.41%	39
- Aldekin	0.54%	52
- Elruk	0.54%	52
- Farul	0.27%	26
- Greun	1.63%	156
- Hodem	1.63%	156
- Mondel	1.63%	156
- Sonner	1.63%	156
- Svugar	0.14%	13
- Urdekin	0.27%	26

Uruk Nation

Finally, the Uruk nation is inhabited by about 20% of the Bay’s population, 5200 people. The land area of the nation is 797 km² or 311 sq mi, making the population density 6.5/km² or 16.65/sq mi.

With the highest home population of the Bay’s races, nearly 68% of the people are uruks, 3500 in total. Humans are 15% of the nation, just under 800 people, and 6% are half-blood, just over 300. Elben are the next most numerous race, making up 5% of the population or 260 people. 3.75% are alfar, less than 200 people, and lastly the hodekin comprise 2.5%, about 130 people.

The Uruk nation’s breakdown of half-bloods begins with elruks, who are 2.5% of the national population. Next down the line are greuns with 2%, about 100 people, and urdekin are half that at 1%. Faruls make up 0.75% of the population, about 40 individuals, and the smallest segment of the people are mondels, 0.5% of the people, roughly 25.

Race	Approximate %	Approximate Number
Alfar	3.76%	195
Elben	5.01%	260
Hodekin	2.51%	130
Human	15.04%	780
Uruk	67.67%	3510
Half-Blood	6.02%	312
- Elruk	2.51%	130
- Farul	0.75%	39
- Greun	2.01%	104
- Mondel	0.5%	26
- Urdekin	1%	52

Monday: The Elben Nation

Source of Magic: The Academy

As a school of the arcane, the Academy has had to face a certain amount of adversity during the time of the Freeze. Its primary detractors are those who associate arcane magic with Bishal, a claim that, though unproven, they use to undermine the Academy’s support and keep it out of the Belltower council.

Arcane Magic

Whereas divine magic springs from the gods and their institutions, and primal magic is derived from the natural spirits of the world, arcane magic is more abstract. The arcane arts generally involve learning about the way the world works, and then altering the balance; manipulating reality to achieve specific effects. Some have to work long and hard to be able to do this, others are simply born gifted, and others still gain their abilities through dangerous bargains with sinister beings.

Classes from 4th Edition D&D that would be associated with the Academy include: the wizard, swordmage, artificer, and bard. While the sorcerer and warlock are arcane classes, you would most likely not have attended the Academy if you belong to those classes. Because sorcerers usually have an inborn talent for magic they would not require, or usually desire, further education on the subject. Warlocks, instead of learning the arcane arts through hard work and study, gain their power from a pact with some greater power. Depending on who their pact is with, a warlock may need to hide the source of their power, which might ultimately lead them to attend the Academy as a cover.

Structure of the Academy

The Academy is both an organization made up of people who have attended and graduated from the institution, and the name of the institution itself. The Academy grounds, in the elben capitol Garstang, houses the marble-walled buildings for the various Schools of magic. Each School covers a different area of study, but students are not restricted to education in any specific school unless they wish to be. The Schools are led by a member of the Academy that is given the title of Grandmaster and is well versed in the ins and outs of that specific area. Most of the actual teaching is done by simple Masters, who spend time with the students, often one-on-one.

The leadership of the Academy as a whole is twofold; first there is the Academy Board that makes the major decisions as a group by vote, second is the Headmaster who serves as the public face of the Academy and sets the tone and direction of the administration. Both the members of the board, called Boardmasters, and the Headmaster are elected by the general membership of the Academy, ie. past graduates. Once elected to a position, the elected individual holds that post until death or resignation. The leadership structure of the Academy was originally based largely on that of the Order.

Attending & Joining the Academy

The first thing that needs to be mentioned is the nature of the Academy. It can most easily be described as a university or college for magic. It is not, however, Hogwarts; students are not seen throwing magic at one another casually or using enchanted quills to write papers. Magic is considered serious business. In light of that, getting a place at the Academy is no easy matter; though there is not a set limit on the quantity of students, there is a definite limit on the quality of students. Students who do not live up to the high standards of conduct are ejected from the Academy, either temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of their transgression.

