Kingdom of Rivera

Kingdom of Rivera
Political Entity
Full Name	The Kingdom of Rivera
Capital	Rivera
Primary Language	Common
Sovereignty	Kingdom of Rivera
Government	Monarchy
Current Ruler	Todo
Population	5,000,000
Pronunciation	Riv-err-uh

Thought to be the oldest post-exodian human civilization, Rivera is a kingdom held together by entrenched noble families that are constantly scheming and plotting against each other to win the favor of the royal family, and sometimes even obtain the crown themselves. The kingdom is made up of several provinces that were obtained by conquering nearby nations centuries ago. The kingdom has reached a stage of stagnation, and there have not been any substantial expansions to national borders in over a century. The kingdom is well known for it's magical knowledge and academic relations with the Council of Elin'Torai. The vein of vampirism runs deep within the kingdom, but brave vampire hunters from the Order of the Crimson Guard have sworn to protect the general populace from the sinister vampire menace.

Government

Rivera is ruled by a traditional monarchy, consisting of a king and queen with a court of advisers and a series of nobles who have sworn fealty and hold fiefs. Court positions are always filled by noble families, the monarch personally appoints these positions to nobles according to their loyalty to the throne. This function of court delegation is essential in keeping state cohesion, with some nobles holding the major provinces while lesser nobles managing minor fiefs within these provinces. Each province has a unique flavor and political atmosphere to it, and it is not uncommon for disputes to erupt between them.

The heir to the throne is always the first born, regardless of whether they are male or female.

Royal Province of Rivera

The Royal Province of Rivera is the core of the kingdom and houses the throne along with the royal family.

Province of Raevalon

The Province of Raevalon was a later acquisition of Rivera following the end of the Raevelic War. The people of this province are martial and militaristic, the general atmosphere appearing stately and organized. Supply shortages are common on the barren Raevelic Plains, where only a minimal range of crops grow.

Province of Thantis

An old province, acquired by Rivera over five hundred years ago. Thantis suffers a major vampire infestation that the local population constantly struggles with. The province has always been a quiet place, perhaps even stagnant. Old traditions have proven hard to break, and the residents have a difficult time integrating the primary culture of Rivera.

Province of Arcadia

This province has no official city where a seat of power resides, but rather is a collection of frontier towns and villages.