Rubidia

> *"Power through perseverance. Survival through sacrifice."*
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To the southwest of the mainland of the Spiral Isles is **Rubidia**, one of the few nations founded in the aftermath of the Great War. Currently, Rubidia is composed of five territories: Alestios, Magna Roma, The Bogwood, the Gilded Lands and the Land of Drakes.

## Overview

Sometime after the conclusion of the Divide, Jasper sought to create his own kingdom. The world was vast and not all could be saved; this allowed Jasper to sift through the wreckage of a post-war Earth and assemble a nation of his own design. Rubidia is much smaller in scope compared to other nations. Despite this, Jasper was able to go on and craft a nation that would soon come to rival that of their neighboring continent.

Rubidia was founded on two key tenets; power and survival. Not only would Jasper help steer his people to becoming the strongest of the Isles, but he would also ensure their survival for generations to come. Those who reside in Rubidia reflect upon these two tenets, and the nation has become a place where only the strongest will survive. Not everyone will make it out in one piece, but such a lifestyle only ensures that those who remain at the end are the strongest and brightest that the nation has to offer. One day, Jasper hopes to spread his influence beyond that of his own nation, as he strongly believes that his way is the only way humanity can thrive in a post-apocalyptic future.

## Government

Given how wildly different the various kingdoms of Rubidia are, there is no single government structure present. While each kingdom has their own ruler, they all operate on their own accord.

Magna Roma only sees itself with a singular ruler at any time, be it emperor or empress. These rulers continue to rule within an indefinite amount of time, with only death, impeachment or willingly stepping down being the end of their term. Succession typically follows blood relatives to the throne; when none are available, the throne will instead be passed down to friends of the court, typically other nobles. This type of government is imperfect by nature; many revolts have come from poor leaders, almost always bloody due to the rigid justice system in Magna Roma. While Albus takes no direct involvement in the ruling structure, he does command their military.

The Gilded Lands are largely governed by the various Triad gangs, with little to no influence from their patron deity. The Triad operate in and around the large urban centers, maintaining order. The Triad are nothing more than organized criminals however, and it shows within their style of ruling. Crime is rampant and greed flows through the kingdom; order is mostly kept, but only if and when the Triad allow it. Of the overall organization, there are several different Triad families that conduct themselves a bit differently; due to constant power struggles, overall control of the Gilded Lands tends to shift between each family. It's easy to see a difference in governance, depending on which family is currently in charge.

Alestios sees itself with an absolute monarchy; Jasper holds ultimate power over his kingdom, setting any laws and rules as he sees fit. He has complete control over every aspect of his kingdom, and will sometimes attempt to assert his authority over other kingdoms if he deems it necessary. This almost always ends poorly, but little can be stopped considering Jasper is the most powerful in his pantheon. There is no line of succession, considering that Jasper is immortal and does not see himself stepping down from his role as king anytime soon.

The Land of Drakes is a democracy; the laws of the land are made and governed by the dragons, with no input from their deity. Their deity, Bahamut, has almost no involvement within the kingdom, only showing up if absolutely needed. This creates a more obscure god figure, unlike the physical gods of other kingdoms. Regardless of this, with complete rule in the hands of the people, the dragons have managed to thrive on their own, without any influence from outside sources.

Lastly, the Bogwood lacks *any* government structure, resulting in a form of democracy. Ruling bodies change from city to city, with the people forced to govern themselves and set laws and regulations within their territories. Authority figures can range anywhere from self-imposed sheriffs to corrupt mayors; some regions have internal power struggles which make it impossible to have a permanent leader. Their deity does absolutely nothing about this; Baron Zamedi secretly admires it, entertained by the chaos that disorganization brings.

## Culture

Culture is as varied in Rubidia as anywhere else in the Sherwood Isles. The major cultures consist of; Romans, Chinese, Africans and Dragons. Each kingdom revels and upholds these various cultures that have been pieced together from the old world, or brought forth to the Isles from another land entirely. Much like any other place, centuries of interbreeding have led to another cultures bleeding into the current of time.

