Rislandia

Rislandia

Rislandia, also referred to as the Rislandia Kingdom, the Rislandian Kingdom, the Kingdom of Rislandia, or Grand Rislandia, was the kingdom where the events of For Steam and Country, The Blood of Giants, The Fight for Rislandia, The Iron Wedding, The Crystal Conspiracy, and The Steam Knight took place. It occupied the northern and central portions of the Rislandia-Wyranth Peninsula on the Areth continent, a land transformed over approximately 500 years from a cursed wilderness into a thriving kingdom of farms, forests, cities, and industry. On a continental map, Rislandia had a shape described as almost like a bell. Its national colors were crimson; in The Iron Wedding, the kingdom's colors were described as red and gold. Its flag featured a gear and wings symbol.

Rislandia was the home nation of Zaira von Monocle, Baron Theodore von Monocle, Ethan von Lantern, Talyen von Cravat, King Malaky XVI, and James Gentry. The kingdom was consistently at war or in conflict with the Wyranth Empire across the first four books and in The Steam Knight, before the two nations formed an alliance against the Nightmen in The Crystal Conspiracy. Only Rislandia could build airships, owing to the air crystals buried within the Crystal Spire, and this technology was kept a closely guarded secret for years—Rislandia was described as the only kingdom in the world with airship technology and the only kingdom able to fly around the world with it. The airship The Liliana was described as more than just a weapon—it was a symbol of hope for Rislandia—and the battle cry "For steam and country!" originated there. Millions of people were said to depend on Zaira von Monocle's efforts on behalf of the kingdom.

Geography

The kingdom was bounded by the Golgmarsh Ocean to the west and north, Lantern Bay to the east, the Border River to the south separating it from the Wyranth Empire, and the Oler Mountains to the northeast, which formed the border with Atrebla. The southwest coast was home to the port settlement of Portsgate. Wealthy nobility from Rislandia built vacation residences along the Ebony Sands Coast. The eastern coast included the settlement of Tyndree. The western coast featured fishing villages. Many supply freighters made port to the west at Saltson to avoid the northern waters.

Cities within Rislandia included Portsgate, Shellville, and Northpoint, as well as the capital, Rislandia City.

Regions

• Central Heartland: Rolling hills, farmland, and the capital
• The Old Forest: Dense ancient woodland covering central Rislandia
• The Oler Mountains: Northeastern range bordering Atrebla
• Western Coast: Cliffs, beaches, fishing villages, and swamps along the Golgmarsh Ocean; in The Blood of Giants, this coast was under attack by Wyranth forces
• Eastern Coast: Calm harbors facing Lantern Bay; included Tyndree
• Southern Borderlands: Contested territory along the Border River; in The Blood of Giants, the Grand Rislandian Army was deployed along this border. In The Iron Wedding, Rislandia had lands in the south contested by the Wyranth, and the town of Loveridge was lost to Wyranth forces before being returned as part of a ceasefire arrangement. An infantry line existed between Greenhorne and Loveridge.
• The Westerly Spine: Massive mountain range dividing east and west
• Northern Provinces: In For Steam and Country, these provinces were occupied by Wyranth forces during the conflict with the empire. By the epilogue of The Fight for Rislandia, the northern half of Rislandia had been expelled of Wyranth forces. In The Steam Knight, James and Ethan were heading north to reach Rislandian-controlled territory, and Rislandia was described as gaining ground to the north.
• Southern Rislandia: In The Fight for Rislandia, southern Rislandia was covered in a blizzard as of Day 10 of the Month of the Fool.
• Plainsroad Village: A village within Rislandia where the narrator of The Blood of Giants grew up

History

In The Blood of Giants, Baron Theodore von Monocle returned to Rislandia and married Talyen von Cravat.

In The Fight for Rislandia, the events of the story took place in the dead of winter. The Wyranth Empire launched a full invasion of Rislandia, breaking through its front gate, destroying much of its countryside and farmland, and pushing toward Rislandia City. The battle was described as one of the most important in Rislandia's history. By the epilogue, the northern half of Rislandia had been expelled of Wyranth forces, and the kingdom's priority was to rebuild and ensure everyone had enough to eat when winter fell.

