Rozul

Rozul, officially the Kingdom of Rozul (Θεριοφος Αθ Ροζυλ, Polarii) is a nation located in the south of Abexilas, on the continent of Halinn and the successor state to the Empire of Coronia and Celestial Order of Elu. It borders Acreon to the west, As’ro Pothricia and Leyden to the south, and Scaliga to the east. It also shares a maritime border with the Kingdom of Santos. It is compromised of four territories - New Malbrok, New Horneck, Fort Hesten, and Zarithia - and its capital, Rozstone.
Rozul was established in 9 VE. following the collapse of the preceding Empire of Coronia after numerous territorial failures caused the abdiciation of Emperor Visilian. Rozul underwent a period of turbulence after the loss of its capital, Ilnius, and was forced to seek protection from Scaliga by becoming its vassal. The partnership with Scaliga saw a period of increasing economic stagnation and the eventual bankruptcy of the central kingdom. It was ended after Scaliga's support for a failed revolutionary plot was revealed and Rozul sold most of its unpopulated eastern territories to its overlord in exchange for independence, moving its border to no longer border its former rival of Sakravir. Today, Rozul has ended its economic stagnation and begun several large projects.
==History==
=== Early history ===
=== Collapse of Coronia ===
The old Emperor Visilian, as a result of pressure and stress coming from his handling of the disputes with Sakravir and various territorial squatters, decided to resign. As the Emperor personally controlled the then-capital of Ilnius, it was expected that he would transfer the ownership to his successor, Emperor Adino I. However, the Emperor suddenly transfered it to a citizen with no involvement in government, Chief Eric Ven Ishtara. This decentralization of power and loss of a stable capital marked another colossal loss for the Empire and ended the reign of Emperor Visilian on a tragic note. 
=== Transition from Coronia to Rozul ===
Emperor Adino I of Coronia, who had suffered the loss of his own town during the skirmishes with Sakravir over the border and the Copper Docks, dissolved the Empire of Coronia and reformed it into the Kingdom of Rozul in 8 V.E., which is widely recognized as the start of modern Rozulian history. The Kingdom succesfully annexed the entirety of the Empire with little issue, cementing itself as a stable successor despite the major territorial losses under Emperor Visilian and the subsequent loss of the capital, once one of the most important cities within the region.
Immediately concerned with the loss of the crucial seat of government, the King undertook an effort to erect a new capital on the Frospeak penninsula. In an attempt to ensure the unity and stability of the nation, the new city was named Rozstone after the young Kingdom, and soon developed into the most fortified place within the nation. However, development within its grand walls faced long periods of stagnation immediately after the first phase of construction, leaving the capital in a baren state.
=== Rule under Scaliga ===
As the Kingdom of Rozul continued to experience foreign encroachment and was in desperate need of stability, Adino I decided to become a vassal Serpent Realm of Scaliga for protection. However, this partnership was loveless since its inception, with the king frequently complaining of Scaliga violating their agreement in various ways. After ten years, the King discovered Scaligan backing of a revolutionary movement and formally withdrew Rozul in a deal sacrificing much of Rozul's unpopulated Eastern territories for indepedence. 
As previously mentioned, the old capital of Ilnius was suddenly given to a private citizen, Eric, by the Emperor instead of the new King. Chief Eric, soon after becoming mayor and Rozul's vassalization, betrayed the Kingdom and gave the city to Sakravir. While investigations into the matter were inconclusive, the government continues to suspect that Eric was acting on the behalf of Scaliga. 
Shortly, the Kingdom of Rozul's central government bankrupted and the nation entered defaut, essentially destroying the central administration. (8/7/24). However, the lords of Rozul's various cities remained extremely wealthy, with the Count of Hesten, Knout D'Ferro, remarking that the lords combined had "over one million." Rozul remained without a central government for an extended period of time until the end of the deal with Scaliga.
