Resources for Romulan PC's who haven't fleshed out their backgrounds yet:
http://sto.gamepedia.com/Romulan_Star_Empire (Star Trek Online history of the Romulans.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulan (Wikipedia is a little more stable than memory alpha or memory beta. It is also a lot more neutral in opinion on books and other sources.)
http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Romulan Uses nothing but canon sources.
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Romulan Uses non-canon resources and there's a lot of debate on who should use what in Roleplay. It also changes depending on who has access to editing. (I personally use almost nothing of the Unicorn Games RPG because it tends to conflict with Diane Duane's work.)
Good books to read: Anything by Diane Duane. Namely "The Romulan Way".
Romulan language resource:
http://www.rihan.org/drupal/
This link contains some awesome work on both the Romulan and Vulcan written languages.)
Path to 2409 Accolade Romulan Entries:
Spoiler: Volume 1, Chapter 1Show (Volume 1, Chapter 1) (2379-2380)
Following the death of Praetor Shinzon at the battle of Bassen Rift, the Romulan Government fell into disarray. Tal’Aura, one of the few remaining members of the Romulan Senate and a former ally of Shinzon, declared herself the new Praetor, supported by Fleet Commander Tomalak, as the new leader of the Imperial Defense Force.
However, Tal’Aura’s leadership was opposed by Commander Donatra, who with the support of Commander Suran and former Admiral Braeg, retained control of the majority of the Fifth and Third Fleets.
Any hope of a reconciliation between the two sides ended with the execution of Braeg, and Donatra vowed never to accept Tal’Aura’s rule.
Donatra’s rebellion was not Tal’Aura’s only concern. The Remans, led by General Xiomek of the Reman Kepeszuk Battalion, demanded control of either a continent on Romulan or a planet with sufficient natural resources to maintain self-sufficient settlements as reparations for hundreds of years of slavery and exploitation. In response, Tal’Aura cut shipments of food and needed supplies to Reman, and commanded Tomalak to blockade the planet.
Volume 1, Chapter 2 focuses on the USS Enterprise-E personalities and the trials of Ro Laren and the Changeling female.
Volume 1, Chapter 3 has a Cardassian Focus.
Spoiler: Volume 2, Chapter 1Show (Volume 2, Chapter 1)
The Romulan Star Empire appeared to be moving towards open Civil War during much of 2381. Federation Ambassadors consulted with representatives of the Klingon Empire and other Alpha and Beta quadrant powers about a proposed course of action to either bring peace to the Romulans or control any conflict that spilled out of Romulan space, but little but little was done to stop the deterioration of what was once one of the great powers of the quadrant.
Imperial forces led by Tomalak skirmished repeatedly with Reman ships in the space between their twin worlds. Despite the Remans best efforts though, Romulan blockade of Remus held, leading to concerns that the Remans were suffering shortages of food and supplies. The United Federation of Planets offered humanitarian aid to both Romulus and Remus.
Spoiler: Volume 2, Chapter 2Show (Volume 2, Chapter 2) (2381)
With the blockade of Remus and upheaval at home, Praetor Tal’Aura had insufficient forces to stop Commander Donatra, who rallied the breakaway military forces under her command and conquered several agricultural worlds in Romulan Space. With these planets under her control, Donatra declared herself the first Empress of the Imperial Romulan Senate and established a capitol on Archenar Prime. Tal’Aura vowed to retake the territory by any means necessary.
Spoiler: Volume 2, Chapter 3Show (Volume 2, Chapter 3)
Although Ambassador Spock had returned to Federation Space, the unification movement he founded continued to grow on Romulus. Thousands of Romulans secretly studied Vulcan history and culture and worked towards reuniting the Romulans and the world their ancestors abandoned centuries ago.
Seeing the underground organization as another population exploited by the Romulan government Xiomek of the Reman Kepeszuk Battalion allied with the unification movement, although the two sides disagreed on how best to reach their goals. Xiomek wanted to seek a military solution to force the Romulans to accede to the Remans’ demands, while the Unification movement sought non-violent diplomatic alternatives.
