Romulan: Difference between revisions

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==History==  

The Romulan people originated in the minority of Vulcans who rejected the reforms of Surak. Chosing to exile themselves in order to preserve their ancestral way of life, they left Vulcan during the 4th century, marching under the banner of the Raptor that is still in use as a symbol of the Romulan Empire.

Once settled, the new Romulans turned their attention to the stars, in the militaristic and expantionnist way that was the Vulcans’ before Surak’s reforms. The twin worlds of Romulus and Remus became the foundation of what became known as the Romulan Star Empire, that soon spanned across a portion of the Beta and Alpha Quadrants.

Enterprise NX-01 officially made First Contact with the Romulans in 2152, by encountering a Romulan-laid minefield. However, the Romulans had been aware of Humanity for some time at that date, having succesfully infiltrated Vulcan High Command.  

The following years saw rising tensions between Romulans and Humans, culminating in the Earth-Romulan war of 2156-2160. The war was fought to a stalemate and concluded with the signature of  a treaty establishing a neutral zone of one light year between Human and Romulan territories. This treaty was extended to the United Federation of Planets after its foundation one year later.  

The Romulan Empire passed the next decades in a relative isolation, minus the odd border skirmish or sabotage attempt from time to time.  

After the infamous Tomed Incident disaster in  2311, the 2160 accords were reinforced by the Treaty of Algeron, establishing the Neutral Zone as strictly no-fly and prohibiting the UFP to develop cloaking technology.

Romulan isolationism continued to be in effect until the Khitomer Massacre in 2364, during which the Romulans massacred or took prisoner the whole population of the Klingon planet, minus two.  

After an initial joint Cardassian-Romulan attack against the Dominion in 2371 that ended in a disaster, the Romulan Empire signed a non-agression treaty with the Dominion in 2373. However, the Romulan Empire denounced this treaty and joined the side of the Klingon-Federation Alliance in 2374 after the assassination of Romulan Senator Vrenaak.

In 2387, a star close to Romulus went supernova. Ambassador Spock attempted to prevent the supernova from striking the planet using red matter, but he was unsuccessful and Romulus was destroyed.

==Government==

The highest position of power is occupied by the Praetor, who presides over the Imperial Senate, the main governing and legislative body that meets in a large chamber in the capital city of Romulus. The vice-Praetor is known as the Proconsul.

The Praetor also heads the Continuing Committee, comprised of the nine most elite individuals of the Romulan Empire. Only the Praetor is guaranteed a seat in the Committee ; others must compete to be allowed in. The Committee takes decisions of the utmost importance for the Romulan Empire, such as the confirmation of a new Praetor. It can also hear and investigate criminal charges brought against Romulan Senators.

While not part of the Romulan government structure, the Tal Shiar holds considerable influence, and it is frequent for the Chairman of the Tal Shiar to have a seat in the Continuing Committee.

Romulans share a great deal of their physiology with Vulcans, notably their green copper-based blood and a second heart located in place of the human liver. They also share with they Vulcan cousins a greater physical strength than that of a Human of the same corpulence, and a longer lifespan.

Despite their physiological similarities, Vulcans and Romulans are different enough to be distinguished by a tricorder scan, albeit with difficulty. Methods used to treat Vulcans may also be ineffective on Romulans, and they suffer from some unique diseases such as the Terothka virus.

Like the Vulcans of old, Romulans are an extremely warlike and emotional people. They are passionate, easily moved to extreme emotions.  

Romulan people enjoy all aspects of life to the fullest, reveling in their experiences. Even seemingly unpleasant experiences like death, and war, are cherished for their intensity.

Like the Vulcans, the Romulans have surrendered unrestrained violence as a way of life. However, in the case of the Romulans this has been replaced with a controlled deviousness; as a species the Romulans are generally thought of as duplicitous, a reputation the actions of their government over the last decades has reinforced.

Romulans tend to be highly xenophobic and isolationnists. They believe themselves to be superior to other species, to the point of outright racism.

