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Mernat Campaign

By: James S. Watson

Harnmaster Rules

Mernat is a continent located far to the south and east of Lythia across the Melurian Sea. It is one of the three continents of Kethira and the only one located exclusively south of the equator. At its closest point it is over 150 Harnic Leagues from the continent of Kamerand at fifteen degrees South but it is about 1200 Harnic Leagues from the eastern end of Molkura. A chain of islands covered with tropical rain forest stretches across the intervening distance.

Aboriginal People:

The original people of Mernat are the Kalataric. These people have long skulls, heavy eye ridges, are dark complexioned with dark brown kinky hair, dark brown eyes, scant body build, and below average high. The very young often have blond to very light brown hair and fair to medium complexions. Their language, known as Kalataric, is a very rapid series of clicking sounds made with the tongue. They also have a very complex sign language using the hands and even body motions. This language is unique to the Kalataric and no similar language is known anywhere else on Kethira. Once they roamed all of Mernat but today are found only in the deserts, savannas, prairies, and the tropical rain forest of the northeastern cape. All are gatherer hunters using a few simple tools of stone and fire-hardened wood. They hunt with fire hardened wood javelins propelled with the atlatl and some groups in the tropical rain forest use the blowgun. Except for straps used to carry their few possessions they go naked.

They talk of a dreamtime before they awoke on Mernat and believe in spirits, which are found in rocks, cliffs, the water, etc. The social group is a band of from 20 to 30 persons. The Kalataric may have been on Mernat for over 10,000 years.

Molkurian:

About 1,200 BKE a Mafani sea people arrived in western Mernat after moving down the chain of islands from Molkura. These people had a dark to swarthy complexion, dark hair and eyes and were a little shorter then average. They did not use metal but had an advanced culture using bone and stone for tools. They were and are also very war like and practice cannibalism as part of their war rituals. They settled in the tropical rain forests of western Mernat and the adjoining islands. Some groups later entered the Savannas to the east of the rain forests. The Molkuri men hunt or make war the woman tend gardens, which supply about 70% of the food. The woman and girls ware loincloths and shave their heads the men and boys go naked and never cut their hair. They believe in spirits and speak Molnasian.

The Old Race:

The Phary speaking people arrived on Mernat after a long series of migrations that began about 1,400 to 1,500 BKE with the Yarili migration to Ivinia. They moved down the entire length of the west coast of Kamerand and starting about 100 TR (273 KE) arrived in Mernat. They settled in the eastern savanna area but remained close the coasts for they were a sea people. They are a tall people of average build with light straight hair, fair complexions, and blue-gray eyes. Their language is written using the Sheni script. The usual dress is a tunic belted at the waist for men, a robe belted at the waist for women, or a shirt for pre-puberescent children. Their principal deity is Kilian the Sea Goddess and Mother of Life.

At the time of conquest some groups of the Old Race retreated into the interior where they became pastoral nomads raising sheep and horses or subsistence farmers and herders. These should be treated as a tribal people. The pastoral nomad's weapons are lance, short bow, hand axe, Saber, and knife. They use bucklers and wear leather armor of vest and knee boots over surge tunics.

The Kingdom People:

About 50 TR (223 KE) the Melurian Empire discovered Mernat and began to establish settlements along the coasts. One of these is Carse, founded about 200 TR (373 KE), and another, Turan, was set up in the south cape area. These settlements become isolated after the collapse of the Melurian Empire after 316 TR (489 KE). These "Kingdom" people speak Molken and use the Miluan script. They tend to a dark or swarthy complexion, with dark hair and eyes, and tend to be a little shorter then average. Their usual dress is similar to that of the Old Race in the Barony of Carse, in the south cape area leggings may also worn in cool weather. They use ring, scale, or chain armor with a kite shield, dagger, broad or bastard sword, lance or glaive, and short bow. Melurians in the Carse area conquered the Phary people of eastern Mernat and largely reduced then to serfdom or slavery. Their principal deity is Astalon the Sky God and Lord of Justice.

"Vikings"

The Quar begin to arrive on Mernat from Kamerand, which they reached following the same route as the Phary peoples, about 250 TR (423 KE) and after raiding in eastern Mernat begin to settle along the southeast coast in the Evergreen Hardwood and Temperate Rain Forest zone. They are a barbarian people speaking Quar a Pharic language and using the Khruni script. Warlike with a high sense of personal honor they have never managed to unite behind any one leader for long. They fight with the Spear, short bow, axe (any), Broad Sword, knife, and buckler. Use Kurbul helmets with horns and if armor is used they wear hides or leather vests. Like the Phary they are a tall people of average build with light straight hair, fair complexions, and blue-gray eyes. The usual dress is tunic belted at the waist and leggings. Their principal god is Sarajin the King of the Icy Wind, Lord of the Perilous Quest, Wielder of the Blooded Axe, Master of Frosty Climes, The Gray Slayer.

