Karrnath



Karrnath is a nation of Khorvaire. It was founded by Karrn the Conqueror over two thousand years ago, and is known as "the birthplace of kings". It is proud of its martial heritage and being the oldest of the Five Nations. The nation is particularly noted for its widespread use of undead soldiers during the Last War and the ruthless dictatorship of its monarch.

Geography
Lying in the northeast of Khorvaire, the nation of Karrnath stretches from Scions Sound in the west to the Ironroot Mountains in the east, and from Karrn Bay in the north to its tenuous border with the Talenta Plains to the south. It is a nation of equal parts open fields and dense forests with House Orien trade roads and lightning rail tracks providing ample travel options.

Government
Karrnath is a hereditary monarchy currently ruled by King Kaius ir'Wynarn III. Kaius has an extensive family that holds many positions of government, including his aunt Moranna ir'Wynarn, the former regent and currently chief advisor to the crown and minister of foreign affairs; and his cousin Vedim ir'Omik, Minister of the Dead. Haydith ir'Wynarn, the younger sister of the King, is a top general in the army and trained at the prestigious Rekkenmark Academy. Many of Karrnath's nobility also hold positions of power as warlords in Karrnath's government, with authority to raise armies and oversee their titled lands.

While the government uses the Galifar Code of Justice as the basis for its laws, at the start of the Last War, martial law was declared and the nation adopted a much stricter set of laws known as the Code of Kaius.

Economy
Much of Karrnath's economy revolves around utilizing its vast and dense forests such as the Karrnwood. Karrnathi pines, paper, and other wood products are highly valued exports. While Karrnath suffers from food shortages, forcing it to import staples like grain, it is known for its cheeses, meats and ales. Goods like Nightwood ale and Karrn bitter cheese are luxuries fetching a high price in other nations.

Karrnath is also home to a number of the dragonmarked houses. Houses Deneith and Jorasco both have their headquarters in Karrnath, along with the eastern branch of House Cannith. In addition, the Twelve, an organization made up of all the Houses, has its headquarters in Karrnath's capital of Korth.

Society
One of the oldest human nations on Khorvaire, Karrnath was built on a strong military tradition, one that carries on to this day. Karrnath supports a heavy middle class with plenty of trade businesses running in the large metropolitan centers throughout the western region of the country. Every Karrnathi citizen is forced into compulsory military service lasting at least two years. While many turn this service into a life-long career, others are quick to fulfill their duty and begin their actual lives. Most interesting about Karrnathi society is their use of the dead. There are no qualms about necromancy or undead in Karrnath and the forces of the military in the Last War were bolstered by skeleton and zombie forces. While this violated deep taboos in Galifarian society, Karnnathis tended to rationalize it as giving their best to the King - in life and in death.

The summers are hot, short, and wet while the winters are long, bitterly cold and full of snow. The people have grown hearty and robust because of the constant weather fluctuations.

Pre-Galifar
Karrnath was one of the first human nations established on Khorvaire, founded by Karrn the Conqueror 2000 years ago. Karrn attempted to unite the Five Nations of Khorvaire by conquest, but while he was able to take over Cyre, the other three nations allied against Karrn and stopped his conquests.

Over 900 years later, in −45 YK, Galifar ir'Wynarn was born to a Karrn warlord. During Galifar's youth, Karrnath clashed with the other Five Nations in a decade-long conflict known as the Border Wars.When his father died, Galifar assumed leadership of Karrnath at age 21. Galifar expanded Karrnath's military and began making plans to unite the other Five Nations through conquest or diplomacy. After ten years of rule, Galifar began a military campaign to unify Khorvaire, and after fourteen long years, he succeeded in uniting the nations, forming what would become known as the Kingdom of Galifar. His grandson, Galifar ir'Wynarn II, later instituted a new calendar starting at the very year that Galifar I united the Five Nations.

Under Galifar
In the first year of his reign, Galifar I assigned each of the Five Nations to one of his children to oversee as governor-prince/princess. The governance of Karrnath went to Karrn, his eldest son. However, by the time he finally abdicated his throne at the age of 85, several of his older children had already died and it was his youngest son, Cyre, who would succeed him as the second King of Galifar. Under the empire of Galifar, Karrnath's Rekkenmark Academy became the school for military officers across Khorvaire.

The Last War
In 894 YK, King Jarot's son Kaius I joined his siblings in opposing handing the crown to Mishann of Cyre, igniting the Last War. While Karrnath had some of the best military minds and armies, a series of plagues and famines left Karrnath short on troops, forcing Karrnath to turn to creating undead soldiers with aid from the Blood of Vol. This decision would temporarily deprive Karnnath of her allies, as the other nations turned upon it in revulsion of shattering a strong taboo against raising the dead. Although alliances eventually shifted, Karrnath would still suffer some of the heaviest casualties of the war despite its use of undead shock troops.

During the war, Karrnath lost the territory of the Mror Holds, which declared independence in 914 YK; the Lhazaar Principalities, which declared independence in 986 YK; and the Talenta Plains; all of which were later recognized as independent nations by the Treaty of Thronehold.

In 976 YK, upon the death of his father Jaron, Kaius III became king, but due to his age, his aunt Moranna became regent of Karrnath. During Moranna's regency, she disbanded the Blood of Vol military orders, but the Order of the Emerald Claw refused to disband, becoming an outlawed organization. Kaius III came of age and took full control over Karrnath in 991 YK and became the biggest proponent of peace. While the destruction of Cyre in the Day of Mourning in 994 YK was the main catalyst for peace, it was Kaius who established that peace talks should commence in Thronehold and he was the first signatory of the Treaty of Thronehold.

Post-War
Since the signing of the Treaty of Thronehold, Karrnath has worked to maintain the Treaty, however, it remains heavily militarized from the war. While some of the restrictions of the Code of Kaius were eased during peace time, martial law remains in place in Karrnath. Karrnath's warlords maintain power and influence, and the country engages in skirmishes with Mournland horrors and Valenar raiders. Kaius III has negotiated trade deals with Thrane and Breland, and has established alliances with the Mror Holds and the halflings of the Talenta Plains. Kaius has also proposed a relative exchange between Karrnath, Breland, and Thrane to help ensure a lasting peace, but this has yet to be agreed to.

Other Notable Features

 * Ashen Spires
 * Iceflow River
 * Icetop Mountains
 * Icewood
 * Ironroot Mountains
 * Karrn River
 * Karrnwood
 * Lake Dark
 * Madstone
 * Nightwood
 * Scions Sound
 * Shadowmount Forest

Notable Karrns

 * King Kaius III
 * Haydith ir'Wynarn
 * Regent Moranna ir'Wynarn
 * Vedim ir'Omik
 * Malevanor
 * Gruden ir'Erdei, High Counselor of Rekkenmark Academy
 * Caldrus ir'Kurtvach
 * General Yorin Thauram, Commander of the White Lions
 * Hyran ir'Tennet, Civic Minister of Korth
 * Roerith, Prelate of the Sovereign Host
 * King Galifar ir'Wynarn I, warlord of Karrnath and first King of the Kingdom of Galifar

Notable Organizations

 * Blood of Vol
 * House Deneith
 * House Jorasco
 * Order of the Emerald Claw
 * Order of Rekkenmark
 * The Royal Family
 * The Twelve
 * Red Watchers

Grammatical Reference
"Karrnath" is a noun and refers to the nation as a whole. "Karrnathi" is the adjectival word referring to an item or quality that derives from the nation of Karrnath (e.g., Karrnathi skeleton). "Karrn" is a noun used to refer to a person of Karrnathi heritage or who is a citizen of the nation of Karrnath.