Ral Ranta
Ral Ranta is a large and powerful Pocket Empire, well known for exporting rapacious mercenaries and profit-driven merchants.
- The information in the article covers the 1116 time period.
| Polity | Survey | Code | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Imperial | No standard code | None | ||
| 1st Survey (300) | 2-ltr code | None | ||
| Ral Ranta | 2nd Survey (1065) | RaRa | 4-ltr code | None |
Description
The current Ral Ranta Empire is the remnant of what was once a much more powerful state.
During the frequent fighting which engulfed their part of the rimward Hinterworlds Sector during the Long Night, several warlords would ally with one another to lead combined fleets against a common threat, designating one of their number as supreme leader of the combined expedition. One such man was Rihala Ariden Llewsak of Nummen. At the end of a particularly successful campaign, he declined to return the combined fleets to the warlords and declared himself "warlord supreme". Five other warlords declared their loyalty, and -- to honour them -- Llewsak took their initials and formed the name "RANTA" for his empire.
When the Imperium recontacted the Ral Ranta after the Long Night, the two engaged in low-level hostilities for decades. The Ral Ranta, lacking both technology and manpower turned to guerrilla warfare and intrigue to maintain their independence.
In the centuries that followed, the Ral Ranta Empire became a collection of "clans" under central leadership from Berange that institutionalized intrigue, warfare, and criminal activity as the basis for their economy and culture. They became a "warrior nation." The Imperium and Solomani saw little value in invading and occupying Ral Ranta space knowing they would face an endless guerrilla campaign of resistance. Instead, both now use the Ral Ranta to carry out black ops and intrigues against their enemies.
Goals
The sophonts of this polity are driven by several motivations and goals:
- GREED: The Ral Ranta can be summed up as "Greed is good."
- They are willing criminals by anyone else's standards. They are non-expansionist and have little interest in conquest.
- In business they are unscrupulous and will take advantage of anyone if they can. They are also very big on honor and keeping their word. For a Ral Ranta keeping their word and honoring a deal is a paramount social requirement. Being known to be a liar or cheat is generally a death sentence for a Ral Rantan.
- The Ral Ranta Empire survives as much because they are useful to their neighbors as they do because they’d unleash a tsunami of violence, crime, and intrigue on anyone that dares cross them. This is the reason several Ral Rantan systems exist within Imperial space. Nobody wants to anger them.
- HONOR: Keeping one's word and acting honorably (by Ral Ranta standards) is a central tenant of life.
- Dishonorable behavior is considered a capital crime punishable by death.
- A Ral Rantan considers an honorable death of paramount importance.
- VIOLENCE: Ral Ranta sees personal combat and warfare as a way to increase their honor and political power.
- Fighting and dueling are ways of life for a Ran Rantan.
- Anything considered a criminal act is punished by violence ranging from beating, to flogging, to death.
Symbols
- National Leader: Warlord Supreme
- Leadership Home: Berange
- National Emblem: Unknown
- National Anthem: Unknown
- National Flag: Crossed silver swords on a field of black with words "Death Honor" in Ral Ranthan cuneiform below
- National Architecture: Unknown
- National Executive: Unknown
- National Legislature: Scura or council
- National Judiciary: Unknown
- National Currency: Unknown
- National Color: Unknown
- National Creature: Unknown
- National Founder: Rihala Ariden Llewsak
- National Language: Ral Ranta
- National Literature: Unknown
- National Motto: Honor or death
- National Sport: Dueling hand-to-hand or with edged weapons
Polity Quick Facts
The following overview is available of this polity:
- Astrography: This polity is located over 3 sectors.
- Astrography: It is located trailing and rimward of the Third Imperium.
- Astrography: This polity has 27 worlds and systems.
- Capital: The capital of this polity is Berange.
- Population: This polity is estimated to have a population of 1.0126 x 10^11, or population level B.
- Population: 98% of the population is located in the Berange system.
- Population: The most numerous race of this polity is: Human, of Solomani descent.
- Economy: The economic output (gross product) of this polity is estimated at (BCr).
- Economy: The per capita earning of inhabitants in this polity is estimated at (Cr).
- Economy: The resources available in this polity are estimated at (RU).
- Economy: The shipyard capacity of this polity is estimated at (Mtons)
- Economy: The Starport Authority population is estimated at (employees).
- Military: The armed forces of this polity are estimated at (BEs).
