The Ran are a species from the planet of the same name.
Biology[]
Ran are a humanoid race similar to humans from Earth, yet it is unknown if they are related.
History[]
Orginally from the world of Ran, the Ran discovered the world of Perdita, the Lost World, existing in the same system as their planet. Every five years the two worlds' orbits were close enough to send ships to colonize the world. However expecting a paradise they found the planet to be rifted with terrifying creatures and dangerous lands. The colonists only managed to survive thanks to the friendly Lumani and built the colony of New Salomar. The colonists managed to thrive on Perdita, learning all about its wonders and dangers, and attempted to expand their knowledge of the southern lands which caused them to lose three expeditions with no survivors. Due to this the Ran halted all explorations deeming that area to be too dangerous.
However after generations of peaceful cooperation the harmony has become under threat by the aggressive colonists from another world known as the Tayan. While the Ran worked to live in harmony with their new world, the Tayans were determined to tame Perdita through developing the planet using their adverse technology. Later the Ran noticed that the Tayans had back up the river that flowed through their lands and that of the Lumani, by building a massive dame.
The dam was detrimental to both Ran and Lumani, so Matari, the Matriarch of the Ran sent Braman to lead a delegation composed of himself, his daughter Sonata, two Lumani, Treen and Mekhon to approach the Tayan colony in an effort to negotiate for the river to be released.
However they were refused by Kantor, the militant leader of the Tayan colony who who tried to instead order the Ran and primitive Lumani to leave their settlements and relocate to the south lands. Having no success, the Ran understood that the Tayans had given them a choice of fight or flee. Both options did not appeal to the Ran as the race had no love for violence nor did they wish to abandon the colony they worked so hard for. Instead Braman proposed an alternative solution, destroying the dam, reasoning its destruction was not truly an act of violence nor would cause the loss of life. The plan was accepted by the Matriarch, and preparations were made to implement it. Sonata attempted volunteer but was declined by the Ran council and told to instead guide the Lumani, Treen and Mekhon back to their settlement to explain the situation.
The Ran team managed to plant explosives on the dam, but unfortunately too much water was released and it threatened to flood the Lumani village. Sonata who had just arrived at the village to warn the Lumani of her people's plan tried to urge the aliens to safety, though the Lumani were calm at the situation, assuring her they would be safe. Treen attempted to take her to safety, but as the force of the water approached it, caused a quake, destroying the ground beneath the two, sending them plummeting deep underground. Treen managed to shield Sonata from the fall using his body. When Sonata awoke, she found that they were in an underground city.
Pau, the son of Kantor who decided to check on the Lumani as they were in the way of the raging river. To his surprise he found that the village was protected by a energy shield. Though he noticed the descent by the two into the fault. Taking an interest, he followed them into the depths. Sonata having become aware of her and Treen's surroundings, marveled at the discovery. Her reaction was received less enthusiastically by Treen who told her that the underground city was taboo and that it was a secret his people kept to themselves from all outsiders. By the laws of his people Treen was duty bound to kill Sonata to preserve the secret, though he could not bring himself to kill his Ran friend as he valued their friendship.
The Sonata continue to explore their surroundings, despite Treen's pleas that they needed to leave and begging to stop asking questions. The two decided to rest, but Sonata wishes to explore came across an unusual semi arch in the cave with a strange bracelet lying on the ground. Finding the bracelet beautiful, Sonata wore it, activating the arch known as the jump hole, which created a portal sucking her and Treen in. When Sonata came to, she realized that they were in the southlands. Sonata attempted to ask Treen if his people built the city and the jump hole, but Treen still refused to answer her questions. They were soon attacked by an Akela from the sky, it taking Sonta in its talon. However Pau who had been secretly tailing them appeared from the jump hole used his firearm to shoot the bird, saving Sonata.
The disappearance of Pau, Sonata and Treen did not go unnoticed by their respective peoples. Kantor who had been pursuing the fleeing Ran saboteurs arrived at the Lumani village to demand the whereabouts of his son, and soon found that Braman's daughter Sonata and the Lumani's Elder son Treen were missing. The Lumani showed Kantor the last whereabouts of the trio, blaming a sinkhole that swallowed them and disappeared due to the river and claimed that there were no survivors. The elder attempted to try to use the loss of their deaths to forge between the tribes, though Kantor refused as he blamed the Ran for his son's supposed death, which Braman refused to be responsible as it was the Tayans hoarded the water of the river causing this incident.
Before they could come to blows, one of Kantor's men reported that they received a signal briefly from Pau but it was in the southlands which was impossible as travel there should have taken many cycles. Seeing that they all have lost something, Kantor agreed o a temporary truce, just as when a Sleeping God appeared, roused by the raging river and attacked. Though both Rand and Tayan believed that the being was a god of their myths, both succumbed to painful mental intrusions by the giant. To save both the Ran and Tayans, the Lumani Elder called for a pacifier to be used to calm the Sleeping God. Though one of the Tayans had been killed. With much reluctance from the Lumani, they agreed to help the Ran and Tayans find their children through the Valley of the Sleeping Gods.
Back in the southlands, Pau's communicator was destroyed by Treen as he was committed to preserving the secret of the Forbidden Lands. They were soon found by Korby, a mad Tayan who was the last survivor of the expeditions that were sent to the southlands.
Culture[]
Ran are known to be technological adept, but are commonly referred by the Tayans as farmers, though they prefer to work with nature rather than against it. While the Ran on Perdita live a primitive existence, their technology seems to be on the level of the industrial era, as they were able to make a one mission spacecraft. They are led by matriarchs and a non-violent people, only resorting to conflict unless absolutely necessary.
The Ran are a very practical race, even when it comes to acquiring objects of the dead. According to a Ran named Mistress Findar, "finding isn't thieving if the loser breathes no more." Since there is no one left alive, Ran have a clear conscience in pilfering from the dead.
The Ran believe and worship beings known as the Creator Gods. According to their sages, they believed that the Creator Gods visited Ran dozen of millennia and planted the seeds of life in the fertile soil of the planet. The first Ran grew from those seeds, creating the Prime Female and Prime Male, who were given tasks by the gods in tending the wildlife and keeping the biosystem stable to create a land of peaceful abundance and contentment.
After the Ran began to colonize Perdita, and encountered the Sleeping Giants, there is a belief that the giants are the Creator Gods.
Appearances[]
- Sonata Issue 001 (2019)
- Sonata Issue 002 (2019)
- Sonata Issue 003 (2019)
- Sonata Issue 004 (2019)