House Blumen

Here is an in-depth description of House Blumen, the Noble family of Sargeroth.

Origins
The Blumen family is an Age-old power in Sargeroth. The Legend, a historical account written some time in the Second Era, told of the original founders of Sargeroth. The book details that there were four Founders who originally climbed the Sacred mountain. One from Sedonia who is forgotten to time by the Sargerithians, one who would later lead the Kessel clan(see Jorhan Kessel ), one who would wonder off, never return, and a later founder of Greater Sargeroth. This Individual is highly contested within Sargeroth. The Blumen's believe the founder to be Nadir, the Ultimate ancestor of the Blumen Clan. The Glorans, believed the founder to be their leader, Baraldi, who would become their Clan's first leader. This began a long feud with the Glorans which has caused far reaching consequences over 1,000 years since its initial engagement.

Nadir
Not much is known about Nadir. They are represented in art as non-gendered and often faceless to represent the frustration at how little was known even just a few hundred years after their passing. What is known is that Nadir was 127 years old at the time of their death which was on the 30th day of the 3rd month (Winter) circa E1 50. Only living 50 years into our current calender is a testament to the ancient essence which predominates all interpretations of Nadir. This ultimate ancestor can best be understood by a book written by them: "Prowess of our Kin". This early book (indeed, one of the first) was a cautionary tale for what Nadir assumed would be a "legion of descendants, reigning high upon their peak". It is no coincidence that The Blumen Castle would be thus named. Nadir passed from memory to myth in a generation unlike Jorhan and Baraldi, both who lived to be well over 200.

Early Clan Identity
The Blumen clan distinguished itself early in Sargeroth's history as gifted trades and businesspeople. They created a horse pasture in the middle of the city, knowing that as the city grew, people would need faster transport of goods. From this venture, as well as cornering the wheat market early on through deft (and some times unsavory) backdoor dealings, nearly every citizen of Sargeroth had to trade with the Blumens at some point. Over the decades, the family grew into a class of nobility, deliberately separated from the "unClanned" masses. This being an overarching theme to the Blumen lifestyle: Live like you lead and soon you will. They built their homestead apart from the Cliffsides where the majority of the population lived. Early leadership of the Family saw the power vacuum in the city and were all too willing to take up a large market share. Next to the Kessels, Early Sargeroth feared and respected the Blumen clan the most. Some, from being in extended contact with Blumen house members grew to resent them far more than the lofty Kessels who at least knew to stay shrouded in mystery.

Early conflict
The Blumens and Glorans fought both physically and economically. As the Glorans grew in number, The Blumens knew their claim to the throne of Sargeroth had to be protected. The first documented violence between the two was on 3.284. Lumberworkers, many clanned with the Glorans with even more simply employed by them became increasingly agitated as the Blumens worked to flood the market of wood, thus diluting the Gloran's power. They began with with intimidation of Blumen Business leaders and starting drunken brawls with anyone bearing the black and blue. On the night of E1 563.4.76 a particularly violent brawl turned into a a full scale riot. dozens of families believed to be clanned with the Blumens were dragged out of their houses and murdered. Eventually the Glorans were forced to send in their own troops to quiet the streets, lest they lose public support. This event led to months of silence, the Lumberworkers being threatened with higher quotas or even replacement for insubordinate behavior. Eventually however, word spread of clanned citizens going missing on both sides. It became exceedingly clear to the leaders of the clans that they were utterly incapable of keeping control over their lower ranks. After hundreds of years of tensions easing and tightening and easing again, the Chicken farm debacle of the late 2nd era, more commonly referred to in Sargeroth as the Cuckoo Conspiracy brought the feud to a point of no return.