The first step in attending the Academy is to be tested for you aptitude. A master from the Academy will administer the test, which is a combination of pure knowledge, potential for understanding the complexities of the workings of the universe, physical strength and dexterity, and many other smaller topics. Each section of the test adds to your overall score, and though you need not score high in all areas, a certain score is required to be accepted as a student. Students who score too low on the test are rejected outright, while those who score in a certain grace zone are allowed to study privately with a Master for a year before being re-evaluated for admittance; a potential candidate who fails the test a second time is rejected and not allowed to test again.

Like many universities and colleges, the Academy’s usual program is four years long, though students of exceptional talent and potential are allowed to study for longer if they wish. How you scored on the various sections of the aptitude test will determine the topics of instruction for your first six months, and your master for those lessons persists as you Advisor for the rest of your time at the Academy. After this initial period, you are allowed to choose the topics that interest you most, assuming there is an available Master willing to take you as a student. Study is long and hard, and students are expected to work every day except Volands, when they are allowed time to rest and attend service at the kirkhall. Your personal experience at the Academy will depend largely on your topic of study, and the personality of the Masters teaching you.

At the end of you fourth year at the Academy you are considered fit for graduation. In a ceremony with little fanfare you are awarded the title of Master yourself, and you become a full-fledged member of the Academy. Many students may develop a strong bond with their Advisor, and it is not uncommon for a the Advisor to give a graduation gift to the student, often a signet ring made from a deep purple alloy called hepatizon. The exceptional graduates who wish to continue their studies are given the additional title of Adept and allowed to remain as students. Even those Masters who do not continue to study under another often conduct magical research and experiments of their own.

Friday: Population & Demographics

Race: Elben

What is an Elben?

The elben are a noble looking race. They stand quite tall, usually more than six feet, and though not burly can hold their own against a human. They stand out from the other peoples of the Bay primarily because of their skin, which is far darker than the others (we would call it black), save for a few dark-skinned humans (who are believed by some to have forgotten elben ancestry). Their hair matches their skin, being black or very dark brown, and it is usually worn quite long by both males and females.

Some elben’s green eyes are somewhat almond shaped, but there are just as many who do not have this trait. Another point of focus might be their ears; while the elben are what one would normally call elves, the elben do not have pointed ears like the elves of other settings. Finally, an elben’s facial features tend to be very angular and severe, with high cheekbones and sharp chins. Their noses are also generally longer than any other race’s, sometimes bordering on witchlike.

What are Elben like?

Compared to the average citizen of the Bay, the elben are highly intelligent beings. With that intelligence, however, comes a healthy (some would say unhealthy) dose of pride. Though they acknowledge the place of less gifted races in the world, they often make the mistake of acting dismissive and superior, which has earned them the ire of many alfar and hodekin.

Despite their frequent arrogance, the elben are usually quite willing to listen to reason and logic. If you give an elben a good enough reason to respect you, they will happily change their view. Their respect for reason permeates their culture, and it contributes to their tendency toward arcane magic, as learning it involves learning about the logic and mechanics of how the world works.

Though logic is an important part of elben culture, that doesn’t mean they shun emotions. Emotions, both positive and negative, have immense value as they give you information. The danger of emotions is that they can mislead you; not every fear should be heeded completely, and not every desire should necessarily be followed through with. Reason and logic allow an elben to evaluate their emotions and choose the appropriate response for the specific situation, rather than simply responding instinctively and perhaps acting rashly. In short, logic is a guide to better understand your emotions, not a replacement for them.

Elben Society

Magic is everywhere in elben culture. Most people know a little bit of magic, and the race’s constant exposure over the ages has resulted in an inborn ability to teleport short distances. Though the Academy is the source of complete arcane training, it is fairly common for children to be taught some simple magic in preparation for the future; whether that future includes attendance at the Academy, joining the militia, or simply becoming a farmer, herder, or woodcutter.

Equality, be it of gender, age, class, or profession, is not defended like it is among the uruks; it is simply taken as a matter of course and paid no special attention. Each person is measured purely by their own merits and accomplishments. Most elben do not seek money or fame, but instead seek to better themselves and the society of the Bay as a whole. A bladesmith would strive to make finer and finer klaethes, inching ever closer to perfection; while an arcanist might seek to increase food production through magical means.

