Confederation of Ru' Mensh

Born from the Winter

Scholars aren't sure when exactly the ancestors of the modern Rumalians first arrived in the region, but it is well know that two different groups of humans merged together here during the Long Winter to form a single unified culture. According to local sages, one of those groups crossed over the north pole from the continent of Osian, but southern Scholars are skeptical of this.

Early Second Age

The first farms, towns and villages began proping up along the narga river and its tributaties during the first few centuries of the Second Age. At the same time, the small but growing Shapeshifters population in the region would start forming clans, and settle in more remote areas. By the year 1200 BC, the first true Halserats had begun to form, centered around the few larger cities, such as Odesna, Varso and Oltaren.

Religious Wars

Around that time, many Enaskian and Arrosian choranian countries launched a series of devastating religious wars againts the region. western Rumalia was hit especialy hard. Thousands of people were killed, many villages were burned, and even sack the city of Odesna. Most disturbingly, many young shapeshifters and elemental mages were kidnaped and brought to Enaskia to fuel the wars happening there. Finaly, after three long and bloody wars, spanning over 2 decades, the Rumalians would succeed in pushing them back south.

New Arrivals and Urban Growth

Around that same time, some Dragonkin Shapeshifter migrants arrived from Northern Enaskia, and first settled in the city of Yarval. Soon however, most had to move further east, and eventualy, would settle in the region known today as the Dragon's head, where they would form a distinct culture known as the skylians. In the following decades and centuries, other cities would be establish and start to grow slowly. The city of Nazor became a prominent port city thanks to its strategic location at the mouth of the Narga river, and the eastern point of the Thoskal sea. The city of Sazagar would also grow a lot during this time, becoming the region's main centre of trade.

Humans versus Shapeshifters

Meanwhile, especialy in Rumalia's more northern regions, some shapeshifter clans competed with human settlements for territory. While diplomatic solutions most often managed to resolve those conflicts, a few wars did break out, and some of them became very bloody affairs, especialy when larger clans refused to submit and be incorporated into human lead Halserats. Some clans, like the Wolfkins of the Iron hills, or the Dragonkins of the Dragon's head, proved to be too strong and entrenched to be merely absorbed, and would instead gradualy form their own independant Halserats over the following centuries.

The Unifications Wars

Throughout the next few centuries, the region would remain divided into numerous independent Halserats, each centered around a capital city and surounded by smaller towns, villages, and hamlets. Constant wars plagued the region, leading to famine and masses of refugies. The start of the war down south against the blight and the the Rekyan monsters it produced, would break that status quo. The king of Sazagar, the leader of the most powerful Halserat at this time, would start a conquest of all other principalities with the goal of unifying them under a single banner so the country could face this new threat.

United Rumalia

By the end of the Second Age, most of Rumalia had been unified, either by force or diplomacy. Once Sazagar started the war of unification and won against both Volgora and Karestad in less than 2 years, many halses voluntarily surendered to Sazagar's king, not wishing to spill any more rumalian blood for a war they knew couldn't be won. In the end, only the halserat of Oltaren, Harval and Skagos remained independant. Diplomacy eventualy worked for both Oltaren and Skagos and they would both join in 11 bc. However, the Halserat of Harval would resists for a decade more, before it was forced to join. After a thousand years of division, Rumalia was finaly unified under a single banner.

Golden Age

At the start of the Third Age, the newly formed Confederation of Ru'Menshi was relatively unstable, and a few rebelions erupted after the Great Unifier died, but his son managed to hold the realm together until the period of instability eventualy passed. The region would experience a long period of prosperity, which some local scholars have called a Golden Age. The absence of constant wars and the expansion of trade allowed both the cities, and the coutryside to grow rapidaly in population. By the year 200 AC, the region would surpass 10 million inhabitants for the first time in history.

