WELCOME TO HÂRN

INTRODUCTION TO HÂRN

Hârn is a fantasy world set on a large island off the coast of a continent known as Lythia. Lythia is the largest continent on the planet known as Kethira. The technology of Hârn and Western Lythia has barely progressed beyond the iron age. Fully articulated plate armor does not exist, though spot pieces of plate armour exist for arm and leg protection. Leather, scale mail, and chainmail are common.

Hârn Poetic Map by N. Robin Crossby

The civilized cultures are mostly feudal in nature, with a strict social hierarchy, nobles and church offcials at the top, and a small free middle class of merchants and skilled craftsmen. The remaining majority, around eighty five percent of people on Hârn are indentured serfs, farming the land for a manor lord. In return for a place to live and their labor, serfs are provided protection from the chaos of the uncivilized world. The main exceptions to this are the people of Orbaal in northern Hârn (who follow a Viking civilization model) and the many tribal peoples inhabiting the island.

Magick, miracles, and witchcraft exist throughout Kethira, but magick is generally weak and its effects subtle. Only a miniscule percentage of the population can even master the arcane arts or have latent powers of the mind (telepathy, precognition, etc).

Hârn is a polytheistic society. The people of Kethira believe the gods often intervene in human matters at the request of their followers. Some of these gods are at war with one another, with the conflict spilling over into Kethira.

There are several non-human intelligent species on Hârn. Elves are known as the Sindar. The Dwarven race are the Khuzadul. These are fairly stereotypical examples of Tolkienesque races (elves are secretive forest dwellers, dwarves are excellent miners and metalsmiths, etc.) The small, malevolent goblins or orcs of Hârn are called Gargun. There are many other strange creatures that make Hârn their home, from dragons to wyrd Ivashu like the Vlasta (small creatures that rip out the eyes of their victims).

ECONOMICS OF HÂRN

Most Hârnians are involved in agriculture. Only 5% to 10% of the people of Hârn live in cities. A small percentage of people work in mines. Many of those who work on farms are serfs who are tied to the land while not slaves have little personal autonmy when it comes to critical life decisions. To learn more see the Economics of Hârn article.

RELIGIONS OF HÂRN

The people of Hârn are a religious lot and practice a variety of spiritual beliefs and practices. There are currently ten major religions on Hârn, centered around ten 'gods'.

SOCIETIES & CULTURES OF HÂRN

Hârn has seven Hârnian human kingdoms and two non-human kingdoms. There are also eighteen different tribal nations living in the wilderness around the island, remnants of the last great migratory wave to hit the island sixteen centuries ago.

The Kingdoms of Melderyn, Chybisa, Kaldor, Kanday and Rethem are all feudal in nature. That is, a nobility of knights, barons, earls, bailiffs and sheriffs who own and control most of land under a single sovereign, a King (or, sometimes, Queen). The Thardic Republic has the appearance of a republic, but in truth an oligarchy, those who can afford to buy their seat in the Senate rule. The Thardic Senates factionalism ensures that no one clan has been able enough power to make a bid for imperial power. Should Tharda unite behind a single ruler, Western Hârn could again come under their rule. The last kingdom, Orbaal, is really nothing more than a number of independent principalities that notionally answer to a central authority, but in practice, rule their fiefdoms as they choose. The Orbaalese are invaders, only conquering and settling the rocky northern coast of Hârn in the last generation. Of the feudal kingdoms, tiny Chybisa is squeezed between Melderyn and Kaldor, while Rethem is a hotbed of treachery, rebellion, and raw savagery, where the king controls less than half the country, and few nobles are actually loyal to the crown. Kaldor’s King Miganath Elendsa is old and sickly and has yet to name an heir, it is feared that that upon his death civil war will break out amongst potential factions. Kanday’s king is seen as weak by the nobility of that country, and no-one really knows what the reaction of mysterious Melderyni will be in any given situation. The two non-human kingdoms are Evael ruled by the Sindarin or Elves, and Azadmere ruled by the Khuzadul.

The Sindar Kingdom of Evael is located in the south-central part of Hârn in the great Shava forest. Human trespassers are usually captured and escorted to the border and instructed not to return. Generally travel to Evael is discouraged and the only regular contact is by ship through the Sindar port city of Ulfshafen, where the Enorien River meets the Kald River estuary. The capital, and only other city, Elshavel, is further up the Enorien, deep in the Shava Forest. In general, the Sindar are not city dwellers instead they live in small communities scattered throughout the Shava forest.

Travel to the single Khuzan City of Azadmere is equally difficult, although for other reasons. The name of both the kingdom and the city are the same, located high in the Sorkin Mountains of eastern Hârn, on the north-eastern shore of Lake Arain. The only way into Azadmere is The Silver Way, which follows the Nephen River gorge, a steep and rocky path that is sometimes no wider than a single pack mule. Once travelers pass the gauntlet of dangers on the trail, they will be met with the scrutiny of the suspicious Khuzan warriors of Zerhun, the guardians of the great fortress that blocks the only pass into the Dwarven realm.

HârnWorld's Design Philosophy

Hârn was deliberately based on a realistic medieval setting, or at least as realistic a setting as can be achieved in a fantasy roleplaying game.

The basis for Hârn is medieval Western Europe between 1200-1300 CE. Item prices are based on Britain during the same time period, but Hârn is less populated and more densely forested than Britain, so wood products are cheaper.

The world of Hârn is tremendously detailed; there is a module dedicated to running a medieval manor. There are articles covering wind patterns, ocean currents, and tectonic plates for the entire planet of Lythia. Another article outlines the stars and constellations as seen from the surface of Hârn.

At the same time, there are enough fantasy elements, like the magick system which is loosely based on Terran elemental magick systems, and the numerous “hooks” to give Hârn the feeling of being “somewhere else”.

Hârn/Earth Equivalents

Hârn	Earth
Hârn	Britain
Ivinia	Scandinavia
Lythia	Eurasia
Kethira	Earth
Yael	Luna
Nolomar	Sol

Hârn has a 24 hour day and rotates around its sun every 360 days. Timekeeping on Hârn is based on Tuzyn Reckoning