The Realm:

Prior to the collapse of the Mafanese Empire (1550 BT) a colony had been planted at the southern tip of Mernat. 250 years later the survivors of this colony, by now reduced to a tribal standard of living, were joined by a group of Numenoreans cast adrift in space and time by the destruction of Numenor. The Numenoreans are a tall fair people with a life span two to four times that of normal men. The decedents of these Numenoreans make up the upper class of The Realm. They speak Adunaic, and use the Tengwa script as their native tongue. All Numenoreans also speak Mafash and can read the Mafani scrip. Well-educated Numenoreans will also speak Sindarin and can read the Selenian scrip. Their weapons are Bastard Sword, Lance, Long Bow, Mace or Ball and Chain, and Dagger, and they are skilled horsemen. Their armor consists of a chain mail large Hauberk worn over a Gambeson, a small mail cowl, plate Vambraces, a winged half helm, Knee Boots with built in plate greaves, leather leggings, and a knight's shield. Because of the skill of Numenorean weaponscrafters their armor is always of 75% weight and superior quality and their weapons are always of +2 quality with some as good as +4. Numenorean weaponscrafters will not work for non-Numenoreans. To be a Numenorean a player character must have noble parents from the Occupation Generation Table in Character 3, a height and weight of at least 74"/181, a fair complexion, blond or white/gray hair, and gray eyes. Such a character must also have a comeliness and voice of at least 13, an aura of at least 14, and a will of at least 12. Almost all Numenoreans will be Heralds or Knights/Squires. In addition they may be: Astrologers, Cartographers, Harpers, Physicians, Shek-Pvars, or Weaponscrafters. The king and most of the great nobles are Numenoreans. It should be noted that the Numenoreans do not believe in Gods and none will be priests.

The common people and lesser nobility are mostly descended from the original Mafanese colonists. They are of medium complexion, speak Mafash, and use the Mafani script. Few know any Adunaic. The two groups have not mixed to any great extent in the over 2,000 years they have lived together. The pure blooded Numenoreans choosing to live apart in castles near the coast. It is their practice to allow the Mafenese a good deal of freedom to manage their own affairs and most local nobles in the inland areas are Mafenese who tend to use the same type of weapons and armor as the Numenorean Nobles but, by in large, of only average quality. Mafenese mounted men-at-arms wear a large-scale hauberk, plate half helm, and use a kite shield. They are armed with lance, broadsword, short bow, and dagger. Infantry men-at-arms wear a large ring mail habergeon, plate half helm, and use round shield. The infantry men-at-arms use the pike, short bow, broadsword, and dagger. The militia use gambeson, plate half helm, and tower shield. They are armed with the javelin, short sword, and dagger. All armor and weapons are of average quality.

Winter clothing for all classes consists of wool tunic and leggings of wool or leather with a warm wool or fur cloak. An over tunic or vest, often of leather together with gloves, will be worn when the weather is especially cold. In summer lighter tunics will be worn along with light cloaks and if the weather is especially hot leggings will be set-aside for those going on foot. Most riders will wear leather leggings. Quality will be the best that the person can afford. Women will usually use gowns or robes in place of tunics. It should be noted that the Numenoreans have no objection to women dressing Manish style and Numenorean women have the same chances as men of having weapons training. This practice is not favored by the Mafenese.

The People of the Plains and Deserts:

Some of the Mafenese people spread north onto the plains and even into the deserts. The plains Mafenese are pastoral nomads split into many small warring bands. They keep horses and cattle. The desert Mafenese are also pastoral nomads herding sheep and goats. Like the plains Mafenese they are split into many small warring bands.

Hadati:

The Hadati are a tribal people closely related to the Quar of the Temperate Rainforest zone on Mernat. They live along the southeast border of the Realm away from the sea. The one major difference between the Hadati and the rest of the Quar is their preference for the longbow, dagger, and bastard sword along with the spear as weapons and their use of colorful plaid kilts rather then leggings. They also wear shirts and cloaks of wool with cloaks made in the same plaid patterns as the kilts. Leather calf boots are worn with this outfit. In war the Hadati wear Kurbul cuirass with ailettes, Vambraces, and carry bucklers. Most Hadati women will have weapons training.

The Barony of Carse:

Carse is located about twenty-two degrees South which puts it in the Kethira equatorial zone while Tulan is located at about twenty-nine degrees south which places it just outside the equatorial zone in the subtropics. The temperature variation in summer runs from a low of sixty-five degrees at night to as high as one hundred ten degrees during the day at Carse and from as low as fifty degrees at night to as high as one hundred five degrees during the day at Tulan. Even in the winter lows below fifty-five degrees at night or seventy-five degrees during the day are almost unknown at Carse. It has been known to go as low as thirty degrees some nights during the winter at Tulan but even in this kind of weather the temperature will go up to at least fifty degrees during the day. At Carse little clothing is needed for comfort and even the well to do will often wear little more then thin linen tunics. Warmer clothing will be worn at Turan during the winter but as in Carse, often very little during the summer. It is not uncommon for children, especially those of the lower social classes, to go naked in the summer. In the interior between Carse and Turan summer highs of one hundred thirty degrees plus during the day are not unknown while the temperature will seldom go below sixty-five degrees during the day in winter. Nighttime lows of thirty degrees are not unknown even in summer. Winter day time lows of forty degrees do occur in this area.