Post by Kaez on May 8, 2009 17:16:16 GMT -5
'It is the Rosian men of our west, I fear, who will expand on into forever, find themselves at the edges of the world, and leap to the abyss in search of more.' -- Government, Law, and What it All Means by Cris Abilaul
Rosia
Rosia, the Rosian
Major or Capital City: Ovid
Other Cities: Rose, Olmar, Marderon, Aval Dor
All Towns: Bluebridge, Harver Downs, Faeydal, Greymill, Farpine, Villow
Government Type: Republic. Rosia is divided into four sections, each led by a respective city, where officials are elected to represent the citizens in official state government in Ovid. Ten representatives from each quarter are chosen and one special representative from Ovid is present for tie-breaking scenarios. Most heavily favored nominees lead the organization and serves as High Knight to the King, whom is also elected.
Crime and Law: The Rosian law enforcement is handled from city to city, town to town. Between such, essentially no organized law enforcement is in place save any mercenary groups that may be acting for the greater good of the Republic. Crime in the cities is as-to-be-expected, especially with the current economic state of the nation, but is kept generally in check. The death penalty, while active, is only used in the most severe of crimes.
Professions: The Republic has a wide variety of professions that are very active. Due to many locations with minimal agricultural availability, many are known to make a living off of selling crops or butchery. Weapon and armor making have also grown increasingly popular with an ever-growing military. With all of these, however, farming remains the single most common profession in the region. Vast, yellow and green fields make up the workplace for at least thirty percent of the Republic’s population.
Trade, Currency and Economy: Petals are the currency of the area, as with their northern cousins. The petal is cast in three ways. The most common is made of bronze, is thin, and is about a thumb’s length wide. Worth ten of a petal is a ten-petal piece, slightly thicker, and of silver. The largest, and rarely used in non-governmental functions, is the hundred-petal piece, as thick as the ten-petal piece, and slightly larger. Petals are marked, besides their obvious color, with their corresponding ‘1’, ‘10’, or ‘100’ respectively. The economy is, like most things, centered officially in Odin with the treasury based there, though all five of the cities have banks.
Market: Market and forum are popular and generally large sections of cities. Most towns, in fact, revolve around their market. Sales are common and almost strictly dealt with in terms of currency, and not trade. Traveling vendors are fairly uncommon as towns, cities, and village are rather equally spread about, but they are certainly present.
Organizations: Many organizations exist. The State Government in Odin is a political center, while its counterpart, a series of bars and inns across the Republic, is known as Broken Stone (inspiration for the Kharnathian Empire’s Timberwolves Lodge). The Paladins are the only other notable group, though many more shadowy and less official organizations exist, such as XOXO and the Brotherhood of Dawn (see Subcultures for more).
Celebrations and Events: There are six major holidays in the Republic: Hope’s Day (January 1), Dawn’s Eve (March 30), Skysaro (July 6), Black Harvest (October 19), Green Feast (November 6), White Night (December 31). Other smaller, local holidays are celebrated but generally for purposes that wouldn’t be valued to any outsiders. Daries Odin’s birthday is also celebrated by many (February 28).
Education: The educational system in the Republic is a fine one. Nearly all children are given basic schooling by either their parents or in town. This includes literacy, basic mathematics, and religious schooling. Children of noble families or of politicians often go on to Secondary School where they learn the basics of modern science, technology, politics, and economics. A graduate of Secondary School is awarded the title of ‘Lord’. Without an education of at least basic level, one may be looked down upon in most Rosian society.
Communication and Language: Between 20 AR and 110 AR, a shift of language from Old Common to Common was made in Rosia. Old Common, having been spoken by all of the Known World, adapted slightly differently in other regions, but besides accent and dialect, Common remains the language of all the Known World.
Social Class Structure: The social structure of Rosia has been drastically altered over the past century. During the petals inflation and a higher taxing that has been implemented onto the nation, the peasant and farmer class has been getting poorer and the politicians, noblemen, and lords have been getting richer. There is much looking-down-upon taking place between the upper class and the peasants, and most of the middle class has been dissolved into one of the opposite ends.
Population: The population of each of the four major cities in around 300,000, with Odin's being around 500,000. The five major towns all round in around 100,000, leaving 800,000 to the non-metro regions and a total population of roughly 3 million.