With the Romans, their forte belongs in bringing forth the practices of the old Roman Empire. They present themselves as a military-minded kingdom and show this by having one of the Isles' best armies. Beyond this, Romans fight for fame and glory in the coliseum, or craft legendary weapons in one of the kingdom's many forges. The Chinese are nearly the exact opposite; lacking discipline or honor, the kingdom of Gilded China has built themselves off the foundation of extreme wealth. With seemingly never-ending gold mines beneath the earth, the Chinese produce towering skyscrapers that glitter with gems and shine with gold. If one ever wishes to find their fortune, they would do so here. The people of The Bogwood remain closely associated with occultism, and hold close ties with the very creation of the Rubidia Empire. At the center of it all is Alestios, where Jasper rules. Several border towns rest on the edge, where neighboring kingdoms bleed their influences towards the center. Lastly, the dragons to the southwest; the Land of Drakes has remained mostly isolated, keeping with them the secrets that they hold.

## Technology

The level of technology differs from kingdom to kingdom in Rubidia. The Chinese boast highly advanced tech, such as robotics and cybernetics that allow them to heal even the most grievous of injuries, or turn ordinary humans into high-functioning super soldiers. Though they lack the advancements that other nations have, they seem to get along just fine without such silly things. The Bogwood, Land of Drakes and Magna Roma lack technology entirely or only play host to the simplest of inventions; all three affix themselves to ancient ways, be it the way of the warrior or the way of nature or magic. Since Magna Roma prefers to adhere itself to the ways of the Roman Empire, technology is primitive at the most. Likewise, the Land of Drakes has no such need for creations of metal. The Bogwood much prefers magic over technology.

Alestios seems to be a mixture of all kingdoms; technology is on the rise, though there are those who still admonish such things and believe it heresy. Some still yet look towards the future, and others still hold to the past and refuse to change. Such is the way of Rubidia.

## Territories

### Alestios

At the center of the nation is Alestios; a mixture of all states and cultures. Terrain mostly consists of grassy plains and lakes, with mountainous regions to the north. Settlements and villages are frequent throughout, as the many lakes have made fishing an increasingly vital activity as a means to procure meals. Alestios is a bit of an oddity in that it truly holds no culture of its own; rather, much of it is bothered from neighboring nations. The capital of Alestios is Eisenclast; a mighty city created from the endless memories of a mad god.

### Magna Roma

Magna Roma rests to the north of the nation, and is the largest of the Rubidian kingdoms. Staying true to the old ways, Magna Roma acts as if the world had never left the glory days of the Roman Empire. This may largely be in part to the fact that their patron deity, Albus, had been imprisoned since those days. The people of Magna Roma pride themselves in the art of war, with their huge armies and impressive weapons. Though one might expect them to be entirely in the past, this is not the case; the advent of more durable metals has allowed the Romans to go toe-to-toe with more modern weaponry. The capital city of Magna Roma is Cartheginesis; built upon the slope of the mountain that their god had once been imprisoned in.

### The Bogwood

The marshlands and dead forests of the west are known as The Bogwood; a place rife with foreign energies and dark presences. Mystics often come to question the exact nature of this place and why it is so considered to be a place of power. Some say that the Veil is thin here, causing all manner of creatures and things to escape into this world from dimensions beyond reach. Others claim that the patron deity of the kingdom had seized his deity status through a dark ritual, thus condemning his domain to become a land enshrouded in fog and death. What is known for sure is that The Bogwood is a dangerous place, where few survive and even fewer thrive.

### Gilded Lands

The lands of a once ancient China now represent the absolute peak of power and status. Due to seemingly endless reserves of gold, the Chinese live in the lap of luxury at all times. Lavish mansions and gold-encrusted towers dot the landscapes. The people of China live extended lives, thanks to breakthroughs in nano-science and cybernetics. By all means, the Chinese live in beauty and maintain that fact to its utmost degree. The Chinese culture is seen here, amplified by how wealthy one might be. This is not to say that all who live here are rich; many never find their fortune, and are left to rot in the streets.The capital of the Gilded Lands is Shanghai, a neon-soaked metropolis.

### Land of Drakes

Though not part of Rubidia's landmass, the Land of Drakes has recently been annexed, due to Jasper's forceful and abrasive nature. The Land of Drakes is far removed from the rest of the nation, being a land of peace and nature. Endless forests, deserts and mountains comprise their terrain, overgrown and empty due to the lack of human presence. It is here that the dragons make their homes, preferring a peaceful existence, hoping to break the stereotype that was once thrust upon them. In days past, the dragons had been considered as destructive beasts who only brought chaos. The capital of the Land of Drakes, if one could consider it to be called that, is Acadia; a quaint castle in the middle of the forest.