Here's a thought: the practices of deception as recounted...might they be the consequences of a cultural delayed, "allergic" reaction to the years - decades - of life aboard the ships that brought the founders of what we know as Romulus to their new home? Always having to be in each other's business to the degree that travel aboard generation ships might well have made necessary for survival's sake?
He does emphasize how secretive they are, which really does give wiggle room for any future stories to contradict him.
And that disclaimer right at the top: "Condensed from various...Starfleet Intelligence...analyses, accuracy unknown"...
The bit about Romulan homes have a false front entrance and everyone enters through the back amuses me, mostly because that was basically my grandparents' house. Okay, the front entrance wasn't "false" but it was never used, ever. And indeed, all entry was through the back door. Anyway, the only part of these Notes is the assertion that the warbird became a symbol of Romulan culture after they settled on Romulus. We already know from Enterprise it was from back when they were on Vulcan. They were even referred to in those days as "those who marched beneath the Raptor's Wings and wished to maintain the old ways."
Works for me. I like it. I think it's possible to be both. They brought the Raptor imagery with them from Vulcan and blended that with the warbird.
It's and amusing read. Not sure if I'm buying it. I'd like to meet Laris and Zhaban's other spouse, though! (Jean-Luc...?)
Romulans marry in threes...? I'm pretty sure there's canon somewhere that disputes this. Or at least, decades of novels. Love the Diane Duane Rihannsu references.
The novels are not canon. It will probably all be moot as Chabon is not the showrunner anymore and the next one probably doesn't care for his notes. LOL. I can see it. They keep it discrete because of the prejudices...
The four names thing, particularly the secret name. That's straight out of My Enemy, My Ally. I don't think Rihannsu had the ever-changing "open name" though, so it's his own spin on it (albeit one that would fix the female Romulan Commander of TOS having several names in the books)
Oooh, I really love this part: And unless, of course — as some insist — the entire structure of Qowat Milat doctrine, belief and behavior is itself a giant act of deceit, concealing some deeper teaching, some hidden purpose known only to its adherents who may be, in the end, the most Romulan of all Romulans. And Elnor just didn't get the memo - either because he's too young, or because he's not a woman, or for some other reason. It would explain a lot.
Not gonna lie - and without meaning to dump on the creators of PIC - but if this is serious, then it's some of the silliest World building I've ever read. It turns "planet of the hats"up to eleven! The Romulan's can't just be a empire that happens to have become xenophobic and secretive over time or that has a scary secret police like most dictatorships on Earth nooooooooo everything in their culture, religion, philosophy, day-to-day lives has to be about deception and secrecy to the point that it's a fracking personal insult to ask someone how their day went. Pfffffffft. Though the houses inside hedge mazes (that are further disguised as natural groves) and the plays with the multiple layers of masks are neat concepts.
I don't give any slack either. There is a reason why I love the Discovery Klingons over all other iterations, aside from TUC and ST ID (brief though the later one was). I think the Romulans as Chabon mapped out leave enough room for variation. And, even if those were Chabon's notes he still gave us more on the Romulans than past Treks. So, I'm good with it.