Romanorum
From cradle to conquest
Romanorum is a nation in the Eastern Continent. It stretches much of the distance from east to west in north-central part of the Eastern Continent. It borders a number of nations, including Al-Andalus, Magnos, and Rian. It sports coastlines along both the Bay of Vergil and the Golden Sea.
The capital of Romanorum, Augustus
The geography and climate of Romanorum is perhaps one of the most gentle and hospitable to life in Arda. It is of little surprise as to why it has been lived in and cultivated since the time of early antiquity. The land is one of rolling plains, hills, strong forests and steady rivers leading out to sunny and warm beaches in the eastern and southern tracts. The land is generally devoid of any difficult terrain, save for the Vala, a small mountain range in the south-western portion of the nation. The weather is temperate, with warm summers and chilly winters and are great for seasonal crops for most months of the year.
In it's early history, this warm and inviting land was the cradle of civilization on Arda. According to myth, the first elves were placed here millennia ago by the deities of the Heavens. Here, the early elves lived their lives as peaceful nomads for centuries, slowly gaining and building the arts of civilization as they learned and grew. It was not long until some elves began to abandon their nomadic lifestyles to dedicate their lives to the early crafts of pottery, farming, stonework, sewing, and early magic. With the advent of towns, so too did the art of government and leadership take hold in the minds of the early elves.
As the elves began their towns, the Heavens gave their second gift to Arda. The dwarves awoke from the land, and wandered to the early towns of the elves. While they lived in harmony, the dwarves longed for a home to call their own, and left for the Vala Mountains, making the first dwarven hold at Khazad-Vala. There the dwarves dug, and were the first to uncover metal. After much dedication and work, they were able to learn the early arts of heating and hammering metal. The elves, amazed at their neighbor's ingenuity, eagerly learned the craft for themselves. The early elves and dwarves continued in this way, both contributing much to early society.
So the legend goes, the Primordials looked upon Arda and saw the elves and dwarves hard at work, digging out the mountains the Primordial Earth built and the trees the Primordial Fire nurtured with it's light and heat. The Primordials saw their unchecked growth as a threat to the world and delicate balance they built. The Primordials sought to make their own creations to outstrip those of the Heavens. They made the first dragons, fearsome and intelligent even in their infancy. They also made the first elementals, timeless creatures of fire, earth, water and air. Not yet done, they also began to speak to the elves and dwarves to offer them a new way of life. So in these early days, did the Primordial Fire enrapture some of the early elves with it's warmth. Beckoning the first elves within, they emerged as the first orcs. For some of the dwarves, digging deep into the mountains, they read the land's graven lore etched into the stone they dug, and emerged the first duergar.
The early elves and dwarves were alarmed at the new peoples in their midst, claiming to be their former neighbors. The orcs and duergar, changed from their original forms, now sought to convert their neighbors to the new Primordial faith. Thus, they came into conflict in what is known as the First Primordial War. The elves and dwarves were able to drive back the then small numbers of orcs and duergar to more distant lands. Seeing what their alliance could do, the elves and dwarves united their lands in what would be the Romanoran Empire. With their long lives, the elves established one of their own as the emperor of this new nation.
Blessed with stability in a warm and gentle land, so did the Heavens give their next gifts - the gnomes and the halflings, whose curiosity and wit drove technology and magic in the early Romanoran Empire. These peoples lived in peace in the towns and burgeoning cities of the Empire, dedicating their lives to the design of public works and agriculture, with some even founding their own towns and settlements throughout the early nation.
Now in a position of power, the Empire began their expansion. The Romanorans built and founded new settlements across the Eastern Continent, dazzling the nomadic elves of early Al-Andalus and early Nestoria with their magic and technology. Many lands and tribes joined willingly, seeking to learn the new arts promised by the Romanorans, while others were outright conquered or surrendered. The Empire began to move even further, eventually reaching the Dragon Sea in modern-day Cathay. Facing few external threats, the elves then began to focus their efforts on improvement from within.
Increasingly distressed that all natural balance might be lost if the elves continued to expand, the Primordials took a desperate step to check their advance. The Primordials invited an ancient and cosmic extraplanar horror, known as the Shadow, into Arda. Not yet content, The Primordials spoke to the halflings and gnomes, offering them their protection and knowledge. Some accepted, and emerged as the early kobolds and svir. Thus, did conflict stir between the Children of the Heavens (elves, dwarves, halflings and gnomes) and the Children of the Primordials (orcs, duergar, kobolds and svir). The stage was set for the Second Primordial War.
The Second Primordial War was a terrible and bloody conflict that took place in many lands throughout the Eastern Continent, but largely on the frontiers of the Romanoran Empire. The Children of the Heavens, with divine magic and powerful technology, fought against the Children of the Primordials, supported by dragons and elementals. In the early days of the war, their battles were pitched. With the arrival of the Shadow, the fortunes of the Romanorans declined quickly, instilling fear and desertion in their ranks. The Romanorans were forced to make a retreat, leaving behind many of their new territories to their own devices.
Exhausting their resources and manpower, the Primordials halted their advance on the Romanorans, though only briefly. In the interlude after the Second Primordial War, the Romanorans prepared their fortresses and tried to move their refugees to the safety of Khazad-Vala. When the Primordials returned, it heralded what was called the Last of the Primordial Wars. The peoples of Romanorum desperately fought off the forces of the Primordials and the creatures sired by the Shadow. Seeking salvation, the elven maiden Isolde left the fortress of Khazad Vala to entreat the Heavens for aid at the tallest mountains closest to the clouds.
