Rues

Ah, Rues! The land of legend! After centuries of isolation behind a magical barrier, Rues appeared suddenly and brilliantly on the world stage as a result of the Great Rebalancing. Many are surprised to find that such a historically significant place is not a vast continent but a large island far across the ocean. It is home to the Mercurian Empire, the Federated Kingdom of the Selda'nire, and a number of independent peoples, all of whom are in the midst of a golden age.

In addition to being the last known location of Fortune’s Bend, it is also home to the famous Academy of Diplomats, who have managed the three Lattice Thresholds that make large scale travel to Rues possible.This group had its humble beginnings as a network of couriers who had mastered the use of Rues’ rustic gate network and over time blossomed into expert international ambassadors who have been entrusted with Rues’ connection to the rest of the world.

Even before the Lattice was reconnected, intrepid travelers crossed the great ocean from Rues and made contact with the mainlanders. The incredible events of Rues, including the Night of Guardian’s Glory, the Awakening of the Ten, and the Great Rebalancing were told and retold throughout Aeledd and it became a romantic ideal. It is so beloved that it is not uncommon in some places for people to know more of the history of Rues than of their own nation.

### Geography, History, and Climate

Rues comprises one large landmass called Cavalero, an archipelago known as the Shar’deen, and a number of smaller islands around the coast.

The northernmost tip of Cavalero is cool temperate grasslands, while the southernmost point is a dry, unforgiving desert. The center is a jumble of jagged stone mountains that, prior to the opening of the Lattice, were impossible to navigate. In the northeastern quarter is a vast connection of swamp and marshland, and in the northwest a lush old growth forest. It is on this diverse, larger landmass that the Mercurian empire makes its home.

The Federated Kingdom of the Selda’nire is on the Shar’deen archipelago off of the western coast of the empire. It consists of five large islands and a good number of smaller ones. The capital city Tor Mythra rises from the pinnacle of the towering mesas on Mythandros Isle. Before any Thresholds opened on Rues, trade was established on ocean-going ships from the docks on the archipelago. The island of Galdarn hosts Rues’ only known volcano.

Just south of the Shar’deen near the coast of the empire is the Wyvern gate, a safe passageway to the underwater kingdom of Drakkenspar.

To the north of the Shar’deen Archipelago is Valya Seere, an island pushed far above sea level by a powerful spout of water. It was thought lost to Corruption on the Night of Guardian’s Glory, but it became accessible once more after the Great Rebalancing.

The residents of Valya Seere are a strange lot. Stories are told that when corruption overtook the city long ago, the residents split into two separate beings; one containing all the emotional traits and other characteristics  that would be vulnerable to corruption, the other containing those traits that could not easily be corrupted. Whether that tale is true or not, the schism seems to still exist to this day in the personalities of any who make Valya Seere their home.

The Batterklast mountains in the center of Rues are only lightly inhabited, and for that reason the Dominus Conduit was constructed there. This marvel of Arcaneering provides power through arcane pipelines across Rues for the function of comforts like flameless lanterns. Below the mountains are the caves and caverns of the Ereskial republic and their deep metal and gem mines.

A short way out from the southeast coast is Oscillo Island, which is more commonly referred to as Frontier Island. Around two hundred years ago, the Sovereign Archon Marax broke open the Sphere of Illusion, which was anchored to Aeledd. It is speculated that perhaps he did this too quickly, but regardless of cause the effect was a devastating disgorging of Illusion power and Archons onto Oscillo, making reality difficult to discern and usually irrelevant on the island. Due to the dangers, the Empire holds this place as a protectorate with custodial rights given to Isou University, and the aftermath is still being carefully studied, measured, and mitigated.

### Politics, Government, and Economy

Rues conducts its politics with the rest of the world through a neutral organization known as the Academy of Diplomats. This group proved themselves adept at managing the minutiae of relationships between the Empire and its regencies, the Federation and the Empire, the Ereskial and the overworld, and the independent peoples.

When the first lattice Threshold appeared on Valya Seere, it nearly caused a rift in the centuries-long alliance between the two great powers of Rues. The Academy of Diplomats is credited for resolving the conflict without war and as a sign of trust from both nations, they were put in charge of managing the Threshold. This first portal that connected Rues to the outside world is called the Donato Gate.

As trade and relations slowly opened between Rues and the world beyond, the Academy of Diplomats became just as adept at managing the visitors and all of the new cultural customs and ideas that came with them. They were deemed so good at it that when a second Threshold opened in the Federation, and the third in Pyrelight, the Academy was called in to manage them.

The majority of the land is governed by the Mercurian Empire, named for the family of its founders. Within the empire are a number of kingdoms and regencies who, even though they are under imperial rule, have maintained their own cultures.

Equal in political power but smaller in size is the Federated Kingdom of the Selda’nire. Their governing document, the Doctrine of Unity, is also their national philosophy. It has served them well even across centuries leading to a flourishing population and unspoiled natural beauty.

Scattered across the lands, rivers, and seas are independent peoples who do not claim allegiance to any of these kingdoms or regencies, and live under no rule but their own.

