Rhotia

Rhotia, officially the Republic of Rhotia, is a country in Levantia. It is neighbored by Hollona and Diorisia and Anglei to the west, Urcea to the southwest, Lapody to the east, and Fiannria to the north.

Rhotia was established in 2030 in the aftermath of the Dissolution of the Deric States, unifying the five Rhotian language-speaking countries of Allaria, Corcra, Orclenia, Kronenia, and Vinesia that were members of the Deric States. The new Rhotian nationality emerged as the idea of a unified Derian identity collapsed, emphasizing the shared history, language, and day-to-day social mores of Rhotian-speaking peoples.

Rhotia is a member of the Levantine Union.

Etymology
Rhotia is named for Rhotian, the language spoken in the northern part of Dericania. It is unclear when this derivation was first used in a geographical sense, with scattered references beginning in the late 17th century. The term did not enter common parlance until the 20th century, when it was used to collectively refer to the northern Deric States.

Geography
Rhotia is a landlocked country in central Levantia.

History
Rhotia emerged from Dericania, a region in east-central Levantia long associated with the Holy Levantine Empire and with the Latinic heartland of Great Levantia before it. The northern portions of Dericania shared a common language, Rhotian, which emerged from Latin in a distinct form by the 9th and 10th centuries. The Rhotian-speaking lands were divided into hundreds of feudal units that were part of the Holy Levantine Empire until the 19th century, when a process known as mediatization - which included both diplomatic consolidations and significant warfare - began to gradually reduce the number of constituent parts of the Empire. During this period, Rhotians became associated with Derian identity, a nationalist concept which claimed a common nation of Dericania. Nationalists of the Derian movement launched a major uprising that began the Second Great War in Levantia. Rhotia was briefly part of a nominal Deric Republic established by the nationalists before they were ultimately defeated. Following the defeat, a conflict known as the Third Fratricide divided Dericania between moderate nationalists, who enjoyed international support, and socialist insurrectionaries. Out of the wake of that conflict, five states were established in what is today Rhotia. The five - Allaria, Corcra, Orclenia, Kronenia, and Vineisa - all were established as new states which formally consolidated many predecessor Imperial subject entities. All five adopted Rhotian as a national language, beginning the cultural process of Rhotianization, or the dismissal of the notion of a Derian identity in favor of a Rhotian identity.

Rhotian unification
Between the 1950s and late 1980s, the new five Rhotian-speaking states began a process of domestic nation-building that focused on national, not linguistic, ties - meaning creating a distinct national identity of Allarian, Orclenian, and so on. These processes were largely a failure, but all five nations emphasized their use of the Rhotian language as a distinguishing social characteristic, and in this respect a greater social and scholarly appreciation for the language took root by the 1970s. As greater affinity for the Levantine Union spread throughout the continent in the post-war years, a new type of social identity emerged - that of "Rhotian-speaking Levantine", with individuals identifying themselves as citizens of the Levantine Union sharing a common language who happened to be part of five distinct countries. This conceptualization was greatly enhanced during the 1980s with the rise of the internet, allowing Rhotian speakers to discover their shared common culture and the differences they have with Lapods, a process which led the Derian identity to enter terminal decline. Rhotians began to identify themselves as "Rhotians" by the 1990s, though this still had a cultural rather than nationality-related meaning.

Government
Rhotia is a, with various democratic values. It is governed by the Fundamental Statute of 2030, which serves as the Republic's. In style, and particularly in nomenclature, it is based partly on the government of Fiannria, the oldest democratic republic in Levantia, although in form it resembles a more straightforward. Rhotia is relatively unique among members of the Levantine Union in that its and  are the same office, eschewing both the semi-presidential model of Fiannria, the Julian form of governance, as well as the more conventional  employed by states like Lapody and Anglei.

Rhotia is a federal union of five states who retain some degree of local governance and are coterminous with the predecessor states of the Deric States which formed Rhotia.

Executive
The and  of Rhotia is the President of Rhotia.

The current President of Rhotia is Alexandru Lash. Lash, who is a self-described, was selected as provisional President by the All-States Delegation at the time of the constitution's adoption. The first regularly scheduled Presidential election will be held in 2035.

Legislature
Rhotia has a legislature divided into the All-Rhotian Assembly, the lower chamber, and the All-States Delegation, the upper chamber. The All-Rhotian Assembly is considered the primary legislative chamber and has authority over all laws and has inasmuch as all budgets must originate there, while the All-States Delegation has limited authority over foreign trade deals, constitutional matters, and labor laws, similar to the Urcean Gildertach. The All-Rhotian Assembly is elected by a national ballot every five years (with elections in years ending with "0" and "5") by means of a nation-wide. The All-States Delegation, meanwhile, is comprised of individuals appointed by the state legislatures of Rhotia's five constituent states, with apportionment based on population, with the smallest state having three delegates and the largest six.

