The Empire of Ramosia (Dominaria Supplement)
Ramosia is the most powerful and stable of the Three Swords. Under Emperor Adam Renzel I, Ramosia was transformed from a collection of agrarian city states into a powerful Empire. The Ramosi joined the Imperium as it formed in the 40s and underwrote the power of the Illyrian Lords who pushed the reformation. Ramosia was the only Imperial province that was never invaded by the Stormlord and his men. Ramosia formed the ‘Coalition’ as the rest of the Imperium fell apart and the Tionnic ‘Alliance’ fought for its life. Despite the fact that House Tionne took the Centrality in the end, the Coalition dealt the Stormlord his first major defeats and its heroes killed and banished the Wandering One. The Coalition was by far the most powerful successor, and remains the most prosperous of the Three Swords. History will never forget that Adam Renzel drove the Wars of Succession to pitiable lows, but neither will it forget his son Michael and the Warforged guard that killed him and called for peace.
 |
 | |
| Capital | |
| Ak'kritaar | |
| Language(s) | |
| Imperial, Ramosi | |
| Government | |
| Federated Oligarchy | |
| Leader | |
| Emperor Michael Renzel, Tier 1 | |
| Population | |
| XXXX | |
| Races | |
| Human, Elven, Dwarven, Halfling | |
| Westlands Menu |
|---|
| Human |
| Elves |
| Dwarves |
| Other |
|
Return to Geography |
History
History
The Ramosian Crescent is the most fertile land in Dominaria, and ever since the first settlers saw its emerald fields it has been the bread basket of the west. Andor was the first city founded in the Melidaa/Daan River corridor, and during Arcadia’s great expansion 4 more cities were formed from south to north. Ak’Kritar in central Ramosia was the first, and then three more cities that grew over the Ages. Each of these city states grew powerful off of farming, river trade, and close proximity to the southern spur of The Verge – securely in dwarven hands. Arcadian influence in the region waned throughout the 2nd Age and then faded entirely after Grand Caliph Suzerain’s invasion.
Ramosia's power and reach have varied greatly over the Ages, and at the beginning of the Fourth Age Ramosia was merely a collection of city states. Early in the 4th Age though Adam "The Jackal" Renzel, lord of Ak’Kritar, united Ramosia through nearly a decade of war. At risk from a resurgent Arcadia though, he agreed to join the fledgeling 3rd Imperium and throw his armies behind the new Emperor’s own Unification War. In return, each city-state of Ramosia would gain a High Seat in the new Imperium and Adam would be the leader of the new province (to join Cormyr, Illyria, and the soon to be ‘included’ Northern Houses). The Wars of Unification ended soon thereafter and the new Imperial province of Ramosia flourished. The city-states, powerful in their own right, combined to form an agrarian juggernaut. Before The Wandering One’s return Ramosia was at the height of its power. Endless emerald fields of tall grass and deciduous forests sheltered the farming communities and towns that fed the growing wealth of the cities. The people were happy and prosperous and safe.
Then came the wars, then came the dark times. Ramosian Legions were crushed across Cormyr and soon returned alongside the endless stream of refugees from across the Imperium. The soldiers of the Imperial Remnants in Ramosia, under High Seat Ak’kritar, led 'The Coalition': an alliance of men, dwarves, some elves, and even Arcadians who vowed to march on the Dragon and destroy him. The Coalition won its first victory at the Battle of Nurim's Plains, the battle of the Age thusfar, and from then marched throughout Cormyr to the Isen River and the Narrow Sea.
Even in victory though, humanity continued to slide from the height the 4th Age had built to. During the Wars of Succession that followed the victory against the Wandering One, Ramosia's Coalition fought the 'Alliance' formed in the Northern States and Illyria. Ramosia lost much of this territory to break away Lords and due to a shrinking reach of its own as that war faltered and the powers weakened. Now that the dust has settled though, Ramosia is still the largest and most powerful successor state. Its large and unified interior was barely touched during the war and the Kingdom of Amacidia, firmly in Ramosia's sphere of influence, is a strong and growing ally.