Nature, Food and Resources: The nature and resources of the region are exceptionally varied due to the massive area under the Republic's control. This also leaves a large amount of area for farmland and long coasts for fishing, so food is plentiful and has a long growing season. The resources in the north are different from those in the south in the same the western ones are different from the eastern ones, leading to a powerful export market.
Wildlife: The wildlife of the region is a flourishing variety of bears, wolves, foxes, elk, deer, and mountain lions, not to mention a massive variety of plant species and many more mysterious creatures. Sea life is also plentiful off of its coast, and packs of wild horses, dogs, and cats are also known.
Climate: The climate of the region is extremely varied from the cold north to the moderate coasts and a warm south. It also ranges drastically from a very dry east to a wet, humid west. Snowfall often coats the mountains and heavy rain dots the entire western half while the eastern half is better known for its strong winds.
Geography: Geographically speaking, Rosia seems to have a bit of nearly everything. Multiple sorts of forests, mountains, dry hills, a warm and humid swamp, many rivers with fertile pockets between them, long cost lines, and even a massive crater. There's not a whole lot missing geographically, and this gives every subregion of Rosia a unique feel.
Mounts and Pets: Boxer horses and stallions are the primary, if not the only, mounts used in the area. They are used to help farm, as personal mounts, and for essentially any other work related purpose at which they can be put to use. Pets are rather common as well, with dogs, cats, and fish being popular choices.
Technology and Medicine: Technology in the region isn't very impressive, though it beats out their northern cousins. They've developed advanced irrigation systems, astrological clocks, have a basic understanding of chemistry and physics, and continue ongoing research. Their allies in Gilaan provide great help in this area, and their recent developments have been of great interest to Rosian scientists.
Subcultures: There are many subcultures within Rosia. 'The Broken Stone' is a popular series of inns that dot the towns and cities of Rosia. 'The Paladins', noted for their blonde hair, were discovered after the advance of Rosian civilization on the Aval Dor peninsula. These strangers from a distant land of which only their myths detail have very rarely interbred with the Rosian population, and have kept themselves in a rather exclusive group called the Paladins. The Paladins brought the Polianity religion to Rosia, worshipping the gods of the sun, Azor, the creator, and the moon, Manas, the destroyer.
In Polianity mythology, in the land from where the Paladins came, the people were granted the abilities to control creation and destruction by Azor and Manas. When the Paladins would only use creation and refused to use destruction, Manas, the moon, was banished to the dark of the night sky. True, still today, the Paladins contain many abilities their mythology has claimed was granted to them by Azor. While many serve as priests in the Churches of Polianity, many other work as field medics in Rosia's militia, using their ability to heal wounds, cure illnesses, extract poisons, and protect allies. They used their abilities on the battle lines during the Winter War, where they heavily protested the Kharnathian Empire's rebellion.
A small group of the Paladins, however, are noted for breaking away. Now calling themselves simply The Brotherhood, these Paladin have hidden away from society and begun to practice the ability of destruction in secret, with a few crimes over the past few years attributed to their actions. The Paladins have sworn absolute revenge on their destructive brethren, and a group of the Paladins called the Sunbearers have sworn vengeance on The Brotherhood.
Another notable organization is XOXO. Meaning, 'Xelao oakson xelao omaran' in Old Common, the modern translation is 'Stand Together, Stand Silent', a common modern misconception is that it stands for 'hugs and kisses'. This could be an intentional, ironic, second meaning. While some deny the groups very existence, others live in fear of them. While there is no solid proof that they are multiple people, or even a similar group of organized people, dozens of crimes over the past century have been marked with the letters, 'X O X O'. The Rosian government has been searching for tips on the organization for nearly eighty years, and to this day not a single member of the organization (if it is an organization) has been caught.
Militia: The Rosian Military is increasing in strength at a regular base. Ranking in numbers nearing 300,000 and with the most potent medics in the known world (The Paladins), military recruitment is on the rise and many new forts are being built around the nations' borders (to the weary eyes of their allies). They work in a very organized military system, dividing their military into many large, structured groups and utilizing the phalanx system. Their only known war, however, was lost to their Kharnathian brethren due to a climate disadvantage.
Weapons and Armor: The armor of the nation is, like the weapons, very different from group to group. Sword-wielding regiments generally use a shield and shortsword with flexible leather and ringmail armor, while spear-wielding regiments will often wear bulkier ringmail and light plate. Besides the phalanx groups, archery groups tend to wear thick cloth and leather.
