Rhone Info - By Chase Meriden
Nation: Rhone Population: 51.4 million Establishment: 250 AGB Capital: Raleigh
Religion: Christendom
Government: Constitutional Monarchy (Direct governing done by party-based republic)
Leader: Prime Minster President Elizabeth Smith (Took office 676, re-elected 681)
Brief History: Rhone started up not incredibly long after the Great Break, likely from a small sect of the remains of Concord (Although records do not record which former region the original Rhonians came from. It would be assumed from their location that they were Liathians, but their customs and language do not coincide with that.)
Starting from a town of only a hundred or so people, Rhone grew quickly in population. A lot of that was due to their openness to accepting refugees, which during the Age of Anarchy were in abundance. They established a hub of control uncharacteristically stable for the time, and from 260 – 330, were a major faction in the rise out of the Age of Chaos. Because of this, their customs, tradition, and language, spread to most of the Western half of Riven, and even to some of Obsidian. Of the nations to withstand the Age of Chaos, Rhone has had one of the biggest impacts on the Two Continents.
Rhone played a significant part in the War of 386, also known as the (poorly named) Final War, their forces helping to fight back against Marcus Lucian, the Lion of Dias.
In 388, Rhone established a trade network with the Nations of Sphera, Kalahari, and Esara Island.
In 434, Prince Alden Johnson is assassinated by an agent of the Kingdom of Joy. This started the Ten Years War (also jokingly called the End of Joy by Rhonians). The war would net Rhone a considerable expansion to the south, and bring about the collapse of the last kingdom of Concord. The victory thrust General James Penn into the spotlight and would set the stage for a twenty-year reign as Prime Minister.
In 465, King Richard takes unclaimed territory from the Cheyenne lands. Sphera issues a threat, stating if they do not desist, they will take action. Richard responds defiantly and the War of Violets begins. Several prominent families including the Nolans refuse to fight in the war, and three generals resign from the army. Many of the Rhone population call for a vote to remove Richard, but his lock hold over the government seems firm. Kalahari joins the War of Violets against Rhone forcing the country to fight the war on both fronts. Rhone loses two decisive battles to both Sphera and Kalahari.
The Revolution of Roses happens on September 5th, Jonathan Nolan leads a crowd that demands change in Rhone. The military sides with the crowd and parliament, seeing the way the cards are falling, side with the revolutionaries. King Richard is forced into exile and King Henry Foster takes the throne. The people convey a convention to establish a constitution and a Prime Minister who will actively run the country with checks, resigning the royalty to figurehead status.
478 Richard Donk, the Fool King has a tumultuous five-year reign that is widely and historically considered to be an embarrassment to the nation. It involved a number of alcohol and drug-induced incidents, many of which international. Donk showed up in his underwear for an event at the 480 Assembly of Riven, and when he was publicly criticized, proceeded to remove those and moon the crowd. (In 585, Prime Minister Elizabeth Hawkings famously responded when jokingly asked how in the world he wasn’t assassinated “I have no bloody idea.” To this day, being a “donk” is a common term for being a fool across the Two Continents. Donk’s descendants are not pleased.
In 502 Prince Henry Thomas is killed during a diplomatic meeting with the Esra. The events leading up to this are to this day shrouded in mystery, but many theories point to a tragedy involving a love affair. Rhone follows by passing the Energy Accord in January of 505, making the use of energy in Rhone illegal.
The Dark Inquisition 505-510, where Esra are round up and imprisoned. The inquisition is led by Martin Hammerfall, who oversees the imprisonment of 2345 people accused of being Esra or using magic, and forty people executed under the accusation of being spies. Public support for Hammerfall flips completely with the announcement of a planned execution for a thirteen-year-old. The cards fall fast then. Hammerfall is brought in front of a tribunal on the accusation of corrupt and unethical use of power. He is convicted and sentenced to prison. The inquisition ends. 2285 of the people jailed by the inquisition are released, in addition to the forty executions, 20 others died in prison for a number of different reasons. The Dark Inquisition is known as the Great Mistake and is a time Rhonians have tried to forget.
In 520, Article 45-LA-2 is officially rescinded after eight years of no longer being enforced and Esra are allowed in Rhone once again. However, the strong partnership between the two formed during the Final War was never the same.
585 Prime Minister Elizabeth Hawkings wins Prime Minister. She holds the position for four terms. She is widely considered to be Rhone’s greatest leader. She worked to repair the damage done over the years with other countries and establish stronger alliances. She begins a partnership with Sphera and Kalahari that exists to this day.