- Technology: The average technology level of this polity is estimated at TL-?.
- Technology: The highest attainable technology level of this polity is estimated at TL-?.
- Technology: Technology level research in this polity is working towards mastering TL-?.
National Traditions and Philosophy:
The following are some typical philosophical views of Ral Rantans:
- Hecs täsüf ölüm: Never regret death (dying)
- Getmäk arxayin iscinä xätär: Go confidently into peril / danger
- Olmak häväsli cinyät: Be a willing criminal
- Näzarät sänin dücsmän: Control your enemy(s)
- Sayak qilinc daim faydali: The sword is always useful
- Säräf äbädi/hämiscä: Honor is eternal / honor always
- Usta hecs tälasik: A master is never rushed/hurried
- Ölüm silah qoburlu biabirsci: Dying with weapons undrawn/unused is the ultimate dishonor
Most Ral Ranta have a deep reverence for their ancestors and practice some form of ancestor worship. Having ancestors that are great or notable warriors is considered an honor and something to share with pride.
Most Ral Ranta take great pride in their body count. A Ral Ranta will willingly tell you how many people they have killed and even want to recount details.
Dueling is a way of life of any Ral Rantan. Outsiders should be prepared at any time to be challenged to a duel for the slightest of insults or reasons.
- Most duels go to "first blood" unless the reason is serious.
- The person challenged normally has a choice of weapons. Choosing other than no weapon or an edged weapon is usually considered a major insult.
Corporal punishment is pervasive throughout Ral Ranta society.
Any crime considered to rise to the seriousness of a felony is generally a death sentence for punishment.
History
A Ral Rantan will generally be suspect on any world they go to as a potential criminal if they are identified as such. Ral Ranthans are widely feared for their violent tendencies and most people familiar with them will avoid any situation that might cause them to become aggressive.
- Honor, keeping one’s word, and defending that is a central tenant of Ral Rantan life. Dueling is a widely practiced means of settling disputes. An honorable death is a desirable outcome for a Ral Rantan. They are aggressive and fearless. Ral Rantans tend to say what they mean and mean what they say. Demands, threats, and intimidation are an everyday part of life for a Ral Rantan.
- For Ral Rantans war and violence is an answer to most problems. Weakness is to be exploited.
- The Ral Ranta widely practice reverence for their ancestors. They generally believe their ancestors are watching them and that they will pay dearly for eternity any dishonorable conduct or cowardice.
- Most Ral Rantans see themselves as warriors and willing criminals by other society’s standards. Their mindset is one where going to war on a personal level is justified for the slightest of reasons. Taking advantage of others is an expected and normal part of life for a Ral Ranthan.
Political Lineage
- The Ral Rantan Empire is organized as an Oligarchy of 33 clans, or tribes, on 27 worlds.
- There is one clan per system/world except on Ravane (3) and Gromms (6).
- Each clan is represented at a central government on Berange.
- A leader, or Warlord Supreme, is selected by the clans periodically based on military and economic success.
- Berange is neutral ground for the various clans who often have conflicts among themselves.
- There is no nobility as with the Imperium, but made clan members are a rough analog.
Demographics
Significant populations of the following sophont races reside within this polity:
- Humaniti (Human Races)
- Terragens (Non-Human Terran Races)
Demo-linguistics
The Ral Ranta language is guttural, abrupt, and laced with insults, profanity, and violence.
Ral Rantan is primarily a face-to-face language. It can be used written or in communications via things like radio but it loses some of its meaning when it is if the person communicating does not add in additional terms to explain their thoughts. The subject of a sentence or conversation is usually implied rather than specifically put into speech. Plural and singular are implied when they should be obvious to the listener. Threats are commonly put in to show the degree of emphasis the speaker means or intends. That is, if you told someone to do something you would include a threat to show your emphasis.
Example:
The phrase in English “Get to work!” The parenthetical items are implied not spoken In English: Ral Rantan
- (Do your) work or else!: Isk vä daha! Mild emphasis
- (Do your) work or (get) beaten!: Isk vä döymäk! Some emphasis
- (Do your) work or die!: Isk vä ölüm! Emphatic
Now, in English these might be said as:
- "Get to work!"
- "Get to work now!"
- "Get to work or you're fired!"
Another common usage of emphasis is to repeat the word.
Example:
- Yeni = Fresh
- Yeni yeni! = Very fresh, the freshest.