The Paladins wear their own very distinctive armor that varies from the traditional red and silver of Rosia to various shades of gold and almost always wield hammers and maces with very bulky armor that they can keep themselves from getting weighted down by. The church priests have also been known to occasionally join in on battle, wearing their traditional robes.
Brief Timeline: The foundation of all northern human society took place somewhere near Lake Rose roughly in the year 49 BR(before Rose). The first civilization in recorded history was in Faeydal, on the north side of the lake. When the population of the small town grew and organized, adventurers began moving west, along the King’s River. They settled in many small villages and developed agricultural techniques until, around 5 BR, they settled against a fertile corner of river in a town they would name Afloer in Old Common, which translates to Rose in Common. In the year 1 AR, Rose’s first King was declared in Daries Odin.
While Faeydal remained a population center, Rose quickly outgrew it. King Odin insisted upon exploration and farming set up throughout the entire valley between the King’s River and the Pine River. While the opposite side of the King’s river was limited by mountains, the other of the Pine was not. They explored to the coast around 60 AR, and founded a town on the opposite side of the Dekan Wood, named Odin after the king who had died that year. His appointed heir, Jameth Horn took the throne and oversaw the exploration up to the modern sight of The Seventh Fort. With the entire Northwest having been on their cartographer’s logs, they set out eastward. Through the dry grasslands they eventually found the monstrous crater, Azol’s Wrath and the Deep Forest. They set up a few small camps along the way, but mostly avoided the massive grassland surrounding Azol’s Wrath, out of fear of the mysterious landform.
When they reached the Aval Dor peninsula, they were startled to find a small human civilization. A society of strictly shades of brown and black hair (red being a very uncommon variant), the blonde haired foreigners were something to be feared at first. The group proved to be gentle, kind men with whom they were almost utterly similar. When the language barrier was broken, they were told that the people had come there on ships, but that they were destroyed and could not return home. The Rosian men offered them food and shelter and over the years, integrated the group into their society (see Religion and Subcultures for more).
In 129 AR, expansion begun southward through mountain passes and the openings on either end of the chain. Though the warm, dry hills in the east proved fairly inhospitable, the fruitful soil to the east became a new center of civilization in Rosia. Above the sprawling Gray Marshes, the ground was perfect for farming. The society flourished for many years within these boundaries. In 305 AR, expansion was attempted into the southeast. Rumors of mysterious, tan people were told by the survivors of such expeditions, and again, expansion came to a halt. 342 AR was the start of a revolt in the north. The rebellion sparked massive turmoil for the government and the entire northwestern quarter, until in 346 AR, the north became a free state.
Since the Kharnathian Empire’s breaking, the Republic of Rosia has strengthened itself. A larger military was formed (many of the previous guards were taken during the Winter War), the Republic’s borders strengthened and guarded, and its cities and towns flourishing. Sailing and sea-trade became common from both coasts, and the friendly empires of Gilaan and Ichuk became allies, soon followed by Uhl through further exploration into the southeast guided by their newfound allies. As of present day, 400 AR, Queen Amoria Orsea attempts to forge as much peace as she can.
Relations w/ Other Cultures: Relations with the Kharnathian Empire have been very strong since the Treaty of Freedom that ended the Kharnathian War. Their allies of Ichuk, Gilaan, and more recently Uhl have also strengthened their foreign relations, their imports, and their exporting profit.
Homes: Homes in the region are very often wood, and sometimes stone or brick. They're often large and scattered about, giving many cities and towns larger metro areas than most.
Religion and Spirituality: Polianity was spread by the Paladins into Rosian culture and has stuck ever since, with about 80% of the population claiming to be a Polianist. Many temples to Azor (and even a few controversial ones representing the unity of Azor and Manas) can be found in Rosia, and churches are in nearly every village, town, and city. Aval Dor, still the city most associated with the Paladins, has become a religious capital of sorts.
Architecture: Architecture in the region has a heavy wood base, though not nearly as much as their northern kin. Masonry has increased in popularity as stone and brick have proved more reliable, albeit more expensive, building material. Sculptures have also become an important part of society, with temples and statues to ancestors and the gods rather common.