In The Iron Wedding, the invasion of Rislandia was described as having occurred during the 19th year of King Malaky XVI's reign, with Zaira facing a difficult choice to bring peace to Rislandia during the 20th year of his reign. The kingdom was on its last legs during the war and had no airship at that time. The Wyranth had employed scorched earth tactics, leaving Rislandia strapped for resources. The kingdom's military was advancing southward. Ivan, the Iron Emperor, was described as having previously told Zaira he wanted to take land from Rislandia to gain more resources for Wyranth, and he claimed Rislandia was suppressed by a utilitarian philosophy where art was not appreciated. The Wyranth Underground Resistance sought supplies from Rislandia. Rislandia possessed its own automatons and sent a royal contingent—including Queen Reina I, the High Knight of Rislandia, and Zaira's father—to the Iron Wedding. Rislandian forces arrived at Carnait Cove with two mecha units. Ambassadors from Atrebla and Nyanzi were stationed within the kingdom. King Malaky died during the events of The Iron Wedding, after which Princess Reina assumed rule as Queen. As part of the ceasefire and marriage arrangement, Rislandia's defenses were restored, Ivan agreed to allow Rislandians to regain their land, and Queen Reina I agreed to give Wyranth engineers access to the Crystal Spire. Ivan sent a courier to Rislandia with wedding invitations.

In The Steam Knight, Rislandia was still at war with the Wyranth Empire and in a desperate situation, on the verge of losing Rislandia City. The kingdom had recently retaken Rislandia City from Wyranth occupation but lost its only airship in the battle to retake the city. The kingdom was experiencing a hard winter of rebuilding, and much of the population of Rislandia City had not yet returned after the Wyranth assault. The Grand Rislandian Army evacuated King Malaky from Rislandia City during the conflict. Rislandia was in negotiations with Atrebla for military support. James Gentry aspired to become the greatest knight Rislandia had ever produced, and he and Queen Reina I were described as the heart and soul of Rislandia, with Reina described as the kingdom's future. Rislandians destroyed the Wyranth's serum sources during this period.

Government

Rislandia operated as a constitutional monarchy under the Malaky dynasty. The Malaky line was described as upholding the rule of law. Kingdom law defined two years missing in action as formally deceased.

Rislandia recognized two types of nobility: legacy nobles, who held titles by lineage, and military-service nobles, whose titles were granted as commendations. For example, Talyen von Cravat's title was given as a commendation rather than by Rislandian lineage. Nobility in the Grand Rislandian Army were not permitted to participate in field missions. All nobility shared similar naming conventions by tradition.

Rislandian society valued duty, honor, merit, and innovation. Anyone could rise through service—a farmer's son could become a Baron, a chef's assistant could become a Commodore. The kingdom practiced no slavery and provided basic rights and legal protections to all citizens. Rislandia had city guards and old children's tales about creatures such as the Nightmen. Rislandians were described as a hearty people who do what they have to. In The Steam Knight, Rislandians were described by Gustaaf as a docile people, though this characterization was not shared by the narrative.

Not all Rislandians were described as kind to those who had been associated with the Wyranth Empire.

Spoiler: The Crystal ConspiracyClick to reveal

Rulers

In For Steam and Country, the kingdom was ruled by King Malaky XVI, formally styled as "King Malaky the Sixteenth of the Rislandian Kingdom." In The Fight for Rislandia, the kingdom was ruled by King Malaky XV. In The Steam Knight, the kingdom was ruled by King Malaky, with Princess Reina described as sole heir to the throne. In The Iron Wedding, the kingdom was ruled by King Malaky until his death, after which Queen Reina I assumed the throne. In The Crystal Conspiracy, Rislandia was ruled by Queen Reina I.