On Stardate 59480.33 Spock presented a formal request for aid for the Unification movement to the Federation Council, which agreed to take the matter under consideration.
Volume 2, Chapter 4 Deals with Bajors quest for reparations from the Cardassian government for crimes against sentients.
Volume 2, Chapter 5 Deals with the Federation's response to the Borg and rumors of the possible recreation of the Borg Queen. (2381)
Spoiler: Volume 3, Chapter 1Show (Volume 3, Chapter 1)(2382)
The loss of Agricultural planets claimed by the Imperial Romulan Empire threatened Romulus with severe food shortages. Romulus’ Power plants and factories could not increase output without the heavy metals and dilithium that once flowed from Remus.
To avert the looming civil crises, Praetor Tal’Aura reluctantly accepted food shipments from the Federation. But she refused the Federation’s offer to facilitate negotiations between her and Empress Donatra, saying that the dispute was an internal Romulan matter.
Tal’Aura charged her proconsul, Fleet Commander Tomalak with retaking the planets held by Donatra. Tomalak appointed Admiral Taris as his second in command and ordered her to reorganize and mobilize Romulus’ remaining military forces.
Spoiler: Volume 3, Chapter 2Show Seeking to stabilize the homeworld, Tal'aura agreed to reform the Romulan Senate. A reorganization commission selected by Tal'Aura voted to allow her to appoint Senators directly rather than holding elections, and she packed the Senate with her supporters.
Leaders of the Romulan-Vulcan unification movement petitioned Tal'Aura for representation in the Senate for themselves and the Remans, but Tal'Aura declined to respond to their request.
The makeup of the Romulan Senate angered Romulan nobles, who dominated the Senate prior to Shinzon's takeover but held only a handful of seats after the reorginization. Representatives of several of the Noble Lines argued that for centuries the Romulan Senate has been a partner with the praetor in governing the Empire, something that a weakened body beholden to Tal'Aura could not be.
The Line of Tellus denounced Tal'Aura and withdrew its members from government service.
Spoiler: Volume 3, Chapter 3Show Volume 3, Chapter 3)(2382)
The Klingon Empire took advantage of the weak position of the Romulans to stage lightning strikes into Romulan Space, retaking Khitomer and the sector surrounding it.The Federation Council criticized the move, but Abassador K’mtok responded that the Empire was simply reclaiming territory that belonged to the Klingons by right.
Spoiler: Volume 3, Chapter 5Show Volume 3, Chapter 5 (2382)
Thwarted in their attempts to find a role in the Romulan Government, the Unification movement representated by Ambassador Spock, pressed its case with the Federation Council.
The Council took up the matter of formally supporting the Unificationists, but was heavily influenced by Councilor T’Los of Vulcan, who stated that the result of unification of the two races could not be predetermined, while the probable course of the Romulans and Vulcans remaining separate could be reasonably predicted. Therefore, her only Logical choice, was to protect the Vulcan way of life by opposing unification.
The Council did not reach a decision on whether or not to support the unificationists and voted to table the matter. The Bill was not expected to return to the Council floor for debate again.
Volume 3, Chapter 6 focuses on the rights of Artificial Life Forms. (ie Androids and Holograms.)
Volume 3, Chapter 7 has a Cardassian, Bajoran focus.
Spoiler: Volume 4, Chapter 1Show Volume 4, Chapter 1
Intelligence Operatives for Starfleet and the Klingon Empire continued to gather reports of unrest on Romulus. Praetor Tal’Aura authorized food rationing and strict limits on replicator use on the homeworld, saying that the Empire’s resources must be reserved to support the Military’s campaign against Donatra and the breakaway Imperial Romulan State.
The shortages sparked rioting in the capitol of Ki Baratan, and the struggle continued for two days before the Praetor ordered troops to intervene. Observers on Romulus suggested that as many as 2000 people died either in the initial riots or at the hands of Romulan troops.
