Ronans

Ronans are a great and widespread race with a strong history and diverse culture. They are one of the most common and influential human cultures in the world, but for that they are also often prejudiced in civilizations where they do not have control. Ronans have had a glorious past and will likely have a glorious future.

Synopsis:
Perhaps the most well-known and most successful of the Duneimen races. The Ronans are a people who descended from the same race as the Skarrels in the lands of Old Camus. They migrated across the sea to the continent of Verosia and establish their own kingdom. Through a millennium of expansion they have encountered many other human cultures and enveloped them into their own society. But what differentiates a Ronan from other Verosians is that they are most like those ancient men from Old Camus.

Brief History:
In the century before the beginning of the New Camus calendar there were a people in lands of Lojar whose domain was the kingdom of Camus. They were a people of war, who had descended, it is said, from the war god, Kalrik. Camus, though, was set apart from the other realms in this ancient land. Of all the ancient clans, those residing here had turned from warring amongst each other and unified under a new god, Thamor, who drove them to crusade against evil in all its forms. These people had battled dragons, demons and even evil elves to assert dominion over this land. However, when their own brethren turned against them, it became clear that they would never know peace in this land. King Authbrig, the ruler at that time, received a vision from Thamor telling him to lead his people across the sea to a new land. Thus they left Old Camus and sailed in the thousands across the seas and safely into harbor in a verdant and mostly unpopluated land. They named it Rona and called its capital New Camus. Thus were born the Ronans, a people separated from the other children of Kalrik, who would come to be known as the Skarrels.
The Ronans adapted quickly to their new lands, bringing their knowledge of armors and weapons to the peoples they encountered. They eventually allied with other countries, such as Moar and J'admir. They also eventually made enemeies of others, such as Parthus and in time even Ryosha. Through religious fervor, political opportunity, a promise of a better life, or just force of war, the Ronans eventually expanded their control over all the continent of this land, Southern Verosia. Thus was the great Kingdom of Rona which at one time even became the Empire of Rona. This was to last a few hundred years, but no long enough for all the peoples of Verosia to become one. In time, though, many did assimilate into a common race, called the Verosians. This included the Moarik, Ganniards, Ja'mirans, Parthans, Ronans and even one group of peoples in Old Camus called the Sorans.
The end of the great Kingdom of Rona came swiftly. The Parthans and Skarrels revolted, and successfully asserted their independence. The Ronan Church split under a controversy over who the chosen successor of the prior High Lord of the Holy Crown, eventually leading to the establishment of a new realm, Sora. Even Moar one of their strongest allies, separated over the ever increasing distrust of magic. Rona was split asunder, and now all that remains of once one of the mightiest kingdoms of our world is the lands they originally populated in Verosia. Still, Rona holds a strong place of influence over the world, and its new Monarchy is working to once again expand their dominion over the majority of Verosia.

Ronan History

Appearances and Physiques:
Ronans are tall with fair hair and slightly tanned skin. Their wide rounded eyes are often light, and green is not an uncommon color. They tend to have square chins and high foreheads. Their hair is often slightly wavy and their eyebrows are usually thick.

Diaspora:
Ronans are the most populous of the Verosians. They dominate the kingdoms of Rona and are the majority in Sora, Moar and Keir. They are also commonly found throughout Gand and some even still reside in Parthus and Kamora. A very few of them live amongst the people of Kal-Mikan and Skarrelland.

Culture:
Ronans of “noble” blood can link themselves back to the founding fathers of Camus. These are considered the most pure of bloodlines. This has become increasingly difficult over the centuries though and after more than a millennium only a very few can truthfully claim such lineage. However, it is still a sure sign of nobility and those who can trace their bloodline are from very famous families.
Men have distinctive advantages in Ronan cultures. In the height of Ronan culture, women were given equal rights, but never reached total equality with men. Since the downfall of the Age of Glory, men have re-enforced their historical positions of political and religious power.

