Karrnath

While Karrnath originally put more stock in swords than in spells, this view quickly changed after the first few engagements of the Last War. Observing the war magic of Cyre and Aundair, Kaius I ordered all youths to be tested for arcane aptitude at the enclave of the Twelve.
Over the course of the Last War, Karrnath has made its own strides in the mystic arts. Its greatest accomplishments have been in the arcane schools of evocation and necromancy. The country still lags behind the civic accomplishments of the wizards of Aundair, but they have become almost their equal in the art of war.

The worship of the Sovereign Host dominates the land of Karrnath, despite almost a hundred years in which the Blood of Vol was the national religion. Boldrei, Dol Arrah, and Dol Dorn are seen as the patrons of the land, with a strong emphasis on the virtues of honor, strength in battle, and love of community. Divine spellcasters are rare, and most priests fall into the category of expert, aristocrat, or fighter.

The Blood of Vol still has followers at all levels of society, because some have ignored Kaius III’s restrictions concerning the religion. It is important to understand that most people—including members of the faithful—don’t see the Order of the Emerald Claw as representative of the faith. Many of the common folk who revere the Blood see life as a constant struggle against death, believing that undeath is one way to win the battle. They treat any of the higher forms of undead (vampires, liches) with reverence and great respect. 

Early in the Last War, plague- and famine-ravaged Karrnath resorted to using undead soldiers in its army—a desperate decision that might have saved Karrnath from utter ruin. Even today, Karrnath keeps undead legions to defend its borders and to use in case hostilities resume.

A relative few Karrnathi skeleton and zombie troops patrol the borders and serve as special guards in Korth and Atur, usually at facilities tied to the crown. The average Karrn finds the intelligent undead to be at best creepy and at worst completely terrifying. Karrnathi soldiers have better tolerance, but few want to socialize with the undead. Everyone appreciates the role that the undead play in defending Karrnath,
however, and the typical soldier feels a sense of pride in knowing that he or she can continue to protect the nation even after death.

Source: Eberron Campaign Guide

Karrnath is best known for its elite Karrnathi undead, corpses of elite soldiers infused with the martial spirit of Karrnath. These elite units are capable of working in any condition with minimal management. Compared to warforged, the chief advantage of Karrnathi undead is their superior night vision, enabling operations even on the darkest of nights when only one or two moons shine.

However, the majority of Karrnath's undead legions are not made up of such elite soldiers. Bured under Atur are hordes of ordinary skeletons and zombies, bound by enchantments that are only to be undone when the next war begins. Other types of more sophisticated undead are also contained, although in much smaller quantities both due to the increased cost associated with creating and controlling them and the reality that only skilled necromancers can create them. Self-replicating undead, such as ghouls, shadows, and wights were especially kept on a short leash in low quantities to avoid an uncontrollable outbreak or infestation.

During the war, it's important to contextualize that it wasn't just the moral and ethical flexibility of the use of undead that gave the Karrnathi the advantage, but the magical development. An ordinary necromancer can only control a handful of undead at a time, and even that required significant skill and training. However, with items such as the Helm of Odakyr even a novice necromancer could manage half a dozen basic undead.

A common mistake amongst residents of Khorvaire is the belief that the Karrnathi as a whole like the use of undead. This is not true - most Karrnathi are vassals, worshippers of Dol Arrah and Dol Dorn. However, they recognize the important role undead have had in defending Karrnath, so while they may dislike them they see it as something necessary to preserve their proud heritage. Due to the mandatory two years of service, many Karrnathi have had more personal encounters with the undead legions, seeing that they were able to stay safe and act as support while the allied zombies and skeletons bore the brunt of the casualties.

Source: Politics of Karrnath

Two subjects turn up consistently in Karrnathi art— war and religion. Images of grand battles in flat, two dimensional renderings demonstrate an emotional connection to physical strength and perfection. For religious subjects, the Sovereign Host provides most of the inspiration, and paintings proclaiming the faith fill private galleries and public museums alike. During the height of the Blood of Vol movement, a new form of disturbing yet fascinating art developed. Blood art, known for its striking use of crimson and actual blood to create scenes as though from a fevered dream, was extremely popular for a time and is still created by the most faithful followers of the Blood.

Karrnathi architecture tends to be heavy and symmetrical, with a militaristic uniformity and lots of decorative elements, such as monoliths and obelisks. In many ways,the typical Karrnathi city street resembles a museum, with heavy stone buildings, ornate sculptures, and
free standing statues. Fountains get a lot of play in Karrnath as well, with many of these becoming frozen in the winter to form a different kind of sculpture.