Local governance
Rhotia is divided into five states, each of whom have a State Assembly and Governor. These states are coterminous with the pre-unification borders of Allaria, Corcra, Orclenia, Kronenia, and Vinesia, though the territory in and around the city of Corcra itself has been turned into a federal district.

Politics
At present, Rhotia is governed by a of all political parties within the All-Rhotian Assembly in conjunction with a provisionally elected non-partisan President of Rhotia, Alexandru Lash. Rhotia, as a new country comprised of five former countries, has four primary "coalitions" rather than political parties; these coalitions are made up of the various local political parties of the five states. All four coalitions have committed themselves to reforming into centrally organized political parties by 2035. The four coalitions, by order of size within the Assembly, are the Pan-Deric National Union League, the Post-Deric Front , the Coalition of Patriotic Democrats (/), and the Coalition for the Right Governance of the Kingdom of Dericania.

Culture
A distinctly Rhotian cultural identity - and what traditions, mores, and practices define Rhotian cultural life - is a new concept. It is still being defined by its practitioners and studied by scholars, but its basic outlines came into view in the 1980s with the rise of the internet, as Rhotian speakers identifies the practices and traditions common to them as opposed to those of the people of Lapody. To most Rhotes, the Rhotian language is their major source of pride and main identifying point of what identifies a Rhotian as opposed to any other ethnic group. Accordingly, a public effort has been made to distinguish Rhotia historically as a center of poetry, writing, music, and general use of the written and spoken word. In addition to this focus on language, scholars have also identified Fiannan heritage influences as another central part of Rhotian life, as significant parts of the Fiannan music and written tradition (be they songs, common tropes, or other elements) are present throughout Rhotian arts. This is true in common practices in Rhotia; as an example, Rhotian cuisine is more similar to Fiannan cuisine in style, ingredients, and presentation than Lapodard cuisine.

Scholars have classified the antecedents of a unified Rhotian cultural identity as "Upper Deric culture", referring to the general continuity of mores and traditions in northern Dericania since the medieval period. This culture is shared with Hollona and Diorisia, which emerged from it by its cultural intermixing with the Ænglish people. Upper Deric culture formed in the wake of the collapse of Great Levantia, integrating the urban Latin-speaking elite with the rural Gaels, as happened elsewhere in Levantia. In both Rhotia and Lapody, a more distinctly Latin, rather than Gaelic or pure fusion culture, emerged by the 9th century. This common origin for the Upper Deric and "Middle Deric" (Lapodard) as opposed to other peoples like Urceans or people of the Lower Deric culture (Burgoignesc culture) formed the early basis of the Derian identity in the 18th and 19th century.

Cuisine
Due to its inland and mountainous terrain, as well as the large amount of lowlands forestry, Rhotian cuisine is exceptionally varied, rich in meat, especially pork, chicken and beef, in addition to a wide range of vegetables, spices, and herbs. It is also characteristic in its use of various kinds of as well as  and. Fish is common in many dishes, with and  being consumed by a large portion of the coastal populace. These are most often, or marinated. In general, Rhotian cuisine is hearty and heavy in its use of butter, cream, eggs and extensive seasoning. The traditional dishes are often demanding in preparation, with some meals taking days to prepare fully. Notable Rhotian dishes include, ', pork loin , mined meat , beef , sour , mushroom soup, , sour rye soup, , and red beetroot '.

Traditional Rhotian dinners consist of three dishes, with the first portion being of some variant of soup. Most commonly this would be or meat broth. Following this soup would be an appetizer, such as (prepared in either cream, oil, or in ) or other cured meats and vegetable salads. Following the appetizer is the main meal, often of, , , or chicken, accompanied by shredded root vegetables with lemon and sugar (carrot, celeriac, beetroot) or. Side dishes are often boiled, , , or. These dinners are concluded with a dessert including pastries, cream pies or.

Alcoholic beverages within Rhotia are commonly, , and , with being rarely consumed. By far the most popular of these is, which has experienced a resurgence since the early 2000s due to lower costs and the ease of manufacture. In regards to nonalcoholic beverages, is widely drunk often with a slice of lemon and sweetened with sugar or honey, while drinking with milk is far less common. , introduced during the Second Great War period, is also common. Locally produced is consumed in the eastern portions of the country. It is typically made from rye bread, usually known as, and is not classified as an alcoholic beverage as its alcohol content usually ranges from 0.5-1% or 1-2 proof. Frequently consumed beverages also include, , , , various , , and numerous brands of.

