King Kaius III rules the nation of Karrnath. The greatgrandson of Kaius I, son of Jarot and first king of Karrnath after the collapse of Galifar, Kaius III has held the crown for less than a decade. He ascended the throne upon his twentieth birthday, taking over from his aunt, the regent Moranna, who had been ruling since the unexpected death of his father, King Jaron, shortly after Kaius III was born.
Karrnath suffered heavy losses during the course of the Last War. For all its military and naval might, widespread famine and rampant disease might have ended Karrnath’s bid for power before the third decade of the war was over. Thanks to its necromancers and corpse collectors, however, Karrnath was able to field a powerful army of skeletons and zombies even when its living forces became depleted. The royal family has weathered a number of setbacks and threats to the crown over the years, always coming through with the support and confidence of most of the nobles and vassal lords. As for the people of Karrnath, they might not have loved all of their rulers, but they always feared and respected them. A fierce patriotism, flamed by slogans and a constant call to arms, kept the people focused on winning the war despite the hardshipsand suffering they had to endure.
Descendants of Galifar, the royal family of Kaius ir’Wynarn rules Karrnath. The blood of Kaius I flows through a powerful extended family that oversees all government and military functions. The next tier in status, the nobles, have become warlords over the course of the last century, serving the crown as generals and admirals, as well as overseeing the land their titles grant them. Since the time of Kaius II, the warlords have been kept in line through harsh treatment and the use of force. The new king, Kaius III, has begun to make overtures to change this practice, though he has shown a remarkable ability to perform whatever action is necessary to maintain control and keep his plans on track. While he hopes to keep the trust of his nobles and receive their support willingly, he uses force when such action is required to demonstrate the power and position of the crown.
Though Kaius III has shown some desire to transform his nation along more progressive lines, it remains a military dictatorship ruled by hereditary monarchs of Galifar blood. Royal mayors govern towns and cities. Royal ministers oversee departments that handle all aspects of government and foreign affairs. Laws and regulations promote a society where might makes right, and while the Galifar Code of Justice provides the basis for civil rights in Karrnath, the Code of Kaius that developed from it is more rigid and less forgiving. Indeed, the nation has labored under martial law since the earliest days of the Last War.
Source: Eberron Campaign Setting