Gendarme

[IC/OOC] God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

To those involved with this role-play, I have a question. It's just so that we can get a slightly better feel about our factions and what others may think of them. What popular stereotypes do you think folks in other Fiorentinan states have about the people in your faction?

Here, I'll offer up a couple for Reheba. "They'll eat almost anything!"
"They'll lick the shoes of any cardinal given the chance."

[IC/OOC] God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

Nation Sheet

Kingdom of Reheba

Nation Overview

Nation Overview

The Kingdom of Reheba is ruled by Edwyn II, a pious and fairly content widower whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth living child. When this happened Edwynn was distraught, but eventually found comfort in the church and its teachings. Edwyn II has two boys by the names of Ainsely and Radford. Edwynn also has four daughters, Juliana, Noreen, Synne, and Greta. All of the children are middle-aged or in their late twenties by now, and with Edwyn nearing his 67th birthday, the question on the minds of many of his subjects is whether he will die anytime soon. If so, the eldest son Ainsely will probably come to power. Ainsely is much like his father in that he is a content individual, though he is a zealot who refuses to tolerate heresy and other religions. His brother Radford is the youngest of the two sons. An ambitious man and alleged schemer, many question if he will try and take the throne for himself on his father's passing.

Chancellor - The chancellor of Reheba is Cardinal John Whaler, who is also the archbishop of Kingstead. He is newly appointed as a cardinal, and in general tries to be polite and kind given his circumstances, but he has anger issues. He is not fond of corruption.

Steward – The steward of Reheba is also the Duke of Behr, named Thomas Ergurd. He is good with money, and has made efforts to help the economy of Stervon. He is gluttonous, but has some semblance of table manners. Thomas is usually straightforward and to the point.

Admiral Oswald Guilds is the admiral of Reheba. He is known for his efforts to help eliminate piracy near Reheban shores. Oswald likes the concept of chivalry in stories only, and is himself a peasant who worked his way up from a sailor to his current position. He is ambitious and concerned about his image. He desires to be in the pages of history.

Marshal – Alfred Hunter is a humble and devout man who seeks to better the army he commands. This has led to some clashes with the nobility dominated cavalry, but he has been met with more success in the infantry. He grew up in the same town as Oswald Guilds, and the two have been rivals since their adolescence. He is also a peasant by birth.

Reheba has been transitioning from the feudal system into an absolute monarchy. Though few nobles other than the royal family are happy with this state of affairs, as they do not have as much power as they once did.

Geography

Map Claim/Geography

Reheba is colored in orange. The large island is named Reheba, and the smaller island is called Behr.



Kingstead - The capital of the Reheban kingdom, Kingstead was founded after the adoption of feudalism by the southwestern chiefdoms. The city sits a safe distance away from where the Stavolt river and the ocean meet, but it is not so far away as to make a journey to the ocean or the river particularly costly or dangerous. Much of the industry of gunsmiths and artillery foundries can be found here, in addition to an ornately decorated cathedral dedicated to St. Fiorentino.

Belfry - The city of Belfry was formed from two close but separate villages 450 years ago. It is named such because both villages and their lords tried to build a taller belfry than the other, and thus technically gain a larger church. Constant renovations and additions were done to the two church's belfries for a time. It required the intervention of the local bishop to finally stop the rivalry, which had later become violent. Belfry is known for the production of fine leather and the mild cheeses associated with Reheba. It is also home to a fishing and shipbuilding industry.

Trale - Trale is an inland city which sits near fertile land. To the northeast sits a mountain that gives the city its name. The surrounding villages around Trale produce much of its wool and food crops. In the mountains the soil is poor for most food crops, and livestock is raised instead. In the mountains there is a significant amount of iron.

Hance - Named after an ancient hero who supposedly fought a sea monster (Some question the veracity of this story) It is a hotspot for trade, and is known for its shipyards and at one point, its large forests. It has a fishing industry, and a few coal mines in the villages to its west

Eelstone - Eelstone is named such due to a geological oddity. At one point there existed a large, curvy stone, and at first glance and from far away it would have looked like a giant snake or eel. Hence the name. The stone was later taken apart and used for housing. Eelstone has a large fishing industry, and is home to an equally large shipbuilding industry. There was once a substantial forest around Eelstone, but it has almost become uneconomical to pursue cutting down the trees of this forest, as it has been dwindling for some time.