Verbs are optional in speech when they can be inferred or implied by the speaker and understood that way by the listener. There is no real need for a noun-verb agreement in most speech the relationship is often implied instead. In face-to-face speech gestures, always done with the palm flat and all fingers extended (using a single finger or just two fingers is considered a demeaning insult) can substitute for verbs or words as well.
Examples:
- English: "That's incredible!" -- Ral Rantan: (clap hands or throw them up in air) Calalli!
- English: Hand me that blade (as an order) -- Ral Rantan: (gesturing with hand) Aqiz vä döymäk!
Some words are gender-specific and most referring to individual people are that way. The default for neuter objects is male when this is necessary for such an item.
Examples:
- English: You -- Ral Rantan: (male) Sin (female) Siz
- English: I / me -- Ral Rantan: (male) män (female) mäz
- English: His / hers / its -- Ral Rantan: (male) onun (female) onuz (neuter = its) onun
- English: Him / her -- Ral Rantan: (male) ona (female) oza
Plurals are not normally used. This is implied and the word is the same as the singular version.
Example:
- English: "I have two brothers" -- Ral Rantan: (tap chest) iki qardasc
"I have" is implied in the gesture and the plural is implied by the number given.
Pleasantries are rarely used in Ral Rantan. One never says please or thank you for examples. Threats used can be real as corporal punishment is very common for any infraction of social rules or for even minor disobedience. Common speech will be filled with threats, insults, and orders growled or barked by the speaker(s).
Typical greetings and pleasantries (such as they exist):
- Salamat! (Be well!, Be victorious! Answered in-kind usually.)
- (Gesture with a hand at another person) Yox ölüm?! (You're) not dead?!
Appropriate responses might be:
- Ilk öldümäk!: (I'll) kill (them) first! (whether this is true or not is irrelevant)
- Csaliscmäk! Alt. Säy etmäk!: Try (it)! You can try if you like!
- (hand gesture) Sin?!: You?! This is a humorous answer meaning something like "I'm surprised *you* aren't dead!"
When departing:
- Dädäbaba gömäk: (May your) ancestor(s) watch (over you). Note: Most Ral Rantans have a deep reverence for their ancestors.
- Düscmän diz / äsmäk / csömelmäk!: (May your) enemy(s) kneel / tremble / cower
- Scanli ölümäk!: (To a or your) glorious death! Implies you will be remembered. Also used commonly as a toast.
There is no use of contractions like in English speech or writing. Punctuation is nearly non-existent in written Ral Ranthan.
The Ral Rantan alphabet: http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Gallery/index.php?n=1454
Social Norms
Ral Rantan society has a number of social norms and expectations they follow:
- Men typically have beards or facial hair. Being clean-shaven is seen as unmanly.
- Most Ral Rantans will wear clothing that incorporates concealed body armor of varying levels of effectiveness.
- The wearing of "ferocious" looking helmets, hats, and clothing is also normal.
- The carry of a blade, sword, knife or other edged weapon is nearly universal. This is normally done openly where the weapon is displayed. These weapons can be as much a fashion statement and display of economic status or wealth as they are weapons for use.
- Carrying a firearm without showing an edged weapon or sword is considered the mark of a coward, or something a foreigner would do. The latter makes the person a target to be exploited, ruthlessly.
- Tattoos, jewelry, and piercings are common. Tattoos and jewelry are often associated with social position. Having or wearing clan-related tattoos and jewelry without being a made member of that clan is generally a death sentence if discovered.
Overview
The Ral Ranta maintain embassies or missions on worlds with a class A starport, population of 8+, and tech level of B or better out to about 20 to 30 parsec of their empire. They may have such a mission on other worlds, but this is uncommon unless there is a specific reason for it.
- There is no prohibition against psionics or their use in Ral Rantan society. These are seen as something someone has that can be used to their advantage. There is no institutional use of them like the Anubians or Zhodani do.
- Almost all of the Ral Rantha Empire consists of clans or tribes of closely related families in terms of social structure. You are your clan and represent it wherever you go. Other government structures exist but the underlying political power resides with the larger and more powerful clans.
- Any system in the Empire may have one or more dominant clans running it. How they choose to do that varies and is reflected in the different government classifications given by the IISS.
- When in a Ral Ranta system, knowing what clan(s) run things is more important than what sort of government is running the system. Who you know grossly outweighs the apparent laws and government of the system.