The Heavens answered, and would attempt to imprison the Shadow with the intention to end the extra-planar horror, but were suddenly faced by the four Primordials Lords - the Primordial Fire, Water, Air and Earth. The battle was joined, and the Shadow escaped south with it's followers. The deity Mendos, in it's devotion to the mortal races, splits from the Heavens, and shields the last of the gathered peoples from the earth-shattering destruction of this battle using it's own divine essence, and succumbed to its wounds. The last act of a dying deity, Mendos creates two last mortals - a baby boy and girl, who were the first humans - known as "Men" after this god.
The mortal races, and those who remained after the Shadow had fled, cried tears of joy at this miraculous sight and of Mendos' noble sacrifice. So numerous were these tears that they formed the largest river of Arda - the Tearflood. The Primordials and the Heavens, now spent, agreed to end their petty squabble for the sake of their collective future.
With no longer a reason to fight each other, the Children of the Heavens and the Children of the Primordials now decided how they would spend their newfound lives and purpose. Many left to resettle new lands across Arda. For those who remained, they were welcomed under the banner of a new Romanoran Empire. To secure their future, they knew they had to defeat the Shadow once and for all. To that end, the new Romanorans gathered men and supplies to invade the lands of early Harad, where the Shadow and it's followers had become entrenched, plotting their return.
A young elven princeling, Vergil, gathered a great fleet to defeat the Shadow. Launching his fleet, he sailed for Harad, before the Shadow unleashed a powerful storm upon his fleet, utterly destroying it. Vergil, a powerful wizard and necromancer, used his magic to curse his own men to undeath until the Shadow was defeated. The Bay of Vergil, or so it is now called, is awash with armored undead who attack at the slightest tinge of Shadow magic. While Vergil's attempt ended in disaster, future emperor's attempts would steadily drive the Shadow further south and eventually forced the Shadow into planar exile. The Torches were formed around this time to keep an eye out for signs of the Shadow's potential return to the plane.
Now with the threat of the Shadow extinguished, the Romanorans returned to rebuild their empire. The world had changed by then, as new nations were being founded in nearly every region they had previously occupied. Humans quickly became commonplace in the Empire, and even began to migrate to other lands or intermingle with the other peoples of the Empire. Some began to settle in the now largely empty Harad, forming a new nation there as well. Many of the Empire's people, fearful of the destruction wrought by the Last of the Primordial Wars, they became superstitious and afraid of magic, began to persecute mages in the Empire.
These mages fled to the southern borders and peninsula of the Empire, and led a successful rebellion there, forming their own nation of Magnos. The Empire was now largely fractured, and a shadow of it's own former glory. Even as a fragment of their power, they still remain powerful and influential in world politics. Despite their setbacks, the Romanorans still train and deploy their legions in the hopes of uniting the world under it's banners once more.
The story of Romanorum is one of a constantly changing people living under single, monolithic banner. Romanorum was formed by the alliance of the elves and dwarves who lived in these lands millennia ago. Over time, they received new "gifts" from their deities, the Heavens, in the form of their new brothers in arms, the gnomes and halflings. The four peoples lived in harmony with each other, but stood against their former friends and neighbors - the orcs, duergar, kobold, and svir who now worshiped the Primordials. Despite their antagonism, the peoples of Romanorum built and expanded their lands, building new settlements where they went. As the Second Primordial War broke out, by a combination of their short stature and predilection to stay-in-place, many of Romanoran's gnomish and halfling citizens were killed as the Romanorans fled to their fortresses and strongholds, with both being driven near extinction.
Following the Last of The Primordial Wars, there was a mass diaspora of peoples, mainly elves, dwarves, duergar and orcs, who left Romanorum to found new nations abroad. Left in the ruins of their wars, most felt little need to antagonize each other on ancestry alone. The Romanorans welcomed their former enemies to their ranks, and they were able to rebuild quickly, all while raising the first humans in their cultures and ways.
Men, the last of the Heaven's "gifts", came into a relatively peaceful world following the Last of the Primordial Wars, with their only real foes being the entrenched Shadow-worshipers who based themselves in early Harad. They populated quickly, and soon their growth outstripped those of the elves, orcs or dwarves, and wed with them. As such, most Romanoran humans have one or more ancestries in their bloodline, even if they may not be entirely aware of it.
The culture of the Romanorans is one that is based around their people and their community. From an early age, they are encouraged to learn about their past history, which many Romanorans look on in pride. While higher education is rare in Romanorum, primary education is common to teach each child language, writing, and history. As people who live by tradition, the oldest sibling will generally follow their parent's craft or career, including serving in the Romanoran military. Others have more freedom to choose their path, but most will live by the rest of their family, only moving for important jobs, military service, or becoming a settler. No matter what path they take, they will take it on with pride and passion.
In terms of entertainment, Romanorans prefer games or feats of strength, crafts, or knowledge. Horse riding and gladiatorial games are common, but they are more for sport, and such games are rarely to the death. Circuses and fairs can exist in larger towns and cities, and all people enjoys celebrations or even a good drink after a honest day of work. While people of different ancestries might have a slightly different variation on their upbringing, most will experience all that Romanoran life has to offer.
