Rhongomyniad Settlement in Edda Revised | World Anvil
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Rhongomyniad (Rawn-goh-mini-ad)

"This is not a monument to any greatness, nor is it a noble honor. The spear at the end of the world is just that, a weapon. When it isn't broken upon monsters we dare not understand, it is wielded by a nation we dare not question, and any of us who wince or whimper could be impaled upon it."
  The Island at the End of the World is a small piece of Afallon that is in the northeastmost corner of Edda. The massive tower on the island serves not only as a mighty military barrack but also as an observation tower that gazes to the very edge of Edda's known territory in that region. To that end, it is the first to know of the arrival of strange monsters that crawl from the other side of the Wild Wall, and the first line of defense against them as they seek to feast upon the mortals of Edda.   It also serves as a maximum security prison, with any on the island who aren't there willingly via volunteer or birth being a prison who has either been freed or is still working during their sentence, along with the truly deadly and monstrous who aren't even allowed to see a sliver of sunlight. While it's received its fair share of criticism and critique, it still stands as a defensive position against an enemy that would otherwise put thousands of lives at risk, and one that is a fragment of ancient history that Afallon will never let go.

Demographics

No one but Afallonian citizens are permitted on the island of Rhongomyniad. Either they are Mawrth Seers manning the prison and fighting against the mysterious monsters from beyond the Wild Wall, the enlisted citizens who help run the civilian aspects of the settlement, or the prisoners within the eponymous tower, Rhongomyniad.   Due to that sole citizenship, most of the people there are either Gemborne or Elven of some descent, with the obvious smattering of Humans. Gender and Age are rather equal across all fields. Due to the high amount of Seers in service on the island, almost 89% of the people there are followers of the Cabal.

Government

Even though Rhongomyniad is essentially a massive military camp, it is still run like a proper settlement within Afallon, to at least somewhat mitigate the risk of jingoistic upheaval. The City Seer still runs the city and manages its operations, electing the officials they require and deem necessary. However, while they oversee various aspects of the tower and its operations, especially as a Prison, they do not have direct control over it. Instead, that duty goes to the Grand General of the Mawrth Seers present on the island.

Defences

One of Rhongomyniad's greatest defenses is the geography of the island itself, as it's only really accessible from its western shore. The eastern shore in particular is lined by steep rocky cliffs that leave it impenetrable from anything but the most persistent monsters from the Wild Wall, and its northern and southern shores only taper from that. Where the cliffside fails, the soldiers succeed, setting up watch towers and defensive positions all over the island, with the greatest being the central eponymous tower of Rhongomyniad.

Industry & Trade

Most of what funds and supplies Rhongomyniad are produced on the island. Of course, there is the sale of some materials and creations on the island, which goes to help fund other aspects of the island. For the most part, the settlement is funded by the government, to keep their most dangerous criminals detained, threats from the Wild Wall maintained, and for the civilians on the island to do their duty and support the Mawrth Seers.

Infrastructure

No one knows what was built on Rhongomyniad in the past. All that was found when the people of Afallon arrived post-Wild Wall was a smattering of ruined houses and a mostly-intact Titanic tower. As threats from the Wild Wall began to manifest, the Afallonian government took on the task of being the first line of defense and put intense resources into rebuilding the land. The tower was the first order of business, being repaired to working order over a decade.    At the same time, the nation began a campaign gathering soldiers, non-combat officers, missionaries, and citizen volunteers to develop what would be necessary for the island. As of now, this has grown to include multiple farms and sources of irrigation and plumbing, magical energy networks, various kinds of stores, crafters, and repair workers, along with libraries, schools, and various needs for civilizations that come essential, such as medical facilities.   Interestingly enough, the idea to turn Rhongomyniad Tower into a prison is comparatively recent, only first being floated around 344 EE, actively considered around 600 EE, and first being implemented in 729 EE, carrying until the modern day where it's used to contain the most heinous or politically disruptive criminals.

Districts

You can divide the settlement of Rhongomyniad into four distinct districts, which begin at Rhongomyniad Tower and expands westward, pointing towards the mainland, with each district growing larger than the rest.   
  • First, you could consider the tower itself a district. It's three miles wide and spirals upward another mile alone, with nearly five miles of underground development to boot. While most of the underground is utilized as the primary Prison, with the lowest levels being for the worst prisoners, some of the upper levels and even the beginning of the sub-terranean layer are used as on-site living for the guards, necessary facilities like baths, kitchens, and temples, along with libraries, laboratories, and infirmaries.
  • Closest to the tower is the Mawrth District, where soldiers' barracks, training grounds, storage warehouses, and certain smaller holding buildings are located. This is also the district with the largest farm plots, mostly around the tower, although the other districts are lined with orchards and plots. 
  • Next is the Residential District, where the rest of the soldiers and a majority of the civilians live. While there are a decent amount of single-family homes, especially for the wealthy erudite who live on the island, many are either interconnected homes or multi-home buildings such as townhomes or apartments.
  • Following that is the Operation District, which is where many of the operational businesses, bureaucratic buildings, infrastructural essentials, and citizen temples are. While some people live in this area, it's primarily business only.
  • Furthest from the tower, right on the coast, is the Arrival District, where city records are kept along with various shipment companies carrying in citizens, soldiers, prisoners, and various bits of merchandise and supplies.  

