History1

LIFE ON ROHAN

The native life-forms on the planet Rohan are used to the vast deserts, high and low extremes of
tempurature and the acidic summer storms. Only on the mainland of barshell and withing the
crystaline mountains of drue Barshell will one find civilization, for only here are the people safe
from the burning tidal waves and life threatening monsoons brought by the summer storms.

Exotic creatures inhabit the scattered isles and roam the coastlands, protected from the harse
environment by chitonous hides, or seasonal hibernations. The Manticore, Hydra, Drakes and
Behir have a natural resistance to the acidic nature of the planet's waters, while the Orcs, Ogrynn
and other more humanoid denisons seek shelter during periods of climatic turmoil.

Within the Great Drink dwell many a creature of monstrous proportions, they are enough reason
to deter ocean travel even if the acidic waters were not so detrimental to the ocean going vessels.
It goes without saying that on this planet, there is much truth, in that only the strong survive.

ROHANIANS

While Trevarian House is the occupied area for the Space Marine Chapter of the Riders of Rohan,
they occupy only a small portion of this world. The remainder of the tenants are a wild and
primative lot, living in bands, traveling like nomads over the deserts of Barshell, surviving by the
trade among neighboring bands or warring with each other for acquisitions of food, water and
other precious impliments and supplies.

The Holy Ghostriders of Trevarian House maintain a careful watch over these tribes, selecting the
most promising warriors to be indoctrinated as Raiders of Rohan. The Rohanians both fear and
respect the Riders as they appear to be warriors of the great gods, possessing might and power
beyond their rather limited comprehensions.

Trevarian House is to the native folk, a place of legend, forbidden to all except those chosen few,
who are destined to become the warriors within this powerful caste themselves. The people of
Rohan are horsed nomads with no concept of advanced technology, nor of a world beyond their
own crystaline horizons. They are horsed warriors, whose survival depends on their skill of
sword, spear and rifle. Because their world is a desert and crystaline nightmare, they are skilled
survivalists, nomadic riders with little or no conception of a permenant dwelling. The Rohanians
endure a savage existance which often ends in combat against a clever raiding party, vicous band
of chaotic orcs or battling one of the lands monstrous creatures. The competition for food and
water is great and warparties are often drawn into savage conflicts over the planets few precious
resources.

It is from the savage warriors that the Holy Riders recruit their kind, only taking the best of the
brave to become Space Marines in service of House Trevarian.