Rooners are the human decendants of the original colonists. Their forms have changed to make it easier for them to live on this hostile world. They have had 50,000 years to change, and they are now a different race of men altogether. Their skin is pasty white, but quite opaque. There is no sign of veins under the skin. Though the skin is white, it is quite tough. Not quite as tough as leather, it still makes Rooners a natural Armor Class 9.

The light gravity of their world has made them grow taller over the years. They are now an average of 9.5 feet tall, with some growing as high as 12 feet. Their bones are very thin looking, giving them the illusion of fragility, but the bones are much more elastic than ours, and it takes roughly the same blow to break either.

The Rooners have large noses and never cut their nose hairs. They grow copious amounts of nose hair to filter the dust from the air, and when on the surface, their noses run constantly to wash the dust accumulated away.

Those living on the moon are decended from human stock of course, but the thousands of years past and the different conditions on this world have caused a departure from normality. They are generally taller than normal (6’5" average for men and 6’ 3" for women) and weigh about the same as a standard human. They are thefore tall and slender, but sturdy of bone and possessed of whipcord mussle. These folk are called the "Rooners".

Rooner men and women are both bald. Indeed they have no body hair except on their eyes, nose, lips and a small dense ring around the anus. They have luxuriant eyelashes and eyebrows. So heavy is the hair that they appear to have tufts of fur covering their eyes. This becomes even more noticeable when their eyes are closed. Both men and women have heavy mustaches. These are commonly trimmed strait across by the men, while women cut this hair into fancy shapes. So pervasive are these mustaches among the Rooners that one of their worst insults for off-worlders is "bare lips" pronounced "bar-lap".

Ear ‘A Tue (Religious Nomads of the Dust)

The Ear ‘A Tue (ear-ah-too-ee) can be recognized for what they are from a distance. Their fiery red clothing and armor make these Rooner’s identification easy. These wanderers are Religious fanatics that wander the dust in service of their god Ear’Tu. In his name many wars are fought and the worshipers think nothing of throwing themself’s into any battle so long as they fight against Evil. They are sometimes used as mercenaries underground. This is rare though as most of them beleve that the only deeds that are known to their God are those that appear above ground.

The Ear ‘A Tue believe that there is only one weapons whose use is approved by their god. This weapon is the Inf ‘Neka, which is a staff covered in 1" nails. These nails are hinged so that they lay flat against the staff when in the up position, and fall open when the staff is turned up side down. Most are equipped with a locking sleeve that forces the nails to be open at all angles. All Ear ‘A Tue will use this weapon and no other.

As one of the Gods of war, Ear Tu watches the battles of his worshipers, and may intervene on their behalf at any time. They fight in order to amuse their god, and themselfs. Except for the number appearing they are as the Dervishes described on page 68 of the Monster manual 1. More information on their religion can be found on page 68 of the DD.

Ke ‘Amen (Man-Camel)

The Ke ‘Amen are the only race hardy enough to live on the surface of Roon. They have long silky fur that grows in all colors of the rainbow. They are about 7 feet tall, and about 4 ½ feet tall to the mid-point of their back. The dromedaries hump on their back rises to 6 feet. Their faces have pronounced overhanging brows, with a heavy growth of hair covering their eyes, but leaving their low forehead free of hair. However, the hair on their heads grows long enough to touch the long eyebrows. Their mouths are large and their teeth have been adapted to grinding the tough lichen that grows on protected rocks. Their lips are large, mobile and tough with callous. Their eyes are placed disturbingly far apart on the head, considerably widening their field of vision.

When completely bent over, the short fingers of the Ke ‘Amen can just barely touch the ground. Their arms and torso are proportioned like a dwarf. They have short wide fingers that terminate in hard, hooflike nails. These nails they use to scrape the lichen off the rocks and lift it to their mouth. The waist is about 4 ½ feet high. The torso and arms are covered in the same brightly colored silken hair as the camel part of them. This hair sheds the fine dust and allows the Ke ‘Man to shed the dust that settles on them but shaking themselves like a dog. On many planets, the pelt of these creatures is much prized and very valuable. Of course, this is an illegal activity (called Ke P’oc).

Their dromedary properties allow them the freedom of the open spaces of Roon. They share the propensity to put their heads in the sand with normal camels, and this trait serves them will in the dust. By kneeling flat on the ground and burying their heads and bodies in the sand, they protect the most vulnerable parts of their anatomy. When the storms come they partially bury themselves in the sand.

The Ke ‘Amen are unique in that they may place themselves in a suspended state that allows them to spend large amounts of time without air. Just as a camel is legendary as to the amount of water they can store, so are the Ke ‘Amen legendary in their ability to store oxygen. This storage device is their hump which is used to store super-oxygenated blood. In a suspended state with 2 hours to complete their storm preparations (super-oxygenation), they may remain in a suspended state for 1 month. During this period they are not conscious, but will instinctively strive to worm their way to the surface. They will rise 1 foot per day, so as long as they are buried in sand that is less than 30 feet deep, they will survive.

One of the ways that the Rooners have developed to detect a dust storm is to observe the breathing of the Ke ‘Amen. When a storm is imminent (within 2 hours) the Ke ‘Amen will begin breathing very quickly and deeply. This is a sure sign of a oncoming storm. It is therefore not unusual to see a Ke ‘Amen supported by a small village simply to provide a warning to the inhabitants.

Ca Kulxe Hu Cesshe Ra Thogto

Ca Sirme Jo Rinwa Sa Kefke

Ce Coshmi La Dazze Sa Thixre

Chi Minhu Lo Ritvu Sha Keshho

Co Shujfe Me Nirpo Sho Lumla

Da Gugxi Mi Nipbo Si Pochbi

De Cuvko Mo Cevpu Thi Vagwa

Do Shochfo Na Fovle Tho Tudxu

Fi Wushpo Na Ridba Thu Dubru

Fo Gishva Pa Lehza Ti Thoshse

Fo Qeqjo Pi Chobcu Va Gisve

Ga Julje Po Qobve Ve Pelgi

Gi Chohxu Pu Jihme Ve Pudvi

Gi Hobqi Pu Thipchi Vo Cogki

Go Vecpo Qa Muwsho We Denlu

Gu Cuthlu Qa Tihmi We Takcho

Gu Dipni Qe Hegpo Wi Lotre

Ha Meshma Qe Zimgi Xi Zojja

Hi Pichle Qo Laqre Za Shuccu

Ho Wasmu Qo Shavwa Zi Checvi

Biw Velo Kah Sada Sic Nemo

Chew Dima Kov Washi Sip Xefi

Chuch Jacha Liq Dini Sud Ruwu

Coc Buvu Lis Wuti Tat Chaja

Cun Dese Loc Boba Thop Xolu

Dad Thimu Lud Voso Tip Resa

Deq Luje Mop Duhu Tiq Rocu

Dil Saxa Mot Hosu Tis Xoge

Faj Wena Mug Qepo Tith Javi

Fif Nijo Pac Dako Toch Nopa

Fish Hito Pud Fonu Tush Qigi

Foz Kafi Pux Themo Vath Hike

Gich Fomu Qaw Pito Vin Jake

Giv Gego Qej Juxo Vin Tafi

Goth Qido Qik Wumi Vox Guwe

Haz Vono Qoq Vasha Vuw Joche

Hir Cochi Rif Xusa With Gaqo

Hix Vubu Shag Zodi Xiw Pice

Hos Fili Sheq Hochu Xun Jeni

Kac Salo Shis Wagu Zub Qele