Kartakass
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This section contains canon Ravenloft information from officially published sources; see the References below. |
Kartakass is the most musical domain in the domains of Dread, and most native bards originate from or have been trained there. It lies in the south of the Core.
Background
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This section contains canon Ravenloft information from officially published sources; see the References below. |
A domain with lush forests, 'Kartakass' contains only two major settlements: Skald and Harmonia, though there are a number of hamlets and small villages, of which Merecreek and its chapel to Ezra are the most known. It is crisscrossed with the rivers that originate from the Musarde River, which flows in from Sithicus and disappears into Hazlan. The domain is bordered by Barovia in the north, Hazlan in the east, and Sithicus in the west. South of this domain lay Vernian, though it is only traversable via a very dangerous mist crossing.
Wedged between Barovia and 'Kartakass' lies Forlorn, a mostly-empty domain - at least of human habitation.
'Kartakass' is infested with wolfweres - wolves that transform into humans and humanoid-wolf hybrids. The ruler is the Meistersinger (German for "master singer"), Harkon Lukas. The dangers of its wood are a fact that is largely unknown to outsiders, who regard the country as simply being the homeplace for bards and a particular potent alcoholic drink called Meekulbrau. The natives suspect that the very numerous wolves of the land are more than they appear to be, but the literal truth about them is rarely whispered. The figurative truth is, however, lent voice in song by the wolfwere bards themselves, who never tire of recounting the tales of the cunning of Grandfather Wolf over and against the stupidity of Grandfather Boar and the feebleness of mankind.
Titles
'Kartakass' is less of a country and styles itself a "collection of meritocratic settlements".[1] The merit is, as one might expect from their reputation, largely determined by contests of song. The truth of the matter is largely more the more charismatic and popular one often wins Meistersinger, and Skald's Meistersinger is one the others largely follow, on polices that affect the domain as a whole. Part of this is Harkon's charisma, part of it is the whispers of what happens to his enemies.
Holdings
References
- ↑ Canon:(?) page , Gazetteer I, Arthaus Publishing (John W. Mangrum, Stuart Turner, Peter Woodworth, and Andrew Wyatt), 2002, ISBN: 978-1588460806