St. Adalberos - Where St. Adalberos first touched Reheban soil, and where he did much of his early preaching and writing. Pilgrimages to the city are common for Rehebans. There is a cathedral named after Adalberos in the city, and in this cathedral lie his remains. Being a coastal city, St. Adalberos has a fishing industry. It sits north of the Calm mountains, which is known for holding precious gems and coal.

Stervon - "Stervon" is an old Reheban word meaning "Whale." The story of why Stervon was named "Whale," is not known for sure, but many speculate it is because long ago men from Stervon hunted whale, as they do today. Stervon is the largest and only city on the island of Behr. Stervon has some timber in the hills north of it. Stervon, being on the coast, has a fishing and shipbuilding industry.

Being an island nation, the weather in Reheba is usually wet. The western sea is rumored to hold sea monsters and is a cause for much discussion. To the south of St. Adalberos sit the Calm mountains, a mountain range which holds much timber, coal, and precious gems. The problem with gathering timber and other resources in the Calm mountains however is that it is rugged and difficult to traverse terrain, making resource extraction arduous. A string of villages and a couple of towns lie in the Calm mountains, but apart from this the Calm mountains are not populated. The Trale mountains near the city of Trale in contrast are more populated.

Reheba's forests are turning into grassland, and most forests that aren't in the process of being cut down are preserved because they are in hard to reach places, such as in the mountains or some valleys. Other forests that survive are used for hunting ground for the nobility above all else, and the penalties for cutting the timber here is stiff.

History

History

Rehebans have always been, as far as the records show, on the island of Reheba and the smaller island of Behr. The island was originally dominated by various tribal chiefdoms vying for power. Religion was pagan, with the worship of multiple gods and in some rare cases human sacrifice. It is no small wonder then that the Ambrusian church sent missionaries to Reheba to convert them from their heathen ways.

A notable Fiorentian missionary, and by the far the most successful was a monk from the Ardäin by the name of Adalberos. Captured from his monastery by Reheban raiders and forced to write of their glory on vellum, he adopted some aspects of Reheban life, and spoke to other slaves and even a few chiefs in parables about the greatness of God and his servant St. Fiorentino. Abalberos regarded his growing flock with much care, and he was an affectionate and overall decent man as far as the texts describe him. Indeed, the Fiorentinan religion spread across Reheba peacefully during his lifetime, and feudalism would be adopted a few hundred years later in some former chiefdoms. Adalberos was eventually canonized as a saint by the church for bringing the Fiorentinan religion to Reheba, and while it would take a few more generations for the Forentinan faith to truly grow and prosper, Adalberos had opened up the floodgates for other missionaries and holy men to come to Reheba.

By the time of Adalberos' arrival, a new enemy of the Reheban chiefdoms would rear its head for the first time. Raiders from the current day duchy of Örst on the southern coast of current day Cordonova had attacked Reheban vessels and raided a small fishing village near where the city of Hance is today. A long and sporadic war would go on for centuries. Truces were signed from time to time, and even a few peaces in some chiefdoms. Though fighting would always resume under another chiefdom, and peaces were at times broken.

By the medieval period, when Reheba was united by feudalism and the Fiorentinan religion, most people from Reheba viewed the Örstans as enemies to be brought to heel. The war had a chance to become steady, if only because some Reheban nobility now saw war more and more as an opportunity for increasing their own power on the mainland. Most Reheban nobility however had become sick of war, and wanted to spend their gold on more fruitful things. So to end the longstanding rivalry between Rehebans and Örstans, a marriage between a Reheban noble, and an Örstan noble was decided.