Elben Faith

The elben differ somewhat from the other races in their view of Voland and the Order. The stories in the Libram are viewed more as parables than history; they are meant to teach lessons and instil values rather than to recount actual events. The story of the birth of the world and the encounter between Voland and Bishal is still significant, but it is a lesson about earning and using knowledge for the betterment of the world, and being ever watchful for those who strive to take without earning. Voland spent time experimenting, shaping first the crude features of the world, slowly working his way to creating life. And when he created life, he did not leap directly to the final stage, instead he worked slowly again from simple to complex, until finally, after many long ages, creating the thinking beings. They have taken that lesson to heart and value hard work towards a goal, and by extension the understanding and reason involved in that effort. If they tried to simply reach the goal without going through the journey, they would be little better than Bishal, trying to steal the world and credit for its creation from Voland.

Wednesday: The Academy

Race: Half-Bloods

Any person living in Butter Bay whose parents come from different races is considered a half-blood. Given that there are five races in the Bay, there are ten half-blood combinations.

What is an Aldech?

As a cross between an alfar and a hodekin or yadekin, aldekin share the same sexual dimorphism as their hodekin parentage; males taller and more slender, while females are bulky and muscled, though the difference is not nearly as pronounced. Aldekin skin, while still somewhat grey, has a polished pearly sheen to it that almost makes an aldech look like a statue. Aldekin do not have hodekin pointed ears. When living in hodekin society, aldekin are expected to conform to the accepted gender roles; living elsewhere the rules are often much more flexible. Because of the long-time friendly relationship between the parent races, aldekin are relatively common.

What is an Alp?

An alp is half-alfar and half-elben. Given the general animosity between these two races, alps are one of the rarest types of half-bloods. In terms of appearance the alp is a very unique being, their skin is not a simple middle-point between alabaster alfar skin and elben chocolate, but rather their skin features a marbled blend of the two. The two tones swirl around one another in some places and flow seamlessly together in others. This unique appearance means than an alp can in no way hide his parentage, it is printed on their face.

What is an Elruk?

Elruks are the children of the other side of the war, half-uruk and half-elben. Generally speaking, an elruk is the tallest being you are likely to find in the Bay, often reaching seven feet or more. They also share the uruks pointed ears, but not their fanglike teeth. The skin of an elruk is a dark mossy green, and their eyes vary between an elben’s green and the more common purple. Like the aldekin, elruks are quite common, and many are involved in the war effort. 

What is a Farul?

Though the two races don’t see eye-to-eye right now, that is a fairly recent development, and intermarriage between alfar and uruks is not uncommon. A farul is generally unremarkable in appearance, and it is quite possible to not realize you are speaking to one. The vast majority of faruls look just like alfar, with the exception that they have pointed ears like an uruk. Some also have an uruk’s purple eyes, but the majority have green as would be expected of an alfar.

What is a Greun?

The first of the human half-bloods is the greun, whose other parent is an uruk. The most notable feature of a greun is his or her pointed ears, which are often even longer than a normal uruk’s. Secondly is the skin tone, a warm yellow-green colour that generally manages to avoid looking sickly. Human eyes are usually brown, which is true as well of greuns, but when the human parent has blue eyes the child’s eyes will be purple. A greun is shorter than an uruk, being closer in height to a human, but is naturally more muscled.

What is a Hodem?

Like their aldekin brethren, hodems display some sexual dimorphism. But where the half-human half-hodekin differs is that the gender variance is primarily an issue of height. While human females are often slightly shorter than their male counterpart, a female hodem is the same height as a hodech, while a male hodem is the same height as a man. Musculature among hodems is unpredictable; some females are well muscled and look almost the same as hodekin, while others look more like human children. Likewise, the males may be dextrous and skinny or more muscled like human males. Hodem skin tone and eye colour, however, always match those of the human parent, while their ears are always pointed like a hodech’s.

What is a Mondel? What is a Sonner?

Mondels and sonners are physically almost identical except for skin tone. Mondels, half-human half-elben, have their elben parent’s dark skin, while sonners, half-human half-alfar, have alfar skin. These half-bloods always have brown eyes as is usual in humans, and they appear as humans for the most part. They do, however, share their alfar or elben parent’s tolerance for the cold, and often wear little in terms of cold-weather clothing. Human hair is nearly always brown, but mondels have black hair like elben, and sonners have blonde hair like alfar.