Clothing: Clothing differs from region to region. The north has their traditionally thicker clothing, and the south has much lighter clothing of thinner fabrics. There doesn't seem to be any real pattern amongst them, save the Paladins having a distinctive cultural clothing style of whites and golds.
Arts and Literature: Art has become increasingly popular in Rosia. Beautiful paintings of landscape and portraits of royalty can be seen in the government buildings in all cities, and even a museum dedicated to art and sculpture has been constructed in Odin. Literature, too, is increasing in popularity and with a very literate culture, is widespread. True fiction is less common than historical account and religious mythology, but many fictional adventure stories do exist, and long poems ('epics') have been published, though nothing is quite in 'mass production' at the current technology level.
Entertainment and Culture: Entertainment is stapled by many church choirs and theatre, which has also been increasingly popular with a few notable playwrights rising to the spotlight. The Rosian culture is, like most, distinct. But it's very much less distinct than most, having a wide range of landscape and climate, and having many subcultures within it. Nonetheless, they have made a name for themselves as a large, powerful culture with strong allies and a mighty government and army.
1 - The Winter Line
The main battle line where the Winter War was waged, and the current northern boundary of Rosia.
2 - Villow
Once used as a military base during the Winter War, it's now a flourishing town surviving on the sea life.
3 - The Open Plains
Wide, cool plains just slightly too cold for proper farming.
4- Pine River
A river the drains out from the ground and from streams out of the Dekan Wood, it meets up with the King's River to form a pocket of fertile soil.
5 - Daries Field
Fertile farming land, named after the first king.
6 - Dekan Wood
A thick wood known for hard, tall trees.
7 - Odin
The large, capital city of Rosia with a population of 500,000.
8 - Rose
The first 'city' in Rosia, named after Rose Lake, which the Republic itself is named after. Serves as the center of the West Quarter.
9 - King's River
The river that originally served as the basis for human life in Rosia, from which the Republic ties its origins.
10 - King's Estuary
Where the King's River pours into the sea, the soil gets thick, wet, and muddy, with only a few islands of solid land poking through.
11 - Eow Mountains
Named such as they were once thought to be the Edge of the World, the Eow Mountains divide Rosia into many distinctive climates.
12 - Southern River
The Southern River serves as the top of a fertile pocket of southern soil.
13 - Harver Downs
A port down just south of the King's Estuary, serving as a major import and export center.
14 - Gulf of Gray
A large gulf, known for stormy weather and rough waves.
15 - The Long Acre
A large patch of fertile farmland.
16 - Olmar
Set between port villages and fertile farmland, Olmar serves as the center of the Southern Quarter.
17 - Gray Marshes
Massive bogs and swampland, known for their stench, humidity, and overcast. Very little civilization can be found here.
18 - Bluebridge
Named properly after the huge, blue bridge on which the town is built, over the Gray River.
19 - Southern Peakwoods
The southern piece of the Peakwoods in Rosia.
20 - The Clay River
A tributary of the massive Omoko river that reaches into Rosia and marks the eastern border of the fertile soil.
21 - Barnal
A town that thrives off of the Northern Peakwoods and they Clay River.
22 - The Dry Hills
A dry, hilly boundary of dusty soil.
23 - Marderon
A city living off of the Karter River, serving as the center of the Western Quarter.
24 - Karter River
A thick river that pours from the Eow Mountains to the East Sea.
25 - Deep Forest
A large, life-filled forest of short, heavy tress.
26 - Wolfenal
A town on the East Sea, serving as an import and export center for the east.
27 - The Eastern Plains
An extension of The Open Plains, a cool, dry plain.
28 - Faeydal and Rose Lake
The first major civilization center for Rosian humanity and the lake from which they got their resources.
29 - The Forest's Edge
The edge of the Cantillian Woods, and the boundary of Rosia.
30 - Azol's Wrath
A massive, mysterious crater surrounded by dry, lifeless soil. Its origins are unknown (mythology suggests Azol struck it out of anger) and it is not explored, out of fear.
31 - Aval Dor Peninsula
A peninsula surrounded by the North Dor Bay and South Dor Pay, with very fertile soil, despite being fairly cold.
32 - Aval Dor
The religious capital of Rosia and the center of the Northern Quarter, Aval Dor is the home to the Paladins.