Another notable saint appeared during the time of Feudalism by the name of Hugh. Hugh was raised by a group of monks at an early age after he was left on the doorstep of their monastery. Trained well in theology, when the first major heresy broke out in northern Reheba, Hugh went out and openly argued against them. He converted a few back to the faith, but he was martyred by the orders of the heresiarch. After Hugh's death, the temporal forces in the evolving but still divided land called for a holy war, and with the aid of the church the heresy was crushed. Soon after these events, the first lords of the Roguelin dynasty would come to power, and gradually start unifying Reheba.

At around the time when feudalism had become dominant, the empire which had unified a large sum of the Antovan continent had decided that Reheba would make a fine vassal. Facing the empire’s larger army and navy, the Rehebans had two options before them; accept the rule of these foreigners, or fight. The Roguelin dynasty had at this point unified most of Reheba, but a few chiefdoms in the south resisted both the Roguelin kingdom and the empire. So the Roguelin king of the time made a deal with the potential invaders.

He would kneel before the emperor in fealty in exchange for their help with these troublesome southern chiefdoms. Having a much larger army and navy to assist them, the Rehebans who had adopted feudalism warred against their countrymen who had not to take their land. The empire took on Reheba as a vassal, and gave it a good degree of autonomy so long as it would pay its taxes and offer support in time of war. As the empire waned in strength however, the Rehebans became more and more unruly. Eventually the cry of independence rang out throughout Reheba, and Reheban men took up arms against the men of the empire. The war was successful for the Rehebans, and the next Roguelin king would ruthlessly put down any opposition he saw to his rule so as to keep the kingdom unified.

Reheba existed as a unified kingdom 400 years ago on the island of Reheba. The kingdom was prosperous and rich until the seventh king of the Roguelin dynasty died. Three of his four sons, rather than submit to their new king, warred against their brother for the throne. The eldest brother was exiled and his land split among his younger siblings. For seventy years these small kingdoms would wage war, each trying to unify Reheba. The Roguelin dynasty would eventually wither away due to a mixture of treachery, lack of male heirs, and inbreeding. The next major line of royalty in Reheba would be the Hewlett line, which would go on to become kings through rebellion while the coffers of the southwestern kingdom were bare. They did this by manipulating the peasants to fight for them, claiming they would give them more rights.

The new Hewlett king Godric would give the peasants a few more rights, and he did so "gladly and with haste." What probably helped him make this decision was that there were now armed peasants in his land. Godric's successors would go on to incrementally grab counties and the occasional duchy of the two neighboring kingdoms until Reheba was somewhat whole. Godric's successor, Alfred the strong, allied with the Vohemian monarch of the time and offered them some land in the rival eastern kingdom if they would help with the war. Up until the last century a substantial stretch of land belonged to the landed nobility of Vohemia. A mixture of economic pressure and threats over the years from Reheban lords caused the Vohemian nobility of this strip of land to evict themselves from Reheban soil at the end of the last century.

The Hewletts reign to this day.

Society

Society

Reheba is known for its mild cheeses and few dietary restrictions. In fact, almost any animal can be eaten in Reheban culture without the fear of social stigma save for dogs, cats, small rodents, frogs, toads, and various arachnids and insects. Whale is a delicacy among the nobility, as is seal. Magic is regarded as rare and perplexing. The services of a wizard are seldom used by most people, and many wizards keep their magical abilities secret. Some wizards aid or cause damage to the communities they live in, but it is done within secret.

Rehebans usually aid the Ambrusian order when possible; partly out of fear, and partly out of devotion. The people tend to be pious and follow the will of the Ambrusian church. Heretical uprisings in Reheba were commonly known for their violence, the most notable example being the uprising that happened during St. Hugh’s time. That being the case, heresy is currently a cause for panicked hysteria in Reheba, followed by military intervention if a heretic community cannot be persuaded to return to the church.

Corruption exists in the church in Reheba; moral corruption, in friars and monks making visits to the brothels, in addition to financial corruption in the act of high-ranking clergymen siphoning off church donations for their own lavish lifestyles. These two are but a few examples. At the same time however, there exists a group of clergymen who resist corruption within the church, and intend to try and help make reforms from within, while still attempting to remain true to the Ambrusian church.

