Touvette
Touvette’s current ruler served the previous king as general. Today, Touvette is a realm where religions are not tolerated and all young men of age are required to serve in the kingdom’s growing army. However, the famed Touvette Charities make Touvette’s citizens into some of the most educated and well off citizens in the River Kingdoms.
History
When Touvette’s king Aven died, his whelp of a son took over, and everything in this once-stable kingdom fell apart. Aven the Second was a lush and a fool, and due to his negligence the borders fell apart as neighboring kingdoms snatched at Touvette’s land. Lacking a strong central authority figure, rival churches filled the void in the people’s hearts and holy war erupted up in the streets. This was when General Cabol Voran stepped in. He united the army, overthrew the besotted king, and established the current government. The General reclaimed the kingdom’s borders, evicted the treacherous churches, brought a harsh peace to the people, and never let anyone forget that their safety and prosperity was due to his actions. Now the General is the sole authority in Touvette—a realm with no kings, churches, or foreign influences, only free men who serve to protect their lands and neighbors.
When the General took control of Touvette, he had his enemies—the bishops, high priests, and young king—brought before him, and found them guilty of betraying the kingdom. All priests and clerics were given 30 days to leave, under threat of death. The few who tried to remain were publicly flogged, their bloody bodies tied to carriages and driven through the streets of the capital, where the people threw rocks at their heads and burned their holy books.
Finally, the General turned to the borders. He fought back his neighbours with the same ruthlessness he had shown his previous enemies. When he conquered a foreign general, he crucified his opponent and carried him like a banner into battle. His own men feared the General mad, but he secured his borders from his adversaries, and was free to reshape Touvette in his own image—hard, unyielding, ruthless, and effective. Now every morning, the families of the kingdom begin the day with a ceremony of thanks to the General for liberating them from the tyrannies of laziness and faith and protecting them from evil.