As the earliest civilization, Romanorum saw the birth of both of the two major religions in Arda - Heavens and Primordial worship. The elves, according to myth were crafted first by the hands of deities of the Heavens, and so they were the natural object of the early elves' devotion. Priests and clerics, since times immemorial, called to the Heavens for aid, and have had their prayers answered. Even following the creation of the dwarves, they too followed the Heavens in a similar fashion to the elves.
These simple times were soon brought to an end. Prior to the First Primordial War, the Primordial Fire and the Primordial Earth spoke with the early elves and dwarves. They spoke with the whispers of the crackling of their torches and read in the stone deep in the mountains. Engrossed to learn more about their world, they began to worship the Primordial Fire and Primordial Earth, ultimately leading to the creation of orcs and duergar. Following the First Primordial War, those who followed the Primordials, be they orc or elf, dwarf or duergar, were cast from Romanorum.
Up until the Last of the Primordial Wars, Primordial-worship was persecuted throughout the Romanoran Empire. Following the events of that war, the Romanorans began to see the nobility in their rites, and ended their millennia-long conflict between them. In the days that followed, Primordial-worship has become more common among the citizens of the Empire, but Heavens-worship remains predominant in the region. Arcane and elemental magic was similarly persecuted in those early days, but following the creation of Magnos and the awakening realization of the value of magic, it slowly becoming more mainstream. Shadow-worship is not technically illegal by Romanoran law, but is seen as taboo by most people. As such, Shadow-worshipers frequently meet in secret to perform their eldritch rites, lest they find an angry mob at their doors.
Despite the ever-changing world around them, the governance of Romanorum has been largely unchanged since the earliest days of the elf and dwarf alliance that occurred millennia ago. Since those times, an Emperor was chosen to oversee and direct Romanorum's forces and resources, in an attempt to create a more powerful and prosperous land for its citizens. The post of Emperor has generally been passed within the same bloodline for their history, but exceptions have occurred where the Romanoran Emperor has "adopted" or married a particularly worthy successor to carry on the Empire.
The Empire had remained in elven hands for its entire history until the time after the Last of the Primordial Wars. Men quickly populated Romanorum, and played greater and greater roles in the Empire's upkeep and development. Several hundred years ago, one such promising human, Emperor Aurelieus, was "adopted", wedding the current Emperor's daughter, and their children formed a new human-elven dynasty that has lasted to this day. Over time, much like Romanorum itself, their dynasty has become more and more human as the centuries go by.
The Romanoran Emperor is not the sole power in the Empire. There is also an elected body of representatives known as the Senate. Originally, the post was intended by be an advisory body for the Emperor, a sounding board for how policy would be seen in it's territories. Each territory, referred to as a "theme", or military district, elects two people to represent them and their interests on the Seventh Hill in Augustus. In addition to advising the Emperor, the also bring larger concerns of their people before the Emperor to be resolved. The current Senate consists of 24 members, two from each of the 12 themes of the Empire.
The Romanorans have along history of military victory and conquest. From the early days of elves and dwarves, the Romanoran military sprung from the joint forces that drove the orcs and duergar from their lands millennia ago. Since their foundation as an empire, the Romanorans have had a standing military, known as the Legion. The Legion is a massive army of well-trained and equipped ground troops used to defend it cities, borders, and is used in it's historical invasions of neighboring lands. Their tactics and skill are unmatched in most countries on Arda.
The Legion is split into numerous divisions, with each typically being assigned to a given task, such as defending a particular city, patrolling a trade route, or guarding a harbor. In times of peace, the Legion may also construct public work projects such as roads or aqueducts with the help of their world-class engineers. These divisions are each independent units, and can be deployed or redeployed elsewhere if they are needed.
Most of the Legion consists of infantry troops who are equipped with wide shields and spears. When meeting a foe in battle, the legionnaires lock their shields, forming a barrier to protect their lines and pin their foes. As their tactics require generally homogeneous troops, divisions are paired with troops of similar size and stature. Thus, a burly elf could be in the same division with mostly orcs, or a smaller orc might be in a division with humans or elves. The Legion also has divisions for archers, cavalry, siege engineers, clerics, and more recently, for spellcasters.
In addition to the Legion, the Romanorans also deploy troops referred to as auxiliaries. These are irregular troops whose use are generally independent of the Legion for special-purpose missions. They can include mixed units of infantry, archers, spellcasters or more whose use extends their general shield-wall strategies. The most famous of these auxiliaries are the Romanoran knights called kataphractos. Many, but not all, serve at the behest of powerful leaders, such as a Senator or even the Emperor. Others have license to act as knight-errants, delivering the Empire's justice in places where deploying the Legion would draw too much attention.
As a developed empire, the Romanorans have developed and maintained a well-oiled and powerful economic machine for the past several centuries. While they do not possess the great geographic location they did centuries ago, they have made the most of their own and their neighbors strengths. Magical goods from Magnos, exotics wares from Al-Andalus and Nestoria fill their markets, and the raw materials from Rian fill their workshops and forges. Roads built in the elder days of the Empire stand today, a testament to their skill and technique, and ferry goods across the Empire and even further into distant lands. Romanorum features numerous natural ports ideal for trade and commerce. Thousand-year partnerships with peoples of other lands have been imprinted on the minds of merchants everywhere.