In Reheban culture many traits are admired, but some of the most important are diligence, loyalty, piety, compassion, and humility. In times of war, practicality is considered to be very important, and this is one of the reasons why gunpowder and its various deadly expressions were so readily adopted. With the nobility however, the usual ideal of practicality during warfare has taken a backseat to personal glory and pride, which is one of the reasons why the cavalry is so inefficient and outdated.

A Reheban saying around most coastal towns and in some places further inland is, "The anchor has dropped." The saying means that something is done with finality, or that a deed is finished. The Rehebans that aren’t too busy working, praying, or fighting oftentimes see fit to trade with the other denizens of Antova. A few people have suggested prodding at the mists of the western sea, and a few other people have in turn suggested that there is nothing far to the west but death. It is a heated topic about what lies far to the west to say the least.

Economy/Industry

Economy/Industry

Reheba has a considerable sum of subsistence farmers, but there are also a few commercial farmers. The majority of commercial farmers raise sheep or cows, though they primarily raise sheep. Reheban craftsman guilds have many well-designed and well made products, and the secrets of how these are made are somewhat well guarded. What could cripple Reheba is their reliance on various metals and timber that they simply don't have or are running out of.

The economy is somewhat weakened by the gluttony of the Royal family and the extravagance of the nobility. Although generally a devout bunch, the Royal family is known for employing various monster hunters who once in a great while bring back live fantastical or exotic creatures to be eaten. Needless to say this decadence is looked down upon by the clergymen that aren’t gluttons themselves. The nobility is usually bribed or threatened so they don't get in the way of progress, but the bribes tend to be expensive, and can simply be money, or luxury goods. The latter is often preferred.

Reheba exports wool, iron, coal, leather, precious gems, and various weapons such as cannons and arquebuses.

Reheba imports sulfur, tin, and copper. It also imports luxury products for the nobility and the wealthy. Reheba is losing many forests due to a growing population and naval upkeep. It is highly likely timber will be imported soon.

Military

Military

Reheba has given gunpowder and artillery a loving embrace. Its navy is a strong one with a decent sum of galleons, but it is reliant on an ever dwindling supply of lumber at home. The navy was built primarily to help protect trading vessels, but it is also used to protect the island nation from attack. The cavalry has not been reformed in any meaningful way in years, and mounted-men-at-arms still dominate the cavalry. What this means is that only those that pay for their equipment or the nobility usually ride horses into battle. They often use lances or occasionally swords. Recently there has been talk of the crown paying for replacement horses should a man lose his in battle, but whether this will happen or not remains to be seen.

The Arquebusier is often accompanied by men who wield pikes and halberds, and the tercio formation is sometimes used in conjunction with the cavalry. Cannons are rarely used on the field, but are used on ships, in forts, and in old castles. They can sometimes be positioned around a settlement provided there is enough time, money, and labor to do so.

[IC/OOC] God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

I put in a couple of paragraphs about this empire and Reheba's relationship. Here is the nation sheet. I apologize that the shield isn't in the center. I'm still not very good with GIMP.

Nation Sheet

Kingdom of Reheba

Nation Overview

Nation Overview

The Kingdom of Reheba is ruled by Edwyn II, a pious and fairly content widower whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth living child. When this happened Edwynn was distraught, but eventually found comfort in the church and its teachings. Edwyn II has two boys by the names of Ainsely and Radford. Edwynn also has four daughters, Juliana, Noreen, Synne, and Greta. All of the children are middle-aged or in their late twenties by now, and with Edwyn nearing his 67th birthday, the question on the minds of many of his subjects is whether he will die anytime soon. If so, the eldest son Ainsely will probably come to power. Ainsely is much like his father in that he is a content individual, though he is a zealot who refuses to tolerate heresy and other religions. His brother Radford is the youngest of the two sons. An ambitious man and alleged schemer, many question if he will try and take the throne for himself on his father's passing.

