House Karath
Traditionally a warrior house, this proud line is descended from one of the lesser Lords of Dale - lesser is a relative term however, and by the standards of men, he was still noble and fair. Because of their origins, the family has strong royalist leanings, and thus, when Bard formed the Council of Lords of Esgaroth, Lord Karath was named Marshall of the Esgaroth Military. This hereditary title made the Lord responsible for the defences of the town, as well as for the maintenance of law and order within it.
The family has a firm friendship with the Dwarves of Erebor, forged long ago when Dale was first prosperous. Correspondingly, they are apt to treat the Elves with suspicion. Karath is respected by the people of Esgaroth for men and women who are honest, fair and sturdy.
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House Symbol and Colors
The house colors are blue, red and gold. The left side of the shield is red, with a sword of gold on it. The right side is of dark blue, with a dwarven axe of gold on the foreground.
History
While not as old as House Taurdain, the Karath family first became a main factor in Dale after the dwarves of Thrain I settled in the Lonely Mountain. In those days, the leader of the small family of Karath became good friends with the Dwarf Lords under the mountain. Through a mutual cooperation, the family began to grow and flourish - sons of the family were trained in the arts of metalwork, and as the Karaths became more proficient, they became wealthier.
In 2531, the contribution of the Karath family was recognized by the King of Dale. It is no secret that the head of the Karath family became a personal friend of the King and from that year on, House Karath was considered among the influential noble houses.
After the destruction of Dale by Smaug in 2770, many of the house fell at the side of Girion, King of Dale at the time, defending the town. The autumn of House Karath began, with few members left and but a fraction of its former wealth intact.
After the rebuilding of Esgaroth, it was the Karath family who took upon themselves the task of organizing a town guard. Ever since those days, the name of Karath is associated with military skill and, of course honor and valor. The family has been growing steadily, but was limited in power by the well-established rule of Arathmor.
When, in 2941, Bard of Girion slew Smaug and became the new King of Dale, House Karath decided to remain in Esgaroth. Their friendship and loyalty to Girion was not forgotten, and House Karath was charged with the protection of the town and acquired gifts from the King's portion of the Dragon's hoard. Since these days, the friendship with the dwarves has been renewed, and is as strong as ever.
Stances and Attitudes
The traditional view of House Karath on:
- House Girion - For many centuries, House Girion has played an important role in the history of House Karath. As House of the King of Dale, Girion has always received proper respect from the noble House of Karath. A new era begun for our house when Bard of Girion slew Smaug, and became the new King with the support of our house. Granding Karath military power in Esgaroth, the King maintains a more stable position than he would otherwise in Esgaroth.
- House Arathmor - House Arathmor is a House to be feared - to a certain extent. Their political power is considerable, because of their legendary wealth. House Arathmor has, for over a century, governed Lake Town quite successfully... that is, making sure they profited most from the wealth. Unscrupulous and shrewd, we have nothing but disdain for these "nobles". In fact, it is said that Lord Arathmor, many decades ago, bribed the King into granting them a status of nobility!
- House Taurdain - House Taurdain mingles quite a bit with the local townsfolk. While at times they go a bit overboard, the Taurdain nobles are still the oldest noble family in Lake Town. They are a kind people, generally, but we do treat them with a little suspicion. After all, they have dealings with those odd elves. It is not unlikely even that we have arguments with them. Just be on your guard when a Taurdain is around!
- Dwarves - Of old, there has been a close alliance between the people of Durin and the Karath family. Dwarves are treated almost as relatives, or at least good friends. Through the years, we learned many skills from them and their influence in our house is one of the reasons why our house became influential. Members of Karath are encouraged to seek out contact with the Dwarves when possible
- Elves - Elves are strange folk. We recognize that they are good trading partners and we fought side-by-side in the Battle of the Five Armies, but that is the extent of our love for them. While we do not dislike them, it is hard to understand creatures that old, with ways totally different from ours. We tend to avoid having any contact with them if possible, or when we have to, treat them with a respectful distance.
- Other Humans - House Karath is very suspicious of the Easterlings. We have met some of them in combat on several occasions, and while we realize not all of them are evil per se, we do not trust them. For other humans, such as the Beornings, we generally have some respect; after all, they have repelled many attacks on their towns near the Misty Mountains.
- The King - As the most honorable of the Houses of Esgaroth, Karath can also be considered the most royalist of the houses. At the founding of the House, the King and Lord Karath were close friends, and this friendship is still mirrorred today in our support towards King Brand. Supporting him with our military influence, we do everything in our power to protect him from slander by House Arathmor.
Positions within the House
There are various honorary positions within the household:
- Lord Karath - Lord Karath is the mightiest position within the House. As Lord, he does not only supervice everything going on within the House, he also serves as the King's military advisor. It is the House Lord who gives out the other positions listed below.
- Steward - the Steward of Karath is, together with the Lord, responsible for the all events within the House. Decisions that can be reversed easily can be made by the Steward and do not require previous approval of the Lord. Also, the Steward is trusted to speak on behalf of the House in any Town Councils.
- Lady Karath - Lady Karath is the title granted to the highest ranking Lady in the House. While this title is more honorary than one of authority, the Lady becomes a symbol or ambassador for the house. The presence of the Lady is often a source of encouragement, and any nobleman of the house does well to be in her favor.
- House Champion - The House Champion is the winner of the annual spar, organized by the House; in case the winner is from another house, the highest ranking Karath is chosen. This title is mainly honorary, and the only responsibility placed on the House Champion is to carry out the values of our house: nobility, honesty, courage and honor.
- House Guard - Usually reserved for those that exercise some function in the military and have gained fame on the field of battle, the House Guards are the honorary guards that play roles in the house ceremonies or at house festivals. In addition, they may be summoned by Lord Karath to be assigned special duties, in case extra protection is required.
- Ambassador to Erebor - By order of the House Lord, an individual may be appointed to be the House Ambassador to Erebor. This may be done if special negotiations are necessary or when the Lord and Steward can't personally go to the Dwarf realm. As Ambassador, a person can speak and make treaties on behalf of the Lord. With the King's consent, this person may be sent on behalf of the entire kingdom instead.
- House Advisor - The most senior members of the House have the honor to be named Advisor. House Advisors serve on the House Council and are to be treated with great respect. Together with the Steward and the Lord, they make the policies within the House. The title of Advisor is seen by many as the highest recognition a regular house member can get.
Events
There are a number of events celebrated by House Karath, including:
- House Spar - This is most likely the most famous event organized by House Karath. In a contest open to anyone presently in Esgaroth, a tournament is held where the contestants try to penetrate the other's defenses. If the winner is from House Karath, he immediately becomes House Champion.
- The Hunt - The hunt in autumn is an ancient form of recreation. While the beer in the Flagon is good to come home to, it is known that each year some of the contestants sustain a number of injuries.
- Banquet with the King - The banquet is, in fact, a day full of festivities. The House presents the King with some of the finest skills it has acquired over the year. Any events, from military exercise to the performance of a play is welcome! The day is concluded with a large banquet, at which members of other noble houses are present also.
- Feast of the Dwarves - This large feast is held at night, where dance, song and dwarven fireworks fill the sky over Dale and Erebor. Just North of the Long Lake, the members of house Karath get together with the Dwarves of Dain! One of the main features of the feast is the arm-wrestling competition!
