Central Upsilon

Perhaps we should invite Upsilon's Governer... What's the most recent Bleed?

— King Lucius

A Wyntran state, Central Upsilon is one of the most polarically viewed sectors in the entire country. (Wyntran Capital)'s opinions shift on the area, despite its close vicinity and title of prestige. And, while to residents it might slip by their thoughts, perhaps there is more to this rationale than meets the eye.

Bleeding

Every place in all of Valoren Bleeds - the planet is built of Blood. But in Central Upsilon it Bleeds differently. Rather than healthy red rivulets that can only be seen through careful extraction, it will sometimes taint a pale shade of blue; a shade that one might describe as beautiful and another sickly. And like everything, even the blood that makes up the body of a human, the color is not the only thing astray.

This strangely-pigmented blood results in a strange array of outcomes - a coin flip, if you will. Sometimes, it leaves the humans of Upsilon under a spell of vitality; fertility is higher, jobs are done better, illness is rarer. But other times, there is less luck.

We're the perfect citizens, sometimes. I don't know what comes over us, but there's some instinct in me thst comes alive.

— Unnamed Center Upsilon Resident

An Illness

There is another kind of spell that sweeps through Center Upsilon after one of their Bleeds. This one, however, has a less positive outcome - more of a curse itself, it could be aptly described as a plague. For that is what is is, in its purest form. The residents of the area become short of breath, at first. They begin to face an unusual prevalence of headaches in a short period of time. Sudden muscle aches leave them bound to their beds for days at a time, unable to rise without an unbearable pain.

"Sella..." I croak, my voice hoarse and scratchy, the rest of me just as much. But my eyes widen, fear enveloping them. "Sella?"
But I cannot deny what is in front of me. My sister's skin has taken on a blue - the blue of those who will die in just an instant. "Don't..."
But her eyes are already glazed over, never to blink again.

Those who are to die turn as blue as the Blood, right before their ultimate perishing - mere minutes, for some. Days for others. But the cruelest thing is that the rest survive. The rest go on to live their lives, just as they had before. They mourn those who perished from the invisible fingers of the disease that suffocated until the end, but then they move on.

Afterwards

Immediately following a 'plague', there is a procedure for every resident. A prodedure that the royals assure is only for their health and well being - one that is said to be painless. Those who have experienced it themselves testify neither way, because they have no memory of it. It is lost in their minds.

Testing

The process itself is one of elimination - those who had been affected are removed from those who did not. Each category spiderwebs out into more; there are infinite reasons and infinite solutions to the irregular Bleeds.

Amnesia

During the procedure, the residents are heavily drugged the entire time. Their nerves are deadened, their heartbeat slowed, their minds stagnant. Some perish from the stress - but the survivors are told that they died of the plague.

Further Experimentation

The government of Wyntra is not one to let an anomaly slide away without a second thought. Blood samples are taken, impermeated. Reproduced. And most importantly, they are tested - suspicions are born easily, and one such suspicion consists of an imprintment on the residents of the area. These such speculations, while unproven, are under heavy testing and will likely continue until they are proven (not so much disproven).

Industry

While once a state known for its material goods (now rare in Wyntra), after the discovery of the Bleeds, the defining characteristic of Center Upsilon's industry has been fairly disintegrated. At this point in time, it is often regarded as nothing but 'generic'. In every way but the fact that they are averse to the production of edible goods... For reasons disclosed to the public eye.

A Quieter Method

There are, of course, the times that there is no plague, no illness following an unusual Bleed. In this case, the higher Wyntran order takes an even more discreet manner. There is a staged plague. A plague that officials act as 'stopping before it starts', collecting the residents for testing even before the typical signs begin to present themselves. In truth, it is an elaborately crafted excuse to experiemnt - once again.

For The Sakes of the People

While the royalty is not known for their compassion, in this situation, the heavy testing and experimentation performed following one of these Bleeds is truly for the good of Wyntra - most of the times. But not all of Wyntra is encompassed into this demographic; other (less well-regarded) regions like Edge City Theta have less savory plans in store for them.

I wouldn't call it forcible labor. A more apt term would be 'physical encouragement'.

— Blakely Skovan, Wyntran Noble

There is intent to use the strange Bleeds to incite the residents of high-consequence areas. The positive Bleed effects for higher production rates, and the plagues are ideals that present a fear factor. The stick behind a donkey, ruling with terror.

Close Vicinity

The Wyntran capital city, with its such short separation from Upsilon, has varying opinions on this situation. Many nobles consider it to be a blessing - the perfect solution, as testing and transportation ease. However, a large population believes it to be a threat; a risk far to dangerous to be exercised on the precious nobles themselves.