Romiri

Romiri are a race of humans present in Logres. They are descendants of the Rikes, a dark skinned people from Alik Bahir who were brought to Logres by Titans to serve as slaves before the Age of Lords, as well as conquering Haelian and Brent knights. Romiri are most present in the province of Farregid of the Camelin Empire, it being their province of origin in Logres.

## Physical Appearance

Romiri stand taller than Brents or Haelians, average 6' for men and 6'3" for women. They have darker skin than most humans, ranging from nearly black to a deep olive tan. Romiri tend to have brown or deep blue eyes, the blue being inherited from their Brent and Haelian heritage. They have thick square facial features, and their hair is curly and dark, although rarely one might find a Romiri with blonde or red hair, a result of their mixed racial history. Romiri with red or blonde hair are culturally depicted as witches and wizards, although this stereotype holds no real historical value.

## History

### The Age of Lords and the Age of Heroes

The Rikes were slaves brought to Logres approximately 200 years before Draco Arthure began his Crusade against the Titans. A large, muscular race adapted to dry climates, they served as builders and craftsmen in the dry regions of the Scarlet Wilds in what is modern day Farregid. The Rikes were separated into two groups, the Mossai and the Zute. What distinguished these groups ethnically is unknown, however, it is historical fact that the Mossai served as a slave masters over the Zute for the Titans during their occupation. During the First Crusade, when Draco Arthure rebelled against the Titans, a Knight of the Realm know as Trystram DeLyonesse lead a group of Haelian and Brent warriors on a campaign to free Farregid of Titans. Convincing freed Zute slaves to join his assault, Trystram would push all Titans up past Ronin's Shield into the Great Wyrm Desert. Upon victory, Trystram distributed lordships to his knights, giving the majority of fertile land to Haelians and Brents. This angered the native Zute, having traded one ruler for another, and being outnumbered by Zute people on the edge of rebellion, Trystram begrudgingly appointed the leader of the Zute as King of the region, christening him Caesar Marcus. This did not last long, however, as fifteen years later Trystram usurped the Caesar in a coup d'état. Enraged, the Zute people stormed the keep and killed Trystram, appointing Marcus' son, Marcus II, Caesar. As time progressed, the Rikes, Haelian, and Brent people would eventually mix to form the Romiri.

### The Civil War

During the Civil War, when the Knights of the Realm turned on one another, the Caesar, at that time Ysaie the Sad, officials sides with Draco Arthure. Ser Palomides, on the other hand, the greatest knight of Farregid (there is debate whether Palomides is in fact Rike or Romiri) sides with the Black Knight and the Joyous Guard, of which he is the only human member. Taking a large group of loyal Romiri warriors down south to Bercelle, Palomides would be responsible for the settling of Romiri in southern Logres.

Caesar Ysaie would be killed at the Battle of the Three Kings along with most of the Arthurian and Elvish armies. Caesar Pompei, succeeding Ysaie, would declare Farregid independent of the Camelin Empire.

### The Age of Chaos

During the Age of Chaos Farregid would see the assassination and succession of many Caesars, each obsessed with outdoing the last. Farregid would see great expansion of its borders as it conquered surrounding areas. As the Scourged raged in the south, thousands of Haelians fled into Farregid from the Brine. The Romiri saw the Haelians as invaders, and fought that up into the hills and mountains of Ronin's Shield. The Haelians and Romiri in that region would interbreed, forming the Ronin.

### The Second Crusade

With the return of Draco Arthure in the form of Gareth Arthure and his new crusade to reunite the human territories the Romiri people would be called back to Farregid to defend their ancestral home. Thousands of Romiri warriors returned to Farregid, but were ultimately defeated at the hands of the better equipped Brent invaders. This is largely attributed to Gareth Arthure's Epiphany of Steel, where he rediscovered the elvish form of steel smithing that creates mithril steel. Many Romiri Lords (called Pontifs) would be replaced with Brent knights, and the Caesar would be disposed of, placing the leadership of Farregid in the hands of a mercantile oligarchy made up primarily rich Romiri and Brents.

## Culture

### Language

Romiri speak a dialect of Common called Romirian. Romirian is an inflection heavy language, with a full vowels and hard consonants. Those who only speak Common can understand Romirian with ease. Romirian has gone through many changes over the centuries, and its progenitor language, Ancient Romirian, sometimes called Zute, is illegible to someone who knows only Romirian.

### Structures

Romiri buildings are tall and impressive, making use of the abundant marble that was present in Ronins Shield and the Scarlet Wilds. Romiri architecture features parabolic arches and ionic columns, and the clay present along the coast is used to shingle roofs with clay tile.

### Religion

The Romiri worship the gods of the Arthurian Pantheon. Ones relationship with a God is seen as a very personal thing in Romiri culture, and most Romiri keep shrines within their homes to their chosen God, on top of making regular offerings to local temples. Romiri have an aversion to Necropoli, seeing them as blasphemous, and many rumors of blood magic practices in Necropoli originate in Farregid.

### Weapons and Armament

Romiri rely on medium to heavy armor when going into battle, normally a splint or breastplate in the style of the Draconic Forces. They wield long, reach weapons, and much of their military success has come from their unique phalanx method of combat that they have perfected over the centuries. Romiri produce some of the greatest fighters in history, though their use of magic is rudimentary at best.