Romiu

Romiu the name given to a Canickaw highborn, based in the Gryusch Wilds. He was a very important figure for the Canickaw, having sacrificed his "Ghuem" in order to open a portal from Reality to The Glitterplane, thus forming an uneasy alliance between the Goahm and Canickaw, mimicking the centuries-long alliance between the Humans and Faeries. Beyond that sacrifice, he also aided in Maevrix's Solam distribution.

## Appearance and Personality

Like most Canickaw, Romiu had striking yellow eyes, was covered in dark blue fur, and wore a simple set of black smallclothes. Unlike most Canickaw, however, he did not wear a mask, having sacrificed it in service to the alliance between the Goahm and the Canickaw. He was average height, toned, and had sharp claws. He also had a very small tuft of black hair sprouting from between his ears.

Beyond anything else, Romiu was stubborn, and dedicated to the betterment of his people. He was uninterested in forming bonds with anyone beyond his race, and the disappointment of the Pulsekaw's return weighed heavily on him, knowing they would be useless to saving his people from their squalor. He was endlessly spiteful towards those he considered "superiors" of the plane, though he would sometimes crack and express gratitude, or appreciation. He was mentally strong and somewhat of a realist, not flinching from deadly wounds piercing his flesh, but also stoically accepting his life would end quickly from the loss of his Ghuem, unafraid of death.

He was particularly aggravated by Feyule and Uocali's return to Reality, and their alliance with the Humans and Foreckaw instead of the Canickaw, who he perceived as desperately needing it much more. He saw it as a betrayal of the Pulsekaw remnants left behind by Akkaz.

## Story

Romiu is first seen in a meeting with some Goahm outside of their new cave, near the Soaring Generation's village. He appeared to be arguing with them, before spotting Wonder's group, and ordering the Goahm to attack, which they did. When the Goahm were defeated, Romiu fled into the cave, prompting a chase.

Romiu fled to the very back of the cave, which turned out to be a dead end. He scratched at the walls in an attempt to wear down the stone and find a miracle escape, but Wisest cornered him and threatened him, losing her patience quickly. It was here that Wonder caught the first glimpses of Wisest's true nature, and she was able to calm the situation before Romiu had any appendages lopped off.

The dead-end was directly connected via cave-in to the Soarin Generation's longhouse basement, where the cells were located. Romiu was thrown inside while Wisest went to gather Guurah to broker peace, having no patience to speak with the Canickaw herself, and wishing to continue her search for a Mint Garden instead. In the brief time waiting for Wisest to return, Feyule spoke with Romiu, where her presence alone initiated some banter. It was here that Feyule learned that only the Highborn Pulsekaw were wrenched from Reality during the Soaring of Akkaz, not every Pulsekaw as she had previously thought. As Romiu refused to part with his name, Feyule blessed him with the Romiu name, based on a series of poems she had heard as a child.

Eventually, the Goahm came to his aid, and helped him escape from the basement cell. Romiu would then go one to work with Traffic, a Human merchant, likely in selling Solam to people within Widerain. Eventually, the two were found out and chased out of the city by two Watchmen, spears piercing their flesh over and over as they were chased. It looked like they were about to be killed on the road, but Feyule took the initiative and intervened, saving both Traffic and Romiu from the spears. As the watchmen fled, Romiu quietly thanked Feyule, and followed Traffic to make sure he was alright.

Taking refuge in a small grove to mend their wounds, and figure out a plan of action to get inside Grajita, Wonder's group took a small break, where Romiu remained as thorny as ever. He refused to divulge much information at all to Wonder, and felt the stare of Feyule for much of the morning, to his annoyance.

When Wonder returned to the group she had left to wait in the grove, Romiu was apoplectic, insisting Traffic receive proper treatment at once. Traffic, who was not in good shape before Wonder had left, took a turn for the worse, but it wasn't due to the injuries he had received, it was due to a Solam withdrawal. Romiu revealed this information in an effort to get them to move, both fearing the potential of a Solam Burst, but also caring for Traffic in a way, perhaps seeing the superior Human's actions as an effort to aid the Canickaw and wanting to preserve him. As the group arrived at Cove's farmhouse, Romiu lost patience, and proceeded to break Feyule's heart by claiming he was disgusted by the name she had given him, "Romiu".

Inside the home, with assurance that Traffic was getting treatment, Romiu was more amicable, speaking with Feyule for what they both understood to be the final time, before his lack of Ghuem would destroy him completely. Romiu opened up as Feyule had requested he do twice prior, and explained how the Canickaw painfully kept track of the time since the Soaring of Akkaz, hoping one day a Pulsekaw would return to aid the lowborn left behind. Feyule and Uocali's failure to do this was crushing to him, and Feyule could only apologize for her lack of usefulness. Romiu also noted that Feyule was once a highborn Pulsekaw, which prompted her to understand that her very nature pressured her to look down on the Canickaw.

Romiu explained the danger of Solam Bursts to Feyule, and quietly requested she stop Maevrix from producing any more Solam, lest the Pulse Creatures born from the bursts overrun Gryusch, and destroy his people along with everything else. Feyule could not promise this, but she would try, which was as much as he came to expect from her. What he didn't expect, however, was for Feyule to sing the poem of Romiu to him, in an attempt to ease his final days, and express her appreciation to him in a very personal way. The performance left Romiu speechless, with some fading tears dotting his eyes, and Feyule bid him goodbye.

Romiu spent his final hours on the road between Grajita and Widerain, looking up to the statue of Saint Tristo. He noticed blood dripping onto the stone, and even though he was moments from fading away entirely, was able to discern it was Uocali. Romiu voiced his disgust with the Pulsekaw, which prompted a rather heated exchange. For Romiu's final words, he compared Uocali to that of a flailing vermi who had just lost its home, and struck out in fear. He came to a somber conclusion, stating it was foolish to believe a returning Pulsekaw would not be afraid, before repeating a line from the poem of Romiu, then fading away completely.

## Quotes

*"The carefree troubles of the maskless climbers. How interesting."*

*"You have no need. You already bask in the everglow of superiority. To even speak to me is callous."*

*"Fear is a powerful motivator for those who have lost so much. It is often all one can muster to keep from rolling under the dirt. Fear is an awfully selfish emotion. Perhaps the very most."*