Chancellor - The chancellor of Reheba is Cardinal John Whaler, who is also the archbishop of Kingstead. He is newly appointed as a cardinal, and in general tries to be polite and kind given his circumstances, but he has anger issues. He is not fond of corruption.

Steward – The steward of Reheba is also the Duke of Behr, named Thomas Ergurd. He is good with money, and has made efforts to help the economy of Stervon. He is gluttonous, but has some semblance of table manners. Thomas is usually straightforward and to the point.

Admiral Oswald Guilds is the admiral of Reheba. He is known for his efforts to help eliminate piracy near Reheban shores. Oswald likes the concept of chivalry in stories only, and is himself a peasant who worked his way up from a sailor to his current position. He is ambitious and concerned about his image. He desires to be in the pages of history.

Marshal – Alfred Hunter is a humble and devout man who seeks to better the army he commands. This has led to some clashes with the nobility dominated cavalry, but he has been met with more success in the infantry. He grew up in the same town as Oswald Guilds, and the two have been rivals since their adolescence. He is also a peasant by birth.

Reheba has been transitioning from the feudal system into an absolute monarchy. Though few nobles other than the royal family are happy with this state of affairs, as they do not have as much power as they once did.

Geography

Map Claim/Geography

Reheba is colored in orange. The large island is named Reheba, and the smaller island is called Behr.



Kingstead - The capital of the Reheban kingdom, Kingstead was founded after the adoption of feudalism by the southwestern chiefdoms. The city sits a safe distance away from where the Stavolt river and the ocean meet, but it is not so far away as to make a journey to the ocean or the river particularly costly or dangerous. Much of the industry of gunsmiths and artillery foundries can be found here, in addition to an ornately decorated cathedral dedicated to St. Fiorentino.

Belfry - The city of Belfry was formed from two close but separate villages 450 years ago. It is named such because both villages and their lords tried to build a taller belfry than the other, and thus technically gain a larger church. Constant renovations and additions were done to the two church's belfries for a time. It required the intervention of the local bishop to finally stop the rivalry, which had later become violent. Belfry is known for the production of fine leather and the mild cheeses associated with Reheba. It is also home to a fishing and shipbuilding industry.

Trale - Trale is an inland city which sits near fertile land. To the northeast sits a mountain that gives the city its name. The surrounding villages around Trale produce much of its wool and food crops. In the mountains the soil is poor for most food crops, and livestock is raised instead. In the mountains there is a significant amount of iron.

Hance - Named after an ancient hero who supposedly fought a sea monster (Some question the veracity of this story) It is a hotspot for trade, and is known for its shipyards and at one point, its large forests. It has a fishing industry, and a few coal mines in the villages to its west

Eelstone - Eelstone is named such due to a geological oddity. At one point there existed a large, curvy stone, and at first glance and from far away it would have looked like a giant snake or eel. Hence the name. The stone was later taken apart and used for housing. Eelstone has a large fishing industry, and is home to an equally large shipbuilding industry. There was once a substantial forest around Eelstone, but it has almost become uneconomical to pursue cutting down the trees of this forest, as it has been dwindling for some time.

St. Adalberos - Where St. Adalberos first touched Reheban soil, and where he did much of his early preaching and writing. Pilgrimages to the city are common for Rehebans. There is a cathedral named after Adalberos in the city, and in this cathedral lie his remains. Being a coastal city, St. Adalberos has a fishing industry. It sits north of the Calm mountains, which is known for holding precious gems and coal.

Stervon - "Stervon" is an old Reheban word meaning "Whale." The story of why Stervon was named "Whale," is not known for sure, but many speculate it is because long ago men from Stervon hunted whale, as they do today. Stervon is the largest and only city on the island of Behr. Stervon has some timber in the hills north of it. Stervon, being on the coast, has a fishing and shipbuilding industry.

Being an island nation, the weather in Reheba is usually wet. The western sea is rumored to hold sea monsters and is a cause for much discussion. To the south of St. Adalberos sit the Calm mountains, a mountain range which holds much timber, coal, and precious gems. The problem with gathering timber and other resources in the Calm mountains however is that it is rugged and difficult to traverse terrain, making resource extraction arduous. A string of villages and a couple of towns lie in the Calm mountains, but apart from this the Calm mountains are not populated. The Trale mountains near the city of Trale in contrast are more populated.

