Matriarchy of Rhean

Founded after the Halaanic Wars by Rhean, daughter of the heroes Feas and Issandr.

A lone paladin prowls the Rheanese forest, lush ivy sprouting from her plate mail and twining around her shield. She bends to check the tracks of her quarry, twirling a single large feather absentmindedly between two fingers. A snapping twig givers her only a moment's warning. A large owlbear crashes through the underbrush towards her. The powers of the forest are with the knight that day, and after defeating the monster, she sets to work skinning and dressing her kill. The hide will bring a good price in the markets of Jhaelh or Issandr's Rest. The meat will feed her companions back at camp, with plenty left over for the nearby villagers.

Origins

Rhean is generally a quiet, peaceful, lightly governed country of forests and coastline. Rheanese society is matrilineal. Children take their mother's surname and men generally move in to their wives' houes. The Matriarchy is ruled by a heredtary Queen who is succeeded by her firstborn daughter. Rhean is one of the few naval powers in the world, and their ocean-going merchant ships travel to every known port. The kingdom’s position surrounding the Sea of Uluaan has meant close diplomatic ties with the various local sea kingdoms. Rheanese traders, sailors, explorers, and fishermen have introduced many loan words from undersea languages over the centuries and the Rheanese have a distinct dialect of Common, often spoken with a heavy accent.

History

Rhean was founded in 319 A.C. a generation after the end of the Halaanic Wars, when Rhean Omeryn, the daughter of the heroes Feas and Issandr, led a large caravan of refugees safely through the Carentan Forest to the coast. They settled at the site of the current capital city of Mithryn. In the decades after the war, thousands of Feanese and poor Mazrenite settlers made their way to Rhean, with its’ promise of safety and plenty, thanks to the Carentan druids who guarded the early settlements. By the time Rhean died decades after the war, she was almost as well known as her famous parents. History has named her 'Rhean the Wise'.
The Rheanese are one of two great naval powers in the south, along with the merchant fleets ofShan. The Rheanese Corsairs are the royal navy, whose time is spent mostly protecting merchant ships and fighting pirates. The scourge of the Corsairs are the Majintessan pirates of the Taaru Islands across the bay to the south.

Government

Rhean's current ruler is the half elven Queen Eriassa Omeryn, distant granddaughter of Rhean and Orontes. The Omeryn Dynasty has ruled Rhean since the nation's founding in the years after the Halaanic Wars a thousand years ago.
The nation is divided up into seven 'Taosants' which roughly translates to 'principality.' The hereditary ruler of each Taosant - the Taosana - rank just below the Queen and royal family. While most of the time the Taosanas are female, historically a rare male Taosana sometimes rules. There hasn't been a male Taosana in 120 years. The seven Taosants and their current Taosanas are:

• Taosant of Ahket, whose Taosana is the gnoll cleric of Saroyan, Atrisa Helcryn.
• Taosant of Arraken, whose Taosana is the half-elven/half-tabaxi sage Weryn Arana
• Taosant of Bhaska, whose Taosana is the human wizard Rasana Dalian
• Taosant of Harkh, whosa Taosana is the elven metalsmith Osrian Calaraster
• Taosant of Jaryn, whose Taosana is the wearbear and former ranger Belwyn Sereni
• Taosant of Tern, whose Taosana is the centaur philosopher and bard Emirys Baina
• Taosant of Ygris, whose Taosana is the once famous half-elven privateer captain Alcasta Erenysa

Queen Eriassa Omeryn of Rhean

Rarely seen outside the Matriarchy, the Rheanese knights known as Forestwardens are admired all over the South

Rhean Cinaria, founder and (after her death) namesake of the Matriarchy

Maps

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  Rhean, Matriarchy of (political)

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  Rhean, Matriarchy of (geographic)

Major Populations half-elves, halflings
Minor Populations bugbears, caisheni, centaurs, fey, giants, gnolls, gnomes, humans, sea elves, tritons

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom

Demonym

Rheanese

Founders

• Rhean of Carentan, Founder and First Matriarch of Rhean

Official Languages

• Caishenic Sign
• Godossean
• Rheanese
• Uluaanic Dialects

Neighboring Nations

• Arcanocracy of Mazrendaram
• Kingdom of K'Shanah-Ch'rth
• Principality of Myaneska