Romanorans are best known for two things - finished goods and produce. Finished goods means workshop-produced wares, including but not limited to: furniture, carriages, armor, silverware, tools, carpets and clothes and much more. While not as made as ornate as in other lands, their products are sturdy, functional and durable, and Romanoran goods are synonymous with integrity and quality. With magic becoming more mainstream in the Empire, produce grown can be shipped further distances quickly and fresher than ever before, spreading the name of quality Romanoran products even further.
Romanoran platinum, gold, silver, and copper are the primary currency used in many nations in Arda, including but not limited to Al-Andalus, Dunlain, the Golden Mountain, the Golden Khanate, Harad, the Gray Marches, Magnos, Nestoria, Rian, and of course, Romanorum itself. The other nations who don't use their currency recognize it as legal tender, and it is not difficult to exchange their currency at a decent rate while traveling to other lands.
Romanorum is an ancient nation filled with a past of glorious victories and bloody conquests. This storied legacy of the Romanorans is known throughout the world, with the people of other nations who admire or disparage it. Nations far from Romanorum, such as the Golden Mountain or Mujmal, see their might and prosperity as a standard to strive for, while numerous other nations see them as a cautionary tale for those who fly too close to sun, only to lose nearly everything.
To the nations that neighbor Romanorum, they are met with a mix of these feelings. While many owe at least a part of their cultural heritage to the Romanorans, many are cautious knowing the Empire is constantly looking to expand and reclaim their old territories. To them, a single Romanoran traveler is a friend; many together are seen as a veiled threat. Despite these feelings, they remain constant partners in trade and travel, and hold a tenuous alliance in the fight against the Shadow.
To the more distant nations, relations tend to be chillier. Despite Nestoria being a valuable trade partner in the Western Continent, the Nestorians largely resent their abandonment by the Romanoran Empire during the Second Primordial War, making a bloodless repatriation unlikely anytime soon. Cathay, while harboring similar misgivings, has become a military and economic powerhouse on its own, rivaling that of the current Romanoran Empire. It is likely that the Cathanese ultimately view the Romanorans as a threat to their own further plans of domination.
See Also: The Story So Far
The campaign begins in Romanorum, in the border town of Iulus. There, Gregor and Zelt meet, taking on a contract to protect Quietus, a shady half-orc scholar, who was on the run from Al-Andalus's famed Shadow Assassins. As they travel together, Quietus' history is pieced together by Gregor and Zelt. They realize he is actually a Shadow-worshiper, and directly caused the disappearance and enslavement of the people of the town of Solus. Defeating the Color-out-of-Space, a Shadow creature, they continue their journey. Knowing Quietus would be too dangerous to roam free, Zelt stealthily dispatched Quietus in his sleep, unbeknownst to Gregor.
Zelt decides the best thing to do would be to take Quietus' tomes to his guild, S.L.Y., for safekeeping. Along the way, Gregor and Zelt encounter Silvarin and Rotund, two Torch agents who were looking to bring Quietus to justice. The four travel together to nearby Aatrox to discuss their next steps, and a misunderstanding about the tomes gets them sent to S.L.Y.'s archives in Harad. Regardless of the setback, Silvarin and Rotund invite them to join them in Augustus to invite them to join the Torches, an order dedicated to monitoring and defeating the Shadow. Gregor joins, and Zelt becomes a contracted mercenary in their service. At the behest of Torchmaster Torval, Gregor and Zelt leave for Harad, to bring back the tomes to be translated by a scholar in Magnos.
A part of Geography and Regions See Also
| Table of Contents |
|---|
Geography
The geography and climate of Romanorum is perhaps one of the most gentle and hospitable to life in Arda. It is of little surprise as to why it has been lived in and cultivated since the time of early antiquity. The land is one of rolling plains, hills, strong forests and steady rivers leading out to sunny and warm beaches in the eastern and southern tracts. The land is generally devoid of any difficult terrain, save for the Vala, a small mountain range in the south-western portion of the nation. The weather is temperate, with warm summers and chilly winters and are great for seasonal crops for most months of the year.
History
In it's early history, this warm and inviting land was the cradle of civilization on Arda. According to myth, the first elves were placed here millennia ago by the deities of the Heavens. Here, the early elves lived their lives as peaceful nomads for centuries, slowly gaining and building the arts of civilization as they learned and grew. It was not long until some elves began to abandon their nomadic lifestyles to dedicate their lives to the early crafts of pottery, farming, stonework, sewing, and early magic. With the advent of towns, so too did the art of government and leadership take hold in the minds of the early elves.
As the elves began their towns, the Heavens gave their second gift to Arda. The dwarves awoke from the land, and wandered to the early towns of the elves. While they lived in harmony, the dwarves longed for a home to call their own, and left for the Vala Mountains, making the first dwarven hold at Khazad-Vala. There the dwarves dug, and were the first to uncover metal. After much dedication and work, they were able to learn the early arts of heating and hammering metal. The elves, amazed at their neighbor's ingenuity, eagerly learned the craft for themselves. The early elves and dwarves continued in this way, both contributing much to early society.
