[hider=The Bloodied.]
[color=ed1c24][b]The bloodied.[/b][/color]
The bloodied have varied flags, most consisting of actual red painted minotaur skulls, or when actual banners are made they show a stylized red pair of minotaur horns. Depicting the horns of their leader drenched in blood.
Background is usually colourless or black.


[hider=Info on the former empire of Zul.]
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/334012627149914117/353973084505636864/unknown.png
[color=ed1c24]NATIONAL INFORMATION: The former empire of Zul.[/color]
[color=ed1c24]-Population:[/color] 2.5 million roughly. But it could be up to 5 million.
[color=ed1c24]-Faction:[/color] Red gods / Unaffiliated.
[color=ed1c24]-Capitol:[/color] Zul'Goroth / Westhaven. The city is trying to change it's name. The city is also the only real strongpoint within the former empire of Zul and was its capitol.
[color=ed1c24]-Government Type:[/color] Varied. Mostly tribal chiefs and small warlords. Some cities have lords or councils. Zul'Goroth is led by the council of 3 with the headmaster above them.
[color=ed1c24]-Government Description:[/color] Varied. The empire has fallen apart after the death of Zul, Zul'Goroth has tried to keep order in the land but have failed without the army of the Bloodied. Thus, their newly instated army has tried to fill the gap.

[color=ed1c24]-Head of State:[/color] Technically the headmaster of Westhaven. Narug Talb. An elven man who worked for Zul. However the former empire of Zul currently has no one master.
[color=ed1c24]-Currency:[/color] The empire of Zul had a monetary system based on stamped tin plates roughly the length of a human palm and a third as tall. Not very thick, they work as coins up to bills of sale for whole estates depending on the value printed on them.
The center of wealth, personally ruled by Zul, was a way for him to control the wealth of his empire and reward service. Or more like force people into service.
Since only by working for him could one get wealth in the empire.

[color=ed1c24]-Language(s):[/color] Taurish, Amerine and a mix of other languages. Most people living close to the old borders of the empire know the languages of their neighbours.

[color=ed1c24]History of the empire of Zul.[/color] The empire of Zul was forged out with the hand of Zul the blood lord, whom descended upon the north and personally carved his will into the land.
He slew and enslaved to create an army, with that army he took over the land of Zul. That army was to be known as the bloodied, named after their maniacal lord.

Zul enforced his power from the city of Shorehold, which Zul renamed Zul'Goroth to better suit his seat of power.
There he enforced the laws of how to acquire wealth, which meant only people he saw fit would have wealth. Since he decided at a whim what would have worth. Effectively choosing who would be rich, those who were chosen were also not surprisingly those that were loyal to Zul, or in the very least helpful.

The reign of the blood lord lasted a century, after which the Bloodied staged a violent revolt and their leader, Kraam superseded Zul. Having lost its divine dictator, the empire crumbled.
[/hider]


[hider=Some specific bloodied history.]
The bloodied began their existence roughly 250 years ago as an elite bodyguard to Zul and a group of personal hitmen for Zul. At this time he fancied races more similar to himself. Elves and men were common. Not a beast to be seen.
The bloodied were used in the political takeover of then Shorehold. Now Zul'Goroth or Westhaven. 

As time passed, the tendrils of influence from the turquoise lord of schemes became more prominent. The usual army eventually couldn't keep up with the dangers of monstrous beasts.
The Bloodied were tried, and were very successful.
After that the Bloodied were made bigger and bigger. Eventually lost their primary status as bodyguards and became the personal army of Zul.

At roughly the 70th year of existence, the first bloodied minotaur was made.
At around the 120 year mark of the existence of the Bloodied reached a point where minotaurs were more common than elves and humans combined.
At roughly 150 they were mostly minotaurs. Being vastly stronger and more worthwile to spend the theurgia on in Zul's mind.

At the 150 year mark a massive tower appeared in the horizon. Zul took advantage of this event to spread his power. He claims he did it. To put fear into the hearts of his subjects.
Many in the empire decided to worship Zul after that. Adding to the might of Zul and helping to forge the empire to what it was before the fall.