Note: The ruler listed in For Steam and Country is King Malaky XVI, while The Fight for Rislandia names King Malaky XV. The Steam Knight refers to King Malaky without specifying a numeral;

Military

• Knights of the Crystal Spire: Special forces and royal bodyguards. The Knights bore the spire symbol in the crimson colors of the Rislandia Kingdom. In The Iron Wedding, Rislandian knights included James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern. In The Steam Knight, James Gentry aspired to become the greatest knight Rislandia had ever produced and served as a knight for his king and country.

The Crystal Spire

Currency

Rislandia used its own gold currency, known as the Rislandia Kingdom gold mark. See Rislandian Currency.

Role in For Steam and Country

In For Steam and Country, Rislandia was at war with the Wyranth Empire. Wyranth soldiers had crossed into Rislandian territory—an event described as alarming—and the northern provinces were occupied by Wyranth forces. Zaira described Rislandia as no threat to the Wyranth, yet the kingdom's survival depended on the outcome of the conflict.

The Liliana, described as the Rislandia Kingdom's most infamous airship, was considered the kingdom's most effective weapon and gave Rislandia a significant advantage should the Wyranth press for full war. The Liliana flying again served as a rallying cry for the kingdom. The mission undertaken by Zaira and her crew to destroy a dangerous creature was intended to save Rislandia from a prolonged war.

Baron Theodore von Monocle's log mentioned returning to Rislandia City after a sojourn home, and he had previously gifted his airship to Rislandia. The Baron described the ideals of the Rislandian Kingdom as more important than any individual.

Zaira von Monocle and her father were both from Rislandia. Zaira held a real lineage within the kingdom and wished to return to face King Malaky XVI. She also promised Marina du Willet sanctuary in Rislandia. Captain von Cravat's duty was explicitly stated to be to Rislandia.

The Iron Emperor's plan was described as capable of sinking the Rislandia Kingdom if Zaira defected, and the army would have been demoralized by such an act.

Role in The Blood of Giants

In The Blood of Giants, Rislandia remained at war with the Wyranth Empire, with skirmishes occurring at its borders and Wyranth forces invading from multiple directions, including attacks along the western coast. The Grand Rislandian Army was deployed along the Border River. Rislandia's infantry was noted to still use cannonballs rather than explosive shells, and the kingdom desperately needed aether-fuel for its airship fleet.

Rislandia City experienced ongoing earthquakes that had not subsided even after the creature at Devil's Mountain was destroyed. James Gentry suggested there may have been another giant or two burrowed within the country.

The Liliana was required to return to Rislandia within three weeks. The crew of the Liliana were described as Rislandia's best. Cappa had never heard of Rislandia.

The narrator of The Blood of Giants expressed deep love for Rislandia and its people, comparing her attachment to the kingdom to how Seeva felt about her jungle. Rislandians were noted as not always being kind to someone associated with the Wyranth. The Nightmen were described as not being ready for Rislandians, and it was said that those the crew encountered would remember Rislandians and vow to be allies in time of need.

Baron Theodore von Monocle returned to Rislandia during the events of The Blood of Giants and married Talyen von Cravat.

Role in The Fight for Rislandia

In The Fight for Rislandia, Rislandia was under full invasion by the Wyranth Empire, with the Wyranth breaking through the kingdom's front gate and pushing deep into its territory. The events took place in the dead of winter, with southern Rislandia covered in a blizzard as of Day 10 of the Month of the Fool. The Wyranth had destroyed much of Rislandia's countryside and farmland, and the Iron Emperor was described as waltzing around Rislandia trying to bend the people to his whims. The Wyranth sought Rislandia as a prize and pushed deep into the kingdom specifically to secure two giant locations found within its borders.

The kingdom was ruled by King Malaky XV during these events. Zaira von Monocle and her crew aboard The Liliana fought to defend Rislandia, with the battle cry "For steam and country!" Rislandia City itself was the site of intense fighting, with soldiers staged on rooftops to defend the palace from the rear, and a weapons creation facility within the city was sabotaged. Dr. Estrella du Clockhand stated that Rhys's cure was how they would save Rislandia.

Both Rislandian and Wyranth soldiers fled from a rampaging giant during the conflict. The battle was described as one of the most important in Rislandia's history. By the epilogue, the northern half of Rislandia had been expelled of Wyranth forces, and the kingdom's priority was to rebuild and ensure everyone had enough to eat when winter fell.

