Romulus


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This article is official Pegasus Fleet canon.This article is official Star Trek canon.
Romulus, or ch'Rihan
Romulus-Orbit.jpg
Class:

Class-M

Type:

Planet

Status:

Damaged

Satellites:
Circumference:

39,843 km (24,757 miles)

Gravity:
(Comparative to Earth Sea Level)

1G

Landmass Percentage:

31 Percent

Length of Day:

25 hours

Location:

Romulan System, Beta Quadrant

Affiliation:

Romulan Star Empire

Romulus-Surface.jpg
The Krocton Settlement
[ Source ]


Romulus, or ch'Rihan to the natives, is the homeworld of the Romulan people and the capitol planet of the Romulan Star Empire and it was severely damaged by a supernova in 2387. Romulans from this planet enjoy a higher standard of living than those on the colony worlds and have better healthcare, better jobs and more opportunities in the Romulan Star Navy and Tal Shiar. On the other side of this coin, the Romulus population is under much more scrutiny from the Senate and the Tal Shiar. The people were temporarily moved to another planet whose name the Federation does not know until after the supernova and it is unknown whether the population continues to at once enjoy both a higher and lower standard of living than the colonists. The climate is somewhat humid, lending to some Romulan's preference for higher temperatures and greater humidity.

Economy

Romulus' economy greatly includes farming and livestock for the population to make into food, as well as taverns, several shipyards, and many military installations as well as government offices. Needless to say, included in the economy are restaurants, clothing manufacturers, and other areas needed for a functioning society.

Food and Liquor

The famed Romulan ale
See also: Farmer Gurri

The making of liquor and farming, both crops and livestock, employ some 38 percent of Romulan workers. This does not include their children who assist with the chores after their studies are done, as every set of hands is needed. Crops include aleberries, fruits, and grains, the aleberries and vareet made into Romulan Ale by the people who grow them, similar to winemakers on Earth and other planets. The farmers and drink makers of Romulus typically live in smaller townships, due to the amount of land needed for the plants and animals. However, after the supernova, most of these crops and animals were lost and now are in the process of being replaced with those from other Romulan worlds until their numbers can be built up once again for food.



Government Employees

Government employees, including those in the shipyards, make up around 37 percent of the workforce on Romulus. Perhaps the largest parts of this group were the Tal Shiar and the Romulus Star Navy Shipyards, though there were shuttlecraft shipyard found in cities such as Mirek and Varald where old sailboats were made and the shipyards were converted to shuttlecraft yards.

Tal Shiar Headquarters

The government offices make up around 43 percent of the economy of Romulus. The location of the Tal Shiar headquarters is unknown, however it was believed to have employs around 900,000, some of whom do not dress in their uniforms so they will not be recognized while prowling the streets for disloyalty. The R&D Division is the most populous as it is full of scientists and engineers working on projects for use by the Tal Shiar. There are also prisoners of war and captured civilians from other powers such as the Federation, the Klingon Empire, the Cardassian Union, the Gorn Hegemony and others for experimental study for bioweapons against these peoples to be used by the Tal Shiar and the Romulan Star Navy. The Mind Warfare Division is the smallest division given the sensitive nature and ethical questions surrounding it and its members are selected very carefully. Also, Tal Shiar agents out of uniform constantly walk the streets of Romulus, ensuring the loyalty of the population, creating a mood of paranoia and suspicion.

Local Governments

Governments of the many cities and provinces of Romulus do not have much power considering how close they are to the heart of the Imperial government. The Imperial government often overrides orders of the local governments and does not give them prior notice. However, the local governments take their frustration out on the local people by adding to their already high taxes. This does not mean that the local governments are all well run; some of the city and provincial governments allow situations like hovercar garages or roads in disrepair to become extreme before actually handling the situations, and then take a longer time than necessary finishing the job.

Senate and Imperial Government

See also: Romulan Senate

The Senators themselves are elected to their positions although they are a small fraction of the government. Indeed, it is their various aides, secretaries, janitors, and other employees that make up most of the senatorial staff. The aides have some influence with their employers, though not much and are careful to not overuse it as they may be killed for doing so. The secretaries know much about what happens in each senator's day, however, they do not always know the details as half the time it is not written down out of self-preservation. Each aide and secretary keeps their silence to keep themselves alive, unless they happen to be a part of the dissident movement.

