Tips on Creating and Playing a Romulan Character

Creating a Bio

The Romulan Star Empire section of the wiki contains links to pages that will help you create your bio and help your character fit into the Romulan world as it exists within the Federation Space universe. Help on choosing a name, finding a place of birth and creating a personal history can be found there. Other things to consider in creating your character follow below.

Age

Cadets graduating from the Imperial Academy typically would be in the age range of 23-27 years old, depending on the type of training they receive. However, being a long-lived species of 200+ years, many Romulans wait until later in life to join the military. It is not unusual for someone to be in their 40s or 50s upon graduation. 60 would perhaps be the upper age limit though. Characters older than that are possible if explained properly.

Species

Though the Empire encompasses many species, Romulans are xenophobic and consider themselves superior to all others. As such, only Romulans are allowed to serve in the Imperial Fleet. Hybrids are acceptable, as long as it makes sense. Human/Romulan hybrids and Vulcan/Romulan hybrids are the most common, though similar species, such as Trill, may be considered. Hybrid characters must show devotion to the Empire, even beyond the level that full blood Romulans would show, in order to prove themselves worthy. They are also second-class citizens and do not have the same rights as full blood Romulans. The upper levels of Romulan society and government are closed to them. Though they are generally accepted in Romulan culture, they may face discrimination from time to time. Full blood Vulcans may also be allowed if they've rejected the teachings of Surak. All hybrids and full blood Vulcans must be approved in advance by the Shadowhawk Commanding Officer.

Remans are not allowed as PCs. There are no Reman troops aboard the Shadowhawk.

Telepathy

Though Romulans possess the innate touch telepathic ability of their Vulcan cousins, they haven't developed it or refined it, and they view with suspicion anyone who is telepathic. In a society where privacy can mean the difference between life and death, telepaths are dangerous.

A telepathic program was developed by the former Tei regime, which was ousted in a coup in 2409. The telepaths developed by Tei are extraordinarily strong and are used as weapons against Tei's enemies. The government has created a telepathic program of its own to combat Tei, who continues to attack them, but it only uses Remans and Vulcans. No Romulan characters can have telepathic abilities.

Choosing a Division/Department

Romulan vessels function with three divisions: Command, Operations and Sciences.

The Command Division includes not only the CO and FO but also the tactical department. Tactical crew are under the direct authority of the CO. The Command Division is responsible for the actual physical control of the ship.

If you wish to play science or medical personnel, then you'd be in the Sciences Division. A Sciences Officer can be a doctor, nurse, biological scientist, or someone devoted to the physical sciences. The Sciences Division is a support division under the administrative authority of the Chief of Sciences.

Operations is the largest division on any ship and includes security and engineering personnel. All players in the Operations Division would have at least general training in both engineering and security skills, though a player would also have a specialty, such as engineer, general security, assault team specialist, rescue specialist, etc. Operations is responsible for the daily functioning and physical defense of the ship. Operations would be called upon to defend the ship if it is boarded, and they would also comprise boarding parties sent to other ships. Covert and assault operations would also fall under the Operations Division. The First Officer of a vessel serves as head of Operations.

Tal'Shiar

No player on the Shadowhawk can have a current connection to the Tal'Shiar. It is allowable to have a past connection, but only if it has been completely severed. The current CO would not allow anyone connected to the Tal'Shiar to serve under her.

Romulan Roleplay

There are several things to remember when playing a Romulan:

• While Romulans have a reputation with outsiders as sneaky, they really aren't. They simply live in a society where they're under constant observation, and they've developed a culture based on ways to avoid surveillance. They don't speak publicly about themselves to strangers or give anyone a chance to find their weakness. They also don't act rashly. They wait until the time is right to act, and in the meanwhile they plan ways to set up the situation to their advantage.

• Romulans don't like deviants. If you don't follow the mainstream, then you end up ostracized.

• Romulans believe in duty and honor above all. Honor though doesn't necessarily mean adherence to the law. There are often honorable reasons for breaking the law or breaking social rules. Any Romulan who did so though would never shy away from the punishment handed out for their transgressions. That would be dishonorable.

• Everyone's highest duty is to the Empire and/or the Romulan people.

• Romulan society is class based. You respect those above you and obey them. Advancement to a higher social status or rank is what everyone hopes to obtain, and you do that by making allies and friends in the right places and placating your superiors.