Role in The Steam Knight

In The Steam Knight, Rislandia was at war with the Wyranth Empire and in a desperate situation. The kingdom was on the verge of losing Rislandia City, and the unspoken question hung in the air of whether the Kingdom of Rislandia would still exist in the coming days. The Grand Rislandian Army evacuated King Malaky from Rislandia City during the Wyranth assault. The kingdom subsequently retook Rislandia City from Wyranth occupation but lost its only airship in the battle to do so. The Liliana was described as the kingdom's only flying machine at this time.

The kingdom was experiencing a hard winter of rebuilding, and much of the population of Rislandia City had not yet returned after the Wyranth assault. Rislandia was in negotiations with Atrebla for military support. Princess Reina was described as the sole heir to the throne and as the kingdom's future. James Gentry and Princess Reina were described as the heart and soul of Rislandia. James aspired to become the greatest knight Rislandia had ever produced and wanted to be a knight for his king and country.

The countryside was described as having green grasses and hills, with several small villages along its outskirts. Rislandians lined the sides of an arena during a competition. Rislandians destroyed the Wyranth's serum sources during this period. Marcus and the Wyranth sought to control Rislandian land. James and Ethan von Lantern were heading north to reach Rislandian-controlled territory, and Rislandia was described as gaining ground to the north. The kingdom's flag featured a gear and wings symbol.

Role in The Iron Wedding

In The Iron Wedding, Rislandia was described as having been invaded by the Wyranth during the 19th year of King Malaky XVI's reign, with Zaira facing a difficult choice to bring peace to Rislandia during the 20th year of his reign. The kingdom was on its last legs during the war and had no airship. The Wyranth's scorched earth tactics had left Rislandia strapped for resources, its population down since the invasion, and its countryside and farmland damaged. The military was advancing southward, with an infantry line between Greenhorne and Loveridge. The town of Loveridge had been lost to Wyranth forces.

King Malaky died during the events of The Iron Wedding, after which Queen Reina I assumed rule. Flags flew at half-mast over the walls of Rislandia City following his death. Most Rislandians were described as having loved King Malaky.

As part of the ceasefire and marriage arrangement brokered through Zaira, Ivan agreed to allow Rislandians to regain their land, the town of Loveridge was returned, and Rislandia's defenses were restored. Queen Reina I agreed to give Wyranth engineers access to the Crystal Spire. A royal contingent from Rislandia—including Queen Reina, the High Knight of Rislandia, and Zaira's father—attended the Iron Wedding. Rislandian forces arrived at Carnait Cove with two mecha units. Ambassadors from Atrebla and Nyanzi were stationed within the kingdom. The Wyranth Underground Resistance sought supplies from Rislandia.

Ivan, the Iron Emperor claimed Rislandia was suppressed by a utilitarian philosophy where art was not appreciated. The palace entrance design of Rislandia City was described as similar to that of the Wyranth capital, with the builders of both major castles reportedly having come from the same group of travelers hundreds of years ago.

On the world map

On the official world map, Rislandia is the yellow north-western tip of the Areth continent, with a city dot near its centre. A red line marks its southern border with the green Wyranth Empire (the Border River). Lantern Bay lies to the east and red Artrebla to the north-east. Its west coast faces the Golgmarsh Ocean and its north coast faces the Crosswinds Sea. The map does not name any Rislandian city or the Oler Mountains.

In A History of Rislandia

A History of Rislandia presents Rislandia as the primary setting and subject of its in-universe scholarly account, tracing the kingdom from its origins among refugees of the Orethan Dominion through the reign of Queen Reina I. The sourcebook adds substantial historical, cultural, and geographic detail not covered in the novels.

Origins and Founding

According to A History of Rislandia, the kingdom was founded by refugees who fled the collapse of the Orethan Dominion and crossed the mountains to settle the Iberanth Peninsula. The initial settlement was called "The Refuge." The founding moment is specifically tied to the discovery of a natural deposit of air crystals in caverns beneath a prominent hill in the central plains — the site that would become the Crystal Spire — and the kingdom was formally established upon the election of King Malaky I. The anniversary of the Crystal Spire's discovery is considered the founding of Rislandia. Population stabilized at approximately 12,000 after early departures from the settlement.