The Cuckoo Conspiracy
Despite the playful moniker, This marked a significant turning point leading up to the Division war. According to the the fairytale-like document recording the event, "A Twisted tale", Zarach, the head blacksmith of the Blumen clan (and cousin to the Clan leader) took an entrepreneurial leap by building upon the sacred mountain. Chickens were a rare delicacy even to the upper echelons of Sargeroth Nobility. The egg, as it were, was so rare, that most commonly, the highest lords and ladies up through the 2nd era ate the extravagant "Crow egg stuffing served in a veal roast". It was only Zarach who had the luck (and coin) to find a male and female chicken together and with his own hands, he set to build a secret farm in a place no one would look.

Cattle and sheep had been cultivated upon the Sacred Mountain's slopes in the past but never before had a pen of deficating animals been kept upon the highest peaks. It has sacrilege intended to secretly humiliate the Kessels who Zarach regarded as foolish zealots. Zarach hoped that the Blumen clan could claim more market space and thus influence by pushing the Kessels to the edge of the food market, which was currently dominated with Kessel beef. Therefore Zarach built a subterranean farm within the mountain. It was months before a group of Kessel monks, the most devout followers of the Mountain God heard the cacophony of birds Zarach was trying so desperately to hide. An investigation proceeded immediately. A Kessel inquisitor began questioning informally around the city and before long, he found contraband eggs being sold under the Blumen flag. In this day however, communication between Clans was sparse and awkward.

Not knowing exactly who to contact, the inquisitor went directly to the Blumen Business complex in the center of town, where the royal family lived. It was here, on the ground floor that the forge was located. Zarach noticed the Kessel colors and with the information he had gained from his informants, assumed the worst. He confronted the Inquisitor himself, taking the role of an unknowing and humble servant of his House. He steered the questioner away from actual command, rather telling him to head into the southern wastes where he could find the Blumen head Financier, Zelf Blumen, the Prince of the family. The Inquisitor had no idea of the reputation Zelf had garnered within Sargeroth as a lazy drunk who would never have left the walls of the city. Zarach quickly made his way to the location he had given the Inquisitor in order to impersonate the Financier himself. When the Inquisitor arrived at the cottage in the south wastes, Zarach prepared to kill the questioner. Either out of cowardice or some naive idea to protect himself however, he decided to send an assassin rather than dirty his own hands. As the Inquisitor headed back to the city after questioning the fake Financier, he was attacked by an assassin. The inquisitor was victorious however and found a note on the would-be murderer with instructions to silence the investigation.

The Kessel family was on the verge of war with the Blumens, but as relations tensed, formal emissaries were sent to Edwin Blumen, the Lord of the House himself. It was then that it was discovered that Zelf had never met with the questioner. Zelf personally told the emissaries over drinks that it was Zarach who owned a cottage in the south and must have therefore impersonated him. A war party from Kessel immediately made its way to the cottage where they surrounded Zarach who had stayed far from the city. As the soldiers descended on him, Zarach shot one Kessel from horseback, severely wounding him. However, this was the only casualty as he was quickly barraged with arrows himself, knocking him from his horse. The leader of the party decapitated the wounded Zarach and carried the head back to the Kessel wall, where it was mounted on a spike for months.

Wishing to soothe the Kessels' outrage, Mynyp Blumen, the sister to the King, and Guard commander offered to destroy the farm and give all the stored eggs and chickens to the Kessels to begin their own lawful chicken farm. She expressed that the Kessel's were thought of as an important ally and that Zarach had been acting alone out of his selfish desire for power. The Kessels tenuously agreed but trust between the two families had been irrevocably damaged.

The Divsion War
For a more comprehensive explanation of the Division war, refer to its own page. The Blumen part in the war is described here. After the Chicken farm debacle and several other international relation blunders, the Blumens found themselves pinched between Glorans who hated them and were much more publicly supported and the Kessels who had become increasingly suspicious of them and were seemingly friendly with the Glorans. Simultaneously, Blumen leadership was self-absorbed and paranoid. Zelf, the head financier and Prince decided to disregard the newly formed Sargeroth Guard's acquisition of neutral zone between Sargeroth and Kessel land, and built a fortress directly on the border. He believed it would demoralize the ragtag city guard, forcing them to see House Blumen as the true military of the City. It badly backfired.

