Karrnath

Karrnath is the most oppressive and militarized of the Five Nations. Its culture prizes discipline, order, and loyalty to the crown—traits shaped by the harsh winters and relentless blizzards of northern Khorvaire.

Karrnath’s people are raised with a strong sense of duty to the state, and public life is shaped by strict laws, formal hierarchies, and a deep respect for tradition. Military service is common, and even in civilian life, Karrns are expected to conduct themselves with restraint and resolve.

Early in the Last War, Karrnath was struck hard by famine and plague. These disasters thinned their population and crippled their armies. In desperation, the crown turned to an unlikely ally: the Blood of Vol, a Karrnathi-born faith that teaches reverence for undeath and the pursuit of immortality through undeath.

With the help of Vol necromancers, Karrnath began raising its war dead— creating advanced zombies and skeletons fit for military service. Soon they came to comprise the majority of Karrnath's infantry. Over time, the undead and those who could make or control them became a fixture of Karrnathi warfare. What was once a proud and storied military tradition become corrupted by necromancy and a desperate choice they quickly came to regret.

As a Region of Origin

Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength or Constitution

Learn 1 Skill: Intimidation, Medicine, or Survival
or 2 Tools: alchemy kit, blacksmithing tools, bonecrafting tools, herbalism kit, poisonmaking kit, or woodworking tools

Choose a Bonus Language: Dwarven, Halfling, Human, or Mabarran (== language of sentient undead)