The results were disastrous. Vesperian had left behind a great deal of material, but as prices plummeted there was no way it could be sold to recoup more than a fraction of the debts he owed. The notes investors had collected so carefully, blood-bound or not, were suddenly worthless. Thousands of people who had planned their financial affairs on the assumption they would be repaid discovered that they wouldn’t be. Even people who hadn’t invested in the railway were affected; shopkeepers, for example, discovered that their debtors couldn’t repay them (because their money had vanished) while their creditors were hungry for cash and willing to use whatever force was necessary to extract it. Vesperian’s Track was merely the first business to collapse into rubble, countless thousands of workers suddenly finding themselves unemployed. As more businesses followed it, the city’s poor relief found itself utterly overwhelmed.
The Guildmasters were utterly overwhelmed, unable to come to grips with each wave of disaster before the next one hit. There was no way to repay the investors, let alone allow them to repay their own creditors. This led to outbreaks of rioting as investors and creditors alike realized that there was a real risk of starving in the streets or simply being enslaved for non-payment of debts. (Perversely, some debtors calculated that slavery was a better option than remaining free and hungry.) The City Guard simply wasn’t strong enough to control the rioters (and a number of the guardsmen owned notes themselves.) Even as the Guildmasters tried to parse out just how much money Vesperian owed his creditors, events had already slipped beyond their control.
It shouldn’t have surprised anyone, really, that economic collapse was followed by a political shockwave that nearly tore the city apart.
Appendix: Religion in the Nameless World
The Nameless World is quite definitely pagan in how it approaches religion. Instead of a monotheistic religion, it is generally believed that there are entire multitudes of gods and godly families. Indeed, it is agreed that certain gods are actually the same god, but called by different names. (Like Mars and Aries, both Gods of War.) Therefore, despite the vast number of religions and sects, there is surprisingly little religious conflict.
Gods are generally divided into three categories. The Great Gods represent aspects of the physical and spiritual worlds, such as health, war and farming. The Loci Gods represent particular locations and are rarely worshipped outside it. The Household Gods represent a specific household. It is generally considered polite, when entering a city or a home, to visit the temple and pay your respects to the city’s god, even if you are not staying.
(There is some debate over the exact nature of the Household Gods. Some people believe they’re the souls of the family’s ancestors, while others believe they’re actually newborn gods.)
It is important to realize that the vast majority of worshippers believe in the gods, even if they don’t worship them. One is not expected to worship any god – or worship at all, if one chooses – but it is generally considered unwise to deliberately insult a god. Another person’s rites or rituals may seem odd, yet that doesn’t make them invalid. Tolerating other rites is considered good manners.
The vast majority of people will pay their respects to a multitude of gods throughout their lives. However, a number choose to dedicate themselves to one particular god – almost always one of the Great Gods – and never worship any other. These people are devotees (dedicated followers), initiates (junior cultists) and priests (senior cultists).
Unsurprisingly, the majority of religions are effectively cults and operate accordingly. Most of them try to find something unique, something exclusive – and often secret – to draw in new and significant worshippers. A small cult may be quite sincere; a larger cult, which may draw in thousands of worshippers, may be run more as a racket than anything else. Devotees are expected to make contributions, for example; initiates often turn over their possessions to the cult. (A number of cults are astonishingly rich.) Cults also find ways to fleece outsiders – a number of cults operate a sacred prostitution service disguised as a fertility rite, for example; others sell prayers and blessings to those who are prepared to pay.
The general attitudes of outsiders towards specific cults can vary widely. Some cults – the Harvest Goddess followers – are regarded as largely harmless. Others, including the Blood Worshippers or the Crone’s followers, are regarded with considerable suspicion. There are no shortage of rumors surrounding their innermost mysteries and rituals, most of which are exaggerated. Parents tend to get annoyed when their adolescent children rebel by joining some of the more harmful cults. They feel that the rites and rituals serve as an excuse to engage in forbidden practices. They are not wrong.
It is unusual for a government to interfere in religious matters, provided that religious teachings do not threaten public order. Most religious cults don’t attempt to encourage their worshippers to question authority, let alone stand up to their rulers. Those that do are targeted for extermination. Rumors of their presence can unleash a – sometimes literal – witch-hunt.
About the author
Christopher G. Nuttall was born in Edinburgh, studied in Manchester, married in Malaysia and currently living in Scotland, United Kingdom with his wife and baby son. He is the author of twenty-six novels from various publishers and fifty self-published novels.
Current and forthcoming titles published by Twilight Times Books
Schooled in Magic YA fantasy series Schooled in Magic — book 1
Lessons in Etiquette — book 2
A Study in Slaughter — book 3
Work Experience — book 4
The School of Hard Knocks — book 5
Love’s Labor’s Won — book 6
Trial By Fire — book 7
Wedding Hells — book 8
Infinite Regress — book 9
Past Tense — book 10
The Sergeant’s Apprentice — book 11
Fists of Justice – book 12
The Decline and Fall of the Galactic Empire military SF series Barbarians at the Gates — book 1
The Shadow of Cincinnatus — book 2
The Barbarian Bride — book 3
Chris has also produced The Empire’s Corps series, the Outside Context Problem series and many others. He is also responsible for two fan-made Posleen novels, both set in John Ringo’s famous Posleen universe. They can both be downloaded from his site.
Website: http://www.chrishanger.net/
Blog: http://chrishanger.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherGNuttall
The Zero Blessing