Reheba's forests are turning into grassland, and most forests that aren't in the process of being cut down are preserved because they are in hard to reach places, such as in the mountains or some valleys. Other forests that survive are used for hunting ground for the nobility above all else, and the penalties for cutting the timber here is stiff.

History

History

Rehebans have always been, as far as the records show, on the island of Reheba and the smaller island of Behr. The island was originally dominated by various tribal chiefdoms vying for power. Religion was pagan, with the worship of multiple gods and in some rare cases human sacrifice. It is no small wonder then that the Ambrusian church sent missionaries to Reheba to convert them from their heathen ways.

A notable Fiorentian missionary, and by the far the most successful was a monk from the Ardäin by the name of Adalberos. Captured from his monastery by Reheban raiders and forced to write of their glory on vellum, he adopted some aspects of Reheban life, and spoke to other slaves and even a few chiefs in parables about the greatness of God and his servant St. Fiorentino. Abalberos regarded his growing flock with much care, and he was an affectionate and overall decent man as far as the texts describe him. Indeed, the Fiorentinan religion spread across Reheba peacefully during his lifetime, and feudalism would be adopted a few hundred years later in some former chiefdoms. Adalberos was eventually canonized as a saint by the church for bringing the Fiorentinan religion to Reheba, and while it would take a few more generations for the Forentinan faith to truly grow and prosper, Adalberos had opened up the floodgates for other missionaries and holy men to come to Reheba.

By the time of Adalberos' arrival, a new enemy of the Reheban chiefdoms would rear its head for the first time. Raiders from the current day duchy of Örst on the southern coast of current day Cordonova had attacked Reheban vessels and raided a small fishing village near where the city of Hance is today. A long and sporadic war would go on for centuries. Truces were signed from time to time, and even a few peaces in some chiefdoms. Though fighting would always resume under another chiefdom, and peaces were at times broken.

By the medieval period, when Reheba was united by feudalism and the Fiorentinan religion, most people from Reheba viewed the Örstans as enemies to be brought to heel. The war had a chance to become steady, if only because some Reheban nobility now saw war more and more as an opportunity for increasing their own power on the mainland. Most Reheban nobility however had become sick of war, and wanted to spend their gold on more fruitful things. So to end the longstanding rivalry between Rehebans and Örstans, a marriage between a Reheban noble, and an Örstan noble was decided.

Another notable saint appeared during the time of Feudalism by the name of Hugh. Hugh was raised by a group of monks at an early age after he was left on the doorstep of their monastery. Trained well in theology, when the first major heresy broke out in northern Reheba, Hugh went out and openly argued against them. He converted a few back to the faith, but he was martyred by the orders of the heresiarch. After Hugh's death, the temporal forces in the evolving but still divided land called for a holy war, and with the aid of the church the heresy was crushed. Soon after these events, the first lords of the Roguelin dynasty would come to power, and gradually start unifying Reheba.

At around the time when feudalism had become dominant, the empire which had unified a large sum of the Antovan continent had decided that Reheba would make a fine vassal. Facing the empire’s larger army and navy, the Rehebans had two options before them; accept the rule of these foreigners, or fight. The Roguelin dynasty had at this point unified most of Reheba, but a few chiefdoms in the south resisted both the Roguelin kingdom and the empire. So the Roguelin king of the time made a deal with the potential invaders.

He would kneel before the emperor in fealty in exchange for their help with these troublesome southern chiefdoms. Having a much larger army and navy to assist them, the Rehebans who had adopted feudalism warred against their countrymen who had not to take their land. The empire took on Reheba as a vassal, and gave it a good degree of autonomy so long as it would pay its taxes and offer support in time of war. As the empire waned in strength however, the Rehebans became more and more unruly. Eventually the cry of independence rang out throughout Reheba, and Reheban men took up arms against the men of the empire. The war was successful for the Rehebans, and the next Roguelin king would ruthlessly put down any opposition he saw to his rule so as to keep the kingdom unified.