What is a Svugar?

The hybrids of elben and hodekin, the svugar, are mysterious-looking creatures. Their skin is ash black, and their sunken eyes are black or grey. Because of their appearance it is sometimes remarked that they look sickly or dying. While extremely skinny, their strength is comparable to that of their parent races. Svugar share the hodekin stature, rarely exceeding four feet tall, and many walk somewhat hunched over, diminishing their height further. The other distinguishing features of a svugar are a complete lack of external ear, instead having just an ear hole, and thin hair that hangs limply.

What is an Urdech?

Lastly, urdekin are half-uruk and half-hodekin. It seems that uruk blood is somewhat stronger than hodekin, as both male and female urdekin are similar in build. Though shorter than humans, the average urdech is about the same height as a yadekin. They are bulkier than a yadech, but not as heavy-set as a hodech. The skin of an urdech is also something of a surprise, being not grey like the hodekin or green like the uruks, but rather blue; it ranges from pale greyish blues down to dark rich blue, but never as dark as navy. Most urdekin share the hodekin eye colours of grey to black. Because both parent races have pointed ears, this is also true of urdekin.

Children

Half-bloods can have children as well, and the racial nature of that child depends on the race of the other parent. The following chart shows how to determine the child’s race.

Parent 1	Parent 2	Child
Race A	Race A-Race B	Race A
Race A	Race B-Race C	Race A-Race B or Race A-Race C
Race A-Race B	Race A-Race C	Race A-Race B or Race A-Race C
Race A-Race B	Race C-Race D	Race A-Race C or Race A-Race D or Race B-Race C or Race B-Race D

Half-Bloods in Society

The reaction to half-bloods varies depending on the nation and the type of half-blood in question.

In general humans are fairly accepting of half-bloods, but prefer half-humans over other types, and prefer pure-blood humans more. Half-bloods running from the prejudice the war has inspired have flooded into Human territories, creating tension in the nation. Few svugar ever leave the Elben-Hodekin border region, where they primarily dwell, because of public reception to their appearance; many potential romances also fall apart because their children would be svugar.

Since the war began, alps and urdekin, as well as svugar and faruls and anyone else with the opposing side’s blood, have been viewed with suspicion by both alliances, though more so by the Alfar and Hodekin. In something of a demonstration of the uruks’ devotion to equality, Marthon am Vale, a svugar, has risen to the top rank of Commander in the Uruk military during the war. Also in contrast to the suspicion put on some half-bloods is the fact that aldekin, and to a lesser extent elruks, have gained increased respect; they are seen as a physical symbol of each alliance.

Monday: The Elben Race

Culture: Weapons

In Butter Bay, a weapon is more than just a fighting implement; a person’s weapon is a part of them, a part of how they choose to fight. Separating a person from their weapon, especially their saege knife, is like taking away a part of their soul.

Saege Knife

The saege is a somewhat unique weapon, culturally speaking. Unlike many other weapons, every man or woman who has gone through Namelessness, and therefore has come of age, carries a saege. The blade serves as a reminder of Voland’s ordeal, which the Namelessness mirrors, and the treachery of Bishal. Bishal’s blade, as described in the Libram, served as the template for the first saege knives long ago, but their design has changed and varied over time. Some in the Order think that the original pattern should be restored, but others believe that it is, in this case at least, the thought that counts.

When a nameless youth regains his or her name during the Nighsend celebrations, they are given a saege as a sign of their accomplishment. It is not uncommon, especially among poorer families, for a blade that once belonged to a deceased relative to be passed on to the new generation. Wealthier families see it as a point of pride that they can afford a new saege for each child. Among the nobility, however, sentiments often swing back the other way, and many of the leaders of the Bay carry finely crafted knives from before the Freeze.

Though a token of remembrance of a person’s faith, saeges also serve a more utilitarian purpose. Whenever someone needs a knife to cut twine, to skin an animal, or any number of other mundane tasks that arise in their daily life, their saege is the tool they turn to. This is also interpreted by some devout as redeeming Bishal’s implement of terror by turning it into a tool for the benefit of the people.