So the legend goes, the Primordials looked upon Arda and saw the elves and dwarves hard at work, digging out the mountains the Primordial Earth built and the trees the Primordial Fire nurtured with it's light and heat. The Primordials saw their unchecked growth as a threat to the world and delicate balance they built. The Primordials sought to make their own creations to outstrip those of the Heavens. They made the first dragons, fearsome and intelligent even in their infancy. They also made the first elementals, timeless creatures of fire, earth, water and air. Not yet done, they also began to speak to the elves and dwarves to offer them a new way of life. So in these early days, did the Primordial Fire enrapture some of the early elves with it's warmth. Beckoning the first elves within, they emerged as the first orcs. For some of the dwarves, digging deep into the mountains, they read the land's graven lore etched into the stone they dug, and emerged the first duergar.
The early elves and dwarves were alarmed at the new peoples in their midst, claiming to be their former neighbors. The orcs and duergar, changed from their original forms, now sought to convert their neighbors to the new Primordial faith. Thus, they came into conflict in what is known as the First Primordial War. The elves and dwarves were able to drive back the then small numbers of orcs and duergar to more distant lands. Seeing what their alliance could do, the elves and dwarves united their lands in what would be the Romanoran Empire. With their long lives, the elves established one of their own as the emperor of this new nation.
Blessed with stability in a warm and gentle land, so did the Heavens give their next gifts - the gnomes and the halflings, whose curiosity and wit drove technology and magic in the early Romanoran Empire. These peoples lived in peace in the towns and burgeoning cities of the Empire, dedicating their lives to the design of public works and agriculture, with some even founding their own towns and settlements throughout the early nation.
Now in a position of power, the Empire began their expansion. The Romanorans built and founded new settlements across the Eastern Continent, dazzling the nomadic elves of early Al-Andalus and early Nestoria with their magic and technology. Many lands and tribes joined willingly, seeking to learn the new arts promised by the Romanorans, while others were outright conquered or surrendered. The Empire began to move even further, eventually reaching the Dragon Sea in modern-day Cathay. Facing few external threats, the elves then began to focus their efforts on improvement from within.
Increasingly distressed that all natural balance might be lost if the elves continued to expand, the Primordials took a desperate step to check their advance. The Primordials invited an ancient and cosmic extraplanar horror, known as the Shadow, into Arda. Not yet content, The Primordials spoke to the halflings and gnomes, offering them their protection and knowledge. Some accepted, and emerged as the early kobolds and svir. Thus, did conflict stir between the Children of the Heavens (elves, dwarves, halflings and gnomes) and the Children of the Primordials (orcs, duergar, kobolds and svir). The stage was set for the Second Primordial War.
The Second Primordial War was a terrible and bloody conflict that took place in many lands throughout the Eastern Continent, but largely on the frontiers of the Romanoran Empire. The Children of the Heavens, with divine magic and powerful technology, fought against the Children of the Primordials, supported by dragons and elementals. In the early days of the war, their battles were pitched. With the arrival of the Shadow, the fortunes of the Romanorans declined quickly, instilling fear and desertion in their ranks. The Romanorans were forced to make a retreat, leaving behind many of their new territories to their own devices.
Exhausting their resources and manpower, the Primordials halted their advance on the Romanorans, though only briefly. In the interlude after the Second Primordial War, the Romanorans prepared their fortresses and tried to move their refugees to the safety of Khazad-Vala. When the Primordials returned, it heralded what was called the Last of the Primordial Wars. The peoples of Romanorum desperately fought off the forces of the Primordials and the creatures sired by the Shadow. Seeking salvation, the elven maiden Isolde left the fortress of Khazad Vala to entreat the Heavens for aid at the tallest mountains closest to the clouds.
The Heavens answered, and would attempt to imprison the Shadow with the intention to end the extra-planar horror, but were suddenly faced by the four Primordials Lords - the Primordial Fire, Water, Air and Earth. The battle was joined, and the Shadow escaped south with it's followers. The deity Mendos, in it's devotion to the mortal races, splits from the Heavens, and shields the last of the gathered peoples from the earth-shattering destruction of this battle using it's own divine essence, and succumbed to its wounds. The last act of a dying deity, Mendos creates two last mortals - a baby boy and girl, who were the first humans - known as "Men" after this god.
The mortal races, and those who remained after the Shadow had fled, cried tears of joy at this miraculous sight and of Mendos' noble sacrifice. So numerous were these tears that they formed the largest river of Arda - the Tearflood. The Primordials and the Heavens, now spent, agreed to end their petty squabble for the sake of their collective future.
With no longer a reason to fight each other, the Children of the Heavens and the Children of the Primordials now decided how they would spend their newfound lives and purpose. Many left to resettle new lands across Arda. For those who remained, they were welcomed under the banner of a new Romanoran Empire. To secure their future, they knew they had to defeat the Shadow once and for all. To that end, the new Romanorans gathered men and supplies to invade the lands of early Harad, where the Shadow and it's followers had become entrenched, plotting their return.
A young elven princeling, Vergil, gathered a great fleet to defeat the Shadow. Launching his fleet, he sailed for Harad, before the Shadow unleashed a powerful storm upon his fleet, utterly destroying it. Vergil, a powerful wizard and necromancer, used his magic to curse his own men to undeath until the Shadow was defeated. The Bay of Vergil, or so it is now called, is awash with armored undead who attack at the slightest tinge of Shadow magic. While Vergil's attempt ended in disaster, future emperor's attempts would steadily drive the Shadow further south and eventually forced the Shadow into planar exile. The Torches were formed around this time to keep an eye out for signs of the Shadow's potential return to the plane.