The civil unrest and resistance from Romulan nobles strained Tal’Aura’s command of the empire. She called upon her allies in the Senate to help stabilize the government, and they responded by voting to expand the praetor’s powers, giving Tal’Aura the power to grant or remove noble titles, a privilege that previously only the Emperor enjoyed. She also was granted the ability to declare war without Senate approval.
Spoiler: Volume 4, Chapter 2Show Volume 4, Chapter 2
Ambassador Spock returned to Romulus to take his place with the Unificationists. Leaders of the movement said that although they did not win the support of the Federation, they would continue to “Wage Peace” on Romulus.
On Stardate 60900.31 Fleet Commander Tomalak attacked Donatra’s fleet at Xanitla. Tomalek’s forces were soundly defeated in the battle, and he was dealt a further blow when Admiral Taris and the twelve ships under her command defected to the Imperial side.
Volume 4, Chapter 3 deals with the Cardassians.
Volume 4, Chapter 5 deals with the 'Data Decision' and the rights of artificial life forms.
Spoiler: Volume 5, Chapter 1Show Federation analysts said that a shakeup in the Romulan power structure left the Empire vulnerable to attack from within and without. Starfleet dispatched additional ships to the border of the Neutral Zone and considered the Romulan Situation one of the main threats to Federation safety and security.
After Tomalak's defeat by Donatra and her fleet, Praetor Tal'Aura removed him as proconsul, choosing Sela as her right hand and fleet commander. Sela, a human-Romulan hybrid with extensive experience in the military and intelligence fields, was a part of several major Romulan operations, including a failed attempt to invade Vulcan and coordinating support for the House of Duras' attempt to takeover the Klingon High Council in 2367. As a gift to Tomalak for his decades of loyal service to the Romulan Star Empire, Tal'Aura allowed him to "Retire" to his rural estates on Romulus.
Spoiler: Volume 5, Chapter 2Show Volume 5, Chapter 2
The Romulan defeat at Xanitla made open war with Empress Donatra unfeasible. Praetor Tal’Aura reluctantly agreed to negotiate with the Imperial Romulan State to determine the new borders and to establish a neutral zone, but rejected the Federation’s offer to mediate the talks.
Donatra said that she would welcome the Federation’s input, but that she would defer to Tal’Aura’s decision in this matter. She sent Admiral Taris to the Romulan capitol as her representative.
Spoiler: Volume 5, Chapter 3Show On Stardate 61602.00 Tal'Aura was found dead in her private chambers. Tal Shiar investigators reported that she was attacked as she slept.
The Romulan capitol erupted in a firestorm of rumors and accusations. Among the groups suspected of carrying out the assassination was a coalition of the noble houses, the Tal Shiar or agents working for Empress Donatra and the Imperial Romulan State.
Donatra denied having anything to do with the murder. "I face my enemies on the field of battle with honor", the Empress announced in an address to her citizens, "not with a knife in the dark."
Days later, Donatra recalled Taris from Romulus and ordered her to prepare to defend Imperial holdings.
At Tal'Aura's funeral in Ki Baratan, Sela publically blamed the Remans and the Unification movement for the attack. "They claim to desire peace", Sela said, "but ally with the murderers and usurpers who terrorized our planet and led us to the brink of destruction. The blood of one Praetor was not enough for the Remans. Tal'Aura was the victim of their thirst for destruction."
Volume 5, Chapter 4 focuses on the Klingons vs. the Gorn.
Volume 5, Chapter 5 focuses on Bajor entering the Federation and Odo.
Volume 5, Chapter 6 focuses on Soong Android B-4.
Volume 6, Chapter 1 focuses on Khitomer and the Enterprise-E.
Volume 6, Chapter 3 Deals with Geordi and Soong Android B-4.
Volume 6, Chapter 4 has a Borg focus.
Spoiler: Volume 6, Chapter 5Show Volume 6, Chapter 5 (2384-2385)
In Romulan Space, what began as a tumultuous year after the assassination of Praetor Tal’Aura settled down into what was believed the long term solution, and both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire pulled back some ships from the borders of Romulan Space.