Romulan Star Navy Shipyard

The shipyard found in orbit of Romulus was destroyed at the time of the supernova but when it was there it employed some 3 million Romulan workers in positions of engineer, secretary, and administration jobs among others. Many of the Romulan warships in the Star Navy were built here, though the ones that were in progress in 2387 were also destroyed. It is currently under construction.

Gurrhim tr'Sedhri

Gurrhim tr'Sedhri owns around 60 percent of the farms for both crops and livestock on the planet, causing many to call him Farmer Gurri and criticize him for being a simple farmer when he could have been much more. However, his family and clan are large enough that they consolidated under one person to take care of everyone in the family, and that was Gurrhim. Gurrhim and his clan became so rich that he opened his own research and development office, officially for the genetic engineering of plants and animals. However, he also creates technologies such as a device that cloaks itself, its carrier, deadens any listening devices, stores around 500 petabytes of information, along with several other functions. However, Gurrhim died when Hobus went nova and it is unknown whether any of his property survived.

Geographical Data

Continents and Islands

The Brel'kar Continent

The continent of Brel'kar is the largest continent on the planet Romulus occupying half the eastern hemisphere and as such is the most ecologically diverse. It is also home to the larger part of the population and the home to the highest point on the planet, Mount Al'kathel. The northernmost parts of Brel'kar reach almost to the artic region of Romulus and is home to many types of artic wildlife such as the Northern Thrai. The temperature is frigid and, similar to the northern and southern regions on other planets, night is constant in the winter though summer provides much sunshine as a balance to this. The winds coming off the polar ice cap make for some frigid weather, though they meet warmer air coming over the mountains, creating summer thunderstorms and winter snow. The natives of this region, called the the T'areshi, think it is a tundra half the year and a cold swamp the other half. Floods ae always a danger in this region, though it is more of a danger now due to the increase in thunderstorms

The Tallasreld region surrounds two inland seas, the Sea of Vrekess and the Sherdak Sea and the climate ranges from northern temperate to temperate. Great forests dominate the landscape where it is not devoted to farming or urban areas. Trees range from smaller fruit trees to enormous evergreens, the largest of which are found near the T'aresh mountains. The area near the T'aresh mountain range is be quite cold due to the elevation and location though the rest of this area remains warmer because of the many seas in the region. These seas lend to an enormous amount of rainfall, meaning it is good for agriculture including the aleberries and the golden wheat-like grain that was also used in the ale, vareet. These showers have increased, shortening the growing season for the aleberries though creating a longer growing season for the vareet.

The capital city of Ki Baratan
South of the Thal'Tharin river and Sherdak Sea the landscape becomes plains occasionally broken by groups of hills. This region, along with the central plains, produces around one-third of the naturally-grown food on Romulus. Waves of grains could have been seen for months at a time in this part of the planet along with hundreds of farm animals including domestic hlai. Though they were not suited for agriculture, the wooded hill areas house many of the ale makers of Romulus due to the natural springs located there, though the exact plants that were used in each brewery's recipe are closely guarded secrets. In the towns on the plains one may find a bakery instead of a brewery. Brel'kar breads and pastries are among the favorites on the planet. The western plains of Brel'kar were also the most populous on the planet due to the large capital city of Ki Baratan located on the Apnex Sea.



The eastern hills and Kae'Raktar Mountain Range on Brel'kar fill the eastern central part of the continent, and only a small strip of flat land existed between the hills and the ocean before the supernova. Though this part of Brel'kar continent is cut by the equator, the altitude causes the temperature to be much cooler than one might expect and creates a very pleasant climate. Many small forests are here, from evergreen forests in the higher elevations to more jungle-like growths at lower elevations.

The central plains and southern woodlands seem bucolic next to the western coastal plains, even desolate in places. Dwellings here are relatively sparse, and few of them would qualify as cities. Instead, much of the land is given over to large robotic farms that grow stapes of the Romulan diet including gresh, a ricelike vegetable. In places it is left wild, such as the southernmost part of the continent which contains several swampy jungle areas that are largely unexplored. However, it is rumored that the Tal Shiar has a few facilities in those swamps.