Country
Ramosia has always been and will probably always be an agrarian juggernaut. The vast plains of green bracketed by the Melidaa and Daan Rivers stretch almost 1000 miles from the Fingerlands to the Verge with only the cliffs of Lugard to break them up. Forests and outcropps of rock dot the landscape as well, sitting in the rolling fields and hills like islands in a sea. The Verge also contains vast wealth, and over the recent centuries Ramosian rulers have more and more tapped into the wealth of the great mountains. Four Great Cities anchor life in Ramosia: Ak'kritaar, Balmorra, Telasaro, and Lugard share the plains and shelter more than half a million people between them. Life in the cities revolves around trade in foodstuffs and mined goods, as well as the many industries that support and facilitate the trades. In better times, the cities of Ramosia are incredibly wealthy, and local merchants buy and sell goods at a magnificent rate. During the wars, the cities became the beating heart of the Coalition and changed to produce a frightening amount of war materiel. This, coupled with the vast number of dead, gave the cities an emptier feeling the last few years. Life is returning to form however, and from the docks of Balmorra to the Silk District in Ak'kritaar trade flows once more.
Life in the Ramosian countryside is the village life. Small villages as well as larger walled towns dot the landscape, and year round the business is farming and husbandry. The smaller villages produce food and goods to live off of, trade for what they can't make, and sell the rest up the chain to the larger walled towns. These towns sit astride the main roads and rivers and the smaller roads and streams that flow through the country like arteries. On top of their own produce, these towns' merchants sell the goods they buy in larger cities or up and down the rivers. Nearer to the mountains people work mines and search for treasures by leave of and with the help of the Dwarves. Some larger quarries exist, and these fuel the rebuilding effort, but they are few and far between.
Ramosia's closest ally is their province of Amacidia. When Ramosia agreed to help House Arrington and Amacidia create their kingdom, Adam Renzel wrote a treaty that closely followed the laws that had long governed 'Subjugate Principalities' under the 1st and 2nd Imperiums. As Ramosia's Subjugate Principality, Amacidia is entitled to self rule by leave of the Imperial Seat of Ramosia, and pays taxes on each solstice and equinox. At any time however, Ramosia may assume monetary and governmental control over Amacidia. Ramosia does this from time to time to create or correct laws and to adjudicate disputes between cities. In this way the relationship is much like Ak'kritaar's relationship with the other cities of Ramosia. Ramosia hasn't assumed full control since the Wars of Sucession however. Ramosia's relationships with the rest of the West are a web of politics, trade, and history; but things with the rest of the Westlands has cooled off since the Treaty of Three Swords. The 'Three Swords' of the west have met each year since the treaty, and Adam Renzel's death helped smooth out the new normalcy. Ramosia trades with Malkier and Onea on the old Imperial Highways, and a conprehensive treaty with Andor and Arcadia allows a new and blooming trade by sea. Ramosian good can now once again reach east and west down the coasts. Politically, the world is still wary of itself, and Ramosi Legions patrol the borders and scout their neihbors forces. This is just routine now though, and although the generals always keep one eye open, no Seat seriously considers war a threat.
Government: Ramosia still follows the Imperial provincial structure. It has four Houses aligned in a line north to south with House Ak'kritar holding the Imperial Seat of the Empire. Each High Seat is the Lord of their province but is ultimately beholden to the Emperor. Michael of House Renzel, Emperor of Ramosia, Liege-Lord of Amacidia, and Keeper of the Firewatch Seal, has ruled Ramosia since his father's death during the Wars of Succession. He is a strong and capable ruler, not as ruthless as his father but no less cunning and driven. He holds the keys and the purse strings but allows his High Seats to rule under him, preferring their provincial styles of rule. Michael focuses on infrastructure and military, he seeks to emulate the great builder kings of old.
Military: Before the Dragon's War, Ramosia used the Legionary system laid down by the 'Antonian Reforms' of the 2nd Imperium: 10,000 man Legions uniformly equipped and individually trained. During the War, as head of the Coalition, Adam Renzel formed similarly massive 10,000 man Legions out of the spare troops and refugees willing to fight. These Legions supported the bloodied Ramosian Legions and were disbanded at the end of the fighting. Many of the Ramosian troops with the option to leave at the end of the conflict did, and many had died to make the world right. Enough stayed though, and with new recruiting Ramosia has radically reformed its military. 5,000 man Legions now march under storied banners and live within an infrastructure built for three times their number. These Legions are centrally led, commanded by graduates of Adam Renzel's Military Academies in Ak'kritaar and at The Crag in Lugard, but equipped by House. These new Legions are powerful by contemporary standards, and numerous. They're posted all over the new country and in Amacidia doing everything from rebuilding to hunting down the last remnants of the Dragon's army. Each House typically maintains bannerman as well, and the ability to muster levies. This layering of military responsibility is convoluted, but potentially gives Ramosia immense power.