Karrnathi cuisine tends to be as heavy and complex as its architecture, with filling, multilayered casseroles one of the mainstays of the typical family meal. Karrns consider sausage- and cheesemaking to be art forms,and all kinds and varieties of these foods can be found throughout the land.

Because of the harsh winters, stews and soups are a staple of Karrnathi cooking, and every hearth has a pot of something simmering over the fire throughout the long winter season.

Brewing, another popular Karrnathi pastime, has created some of the most flavorful and potent beers and ales in the Five Nations, and kegs of Karrnathi brews find their way to markets across the continent.

Baking has also developed into a staple of Karrnathi culinary art, and all kinds of pies and breads come out of the rich-smelling ovens throughout the land. One particularly popular loaf, called vedbread, combines crusty bread with the flavorful sharp ved cheese. This is enjoyed warm as it emerges from the oven, or slathered with onion butter

Karrns favor plain, functional clothing, worn neat and immaculately clean. They generally wear dark colors. Since Karrnathi winters tend to be long and cold, thick cloaks are a common accompaniment to any outfit. While their clothing tends to be drab and unadorned, Karrns take great pride in their armor and weapons—which are some of the finest produced in all of Khorvaire. Armor is frequently worn on village and city streets, and it is always carefully polished and ornately decorated.

1. How to play Conqueror. This chesslike board game reputedly invented by Karrn the Conqueror is enjoyed across Khorvaire. But in Karrnath, it’s the national pastime and a popular way to spend long, wintry nights.

2. Their own family trees, going back at least four generations. The Blood of Vol has encouraged interest in genealogy. Combined with a Karrn’s natural pride in heritage, it’s not surprising for everyone to know their families well. Two Karrns who meet in a tavern will often start a conversation by mentioning their ancestors, trying to find a common link.

3. A bit about military organization. Almost all Karrnathi adults spent some time in the military, so they know the difference between a sergeant major and a major, the proper way to salute superior officers, and what various uniform insignia mean.

4. An appreciation for art. During the Last War, many of Karrnath’s artists painted colorful propaganda posters that adorned walls in major cities. Though the war is over, many Karrns have taken the posters into their homes, where they hang as decoration and a reminder of Karrnath’s military past.

5. A keen sense of the weather. Of the Five Nations, Karrnath gets by far the worst weather. Karrns love to talk (and complain) about the weather, and they’re adept at comparing one day’s snowfall to the next. They aren’t necessarily any better at predicting the weather, but they’re quite good at answering questions such as “How hot was it yesterday?” in detail.

The following turns of phrase are uniquely Karrnathi.

“You can break a single arrow, but not ten in a bunch.” Used to express how Karrns prefer to work together, fi nding strength in numbers. It’s also a subtle reminder to conform to the direction the other “arrows” (fellow citizens) are taking.

“While the wolf drinks, the dog looks on.” A Karrnathi way of saying “rank has its privileges.”

“Edible birds don’t live long.” A Karrnathi warning not to make yourself a tempting target to your rivals; a way of saying “put your guard up.”

“There’s more to good ale than a silver flagon.” A Karrnathi proverb expressing a preference for substance over style.

“Blunted!” An expression of dismay or failure.

“Khoot! Khoot! Karrnath!” A battle cheer common among rank-and-fi le Karrn troopers. The “oo” sounds are often drawn out into a howling wail.

Known as the “birthplace of kings,” the nation of Karrnath was born in war. The art of war remains the birthright of every true son and daughter of the land, and it sings in their blood and their dreams. The first humans
to settle the region were Lhazaar marauders. They built outposts along the barren coastline and raided the softer lands to the south. Slowly, these outposts developed into towns and cities, and the people that remained in the land were tempered by the long, harsh winters.

As the descendants of the Lhazaar raiders continued to spread out and eventually divide into five distinct nations, Karrn the Conqueror rose to power. He transformed the pirates and pillagers of his northeastern realm into a deadly army. Under his leadership, the Karrnathi forces swept the remnants of the goblinoids out of the land and made war upon the other human settlements. Karrn dreamed of ruling a vast kingdom, and in his zeal he conquered two-fifths of the human lands. In the end, no single foe defeated Karrn. Rather, he was overcome by the sheer size of Khorvaire and his own penchant for cruelty.

Karrn’s legacy remains, and most people tend to forget the atrocities and prefer to remember the accomplishments. He cleared the heartland of the human nations of the remnants of the goblinoid empire. He galvanized the people and kick-started the march to civilization. He built the greatest army of his age. And he died in a kingdom that bore his name. Centuries later, his descendant Galifar, a true son of Karrnath, would pick up Karrn’s dream and unite the Five Nations.

