Ruthund

Ruthund (Romrenoz: Ruthundaz), officially the Realm of Great Ruthund, is a nation-state in Northern Europe. Ruthund’s neighbors include Fremet and the UNSR to the south, as well as Montenbourg and Kaitsja to the East, via the North Sea. Ruthund’s population is mostly concentrated in the South, where the coastal plains, lowlands, and the Lukandal Valley are located. The Capital of Ruthund is Kazmurbirha, with it being also the country's largest city. Other major cities include Rangentazavon, Nokjadulaz, Anuz, Barmjoz, and Velgazinjoz.

Evidence of Livonish habitation in Ruthund dates back to over 3,000 years ago. Around the 7th century CE, an Eastern Germanic tribe known as the Rothani, closely associated with the Crimean Gothic tribes, began to migrate Northwest from their supposed initial settlement near the Caspian Sea. By the 8th century the Rothani, now referred to as Ruthens, formed various petty Kingdoms throughout the valley, often warring with both the Livonish tribes and other Ruthenish petty kingdoms. In 857 CE, a prominent general named Kazmuraz, declared himself King of the Ruthens consolidating the Lukandal valley into one state.

After the Kadol Wars in the 11th century, Ruthund adopted a policy of resisting christianization efforts under Queen Palhanu, which later led the groundwork for her successors to adopt policies of non-belligerence and isolationism. During this time, which was known as the Dark Peace in Ruthund, the state kept a tight control on the population and was among the most conservative and authoritarian countries in Northern Europe. By the 19th Century however, Ruthund’s economy was stagnating behind the rest of Europe. A series of events during the Long Night led the new reform minded King Nuimetonaz to pass the Zdeiltoijaz Edicts, which provoked a rebellion among a faction of the Nobility to stage a insurrection against the King. This would lead to a complex civil war known as the Second Kinstrife in Ruthund.

By the end of the Civil War, the rebelling nobility secured power with the help of foreign powers and the Nowugaz, the Secret Police in Ruthund. Though the new regime implemented a limited industrialization program to restore stability, no meaningful democratic reforms would take place until the 1993 Kelundaz Uprising. Today, many consider Ruthund to be a republic with the head of State (the Lord of State) elected by the Ruthenish parliament. Though many aspects of the Old Regime still remain, which is subject to great controversy in Ruthund. Ruthund became a member of the European Union on 10 July, 2020.

Ruthund is a major Oil producer in Europe and makes up a large fraction of the Ruthenish economy at around 19% of Ruthund’s GDP. Ruthund’s historical reliance on oil had led to several recessions in the past, causing a devastating blow to the Ruthenish economy in 1989. Under the former Lord of State Zgeirtan’s government, the country made considerable progress towards diversifying the economy-- particularly in Information Technology and Manufacturing. Between 2018-2020, Ruthund’s GDP grew by about 64 percent.

Etymology and Terminology
In English, both the term ‘Ruthundy’ and ‘Ruthund’ are used to describe the country. Ruthundy comes from the French adaptation Ruthundie, and was used much throughout the 14th to 20th centuries. However in 1961, the Ruthenish Foreign Office requested that the term ‘Ruthund’ be used in all further formal diplomatic correspondence. However, Ruthundy is still used in some informal situations, similar to French Ruthundie and Spanish Ruthundia. All variations of the word ultimately come from ‘ᚱᚢᚦᚢᛏ’ (Ruthund).

The origins of the word Ruthund comes from Old Ruthenic ᚱᚢᚦᚬᚴᚢᛚᛦᛞ (Ruthakulynd), meaning ‘Ruthak’s Haven’, possibly referring to the shores of Lake Kuronz in Lukandal (see more on Ruthak). It later contracted by the 1200’s into ‘ᚱᚢᚦᚢᛞ’. The former name for the entire region in older texts was ᛋᚴᚬᚦᛦᚹᚬᛞ (Skathywand), but fell out of use around the late 9th to early 10th century. This is likely due to the Kingdom of Ruthund establishing control over much of the region, making the term redundant to some.

The origins of Ruthak’s name is unknown. The most accepted theory states that it comes from the Proto-Ruthenic word ‘rōþrekuz’ meaning ‘thick oar’. Related to the Sword of Ruthak, a mythological sword initially fashioned from two oars given to Ruthak by the Spirit Zevhen, to travel across the Grey Sea. He would later make a home on the lake shores of Kuronz.