Rydia
Founded as a rebellion against the Calian empire before it collapsed, and the remnants became Faris and Acherene. Rydia has had many bitter wars with Faris for the past 450 years, but has recently found a more lasting peace of 16 years strong.
Although Rydia is by and large supported by their sprawling fields of grain, rydian culture is very focused on art. There is a set of beliefs prevalent particularly in the capitol city that wealth is something that can be earned, lost, and earned again, all in a course of any mans life, and that when one comes into wealth, the noblest use of that wealth is to create art.
For this reason, the capitol city of Rydia, The Shining City , is considered the cultural heart of the continent, as well as a popular destination for the masses aspiring to riches.
Rydians often call their city "The greatest city in this or any age", and this is a commonly held conviction in the region.
Although, like most of Isera, Rydia is polytheistic by nature, a few gods cover most of the areas of worship in the region. Rydia has large cathedrals to Iris, Evander and Erindith, and Valna, a provincial city, has a cathedral to Hood . Thassa is also commonly worshiped in the region, mostly by farmers and sailors, and Nero is often worshiped by the nobility.
Structure
Liander V is the king of Rydia, although most of the power resides with the guilds. Among those, Amanass, leader of the Rydian Trade Guild, the guild in charge of grain export, is the most powerful. A few other of the more influential guilds include the White Rose (Also known the Artists Guild), Sabins Adventurer Guild, The Agricultural Union, and the Guild of Wine and Spirits. All of these guilds are based in (or on the outskirts of, in the case of the Guild of Wine and Spirits) The Shining City, the capital city of Rydia.
Although there they are not granted power in any official capacity, certain religious orders and temples have a strong sway and following in the affairs of the country. The most powerful religious sects in Rydia include the church of Erindith, the temple of Hood, and of course the church of Evander, the last having powerful ties to the Rydian Trade Guild.
When a Rydian king or queen dies, the next leader is decided upon from a group of nobles that have the aspiration, usually sponsored by a guild. They are then voted upon until two candidates remain. The last two will then traditionally duel for the throne. This is to "Let the gods have a say" in who rules the country.
Demography and Population
Territories
Rydia covers the entire The Luminous Vale and the surrounding rivers and lakes, bordering by Serpent Lake in the south, the Dragon Mountains in the north and west and the Shimmering Wastes in the east.
Military
Rydia boasts a modest standing army, but has never had to use it. The most prized soldiers are the Lion Guard, an elite squadron of griffon mounted knights.
Agriculture & Industry
Rydia is the foremost agricultural power in Isera, due both to the richness of the soil and the weather conditions offering multiple harvests over the year. This is where most of the power and wealth of the region is generated, and has only expanded over the last 30 years as Faris has begun to import larger quantities of grain and wine.
Trade & Transport
Rydians have had to employ many manners of transportation over the years to manage their ever growing supply of grains which they send all over the world.
Barges and horse-drawn carriages are the most common way they manage this.
The richest of nobles as well as the kings royal knights ride Griffons, to the shock and awe of the common folk.
Founding Date
2488
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Capital
Demonym
Rydians
Leader
Major Exports
The countries main exports are grain of many different kinds, wine, beer, honey, fruit and art. Horses of a great pedigree are also sold in Rydia.
Major Imports
Rydia has imported gold, minerals and gemstone from the Dwarves of Gromril for most of the kingdoms history.
They are one of the only countries on the continent to maintain trade with the Moranth for spices and other rare goods.
They have recently (within the last 30 years) begun trading with Faris for iron, steel, and meat.
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Comments