Galifar utilized the military power of Karrnath to forge his kingdom, and no force could stand against him. Of course, he tempered war with hope and a dream of a better society, and thus succeeded where Karrn had failed. After the Kingdom of Galifar was established, military officers from across the land trained at the Rekkenmark Academy. Military traditions and training were disseminated to the rest of the kingdom, but as a people the Karrns continued to be more dedicated to and proficient in the art of war. To this day, every citizen of Karrnath serves a term in the military, and every citizen of Karrnath practices with the local militia.

Life in Karrnath can be cold and hard, but the Karrnathi people are colder and harder. When the Last War began, the people of the land rallied behind their king. It seemed unthinkable that the other parts of the collapsing kingdom could stand against the military might of Karrnath. Better equipment and training could take the Karrns only so far, however. They underestimated the arcane weaponry of Aundair and Cyre. They underestimated the divine power of the Silver Flame that bolstered Thrane. And they failed to account for the sheer heart and determination of the Brelish people, perhaps the most underrated nation at the start of the war.

Karrnath suffered a series of embarrassing and potentially destructive setbacks, forcing King Kaius I to accept aid from the Blood of Vol. Using the necromantic arts at their disposal, the Vol priests called Karrnath’s fallen warriors back from the grave, setting the stage for the rest of the long, long war. The tireless undead troops bolstered the nation’s living soldiers and brought a sense of otherworldly terror to the battlefields. The Karrnathi undead were some of the most unusual troops deployed in battle until the creation of the warforged.

Karrnath’s forests, especially the densely packed Karrnwood that covers the northern portion of the nation, provide some of the most notable exports sold throughout Khorvaire. Karrnathi pines produce valuable timber that is sold in the distant markets of Lhazaar and Breland. The Karrns have also perfected the process of making paper, and Karrnathi paper draws a premium price throughout the continent.

Dairy farms throughout the nation provide milk, butter, and cheese to the markets in Korth and Atur, and some of the more exotic cheeses sell for more than their weight in silver in distant cities and towns. Beef, pork, and poultry raised in Karrnath also rank among the best on the continent. House Ghallanda in particular prefers to serve Karrnathi beef and pork at its inns and fest halls. House Orien provides an invaluable service with its magically cooled caravan wagons and other methods for preserving food stocks during transport.

Another beloved Karrnathi creation, served in Ghallanda hospitality enclaves from the Eldeen Reaches to the Lhazaar Principalities, is Nightwood ale. Nightwood ale has a thick, full flavor to match its dark, robust body that glistens with thin streams of golden bubbles. Barrels of Nightwood ale and wheels of Karrn bitter cheese command such a high price in foreign markets that an honor guard of Deneith sentinels usually accompanies and protects these shipments.

As in the other nations, the dragonmarked houses maintain emporiums and outposts throughout Karrnath in order to conduct business. Two houses run their vast enterprises from within Karrnath’s borders. House Jorasco’s Healers Guild headquarters occupies a massive complex in Vedykar, where it also operates a training institute for the healing arts. House Deneith makes its headquarters in Karrlakton, where the Sentinel Tower rises high above the rest of the city

Karrnath controls lands north of the Mournland and the Talenta Plains, stretching down from the shores of Karrn Bay between Scions Sound to the west and the Ironroot Mountains to the east. Dense forest covers most of its
western holdings, including the massive Karrnwood and the dark Nightwood. The Ashen Spires rise in the nation’s heart, while the eastern Icetop Mountains lead to the Ironroots beyond. In the southeast, the forested countryside gives way to vast rolling hills and grasslands until it joins the Talenta Plains.

The lands are rich and verdant, but an insufficient number of farmers and adverse weather keep the nation from feeding all its people. Food shortages are a constant problem, forcing the nation to import grain from Aundair, the Eldeen Reaches, and Breland. Karrnathi livestock, while not overabundant, is plentiful and of the highest quality. Pork, beef, dairy, exotic cheeses, and butter are staples of the Karrnathi diet, and the nation produces enough of these commodities to export a large amount of them to other nations, where they are viewed as luxuries. Karrnath also harvests its forests for lumber and paper.

A military dictatorship since the start of the Last War, Karrnath continues to operate under martial law. This makes it a bit tougher on visitors and adventurer types, but the land isn’t totally closed to travelers. Instead of the Code of Galifar, the country follows the Code of Kaius. This rigid set of laws and responsibilities is based on the older code, but many rights have been restricted or eliminated in the name of national defense. With the end of the Last War, a handful of the more stringent laws have been lifted, but the overall oppression of a martial system remains.