Judicial System: Ramosia uses several documents as the basis for its new legal system. King Andrew of Illyria's "The Rights of Man" is the basic Bill of Rights form the old Imperium, and Ramosia used the texts of the Conclave of Syracuse as well as Adam Renzel's "Articles of Unification" as primary texts too. Judges and 'Arbiters' (more travelling lawmen, ranging from a scholar to straight up cowboy) must be educated and carry Writs of Mandamus as well as a Licence to Practice and Execute Law Arbiters will adjudicate trials away from central courts, but any appeal or sentence of prison or death must be seen before a physical court.
Locations
|
Seats
|
Locations
|
Houses
Underlined and bold is a High House, bold is a Low House, underlined is a Trade House, and normal writing is a non Seated House recognized in the Westlands.
- House Renzel: House Renzel is the High Seat of Ak'kritaar and High House of Ramosia. Micheal Renzel is its head and he has blood heirs in his young son Adam. Adam has two brothers: Logan is Lord of Faybarrow and Micheal's best cavalry commander, and Scott is Lord of Colosopolis, Chief Officer of the Colossus Trade Group, and apprentice to the Archmage of the Ak'kritaari Mages' guild. House Renzel holds the fierce loyalty of the other Houses in their province, having created one and made the other two.
- House Kander: House Kander is the warden of the Vijun Sentinel is sworn to House Renzel. The House is nearly brand new and created for General Alexander "The Jack of Blades" - Adam's cavalry commander in and closest friend. This is the only land owning House in Ak'kritaar following the Unification Wars. All the others died off in the wars or were assassinated.
- House Calder: House Calder is a trade House on the Melidaa River and is sworn and loyal to House Renzel; although financially they are a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gold Bank of Sarnia, in north Arcadia. Magister Bartholemeu Calder is the head of the House and Chief Officer of its estates and finances, and manages the House's close relationship with House Dane. House Calder is the most powerful business consortium in the city of Ak'kritaar and their only real competitors are The Imperial Mercantile Guild and the Fischer Farming Company; between the three groups they own or hold stake in most of the stores, shope, and inns in Ak'kritaar. House Calder also owns the ancient Athonian bridge over the Melidaa, a bridge they took from House Taldar with Renzel help during the Unification Wars.
- House Dane: House Dane is a trade House on the Daan River and is sworn and loyal to House Renzel; although financially they are a wholly owned subsidiary of the Gold Bank of Sarnia, in north Arcadia. Magister Adam Dane is the head of the House and Chief Officer of its estates and finances, and manages the House's close relationship with House Calder. House Dane owns the Elven bridge over the Daan and basically runs the small port town there which services Colosopolis. House Dane also became the largest business consortium in Faybarrow after the Unification Wars, when the last heir of House Herran was killed in a mysterious Orc attack.
- House Taldar: House Taldar is an ancient family who's only lands now lie in and around the ruins north of Ak'kritaar. Lord Gerard Taldar is its head and he has blood heirs in his twins Emily and Jared. The family maintains farms around the ruins and their estate near them, and pride themselves in their expertise at siege warfare. Lord Taldar is Micheal's Master of Siege.
- House Starna: House Starna is the High Seat of Balmorra and Lord Kellen Starna is its head. Under them are Houses Lackham, Tenner, and Tassarini. He has blood heirs in his son Andrew Starna, a war hero in the Dragon Wars and now, and his adopted daughter Stephanie of Riverwatch, formerly of House Tassarini. Kellen's youngest son Steven is a Mage who studied at the Red Tower of Andor and has plans to establish a Ramosi Mages Guild. The houses of Balmorra, sworn to Starna, are all held together by trust and a mutual wariness of House Renzel. They know something fishy happened in Ak'kritaar before, during, and after the Unification Wars; and they are always on guard.
- House Tassarini: House Tassarini is the Seat of the Kraken Keep and Tassarhold and Lord Karlon "One Eye" Tassarini is its head. He has an adopted heir in Assyid al'Karnak, originally the son of a Caliphi General but now Lord of the Kraken Keep. He also has a daughter Stephanie, but she was adopted by House Starna so that her prospects for marriage would improve. House Tassarini is currently under financial obligation to the Gold Bank of Sarnia through the Houses Calder & Dane, incorporated.
