Karath

Karath

Type: Capital
Population: 131,131
Location: Telvan
Current Ruler: Shinjaloye Nilkarath

Significance

Karath is the capital of Telvan. It was built by the First Emperor and is home to the Nilkarath family as well as the Fire Lord's primary temple. The Dragon Warriors are based out of this city.

Demographics

People of varying social classes live here, as does the imperial Family. Some of its surrounding farms raise livestock. Pets are common.

With few exceptions, the residents of Karath are Telvanite. There are some Dovalian and Kasheran merchants living there, but foreigners are decidedly in the minority there.

People in the capital city tend to be far more devout than the rest of their countrymen. This may be because the Fire Lord's primary temple is in Karath.

Language

Telvanites speak a dialect of the main Annom language known as Tinik. Foreigners who have been in Karath for a while speak a blend of Tinik and their native dialect.

Food and Water

Much of its food comes from the surrounding farms. They import what they can't grow locally as well as more exotic items. Fish from the river is a dietary staple. Much of their meat comes from hunting in the nearby woods and the slaughter of livestock.

Proximity to the river makes getting water easy. Karath has a high water table and there are many wells. Each farm has at least one.

Government

Like all of An'katerr's five countries, Telvan is ruled by an Imperial Family. Karath is the seat of House Nilkarath . Typically, the eldest child inherits the throne from their ruling parent. It's rare when a younger sibling or cousin inherits instead.

Defenses

Karath is surrounded by high walls as is typical for larger settlements. As the city grew additional walls were built.

At present, there are roughly 870 soldiers protecting the city and immediate area.

Guilds and Factions

The Chant of Fire has its primary temple here, located on Temple Row. The Dragon Warriors are primarily situated at the Imperial Palace although some have been known to have houses elsewhere in the city.

History

After the Sky Lords established the five nations of An'katerr, the leaders of each nation were told to return to their ancestral land and establish great cities from which to rule their land. Completion of the first few rows of the city were completed in year 4 ABD. The last city expansion was completed in 657.

It's first ruler was a man named Coloren, the first emperor of Telvan. He is listed in the history books as the first member of House Nilkarath even though his family stretched back centuries before that. His wife, Miothenna, ruled at his side. Coloren's people had roamed the south lands for centuries prior to the Beginning of Days. As such, it was only natural that they establish their new contry of Telvan in that region.

Karath was the name of Coloren's grandfather, a man he greatly admired. The city's namesake didn't live to see the Beginning of Days and his grandson's ascension to emperor. This was Coloren's way of paying homage to the past while working towards the future.

Architecture

As Karath expanded and outgrew its original set of walls, more walls were built to allow it to expand further. This has given the city an odd layout. Each Row has a name that suits is modern function. From the outside in the Rows are as follows: Crafter's Row, Merchant Row, Park Row, Temple Row, Noble Row, Guard Row, Palace Complex

Each Row is a small town unto itself with eating establishments, homes, markets, small shrines, and other day to day necessities. The Rows get their names from the specialties they have.

Crafter's Row

Crafter's Row is known for its blacksmiths, tailors, bookbinders, masons, painters, carpenters, woodcarvers, and weavers.

Merchant Row

Merchant's Row is where one would find beer sellers, barbers, jewelers, butchers, inns, book sellers, chandlers, and merchants that bring goods from all over An'katerr.

Park Row

Park Row is where one would find areas full of lush greenery. It's a quiet row with more houses than industries. It has a few upscale eating establishments and entertainment houses.

Temple Row

Temple Row is where the Great Temple of Kal Sharash is located. At one time it was the original Row for ordinary citizens to live in and it's outer wall marked Karath's original boundary. In modern days it has housing for the Chief Priest (or Priestess), high ranking members of the Chant of Fire, training halls for acolytes, a large library, the record hall, a public square, housing for government officials, and upscale housing for minor nobles.

Noble Row

Noble Row is generally considered to be off limits to the common folk as it entirely consists of manor houses for the highest ranking nobles in the country.

Guard Row

Entry to Guard Row is expressly forbidden to all unless you've been invited. This Row exclusively contains the barracks for the soldiers of Karath, their equipment stores, stables, and training grounds. Everything they need to help them protect Karath and the Imperial Family is here or brought to them. They take their jobs very seriously. While there are guard posts throughout Karath, Guard Row is where they're most concentrated. The elite soldiers and bodyguards to the Imperial Family reside within the Palace Complex itself.

Notable Locations: The Broken Spear

Palace Complex

Despite its importance, the Palace Complex isn't as large as most people think it is. It's large enough to house several members of the family itself, all five Dragon Warriors and the Chief Priest/Priestess (should they choose to stay there), members of the family's elite guard, palace staff, Imperial Advisors, and up to twelve visiting dignitaries. Quite often many of the rooms stand empty as the family rarely has more than two children and its not often that there are many visitors in the palace. In addition to these rooms, the palace also contains the throne room, a war room, a treasury, the Empress's private garden, a large stable, a private temple, a library, kitchen, cellar for cold storage, and a large hall.

Each wall has four gates set into it to allow people to pass through.

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Geography

Karath sits on the banks of what the Telvanites call the Dragon River. Further upstream in Doval, it's known by a different name.

When the rains come, there is a serious danger of flooding. The outder rings and surrounding farms at at the highest risk.

While Telvan's summers are generally mild, in the inner rings they can get quite uncomfortable.

Autumn weather is characterized by a distinct bite to the air.

While it's a rare winter that is cold enough to fully freeze the Dragon River, it always sports a thin, easily broken layer. Even so, trade slows to a crawl as some sections of the river have thicker ice than others. Karath sometimes experiences heavy snowfalls.

Aside from the Dragon River, the land around Karath is quite flat, ideal for farming but not much else.

Notable Residents

Chounen Nanjila – Dragon Warrior with the ability to talk to animals
Colahar Variel – Sahiren’s personal servant
Deilen Meiir – one of the kidnapped priestesses
Eladan Avirel – Mienna’s predecessor, Chief Priest of Kal Sharash
Inhari Devanaliil – Chief Priestess of Kal Kiterr.
Jikaros - most senior priest in Karath
Kiathin Nilkarath – historical Emperor of Telvan, his daughter married the only nephew of Empress Alaysis
Kinrou Alvacy – Formerly a member of the Shadowhawk bandit gang, he is now a Dragon Warrior
Mienna Sahiil – Current Chief Priestess of Kal Sharash
Nahiro Tanthriil – Thaumaturge and Dragon Warrior
Nalshen Rael – Mienna’s lover as well as a Dragon Warrior
Oren - a senior priest in Karath
Sahiren Nilkarath – Crown Prince of Telvan and Dragon Warrior
Shanye Tulaan – A Dragon Warrior who had been killed by Zalites
Shaya – a senior priestess in Karath
Shinjaloye Nilkarath – Empress of Telvan and Sahiren’s mother
Tanare Tanthriil – Nahiro’s mother, she was also a Dragon Warrior. Her sacred gem gave her telepathic abilities.
Toef – Chounen’s cat
Trishan Ulthii – Dragon Warrior, retired
Uwana Tulaan – Former Dragon Warrior, retired
Yoderene Bavalith– one of the kidnapped priestesses