Rintyar

The Rintyari Empire
Capital	Norai
Largest city	Bokrai
Official languages	Rintyessa
Recognised national languages	Rintyessa, Rintyari Drow Language, Ranstreimosi Common
Demonym(s)	Rintyari
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
• Empress	Kaimara Nictores
• Prime Minister	Satara Vintres
Legislature	Parliament
Establishment
• Establishment of the Empire	1456
Population
• 2020 estimate	191,000,000
Time zone	MST
Driving side	right

Rintyar is a Constitutional Monarchy located in Mystria. Established in the aftermath of the War of the Dozen Queens, the Rintyari Empire has ruled the land of Rintyar and several minor colonial holds for around 600 years. In spite of the efforts of the reigning Nictores household's efforts to limit their own power, particularly that of Empress Kaimara, they ultimately still hold considerable sway over the nation's many policies.

History

Myth and Remains

Rintyar, a name derived from one of the oldest known worshipped goddesses of the Raizari people of Rintyar, seemingly has had Raizari, and elven ancestors living on the island and surrounding smaller landscapes since two hundred million years ago. Numerous tools, skeletons, and graves have been uncovered. Sometime around 8,000 BCE, elven hunter-gatherer groups appeared to settle down, establishing several ancient cities of which only the scantest of clues remain. These cities would encompass many chunks of the island, ruled over largely by elves. By some point around 6,000 BCE, these cities, largely made of stone, would seemingly be abandoned, few used by the larger Raizari that remained. Over time, they would seemingly forget all but the most antiquated myths about these wild, thin men and women, their power over the earliest and wildest of magics seemingly expansive. The Raizari themselves, half-reptillian humanoids, would become the dominant species henceforth as they spread across the entire island.

The first major empire to have had records and history preserved to some extent was the Ketresi Queendom, established sometime in 2000 BCE and their earliest ruler an alleged descendant of the goddess Onashey. Much of the early myths of their family were told orally, and preserved later in the epic poem Dilyssa, one of the most culturally important early works for the Raizari. According to these texts, the Warrior-Queen Dilyssa united multiple villages and in the northern coasts and jungles together against the encroaching raiders from Ranstreimos and the far off lands of Catedon.

Ketres itself would flourish as a major trade hub for most of the Bronze Age, many more smaller empires and city-states establishing themselves across the island's coast. Much of the island's initial economy was born on trade, the wealthier Ranstreimosi buying many of Rintyar's otherwise more plentiful resources. Ironically, this early trade may have contributed to later Rintyari attempts to subjugate the neighboring island, to often mixed results.

For a period between the late bronze age and the early iron age, history and records in Rintyar grow incredibly scarce. Many cities appear to have also been abandoned during the period. What few records remain afterwards speak about a group known only as the Sea Raiders, speaking of a horde of dark armored horrors burning much of the land to the ground, with little to no records related to them left beyond their apparent veneration of the Hound and the Serpent, and heavy use of chariots, heavily armored axemen, and many unique creatures. Findings of ancient mass graves containing Raizari and unknown, humanoid creatures seem to confirm that there was some form of major conflict, oftentimes concluding with the winning army massacring their surviving foes.

From the ashes of this brutal and largely unknown conflict came the rule of Queen Avora of Velitar. Born in the eponymous city-state as its successor, Velitar was one of the few major queendoms and states to have survived the conflict in some form, having struck a decisive blow against their dreaded Sea Raider foes after unknown periods of unending destruction, having wiped them so thoroughly that, according to the many elaborate enscriptions on her family's Tomb Shrine, she had wiped them and their foul taint from all existence, leaving Rintyar free of their influence. Several records show that one of the final battles took place near the former city Sheyana, though efforts to further study recent excavations were ended by the destruction of the site by the Catedonian War.

Regardless, Avora of Velitar would come the closest to truly and wholly uniting Rintyar earliest, owning much of the island by 1000 BCE. Her untimely death, however, would ultimately split her Queendom apart into smaller polities, each vying for control or coexisting in relative peace for centuries.

The Makari Period

After the rout of much of the Thalassian forces present in the mainland in 450 CE, the allied warladies would ultimately establish a loose confederation, much of the land split between them. Termed the Queendom of Rintyar, it was during this period that Rintyar would experience a fragile peace within itself and against outsiders, with the major Raizari Clans all only loosely allied in practice by the possibility of a return of the Thalassian invaders. Ultimately, all were still subservient to the Velictres, who had amassed a healthy amount of land and warriors at their disposal, and controlled much of the most valuable iron trade with the underdark inhabitants.

It was also during this point that the worship of the Goddess Makari would slowly begin to trump the Six Goddesses, if only in popularity amongst the newly established noble families. Preaching a more stratified, caste-like society, the Makari faith spread through the noble clans, barring a few standout adherents of the 6 Goddesses such as the Nictores.