Now with the threat of the Shadow extinguished, the Romanorans returned to rebuild their empire. The world had changed by then, as new nations were being founded in nearly every region they had previously occupied. Humans quickly became commonplace in the Empire, and even began to migrate to other lands or intermingle with the other peoples of the Empire. Some began to settle in the now largely empty Harad, forming a new nation there as well. Many of the Empire's people, fearful of the destruction wrought by the Last of the Primordial Wars, they became superstitious and afraid of magic, began to persecute mages in the Empire.
These mages fled to the southern borders and peninsula of the Empire, and led a successful rebellion there, forming their own nation of Magnos. The Empire was now largely fractured, and a shadow of it's own former glory. Even as a fragment of their power, they still remain powerful and influential in world politics. Despite their setbacks, the Romanorans still train and deploy their legions in the hopes of uniting the world under it's banners once more.
People and Culture
The story of Romanorum is one of a constantly changing people living under single, monolithic banner. Romanorum was formed by the alliance of the elves and dwarves who lived in these lands millennia ago. Over time, they received new "gifts" from their deities, the Heavens, in the form of their new brothers in arms, the gnomes and halflings. The four peoples lived in harmony with each other, but stood against their former friends and neighbors - the orcs, duergar, kobold, and svir who now worshiped the Primordials. Despite their antagonism, the peoples of Romanorum built and expanded their lands, building new settlements where they went. As the Second Primordial War broke out, by a combination of their short stature and predilection to stay-in-place, many of Romanoran's gnomish and halfling citizens were killed as the Romanorans fled to their fortresses and strongholds, with both being driven near extinction.
Following the Last of The Primordial Wars, there was a mass diaspora of peoples, mainly elves, dwarves, duergar and orcs, who left Romanorum to found new nations abroad. Left in the ruins of their wars, most felt little need to antagonize each other on ancestry alone. The Romanorans welcomed their former enemies to their ranks, and they were able to rebuild quickly, all while raising the first humans in their cultures and ways.
Men, the last of the Heaven's "gifts", came into a relatively peaceful world following the Last of the Primordial Wars, with their only real foes being the entrenched Shadow-worshipers who based themselves in early Harad. They populated quickly, and soon their growth outstripped those of the elves, orcs or dwarves, and wed with them. As such, most Romanoran humans have one or more ancestries in their bloodline, even if they may not be entirely aware of it.
The culture of the Romanorans is one that is based around their people and their community. From an early age, they are encouraged to learn about their past history, which many Romanorans look on in pride. While higher education is rare in Romanorum, primary education is common to teach each child language, writing, and history. As people who live by tradition, the oldest sibling will generally follow their parent's craft or career, including serving in the Romanoran military. Others have more freedom to choose their path, but most will live by the rest of their family, only moving for important jobs, military service, or becoming a settler. No matter what path they take, they will take it on with pride and passion.
In terms of entertainment, Romanorans prefer games or feats of strength, crafts, or knowledge. Horse riding and gladiatorial games are common, but they are more for sport, and such games are rarely to the death. Circuses and fairs can exist in larger towns and cities, and all people enjoys celebrations or even a good drink after a honest day of work. While people of different ancestries might have a slightly different variation on their upbringing, most will experience all that Romanoran life has to offer.
Religion
As the earliest civilization, Romanorum saw the birth of both of the two major religions in Arda - Heavens and Primordial worship. The elves, according to myth were crafted first by the hands of deities of the Heavens, and so they were the natural object of the early elves' devotion. Priests and clerics, since times immemorial, called to the Heavens for aid, and have had their prayers answered. Even following the creation of the dwarves, they too followed the Heavens in a similar fashion to the elves.
These simple times were soon brought to an end. Prior to the First Primordial War, the Primordial Fire and the Primordial Earth spoke with the early elves and dwarves. They spoke with the whispers of the crackling of their torches and read in the stone deep in the mountains. Engrossed to learn more about their world, they began to worship the Primordial Fire and Primordial Earth, ultimately leading to the creation of orcs and duergar. Following the First Primordial War, those who followed the Primordials, be they orc or elf, dwarf or duergar, were cast from Romanorum.
Up until the Last of the Primordial Wars, Primordial-worship was persecuted throughout the Romanoran Empire. Following the events of that war, the Romanorans began to see the nobility in their rites, and ended their millennia-long conflict between them. In the days that followed, Primordial-worship has become more common among the citizens of the Empire, but Heavens-worship remains predominant in the region. Arcane and elemental magic was similarly persecuted in those early days, but following the creation of Magnos and the awakening realization of the value of magic, it slowly becoming more mainstream. Shadow-worship is not technically illegal by Romanoran law, but is seen as taboo by most people. As such, Shadow-worshipers frequently meet in secret to perform their eldritch rites, lest they find an angry mob at their doors.
Government
Despite the ever-changing world around them, the governance of Romanorum has been largely unchanged since the earliest days of the elf and dwarf alliance that occurred millennia ago. Since those times, an Emperor was chosen to oversee and direct Romanorum's forces and resources, in an attempt to create a more powerful and prosperous land for its citizens. The post of Emperor has generally been passed within the same bloodline for their history, but exceptions have occurred where the Romanoran Emperor has "adopted" or married a particularly worthy successor to carry on the Empire.