The Continent's Peaceful Giant

However, the lack of internal war also allowed them to look beyond their borders more often. Thankfully for Rumalia's neighbours, the vast country is in no need for more land, and they recoil at the thought of having to incorporate outsiders, and so remain generaly very peaceful, only interested in trade. Thus, they have since been nicknamed "The Peaceful Giant"

Infantry

Because of its relatively low population, Rumalia doesn't have the population to support large armies, especialy outside of Rumalian itself, while also keeping its long border and the many forts along it manned and safe. While larger halserats can muster a high number of levies, most smaller ones cannot, especialy in spring and autumn, when seeds are planted and crops are harvested. Thankfuly for the country, it's high number of shapeshifters spread out in its territory means it doesn't need a large army to mount a good defence or offence. Hence, the country's real strenght lies from its Jargs warriors; Highly trained shapeshifter soldiers who are dispatched to defend the border from any foreign incursions. Their physical strenght, endurance, and skill matches or even surpasses anyone the southern armies could call upon.

Navy

Rumalia's navy is composed of a relatively small number of ships. However, many of them are not simple wooden sail ships, but iron-clad, coal powered vessels called koch, which are as strong a 2-3 southern wooden ships. While they make for great war ships, their main use is actualy to navigate the icy waters of northern Rumalia and break the ice in the ports along that coast. The cities of Yarval and Nazor both have ice free ports, where most of Rumalia's common wooden war ships are stationed.

Air Forces

Finaly, Rumalia also has a few military class Winged ships, which are stationed mainly in the cities of Odesna and Sazagar. However, because of the cold climate in the region which lasts for more than half the year in some regions, winged ships cannot be used throughout the year like in the south. This, combined with the recent invention of the train locomotive, means that winged ships also have become redundant for transport.

Allied and Neutral Countries

Rumalia is a very isolated country. As such, they do not have many allies. However, they do maintain good relations with both the Kingdom of Alvaros and the Arthesian Confederacy. Appart from them, Rumalia has neutral relations with most of its direct neighbours.

Enemy countries

Rumalia's one and only true enemy are the skanish tribes. These descendents of shapeshifters who refused to integrate themselves with human society live a life of raiding and pillaging. The northern regions of Rumalia are suject to their agression, and the country regularly has to subdue them with either gold, or sword.

Agriculture

Despite the cold climate and shorter growing season, many unique crops trive in the region, and regular animal and grain farms are still able to produce enough to feed the confederation's population. One of Rumalia's most valuable agricultural product is the dagfar flower, which is cultivated extensively in the eastern part of the country, particularly on the slopes of the Dragon mountains.

Mining

Thanks to its vast territory, the Rumalian confederation has access to a lot of mineral ressources. Silver and iron mines are the most numerous. In fact, the iron hills, west of the dragon mountains are named for the nunerous iron mines found here. They are under the local Wolfkin clans's control, making them rich. Silver can also be found abundantly in the Vekhonian mountains. Its extraction is heavely regulated, and since possession of silver is outlawed in Rumalia, the metal is immediatly exported to outside markets, creating a hefty profit for the producing Halserats.

Lumber

Rumalia is also rich in lumber, specificaly pines and spruce trees, species which are used abundantly in the construction of buildings in the region. Numerous lumber yards are located throughout the central region of the country, producing the lumber used both domesticaly and traded with the outside world.

Unlike in many countries in the south, where winged ships dominate the trade of goods and the flow of travelers across the continent, trains dominate the transport industry in Rumalia. Thanks to the vast distances between cities, and the colder climate od the region, Winged ships found it hard to compete against trains, who quickly replaced them as the main mode of long-distance travel in the region.

Rumalia has one of the most extensive railway network in Arros, and it is directly connected to the ones found in both the kingdoms of Paxolia and Alvaros, greatly facilitating trade between all three of these countries. Yarval and Nazor, the country's two largest port cities are connected to the train network and have large skyports. Oltaren only has a small skyport, as very few winged ship land here, but the city is also connected to the rail lines, as is the capital Sazagar.