During this time, the bloodied have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. Perhaps millions. There have been hundreds of thousands of bloodied during the years. Since their short life spans made it a high rotation rate.
They have helped enforce the rule of the blood lord. Millions have feared his name. Many more however have feared the bloodied since they are the most common manifestation of the blood lord so to speak.
[/hider]



[color=ed1c24]NATIONAL INFORMATION: The Bloodied.[/color]
[color=ed1c24]-Population:[/color] 312.000 roughly.
[color=ed1c24]-Faction:[/color] Red gods / Unaffiliated.
[color=ed1c24]-Capitol:[/color] None
[color=ed1c24]-Government Type: [/color] Meritocratic dictatorship
[color=ed1c24]-Government Description:[/color] The bloodied are led by Kraam "God-eater" "Foe-hammer".
Government being a generous statement for the Bloodied seeing they are a roving warband of elite soldiers. Leadership is granted by Kraam who decides who are worthy to lead based on ferocity and cunning.
Currently there are roughly a dozen chiefs in charge of contingents of the army. Under the chiefs are bosses who lead hundreds of soldiers each. Each chief commands several bosses.

[color=ed1c24]-Head of State:[/color] Kraam God-eater.
[color=ed1c24]-Currency:[/color] Whatever they can get hold of. Internally food and weapons are used for bartering. Externally looted gold and other riches are used for bartering.

[color=ed1c24]-Language(s):[/color] The Bloodied speak Taurish. A brutish and grunting language. However all of the members can at least decently shout commands and demands in Amerine albeit with an amount of grammatical errors which would have many Justinians claim heresy just from how they butcher their language.

[color=ed1c24]History of the Bloodied.[/color]
The vaunted reign of Zul The blood lord lasted a century, the red god had managed to forge powerful weapons and armour infused with blood magic to enhance its potency and durability in and out of combat. His massive army of minotaur and satyx slaves cursed with strength and ferocity, the elite given armour of steel and magic alloy and with weapons of similar nature.

The Bloodied he had named them, baptized in constant battle and conflict. Forced to enslave their own kind to fill out their ranks, then cursed by their red god to become violent potent warriors, at the cost of almost half of their life-spans.
Zul the blood lord was a red god of great vanity and greed, unpopular among other red gods in the region because of his many raids and wars against his neighbours.
He used the bloodied to forcibly gather blood sacrifices to empower himself and his magic. He elected shamans who would ensure his armies were given the magical potency they needed, in the form of battlefield magic and empowering wargear. With his army he forged himself an empire. True, nothing as impressive as Yuwan or Justinians, not even as impressive as many other red gods. But it was a reign of war and bloodshed.

He himself was once a human, or what looked like a human at least. Clad in once white robes, forever stained with blood. He bore massive gauntlets which helped him cast his magic. He had long blonde hair and would be considered handsome by some.
His warchief, his right hand and leader of the Bloodied. Kraam Foe-hammer was a large minotaur who had sworn himself to Zul when he was younger. In exchange he was severely cursed, to be the most powerful of his soldiers, the mightiest commander. But would live only a third of his life.

After several massive mass slaughters and forced sacrifice of large portions of his troops, Kraam however got tired of the rule of his master.
He spoke with the shamans to get rid of him.
It was a cunning plan, it took several years to fulfill. Only the vanity of Zul and luck made sure the plan was not prematurely exposed.
Luck being the emerging of the Triskellion artifact.
The shamans gathered Theurgia in secret, stored in vessels. Some vessels were urns, others were people, some were armour and weapons.

After the massive battle of Triskellion, the plan was set to motion.
The shamans prepared the sacrifice, it was to look like a regular sacrifice for Zul, to empower his armies and rule Materia.
But it was here where the trap was sprung, where Zul's avatar went to the sacrifice, the shamans were ready together with thousands of new slaves to fuel Zul's armies.
The ritual had begun, all the prisoners began to shrivel and die to fuel the ritual, Zul had even helped until he realized something was wrong. He stopped helping, began to withdraw his gift from the shamans who died in dried husks one by one as Zul denied them.
But the rite was in motion, as Kraam entered the ritual circle and stabbed the butt of his axe into the back of the head of Zul when he wasn't looking.

Above Kraam the Triskellion floated, being what seemed like a triangular pyramid made from an infinite amount of triangular pyramids within the last pyramid which shone with a blue light within. Rotating slightly with some unseen force.

Kraam had also brought the skull of a fallen celestial servant from a battle with Zul, it was used to fuel the ritual further as he tossed it to the floor as Zul turned around.
Now the ritual began proper, as the energies of Zul was being forced to succumb to Kraam, he figuratively and literally began to eat Zul alive. For a simple battleaxe to the head would not kill a red god.
But the ritual, figurative and literal eating of one would, and Zul screams ended as Kraam's rooar began, blood dripping from his mouth as red energies blasted out from his eyes. So much power, it could not be contained.
The triskellion happily sucked in all the energies with its raging appetite. Before it was satiated.