X - Greymill In the heart of the Grey Marshes, the large town of Greymill sits. Difficult to reach and surrounded by ample guardsmen and thick, iron gates, the rainy, dark town is not well known to those who do not reside there.
Rosia
Rosia, the Rosian
Major or Capital City: Ovid
Other Cities: Rose, Olmar, Marderon, Aval Dor
All Towns: Bluebridge, Harver Downs, Faeydal, Greymill, Farpine, Villow
Government Type: Republic. Rosia is divided into four sections, each led by a respective city, where officials are elected to represent the citizens in official state government in Ovid. Ten representatives from each quarter are chosen and one special representative from Ovid is present for tie-breaking scenarios. Most heavily favored nominees lead the organization and serves as High Knight to the King, whom is also elected.
Crime and Law: The Rosian law enforcement is handled from city to city, town to town. Between such, essentially no organized law enforcement is in place save any mercenary groups that may be acting for the greater good of the Republic. Crime in the cities is as-to-be-expected, especially with the current economic state of the nation, but is kept generally in check. The death penalty, while active, is only used in the most severe of crimes.
Professions: The Republic has a wide variety of professions that are very active. Due to many locations with minimal agricultural availability, many are known to make a living off of selling crops or butchery. Weapon and armor making have also grown increasingly popular with an ever-growing military. With all of these, however, farming remains the single most common profession in the region. Vast, yellow and green fields make up the workplace for at least thirty percent of the Republic’s population.
Trade, Currency and Economy: Petals are the currency of the area, as with their northern cousins. The petal is cast in three ways. The most common is made of bronze, is thin, and is about a thumb’s length wide. Worth ten of a petal is a ten-petal piece, slightly thicker, and of silver. The largest, and rarely used in non-governmental functions, is the hundred-petal piece, as thick as the ten-petal piece, and slightly larger. Petals are marked, besides their obvious color, with their corresponding ‘1’, ‘10’, or ‘100’ respectively. The economy is, like most things, centered officially in Odin with the treasury based there, though all five of the cities have banks.
Market: Market and forum are popular and generally large sections of cities. Most towns, in fact, revolve around their market. Sales are common and almost strictly dealt with in terms of currency, and not trade. Traveling vendors are fairly uncommon as towns, cities, and village are rather equally spread about, but they are certainly present.
Organizations: Many organizations exist. The State Government in Odin is a political center, while its counterpart, a series of bars and inns across the Republic, is known as Broken Stone (inspiration for the Kharnathian Empire’s Timberwolves Lodge). The Paladins are the only other notable group, though many more shadowy and less official organizations exist, such as XOXO and the Brotherhood of Dawn (see Subcultures for more).
Celebrations and Events: There are six major holidays in the Republic: Hope’s Day (January 1), Dawn’s Eve (March 30), Skysaro (July 6), Black Harvest (October 19), Green Feast (November 6), White Night (December 31). Other smaller, local holidays are celebrated but generally for purposes that wouldn’t be valued to any outsiders. Daries Odin’s birthday is also celebrated by many (February 28).
Education: The educational system in the Republic is a fine one. Nearly all children are given basic schooling by either their parents or in town. This includes literacy, basic mathematics, and religious schooling. Children of noble families or of politicians often go on to Secondary School where they learn the basics of modern science, technology, politics, and economics. A graduate of Secondary School is awarded the title of ‘Lord’. Without an education of at least basic level, one may be looked down upon in most Rosian society.
Communication and Language: Between 20 AR and 110 AR, a shift of language from Old Common to Common was made in Rosia. Old Common, having been spoken by all of the Known World, adapted slightly differently in other regions, but besides accent and dialect, Common remains the language of all the Known World.
Social Class Structure: The social structure of Rosia has been drastically altered over the past century. During the petals inflation and a higher taxing that has been implemented onto the nation, the peasant and farmer class has been getting poorer and the politicians, noblemen, and lords have been getting richer. There is much looking-down-upon taking place between the upper class and the peasants, and most of the middle class has been dissolved into one of the opposite ends.
Population: The population of each of the four major cities in around 300,000, with Odin's being around 500,000. The five major towns all round in around 100,000, leaving 800,000 to the non-metro regions and a total population of roughly 3 million.
Nature, Food and Resources: The nature and resources of the region are exceptionally varied due to the massive area under the Republic's control. This also leaves a large amount of area for farmland and long coasts for fishing, so food is plentiful and has a long growing season. The resources in the north are different from those in the south in the same the western ones are different from the eastern ones, leading to a powerful export market.