Today, Karrnath enjoys its role as one of the architects of peace, but there are undercurrents of unease throughout all levels of the nation. It came as a surprise when Kaius III, leader of a harsh band of hardened warriors, pressed for peace. Most of the Karrnathi warlords (the highest-ranking nobles in the land) believe that their king is simply rebuilding the strength of the nation and searching for an advantage to turn against the other nations. They trust that he will unleash their armies again when the time is right and grasp the throne of Galifar as his own. But there are those among the warlords and nobility that believe that Kaius is too soft, not at all like his father or great-grandfather. They see the Treaty of Thronehold as a symbol of his cowardice, and his efforts to curtail the power of the Blood of Vol as a rejection of the religion of the people. When the current peace finally breaks, it may be Karrnath that swings the first sword—despite the wishes of its king.

Karrnath has always been a martial nation, and its people remain vigilant. Early in the war, King Kaius I instituted the Code of Kaius, a strict set of laws and limits. Karrnath weathered a number of famines during the war, and this privation led to an ongoing program of rationing to ensure that the nation is prepared for whatever lies ahead. The war is over, but the Code of Kaius and the rationing remains in place; the people of Karrnath willingly endure ongoing hardship to ensure that their future is secure. The populace frowns on excess of any sort, accepts limits on luxury items, and approves of swift and harsh punishments for crime.

King Kaius III was one of the architects of the Treaty of Thronehold and remains committed to peace. However, many of the nation’s warlords believe that Karrnath would have won the Last War and that Kaius denied the Karrnathi people their rightful destiny. Should these warlords gain sufficient support, they could push for a military coup.

A second destabilizing factor is the tension between the followers of the Blood of Vol and the Karrnathi traditionalists. The Seekers assert that the Blood of Vol saved Karrnath and point to the power of its undead troops. The traditionalists claim that the dark magic of the Seekers caused famines and plagues, crippling Karrnath and forcing it to rely on the undead. The Blood of Vol could back an uprising in Karrnath, or those who wish to drive out the Seekers could trigger a civil war.

Below the Warlords, Karrnath's towns and surrounding villages are managed by Royal Mayors. The Royal Mayor is an appointed title chosen by the Warlord. While it is usually hereditary, the power to renounce a Royal Mayor's title is solely vested in the Warlord. Furthermore, the Royal Mayor's primary residence is owned by the Warlord, making them dependent on their Warlord for continued power.

Karrnath has endured a century of martial law, declared when Kaius contested the coronation of his sister Mishann of Cyre. This has given Karrnath's security forces, especially the White Lions, wide discretion when it comes to enforcing the law. Those deemed to be in violation of the law are brought before a judge for sentencing. The intervention of a Royal Mayor or a Warlord is typically necessary to mitigate the consequences - meaning that if a party decides to cause trouble and gets arrested, they better have made friends in high places who can intervene on their behalf.

Towns

Governed directly by a Royal Mayor, each town in Karrnath is a center of commerce and trade. Local villagers bring their goods on a regular basis, trading agricultural products for the manufactured goods produced in each town. Many towns implemented curfews over the course of the war, and the steady lifting of them over the past two years has caused a resurgence in traditional Karrnathi dancing halls where young people fraternize after dark.

Villages

The cold climate of Karrnath shortens the growing season for "breadbasket" crops, making many of the farmers reliant on magebred cows and pigs supplied by House Vadalis. While House Vadalis and Lyrandar have spent significant amounts of time pursuing magebred crops bred for northern resiliency on the Karrnathi crown's dime, their successes have been far more limited than their results with livestock. The Karrnathi branch of Vadalis considers themselves artisans, working with the many villages to cultivate new and exciting flavors of meat and dairy products. What has especially excited the artificers of Vadalis is the promising new chocolate flavor brought in by Xen'drik explorers two decades ago - while the plant itself cannot handle Karrnath's long winters, the bitter flavor pairs excellently with Karrnathi agricultural products.

Still, Karrnath's villages are haunted by a century of famines. Contrary to what many assume, the worst years were actually preceded by light, warm winters - meaning that insects and vermin were able to survive in higher numbers, terrorizing the farmers. Many village elders show signs of malnutrition, as the lack of food during their childhood years led to stunted growth.

Over time the Seekers and Vassals have self-selected to live in different villages. Seeker villages typically support a couple of basic undead - skeletons and zombies - that help with the fields, having a status somewhere between plows and oxen. Seekers give their bodies to the communities so they can continue to help even in death. The farmhand reanimation process is expensive, so most corpses are sold to government corpse collectors to restock the undead legions.

Source: Politics of Karrnath