With a blast, Kraam detonated and turned into a swirling bonfire which began to rise, the entire hill was set alight with a swirling vortex of fire and blood. The shamans were burned alive and Kraam being in the centre of the pillar did not stand a chance.
It reached several kilometers into the heaven, an event which surely would draw the eyes of many.
The screams of Zul could be heard in both the celestial sphere and Materia for several minutes, for thousands of kilometers.

After a couple of seconds which felt like hours, the pillar got thinner and thinner until it with a final swirl disappeared. A lightning bolt struck from the heaven into the center of the ritual circle.
And there stood Kraam, reborn.
Now a manifest red god.

This happened about 5 years ago.
The triskellion has not been seen since the event.

[color=ed1c24]UNIQUE ATTRIBUTE INFORMATION:[/color]
[i]Of magic born[/i] The bloodied have a lot of magically empowered wargear. Swords, axes, polearms, armour, shields.
Usually enhanced with unnatural sharpness and/or durability, some have more obvious effects like flame.
They also have a tradition of empowering themselves with curses.
This makes their already strong warriors even more potent.

[i]Of magic unborn[/i] The cost however is their short lifespans. Few having a maximum age over 30. The longest living bloodied was reportedly 47. When usual minotaurs have a slightly longer lifespan than humans, Bloodied have about half that.

[i]Lost and alone[/i] The Bloodied roam the world. Who knows how long they will actually last. They are powerful warriors. But lack land.

[color=ed1c24]GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:[/color]
Top right, in the former empire of Zul. The Bloodied roam the lands they once forged. An empire falling apart without the ruling hand of Zul.
On the western shore of the former empire of Zul lies Zul'Goroth, the former capitol of the empire of Zul.
This massive fortress city has proclaimed independence. And is not under the influence of the bloodied.
They are in the process of renaming it Westhaven, however the long dread reign of Zul makes the name-change a slow process.

[color=ed1c24]RACIAL(species) INFORMATION:[/color]
[color=ed1c24]-Majority race:[/color] Minotaurs. Roughly 75%.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d2/67/11/d267113510bdd55b3773a81fd86484e6.jpg
[color=ed1c24]-Minority race(s):[/color] Satyx. Roughly 23%. 
http://orig09.deviantart.net/fa32/f/2010/192/e/d/god_of_war_iii__satyr_by_andyparkart.jpg
Others. 2%.
The Bloodied have a few odd ones out. Humans, elves, gnoll. They are very few, but alas they exist.

[color=ed1c24]RELIGIOUS INFORMATION:[/color]
[color=ed1c24]-State Religion:[/color] Follows the orders of Kraam God-eater. Whom also act as their deity.
[color=ed1c24]-Patron Deity:[/color] Kraam God-eater, foe-hammer.

[color=ed1c24]-Religion Demographics:[/color] Basically everyone is devoted to Kraam.
[color=ed1c24]-Major Holy Relics/Artefacts in Possession: [/color]Red fists of Zul.
These gauntlets are the only physical remains of Zul, taken by Kraam and worn with pride. They are said to make ritual spell-casting easier. If this is true is not known.
They can however drain the body and soul of someone it touches should the wearer want it. The victim is left a dried blackened husk with its soul becoming a sacrifice which the wearer can use.

[color=ed1c24]-Holy Sites under Control:[/color] They held a site believed to be of great power. However they blew it up.
[color=ed1c24]-Notable Magical Institutions:[/color] The Bloodied shamans.
[color=ed1c24]-Religious Interpretations/Culture:[/color] None known.

[color=ed1c24]MILITARY INFORMATION:[/color]
[color=ed1c24]Total Military Size:[/color] Around 190'000 soldiers. With 30'000 super heavy elite infantries. The rest of the entire population is in the baggage train.
[color=ed1c24]Listed Heroes:[/color] None yet.
[color=ed1c24]Military Doctrine:[/color] Usually charge, pillage and burn. The tactics of the bloodied never was overly complex.
[color=ed1c24]Military Units:[/color]
Regular soldiers.
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/godofwar/images/c/c0/Minotaure_GOW_III.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101211135057
The regular soldiers are not very regular at all. As in it is a complete ragtag bunch of cursed warriors armed with whatever weapons they could get their hands on.
A whole lot of them has had their arms enchanted, but very few have armour of any notable quality.

