Ryma (Rie-Maa)
Ryma is the largest city in Zhen Gho. It is not a part of any province and acts as the Seat of the Council of Governors. It is there that they meet when called together, or during a vote of any kind. The Governor that has been elected leader of this cycle is in charge of the city during that time. A bit more prestige is awarded to them for this reason. Not only do they govern their own province but have Ryma added under that. Most policies and laws in Ryma don't change that often so it is not much added to their responsibilities. The city was where the five original founders began their campaign to unify Zhen Gho under one banner. For awhile after that it stood as the unofficial capital of the nation. For the last 600 years it has stood as the capital and shinning example to the other provinces to show what happens when democracy and choice trump tyranny and conquest.
Demographics
Races
Human and humaoids are the primary race in Ryma, much like most of Zhen Gho. However it is a very diverse place and there are many people of all different races in the melting pot of a city. Lately there has been a large influx of the more monstrous races fleeing the Shangong Province.
Wealth Distribution
Overall the city is very wealthy being the center of trade, culture, and politics for the nation. There is quite a large population who are rich and wealthy and drive the economics of the city. The largest group within this demographic is your middle class. This included the working class families in mid level leadership as well as those working in the more labor intensive professions. Lastly the smallest percentage of the population do fall into a poor, or even below status. There have been mulitiple efforts to close or eliminate this gap, but it seems no matter what there is still a group that cannot be effectively reached economically.
Government
Ryma is run similarly to the rest of Zhen Gho. It has a Governor, who is the elected leader of the Council. They are in charge of the care and wellbeing of the city. Most cases Ryma does not need change and direction as much as the other provinces. It does have it's own administration that doesn't change with each new Governor. Also a police force dedicated to the city is installed instead of one provided by the Governor in charge. Lastly they have a substantial force of the Republican Army stationed inside and in the nearb fortress of Halshin. All in all Ryma really stands apart from the nation, and as the example for laws and statutes to be passed down.
Defences
Infrastructure
The primary source of income to the city is trade from the rest of Zhen Gho. Not only on taxes paid to bring goods in and take them out. The Grand Market in Ryma is one of the greatest places to find anything you are looking for from anywhere in Zhen Gho. It is quite a steady and lucrative revenue that the city's other infrastructure barely make half of what trade does all combined.
If another infrastructure was something Ryma was known for, it would be fire powder. It is a substance used primarily in Spitting Dragon cannons, fireworks, and starting to be militarized as it becomes easier to produce in greater quantities. There are many artificers who use the material in combination with their magic to create powerful items of both artifice and magic. It is a growing industry and one that Ryma, sitting near several rich deposits, is taking advantage of.
Districts
As one approaches Ryma you will first notice the farmland surrounding it. The main agricultural part of Ryma is outside is outer wall. Along the fertile plains these farms grow all sorts of different crops that feed the city as well as the surrounding areas and other cities.
Coming into the city you will be in what is commonly called the Outer Wall. It is the region of the city that rests between the outermost wall and where the central wall starts. This is the primary residency of the population of Ryma. Most your of your workers and mid-level leadership and lower nobles live. Also in this area are the majority of shops, businesses, merchants, and other things of this nature. The biggest attraction is the Grand Market. Here merchants and traders all over Zhen Gho, even some from across the sea, ply their wares.
Next you have the Inner Wall. This is where most of your higher ranking Nobles and large business owners reside. They have larger houses with more open area around their compounds. It is quite the site to walk the streets and admire the different pseudo palaces the families have built. Many in the Outer Wall work their whole lives to be able to move to the Inner Wall. Also within the Inner Wall you have specialty shops and more specific needs, usually at a much higher price they are willing to pay.
Lastly you have the keep, or also known as the Lantern Hall. This refers to the main hall where the Council of Governors meet during their votes. It is a large hall with a grand circular table. There is a seat for each Governor to seat equally among their peers. The room is lit by hundreds of orange, yellow, and red lanterns. It is a very beautiful place and one visitors also come to visit to say they've been there. Otherwise the rest of the keep is pretty basic. It is a defensive fortress built inside the city many years ago, designed to withstand siege should that eve happen.
Guilds and Factions
Justice Paladins
The Justice Paladins, or Paladins as commonly called, have their main headquarters in Ryma. They are a national Knight order. Their primary charter is to protect the realm from supernatural and magical threats. However they have been used and deployed in the past against internal and external mundane threats. Although they are smaller they are probably the premier fighting force in Zhen Gho, even above the Republican Army.
Merchants Federation
They are probably the wealthiest faction within the wall of Ryma. They control all the traders coming in as well as going out of Ryma. They set tax rates and decide how money is divided. Their biggest source of revenue is from the Grand Market. They work with merchants for spots in the Market and budling permanent shops as well. It is safe to say they have the real money and power within the city, but it is limited to trade and commerce. Very few leave that field for the call of politics.
Discovery
One of the largest guildhalls for Discovery resides in Ryma. Although not as busy with jobs locally they are a big portion of scouts sent elsewhere in Zhen Gho. They train some of the most talented and well known scouts to be in Discovery. They take on contracts and assign different scouts to those places. They are funded directly from the Council of Governors and therefore have some great longevity and prosperity. While jobs in general are dwindling for surface areas, more and more outer realms or underground exploration contracts are coming up now.
Order of Founders
This is a group that is only in Ryma. It is a prestigious academy of sorts. They offer training for those interested in politics, commerce, adventuring, and soldiering. Most who graduate from this academy gain places of high honor and importance in their chosen field. The only catch is that they must be able to trace their lineage back to one of the five founders of Zhen Gho. Some people think it is an unfair advantage having just been born in the correct family. Others see it as honoring the ancestors who founded the greatest Republic Zennith has even seen. Either way it is a decision for them to make and no everyone within those families graduates successfully, or even chooses to take the opportunity.
History
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