The Duchy of Karameikos came into being when Duke Stefan Karameikos III of the Thyatian Empire traded his ancestral lands for control of a wild border region west of the Empire known as Talandara. For the last 30 years, he has been trying to develop it into a modern nation. Much wilderness remains.
The population of the country is divided between the T aladaran natives, who form the bulk of the population, Thyatian nobility, who emigrated to the Duchy with the Duke, and small communities of friendly demihumans: dwarves, gnomes, elves, and halflings. Internal threats include tribes of humanoid monsters (goblins, hobgoblins, orcs and bugbears) and the rebellious Baron Ludwig von Hendriks who controls an area of the Duchy known as the Black Eagle Barony.
Other important factions in the Duchy include:
Churches: The Church of Karameikos (21%) is the favored church of the nobility, similar to religious institutions of late medieval times.
The Church of Taladara (70%) is the favored church of the local humans, similar to religious institutions of early medieval times.
The Cult of Halav (5%) is a fringe group that believes Stefan Karameikos is the reincarnation of an ancient hero who will restore the lost glory of Taladara.
The Order of the Griffon is a military order open to higher level fighters and clerics that supports the Church of Karameikos.
Thieves’ Guilds: Most thieves are independent. The Kingdom of the Thieves is strong in Specularum. It is for neutral thieves, specializing in complex burglaries. The Iron Ring is a secret society of slavers and assassins that is very widespread.
Numismatics: Copper pieces in Karameikos are known as kopecs, silver pieces are crona, and gold pieces are called royals.