Dread warriors.
http://img04.deviantart.net/683b/i/2014/002/6/8/undead_minotaur_advance_by_ubermonster-d70jtur.jpg
The curse of the dread warriors is even more dire of the regular soldiers. Their skin not wanting to stay on, parts of their muscle falling off and their eyes turning to an inferno.
Often decked out in more gear, focusing on dangerous weapons. Few armed forces in Materia are as as dangerous as the dread warriors as the magical energies take over where their own flesh and bones fail. Enhancing their strength and resilience to supernatural levels.
The dread warriors are rather uncommon, but small groups of them are often brought together to completely annihilate smaller formations or parts of larger ones.

Elite guards.
http://pre10.deviantart.net/66f1/th/pre/f/2011/064/d/0/minotaur_by_brianvadell-d3ayjy3.jpg
Clad in blackened plate armour, often carrying massive metal shields and wielding axes and spears. They have first priority for magically enchanted wargear and each one of them has magically enhanced wargear.
Forming roughly 30'000 strong, this elite vanguard is led by Kraam himself. Forming a battering ram which annihilated enemies in field battles. Some soldiers have even been seen to be hit by artillery fire and return to the line after a short stagger.
These warriors are the most disciplined and ferocious of the minotaurs, satyx and others are considered to weak to even consider a position of elite guard.

Javelineers.
https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/godofwar/images/7/75/Satyre_GOW_III.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101212120254
The ranged contingents of the army. Almost no minotaurs fight like this within the bloodied. And if they do it's with large throwing axes.
Javelineers refer to the most common ranged weapon within the groupings, but all sorts of ranged weapons are used. With the exception of blackpowder arms.
The overwhelming majority of Satyx are javelineers. Their speed and nimble frames and massive jumping capacity makes them suitable for the position.

[color=ed1c24]DRAMATIS PERSONAE:[/color]
Kraam God-eater, foe-hammer.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/48/f3/ea/48f3ea6599af8f020f2d704b4d2d25bb.jpg
Kraam's form can be hard to focus on, he appears to be constantly furious. But in truth is not. He is a massive beast, 4 metres tall, standing a full metre over normal minotaurs.
A fully manifest red god, his form however is not proper, and thus his manifestation is flawed. Hence why his form is hard to focus on, and other oddities occur around him.
He wears the red fists of Zul, made of blackened steel with a glint of red which seems to bleed dark tar-like red blood. Along with blackened steel full blood steel armour. Enhanced with lightness and strength.
Kraam is the lord of the Bloodied, no more will someone use them without reason, no more will they be sacrificed at a whim, no more shall their kin be enslaved against their will.
The bloodied will now fight to end this madness. True, the only way might be similar to the way their old wretched master Zul envisioned it. But this time they have a leader who cares about them.
Materia belongs to mortals. All gods except Kraam will be cast out!

Krûl dread master, blood spiller, skull-crusher.
The former master of the Bloodied. Performed Zul's orders without hesitation. Most of the worst vile atrocities the last 50 years performed by the Bloodied were under his supervision.
He died as the curse finally claimed his bones and soul, he was 47.

[color=ed1c24]EXTRA INFORMATION:[/color] 
Full History:
[color=ed1c24]Relations:[/color] 
[color=00a99d]The principality of Evernyx.[/color] The Bloodied have been a thorn in the principalities side for decades. Pillaging their lands and taking their people. The Bloodied and the principality is therefore not on the best footing starting out.

[color=6ecff6]The Concilio union.[/color] The union has suffered against the bloodied. Only their artillery has been enough to halt the Bloodied. That and their numbers.
However, the union has also been subjected to raids and unsavory acts by the bloodied for decades. The union and the Bloodied are therefore not on the best footing either to start out.

Friendly with Justinian, it really likes Kraam and they both drink beer every weekend.
Cultural Notes: (Anything cultural of note or unique about the nation that isn’t mentioned under religious interpretations/culture)

[hider=Rules of sacrifice.]
The commandments of the blood lord.
"I am the undisputed lord of all. My word is law. None can surpass me in excellence. If you drink the blood of the weak you might get my blessing, since you rid the world of those unfit for me to rule over."

Sacrifice practise.
To drink the blood of the slain as they are dying. Dedicating it to the lord of the north.

The commandments of god-eater.
"I am the lord of the bloodied, i will be the lord of the realm. All gods will perish, materia will belong to the mortals. Obey my commands!"

Sacrifice practise.
To feast upon the slain, dedicating it to the lord of the north. To drink their blood, eat their flesh and feast upon their hearts are the order of magnitude. Eating the hearts of their foes being the most potent.
[/hider]

[/hider]