Serious reform, religious and cultural, came as a result. The Six Goddesses were now exclusively referred to by their Rintyari names and reverted to ancient customs by the decree of their cult leadership, both out of demand by their gods and perhaps out of a desire by said leadership to separate their own gods from the Thalassians, believing the latter to have attempted to utterly supplant the Six Goddesses. The Thalassian servile trade was retained, though opposed vehemently by now increasingly shunned Tsaran cults who had fought to eradicate it in the first place.

As a result of the recent calamities and destructive nature of the fighting, much of the standing armies of the auxiliaries that pledged allegiance to the newly established Queendom of Rintyar were disbanded, their most veteran and promising warriors kept as retainers or veteran warriors for the many clans. Each clan family would now be responsible for supplying their own armies and soldiers to maintain their own lands and to pledge to any campaigns by the ruling Queen of Rintyar.

As a result of both of this decentralization and clan rivalries, Rintyar became far more insular from the period of 500-700 AD. Brief inconclusive skirmishes with remaining Thalassian forces would also ensue, little ground gained or lost in the overall fighting for much of the period. Trade would otherwise continue as normal with other Dragon Sea polities.

The Imperial Period

The Imperial Period refers specifically to the immediate 100 years after the rise of Empress Kaimara historically. The early half of the Imperial Period is largely characterized by reconstruction and rebuilding of much of Rintyar, now devastated by several years of warfare. As the Empire rebuilt and soon centralized its power, it would nonetheless establish a burgeoning tax system to help fund reconstruction of the more devastated parts of the Empire. One of the most notable creations from this funding was the rebuilding of the Temple of Tsara in Bokrai, both so that Empress Kaimara could personally pray to the Goddess for aid, and as compensation for the Tsaran Monks' aid during the War of the Dozen Queens.

Emancipation efforts were also followed through with, much of the slaves of the old Makari system turned into freewomen, and the practice of Slavery fully outlawed. This would inadvertedly also trigger a brief conflict with the Drow of the Undercity of Cylakadaemos, albeit one limited by both's distance to one another. This war would end in Rintyar's favor, with the ancient Undercity raided and much of its slaves immigrating above ground.

Men's Rights were also expanded, as men were now allowed to own and inherit property and could now legally be considered a head of the household in the event of their partner being deceased.

Geography

Geographically, Rintyar is a varied mixture of dense jungles, mountaintops, hilly terrains and plains.

Climate

Rintyar's climate is as varied as it is treacherous, filled with a heavy wet period and longer dry seasons. These alternating events provide much of the island with fertile soil and plenty of fauna, adding to it's humidity and warmth. While much of it has been pacified and cultivated throughout history, some of the more inhospitable jungles and mountains still remain relatively untamed, preserved by efforts by both druidic orders and environmentalists .

Politics and Government

Rintyar is currently a Constitutional Federal Monarchy, dozens of provinces all tied directly to the Imperial Rintyari Government. There is a Bicameral Parliament made up of the Noble Council and the Elected Council, the former consisting largely of nobility and other esteemed individuals selected by the Empress herself and the latter consisting of elected representatives from each province. In practice, the Noble Council has gradually lost many of its powers as a result of democratic reforms either pushed by the Elected Council or by Empress Kaimara herself, though the Liberty Party has promised reforms to increase their power in recent years.

Military

Rintyar has a lengthy military history, stretching to the earliest discovered battles in archeological finds from the stone age to the oldest epic poems of the ancient world, speaking of ancient battles between goddesses and bitter lovers turned fighters. The current Rintyari military traces its origin to the Nictores' Clan army and other surrendering forces that allied themselves to the newly crowned Empress, soon reworked into the Imperial Rintyari Armed Forces.

Imperial Rintyari Army

Consisting of approximately 1,265 million overall individuals, the IRA is the largest branch of the Armed Forces. Tasked with primarily defending the people of Rintyar, the Throne of the Nictores, and the land of Rintyar at large from perils beyond and within its borders, they are a modern, well-equipped force, albeit receiving less funding and equipment than the IRN in large parts.

While nowhere near as extravagantly funded as the Navy, the Imperial Army nonetheless maintains a high readiness rate against any potential Thalassian or foreign threats to Rintyar and its holdings. Although reliant on conscription to meet its hefty manpower requirements, it nonetheless holds a solid and strong foundation of volunteers and career soldiery in the 21st century.

Imperial Rintyari Navy

The most well-funded branch of the armed forces, the IRN is a significant powerhouse dedicated with protecting Rintyar and its allies against the many threats that may potentially face it. With several Carrier groups, combat flotillas, Marine Regiments and Aeronautical Warships at their disposal, they are extravagantly funded, all deemed as necessary after centuries of threats from Thalassium and concerns about the encroaching Crown Alliance.