Reheba existed as a unified kingdom 400 years ago on the island of Reheba. The kingdom was prosperous and rich until the seventh king of the Roguelin dynasty died. Three of his four sons, rather than submit to their new king, warred against their brother for the throne. The eldest brother was exiled and his land split among his younger siblings. For seventy years these small kingdoms would wage war, each trying to unify Reheba. The Roguelin dynasty would eventually wither away due to a mixture of treachery, lack of male heirs, and inbreeding. The next major line of royalty in Reheba would be the Hewlett line, which would go on to become kings through rebellion while the coffers of the southwestern kingdom were bare. They did this by manipulating the peasants to fight for them, claiming they would give them more rights.

The new Hewlett king Godric would give the peasants a few more rights, and he did so "gladly and with haste." What probably helped him make this decision was that there were now armed peasants in his land. Godric's successors would go on to incrementally grab counties and the occasional duchy of the two neighboring kingdoms until Reheba was somewhat whole. Godric's successor, Alfred the strong, allied with the Vohemian monarch of the time and offered them some land in the rival eastern kingdom if they would help with the war. Up until the last century a substantial stretch of land belonged to the landed nobility of Vohemia. A mixture of economic pressure and threats over the years from Reheban lords caused the Vohemian nobility of this strip of land to evict themselves from Reheban soil at the end of the last century.

The Hewletts reign to this day.

Society

Society

Reheba is known for its mild cheeses and few dietary restrictions. In fact, almost any animal can be eaten in Reheban culture without the fear of social stigma save for dogs, cats, small rodents, frogs, toads, and various arachnids and insects. Whale is a delicacy among the nobility, as is seal. Magic is regarded as rare and perplexing. The services of a wizard are seldom used by most people, and many wizards keep their magical abilities secret. Some wizards aid or cause damage to the communities they live in, but it is done within secret.

Rehebans usually aid the Ambrusian order when possible; partly out of fear, and partly out of devotion. The people tend to be pious and follow the will of the Ambrusian church. Heretical uprisings in Reheba were commonly known for their violence, the most notable example being the uprising that happened during St. Hugh’s time. That being the case, heresy is currently a cause for panicked hysteria in Reheba, followed by military intervention if a heretic community cannot be persuaded to return to the church.

Corruption exists in the church in Reheba; moral corruption, in friars and monks making visits to the brothels, in addition to financial corruption in the act of high-ranking clergymen siphoning off church donations for their own lavish lifestyles. These two are but a few examples. At the same time however, there exists a group of clergymen who resist corruption within the church, and intend to try and help make reforms from within, while still attempting to remain true to the Ambrusian church.

In Reheban culture many traits are admired, but some of the most important are diligence, loyalty, piety, compassion, and humility. In times of war, practicality is considered to be very important, and this is one of the reasons why gunpowder and its various deadly expressions were so readily adopted. With the nobility however, the usual ideal of practicality during warfare has taken a backseat to personal glory and pride, which is one of the reasons why the cavalry is so inefficient and outdated.

A Reheban saying around most coastal towns and in some places further inland is, "The anchor has dropped." The saying means that something is done with finality, or that a deed is finished. The Rehebans that aren’t too busy working, praying, or fighting oftentimes see fit to trade with the other denizens of Antova. A few people have suggested prodding at the mists of the western sea, and a few other people have in turn suggested that there is nothing far to the west but death. It is a heated topic about what lies far to the west to say the least.

Economy/Industry

Economy/Industry

Reheba has a considerable sum of subsistence farmers, but there are also a few commercial farmers. The majority of commercial farmers raise sheep or cows, though they primarily raise sheep. Reheban craftsman guilds have many well-designed and well made products, and the secrets of how these are made are somewhat well guarded. What could cripple Reheba is their reliance on various metals and timber that they simply don't have or are running out of.