In the weeks following Tal’Aura’s death, her Proconsul Sela stepped in to take the reins of control in the government. Granted temporary executive powers by the Senate as an emergency measure, Sela used them to replace more than two dozen Senators with representatives of noble houses who had opposed Tal’Aura’s rule. Among Sela’s appointees was the influential noble Chulan of the line of Tellus.
The backing of the nobles gave Sela the clout she needed to run the government, but she did not have the support of the military and the Tal Shiar and her regime was generally expected to be short-lived.
Reheak, the leader of the Tal Shiar, made a rare public appearance to announce that he would personally lead the investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal’Aura. “There are certain things that may seem expedient but which honor abhors. We cannot allow this crime to go unanswered.”
And Empress Donatra of the Imperial Romulan State won hearts among the people of Romulus by offering food shipments to non-military settlements.
Spoiler: Chapter 6, Volume 6Show Federation experts feared a three-way struggle for control of Romulus, but instead Donatra meet with Sela and Rahaek to find a peaceful solution.
The three begrudgingly agreed to put their disputes aside for the good of the Empire, and the worlds of the Imperial Romulan State were folded back into the Imperial Star Empire. Donatra held onto the Reigns of power of the military and kept much of her forces off-world in case the peace didn't hold.
With the threat of civil war averted, the Senate opened debate on who to elect as the new praetor. Sela, as Tal'Aura's proconsul, was one of the leading candidates, and she made a play for the position. But rumors of her possible involvement in the plot to assassinate Tal'Aura dogged her campaign, and when Donatra declined to endorse Sela's campaign her defeat was almost assured.
After an extensive Debate, Senator Chulan was chosen to be the new Praetor. He was a compromise candidate who was acceptable to, but not strongly supported by, any of the major powers.
Federation Analysts predicted that without the backing of a coalition of factions, Chulan would be a weak leader.
Spoiler: Volume 6, Chapter 7Show Donatra, who most agreed was the broker of the newfound peace on Romulus, traveled to Remus to meet General Xiomek of the Remans. She offered the Remands full citizenship in the Empire and representation in the Romulan Senate in exchange for their support.
While Sela opposed the plan, which she saw as rewarding the Remans for a violent uprising, she and Praetor Chulan did not have the strength to oppose Donatra's power.
The physical strength of the Remans, as well as their supplies of dilithium and heavy metals, added to Donatra's formidable military strength, and she had the resources to reopen shipyards and munitions plants closed since Shinzon's revolt. As resources flowed back to Romulus from Remus and the worlds Donatra controlled, energy rationing and food lines became a thing of the past.
The Romulan Senate was reluctant to deal with the Remans but was swayed by popular support for Donatra, and the Senators reluctantly voted to allow Xiomek to take a seat in the Senate and to extend citizenship to the Remans. In common practice, however, most Romulans continued to treat Remans as second-class citizens, and the Remans were reluctant to relocate to Romulan settlements.
Spoiler: Volume 7, Chapter 1Show Volume 7, Chapter 1
In 2386, The Romulan mining guild finished a multi-year study of Remus and presented its findings to the Romulan Senate. The guild reported that the planet was seriously overmined, and recommended that to avoid a Praxus situation, all Remus operations should be shut down and mining operations moved to more distant areas of space.
As a proactive measure, the guild spread their operations across the Empire, settling hundreds of miners and their families on space stations and colonies light years away from Romulus.
The guild further recommended that it be put in charge of all off-world mining, but Colonel Xiomek of the Remans used his new position in the Senate to block that request. In the weeks that followed, conflict between the guild and the Remans sparked a number of skirmishes between guild ships and Remans in distant areas of the Empire.
Spoiler: Volume 7, Chapter 2Show Volume 7, Chapter 2
After the Romulan mining guild had discovered overmining had destabilized Remus and recommended that the population of that frozen world be move elsewhere, Colonel Xiomek of the Remans spoke to the Romulan Senate. He argued that if the Remans are to be moved, that they should be given a continent on Romulus for the new home. The full Senate overwhelmingly rejected his proposal.