- In almost any Ral Ranta system bribery is a way of life dealing with the government. This comes back to the criminal mindset of Ral Rantans and the “greed is good” idea of business.
- Government throughout the Ral Ranta Empire also allows public dueling as a means of settling personal disputes. So long as both parties act equally in terms of weapons and setting there will be no repercussions legally from dueling, even to the death.
- Ral Rantan punishment for breaking what laws exist consists of anything from severe corporal punishment such as flogging, to execution. The Ral Rantan “justice” system is abrupt and brutal. Their concept of justice is that it’s swift and final, not fair and reasonable.
Internal Politics
While Ral Ranta clans will squabble with each other, they are absolutely united when faced with an outside threat.
- Clans will collude and enter temporary alliances for specific economic or political gains.
- Berange is considered neutral ground and a place for clans to do business without having to intrude on another clan's system.
- Clans will always side with one and other against outside parties. This comes back to a deep-rooted fear of invasion seeded by the Imperium in previous wars.
Political Factions
- 33 Clans on 27 worlds/systems
- A single clan controls each system except the Ravane system 3 clans and the Gromms system 6 clans.
- The Kandusa system is currently without a clan leader due to internal strife and are controlled from Berange.
- Each clan controls its system as they see fit. The political system used varies.
- Each clan has approximately 100 to 1000 "made" members in it. There will be another 100 to 10,000 "apprentices" associated with it.
- All political power resides within the clans and with clan members. The majority of the population are not clan members and have lesser social and political status.
Interstellar Relations
This polity conducts diplomacy and maintains active relations with the following other polities:
- The Ral Ranta are known to go to war with other polities and individual systems, often for very slight reasons. They also rarely tell those who they are at war with that that is the case.
- The Ral Ranta generally have positive or neutral relations with other polities on the basis of economic or social gain. They are willing mercenaries for anyone with the money to pay them.
Allies
Positive relations exist with the following other polities:
Neutral States
Neutral relations exist with the following other polities:
Enemies
Negative relations exist with the following other polities:
- There are numerous systems that would consider the Ral Ranta as enemies. These change regularly.
- It is also exceeding hard to tell if the Ral Ranta are really at war with a system or polity as there can be little difference between their treatment of one in "peace" and "war." Often, it is only the degree and frequency of violence and intrigue that delineates the difference.
Military
The military of this polity is subordinate to the supreme executive of this polity.
Military & Intelligence
Military: Most Ral Rantan systems are heavily defended by planetary defenses.
- Invasion of a Ral Rantan world would find the invader facing a near 100% resistance by the population who would immediately resort to terrorism and guerrilla warfare against the invader.
- The Ral Ranta have a large number of privately operated mercenary units. These are widely available and are considered reliable. They are also well known to be willing to take any mission without question for the right amount of pay. Morality and legality mean little or nothing to Ral Ranthan mercenaries.
Ground Forces
Ral Ranta Infantry Battalions are typical of their military units.
Paramilitary Forces
The Ral Ranta operate a large number of Corsair type starships of between 500 and 1000 tons (typical Ral Ranta Corsair along with armed merchant ships, typically the Ral Ranta Xebic. It is estimated that they have between 60 and 80 Corsair ships in service with a like number of Xebics that operate with them.
- Ral Rantan corsairs typically operate in packs of 2 to 6 accompanied by one or more armed merchant ships. The exact composition of a corsair group is not consistent.
- A corsair group will typically have about a company of 75 to 150 mercenaries with it scattered among all the ships in the group. These mercenaries will be equipped with small arms and sometimes heavy weapons of TL 10 to 13.
- Ral Rantan corsairs target individual merchant ships, and small convoys in unaligned systems within approximately 20 parsecs of Ral Ranta itself. They have also been known to raid low population worlds within the same radius.
- They often attack outlying worlds in a system rather than the main world.
- Ral Rantan corsair tactics are to close rapidly with a target vessel and use a combination of the ship's weapons and numerous fighters to disable the target. They then board with large numbers of troops. The boarding troops will typically try to engage in close combat with the target vessel's crew.
- The IISS recommends that ships traveling in areas prone to attack exercise extra caution during operations like refueling, or being on the ground of a world as Ral Ranta Corsairs preferentially target ships in these situations.
- Ral Ranta clans also operate as many as 50 Scout ships or similar small ships. These are often used as reconnaissance vessels for corsair operations.
