Ramosian Culture

 

The Ramosians are really a confederation of various peoples originally hailed from the continent of Qovol. During the Golden Age of the Alsudhvian Empire, the coastal-dwelling kingdoms of Qovol came under the hegemony of the Wave Emperors and began to pay them tribute. Many Ramosians even took service with the Emperors, attaining wealth and status for themselves, and powerful positions in the imperial court. Generations later, the War of the Winter Queen devastated the once-powerful empire, and Viko the Conqueror—once the mercenary commander of on of the Wave-Emperor’s fleets—saw his chance. Landing with a large force of Ramosian and Ingling mercenaries, Viko swept through what remained of the Alsudhvian heartland, finally taking the capitol city of Ina-Zhunawl after a seven-year campaign culminating in a bloody siege. The last Wave-Emperor was sent away to die in exile, and the Vikarian Empire was born.

However, Viko’s plans for an empire spanning multiple continents were soon foiled, for with the death of the last Wave-Emperor, something radical changed in the relationship of mortals to the Sea: whatever pact or powers upon which the Wave-Emperors had drawn was broken, and henceforth it was only the ships of the Arajeon—and those were few—which could sail more than a day beyond the sight of the coastland of Byelsyev. All others who attempted such a voyage never returned, nor since the days of Viko has any word ever come to Byelsyev from the old Ramosian homeland of Qovol. After a few fruitless years of searching for a solution to renew the ancient pact of the Wave-Emperors, Viko turned his sights inland, towards the center of Byelsyev, and rebuilt the ancient mannish city of Ina-Mahzim and renaming it after himself: Vikaros.

Vikaros became the capitol of the new empire, and from there over the next four centuries the Vikarian Empire would become the dominant power in Byelsyev. Over the centuries, Alsudhvi would dwindle in significance, until it eventually came to be considered a backwater of the Empire, a disorderly exarchate on the backside of a mighty imperium.

Owing to their origins in multiple but distinct Qovolian kingdoms, the Ramosians are an ethnically diverse people. They generally occupy the upper castes of Alsudhvian society, owing to their status as conquerors, though after four-hundred years of intermarriage and the falling fortunes of the Exarchate, Ramosian lineage is no longer a reliable indicator of wealth or temporal success. Still, most Ramosians are either nobles, retainers to noble houses (both Ramosian and Saftash), or landholders. Ramosians also occupy a slight majority of powerful positions within the Assembly of Tsuva, the dominant religion of the Exarchate.

Ramosians typically have complexions ranging from fair (indicating Ingling descent) to dark with pale skin (indicating descent from Old Ramosian noble families). They are on average taller than their Saftash neighbors, with those of Ingling descent standing well over six feet tall. Real-world inspiration for the Ramosian culture can be found in the historic Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians, and Goths.

Ramosian Religion

The Ramosian religion is rooted in the worship of Tusva, “the Good,” the absolute summit of divine power and goodness. The revelation of Tsuva was given to the Ramosians long ago, when they still dwelt on Qovol. Although much Ramosian history has been lost or forgotten since they were cut off from their homeland, the devotees of Tsuva still teach that the revelation of Tsuva was given to the people of Qovol during the Age of Legends, when an event known as the Cataclysm brought about the death of the gods they had once worshipped. In that day, a prophet arose among them, one Pimrama by name, who told them of the splendor and glory of Tsuva, the Great God, who surpassed all the gods and spirits of the lower world—he it was who had made them and set them to rule the created world. But some had turned aside from his light, and among these were the demons and the creatures of the lightless depths.

Then the Ramosians invaded Alsudhvi, they brought the worship of Tsuva with them. At first, the Temples of the Eight and those who worshipped in them were simply hunted down as demon-worshippers and destroyed. It was Saint Dolvia, the Prophetess, who took upon herself the work of converting the Saftash tribes to serve Tsuva—an effort which many powerful Ramosians opposed. It is chiefly due to her labors that the majority of Saftash were converted, enabling a more or less peaceful integration of Ramosian and Saftash society into a more cohesive unit over the last four hundred years.

Although officially united under the High Priest of the Assembly of Tsuva, observance of the Tsuvan religion in the Exarchate of Alsudhvi is a varied mixture old Qovolian practices, feasts and liturgical practices originating with Dolvia and her followers, and syncretic ritual observances where the old worship of the Eight was subsumed, but not obliterated, by the new religion. These various factions get along most of the time, but there are zealots in every camp, and the discussions around various points of contention have sometimes grown heated.

The Assembly of Tsuva in the Exarchate primarily venerates two holy books: The Way of Light or The Eighty-One Revelations of Pimrama, and The Acts of Dolvia. Although the Ramosian and Saftash expressions of the faith share veneration of many saints, stronger emphases are placed on certain saints in the Ramosian tradition. These are the most commonly venerated saints by the Ramosians of the Exarchate:

• Saint Dolvia (see Saftash Culture)
• Saint Ekkol (see Saftash Culture)
• Saint Rumedra the Virgin, a young noblewoman who was killed after refusing the advances of a Ssanu prince
• Saint Gogar the Bright, who drove back an incursion of the Undead in the two-hundredth year of the Vikarian Empire
• Saint Edar the Illuminator, a noteworthy scribe and liturgical reformer who ended his days as a hermit

Consecrated celibacy existed as a tradition in both the Old Saftash religion as well as in Tsuvanism. In the Exarchate of Alsudhvi today, this takes primarily two forms: Dolvian Monasticism, which is a form of women’s communal monastic life, and Ekkolian Monasticism, which is a form of semi-communal male monastic life. Hermitage is also a common practice, especially for nobles and clergy who grow tired of the cares of public life and of the world.

Ramosian Names

Male:

Tempa, Upsen, Sol, Baog, Dumar, Dakor, Kugo, Viko, Baki, Pivek, Uvias, Kimo, Kumban, Kemog, Etwulis, Baulven, Ekkol, Panisalvan, Patuva, Erindal, Edremal, Tuvo, Bamavar, Edar, Gogar

Female:

Tegil, Dolga, Rama, Relua, Uverea, Vemtova, Baida, Dolgaruma, Pegua, Dolvia, Rota, Paqara, Rumedra, Evbada, Vunika, Uveredhmina, Vemkalku, Kuteka, Paeta, Palevta, Vanova, Iba, Tia, Eda, Goaga

Player Classes

Fighter (ACKS 18), Mage (ACKS 19), Cleric (ACKS 21; choose a patron saint from the list above or work with the Judge to create a new one), Thief (ACKS 23), Assassin (ACKS 25), Bard (ACKS 26), Barbarian (Ingling Tribesman, PC 12), Explorer (PC 29), Mystic (PC 30), Ekkolian Monastic (Men only, use Wonderworker, PC 32), Paladin (PC 34), Dolvian Monastic (Women only, use Priestess, PC 36).