The Brick Seige
Kessel began massing troops on the border in preparation of a possible Blumen attack. forseeing the inevitable, Mynyp Blumen prepared a preemptive strike at the border to show Blumen military power, hoping a demonstration may avoid full-out war. A cannon barrage, the first of its kind, was initiated on the walls of Kessel. The Kessels responded with a massive ground attack on the fortress with a contingent of Sargeroth guard hoping to claim the fortress for themselves. Meanwhile, the Glorans attacked the Blumen complex, killing many of the royal family. The seige of the fort lasted a few days with relatively low casualties. On the 4th day of seige, at dawn, A contingent of Kessel and Sargerithian soldiers stormed the main door. The Blumens were able to hold them out until the afternoon when the Glorans finally made their appearance.

With all of the Blumen's attention focused the gate, a Gloran party snuck up on the south east corner and blew a hole into the fort. In the confusion, Mynyp Blumen was fatally shot by an arrow while trying to hold the tower. Being effectively surrounded, the Blumens had no chance of escape. The only two survivors, the only to surrender were immediately hanged from the brick tower. Now began the final stage of the war, named "The Purge".

The Purge
In the Chaos following the fall of their only stronghold within the city, Blumens across the city took up arms in an attempt to escape the city alive. The Glorans riled up all those who had disdained the oppressive aristocracy. The battle enveloped the entire city for 2 days, during which the Blumens slaughterd over 200 innocent civilians, including women and children. The remaining men who could swing a sword held their ground to allow cover for their own retreating civilian population. It took 2 days to clear out the last remnant hiding in the shadows, knowing they had been left behind. Anyone found and believed to be in any way connected to the Blumens, they were unceremoniously killed on sight. However, a population of just under 500 people escaped into the western desert.

The Inception of Nadir's Peak
After the Division war, the Blumen family retreated to a small community in the western desert. They assumed control of the small number living there in peace. However, it was not a hostile take over. Upon their arrival, the Village was in dire conditions with a declining population. The Blumen's stepped in, Keen on increasing their numbers. For the people of the Village, the Asmraldi, the appearance of the Blumens was a life-saving event. It secured their lineages from extinction which inspired the villagers to guard their new Lords with their lives. The Culture of the Asmraldi people was diffused into Blumen traditions quickly and within a generation, over half of all Blumens were related somehow to Asmraldi people. During this beginning period of exile, the Blumens had little contact with Sargeroth, Isolating themselves as much as possible.

Bromithiade Blumen was crowned King of Nadir's Peak in E2 631.4.17. With a new King and recuperated numbers, House Blumen worked to increase its presence in the Desert. Another nearby desert village pledged fealty to the Blumen Crown and Bromithiade began making regular trips to Sedonia. Some Sargerithian businesses even started to make transactions again with the humiliated family for their imports of glass and clay pottery. In the following decades of Bromithiade's reign, Nadir's Peak would slowly gain a positive reputation; a Task Bromithiade himself took as a personal challenge to the Blumen name.

3rd Era Resurgence
As conflict loomed after Brother Zwickle's death, Khal Menion formed un unlikely alliance with the Blumens and the Order of the Floating God. Bromithiade Blumen, the King of Nadir's Peak and Patriarch of House Bumen was eager to strike at a chance to return to Sargeroth. The Blumen Guardsmen quickly armed themselves and prepared for the inevitable first clash.

As stated on its page, the Conflict began first with the Gloran annexation of the Light District. During which Khal Menion was murdered. As per the agreement between Menion, Bromithiade, and the Floating church, Pontifex Clovis would become next Lord of Affairs. Clovis wasted little time in rounding up the Blumen Soldiers, led by Kursk Blumen, the Crown-Prince, for an attack on the Barbarians in the Norhwest (Evervale).