With the backing of Donatra, Raheak, and Praetor Chulan, an alternative plan was reached. The remans instead were offered the planet of Crateris in the distant Gamma Crateris system. The site of a failed Reman colony, the planet had a harsh climate and is beset by almost constant electrical storms but was rich in dilithium, decalithium, and heavy metals. Xiomek agreed because even the harsh climate of Crateris was a significant improvement over Remus. Thousands of Remans bordered colony ships and made the move to their new home.
Spoiler: Volume 7, Chapter 3Show Volume 7, Chapter 3
On Stardate 63322.55, Rahaek, leader of the Tal Shiar, sent a statement to the praetor and the leaders of the Romulan Senate with the conclusions of his investigation into the assassination of Praetor Tal’Aura. Rahaek ruled that Tal’Aura was killed by agents loyal to a coalition of noble houses angered by her reformation of the Senate.
Both Donatra and Sela requested to see the evidence that backed up his claims, but Rahaek refused to divulge his complete findings.
In retaliation for the death of Tal’Aura, the Tal Shiar began a campaign of assaults on the noble houses, arresting dozens of nobles and seizing their assets. Sela pushed back against the persecution of her major supporters, and in response swayed the Senate to drastically cut funding for the Tal Shiar.
In a speech before the Senate, Sela accused elements inside the Tal Shiar of knowing about the plot to assassinate Tal’Aura and doing nothing to stop it. “Does standing silent make them as culpable as the killers?” Sela asked. “In abandoning their sworn duty to protect the Praetor, as a symbol of Romulus itself, they are no better than those that wielded the knives that killed her.
Donatra refused to take sides in the conflict between Sela and Rahaek, and instead encouraged the Praetor to handle the situation. Praetor Chulan appointed a Senate committee to formally investigate the matter, but the committee took little action.
Spoiler: Volume 7, Chapter 4Show Volume 7, Chapter 4
On Stardate 63446.41, an explosion destroyed Rahaek’s home on the outskirts of Ki Baratan. Observers reported several visitors to the estate of the leader of the Romualn Tal Shiar in the hours before the blast, any of whom could have planted the explosives. The remains of Rahaek’s wife and young daughter and several servants were found in the wreckage but no trace of Rahaek was ever found. Investigators theorized that the blast was intense enough to have vaporized anyone close enough to the point of detonation.
Two hours after the explosion, Tal Shiar forces stormed Sela’s townhouse in Ki Baratan, taking her and her personal guard into custody for the murder of Rahaek. In a secret trial held days later, Sela was sentenced to death for the crime. At the last minute, Donatra intervened. She argued that the evidence was not overwhelming, and pressured Praetor Chulan to allow Sela and her supporters to accept permanent exile instead of death.
The leader of the Romulan Fleet, Admiral Taris, maintained a low profile during the troubles, putting many of her responsibilities in the hands of General Tebok. Late in 2386, she informed Donatra that she planned, to take her ship to Levaeri V to investigate claims that a blade believed to be the Sword of the Raptor Star had been recovered.
The ancient sword, reputed to be one of the swords created by Vulcan swordsmith S’Harien and taken into exile by S’Task, was a revered artifact of the Sundering.
Chapter 7, Volume 6 -- Worf's marriage to Grilka.
Chapter 7, Volume 7 -- Deals with Ferenginar.
Chapter 7, Volume 8 -- Deals with a Treaty between the Federation and Cardassia, Cardassian and Bajor relations and Odo stuff.
Chapter 8, Volume 1 deals with Geordi's Jellyfish.
Spoiler: Volume 8, Chapter 7Show Volume 8, Chapter 7(2387)
The Romulan Senate finally authorized an evacuation order after the loss of the Valdore, and ships were recalled to help ferry Romulus residents off world. At that time, the Romulan military estimated it would take a minimum of six weeks to evacuate the homeworld.
Twenty-Seven hours later, the Hobus Star went SuperNova. The Resulting chain reaction destroyed Romulus and Remus. Billions of Romulans were killed.
