Rennaj

Note: This article is for Unreleased Content.

On Turbine's Beta page Sketches, there was an image with the file name rennajcity.gif, which in the image was labeled Rennaj City:

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The Rennaj were also referenced in an early screenshot from the Turbine Beta Site:

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This screenshot features a mountain view somewhere in Dereth. It is from the perspective of a character named Marlee, a level 1 Female Sho Seer. The screenshot features a conversation between Marlee and another character named Torstrim:

You say, "It sure is quiet up here. Barren, too."

Torstrim says, "Aye, it is that."

You say, "But it's nice."

Torstrim says, "There was a place much like this, naer the village I lived in when I was a lad. My grandfather, Uthweald, would take me up into the mountains and tell me about the old days. He fought in the Battle of Red Stones, you know."

You say, "He did?"

Torstrim says, "At Duke Angathnar's side, no less. He slew ten Rennaj that day."

You say, "I remember reading about that battle."

Torstrim says, "Grandfather said it was glorious. I travel here sometimes, to be alone, and to remember him."

[in chat, not sent] I think I understand.

The Rennaj were later referenced in a developer chat, when a player asked:

Originally you guys had planned 4 heritage groups, for one of these heritage groups you have some concept art of a city (Rennaj City) Although the 4th heritage was drop... Could you guys look into perhaps in the distance future (okay, well maybe not years from now! but sometime...) considering bringing Rennaj City to life? :) It's a wonderful concept and I'm sure many of the fans would love to see a floating city :) Preferably a hidden secret floating city!

To which the developers responded:

letoile@turbine> More than four, in fact.

letoile@turbine> I'm not sure we could easily do the floating city in the current engine. Buildings themselves take a long time. In order to do this properly, we'd have to make the city a bunch of multiple floating buildings that all fit together. Jason, you want to add something to my fumbling here?

jason@Turbine> a large one would be hard, but small ones would just be a time suck.. perhaps one day, but I don't know when we'd have the time to work it in..

This developer chat, which occurred in June of 2000, may have been the inspiration for the Floating City Quest, which was added in October of 2000.

In the Stormwaltz 2016 Q&A, in Question 28: Viamontians and Rennaj Stormwaltz stated that he did not recall any details of the Rennaj. But the concept art gave him the feeling of Yalaini design, looking like "a blend of Neydisa Castle up top with the floating Sentinel Spire below."

In the Toby Ragaini 2021 Q&A, Question 15, Toby stated:

The Rennaj were another group of humans that were considered early on in the game's design. Evil and corrupt, they were slavers and hedonists somewhat analogous to the Melnibonéans from Michael Moorcock's Elric Saga. They seemed out of place in the conflicts that we wanted to focus on, and so they never made it into the final game