Culture: Rendarian People & History

The Rendarian people are from the Rogar System in the Iconium Galaxy. They are a warlike people; stoic and detached from the emotions of life they show great courage and strength in battle. They are blue-skinned with crimson eyes and a skin-covered horn crest protruding from the skull about an inch or more.

During the Old Ones Era Rendaria had a lush tropical climate with many of its inhabitants living in thick forests or grasslands. Early records tell that during these early years the Rendarians lived off of local vegetation and raised small herds of cattle, known as rokani, within tightknit tribal clans. The presence of giant flying lizards known as reebok (dragons in the tongue of the Old Ones) plagued the clans in the early years. These lizard beasts would often feed off of a clan's cattle or even feed on the Rendarians themselves if other prey was scarce. It became a great honor to hunt and kill these beasts, so much so that none of them are known to be in existence to date. However, the fear and ferocity of the creatures still plays a part in the Rendarians culture, not least of which can be seen in the stamp of the dragon on the Rendarian flag.

In the early years the clans fought often with one another for land, resources, or sport; it was a right of passage for Rendarian boys to make his first kill in battle, but this is only one example of the cultural importance placed on war. War was not something the Rendarians did out of necessity. Instead, for many, it was a way of life and a source of honor.

One can find in early Rendarian poetry that many of their wars were spurred on by passions and acted out for the revenge of some small offense against the honor of the clan. As the years passed, however, the mastering of ones emotions became an important value among many of the larger and more powerful clans. The Rendarian people claim that when someone cuts oneself off from all emotional entanglements this person is freed to do what he or she must do for the good of the clan, including facing death. In this way the family unit became secondary to ones allegiance to the larger tribal group.

As technology developed more and more devices were invented for the art of war, but the importance of the simple katana was never lost. As the years passed several of the larger clans formed into larger nations across the planet and within these nations the smaller clans were either killed off or culturally deconstructed. Between the larger nation groups war was far more brutal and far more devastating. The abuses to the land and the depletion of its resources for the machine of war began to become apparent as once lush environments became desert wastelands. Even the sun began to dim under the blight of war and bloodshed.

It was into this sad scene that the Laneer first made contact with the Rendarian people. Immediately perceiving their effectiveness in war the Laneer recruited the Rendarian’s to help them against the Lavarian’s by aligning themselves with the most powerful nation-state of the time, Radeema, and helping them to overthrow the rest of the planet and establish the Rendrian Empire: the first ever centralized government over the whole planet. Indebted to the Laneer and enticed by technological advancement the Rendaria Empire readily assisted the Laneer and fought on the front lines against the Lavarian’s, aiding the Laneer in their conquest across the galaxies.

When the Laneer finally conquered most of the Central Systems many Rendarian’s returned to their home world with little to show for their service. They returned to a world still fighting petty civil wars against the Empire. Their once great planet was now falling into disrepair and many Rendarian’s turned their anger and frustration against the Laneer.

When the War of Worlds broke out in the Seventh Era Rendaria was not stable enough to join the fight in full force, many Rendarians did not even wish to once again fight alongside of the Laneer; a hatred for Lystra and all other races was a growing sentiment during this time. Even so, many Rendarian’s strong sense of honor propelled leagues of fighters to join the Laneer in their war against the Union Planets For Freedom (led by the Lavarians) not under the flag of the Empire, but instead as mercenary battalions within the Laneer fleets.

When the long bloody conflict finally came to an end in the Eighth Era the Laneer invited the Rendarian people to play a central role in the establishment of the United Republic. The Laneer hoped to repay Rendaria for their aid over the long centuries of the Laneer Empire. However, the Lavarians, to whom the Rendarian’s had always been enemies, were not pleased with this decision and many Lavarians view Rendaria as enemies even into the age of peace.

The Eighth Era was a time of rebuilding for many races, but especially for Rendaria. While some worked to aid the Laneer in the establishment of a peaceful society under the flag of the United Republic many Rendarian’s worked to bring peace to the infighting back home. There was a call by many to leave the centuries of war behind them and to move forward as a people of peace. With this new sentiment Counselor Rochary established the Tribunal. It was Rochary’s hope that the Tribunal would balance out the power of the Emperor and be able to provide a source of justice and honor not dependent solely upon bloodshed. The Tribunal mediated justice between the Emperor and the rebel groups across the planet that placed their allegiance more in tribal lineage than in the centralized government.

The Tribunal made inroads towards peace and many Rendarian’s were hopeful that their ways of war were behind them. However, there were still many who held ill will towards the Laneer; a nationalistic sense of revenge was growing among the Rendarian people. On top of this the new Emperor, Emperor Ruak, was becoming tired of the Tribunal, which he saw as a threat to his power over his subjects. Added to these tensions was the growing difficulty of living on the planet itself. After centuries of infighting Rendaria had become a place of charred earth and miserable climate. To flee these woes many Rendarian’s left their homeworld in search of safer and more prosperous places to live.