The sourcebook identifies Atrebla as the ancestral homeland of the Rislandian people, stating that Rislandians are descended from Atreblan refugees and still speak a dialect of Atreblan, with many cultural traditions shared between the two peoples. Both Rislandia and the Wyranth Empire claimed to be the "true heir" of the old Orethan refugees, and Rislandian schools taught this claim as fact.

Religion and Secularism

A History of Rislandia provides detailed background on Rislandia's religious history not addressed in the novels. According to the sourcebook, King Malaky VII suppressed religious teachings three centuries before the novels' events, in what is referred to as The Purge. Hundreds of priests and monks fled Rislandia during this period, and religion never fully recovered afterward. The kingdom remained largely secular even after Malaky VII's death. The sourcebook describes the modern Rislandia of the novels as "a modern, secular kingdom" in which science is ascendant.

Wars with Wyranth

The sourcebook provides specific casualty figures and outcomes for the historical Wyranth wars not given in the novels:

• The First Wyranth War resulted in 8,000 Rislandian dead.
• The Fantasy War (Years 375-383) resulted in 12,000 Rislandian dead; the Wyranth intended to take Rislandia's heartland during this conflict.
• The Wyranth War of Years 437-442 saw Rislandia hold the Border River but unable to push south.

Following the assassination of King Malaky XV, the sourcebook states that Rislandian forces held against overwhelming odds and drove the Wyranth back across the Border River. King Malaky XVI then declared a defensive posture, choosing not to invade Wyranth to avenge the fallen king. The Border River became a heavily fortified boundary. Trade resumed cautiously in Year 1 of Malaky XVI's reign, and diplomatic channels reopened.

Industrialization and Technology

According to A History of Rislandia, early industrialization began under King Malaky X, and Rislandia began pulling ahead of Wyranth technologically under King Malaky XIII. The sourcebook describes the kingdom's overall arc as moving from medieval technology to steampunk-level technology combined with magic. Crystal magic was rediscovered during King Malaky XV's reign. After the Second Wyranth War, Rislandia was constructing multiple new airships. King Malaky XVI commissioned The Liliana for diplomatic and exploratory missions.

Motto

A History of Rislandia records the kingdom's official motto as "For Steam and Country" — the same phrase used as a battle cry in the novels.

Folklore and Legends

The sourcebook records several legends and folk tales associated with Rislandia. The Golgmarsh legend is told in its Rislandian version within the text. The legend of The Sleeping Dragon Beneath the Mountain is told in the Oler Mountains region of Rislandia. The Fae's Bargain tale is told across Rislandia. The Cottage in the Woods story is told in rural regions of Rislandia. Parents across Rislandia tell children's warning tales, including stories about creatures such as the Nightmen. Dragon legends are collected from Rislandia and beyond, and were-creatures appear in wild borderlands across both continents.

Foreign Relations and Trade

According to A History of Rislandia, Perryton settlers founded Portsgate, and Perryton ships frequently visit Rislandian ports, with strong cultural and economic ties between the two peoples. Zarma traders established Desert's Watch within Rislandia. Nyanzi and Rislandia have established trade relations; James Gentry and Ethan von Lantern acquired mecha suits from Nyanzi. Some Tyndree nobles fled to Rislandia during the Wyranth conquest of Tyndree. The Wyranth Unification in Year 267 is described as a rejection of Rislandian rule by Atreblan refugees.

Notable Locations (per the sourcebook)

A History of Rislandia lists locations within the kingdom including Rislandia City, Greenhorne, Cliffside Castle, Lake Avily, King's Retreat, and others. The northern portion of the Westerly Spine lies within Rislandia and is described as more developed than the southern portion.

The Rescue of Duchess Liliana

The sourcebook cites the rescue of Duchess Liliana as a symbol of Rislandian heroism.