Spoiler: Volume 8, Chapter 8Show Volume 8 chapter 8 (2387)
After the destruction of the Romulan Homeworld, Starfleet immediately ordered all available ships to cross the Neutral Zone and assist the Romulans with relief and recovery efforts. Several of these ships were attacked by a man named Nero, who was captaining a heavily modified Romulan Vessel. Starfleet diverted additional cruisers to escort relief vessels to Romulan space.
Intercepted Romulan transmissions indicated that Praetor Chulan and the leaders of the Senate escaped Romulus before the planet’s destruction. But the USS Nobel, en route to Romulus, found the bodies of Chulan and the Senate’s Ruling Council floating in space near their derelict shuttle.
After Nero expanded his attacks to Klingon ships, Chancellor Martok ordered a fleet to enter Romulan Space. He appointed his friend Worf as one of the Mission Commanders, giving him the rank of General for the mission.
Chapter 8, Volume 9 Spock vanishes at Hobus.
Spoiler: Volume 9, Chapter 1Show Fallout from the destruction of the Romulan system dominated Interstellar events in 2388.
The Romulan colony worlds reeled from the loss of their homeworld and a vacuum in leadership. With the death of Praetor Chulan and the disappearance of Donatra, there was no one with the authority to call the worlds to order or organize a new government.
The leadership council of Rator III declared itself to be the new Romulan Senate and Rator III as the new Capitol of the Romulan Star Empire, but it was quickly challenged by the leaders of Achenar Prime and Abraxus V, who made similar claims.
One person many looked toward to pull the Romulan people back together was Admiral Taris. She concentrated on evaluating what military forces remained, and issued a call for all remaining Romulan ships, even deep exploration vessels, to return to Romulan space.
Spoiler: Chapter 9, Volume 2Show Internal squabbling and politics hindered the Federation's relief efforts in Romulan Space.
The Federation Council dispatched a fleet of ships to provide food and aid to refugees and to help the displaced survivors of the disaster find new homes, but starfleet found it was forced to negotiate with each of the colony worlds separately.
What one world welcomed, another saw as false friendship, or even an act of war. The fight between the three "capitol" worlds further complicated issues because any assistance given to one of them must be granted to all to avoid accusations of favoring factions or attempting to interfere with Romulans internal affairs.
Most of the Federation's allies agreed to send ships and supplies to supplement the Romulan relief effort. Even the Cardassians who were still struggling to rebuild their homeworld, agreed to a token contribution. But the Federation's appeal to the Klingon Empire to join the relief convoys was harshly rejected.
"The Klingons will offer no treaty, no aid, and no hand that is not holding a blade." Chancellor Martok responded.
Volume 9, Chapter 4 deals with the Klingons and Orions.
Spoiler: Volume 9, Chapter 5Show Volume 9, Chapter 5
On Stardate 65776.64, the Federation News Network broke a story that reported the Vulcan Science Academy knew of the threat to Romulus but refused to take action to assist the Romulans before the destruction of their homeworld.
The outcry was immediate. The Vulcans’ decision was condemned by dozens of politicians and analysts. Seventeen independent planets recalled the Ambassadors to Vulcan in protest, as did Federation members Pacifica and Zaran II. Two days later, the Federation Council voted to open an investigation into the Vulcans refusal to help the Romulans, as well as the implications of the Academy’s work in red matter manipulation.
The Federation President made a public appeal in an address to the Federation Council for member worlds to remain calm and not ostracize Vulcan or anyone involved. “In this time of strife, we need to remain united.” President Nanietta Bacco said. “Assigning blame does not heal the injured, soothe the stricken or comfort the grieving.”
Spoiler: Volume 10, Chapter 2Show Volume 10, Chapter 2
The Klingon Empire took advantage of the confusion with lightning strikes into Romulan Space. The Empire took control of Trenome Sar and Nequencia systems in a matter of days, and was poised to strike deeper into Romulan Territory.
The Klingons temporarily halted their advance when Starfleet sent a Fleet to protect the Romulan/Klingon border, but tensions remained high and there were reports of minor skirmishes between Federation and Klingon starships.
(Accolade Quotes are a work in progress...)
