Got distracted this week, so I didn’t do much writing on Tales from Karatera. So why don’t we do some talk on the lore, instead? I mentioned last week that each story sets out to explore a different faction of Karatera, so why don’t we talk briefly about some of the big ones?

The Bluebane Alliance

The Bluebane Alliance is a pact between the dragonkin clans of the Dragonspine mountains and the nomarchs of the Black River, dedicated to throwing off the shackles of Providence and establishing a new kingdom for themselves. Ruled by the ferocious dragon-king Gharamax and his brood of dragonling princes, the alliance is an enormous, if undisciplined, military force, and the most feared faction in Karatera, made up of barbarians, brutes, and sorcerers.

The dragonkin clans hold a disproportionate amount of influence over the members of the alliance, for while the nomarchs keep their cities and lands, its the dragonkin who own the armies, and it is said that one dragonkin is worth five humans on the battlefield. Still, Gharamax promises freedom to worship gods as you see fit, a boon the nomarchs would not have under Providence, so they serve the dragonkin without complaint, granting the Bluebanes access to the ancient spells of the Old Faith for their service.

Inspirations: The Goths and the Celts (dragonkin, very loose inspiration), Ancient Egypt (the Black River).

The Providence of the First Eye

Providence is a theocratic monarchy based in the beautiful city of Prince’s River, in the heart of the verdant Coastlands. As a faction, they consider themselves lawful, good and just, granted divine right to rule Karatera by the all-powerful First Eye and its three saints. Their strength lies in the powerful divine miracles granted to them by their god, as well as its dedicated standing army, known as the Wings of the First Eye. They are ruled by King Ergon Caspio II, a fierce adventurer and reluctant king.

It used to be that Providence ruled over all of Karatera, but years of corruption and incompetence, compounded by an absentee king, led Providence’s influence to wane and diminish, allowing factions like the Bluebanes and the Redbloods to take over the lands that were once theirs. With the future of their kingdom in jeopardy, Providence has banded together once more, to fight back the threats beyond the mountains and take their kingdom back.

Inspirations: Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, the Byzantine Empire.

The Redblood Mercenary Company

A faction of sellswords that originated in the dark city of Ifenswalk, the Redbloods have spread out to dominate the entirety of the Red Sands. Opportunistic and greedy, the Redbloods have set up shop in every major city of the eastern deserts, absorbing other companies and sellsword groups into their ranks until only the Redbloods remain. It is said that even the nobles of the Red Sands hire Redbloods for their protection, rather than dedicated house guards.

The Redbloods were originally dedicated to hunting the muluk’hajar mountain lords, who once enslaved the people of the sands in times long past. It is said that a mountain lord’s blood was as grey as the stone they were hewn from, while good folk bled red – hence the Redblood name. Now, under the leadership of half-demon Afrita el-Demal, the Redbloods are willing to do any job for the right price, no matter what colour the victim’s blood, though at the moment, they have their hands full defending the Red Sands against the Bluebane incursion and the wrath of Providence.

Inspirations: Medieval mercenary companies (free companies, I believe they were called).

The Silver Blades

Deep in the Violent Sands, on an unmarked road, lies the mystical city of Khenemata. Protecting it are the Silver Blades, khenedrin nomads trained in the use of the sword, wielding blades and armour carved from the crystalline material known as silvered glass. It is said that they serve the Silvered Princess of Khenemata directly, defending the borders of the city from intruders through guerilla tactics, made more effective by their mastery of the desert terrain. They were long thought to be a myth, as they never interacted with the world beyond the city of magic.

Yet, there have been reports. Villages sworn to Providence laid to waste. Desert travellers slain, their bodies dumped back at the town gates. And survivors who speak feverishly of cold-eyed desert people with shining blades and glass armour that shone like silver. Perhaps the khenedrin have tired of Providence’s grip like the rest of Karatera. Perhaps they are seeking to take their sands back from the invaders.

Inspirations: Berber tribes (very loosely), elves from western fantasy.

That’s all for this week! Next week I might actually get into some of that RPG stuff for Karatera.