Attire and Style:
Ronan clothing is much like their origins, old and simple. Ronan peasants dress in brown cottons. The women wear halters and long skits. It is considered “risqué” for a woman to show her knees or elbows. Men always wear the best boots and belts they can afford, as these are symbols of one’s station in life. Belt buckles are often used to display one’s family crest or the holy symbol of their chosen deity. It is customary to bleach cotton for use in shirts and fine garments. Most dresses and tunics are therefore white. However, it is a sign of wealth to own garments with bright colors. Red, gold, green, blue and purple are all important colors to Ronans. Red and gold are particularly chosen by the royals. Fancy edging and trims are also considered trappings of nobility.
Men usually wear their hair short or in a tight ponytail. These are usually pulled back with fine leather, gold or silver clasps. Women prefer to twist and braid their hair. The more elaborate the braid the more attractive the hair appears to be. Fancy clasps, preferably with some sort of gem studding, are used to hold their hair.
When it comes to jewelry, rings and earrings are considered very important. A ring for each finger of each hand means something different. Men always wear their most important rings on their right hands, and women on their left. Men might wear only one earring, but women will always wear them in both ears. Necklaces and amulets are acceptable as long as they aren’t too gaudy. The same goes for broaches and pendants. However, neckwear is usually reserved for tokens of one’s religious beliefs.

Religion and Supernatural Beliefs:
While Ronans consider Religion to be very important, the Age of Darkness has reduced the influence of the Church. Magic had also been very influential in the shaping of their world. Though many Verosian cultures still respect the Wizards, Rona does not give them the political power they once had. In Rona, the almighty coin still holds the most power. Trade between their own people and other human cultures is very important and will likely always be.

Ronans at War:
When it comes to war, Ronans are particularly good at it. Rona developed the first field and full plate armor sets as well as the weapons to defeat those armors. They developed the Galleon and the Drakar (The Canon, a well, that idea was really taken from the Ryoshans). They were the first humans to bring magic into battlefield tactics, something they learned from the Elves. Ronan armor and weapons are usually decked with traditional symbols of griffons, dragons, lions, wolves and great warriors.

Intercultural Relations:
Though Ronans are very populous in the world they hold racial tensions with Parthans and Skarrels, both of whom were at one time conquered by the Great Kingdom of Rona. They also hold great enmity towards the Ryoshans due to their long war. Despite the actions Gand took during the Great War, it still has a large Ronan population. Hence, the Ronans and Ganniards have had to learn to live peacefully. The Mikanians and Kamorans both trade often with Ronan cultures and have no racial qualms with them. Azurians and Valdar are indifferent to Ronans.

Attributes:

Human Racial Traits

All humans have the following standard abilities:

  • Medium Size: As Medium-size creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
  • Human base speed is 30 feet.
  • 1 extra feat at 1st level, because humans are quick to master specialized tasks and varied in their talents.
  • Attribute Bonus: Humans are quick to adapt to their environment. Due to this each sub-race of humans has a list of special, “human only” attribute modifiers from which they may choose two. These traits may only be taken at character creation and only those that are listed for that sub-race may be chosen. The characters may also optionally use their bonus human feat to buy another one of the attribute modifiers for their sub-race (though not more than two of the same modifier).
  • 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level, since humans are versatile and capable. (The 4 skill points at first level are added on as a bonus, not multiplied in; see PHB Chapter 4: Skills).
  • Racial Feats: Each race of humans has a list of feats specific to their race that they and they alone have access to. Some are restricted to be being bought using the free human feat upon character creation, while others may be bought with later feats.
  • Racial Skills: Each sub-race of humans has a list of skills specific to their race that they may take as “class-skills” despite whatever class the character takes. If a character did not develop in his own culture he may still take these skills as if they are “class-skills” when he is exposed to them, as it is part of his natural tendencies.
  • Automatic Languages: See PHB P. 12.

Each individual sub-race of humans also has its own special abilities

Verosians:

  • Ronan Attribute Modifiers: The following attribute modifiers are specific to Ronans and one may be taken for free at character creation. The free feat gained for being human may also be used to buy another modifier (though not the same one), but only with this free feat:
    • Knowledged (+1 to Intelligence)
    • Worldly (+1 Charisma)
    • Healthy (+1 to Constitution)
  • Racial Feats: The following is a list of feats from which Ronans may purchase with feat. Those that are marked with a * can only be bought with the free human feat at character creation.
    • none
  • Racial Skills: All Ronans have access to the following racial skills: Knowledge (Religions-Ronan and Histories-Ronan), Profession
  • Languages:
    • Automatic Languages: Verosian.
    • Bonus Languages: The Gods’ Tongue, Bamorian, Lojar, Duervan, Gelvan, Folkish & Darktongue.
  • Favored Class: A Ronan’s favored class can be any except Barbarian, Monk or Druid. Ronans consider themselves to be “civilized” and those classes that seem to revert to a more “primitive” culture do not come naturally to them. When determining if a multi-class human suffers an XP penalty, his highest-level class (that is not one of the above) does not count (see PHB P.56).

LINKS
Rona
Verosians
Duneimen
Ronan Pantheon

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