Panag Rho

Government & Religion

Government and religion are intertwined in Panag Rho, as the entire nation believes they owe their survival to Mae, goddess of plants and adopted patron of their land. They had no divine leader during the Age of Rule, as no god wanted to control such a jungle waste, so the nation remains highly decentralized. Nation, in fact, is a slight misnomer, for while the disparate villages of the jungle pay nominal fealty to the Guide, the spiritual leader, they are largely left to their own devices. The Guide rules from Dew Callon, regent until the hoped for return of Mae, tasked with keeping the people on a pious path, doing no harm to their sacred jungles.
The only law universally enforced across the nation is the ban on the use of wood for construction, an incredible sacrilegious act, showing no courtesy to their patron goddess. However, beyond that cardinal rule, the lives of the people of Panag Rho are left up to their individual villages. However, every five years, the village leaders, who also act as their people's Chief Priest, flock to the capital to hear the words of the Guide and in turn, their goddess. This meeting is generally mundane, but lays out the tenor for the year and path forward for the nation.
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Foreign Relations

al-Tahat

No known contact exists between Panag Rho and al-Tahat.

Anhara

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The Litoric Islands

The Litoric Islands are confined to occasional trading at Noragh Mur, the "Door to the Sea," a moderately-sized settlement at the entrance to the Mouth of Mae, the river leading to the capital. This is the only official contact permitted with the Islanders, however occasional adventurers are known to attempt landings along the northern coast.

The Northern Tribes

No known contact exists between Panag Rho and the Northern Tribes.

Culture

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Geography

To any foreigner, crossing into Panag Rho ("great jungle") must seem like entering a new plane of existence. Here, the time of day matters not, for great trees with canopies as solid as the ground blot out the sky. Creatures more diverse than anything seen across all the other nations of the world wander the land, from fish walking across land to waters so full of multi-colored snakes they appear to be a rainbow from afar. To outsiders, Panag Rho appears to be a dark and impenetrable jungle, full of mysteries stranger than anywhere in the world, but to its many villages it is a gift from their goddess, providing life and nourishing its people.

Dunengat

The Dunengat region, or "Gate to the Mountains," is a ring of mountains surrounding the Pool of Mae, a large lake and alleged home of the goddess. The only way into the center of the enclosure is up the Mouth of Mae, the river flowing into the aforementioned lake. Here sits Dew Callon, "Seat of the God," from which the Guide nominally rules over the nation. In this sacred city, once per five years, the leaders of every village across Panag Rho come to hear the words of the Guide, and by proxy, their goddess, dictating the future of the nation. The only other major settlement in this region is Noragh Mur, the "Door to the Sea," the sole site of contact between Panag Rho and the Litoric Islands.

Ostbrim

The Ostbrim region, or "Path to the East," is the area immediately bordering what is known as Mae's Mountains to the Anharans or the Dunendewl, "Mountains of the God." This mountain range was said to have been erected by Mae herself to protect Panag Rho from Anhara, and keep them isolated. Thus, the villages in the area see it as their sacred duty to guard the holy jungles from the destructive forces to the east, and are the most heavily armed of the Rhogues. From here, the most fanatic believers originate, and often advocate for the Guide to allow holy war against Anhara. However, owing to their contact during raids, as well as through occasional trade with Aethport, this region is the most internationally minded of Panag Rho.

Dwo Pagh

The Dwo Pagh region, or "Between Two Rivers," is precisely that. Between the rivers of Lan-Aflan to the south and Dunen-Aflan to the north, this region is highly self-contained. It is one of the most culturally distinct of the areas within Panag Rho, as it is the only one to widely practice seafaring. Most of its residents live close to the rivers, lake, or sea, as well as own fishing vessels from which they supply themselves with food. Some, in violation of national rules but with local consent, trade with the southern coast of Anhara.

Panag Lagh

The Panag Lagh region, or "Longest Jungle," is the largest and most isolated part of Panag Rho. This region plays host to numerous coastal villages who allegedly pay tribute to a large city deep in the jungle. While they all attend the Guide in Dew Callon, they are looked upon with suspicion, as their ultimate leader is unknown to Panag Rho as a whole, and travel into the depths of their jungle is forbidden to their countrymen. Rumors and legends say they are led by Vile, one of The Obscure Ones, and profane the gods in general and Mae in particular with barbaric acts and sacrilegious practices.

Type

Jungle