Music
Although a new national identity, Rhotian culture can claim a long, storied history of arts and music. The many different ducal and count courts of the Rhotian-speaking parts of the Holy Levantine Empire provided ample opportunity for court musicians and painters to find employment during the, which is where the generally accepted beginnings of Rhotian music are set by many historians. Rhotian music generally describes the history of music written in the Rhotian language. Predating that, around the year 900, the abbey produced the Officium Sancti Proctori manuscript, one of the first examples of musical notation from Dericania. Beyond courtly life, public interest in music slowly developed across Rhotia in the 19th century, initially with patriotic music played by military bands of the various principalities. In 1845, the Imperial Army Band known as the Musique militaries imperiale was founded in Corcra with some 24 musicians from the battalion stationed there. In the middle of the 19th century, music and singing societies became increasingly popular. A series of local composers wrote vocal music and light pieces to be performed by the brass bands and choirs which were also emerging everywhere. Interest in patriotic music peaked in the run up to the Second Great War as the possibility of Dericanian national independence seemed possible. After the war and in the horrors of the Third Fratricide patriotic music fell into deep decline, with radio and record imports of popular music forms from both Urcea and Burgundie becoming the most popular genres of music. Foreign music dominated Rhotian-speaking states for most of the rest of the 20th century, with Rhotian-language singers and songs only becoming popular in the late 1980s. Today, foreign music still dominates the radio and internet charts in Rhotia, but "Rhote Music", the genre describing attempts at reviving ethnic Rhotian-language music, is the fastest growing genre in the country.

Religious Demographics
The vast majority of Rhotes are members of the Catholic Church.

4.2% of Rhotes in 2030 - about 5.5 million Rhotes - are members of the Protestant College of Levantine Churches. Rhotia has a long history of being associated with Protestantism in Levantia, and Rhotia was geographically the primary battleground of the Great Confessional War, a war of religion that took place in the Holy Levantine Empire during the 16th century. The 1846 establishment of the Bishopric of Ericaner, the first legal Chantric and therefore Protestant bishopric in the Empire, solidified the presence of Protestantism within the country.

Economy
Rhotia boasts a unique economic landscape shaped by cooperative ideals and a commitment to shared prosperity. Emerging from its Third Fratricide roots, various component elements of what would become the Deric States - and later Rhotia - adopted experimental economic models throughout the 1950s and 60s. These economic experiments gradually faded in the 1970s and 1980s, transitioning from a rigid command economy to a vibrant market socialist model that values innovation, hard work, and equitable wealth distribution. In Rhotia, the spirit of collaboration permeates the economy. State-operated enterprises, cooperatives, and small worker-owned businesses harmoniously coexist. Cooperative ownership thrives, especially in sectors like construction, finance, mining, and agriculture. Large enterprises, classified as "Publicly Owned Enterprises" (POEs), represent a blend of shareholder investments and public ownership. Foreign involvement is welcomed, yet stringent regulations ensure that the essence of Rhotia’s cooperative vision is preserved. Rhotia is a member of the Levantine Union, and accordingly shares a common market with other LU members, though at times the economic relationship between foreign capital and Rhotian communities can be tense. Despite this, Rhotia heavily engages in trade with its Levantine Union colleagues. Import substitution policies bolster self-sufficiency, ensuring that Rhotia's economy remains robust.

Cooperatives form the backbone of Rhotia’s business landscape, fostering a sense of community ownership. Meanwhile, Publicly Owned Enterprises (POEs) combine public and shareholder interests, ensuring a diverse and inclusive approach to decision-making. The government, Worker's Investment Board, and dedicated Rhotian investors share ownership, ensuring a harmonious balance of power. Rhotians, recognizing the importance of balance, enjoy a comparatively short workweek of 30 hours spread over five days. The workdays are flexible, accommodating various preferences. Some choose the standard 6-hour workdays, while others opt for longer days in exchange for shorter ones, depending on operational needs. This flexibility enhances the overall quality of life, allowing citizens to relish the Mediterranean splendor that surrounds them.

The nation's picturesque landscapes and rich cultural heritage make tourism a significant contributor, not only boosting the local economy but also fostering international friendships. Corcra - and its significant historical sites ranging from Great Levantine ruins to the former Holy Levantine Imperial palace - is the largest tourism destination in the country and one of the most visited cities in Levantia. Other noteworthy industries in Rhotia include agriculture, renewable energy and renewable manufacturing, and a nascent high-tech sector fostered by the new Rhotian government since unification.

Military
The Republican Guard of Rhotia is the nation's armed forces, with two branches: the Republican Army, which serves as the nation's ground forces and also includes helicipters, and; the Republican Air Force, which serves in both air defense and air power projection roles. The Republican Army is designed to seamlessly be integrated within the Levantine Union Defense Council force command in time of war, and is organized in such a way as to have flexible command structures depending on various allied needs. Accordingly, the Republican Guard is doctrinally designed to not be a freestanding force capable of acting independently (except in extreme cases of national defense) but is intended to serve a complementary role to larger allied forces.

The Republican Guard was assembled from the five component countries' military forces. The officer corps of both branches are disproportionately made up of officers from the former countries of Allaria and Kronenia, who were the two largest Rhotian-speaking countries. Orclean-origin officers and enlisted personnel make up the next largest share. Corcra and Vinesia were virtually disarmed, only retaining small national defense formations and a national gendarmerie for police purposes, and accordingly their military traditions are not well represented within the Guard.