Rodentia

Nation of Rats

Rodentia is the nation of the Rat race, the smallest and most humble of the Felmen races. Theirs is a grassy land of rolling hills and a single grand river, on which most of their cities are located.
Rodentia has but few cities, the greatest of which is their capital, Mofreau, which is not only significantly larger, both in size and population, than the next largest within Rodentia, but also than any other city in the world. This is because the Rat race are small and are comfortable living very closely together.

They generally live in vast extended families, in large wooden houses, often with improvised expansions built onto it later, both upwards and sideways, for Rat families grow quickly, and to impressive sizes.
This is true both for those who live in the countryside, as well as those living in cities, causing Rat cities to become cramped, densely populated metropoli, with many narrow passages going under and over people's houses, and with many structures built everywhere, mostly from wood, but often held up with stone foundations, and rock pillars.

Rat Republic

Rodentia is the only one of the Felmen nations that holds elections. Still, they have to choose from among the royal family.
Rats are agnatic, meaning only male heirs may rule, and only the direct descendants of the current head of the royal family are eligible for election, which often still leaves over a hundred eligible candidates.
There are elections every five years, at which point the electoral college of representatives votes for a new king, from among candidates who have made their desire to be elected public.
When the current head dies, the family votes on which son becomes the new head. This is done based on popularity, as well as competency, making sure the royal house remains strong.

Electoral Colege

The nation doesn't vote for the king directly, instead, they empower representatives to vote for them. This is done because the representatives have the time to dig into the political climate and to figure out which of the many candidates is the best option.
In turn, if things go badly, the representatives are often blamed and deposed.
Representatives, in turn, are elected by the people living in their division. Representatives of more populous divisions receive more votes, but to prevent any single representative from being too influential, the larger cities are split into different divisions. Otherwise, the only representative that would matter would be that of Mofreau, where roughly a third of the people in this nation live.

Administration

The leadership of Rodentia, over millennia, has tried to shape and mold the nation to become well-balanced, and where the voice of the people is heard, but is not overpowering. This is why the royal family remains in charge, no matter who people vote for, and the clergy holds sway over administration as well, all under the guidance of the people's representatives. These three forces balance each other out and make sure no one gets the upper hand.
These powers are present and represented each within their own grand building in the center of Mofreau.

The Royal Palace

The royal palace is a grand work of architectural excellence and showcases the Rats' incredible talent for innovation and craftsmanship. It also houses all of the royal family. It is where they live, and where they gather to discuss their desires and goals for the nation.

Mofreau Cathedral

The grandest of all Rodentia's temples, this is the home of the rat clergy. It is a bastion of the faith, spreading and reinforcing the word of Lita, the mother bear, who is the supreme deity of all Felmen.
It is also the centre of religious administration for Rodentia.
Church leader in the Ursanist faith is largely elected by the faithful, making this yet another bastion of power representing the people.

Civic Tribunal

The civic tribunal is an important building, and one of the oldest in the nation, and it is where the representatives of the people gather to make sure the king doesn't do anything that the people don't like. They get together to discuss current issues and address the needs of the different divisions.

History

The kingdom of Rodentia can trace the lineage of its current royal dynasty back 2000 years, since long before the borders of their lands had arrived where they lie now.
There had been rodentian kings before that, but they had been lesser lords of lesser people, and it was this king who would unify all of the rat people and defend them from invaders. They were forced to move many times, as they originated from the small highland plains to the east of Lupinor, but they were continuously pushed first south, and then west, until they reached the Mofnai River around 1000 years ago.
Mofreau itself was founded by refugees, who had seen their previous capital, roughly where the current day Villuenne is located, be burned to the ground and destroyed, and choosing the settle in the defensible river valleys of the Mofnai River.

Now, the rat race, remembering the many years of abuse and hardship their ancestors had to endure, have vowed to never let it happen again, that their stone walls may stand strong, and their numbers may overwhelm any who think their larger stature might frighten them.