Runarin
The Runarins are the first recorded race to develop inter-stellar travel by technological means, and did so some time in the early Dynastic Period.
Whith this, they established a vast interstellar empire, securing their borders well enough to allow relative internal peace.
History
Exactly when or where the Runarins originated is unknown, though their forefathers were probably survivors of the Fall of Roads who recovered from the Age of Darkness fairly quickly. They were isolated enough to develop high technology during the First Chaotic Period, and by the dawn of the Dynastic Period they had begun an alliance of several star systems.
Runaria was one of the founding nations of the Unity Earth Sphere Alliance, and one of the few countries to come out of the Mage Wars with a reasonable level of technology. As a result, they got a good jump on space exploration, and have been responsible for charting a substantial portion of the Known Worlds belonging to the Alliance. They also managed to control a pretty large chunk of space in the final days of the war. Their territory actually makes up three percent of the Alliance: triple the size of the next largest nation. By population, they come far from the top. Runarins seem to value their space, which is why they took so much.
A well-regulated economy and centralized administration made the Runarins strong. Their fast assimilation of conquered worlds as equals instead of slaves gave them a stable power base. Without having to worry about unrest from within, they were able to conquer new territories.
Social development within the Runarin Empire was encouraged, allowing art and culture. By the Second Chaotic Period, the entire Runarin Empire was a unified nation with a rich shared heritage.
When the Gudersnipe Army began targeting multi-world governments at the start of the Second Chaotic Period, the Runarin Empire was spared. Though Alliance historians record that this was because the Gudersnipe Army feared them, Laytami Gudersnipe said later that he delibrately spared Runaria because he saw no reason to destroy it, as a fair and equitable empire with a high standard of living, who did not practice slavery and respected human rights. There was nothing in Runaria (Laytami said) to call for its destruction.
As the Second Chaotic Period passed, the Runarin Empire converted from a monarchy to a constitutional monarchy and became the Runarin Confederation, eventually backing Eieber. The Runarin Confederation was the first signatory to the Ruling Council, later the Ministry of Earth, the Earth Sphere Unified Nations, and finally the Unity Earth Sphere Alliance. Their scientists visit international symposia (including The Caucuses); the Foundation share their star charts; and other than that, they are no more technologically advanced than most of the Alliance. Their only notable eccentricity, is disclosed in the short story Forbidden, in which the Eighth Power discover the ruins of Planet Eladamri in a 'Forbidden Zone' of Runarin space.