Assault of the Barbarian Village
The Blumen forces led by Kursk and Clovis approached on horseback from the West. Although Jorhan's wood slowed their progress for about a day, By mid morning on the second day, Blumen forces rushed into the village. With many of the warriors supporting their Gloran benefactors in the Light District, the Village was left vulnerable. The Blumens were very successful in the endeavor to destroy the village but were forced back by Kessel Soldiers who, noticing the Blumens' approach, were able to mount a defense from the Ridge to the south of the village, including the Barbarian's Stronghold. The attacking forces fell back towards Jorhan's wood after 9 hours of bloody fighting, leaving dozens of villagers dying in the streets.

Western fort construction
As relations continued into decline, Clovis worked with the Blumens to plan how they might get their soldiers back into the city. The first objective was to create a small fort right outside the city's western gate. The Blumen soldiers were quick to construct a small square fort fit for around 50 soldiers. At this time, things almost turned to all-out war as the Kessels began building upon the neutral zone ridge, which just so happened to stare directly into the face of the Blumen fort far below the cliffs.

The Battle of the Winds
For 6 days, the Blumen forces were assaulted by the Kessels above them. Special shot charges were created to maximize how much distance they could travel before exploding. And so explosives fell from the cliffs and arrows, hundreds of them, were shot continuously for hours on end in response. Their effectiveness was dubious at best, eventually causing the Blumens to rethink tactics. However, the fort was only the first objective. Below ground, the soldiers were digging a tunnel which led into the city.

Working alternating shifts of battle and digging, the Blumens were able to carve out a small hovel underneath the Sargeroth library which rests along the western wall and the mountain itself. In a final attack, a ground forces of Kessels sieged the fort. A massive bombardment began as a battering ram pounded against the gate. The Blumens slipped one by one into the tunnel, hiding the dwindling number of soldiers for as long as possible. Eventually, the wall was breached and the soldiers, Kursk Blumen included, fled into the tunnel, detonating it behind them to cover their retreat.

The Funeral of Khal Menion
The Blumens were able to hide their presence entirely within the walls of their hideout. Buried beneath the rock of Cliffiside, they were resupplied for weeks by Clovis. The Brother Zwickel memorial supermarket in low Sargeroth was controlled by Clovis, and thus he created a hidden tunnel through which supplies could be sent to the Blumens. If it were not for Clovis's resupply, the Blumens would have withered away.

However, Clovis was then kidnapped during the military turncoat crisis. A Sargeroth captain conspired with the Kessels to get Clovis out of the city where he would be vulnerable. The captain then turned Clovis over to Lucious Kessel himself. Further information on this situation can be found on Clovis's page but he soon was allowed by Lucious to return to Sargeroth (under Kessel Guard) in order to attend the funeral of Khal Menion.

Kursk, not wanting to waste any chance of rescuing Clovis, waited with his men in secret until the precession entered the tomb. They then moved into position and Kursk moved into the tomb to cause a distraction. He got the crowd's attention while the other soldiers took positions with bow and arrow. A grand fight broke out, Kessels and Blumens slaughtering each other while Clovis was pulled to safety. Out of the 18 Blumen soldiers still alive for this fight, only 6 survived including Kursk. However, they had to flee to avoid the full reprisal of the Sargeroth guard and Kessel house soldiers.

Reinstatement into Sargeroth
With Clovis rescued, he was immediately taken to the council chambers to be officially instated as Lord of Affairs. Clovis then sent a decree that the Blumens had been absolved of past crimes and would be welcomed back into the city. The Sargeroth guard, wishing for anyone but the Kessels, fell into line behind the new Lord of Affairs. The mantel of Pontifex was thus thrown off as Clovis took on the full responsibility of Lord of Affairs.

The Blumens quickly made a number of deals with Sargerithian businesses as well as the government to ensure that ties were reestablished within the city. Within a year, the Blumen Private Army was created, led by Kursk in order to quickly grow the ranks of their own House.