=== Revolutionary Rozul ===
During its time under Scaliga, a new wave of immigration hit Rozul. These new citizens set up primarily in Fort Hesten, a small settlement with plenty of space right next to the new capital. Citizen Zazza, a new immigrant himself, was crucial to this wave of immigration as he became a strong recruiter for the nation. Zazza had, after being recruited, come to despise and blame the King for various offenses of inactivity and poor leadership, seeing his surrender to Scaliga as betrayal. Promptly, the majority of the new immigrants joined a revolutionary group known as the Patriots of Rozul, and began planning a revolution to overthrow the King.
The revolutionaries quickly became a big-tent group with disagreements on whether the rebellion was simply about instating a new Constitutional Monarchy or a Republic. However, these disagreements were put aside as the revolutionaries hit a streak of successes, with negotiations with Scaliga promising a vast level of support toward the revolution and the recruitment of one of the most notable lords of Rozul, Elite of Zarithia. In this period, ThatAlphaChicken, who had risen to be a prominent revolutionary hosting their meetings and producing revolutionary music, drafted a declaration and constitution.
However, ThatAlphaChicken promptly found out about Elite's betrayal and leaking of the rebellion to King Adino the First and decided to take initiative, participating in negotiations with the King. While the result forced the rebels to abandon their national and republican agendas, Chicken was able to secure a deal allowing the rebels to experiment with constitutional and democratic rule in the capital and influence within the lower government. (12/7/24). These negotiations revealed Scaligan involvement, which lead in the finalization of the land exchange that granted Rozul its independence. The rest of the rebels participated in a drawn out negotiation to cement the agreement while Chicken had already accepted it and begun various projects in the capital. The negotiations eventually drew to a succesful close. (18/7/24).
=== Modern Rozul ===
Following the end of the revolution and withdrawal from Scaliga, the primary goal became restoring the federal government from bankruptcy, which was accomplished after ThatAlphaChicken donated six thousand to the king in order to complete the fifty thousand payment necessary to rescue the central government (12/7/24). The nation claim was restored shortly and various lands began a process of re-integration into the centralized Kingdom of Rozul. 
After the end of the revolution, many revolutionaries found the capital as their primary residence. ThatAlphaChicken and King Adino constructed the central town hall tavern, (inspired by the tavern from CoC). Construction of the structure, which ended a prolonged pause in building within the capital, was completed shortly (14/7/24), and the two made plans to expand the road network and build similar structures around Halinn in what has been described as a religious manner. More construction of various structures and housing within the capital is already planned and the King has authorized the construction of a large trading hall to expand the economy of the Kingdom and provide the central government with necessary funds. However, whether the trading hall will be built within the walls of the city due to its size is unknown.
It was reported by The Rozulian Times that, after a lengthy period of emptiness in the role, King Adino the First had appointed Knout D'Ferro to the position of Secondus, essentially granting him greater central powers. (20/7/24). Following the immediate liberation of Rozul from Scaliga, activity within Rozul reached new heights not seen following the fall of the Empire. Rozstone recieved most of this activity, the reconstruction of many of its deleted buildings, construction of a new housing sector, and the development of many shops. 
Lord Sode of New Malbrok, the largest city in the Kingdom, decided to retire from leadership and transfered the ownership of his claim to the new Lord Chicken. (27/7/24), with Lord Elite of Zarithia retiring not long before and transfering his lands to the new Lord Potato. After the town of New Horneck bankrupted, all active towns on the Peninsula upon which the majority of Rozul (with the exception of Zarithia rests) were owned by central government officials or Rozstone residents, raising controversial proposals for a unified city throughout the entire landmass. These proposals have not grown past a unification of the Rozstone-Hesten metropolitian area.
== Politics ==
The government of the Kingdom of Rozul is organized under a Feudal Absolute Monarchy, with a higher government, sometimes referred to as the council of lords, composed from various feudal lords and an unofficial lower government, which draws its powers entirely from the Monarch and is not organized through any official codes or systems. The government was transformed from an Feudal Absolute Empire in 8 V.E. under the royal decree of King Adino I and with wide-spread approval from the high government.