The Novok Continent

The Novok continent is home to the Ar'hael Desert and to the lowest point on the planet, the Valley of Fire. Running parallel to Brel'kar, it is a narrow, mountainous continent and was once part of a much larger landmass. Novok, Folloss, and Umrika are believed to have formed a single continent that would have dwarfed any of the other continents. Millions of years ago geological forces ripped this megacontinent apart, forming three smaller continents. Other tectonic activity wore away at Novok, tearing islands away from it here and there, eventually forming several archipelagoes, including the D'vrex. What remained was a thin strip of land supported by a large chain of mountains, the Sen'lanarc. Where the continent "bends" slightly in the middle, a desert, the Ar'hael, was formed.

Much of the northern part of Novok has a tropical or subtropical climate due to the equator "slicing" the continent. Only the northern third qualifies as temperate but many who live here believe it was the nicest place on the planet to live. Three major rivers, each coming the high peaks of the Sen'lanarc Mountains, flow through this part of Novok. The largest, the Balsanra River is one of the few northward-flowing rivers on the planet and is broad, deep, and slow. Superstitious old people tell the legends of the water spirits who live in it. In contrast to the Balsanra, the H'relgath and Tai'eld are fast, noisy, and shallow. All three support many towns and small cities which use them for water, commerce, and fishing.

The southern third of Novok streches south and east away from the equator until it barely touches the South Mendlanar Sea. One would normally expect parts of it to be much colder, but the currents in the Sea of Lerodan and warmer weather patterns pushing their way down from Brel'kar keep the temperature raised to temperate levels. The portions of the Sen'lanarc Mountains in this part of the continent were once mined for minerals. Coastal cities such as Ch'eren and Varald, are seaports and shipyards, but the ships they help build are mainly shuttlecraft for space not sailboats, though a few boatsmiths can still be found.

Folloss Continent

Folloss is the smallest landmass on Romulus and is known as the "Island Continent". It had a reputation for being a cold, inhospitable place and while this was true for the northern portions of the continent, which approached the world's artic circle, its southern subcontinent was actually near the equator, making it a very comfortable place to live, the favorite of many Romulans. It rested between the North Mendlanar, White, and Apnex Seas. Poets had often written of its "windswept shores" and the "wave-tossed souls" of its people, but the continent had much to offer that had nothing to do with the sea before the supernova, though the temperature has dropped.

The part of Folloss that was the most well-known in Romulan culture is Fal'seras--the far northern third of the continent (generally defined as all parts north of the Anverok Mountains). The first Romulans to reach Folloss settled here centered around large community meeting halls, where people would gather in winter to pass the long nights. Nearly as cold as the lands of the T'areshi in the far north of Brel'kar, the Fal'seras an be quite frigid when the artic winds blow down from the North Mendlanar Sea. Farther inland on the northern bank of the Gend'eroth River is the largest city of the Fal'seras, Namreshand, which boasts a population of over a million Romulans. It was founded over 1500 years ago to serve as a trading post for the various small communities and families scattered across the Fal'seras. The Anverok Mountains themselves are mined for the mineral kavlarium and Namreshand and other towns became mining towns when it was discovered.

The Anverok Mountains in the north and the Des'Reval Mountains on the south dominate the central regions of Folloss. The combination of altitude and latitude lead to a northern temperate climate. which, while appealing to some, limits the growing season of plants and led to the invention of Romulan replication technology, enabling more people to live there. The only exception to this is the Keldrak Peninsula on the western coast. The peninsula thrust out and westward as if to point an accusing finger at the continent of Valcaria, which the peninsula nearly touches. The narrow strip of water between them, the Jendranax Strait, has been an important commercial route for over a thousand years. The Jendranax Current flows from northeast to southwest and helps to warm the peninsula.

The delta of the vast D'Gansar River is called the Tel'Garch Subcontinent by Romulans. The D'Gansar River flows almost straight south from the Des'Raval Mountains to empty itself in the Apnex Sea. Though not as fast or fierce as other rivers, the D'Gansar is the broadest river on the planet.

The Umrika Continent

Umrika is known to some as the "Southern Continent" because it is the only continent on the planet that exists almost entirely in the southern hemisphere. It runs from the hot, humid, swampy and jungle covered Beld'Rath Peninsula to the wide grasslands of the interior that the kerosh call home, to the cold southern coastal plain. Some of Romulus's most famous natural wonders, such as the Firefalls of Gal'Gathong and the Jeweled Forest of Ath'reshaar, attract thousands of visitors to Umrika every year, some of them not Romulan.

The westernmost part of Umrika, above the western part of the Wall of Fire Mountains, is known as the Beld'Rath Peninsula. It juts northward over the equator, approaching the continent of Valcaria but not quite touching it, similar to Novok. The Terelix Strait, the Nelrek Ocean's only gateway into the Apnex Sea, runs between them. Due to its position on Romulus's equator, Beld'Rath has an equatorial climate (except where the rising elevation near the Wall of Fire cools the temperature somewhat). It rains very frequently and in some places on an almost daily basis, and the humidity can be intense and quite uncomfortable to those not acclimated to it. Due to these weather patterns, houses and buildings tend to be large and tall, with broad windows to catch breezes and airy rooms to prevent mildew and mold. Similarly, the Romulans who live here adapted to the peninsula's climate by having a slower and more easy-going lifestyle than most Romulans and often have a much more relaxed attitude about many subjects. The Romulans say "a Beld'Rathian in the Tal Shiar" the same way some humans say "a fish out of water". Beld'Rathians are also known for their often skimpy clothes that scandalized "proper" Romulans from latitudes where thicker, more elaborate dress is the only appropriate fashion due to the climate. The Beld'Rath contains few large cities as the soil and weather discourages such settlements, even more so due to the new earthquakes. The only one of note was Fel'voth on the western coast which trades extensively with the city of Mirek on Valcaria.

Umrika's northern coast, the strip of land above the Wall of Fire next to the Apnex Sea, is one of the most temperate and delightful regions on Romulus, despite the occasional earthquake. Small cities and towns dot the coast and only Bareldak Trel could truly be considered a major city. In fact, a Praetor ordered that no other urban area in the region can grow big enough to become a metropolis as the Romulans want to preserve the area's country charm.

Broad, windy grasslands fill the central part of Umrika. An occasional small forest breaks the monotony of the tikrik grass. Most of that area is wild as the Romulans preferred to maintain the region as a wildlife sanctuary. The most famous denizen is the kerosh, a horselike quadruped. Many Romulans rode tame kerosh as a hobby and some travel to central Umrika on "nature safaris" to view the herds of wild kerosh running across the grasslands. Many Romulans view their mastery of the plains an analogy for the eventual Romulan mastery of the Endless Sky.

Romulans referr to the temperate region of Umrika between the Garenak Sea and the Allerash Mountains as East Umrika. While many Romulans live there, mostly in the cities such as Torven, the region is best known for another of Romulus's beautiful natural wonders: The Jeweled Forest of Ath'reshaar.

Valcaria

Surrounded by the cold, active waters of the North Mendlanar Sea, the crashing surf of the Nelrek Ocean, and the gentle waves of the Apnex Sea, Valcaria was once a heavily populated landmass with many cities and a lively economy. Due to the number of mountains and forests, Valcaria managed to maintain a wild and unsettled quality. However, the Valcarians are struggling to rebuild this economy and these cities and forests and will be for the next few decades. In shape, Valcaria vaguely resembles an enormous "L" tipped on its side. The lower bar, Southern Valcaria, points southwards toward Umrika and the larger bar runs roughly parallel with the equator. About half the continent's population is scattered across the wilder northlands. Very few people live on the northernmost coast, above the Ladrosh Mountians for the winters are long and even the summers were cold.

South of the twisting, sharp peaks of the Raas'trek Mountain range, Valcaria is temperate with a fine climate marked by frequent rainstorms and several snowfalls each winter with the occasional minor earthquake. One of the most heavily settled regions on the planet, Southern Valcaria contains three major cities, Mirek, Dorvek, and Kromtar Trel.

In primeval times, several enormous forests covered the north-central region of Valcaria. Now cities and towns brake up the forests, but large portions of them are preserved, some of the areas untouched. To the Romulans, it is always a dark and brooding place where one can easily get lost in the trees and fall prey to a ter'ak--a small, agile, feline hunter--or fall into one of the rushing rivers and drown. The stereotypical north-central Valcarian was a quiet, serious, driven individual who seems to keep wildness and chaos at by seemingly sheer force of will. The people who live here tend to support the Praetor with extreme loyalty and long service and the Tal Shiar finds many recruits here.

Cities

The Hall of State at Ki Baratan
Ki Baratan

Ki Baratan, originally called Dartha, is the capital city of the Romulan Star Empire. People in this city are under even more scrutiny from the Tal Shiar than elsewhere on Romulus due to the government offices being located in this city. It is where the Romulans first settled the planet after the journey from Vulcan and was originally little more than a seaside village. It is bordered by the Apnex Sea on one side, plains to the north, and hills to the east and south. Ki Baratan attracts all manner of peoples, from government officials and military personnel, to senators and noble families, to the commoners who simply wish to see the capital for a day. Over twenty million Romulans call this place home, a good many of them employed by the government though that number is now diminished. Over a thousand years ago, Ki Baratan was rebuilt as a more structured and planned community to appeal to the Romulans' sense of organization, efficiency, and grandeur and as such many of the most magnificent buildings and statues are from this time period. Walking the streets of Ki Baratan and looking upon large buildings constructed in an ornate style topped with towers one could gain a sense of wonder, which was in fact the entire point. On the less traveled roads, the buildings become smaller with a more personal feel to them yet keeping the sense of grandeur in their designs.

Dal'gareth
Dal'gareth was the largest city on Romulus before the supernova, and thus the most influential in politics and in culture. Many celebrities lived here, and many clothing designers were from Dal'garath, located in the southern region of Bral'kar on the coast of the Nelrek Ocean. It is also what equates to a whaling town as well as a fishing town and has a maritime museum, showing the evolution of Romulan sailing techniques. However, the city was completely destroyed after the supernova, though other cities such as Ki Baratan escaped with less damage.

Dinala
Many game hunters and assassins live in Dinala due to the large game preserves surrounding the city. Many Tal Shiar operatives hone their skills here while hunting competitions regularly take place in the forests surrounding Dinala.

Krocton Settlement
The Krocton Settlement is an urban area on Romulus that holds over 1 million people. The Romulan dissident movement, aided by Ambassador Spock, is active in this settlement and has spread quietly throughout the surrounding region. Captain Picard and then-Lieutenant Commander Data came to Krocton to find Ambassador Spock and bring him back to the Federation for trial, not knowing about the dissident movement.

Caranam
The most interesting thing about the city of Caranam were its walls that surrounded the city. The Romulans claim that the stones for the walls were brought to Caranam from the D'Kalla Mountains to the northwest. Visitors often climbed to the parapets by means of the stairs and looked out over the sands to the north as the Caranamsu did long ago while on the lookout for invasion. Visitors often noticed the green-brown color of the stones on the northeast corner of the city which were stained with the blood of many Romulans in an ancient battle. The basis for this was a ballad by L'Reanas, a great storyteller on Romulus. However, after the supernova the walls were no longer there.

Calanista The town of Calanista was widely known for its wine known as nectar in Federation Standard. Many others tried to imitate the quality of the Calanistsu nectar-makers, however none were able to do so. The low fields near the river's mouth provides year-round irrigation while the temperature, humidity and water quality make for perfect conditions for the ovila grain used in this unique drink. Calanistsu Nectar used to be quite expensive due to the limited amount of ovila that could be grown. Some of the Calanistsu nectar-makers were able to save their equipment and some seeds they needed for the nectar.

Portora
Portora was the site of the original council where S'Task and his colleagues voted on the issues facing the Romulan people. The chambers were changed to a museum after S'Task's death though nothing of the museum remains.

Kannassarum
The town of Kannassarum is noted at once for the great mountains that surround the city and for being the Empire's first space center. The people in Kannassarum are hardier than the rest of the population due to the need for strength, endurance, lung capacity, and adaptability. The space center continued to employ several thousand Romulans until its destruction in 2387. The Romulans are in the process of rebuilding it.

Peldrad
At the very tip of the Keldrak Peninsula is the city of Peldrad which is home to more than six million Romulans. The Romulans said that whatever one sought--finances, fortune, fame, or philosophy--can be found in Peldrad. Nearly three-fourths of the entertainment industry had their bases here and more performers and poets could be found on street corners and in cafes, trying to get a break. Though many entertainers and artists lived here, the city also had a thriving business and manufacturing community. Unfortunately, this city too needed to be rebuilt.

Omrashar
The largest city on the northern part of Novok is Omrashar, located on the coast of the White Sea at the delta of the Tae'eld River. One of the cities first founded by the Romulans, Omrashar retains much of its sleepy, backwater feel. Tall buildings built mainly of ivory-colored and rust-colored stone line the streets which themselves are generally narrow. These large buildings block the sweltering sun at all times except high noon. Many people vacation here to take advantage of the tranquil lifestyle.

Tephren
On the D'Gansar River is the city of Tephren, one of the holiest places on Romulus. It was founded by several priestly orders a few centuries after the Romulans first landed on the planet. The city contained the largest, most ornate temples on the planet and even those who did not believe in the Romulan gods experienced awe when they saw their vastness and beauty, though nearly half of them were destroyed in 2387.

Mirek
On the southern tip of Valcaria, Mirek was settled about one thousand years ago on bluffs overlooking the Terelix Strait. Due to this location, Mirek quickly became a center of trade for ships and passengers traveling through the Strait. Controlled growth allows the city to maintain some of its oldworld features such as narrow streets that encourage foot traffic rather than vehicles, streetlamps in the early Romulan style, and spacious villas and residential apartments and houses hidden behind high walls. More recently, Mirek is a center for space travel as shuttlecraft are constructed in Mirek and a state-of-the-art spaceport at Mirek's edge provided local factories with a conduit to send parts, supplies, and completed shuttlecraft to the shipyards in orbit.

Dorvek
Located at the mouth of the river with the same name, the city of Dorvek serves primarily as a commercial port. People living in the interior of Dorvek ship large boats filled with goods to the city down the Dorvek River, which remains safe for navigation for most of its length. Workers unload the barges at the city and transfer the goods to the ships (whether water-based or air-based) for journeys to every town, village, and city on Romulus. Thanks to such extensive trade, Dorvek was a very cosmopolitan city where Romulans from all over the planet, and even from elsewhere in the Empire, could come to mingle. Ever-changing fashions and styles constantly preoccupy many of the citizens, especially the younger ones. Dorvek also has shuttlecraft factories that builds shuttles and once sent them to the shipyards in orbit of the planet.

Kromtar Trel
One of the cities which supplied goods to Dorvek, Kromtar Trel is as modern and diverse as any Romulan city yet remains best known for its artistic heritage. Craftworks and art are two of the city's economic mainstays, and the famed Imperial Academy of the Arts called Kromtar Trel home until it was destroyed. Those wishing to experience the cultural life of the Romulan people without the frantic pace of Peldrad come here to see the sights and sip fine local ales in small, family-run cafes.

Other Cities

  • Atremon Trel
  • Ch'eren
  • Fel'voth
  • Rateg
  • Varald

Bodies of Water

  • Apnex Sea
  • Balsanra River
  • D'Gansar River
  • Garenak Sea
  • Gend'eroth River
  • Haverelar Sea
  • H'relgath River
  • Jendranax Strait
  • Sea of Lerodan
  • Nelrek Ocean
  • North Mendlar Sea
  • Sherdak Sea
  • South Mendlar Sea
  • Tae'eld River
  • Terelix Strait
  • Thal'Tharin River
  • Sea of Vrekess
  • White Sea

Mountain Ranges

  • Allerash Mountains
  • Anverok Mountains
  • Des'haval Mountains
  • Ladrosh Mountains
  • Kae'Raktar Mountains
  • Raas'trek Mountains
  • Sen'lanaarc Mountains
  • T'aresh Mountains
  • Wall of Fire Mountains
    • Firefalls of Gal'Gathong

Other

  • D'vrex Archipelagoes
  • Keldrak Peninsula

Flora

  • Aleberry bush
  • Gresh
  • Melanth
  • Nocturnal crawling spine
  • Ovila
  • Romulan Fig Tree
  • Tikrik grass
  • Vareet
  • White Star of Night
  • Y'gora tree

Fauna

  • Bloodwing
  • Hlai
  • Kerosh
  • Mogai
  • Neirrh
  • Nhaidh
  • Ra'tar
  • Romulan Green Whale
  • Set'leth
  • Ter'ak
  • Thrai
    • Northern Thrai
  • Veruul

Points of Interest

Ar'hael Desert
Ar'hael is a large desert on Romulus located near the equator. It is one of the few deserts on Romulus that the Romulan people were not able to terraform due to the mountain range on its northern and eastern side, preventing rainfall from the south due to their sheer size. On the west, powerful winds from the White sea drove away rain from the Garenak sea from the east. This creates a large desert several million kilometers in size. The lowest point in the desert is the Valley of Fire which was known to reach temperatures of 54C (130F). Earthquakes and high winds began happening in this area in 2387.

Hall of State
The Hall of State was where the Imperial government offices were located and where Senate meetings and votes took place. It was also where the Senators had their offices and kept their files, unless it was sensitive information and then they might have taken it home to put on their personal computers. A round circular building whose shape every Romulan knew, it was located on one side of the Plaza of the Endless Sky and its steps rose almost 100 ft, said to be a challenge to whoever entered its halls. Only a true Romulan would be able to climb those steps and not be so winded as to stop for breath before entering. This was later to be proven to be a superstition as it required physical endurance only to climb the stairs. In the middle of the staircase stood a huge statue of Valkis, the first Romulan emperor. His hand stretched out to benevolently shelter his people from harm and as the senators pass beneath the statue each day, they were reminded of the ideals and honor which the statue represents. It also contained a massive library used by many Romulans, similar to the Library of Congress on old Earth. Unfortunately, this library was lost when the star went nova as was nearly a fourth of the city including the Plaza of the Endless Sky and the Boulevard of Heroes.

Plaza of the Endless Sky
The Plaza was a large open area two square kilometers wide and broad. It was the center of the government quarter and much of the city's social life was focused there. Many events and festivals took place there and many thousands of Romulans went there simply to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. On other times, speeches by the Praetor or Military personnel took place here or other civic events.

Boulevard of Heroes
The Boulevard of Heroes was noted for being so large it was capable of being seen from space and ran from the shores of the Apnex Sea to the center of Ki Baratan. War monuments and statues of historic Romulan war heroes lined the median. These included the statue of Emperor Salangen, the Laneshra Monument, and the Mausoleum of Reldek the Great among others. Though the lease on such a location was exorbitant many shops, both elegant and quaint, lined the boulevard. Grass, fruit trees, and other flora were present to beautify the boulevard, which terminated at the Plaza of the Endless Sky.

The Praetor's Palace
The side of the Plaza of the Endless Sky opposite the Hall of State was home to the Praetor's palace, formerly the Emperor's palace. This building was where the praetor lived and where he held many of his government functions. The Praetorian Guard, elite soldiers from the ground forces in the Romulan Star Navy, stood guard at every entrance to the building. The palace, which was in fact more of a compound than a single building, was almost a city in itself. It had not only offices and apartments, but gardens and recreation centers for the praetor and his guests to enjoy.

The Valley of Chula
Valley of Chula

The Valley of Chula, one of the most loved areas on Romulus, cuts right through the heart of the Kae'raktar Mountains. The Valley is very large and contains picturesque views throughout the year and the most beautiful climate on the planet. At the western pass into Chula, the Praetor's Summer Palace is perched on a high hill overlooking the valley. Similar to the palace in Ki Baratan, it consists of many buildings grouped together to form a small administrative city. The Praetor comes here during the hot summer, as it is cooled by the Valley's breezes. The Tor'ren River has roiling rapids that have defied many boaters and is one of the great recreation areas in the Valley. The nearby Fareldi Brewery, perhaps the greatest of the Romulan brewers, uses Tor'ren water to create their ales. Many resorts catering to the wealthy can be found throughout the Valley.

Firefalls of Gal'Gathong and H'aareld va Groth'Chok
The Firefalls of Gal'Gathong are located in the broad, beautiful valley that is known by the ominous name of H'aareld va Groth'Chok, translated to The Mouth of Perdition. The Firefalls are one of the galaxy's most amazing sights, generated by the Wall of Fire's only remaining active volcano, Karethvek. An enormous flow of lava cascades over the mountain's northern cliff in a constant stream of magma, creating a literal firefall. Some of the magma spreads and cools at the base of the cliff, but most of it seeps back into the cracks in the ground to sink into the heart of the planet. Romulans come from all over the quadrant to see the Firefalls and bathe in the valley's hot springs, whose heat is of course generated by Karethvek. Other than the Firefalls, the H'aareld va Groth'Chok hardly deserves its name as the flora made the valley a beautiful place to enjoy the springs. Many Romulans mourned the loss of such a vista though the rebuilding efforts for the gardens are underway.

Mount Al'kathel
Located in the northern regions of Brel'kar and the highest point on the planet, Mount Al'kathel attracts many rock climbers and mountain climbers, all eager to test themselves against the best. Competitors often train here as Al'kathel offers some of the steepest slopes on the planet.

Jeweled Forest of Ath'rashaar
Like the Wall of Fire, the Allerash Mountains contain many long-dead volcanoes but also contain a few dormant ones. Millions of years ago, one of these volcanoes erupted, completely covering a nearby small forest with magma and ash. The trees died, but as time passed, the minerals in the lava and ash seeped into the wood, petrifying and preserving it. Eventually the soft stone around the petrified trees eroded away, leaving the trees glittering and sparkling in the light of the sun and moons due to tiny flakes of mica. The result was a forest of "jeweled" trees, unlike anything else in the galaxy.

Imperial Academy of the Arts
Located on Romulus, the Imperial Academy of the Arts was situated in the city of Kromtar Trel on the continent of Valcaria. The city's culture and heritage of arts and craftwork were one of the area's economic mainstays and was made so by the presence of the Academy. Though it was destroyed in 2387, it is under construction.

History

See also: Romulan History

The Firefalls of Gal'Gathong
Originally, Romulus was uninabited though it was very suitable for humanoid life. Some theorize that Romulus and Remus were actually one planetary body before being broken into four parts: Romulus, Remus, Pirek and Elvreng. This planetary body in the distant past is called Romii. The biggest change that geologists say that Romii existed 5.3 billion years ago when another planetary body, which was sixty percent Romii's size and in retrograde orbit, collided with it and stripped the outer crust. In less than two hundred years, the ejecta had formed a the four bodies that would come to be known as Romulus, Remus, Pirek, and Elvreng. Some evidence seems to point to this theory as Elvreng does not have the normal proportions for a moon. In fact it is rather oblong with the points at the poles as if it cooled with centrifical motion. But others still disagree and there is no way to prove it.



In the 4th century, a group of Vulcan rebels let their homeworld in search of a new home. Some of them settled Calder II, Dessica II, Draken IV, Yadalla Prime, and Barradas III. These colonies came to be known as the Debrune and were seen as a predecessor of the Romulan Star Empire. Some of the Vulcans continued their journey and settled on Romulus, a planet that seemed to everything they needed to start a new civilization and named it ch'Rihan. Others settled on ch'Rihan's twin, called ch'Havran, and tried to make a new start there, eventually evolving into the Reman people.

When Humans found it, they called the two planets Romulus and Remus, after the twin demigods in ancient Earth mythology.

Dahar Master Kor led Klingon ships to Romulus for an attack sometime prior to 2372. Other aliens that went to Romulus included Obsidian Order operative Elim Garak who worked at the Cardassian embassy there as a gardener.

During the Dominion War, Captain Benjamin Sisko was paying a criminal known as Grathon Tolar to forge a holoprogam that would lead the Romulans to believe that Romulus would be attacked less than three weeks later. Later, wounded Romulan soldiers would be taken to Romulus for medical care until Senator Kimara Cretak persuaded the Bajorans to let them establish a hospital on the moon of Derna in orbit around Bajor. In the year 2375, a Federation Alliance conference was held on Romulus to discuss the possible courses of action that could lead to victory. Later in the year, the Female Changeling in charge of the Dominion's Alpha Quadrant forces promised General Thot Gor of the Breen control of the planet Romulus if his people did well at the Battle of Cardassia.

More recently in the early 2380s, Romulus began sending athletes to the Federation to compete in the Olympics. Thus the three powers, Federation, Klingon and Romulan, kept the peace between them.

However, in 2387, a star close to Romulus called Hobus went supernova, damaging the planet and its star, Eisn. Romulus is still inhabitable however due to the devastating nature of a supernova the Romulan star, Eisn, and Romulus experienced some ill affects such as earthquakes and thunderstorms and also more tornadoes. Ambassador Spock attempted to warn the Romulan Senate but was turned away, largely due to the Tal Shiar. However, a few weeks later, the Romulans saw that Hobus was increasing in mass and becoming more unstable which led to them admitting that Spock was indeed correct. A scientist predicted that it would take a few weeks at most for the shockwave to reach Romulus. Thus, they began to make preparations. Farmers took their prize animals and seeds for crops. Families took heirloom possessions and photographs. Though not many knew how many people managed to survive, the praetor was one of them and he promised the empire would survive and that he would find his people a new home.

Information on what Pegasus Fleet considers Trek Canon on this topic can be found at: Memory Alpha.