Racial Weapons

The saege, while always carried by warriors, is seen by many as the incorrect tool for combat. Instead they turn to more powerful weapons, and each race has its own favoured selection.

The alfar, who idolize instinct, are well known for their use of simple weapons that could be easily improvised in many situations. The quarterstaff is commonly used among alfar, as is the baston. The baston is, like the quarterstaff, usually just a simple length of wood, but it is much shorter than a usual staff, being about a foot and a half long. Bastons are often used in pairs, and more elaborate examples may have chains or spikes attached to them. The alfar are also associated with their use of bows for ranged combat.

An elben’s weapon, on the other hand, is nothing so easily replaced. The weapons made famous by the elben are known as klaeths. Similar in design to a real world katana, klaeths are made by skilled bladesmiths from skymetal mined from an impact crater near Tallfalls. Klaeths, like bastons, are often wielded in pairs. The most famous feature of these weapons is that they never lose their edge, and thus never need sharpening. Some klaeths are specially designed to be thrown.

Hammers are the favoured weapon among hodekin, though they are rarely used by yadekin who tend to fight with their saeges. Usually made from the heavy lead mined in Torlich, hodekin hammers are decorated with runes from the ancient tongues. Though some hammers are designed to be thrown, hodekin generally prefer to use crossbows as their ranged weapons. Some yadekin have even been admitted into the army as crossbowmen because of the shortage of soldiers.

The uruks have turned picks, used by workers in the mines, into weapons of war. War picks are vicious weapons that have been adorned with barbs and hooks so as to deal more damage to the enemy. In ranged combat, the uruks have also begun using crossbows based on hodekin designs. Wealthy uruks may fight with steel swords, or even klaeths purchased from their elben allies.

Humans are the least focused of the races in terms of weapons. Many humans have taken up the alfar arts of fighting with quarterstaves, while others have followed the example of the uruk and turned their tools into weapons; axes in the case of the humans. In the human militias spears are often used because of their scant use of metal, while human nobility, like the wealthy uruks, often own expensive steel swords. Even families that are not wealthy may still possess swords passed down from before the Freeze.

Looking at other races, varkers tend to use very simple weapons such as clubs and slings that require little in terms of industry to produce. Depending on the tribe, varkers might or might not carry saeges; Redfeather varkers mostly do, but they don’t attach the same spiritual significance to the blades as the people of the Bay. Merrow warriors nearly always carry tridents, while their vellan slaves fight with a mix of clubs, picks, and axes. Undead thralls sometimes fight with weapons, but as often as not simply strike with their bare hands; the same is true of the shaldu demons.

Weapons in Game

Within the game, assuming you are using 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, you can use the following chart to determine what weapons to use. Even if you are using a different game system, it should be simple enough to make the appropriate connections yourself.

Bay Weapon	Associated Race	4th Edition Weapon
Axe	Human, Vellan	Axes
Baston	Alfar	Flails, Maces
Club	Varker, Vellan	Maces
Hammer	Hodekin (female)	Hammers, Maces
Klaeth	Elben	Heavy Blade
Pick	Uruk, Vellan	Picks
Quarterstaff	Alfar, Human	Staves
Saege	All	Light Blades
Spear	Human	Spears
Sword	Human, Uruk	Heavy Blades
Trident	Merrow	Trident, Tratnyr
Bow	Alfar	Bows
Crossbow	Hodekin, Uruk	Crossbows
Sling	Varker	Slings

Friday: Half-Bloods

Government: The Hodekin Nation

Structure of the Government

As discussed previously, the Hodekin nation is ruled by the Vidame, who resides in and holds personal lordship over the capitol of Audlem. Although hodekin law never actually establishes the Vidame’s superiority over the other Dames, it is nonetheless accepted as fact. The three other Dames each rule over a township, a subdivision of the nation as a whole. Smaller villages are ruled by a Ritter, who is subordinate to the Dame of her township. All of these positions are hereditary and are held only by females.

The four townships are each named after the home of their Dame. Beginning in the south, Alshap township extends through the bamboo forest including Omstead, and continues on the east bank of the Wellwash past Bristle, almost as far as Halstead. Across Omen Sound, Wisbech township encompasses the Wachoer Forest and Forfar; it extends all the way to Audlem. Audlem township includes very little other than the town itself and a few outlying homes. Finally, Bodmin township covers the section north and to the sides of Audlem, including Halder, Halstead, Torlich, and Walsem. It should be noted that although settlements on the map only range as low as 50 people, there are many smaller hamlets scattered around, most having only a few households. These hamlets generally fall under the jurisdiction of the nearest village or town’s Dame or Ritter.