=== Royal rule ===
The monarchy is comprised of two figures, the King and a Secondus which serves at the full discretion of the monarch. The Secondarius is given near equal powers to the King and is tasked with running the Kingdom whenever the monarch is unable to or in areas lesser of the Crown. Following the demise or abdication of a King, the crown is traditionally passed down to the Secondarius. This system was inherited from the Empire of Coronia, whose last Secondus was Adino I, who inherited the Empire and reformed it into the Kingdom. The monarchy has absolute and total power over all affairs, but relies upon the Lords to maintain their loyalty and is thus often focused with maintaining happiness amongst the higher government rather than executing an agenda.
=== Council of the Lords ===
The higher government, while it is not defined by any constitution, code, or law, is a necessary component through which the monarchy appeases the Lords by granting them input over their decisions and the power to influence national affairs. The higher government operates through non-binding votes on various policies which will affect the King's judgement on their implementation. A notable example of a King bypassing the Council of the Lords was the land sale to Scaliga, which proceeded despite failing the vote following a second stage of delibirations. Since the Lords are representatives of the various cities of Rozul, the higher government is a form of representation for the majority of Rozul's population.
=== Unofficial lower government ===
The lower government is a branch of government loosely defined as one for the involvement of common citizens within the governing of the nation. It has gone through multiple concepts and iterations under King Adino I. After moving past unsuccesful attempts at constitutional rule and a parliament, the King settled at a strategy of granting civilians within the capital, Rozstone, positions in the lower government. However, the lower government has not reformed following the temporary bankruptcy of the nation. Currently, the system is an unofficial preference for the opinions of citizens within the capital. (22/7/24). Following the negotiations with the revolutionaries, it was agreed that they would be granted the chance to implement democratic rule within the capital as a test, however no such experiments have been launched.
=== Foreign relations ===
The Kingdom of Rozul inherited a vast diplomatic web of connections and agreements from the Empire of Coronia; however, much of these connections went ignored or abandoned as Rozul underwent changes in its independence and the basic existence of an independent foreign policy was brought under question. However, Rozul's foreign relations underwent a revival following its indepedence from Scaliga, signified by its first embassy exchange with F.A.R.M. (Federal Association of Rural Managment). In its goals to revive the presence of Rozul in continental politics as both a means of growth and protection, Rozstone created a designated embassy district under the instruction of city planner Lord Potato.
==== Federal Association of Rural Managment ====
Rozul's young relation with F.A.R.M. is a positive one, however it is marked with a central diplomatic issue. The embassy of the far away federation in Rozstone's central district, constructed prior to the dedication of an Embassy district, was seen as incredibly unappeling by the locals and mocked relentlessly. After an effort to repair the looks of the embassy was critized further, the local citizens began the construction of a massive mineshaft under it, which earned various titles such as "Gaping Hole to Hell." During the construction of this quarry, one of the diplomats from the Federation went into the construction zone to inquire on the existence of a massive hole below his building. During this unauthorized visit into the mine, the diplomat fell into a pit of lava. Both the Federation and the construction personnel held various accounts of the incidents. However, both nations promptly moved past this dispute and the status of the embassy remains an "eyesore in the Rozstone skyline," with residents hoping that the embassy is rebuilt in the embassy district. 
== Geography ==
Most of Rozul is located in artic landscapes, from the frozen spruce forests in the north to the snow plains in the south and west, with the major exception of its capital Ilnius, which is located in a meadow, and Copperdocks, located in a taiga forest.
=== Biodiversity ===
Due to Rozul’s mostly frozen climate, with temperatures reaching below -40 C during winter, its wildlife is home to few animals and plant species, notably the Rozulian snowhare, polar bears, and Riveri snow foxes, and trees such as the Halinn red spruce.