The Mercurian Empire

The Mercurian Empire is named for its founding family, the Mercurio. The current empress is Evenia Mercurio Pentratheron who gained the throne at age twenty-six and has ruled over the empire’s golden age for forty-two years. Her eldest son, Venius Mercurio is unwed. In keeping with tradition, her second-eldest child, Aspira, has married the second princess of the Federation, Hethryl Mythandros.

The emblem of the empire is the Stinging Phoenix, a hybrid creature composed from the Mercurian Phoenix and the Pentratheron Manticore. The union of these two families is generally credited by historians for the remarkable longevity of the empire and its eventual golden age. For people of Rues, the Mercurian Empire and Empire of the Stinging Phoenix are interchangeable names.

The regencies under imperial protection are Anbara, Volbrecht, Inlyrico, Braeus, Shiara, Drakkenspar, and Khemera.  They manage all of these from the imperial capital of Pyrelight.

There are a variety of cultures even within the empire, and only the Academy of Diplomats has proved expert at consistently navigating them. Most have a more casual understanding of the imperial regencies and their highlights.

Anbara is a thriving monarchy on the edge of the Byse desert in the south. Though Anbara was once a nation rife with poverty and starvation, that ended during the reign of Queen Azari the First. Anbara is known across Rues for the Alastair Games, an international competition in fighting, music, scholarly pursuits, and other games. They are also known for their heraldric, Jackal, who often accompanies the Unmasked Monarch to important functions.

Volbrecht is a stalwart, visceral regency whose people are known as the warriors of Rues. Communities tend to be close, as it is common for at least one person from each household to be out of the country, bringing their shield to where it is needed. Volbrecht is also home to the Feathered Sword, a group who travel throughout all of Rues, providing basic education in reading, writing, and arithmetic to those who can not access a school.

Inlyrico, the Golden Rose, is the most beautiful of the regencies, and is home to the Pristine Tower. This tower is a locked gate that keeps Corruption at bay in Rues, and it is said that it will stand forever unless it is left unguarded. Inlyrico’s regent is always a member of the convocation of Those Who Walked Away.

Braeus has territory from the northeastern swamps up into the Batterklast mountains to the Dominus Conduit. They are known for Isou University, which was open even before the Lattice connected Rues to the rest of the world. Braeus is known for their highly educated population, their forward-looking Arcaneers, and their wide-reaching civil engineering projects like the arcane pipeline

Shiara is a kind, easy land to live in due to their conscientious provincial lords, fortunate climate and countryside, and a guardian dragon. In the countryside is the Shiaran Conservatory, an archive of Mementos that were bequeathed upon death and can be called upon for stories and songs from the past. In the capital is the humble home of the Bladesmen Academy, the dueling school whose teachers can be found across Rues and beyond.

Drakkenspar is an underwater kingdom, protected in a bubble of air and only accessible through the Wyvern Gate or carefully connected Lattice nodes. The regency is known as a liminal space, shared equally between physical land and the Shade domain of the Ship. This unusual relationship means that every aspect of Sparian life changes with the seasons, as the four aspects of the Ship wax and wane in power.

Khemera is just south of the Imba'nire Nation, in land that  was known as Pyredown until the dawn of the Stinging Phoenix. The largest city is Fort Firetol, where the former imperial palace has been renovated for use as a hospital.

The imperial capital of Pyrelight has grown up around the former site of Fortune’s Bend, and some of the historic buildings are still preserved at its center. One in particular is the tavern, where visitors report hearing music and voices telling stories from the time before the Great Rebalancing. Khemera’s Lattice Threshold, called the Vincenzi Gate, is located just outside the city.

The Federation

The Federation has five large islands called Mythandros, Halanth, Galdarn, Ambra, and Erekon. Surrounding these are a number of smaller islands whose names are little known outside their own borders. The archipelago boasts remarkable biodiversity within its relatively small borders to include lush forest and a dormant volcano. The Federation’s Lattice Threshold is called the Meraki Gate and it opened on a mid-size island just off the coast of Halanth.

The Federation society is predicated upon a document called the Doctrine of Unity, which governs both the rule of their nation as well as each citizen’s rule of themselves. The doctrine promotes balance between the physical, mental, and spiritual aspect of the world and the individual. The Federation culture has developed a caste system to support and further this goal. There are seven castes, each of whom contributes differently to the Federation and must overcome different obstacles to fulfill the Doctrine of Unity. The castes of the Federation are the Manu, Oros, Arcos, Triss, Prian, Regnum, and Valar. Unified, they create societal balance to equal the individual balance of each citizen.

Among the Regnum is the monarch of the Federation, a hereditary position that has been held by the Mythandros line for generations. The current Shining Radiant Monarch is Ayril Mythandros.

The Independent Peoples

The largest group of independent people are the Imba’nire Nation who live in the old-growth forest of the same name. The forest is in the northwest corner of Cavalero and though it is surrounded by imperial land it has long been independent. Outsiders apply labels such as nation-state, but the people of the Imba’nire have long resisted being defined by the terms of the wider world. They are who they are, and they live where they live.

