Locations/ThePlutocracyOfBrume
Brume
The Plutocracy of Brume is composed of seven, formerly eight, floating islands ranging in size from the massive Abundance, about 1/6th the size of the Blessed Isle itself, to the tiny Opulence Isle, with only four square miles of land. The other isles, Luxury, Cornucopia, Lucre, Pelf, and Bounty, range in size from about half as large as Abundance to four times the size of Opulence. There was an eighth island of Brume, Affluence, but recent events lead to the destruction of Affluence.
The islands of Brume orbit around the Blessed Isle, making a circuit around the Inner Sea and swinging out close to Coral. It takes exactly two years for Brume to complete an orbit around the Isle. Because of Brume’s mobility and the regularity of its travels it became a vital economic center for all Creation. Everything can be found in Brume and everything in Brume is for sale.
Because of its location, floating serenely two thousand feet in the air, Brume has never been invaded and fears no nation seriously. Its rulers, the Plutarchs, are aware the Realm’s Defenses could devastate their islands but because if Brume’s economic clout and their policy of friendly appeasement to all major nations, the Empress never threatened to turn the Defenses against Brume.
The rulers of Brume are not necessarily hereditary, but for the most part the Plutarchs are chosen from the same families. Wealth, being the driving force behind Brumian ideology, is the best factor for deciding who leads. Any single adult who’s personal wealth comprises a double-digit fraction of the total wealth of their home island is a Plutarch. Each island has a Plutocracy, the wealthiest member of which is the Grand Plutarch of that isle. All the Grand Plutarchs meet twice a year on Abundance to debate matters of policy. Every five meetings (or ten years) a new Supreme Plutarch, the wealthiest adult in all Brume, is selected. There is no term limit. The current Supreme Plutarch, a thrice-great grandmother named Lydia, has ruled for 50 years.
Because of geographic considerations, Brume’s criminal policy is fairly lax. Anyone found guilty of a crime, of which theft is one of the worst, is simply exiled from Brume and never allowed to return.
Despite the presence of Terrestrial bloodlines amongst some of the Wealthy Houses of Brume the general policy of the island-nation towards Exalted of other persuasions is happy tolerance and wary vigilance. Such Exalted are watched closely but treated as possible resources by the wealthy merchants. At least two of the Plutarchs of Brume are Exalted and another is suspected of using Charms to conceal his nature.
Recently the island of Affluence was torn from its long-appointed path through the sky and sent crashing into the Inner Sea. All inhabitants of Affluence and hundreds of coastal dwellers on both the Isle and in the Scavenger Lands were killed by the impact and the resulting tidal waves. A formerly unknown group known as the Black Viper Cult has claimed responsibility and send messages to the Plutarchs of Brume as well as all other major rulers in Creation. If the Black Viper Cult is not granted free access into the Imperial Manse and their candidate for the Throne of the Empress accepted, they will continue their rituals and bring down the other seven isles of Brume upon those who defy their will. This is the storyline of Telgar's High Pulp Exalted game.
Native Brumians are often examples of both the pros and cons of racial mixing. Some Brumians have the best features of the myriad of peoples who come to the flying islands to trade, others have the worst of all worlds. The aboriginal Brumians, an amazingly tiny minority amonst the multi-ethnic folk that make up most of the population, are tall and slender with red or blonde hair and dark eyes. The middle and upper classes of Brume tend towards heavy builds as they age though the fashionableness of a fit body keeps many from sliding into morbid obesity.
