Rodel

Rodel
REGION NAME's location (dark green) within the Amasynian Peninsula (light green), relative to Regal Province of Trae Kelsa (blue).
INFORMATION
Status:	Independent
Capital:	Arcturus - Seat of the First
Government:	Monarchy/Theocracy
Head of State:	First King Garneth - Lord of the Void
Demonym:	Rodellian
Population:	100,000 (est)
Currency:	None
Religion:	Order of the Void

Rodel is a medium sized island, some where to the south of the mainland. Only Aleksei River knows its exact location, and he is loathe to give it away.

Government

Military

The military of Rodel is not in the strength of its numbers, but rather in the kind of military it has. All magically active humans are required to be either in the military or priesthood.

Mundane - The mundane force of Rodel is a basic phalanx style infantry. Numbering a scant thousand in peace time, they are little more than a police force, charged with keeping the peace and dealing with what little crime exists on Rodel. Nominally, they are under the First Knight (The General), but realistically they report to the Sixth Knight (The Magistrate). During wartime or the threat of invasion, the numbers can swell to roughly five thousand, or more. All men above the age of 15 are trained in moderate weapon use. During the year, all men over the age of 22 and under the age of 31 are required to attend one month of military drilling and training. The exact timing depends on the trade of the person in question, and exceptions are made of there would be undo hardship placed on the family or if the person has a medical condition preventing this.

Geography

The Isle of Rodel is settled in the southern sea. It is far enough south to be considered temperate in climate, with pine and other hard wood trees that would be common to the Myrken area. Of course, the trees are mildly different, but the overall picture is the same. The island itself is surrounded almost completely by mountains. The range is called the Shield of Blood. The tops of the mountains have a strange effect that causes the snow to appear red in the winter months. It had neer been discribed, but legend says is the the mourning of the land for the countless lives that had been sacrificed by the Blood King during his reign. More likely is it is a strange property of the dirt and rock interacting with moisture from the snow.

The center of the island is a valley streaching from the coast to each foothill. Cutting down the center of the island, running from the northeast to the bay (more below) is the great River. The River is offically called Tamahariel, but is more often just call the River. In some places it is over seven hundred feet deep, and a half mile wide. This area is called Losh Tamahariel. (Note: Tahamariel can be translated as 'Life Giver, or Bringer of Life. Losh Tamahariel can be translated as the Cradle of the Life Giver, or the Birthplace of Life.)

Sitting is the south east area of the island is a two mile wide bay called Suthe-Tahamariel. The name of the bay shares its name with the large and lavish city situated there. The bay is extremely deep, beyond current measures to gauge. Even magical means fail. It is suspected there is a natural portal to the elemental plane of water at the bottom. Horseshoe shaped, the Tahamariel carves a half mile wide delta in this area, producing some of the richest farming land in the country. Suthe-Tahamariel can be translated as The End of Life, a name which will be explained in greater detail in the Cities Section.

The rest of the country is fairly nondescript, being mostly hilly farm land cut through with smaller creek sized tributaries of The River.