The Empire had remained in elven hands for its entire history until the time after the Last of the Primordial Wars. Men quickly populated Romanorum, and played greater and greater roles in the Empire's upkeep and development. Several hundred years ago, one such promising human, Emperor Aurelieus, was "adopted", wedding the current Emperor's daughter, and their children formed a new human-elven dynasty that has lasted to this day. Over time, much like Romanorum itself, their dynasty has become more and more human as the centuries go by.
The Romanoran Emperor is not the sole power in the Empire. There is also an elected body of representatives known as the Senate. Originally, the post was intended by be an advisory body for the Emperor, a sounding board for how policy would be seen in it's territories. Each territory, referred to as a "theme", or military district, elects two people to represent them and their interests on the Seventh Hill in Augustus. In addition to advising the Emperor, the also bring larger concerns of their people before the Emperor to be resolved. The current Senate consists of 24 members, two from each of the 12 themes of the Empire.
Military
The Romanorans have along history of military victory and conquest. From the early days of elves and dwarves, the Romanoran military sprung from the joint forces that drove the orcs and duergar from their lands millennia ago. Since their foundation as an empire, the Romanorans have had a standing military, known as the Legion. The Legion is a massive army of well-trained and equipped ground troops used to defend it cities, borders, and is used in it's historical invasions of neighboring lands. Their tactics and skill are unmatched in most countries on Arda.
The Legion is split into numerous divisions, with each typically being assigned to a given task, such as defending a particular city, patrolling a trade route, or guarding a harbor. In times of peace, the Legion may also construct public work projects such as roads or aqueducts with the help of their world-class engineers. These divisions are each independent units, and can be deployed or redeployed elsewhere if they are needed.
Most of the Legion consists of infantry troops who are equipped with wide shields and spears. When meeting a foe in battle, the legionnaires lock their shields, forming a barrier to protect their lines and pin their foes. As their tactics require generally homogeneous troops, divisions are paired with troops of similar size and stature. Thus, a burly elf could be in the same division with mostly orcs, or a smaller orc might be in a division with humans or elves. The Legion also has divisions for archers, cavalry, siege engineers, clerics, and more recently, for spellcasters.
In addition to the Legion, the Romanorans also deploy troops referred to as auxiliaries. These are irregular troops whose use are generally independent of the Legion for special-purpose missions. They can include mixed units of infantry, archers, spellcasters or more whose use extends their general shield-wall strategies. The most famous of these auxiliaries are the Romanoran knights called kataphractos. Many, but not all, serve at the behest of powerful leaders, such as a Senator or even the Emperor. Others have license to act as knight-errants, delivering the Empire's justice in places where deploying the Legion would draw too much attention.
Organizations
- The Senate - The Romanoran Senate is the second-most powerful political body in the Empire, only after the Romanoran Emperor himself. The Senate consists democratically-elected representatives from each of the 12 themes of the Empire. They are frequently elected from powerful landowners, wealthy merchants, or military heroes, but any Romanoran citizen could compete to be a Senator. It is seen as a high honor to be a Senator, but some feel they are too corrupt to run a government in absence of the Emperor.
- The Legion - The primary military arm of the Romanoran Empire. It consists of peoples from across the Empire and across every social strata. It has historically been decorated as a highly-disciplined and powerful army, but more recent failures on the Romanoran's expansion or security has been a blemish on their current reputation.
- The Torches - Founded shortly after the Last of the Primordial Wars in Romanorum, the Torches have their primary headquarters in the capital city of Augustus. This primary branch is overseen by the current Torchmaster, Torval.
- S.L.Y. - It is unclear how long the League has operated in Romanorum, but as an influential and powerful organization, it has likely been here for a very long time. They have no shortage of work in a land of competing politics and trade interests.
Economy
As a developed empire, the Romanorans have developed and maintained a well-oiled and powerful economic machine for the past several centuries. While they do not possess the great geographic location they did centuries ago, they have made the most of their own and their neighbors strengths. Magical goods from Magnos, exotics wares from Al-Andalus and Nestoria fill their markets, and the raw materials from Rian fill their workshops and forges. Roads built in the elder days of the Empire stand today, a testament to their skill and technique, and ferry goods across the Empire and even further into distant lands. Romanorum features numerous natural ports ideal for trade and commerce. Thousand-year partnerships with peoples of other lands have been imprinted on the minds of merchants everywhere.
Romanorans are best known for two things - finished goods and produce. Finished goods means workshop-produced wares, including but not limited to: furniture, carriages, armor, silverware, tools, carpets and clothes and much more. While not as made as ornate as in other lands, their products are sturdy, functional and durable, and Romanoran goods are synonymous with integrity and quality. With magic becoming more mainstream in the Empire, produce grown can be shipped further distances quickly and fresher than ever before, spreading the name of quality Romanoran products even further.
Romanoran platinum, gold, silver, and copper are the primary currency used in many nations in Arda, including but not limited to Al-Andalus, Dunlain, the Golden Mountain, the Golden Khanate, Harad, the Gray Marches, Magnos, Nestoria, Rian, and of course, Romanorum itself. The other nations who don't use their currency recognize it as legal tender, and it is not difficult to exchange their currency at a decent rate while traveling to other lands.