Intelligence Agencies
Intelligence: The Ral Ranta are master spies. They are masters at computer hacking and attacking, intellectual theft, corporate espionage, and interrogation.
- Most larger and mega-corporations use them to one extent or another for these purposes. Some, like Ling Standard Products, are reluctant to do this but will pay a stipend to prevent others from using it against them.
- They are masters at making people disappear or giving them new identities.
- They also use spies to “acquire” technology and other information for their own society’s advancement.
- The price for these services is not cheap, but the Ral Rantha are widely known to be reliable at delivering what they agree to so many will pay for that service or pay to prevent them from spying on them.
- The Anubians, Solomani, and Imperium, among others, use the Ral Rantha for their “dirty work.”
Economy
Technology: With certain exceptions, Ral Ranthan technology is largely “borrowed” from other societies. That is, stolen or acquired from trade.
- The Ral Rantha are not particularly innovative in conventional military equipment or areas like starship construction and design. They generally acquire such technologies from neighboring societies.
- One area where the Ral Rantha excel, far above other societies, is in the manufacture of edged weapons. Their edged weapons are some of the best produced anywhere in known space. These are coveted and can be extremely expensive to procure, particularly from known master sword makers. They are sought after by collectors, martial arts masters, and the wealthy.
Interstellar Commerce
Trade: The Ral Ranta widely practice:
- Money laundering
- Smuggling
- “Acquisition” (ie., theft and kidnapping)
- Drug dealing
- Spying/intelligence collecting
- Criminal enterprises abound within Ral Ranthan space.
Ral Rantan merchants are generally unscrupulous but will keep their word and any deal they make to the letter of the agreement. This includes any verbal contract. They expect the other party to honor a deal the same way on the threat of violence (eg., death) if they don’t. Ral Rantans are usually very adept at finding loopholes and exceptions to deals, agreements, and contracts. They may define the terms of one in unexpected ways. “Buyer beware” should be the watchword for anyone dealing with Ral Rantans.
- Deception or withholding information is not considered lying to a Ral Rantan.
Corporation Listing
The following businesses operate out of or in this polity: The following clans (by system/world):
- Black äl of Deymum: Manufactures starships for piracy, mercenaries, and smuggling. Trades in illegal goods.
- Owato of Durne: Corporate espionage, assassinations, smuggling, drug dealing, and modification of ships for those purposes.
- No Wärii of Dold: Manufacture of starships for piracy and smuggling. Manufactures mercenary transports and warships.
- Kosmik äsgär of Groms: Piracy and smuggling.
- Sässiz Ölüm of Groms: Manufacture of starships for piracy and smuggling. Manufactures mercenary transports and warships.
- Mkono Memusi of Sablass: Manufactures small covert ships and does corporate espionage, assassinations, smuggling, and drug dealing.
- Schunamann und Sohn AG, SuSAG: The Imperial megacorporation is rumored to have one or more "black ops" factories within Ral Ranta space.
Interstellar Currency & Finance
No information yet available.
- Specify currency
- Specify dominant system of economic exchange
Research & Technology
- Areas where the Ral Rantan are known for new and innovative technologies include:
- Illegal drugs for recreation and abuse.
- Computer hacking, viruses, and spying.
- Stealth technologies for avoiding detection of ships, individuals, or for hiding “stuff.”
- Poisons, chemicals, and other related substances for use in covert actions or for assassins.
Calendar & Timekeeping
The Ral Ranta uses the Solomani calendar and timekeeping methods.
Mathematics
The majority of the Ral Ranta has standardized on a Base-10 system of mathematics, including mathematical logic, arithmetic, statistics, particle mechanics, and other branches of mathematics.
Sciences
Ral Ranta possesses moderately advanced knowledge of many of the sciences that include:
- A formalized method of scientific inquiry.
- Earth (planetary) and Space sciences, including astronomy, cosmology, and geosciences.
- Social sciences, including psychology and sociology.
- Life sciences, including biology.
- Physical sciences, including chemistry and physics.
- Formal sciences, including mathematics and logic.
Trade Routes
The following astrographic features and trade routes can be found within this polity:
Worlds, Systems & Sectors
This polity is primarily located in the following areas:
Capitol
The capitol of this polity is located on this world:
World Listing
The following systems and worlds can be found within this polity:
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Sources
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- Author & Contributor: Enoki
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science