Wildlife: The wildlife of the region is a flourishing variety of bears, wolves, foxes, elk, deer, and mountain lions, not to mention a massive variety of plant species and many more mysterious creatures. Sea life is also plentiful off of its coast, and packs of wild horses, dogs, and cats are also known.
Climate: The climate of the region is extremely varied from the cold north to the moderate coasts and a warm south. It also ranges drastically from a very dry east to a wet, humid west. Snowfall often coats the mountains and heavy rain dots the entire western half while the eastern half is better known for its strong winds.
Geography: Geographically speaking, Rosia seems to have a bit of nearly everything. Multiple sorts of forests, mountains, dry hills, a warm and humid swamp, many rivers with fertile pockets between them, long cost lines, and even a massive crater. There's not a whole lot missing geographically, and this gives every subregion of Rosia a unique feel.
Mounts and Pets: Boxer horses and stallions are the primary, if not the only, mounts used in the area. They are used to help farm, as personal mounts, and for essentially any other work related purpose at which they can be put to use. Pets are rather common as well, with dogs, cats, and fish being popular choices.
Technology and Medicine: Technology in the region isn't very impressive, though it beats out their northern cousins. They've developed advanced irrigation systems, astrological clocks, have a basic understanding of chemistry and physics, and continue ongoing research. Their allies in Gilaan provide great help in this area, and their recent developments have been of great interest to Rosian scientists.
Subcultures: There are many subcultures within Rosia. 'The Broken Stone' is a popular series of inns that dot the towns and cities of Rosia. 'The Paladins', noted for their blonde hair, were discovered after the advance of Rosian civilization on the Aval Dor peninsula. These strangers from a distant land of which only their myths detail have very rarely interbred with the Rosian population, and have kept themselves in a rather exclusive group called the Paladins. The Paladins brought the Polianity religion to Rosia, worshipping the gods of the sun, Azor, the creator, and the moon, Manas, the destroyer.
In Polianity mythology, in the land from where the Paladins came, the people were granted the abilities to control creation and destruction by Azor and Manas. When the Paladins would only use creation and refused to use destruction, Manas, the moon, was banished to the dark of the night sky. True, still today, the Paladins contain many abilities their mythology has claimed was granted to them by Azor. While many serve as priests in the Churches of Polianity, many other work as field medics in Rosia's militia, using their ability to heal wounds, cure illnesses, extract poisons, and protect allies. They used their abilities on the battle lines during the Winter War, where they heavily protested the Kharnathian Empire's rebellion.
A small group of the Paladins, however, are noted for breaking away. Now calling themselves simply The Brotherhood, these Paladin have hidden away from society and begun to practice the ability of destruction in secret, with a few crimes over the past few years attributed to their actions. The Paladins have sworn absolute revenge on their destructive brethren, and a group of the Paladins called the Sunbearers have sworn vengeance on The Brotherhood.
Another notable organization is XOXO. Meaning, 'Xelao oakson xelao omaran' in Old Common, the modern translation is 'Stand Together, Stand Silent', a common modern misconception is that it stands for 'hugs and kisses'. This could be an intentional, ironic, second meaning. While some deny the groups very existence, others live in fear of them. While there is no solid proof that they are multiple people, or even a similar group of organized people, dozens of crimes over the past century have been marked with the letters, 'X O X O'. The Rosian government has been searching for tips on the organization for nearly eighty years, and to this day not a single member of the organization (if it is an organization) has been caught.
Militia: The Rosian Military is increasing in strength at a regular base. Ranking in numbers nearing 300,000 and with the most potent medics in the known world (The Paladins), military recruitment is on the rise and many new forts are being built around the nations' borders (to the weary eyes of their allies). They work in a very organized military system, dividing their military into many large, structured groups and utilizing the phalanx system. Their only known war, however, was lost to their Kharnathian brethren due to a climate disadvantage.
Weapons and Armor: The armor of the nation is, like the weapons, very different from group to group. Sword-wielding regiments generally use a shield and shortsword with flexible leather and ringmail armor, while spear-wielding regiments will often wear bulkier ringmail and light plate. Besides the phalanx groups, archery groups tend to wear thick cloth and leather.