- House Tassarini's full history
- House Lackham: House Lackham is the Seat of Riverwatch and lords of Draelon and House Tenner as well; Lord Timothy Lackham is its head. Lord Lackham has a blood heir in his daughter Ariel and his son Christopher is married to Amy of House Tenner.
- House Tenner: House Tenner is the Seat of Draelon and wards of Firewatch; Lady Elisa Tenner is its head. She has a blood heir in her daughter Amy and three sons: Joseph (a Cavalry Officer), Keith (A Cleric to Pelor), and Charles who married into an Arcadian family and serves in their Army.
- House Halsmo: House Halsmo is a trade House of Balmorra, holding no Seat and sworn to House Starna. Magister William Halmso is the head of the family and the Chief Officer of its estates and finances, he is grooming his nephew Peter to succeed him as he has no children. Magister Halmso runs Balmorra Goods & Services and so owns about 1/3rd of all shops and inns in Balmorra as well as about 1/4th of the same in Riverwatch. Magister Halmso also owns the northern branch of the Whitebridge Exploratory Guild through which he sells goods and supplies of the "expeditionary" type and commissions expeditions to the mountains and the wilds.
- House Telas: House Telas is the High Seat of Telasaro and control the three bridges around it; Lady Lara "Silvertongue" is its head. She has a blood heir in her son Anthony Telas, renowned for being first through the breach at the Battle of Nurim's Watch. She has a second son named Timon but he is a Captian-Commander in the Children of the Light and thus cannot take the Seat, and a daughter named Lara born by Stanley Uthron and of his House.
- House Brogna: House Brogna is the Seat of South Watch and the surrounding town, called Esterhall. Lord Henri Brogna is its head and he has a blood heir in his son Anton. He also has another son and two daughters: Bernard who serves in the Black Forest Guard, Marie who is married to Timon of House Telas, and Lisa who is a mage with the Coalition. His daughter Marie runs the House's guild in Telasaro and runs a bustling trade up and down the Daan.
- House Daskalu: House Daskalu is the Seat of Nurim's Watch and control the bridge across the Melidaa and on to Nurim's Road. Lord Damien Daskalu is the head of the House and has designated his sister Katrina, should she outlive him, and her children as his heirs. There is often tesion between House Daskalu and House Telas because House Daskalu is wealthier and almost as powerful, due to Nurim Watch's prominent position as a trade bottleneck on the Melidaa. House Brogna's allegiance to House Telas is the only thing preventing a small civil war.
- House Ongaro: House Ongaro is a Trade House closely affiliated with the Children of the Light. Lord-Commander Nicomo Ongaro, a Beldroni by birth, is its head. House Ongaro is relatively new, having been formed as an organ of the Children and a way of securing buisness and supply close to the Black Forest. Lord-Commander Ongaro was the overall commander of all of the Children in Telasaro and Lugard lands but retired and decided to form a House when he was replaced (normal replacement, not dishonorable). Lord-Commander Ongaro is very wealthy and aside from running buisnesses, owning ships, and ensuring supply with a touch of profit, he has constructed two brand new Fortress Monastaries for the Children on Telasaro land. There is Greystone Barrow, a chapter-sized monolith between South Watch and Telasaro, and St. Andrew's Rest, a strong fortress and temple meant to house 300-400 Children outside of Nurim's Watch.
- House Carney:
- House Uthron: House Uthron is the High Seat of Lugard and Marshal Stanley Uthron is its head. He has a blood heir in his daughter Lara Uthron, born of a later marriage between Stanley and Lara "Silvertongue". Aside from this Stanley has another son and a daughter, Marko and Alexis, born of his first wife and serving with the Knights of St. Cuthbert and the Order of St. Matthias respectively.
- House(s) Warden: House Warden is the Seat of Brokenshield Falls and the Fortress Riverkeep. Lord Stanley Warden is its head and his blood heir is his son by his first marriage, Sir Randal, who serves as a General in the Ramosian Army. Stanley's wife, the Lady Analysia, runs the other half of House Warden which is a Trade House. She will pass the House on to her son by Stanley: the half-woodelf Taneryd.
- House Langdon: House Langdon is a small House that serves the Morivanian Orders. Lord Edward Langdon is the head of the House and has 5 heirs. His first son Kandar and only daughter Lysa serve the Order of St. Thomas the Traveller, his second son Gordon serves the Knights of St. Cuthbert, his third son Lucas serves the Order of St. Matthias, and his last son Marial will be his heir. The family's lands are east of Lugard on the plains near the cliffs.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Campaign Settings → Dominaria