The totalitarian nature of Romulan society, in which dissent is often a crime and where the Tal Shiar, the secret police of the Empire, masquerade as citizens, lead many Romulans to be extremely paranoid.

The Romulans do not worship any deity. Instead, they follow the Way of D’era (sometimes simply referred to as the Way), which dictates that they are superior to all other races and destined to rule the galaxy. D’era, which translates as "Endless Sky" (that the Romulans are supposed to conquer), also teaches obedience, discipline and similar traits that prevent the Romulan Empire from falling apart due to its own internal conflicts.

==Mythology==  

Both Romulan and Vulcan mythologies state that their race has been created by the Ancient Ones, also called the Vhorani, on a world called Vorta Vor, the Wellspring or Creation. Vorta Vor is depicted as the equivalent of the Terran Garden of Eden, and Romulans believe that fallen soliders who died as heroes are welcomed back to Vorta Vor to serve as honor guards.

==Society==  

The Romulan society is based upon a highly  structured caste system. Individual status is ordered according to rank, house status and personal accomplishments and reputation. The system is refined and complicated to the point that it is rare for two Romulans to have exactly the same social standing.

Valid methods to rise in status include merit and achievements, military honors, cunning (subterfuge, betrayal, blackmail, elimination of opponents – physical or otherwise), material wealth (and capacity to bribe) and alliances with people already in positions of power.  

==Culture==  

A common courtesy is the saying «Jolan Tru», both used as a salutation and a farewell.

Romulans are a very poetic and artistic society, balancing their fierce warrior ethic with the sensitivity of true artistry.  

All Romulans usually practice some form of creative endeavor in their spare time like painting, sculpting, music, or creating literary works. Museums abound throughout the Romulan territories, and many mediums are expressed in their artwork and creative endeavors. Epic poetry is considered one of the most favored styles of literature.  

Often, Romulan by the thousands flock to the Arena’s to enjoy the demonstrations of their finest athletes. It is not unusual to see the spectators challenge the athletes themselves, more to learn a new technique that had been demonstrated, than out of any great desire to defeat the champions.  

The Romulan also enjoy a great deal of games. The most well known are: D’elo the game of stones and sticks that traces back to ancient Vulcan, Lhi the game of wits and riddles, and even three-dimensional chess has become popular within Romulan space. The Romulan also enjoy Khariat, a game made up of pieces that are removed one at a time from the structure. The one to draw the piece that causes the structure to fall is the loser. Trayatik is a dice game, similar to ‘craps’. Villrillu are the Romulan’s versions of playing cards, and there are numerous games to be enjoyed with them.  

Romulan ale is a blue alcoholic beverage which is illegal in Federation space due to a trade embargo since the late 23rd century. Despite this, it is often traded and consumed openly.  

Other Romulan drinks include Kali-fal, a blue drink with an aroma said to "forcibly open one's frontal sinuses before the first sip", and [[Aesollh]], a spicy tea that has become difficult to obtain after the destruction of Romulus.

Romulan fashion of the late 24th century has distinctive squared shoulders. Hair is generally cut straight across the brow close to the eyebrows, with longer locks framing the face, cut following the cheekbones, in a style reminiscent of a helmet.

==Military==  

The Romulan military, also called Romulan Guard, appears to be a combined service, like Starfleet. It encompasses the Romulan Star Navy (space forces) and the Imperial Legion (ground forces). At the head of the military is the High Command, an institution most likely carried over from and modeled on the Vulcan High Command.  

Some of the distinctive technologies associated to the Romulan military include their famous cloaking devices, antiproton-based disruptor weapons, plasma torpedoes and quantum-singularuity reactors. They are also infamous for resorting to thalaron generators as anti-personal weapons.

The rank insignia consists of a series of diamond and crescent shapes, worn on the left collar.  

* [http://en.memory-alpha.org/ Memory-Alpha] (various pages).

* [http://memory-beta.wikia.com// Memory-Beta] (various pages).

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulan Romulan] on Wikipedia.  

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[[Category:Alpha Quadrant Species]]

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