The Imba’nire have strong relationships with their neighbors in Inlyrico to the east, and the Federation across a short causeway to the southwest. Only those who call the Imba’nire home spend much time in the depths of the massive forest. Visitors know to stay on the Adahy road, a simple route for overland trade that was created more than two centuries ago.

The Mehrdad’i people live primarily in the Byse Desert on the far south of the continent. The area is just as large as the Imba’nire forest, but the population is clustered around the beautiful oases that are sprinkled across the barren sands.

Mehrdad’i family lines trace back into ancient times when they would frequently travel the desert along trade routes. Since the opening of the Lattice, they have tended to live in large multi-family groups at the oases. They are generous with the beauty and bounty of their home, often hosting visitors from other lands who then fall in love with the striking landscapes and welcoming culture.

The Ereskial live under the Batterklast mountains in the center of Cavalero. They lay claim to very little surface land except the few areas where their cave entrances connect to the surface. Those on the surface primarily know the Ereskial for their wealth as the majority of the metal and gem deposits in Rues are in Ereskial territory. Within the culture, though, the Ereskial are master craftsmen, remarkable oracles, savvy traders, and disciplined soldiers.

There is one Ereskial surface city in the mountains, called Symonovsk, though its reputation among the Ereskial is troubled. It is inhabited mostly by naturalized Ereskial, as the majority of native Ereskial prefer to live underground. This city has the most direct entrance to Stovaresk, the most powerful secular Oracle in Rues.

The ship people of the Vascoll, though they are no longer counted among the peoples of Rues, have kept their connection to the great Alentina river in Khemera. At some signal known only among themselves, they will set out from their far-flung locations to converge on Khemere. They will stay for a few weeks, enjoying what appears to be an indulgent revel whilst trading with Rues natives. It is said to be so raucous that you can hear the singing from miles away.

During this revel, the Vascoll act as though they have known each other for their whole lives even if they have never even raised flags to each other before.They will leave as suddenly as they arrived, back on to the open waters that they love.

### Everyday Life

Rues is a large, diverse land, and the intricacies of everyday life are different. Outside of Rues, the whole of the land is perceived to be an idyllic, legendary place, and most of the residents would find it hard to disagree. There may be some small pockets of Rues where times are troubled, but the nations and cultures are comfortable and easy in their golden age. Their great enemies have been defeated and all the dust from those many wars have settled. It is a place of peace, learning, and growth.

Most citizens of Rues have time for leisure activities and travel outside of their work. Day trips and holidays to other regencies or nations is not uncommon, and is easily managed thanks to the relationships forged and maintained by the Academy of Diplomats.

### Current Events

The queen of Anbara has been reaching out to nations across the great ocean to arrange a multinational site and schedule for a special Alastair Games event, which would be the first games event to include nations that can only be reached by Lattice.

The bicentennial celebration of the first of many traditional marriages between the Empire of the Stinging Phoenix and the Federated Kingdom of the Selda’nire is approaching, and preparations have been ongoing for years. The centennial event was said to be a wonder, with both Heraldrics materializing from the shade in an awe-inspiring, dancing flight.

### Notes for Players

Rues was the setting for the first two campaigns of Numina, when it was locked behind a magical barrier that cut it off from the world. Many momentous events happened there, and in the final act of the second campaign, the magical barrier was unlocked and Rues was reconnected to the rest of the world.

Players choosing to be from Rues should understand that Rues is unlikely to be a focus for any culture-related plot in Numina 3 because of its prominence in previous campaigns. The problems there are largely resolved, and the people who live there are still reaping the benefits of all of the work put in by the Heroes of Fortune’s Bend.

Players who wish to begin the game with little experience or knowledge in the campaign world of N3 might consider Rues as their starting culture. It is also suitable for those players who are carrying over a character from previous campaigns, or those who choose to be a descendant of a former character.

### Cultural Plot and Themes

Rues is definitely more of a background setting than a plot focus for Numina 3. Players of cultures within Rues should expect plot that pulls them away from home, and focuses on activities and problems in other parts of the world.

Rues is a land of legend and romantic story, and some people in the wider world are enamored with Rues history. Your character may expect to meet some wide-eyed excitement at the mere mention of their homeland… though sometimes that excitement is not accompanied by any knowledge of pertinent facts about Rues, such as the political intricacies of the nations and peoples.

### Costume and RP Themes

The different cultures and nations within Rues each have unique preferences, traditions, and expectations. Being “from Rues” might look very different for one person than another. Depending on where in Rues a character is from, they might be more inclined to long, flowing garments or neo-georgian breeches and tri-corner hats.

Rues does not truly have a unifying heraldry, but it has been discovered that those outside recognize the symbol of the Academy of Diplomats as “the flag of Rues,” and it is simpler to just roll with this misconception. The unofficial heraldry of Rues, therefore, is a yellow or gold fleur-de-lis on a black field.

In one exception to the difficulty of identifying a person from the land of legends, Arcane Aspected people from Rues often present with angular black patterns on a red background which is unique to this area of the world.