Assets

Being a military settlement first and foremost, there are weapons and supplies by the ton present in Rhongomyniad. not to mention the government supplied funds and items for both the city at large and the prison tower specifically.

History

No one knows who first created Rhongomyniad Tower. Its presence and name is the only clue there is, proving it is a creation of the lost Elder Kingdom that existed in the distant past of Afallon, lost long before the Era system began recording time all across Edda. Nothing was left, except a single inscription:  
Behold, the tower at the end of the world. If you are to rise, you shall take the duty of its defense, and the defense of all mankind from what lies beyond.
  Despite its age, the island was only found in 702 PE/298 Isolated Era, when Afallon like other nations went on a mad dash to officially claim and demarcate all previously held territories. While it was never explored by Afallonian hands, it was found in a classic ledger of Elder Kingdom cities.    After it was rediscovered, the government of Afallon almost immediately began a restoration project, as the size and integrity of the building were too good to pass up utilizing, and 20 years later Rhongomyniad was officially added into Afallon's territories. Just in time too, as the Wild Wall, which formed in 1000 PE, starting the Isolated Era, began to give presents to mainland Edda in the form of terrifying creatures known as Wall Beasts. Towering, fleshy, eldritch creatures that are most easily visible from the top of Rhongomyniad Tower, as it stretches high into the sky.    Military operations began soon after, as did the civilization structure of the island. Through the tumult of the ages, it's stayed rather consistent, being far off from any mainland and concerned with its own mission.    Around 729 EE, during the time leading up to the Exile's Din, the government of Afallon decided to utilize the tower as more than just a defensive unit, but also as a maximum security prison, keeping their deadliest and most feared prisoners deep underground, or as cannon fodder against the Wall Beasts should the time ever come to it. It wasn't a popular decision, but with the rise of more dissent due to the Antitheos, as well as the standard prisons filling up due to the occupation of The Giants Seat and the Grand Expulsion, it was a key opportunity for the government. It also allowed them to handily shuffle off political dissidents who were otherwise upstanding citizens yet critical of the Cabal and the operations of the government.   While several expose's and paradigm shifts due to changing Grand Seers have lessened the false imprisonment, its use as a harsh, almost tortuous prison in the middle of nowhere with only a city full of hand-picked soldiers and their supporters is still present, even if people like the current Grand Seer believe that manipulation of the prison is low, if even existent, it's far more prevalent than anyone would like to believe.

Points of interest

The biggest point of interest on the island of Rhongomyniad is the eponymous tower itself. Not only is it a relic of the mysterious Elder kingdom, the precursor civilization to that of Afallon that is mostly left washed away by the sands, but it's a massive structure capable of housing many thousands of functions, and ten times that in people. In the present day, it serves as a maximum security prison, military base, and watch tower.    What the main tower of Rhongomyniad observes is the closest edge of the Wild Wall. While contact with the world beyond the wall is impossible, sometimes strange creatures known as Wall Beasts spill from its chaotic form. While some land exists between Rhongomyniad and the edge of the wall it watches, most of the time the Wall Beasts are large enough to be visible, as the top of their form breaches the water as they stride along the ocean floor, or in rare cases they soar above or skate along the surface of the water. While the island has plenty of intricate farms, structures, and historical points, it's the tower and the rare peak across the wall it provides that draws in the most people, willingly or otherwise.

Architecture

Rhongomyniad Tower itself is crafted from Eldstone, a strange refined form of sandstone that modern Afallonians have only been able to closely match rather than fully recreating it. It's also built in a tall, spiraling fashion, with intricate room layouts and ventilation structures that stretch deep underground, a sign of advanced engineering and structural knowledge despite predating the Afallonian society and its erudition by a solid few millennia.    Other than that, the architecture tends to follow Afallonian standards, utilizing sandstone and clay with squared structures that utilize standard wood and plastar for the framework.

Geography

Rhongomyniad is mostly a flat island, except for its east-most shore which is lined with tall, steep, slippery cliffside that tapers out on the north and south sides until you reach the west coast. The land is mostly healthy, with spots of earth that are inhospitable but usually contain clay deposits.

Climate

While Rhongomyniad is affected by the strange warm wind that circulates the Afallon region, it is on the fringes of the wave and affected by the cool breeze the rest of northern Edda faces. While the bite of the chill is still taken off, the island remains temperate and dry throughout the year, never really experiencing much change through the seasons.
Founding Date
Unknown, >8000 PE (Created), 722 PE (Settled)
Alternative Name(s)
Diweddglo, Death Sentence
Type
Military, Base
Population
12,183, not including 1,002 Prisoners
Inhabitant Demonym
Ron's
Owning Organization

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