The Paladins wear their own very distinctive armor that varies from the traditional red and silver of Rosia to various shades of gold and almost always wield hammers and maces with very bulky armor that they can keep themselves from getting weighted down by. The church priests have also been known to occasionally join in on battle, wearing their traditional robes.
Brief Timeline: The foundation of all northern human society took place somewhere near Lake Rose roughly in the year 49 BR(before Rose). The first civilization in recorded history was in Faeydal, on the north side of the lake. When the population of the small town grew and organized, adventurers began moving west, along the King’s River. They settled in many small villages and developed agricultural techniques until, around 5 BR, they settled against a fertile corner of river in a town they would name Afloer in Old Common, which translates to Rose in Common. In the year 1 AR, Rose’s first King was declared in Daries Odin.
While Faeydal remained a population center, Rose quickly outgrew it. King Odin insisted upon exploration and farming set up throughout the entire valley between the King’s River and the Pine River. While the opposite side of the King’s river was limited by mountains, the other of the Pine was not. They explored to the coast around 60 AR, and founded a town on the opposite side of the Dekan Wood, named Odin after the king who had died that year. His appointed heir, Jameth Horn took the throne and oversaw the exploration up to the modern sight of The Seventh Fort. With the entire Northwest having been on their cartographer’s logs, they set out eastward. Through the dry grasslands they eventually found the monstrous crater, Azol’s Wrath and the Deep Forest. They set up a few small camps along the way, but mostly avoided the massive grassland surrounding Azol’s Wrath, out of fear of the mysterious landform.
When they reached the Aval Dor peninsula, they were startled to find a small human civilization. A society of strictly shades of brown and black hair (red being a very uncommon variant), the blonde haired foreigners were something to be feared at first. The group proved to be gentle, kind men with whom they were almost utterly similar. When the language barrier was broken, they were told that the people had come there on ships, but that they were destroyed and could not return home. The Rosian men offered them food and shelter and over the years, integrated the group into their society (see Religion and Subcultures for more).
In 129 AR, expansion begun southward through mountain passes and the openings on either end of the chain. Though the warm, dry hills in the east proved fairly inhospitable, the fruitful soil to the east became a new center of civilization in Rosia. Above the sprawling Gray Marshes, the ground was perfect for farming. The society flourished for many years within these boundaries. In 305 AR, expansion was attempted into the southeast. Rumors of mysterious, tan people were told by the survivors of such expeditions, and again, expansion came to a halt. 342 AR was the start of a revolt in the north. The rebellion sparked massive turmoil for the government and the entire northwestern quarter, until in 346 AR, the north became a free state.
Since the Kharnathian Empire’s breaking, the Republic of Rosia has strengthened itself. A larger military was formed (many of the previous guards were taken during the Winter War), the Republic’s borders strengthened and guarded, and its cities and towns flourishing. Sailing and sea-trade became common from both coasts, and the friendly empires of Gilaan and Ichuk became allies, soon followed by Uhl through further exploration into the southeast guided by their newfound allies. As of present day, 400 AR, Queen Amoria Orsea attempts to forge as much peace as she can.
Relations w/ Other Cultures: Relations with the Kharnathian Empire have been very strong since the Treaty of Freedom that ended the Kharnathian War. Their allies of Ichuk, Gilaan, and more recently Uhl have also strengthened their foreign relations, their imports, and their exporting profit.
Homes: Homes in the region are very often wood, and sometimes stone or brick. They're often large and scattered about, giving many cities and towns larger metro areas than most.
Religion and Spirituality: Polianity was spread by the Paladins into Rosian culture and has stuck ever since, with about 80% of the population claiming to be a Polianist. Many temples to Azor (and even a few controversial ones representing the unity of Azor and Manas) can be found in Rosia, and churches are in nearly every village, town, and city. Aval Dor, still the city most associated with the Paladins, has become a religious capital of sorts.
Architecture: Architecture in the region has a heavy wood base, though not nearly as much as their northern kin. Masonry has increased in popularity as stone and brick have proved more reliable, albeit more expensive, building material. Sculptures have also become an important part of society, with temples and statues to ancestors and the gods rather common.
Clothing: Clothing differs from region to region. The north has their traditionally thicker clothing, and the south has much lighter clothing of thinner fabrics. There doesn't seem to be any real pattern amongst them, save the Paladins having a distinctive cultural clothing style of whites and golds.
