Premise
The year is 3614 and the world is ruled by diplomats. Whenever a dispute occurs, each side is called upon to recite their best poem and the victory goes to the one with the silver tongue. Those who lose the dispute must pay a blood tax and all parties will receive a long cut across their right arm. Citizens are warned not to trade with anyone who has paid the blood tax more than three times and those who reach their tenth blood tax are automatically thrown in jail.
Mostly this is a peaceful practice, but when a war breaks out between two nations, it is the duty of the blood poets to summarise their people's plight in words. Only those who have never had to pay the blood tax may claim the title of blood poet and often they enter training from a young age and face off against one another within their academy, which will produce only three or four blood poets from every two hundred students. Many others will leave after paying the blood tax.
To ensure that wars are only fought over matters of great importance, all those on the losing side will forfeit their lives and will be put to death swiftly but humanely. All except for the blood poet who will be granted their life but stripped of all titles and cut one time across their left arm. This is the mark of a defeated blood poet.
All poetry battles are conducted in a special Haiku robe which leaves both of their arms bare.
The Present
The two nations Penine and Marla are at war. As the battle approaches, both sides hold tournaments to elect a blood poet to fight for their side. Our characters are these blood poets, hoping to prove themselves against the other blood poets of their nations so that they might fight for their people.
Other
The people of the Penine nation hail from near the mountains but a harsh winter has meant that food is scarce and they have had no choice but to journey further South. They came upon the river Marla and made camp at her banks when they found the waters were plentiful with fish.
The people of Marla are also known as the river people and they live on an island of rafts which span the widest part of river Marla. They journey up and down the river every day and trade with those towns which are nearest to her banks. However, all of the river and anything in it belongs to them so naturally they were angered to find the Penine nation had invaded their land.
Please be aware that this storybook will involve writing poetry! However, if you would like to take part but are not a poet, then you may have your character be a fraud. They can use the poetry of the old masters (eg. Shakespeare) and try to pass it off as their own. However, the other blood poets may catch you out (they will) so you should be prepared for your character to be put to death before the end of the storybook.
Characters
Please create a blood poet of either the Penine or Marla nation! Feel free to use this template as a guide:
Spoiler! :
Marla
1. Rava Raincrest
2. Mika Willowake
3. Ara Graceling
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Penine
1. Dirk Sandstone
2. Raxton Poltrock
3. Jade Rookra
4. Evangeline Dilandau
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Gender:
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