The economy is somewhat weakened by the gluttony of the Royal family and the extravagance of the nobility. Although generally a devout bunch, the Royal family is known for employing various monster hunters who once in a great while bring back live fantastical or exotic creatures to be eaten. Needless to say this decadence is looked down upon by the clergymen that aren’t gluttons themselves. The nobility is usually bribed or threatened so they don't get in the way of progress, but the bribes tend to be expensive, and can simply be money, or luxury goods. The latter is often preferred.

Reheba exports wool, iron, coal, leather, precious gems, and various weapons such as cannons and arquebuses.

Reheba imports sulfur, tin, and copper. It also imports luxury products for the nobility and the wealthy. Reheba is losing many forests due to a growing population and naval upkeep. It is highly likely timber will be imported soon.

Military

Military

Reheba has given gunpowder and artillery a loving embrace. Its navy is a strong one with a decent sum of galleons, but it is reliant on an ever dwindling supply of lumber at home. The navy was built primarily to help protect trading vessels, but it is also used to protect the island nation from attack. The cavalry has not been reformed in any meaningful way in years, and mounted-men-at-arms still dominate the cavalry. What this means is that only those that pay for their equipment or the nobility usually ride horses into battle. They often use lances or occasionally swords. Recently there has been talk of the crown paying for replacement horses should a man lose his in battle, but whether this will happen or not remains to be seen.

The Arquebusier is often accompanied by men who wield pikes and halberds, and the tercio formation is sometimes used in conjunction with the cavalry. Cannons are rarely used on the field, but are used on ships, in forts, and in old castles. They can sometimes be positioned around a settlement provided there is enough time, money, and labor to do so.

[IC/OOC] God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

Hey @Aristo, I've been done with the history of my nation for some time. I'm absolutely certain I can rewrite a few things, but I am wondering if it is acceptable for Reheba to have been in some regard independent or perhaps fairly autonomous when this empire was still around. Maybe it was an unruly vassal? Whatever's fine with you, I'm just thinking of a few ideas.

[IC/OOC] God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

Thank you for seeing this through Aristo. I'll put up my application once I'm done with it; I just need a few more finishing touches. I have the utmost trust that you will tell me if there is anything wrong with it should the need arise. I'm very excited to see what can come of this role-play!

God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

Well, I promised myself I'd wait until day three of no posts until I would post about this.

Is this role-play still going to happen? The interest check hasn't had a post in a good sum of time. Three days in fact. I don't mean to sound impatient, and if I do, you have my apologies, as it's not my intent. Still, I am curious about the progress of this role-play. Thank you for your time.

Let's Gush!

Double post. Ignore.

Let's Gush!

I wonder if I'd be resurrecting a thread by posting, but...I don't believe there's another thread around for something like this. So I'll post here!

I'm very fond of the Advanced section so far. I mean, I've only dipped my toe in the water so far, but the welcome was much more than I was expecting. They don't appear afraid to give criticism either, and in my meager experience so far, said criticism tends to be useful and rarely done with malice. Granted, I've only received a bit over a PM. I thought that in the best case scenario I'd be ignored, and in the worst case scenario treated as a joke. Which seems very silly in hindsight. For the longest time I thought the Advanced section was filled with rude and snobbish people. That was a generalization I had which was unfounded. If I had browsed the Advanced section more before, maybe my opinion would have changed sooner.

So to those who've given me a good welcome in the Advanced section, all I have to say is "Thank you." While I'm sure there are a few bad apples in the Advanced section, if the civil and kind attitude I've been subjected to is any indication, there are a lot less than I thought.

(I just kind of rambled on here. In summary what I'm trying to say is thanks to those who've offered me a polite welcome in the Advanced section.)

God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

@babbysama I was about to begin writing the Reheban perspective of the rivalry and eventual marriage, but I came across a stumbling block. I forgot to ask a question! Seeing as the duchy of Örst in the Duchy of Cordonova has some land on the southern coast, would the primary raiders from current day Cordonova be primarily from Örst? If so, what should they be referred to as? Thank you for your time, and sorry for not asking sooner!

God and Country - A low-fantasy renaissance NRP of religion and discovery

@babbysama I'll get to writing then!