The Island Kingdom of Ryalta
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Head of House: |
Josephine Ranae Collins, Red Mane, the Pirate Queen |
Spouse: |
None |
Vassals: |
Multiple ships and Captains |
Heir: |
None at Present |
Liege: |
{$liege} |
Succession: |
Undetermined at Present |
Military Strength: |
Multiple ships and townships scattered across the Island Chain |
Goods: |
Tropical wares, as well as mercantile shipping. The nation may still maintain some aggressive salvage habits |
Wealth: |
Moderately wealthy. Most funds are spent on improvements at present. |
Motto: |
{$motto} |
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History
The Island Kingdom of Ryalta has taken over the tropical Islands of the Southern Ocean, and as such resides in what is called the Domain of the Ocean. Though the Kingdom is one of the newest in the West, the city of Ryalta has actually existed for over a hundred years, though admittedly it existed in rumor and myth, and was only available to the Pirates of the Red Ocean Syndicate. This group quickly established a monopoly on the Pirates of the three Oceans in the West, and by the time the nations knew of Ryalta's existence, so many pirates and Privateers had agreed to protection fees and had called Ryalta a port of home that the city, though nationless, existed.
This was the normal state of affairs, with Pirate Captains vying for control of the Syndicate and thus Ryalta for the better part of a Century. That is until a young Josephine Renae Collins at the tender age of eighteen managed to not only gain her own LOYAL crew and ship, but had amassed a pirate fleet of her own and took control of the Red Ocean Syndicate and became known as Josephine Red Mane, the Pirate Queen.
For several years Ryalta bartered deals on the Oceans, mostly with Four Corners, loaning out the Pirate Queen's ships to Privateer contracts that Ryalta got percentages from. Always fair percentages so as to not drive her crews away from her, Ryalta slowly grew more and more. Creating other townships and occupying more and more of the Island chain. Eventually, more than a dozen ports were created catering to more and more of the nations smuggled goods and offering more and more safe harbors to those who were current on their taxes to the Pirate Queen.
When war broke out in the West between Kentaire and Rikton on one side, and Aequor and Galenthia on the other, Josephine knew that eventually one side or the other would need them. For personal reasons the Queen chose to approach Aequor and Galenthia, and thanks to the Chancellor of Four Corners, Sir Mattias Thynne, brokered an agreement to become a recognized nation in exchange for naval support from the Pirate Queen's forces.
It was only with these naval forces from the newborn Kingdom of Ryalta were Aequor and Galenthia not crushed by Kentaire and Rikton's impressive fleets. In 1872, a combined Sokar Red Sail Fleet and the newly minted Red Ocean Fleet engaged in battle with a Kentaire attempted invasion of Firen. Dubbed the Battle of the Red Waves, former Pirate and their former sworn enemies of the Red sails battled the 4th Kentaire Navy. For three days the walls of Firen's coastal defenses prepared to engage any Kentaire ships that slipped past, but by the end of the third day, only Ryalta and Galenthia's ships remained, while Kentaire's Admiralty called a retreat.
Overview
The ocean and rivers are the west are major trade routes throughout the entire region, and the oceans connect the north and the south as far as trade goes. Making all of the major waterways some of the most travelled in the world, and making the coastal dwellings of most nations extremely prosperous. Especially for Kentaire and Four Corners. For Centuries Pirates, men and women with ships and the drive to take other people’s property (Up to and including their lives!) have plied the waterways and done as they please. These people are called Pirates, and they are despised on the waters by the Civilized West.
The other side of this is Privateers, who more or less live and work as Pirates, but with a nation’s backing. Currently, the only nations using Privateers are the Principality of Kentaire and Four Corners. They are a part of a navy, and while are rarely given orders of a military nature, in exchange for their freedom, they are expected to follow those orders if they are given. Players are only permitted to be Privateers from Four Corners at this time.
This is very similar to what people know of as Pirates and Privateers in the west. This is because that despite the fact they are a "respectable nation" now, they are, at their heart at present, still antion of thieves, cut throats, and well ….. Pirates. It is not uncommon for a Pirate to shoot another Pirate and have a member of the Watch laugh bethe bribe he took means he saw nothing.
Ryalta: The Capital of the Kingdom with the same name. It is here that the Pirate Queen holds Court and rules the new kingdom.
Mish: Handles many of the trade and mercantile business coming in and out of Ryalta
Brandy Town: A wealthy township.
Rum: One of the most defended locations in Ryalta, and it might be attributed to the fact that it is here that the world's only coconut spiced rum is manufactured.
Ryalta doesn't have nobility per se, they instead have Captains. Each Captain is a noble in the Court of the Pirate Queen, and so long as they own their ship, and swear allegiance to the Red Mane they are treated similarly to the nobility of other nations.
Ryalta has a very budding military, the largest of which is called the Red Ocean Fleet. Made in honor of the Red Ocean Syndicate (Which may or may not still be around. Rumors are unclear) which founded the city that would be become a kingdom, this is more a collection of Pirates who have sworn allegiance to Ryalta, and thus, earned legitimacy (and pardons!) when Ryalta was recognized as a sovereign nation. As such, they have very little formal training other than what might be considered "on the job." This occurs when one is "Cornered" or press Ganged. This is when enters a bar, gets drunk and wakes up at sea discovering he is now a member of a Crew on a ship in the ocean. This traditionally happens in Four Corners (though technically illegal, nobody has tried to stop it), and has hence earned the nickname of being "Cornered."
Ryalta has a few Knights despite their Pirate upbringings, and these Knights have not only sworn to their new Pirate Queen, but have taken to organizing a Law Enforcement and defensive force for the Island chain called simply "The Watch." These men and women are hard bitten soldiers who must supply their own equipment, but are afforded excellent training from a Knight. The bribes that are usually offered to the Law Enforcement groups and port guards tend to fund the hiring and training of more men for the watch.
Officially, Ryalta's economy is heavily skewed towards the type of tropical goods that are highly sought after throughout the Civilised West. Chief among these are sugar cane and all of its by products, especially rum. Rum is produced throughout the island chain, though the Township of Rum is the only place to make a coconut spiced rum which is worth an enormous amount of money.
Beyond sugar cane and rum, Ryalta produces a myriad of spices (including pepper, cinnamon and ginger), rare woods, jade and tea.
Since the Ryaltan islands are currently poorly explored, it is very likely that these rare goods will be joined by more fantastic items in the future.
House Relations
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Head of House : Relationship |
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Head of House : Relationship |