=== Climate ===
Temperatures in Rozul vary between around -10 to -15 degrees in the summer months to -40 in the winter, with snow storms being frequent in the country. Due to the cold most of the soil remains in a state of permafrost, making agriculture unviable, with the exception of a few places like New Horneck and Ilnius.
Rozul’s waterways are frozen all year.
=== Topography ===
Most of Rozul's cities are located in the artic plains, but New Horneck is located in a non-frozen area of the country. The highest concentration of cities are in the duchy of Frospeak.
== Economy ==
The Kingdom of Rozul posses an outdated economy deeply rooted within agriculture and mining, alongside a notable sector in construction. Wheat is the dominant agricultural product, forming the backbone of Rozul's agrarian sector, while potatoes are cultivated on a smaller scale. Most agriculture is conducted on a complete or semi-communal basis, with a miniscule number of shops offering processed food. The Kingdom's mining sector supports a significant section of the economy, focusing on gold and iron extraction for exports in a rich underground enviornment. The sector is diverse, with numerous private or communal mines scattred across the kingdom in public areas or private residences, and it remains one of the most stable and prominent tools of wealth creation for the lower and middle class citizens.
In addition to extraction and agriculture, construction plays an import role within the economy as its only notable secondary sector industry within Rozul's economy. The construction sector is seen as the most advanced in Rozul's economy and has grown substantially alongside the cities within the Kingdom. Unlike the other leading sectors within the nation, the growth of construction is not directly connected to the population of the kingdom, and construction is one of the most trade-productive sectors in the economy. Some have stated that Rozul has a higher chance exporting its construction rather than trying to compete in the larger export market for basic or advance goods. 
Rozul's trade dynamics are primarily insular, with the kingdom exporting only minerals in any notable amounts. Instead, Rozul imports all of its high-end tooling equipment essential for its mining sector, alongside luxury commodities it cannot produce and various construction materials that cannot be found locally. These imports are the backbone for the productivity of Rozul's primary industries. The lack of notable exports has been cited as a major issue for the continued growth and technological advancement of the economy, and King Adino I has promised to construct a world-class trading centre to launch Rozul into the league of export-oriented economies.
=== Rozstone-Hesten Metropolitian Area ===
The Rozstone-Fort Hesten Metropolitian Area has benefited the most from the recent wave of immigration and has become one of the fastest growing within the nation, ending the period of economic stagnation that has intensified since the collapse of the Empire. A very large communal wheat farm, notably owned by former revolutionary leader Zazza, in Fort Hesten and a massive communal farm in Rozstone are the primary food sources for the area. Throughout the various residences in the area, numerous private and communal mines emerge. The mines have become more advance, with the private mine at AlphaChicken's house using a tiered system to extract all resources at their optimal levels, becoming very productive in the extraction of gold and iron for export.
Following the economic revival of Rozstone, it became by far the most advance economy in the Kingdom, with shops for experience, tools, food, and even advance materials such as netherite being developed, alongside a major jump in the construction sector within the capital. This concentration of capital led to Chicken beginning a local bank intended mend his finances after a stint with the lottery sytem. Soon after recieving the first diplomatic embassy of Rozul from F.A.R.M., citizens disliked the design of the building to a point of opening the largest mineshaft in Rozulian history under it, with the deepest parts reaching over 150 meters into the ground. The production of this shaft reduced the price for basic materials and spurred both the mining and construction industries within the city. King Adino I has proposed to modernize the national roads from dirt paths to stone, which has only been implemented in the Capital up to this point. 
=== Project Piss-shack ===
Project Piss-shack became the codename for the large trading hall intended to kickstart Rozulian exports and allow the modernization of its various economic sectors. It entered the design phase shortly after Rozul's independence from Scaliga and was worked on by four architects. After undergoing multiple design ideas, it settled into a train station-themed building that would contain Rozul's national shop alongside various small citizen-owned shops. However, the project was moved down the national timeline due to the economic revival of Rozstone, during which many shops and buildings were developed in the capital, reducing the need for a front-line economic project that would consume resources now that Rozul had an alternative economic engine.