Editing Roulean Lore (section)

== Culture ==

[[Old Roulean]] is a language used by the traders of the Isparian nations, and as the common language on Dereth. The language has spread to nearly every corner of Ispar, and was used as a common trading language. When the Aluvians, Gharu'ndim, and Sho were thrown together on Dereth, they adopted this trade tongue as a common language. Also, the Roulean names for the months and hours of the day, and the Roulean Calendar is commonly adopted.<ref name=LandDereth>1999/11 [[Release]] - [[Zogblaster Archive/The Land of Dereth]]</ref>

Roulea is pronounced the same as [[wikipedia:R'lyeh|R'lyeh]], the mythical sunken city of [[wikipedia:H.P. Lovecraft|H.P. Lovecraft]]'s novel "[[wikipedia:The Call of Cthulhu|The Call of Cthulhu]]." It is probable that the lore-writers of Turbine derived Roulea from R'lyeh.

The Roulean Empire could be compared to the Greek or Roman empire.

=== Religions and Beliefs ===


=== Customs and Traditions ===

The Rouleans were a literate people and their books and treatises were valued highly by the other nations.<ref name=Malika>2004/11 [[The Malika and the Individual]]</ref> <ref name=ToBeAShadow>1999/11 [[Release]] - [[To Be A Shadow]]</ref> However, some books, such as "The Treatise of the Individual" by Lokios of Tirethas, which held quite a few revolutionary ideas ("ideas dangerous to the kind of thoughtless, brutal, morally bankrupt regime that the Emperors maintained"), were banned and any copy found burned.<ref name=Malika>2004/11 [[The Malika and the Individual]]</ref> It was this book which might have triggered some of the rebellious ideas of the [[Viamontian]] [[Duke of Bellenesse]].<ref>[[The Tournament Part II]]</ref><ref>2004/12 [[Assassination]]</ref>

The Rouleans sported gladiator fights, the gladiators have been described as being large and heavily muscled.<ref>2005/08 [[Friend and Foe]] - [[Journal of High Archon Kraest]]</ref>The greatest gladiator in the history of the Roulean games was named Archophon. He died after accepting a challenge from an unknown [[Silveran]].<ref>2005/07 [[Throne of Destiny]] - [[Champion's Demise]]</ref> The arenas also showed animal fights, or people being torn apart by wild animals.<ref name=ToBeAShadow>1999/11 [[Release]] - [[To Be A Shadow]]</ref>

The  Roulean Imperial guard was called "praetorian".<ref>2001/11 [[Dark Majesty]] - [[Olthoi Eviscerators]]</ref>