Geography

Much of the territory of the Hodekin nation is mountainous and somewhat inhospitable. Small shrubs and lonely trees pepper the landscape of these high hills. The southern region around Omen Sound is considerably lower, and much of it is forested. On the west side of the sound is the Wachoer Forest between Wisbech and Forfar, and on the east side of the sound is the relatively young bamboo forest around Omstead. Non-forested areas in the south have largely been taken over by farmland. There is also a narrow strip of farmland further north along the western edge of the territory centred on Walsem.

In the north the Canal River flows down from the Riddelmere. The river is named for its final section, an obsidian-walled canal that runs almost straight south and separates the alfar and elben territories. The other river in the Hodekin nation is the Wellwash River, which flows out from the Great Well in Audlem. No one knows who built the Great Well, or how it was built, but it dredges steaming hot water up from the depths of the earth without fail. The town of Audlem was built around the well.

Industry

In contrast to the other nations, few villages in the Hodekin nation are primarily devoted to food production. While in Wisbech and Alshap there are a fair number of fisherman, the only other areas with strong food industries are Walsem, Halder, and the capitol. Walsem is a farming community like many others in the Bay with a mix of planting and reindeer herding, while Halder is almost completely devoted to farming mushrooms in the area’s many caves. In Audlem, the temperature is higher than elsewhere because of the heated water from the Great Well, and so they specialize in warmer weather luxury crops that won’t grow elsewhere. As a result, much of the Hodekin nation’s food must be imported from elsewhere in the Bay.

Mining is a prominent industry among the hodekin. Bristle is home to an iron mine, and Halstead boasts the only coal mine in the Bay. In the north, the quarry at Bodmin provides stone for building, and mines in Bodmin and Torlich are a source of tin, lead, and other useful minerals. Forfar is an industrial town, housing metalworks and blacksmiths. Forfar’s factories also produce many useful everyday objects that are then exported all over the Bay.

Industry related to the war is also prominent. The village of Canalside, which operates a bridge across the Canal, has been completely taken over by the alfar-hodekin alliance as a military camp since the war’s start. Though it was once a farming village and trading hub at the nexus of two major roads, the inhabitants have largely moved on to other locales. An army training camp operates in Forfar, where many of the weapons used in the war effort are manufactured.

The bamboo around Omstead was planted so that the Hodekin nation would have a ready source of wood that grows relatively quickly. Much of that bamboo is used in the industrial works in Forfar, and much is also used at the shipyard in Wisbech. Bamboo has also become a common building material throughout the nation.

Lastly, the whaling ships that sail out of Alshap hunt both whales and the long-necked butterbasts. While some meat comes from the prey, they are hunted primarily for their blubber, which is used for a number of purposes, including making candles. Butterbasts also sometimes pose a threat to cargo ships and fishing vessels, so the hunt also serves to keep the Bay safer.

Possible Adventure Hooks

The war and its fallout are a ripe topic for potential adventure hooks. In terms of the war’s effect on the Hodekin nation, the other Dames could begin to resent Vidame Morwynn for dragging them into a conflict that they don’t see as their own. In your game this could manifest itself as a simple mission to spy on the Vidame or her agents, or it could be a mission of assassination or revolt.

The Hodekin nation’s dependence on food supplies from other nations could lead to adventure. Food shipments could be lost or captured, or it could be your adventurers’ mission to do the capturing and deprive the hodekin of their supplies. Other war-related adventures are also possible, such as threats to the Omstead bamboo supply or to mineral shipments being transported from the north down to Forfar.

If you want to stay away from the war, the mystery of the Great Well is an option. If the well were to stop functioning your adventurers might be sent in to fix it, or to find a solution elsewhere such as in the Royal Library in the ruined city of Fairdon. A problem with the Great Well might also cause the Skarie River to cease flowing upwards, resulting in the Riddelmere being drained by two rivers, endangering the water supply of the entire nation.

Wednesday: Weapons