With 600 surface vessels currently in service, the IRN is a significant ally within the Dragon Sea Alliance, and is committed to the security of both Rintyar and all DSA member-states.

Foreign Relations

As a member of the Dragon Sea Alliance, Rintyar nonetheless retains serious independence in its foreign affairs, operating dozens of embassies across Mystria and other regions. Notably however, relations with Thalassium remain hostile and in a state of cold war, with the Rintyari military always on the lookout for aggressive actions by their ancient enemies.

Economy

The Rintyari economy was largely agricultural in nature, with smaller but very competitive industrial, technological, and sectors. Historically, much of Rintyar was developed largely around exploiting its bountiful farmland, with exploitation of its resource rich mountains largely done historically by slaves and prisoners in open pit mining. It was only around the Rintyari Industrial Revolution that the rapid expansion of these mining operations began. It's from this that much of Rintyar's current production of metals and mining of rare earth metals sprung, bolstering the economy further.

Transport

Although featuring a robust state funded public transportation system, albeit one largely restricted to travel between cities and towns, the average Rintyari prefers to move around in their own personal automotive transports. In spite of the relatively limited landmass of Rintyar, automobiles remain an important part of Rintyari culture and lifestyle, as more and more people commute to work from a small town to a larger city every year, and funding for public transportation across the empire has declined due to low support among the voting public.

Religion

A vast majority of the Rintyari overland religion believes in some variation of the Seven Goddesses Pantheon. Approximately 52 percent of the nation in particular is devoted primarily to the Goddess Tsara, with only 4 percent of the population following the Goddess Ensa by contrast. The Seven Goddesses are loosely unified into a pantheon, each regarded with varying degrees of importance depending on one's profession and personal beliefs.

Tsara, the Mother Goddess, is revered significantly by most Rintyari in one way or another as the creator of Rintyar and Earth, with the Raizari being most blessed with her features. She is the goddess of Fertility, Life, and Marriage, and the most heavily worshipped of the Seven Goddesses Pantheon. As the primary Goddess of the Pantheon in most Rintyari's eyes, she has very few cult followers, though those that follow her are blessed with great healing magic and virility. Most wedding charms feature her likeness in some form or another.

Isura, the Sea Goddess, is revered by sailors and those who live by the coast, both out of a genuine respect and fear of the wrath of the ocean. Mother of all sealife, worship of Isura varies greatly between genuine admiration and sacrifice, and hexes and wards to protect against her foul temperament and slimy creatures that dwell in the dark. Said to be tempermental at the best of times, the coastal cities offer her rituals and festivals to avoid her wrath, but in her foulest mindset no such thing helps against the growing tide.

Shona, the War Goddess, is revered primarily by soldiers, metalworkers and engineers, and created no life of her own unlike the rest of the Pantheon. Her domain is war in all its forms, as well as the crafting of tools and fortresses. Her cult focuses primarily on its warrior priesthood, engaged in endless mock battle and joining the various military branches as elite warriors, when they're not crafting and perfecting the art of weaponry or architecture, in search of a fortress against earthquakes.

Sen, the Harvest God, was once the second most revered god in the pantheon until the recent agricultural revolutions of Rintyar. Creating wheat, fruits, boars and birds, he is prayed to by farmers, chefs and the lower class in general, for he is associated with good luck and hard labor. His cult comprises much of the farmers and farmhands of Rintyar, and almost all agricultural machines in rintyar bear his likeness in some form as a good omen.

Ensa, the Death Goddess, is revered only by the macabre, the coroner, and the particularly grim doctor. Her domains are sickness, death, and decay, it is from her that fungus, flies and mold were created, intended to feast upon and return the dead back into the soil if not preserved. She guards the path to the afterlife jealously, determining who moves on and who is devoured by miasma depending on their acts in life.

While all of these are revered, Rintyari cultural cynicism places an emphasis on never relying on them, least of all the most temperamental of the goddesses, for that path leads to consistent disappointment. Their relative silence in recent years according to their cults has only furthered this take among the more irreverent.

Culture

Cuisine

Rintyari cuisine, as with much of Rintyari culture, has been heavily shaped by its neighbors as a result of its long history of trading. It is characterized by a heavy emphasis on pork, fish, and rice, with rice in particular being part of almost every meal in Rintyar in various forms.

Standout international dishes include Sweet Pork Soup, made with rice noodles and various forms of pork cuts, with a somewhat sweet and spicy broth for flavor. Once largely constrained to the nobility as a common dish, it is now one of the most popular items in most Rintyari restaurants.

Seafood makes another significant staple of Rintyari food, with it being spread to all but the most mountainous or secluded areas of Rintyar. With a heavy amount of freshwater and saltwater animals to hunt, Rintyar hosts a very diverse variety of seafood dishes, with many regional variations based around both a given city's preferred fish or the availability of certain seafood in a given area.