Arts and Literature: Art has become increasingly popular in Rosia. Beautiful paintings of landscape and portraits of royalty can be seen in the government buildings in all cities, and even a museum dedicated to art and sculpture has been constructed in Odin. Literature, too, is increasing in popularity and with a very literate culture, is widespread. True fiction is less common than historical account and religious mythology, but many fictional adventure stories do exist, and long poems ('epics') have been published, though nothing is quite in 'mass production' at the current technology level.
Entertainment and Culture: Entertainment is stapled by many church choirs and theatre, which has also been increasingly popular with a few notable playwrights rising to the spotlight. The Rosian culture is, like most, distinct. But it's very much less distinct than most, having a wide range of landscape and climate, and having many subcultures within it. Nonetheless, they have made a name for themselves as a large, powerful culture with strong allies and a mighty government and army.
1 - The Winter Line
The main battle line where the Winter War was waged, and the current northern boundary of Rosia.
2 - Villow
Once used as a military base during the Winter War, it's now a flourishing town surviving on the sea life.
3 - The Open Plains
Wide, cool plains just slightly too cold for proper farming.
4- Pine River
A river the drains out from the ground and from streams out of the Dekan Wood, it meets up with the King's River to form a pocket of fertile soil.
5 - Daries Field
Fertile farming land, named after the first king.
6 - Dekan Wood
A thick wood known for hard, tall trees.
7 - Odin
The large, capital city of Rosia with a population of 500,000.
8 - Rose
The first 'city' in Rosia, named after Rose Lake, which the Republic itself is named after. Serves as the center of the West Quarter.
9 - King's River
The river that originally served as the basis for human life in Rosia, from which the Republic ties its origins.
10 - King's Estuary
Where the King's River pours into the sea, the soil gets thick, wet, and muddy, with only a few islands of solid land poking through.
11 - Eow Mountains
Named such as they were once thought to be the Edge of the World, the Eow Mountains divide Rosia into many distinctive climates.
12 - Southern River
The Southern River serves as the top of a fertile pocket of southern soil.
13 - Harver Downs
A port down just south of the King's Estuary, serving as a major import and export center.
14 - Gulf of Gray
A large gulf, known for stormy weather and rough waves.
15 - The Long Acre
A large patch of fertile farmland.
16 - Olmar
Set between port villages and fertile farmland, Olmar serves as the center of the Southern Quarter.
17 - Gray Marshes
Massive bogs and swampland, known for their stench, humidity, and overcast. Very little civilization can be found here.
18 - Bluebridge
Named properly after the huge, blue bridge on which the town is built, over the Gray River.
19 - Southern Peakwoods
The southern piece of the Peakwoods in Rosia.
20 - The Clay River
A tributary of the massive Omoko river that reaches into Rosia and marks the eastern border of the fertile soil.
21 - Barnal
A town that thrives off of the Northern Peakwoods and they Clay River.
22 - The Dry Hills
A dry, hilly boundary of dusty soil.
23 - Marderon
A city living off of the Karter River, serving as the center of the Western Quarter.
24 - Karter River
A thick river that pours from the Eow Mountains to the East Sea.
25 - Deep Forest
A large, life-filled forest of short, heavy tress.
26 - Wolfenal
A town on the East Sea, serving as an import and export center for the east.
27 - The Eastern Plains
An extension of The Open Plains, a cool, dry plain.
28 - Faeydal and Rose Lake
The first major civilization center for Rosian humanity and the lake from which they got their resources.
29 - The Forest's Edge
The edge of the Cantillian Woods, and the boundary of Rosia.
30 - Azol's Wrath
A massive, mysterious crater surrounded by dry, lifeless soil. Its origins are unknown (mythology suggests Azol struck it out of anger) and it is not explored, out of fear.
31 - Aval Dor Peninsula
A peninsula surrounded by the North Dor Bay and South Dor Pay, with very fertile soil, despite being fairly cold.
32 - Aval Dor
The religious capital of Rosia and the center of the Northern Quarter, Aval Dor is the home to the Paladins.
X - Greymill In the heart of the Grey Marshes, the large town of Greymill sits. Difficult to reach and surrounded by ample guardsmen and thick, iron gates, the rainy, dark town is not well known to those who do not reside there.