Relations
Romanorum is an ancient nation filled with a past of glorious victories and bloody conquests. This storied legacy of the Romanorans is known throughout the world, with the people of other nations who admire or disparage it. Nations far from Romanorum, such as the Golden Mountain or Mujmal, see their might and prosperity as a standard to strive for, while numerous other nations see them as a cautionary tale for those who fly too close to sun, only to lose nearly everything.
To the nations that neighbor Romanorum, they are met with a mix of these feelings. While many owe at least a part of their cultural heritage to the Romanorans, many are cautious knowing the Empire is constantly looking to expand and reclaim their old territories. To them, a single Romanoran traveler is a friend; many together are seen as a veiled threat. Despite these feelings, they remain constant partners in trade and travel, and hold a tenuous alliance in the fight against the Shadow.
To the more distant nations, relations tend to be chillier. Despite Nestoria being a valuable trade partner in the Western Continent, the Nestorians largely resent their abandonment by the Romanoran Empire during the Second Primordial War, making a bloodless repatriation unlikely anytime soon. Cathay, while harboring similar misgivings, has become a military and economic powerhouse on its own, rivaling that of the current Romanoran Empire. It is likely that the Cathanese ultimately view the Romanorans as a threat to their own further plans of domination.
Locations of Interest
- Aatrox - One of the largest towns in the theme of Ormania, in eastern Romanorum, and inhabited primarily by orcs. Rotund used to maintain his monastery here before joining the Torches.
- Augustus - The city of a thousand spires, the city is the capital of the Romanoran Empire. The city is beautiful from a distance, with marble and whitestone towers with fluttering red banners. The city is home to the Seventh Hill, which is home to the Romanoran senate and is the heart of Romanoran politics. It is the second largest city in the Eastern Continent.
- Iulus - A major border town between Romanorum and Rian, where Gregor and Zelt first met.
- Khazad-Vala - The first dwarven hold in Romanorum. It was used as the last refuge of the Romanorans during the Last of the Primordial Wars. It stands abandoned today, but some consider it a site of pilgrimage.
- Old Legion Road - A long and well-kept road that stretches from Augustus to Al-Andalus, Magnos, and Rian. As the Romanorans say: "All roads lead to Augustus!".
- Port Tiber - Romanorum's largest southern port. According to legend, this was where Vergil launched his doomed fleet.
- The Grateful Nobleman - An inn along the Old Legion Road, visited by Gregor and Zelt.
- The Southmarch - Another prominent road that leads to Magnos, and is the primary trade route between the two nations.
- The Tearflood - The great river, which according to legend, was made of the tears of the Children of the Heavens and the Children of the Primordials. It has its source from the top of the Vala mountains, and its westward flow marks the border between Romanorum and Magnos.
- Thymeborough - A small halfling commune nestled in central Romanorum. While it pays taxes to the central Romanoran administration, it largely is self-ruled by a number of large families focused around a trade or art skill. With the large-scale destruction of halfling settlements across Arda during the Last of the Primordial Wars, it is one of the largest halfling population centers remaining in Arda. It is the home of Kaya, the Torch secretary.
- Solus - An isolated town that was wiped off the map by the Shadow creatures spawned by the Shadow-worshiper Quietus.
Shadows over Arda
See Also: The Story So Far
The campaign begins in Romanorum, in the border town of Iulus. There, Gregor and Zelt meet, taking on a contract to protect Quietus, a shady half-orc scholar, who was on the run from Al-Andalus's famed Shadow Assassins. As they travel together, Quietus' history is pieced together by Gregor and Zelt. They realize he is actually a Shadow-worshiper, and directly caused the disappearance and enslavement of the people of the town of Solus. Defeating the Color-out-of-Space, a Shadow creature, they continue their journey. Knowing Quietus would be too dangerous to roam free, Zelt stealthily dispatched Quietus in his sleep, unbeknownst to Gregor.
Zelt decides the best thing to do would be to take Quietus' tomes to his guild, S.L.Y., for safekeeping. Along the way, Gregor and Zelt encounter Silvarin and Rotund, two Torch agents who were looking to bring Quietus to justice. The four travel together to nearby Aatrox to discuss their next steps, and a misunderstanding about the tomes gets them sent to S.L.Y.'s archives in Harad. Regardless of the setback, Silvarin and Rotund invite them to join them in Augustus to invite them to join the Torches, an order dedicated to monitoring and defeating the Shadow. Gregor joins, and Zelt becomes a contracted mercenary in their service. At the behest of Torchmaster Torval, Gregor and Zelt leave for Harad, to bring back the tomes to be translated by a scholar in Magnos.
Trivia
- Romanorum is based on the historical Roman Empire, and mimics it in it's military, customs, and political terms. Culturally and in its contemporary state, the Romanoran Empire borrows a number of features from the early Frankish dynasties and the Byzantine Empire.
See Also
A part of Geography and Regions See Also
Quick Reference
Type
Region
Region: Eastern Continent
Government: Empire
National Language: Romanoran Common
Ancestry: 65% Men, 15% Orc, 10% Half-Elf, 5% Elf, 5% Other or un-described mixed ancestry
Religion: 75% Heavens Worship, 20% Primordial, 5% Other
General Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments