The Prosperous Realm of Regartfael (Rey-gar-fay-el)
Structure
A hereditary monarchy, Regartfael has been held in by the house of Regartfael for the entirety of the kingdom's history. Though delegations of select tasks may be assigned to specialists or local representatives, the king has the ultimate say in enacting or vetoing decisions.
Culture
Regartfaelian society is highly and strictly striated. The nobility, an elite class made up of families related to the ruling family or have been appointed (or bought) into regional titles by the crown, are the highest class. The nobility enjoy an easy life of luxury, rarely having to engage in manual labor. Artisans and merchants make up the middle class, with successful merchants even entertaining the goal of earning enough to buy a title. These newly rich are looked down on by the established nobility and easily spotted by their extravagant displays of wealth. The lowest classes are made up farmers and labors, who rarely hold aspirations for anything but survival. The only class lower than this are the slaves, technically not a class at all. While some Regartfaelians find themselves in bondage due to punishment or excessive debt, most slaves are foreign born and taken by force.
Territories
Regartfael was initially founded as a single city on the coast of a bay. As their population swelled past their city walls, they expanded south until they reached the southern coast. Though small settlements were established along the way, the city on the southern coast Southport was the first to grow substantially. Once the westerlands were fully occupied, exploration beyond The Belt began. The first annexation took them to the Fen River, then to the east coast, controlling the continent completely.
Military
Regartfael mans only a small standing army in peace times, most of which are stationed as guards, patrolling cities and forts, or escorting nobility.
It is estimated that in peace times the army is divided as such: 5% serve in royal houses; 10% are stationed at the three military strongholds of Seawatch, Heathgate or the Guardian; 85% are stationed with in cities as patrolmen.
In times of peace the crown will conscript citizens into service. Conscription can be deferred through "service in coin," making a donation to the crown in lieu of their physical presence. Effectively, the wealthy pay their way out of conflict, while the lower classes die on the battlefield.
Religion
The Eyes of Light is the dominant religion of Regartfael, recognizing the Lord and the Light as the only legitimate power higher than the king, and that the king only holds power through the Lord and the Light. The Lord and the Light represents all that is good and right, while the Shadow and Sin tempts man to evil.
The Eyes of Light have slowly gained more power over time. Once only presiding over the souls of men, their reach has escalated to overseeing the daily lives and behaviors over the people of Regartfael. Their influence has slowly crept into the palace, and are rumored to hold sway over royal decisions.
Not only are the Eyes of Light the official state religion, all other faiths are not recognized and seen as the work of the Shadow and Sin.
Foreign Relations
The Regartfaelian crown only recognizes on other nation, the Audocavan Confederated Cities, to their north.
While the people of Typha and Decoure are occasionally encountered, their places of origin are often willfully ignored, with no effort to change. Most Regartfaelian maps feature only Regartfael, Epaphas and Alboin.
Agriculture & Industry
Most people outside of the cities are farmers or ranchers. The lands of Regartfael are fertile and reliably yield great harvests, and open plains make for plentiful grazing land for animals.
The timber industry is also prominent outside of cities, as the forests are plentiful.
Though the land is split by the large mountain range known as The Belt, there is no established mining industry. Parts of The Belt have been quarried for building stones, but only surface-level harvesting has been done.
Within the cities, artisans produce dyed fabric, wood work, tools and weaponry - though it is of not that most metals used are imported from Alboin. The only product of note produced in Regartfaelian is their paper, a byproduct of their timber production.
Trade & Transport
Officially, Regartfael's only trade partner is the Audocavan Confederated of Cities, accepting Epaphi and Alboini ships in their three port cities of Kingsport, Eastport and Southport. However the the city furthest from the royal hand, Eastport, allows ships from Typha and Decoure, provided their crews do not cause problems. Despite this allowance, hostility is still high toward them.
Regartfael is internally connected by just a few main, packed dirt roads. The capital, Kingsport is connected to Southport by the Verdant Path, as this road passes the Verdant Palace - the royal palace. Kingsport is connected to Eastport via the Heathroad, which transverses the land through The Heathgate - a pass in The Belt - and breaks only for a river crossing at Ferrimane. Smaller roads fork off of the Heathroad connecting Watchtown and Fenmuth to the main road.
River travel is common on the Fen River, as goods from Fenmuth travel up and down river to Ferrimane, and sometimes even further into Deep Fen. The other main river, the Beltfall has been gated and bridged over in Kingsport in 265, shortly after Imperial Admiral Randophus II sailed his fleet up the Beltfall, unimpeded, to the Verdant Palace.
Education
There is no compulsory education in Regartfael. All tutoring takes place within the home, expecting the mother to provide the lessons.
Among middle and upper classes, families hire professional tutors to provide children the necessary education to gain work in their families' business.
The lower classes rarely have the means or opportunity to educate their children beyond basic arithmetic. Working in fields or forest take precedent, and parents may not be highly educated themselves.
Places of higher learning do exist in Regartfaelian cities, however they are primarily operated by the Eyes of Light. Because of this, curricula is focused toward serving the Lord and the Light. Education outside of Eyes of Light operation are highly discouraged.
Protectorate of the People
Maps
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Eastport City Map
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Deep Fen Map
Founding Date
Helmgos 8, 209 PB
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Demonym
Regartfaelian
Leader
Leader Title
Family Leader
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
The Olean coin is the official currency of Regartfael.
Official State Religion
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
Comments