Kath Barbarians
The Kath are a loose federation of wild and primitive tribes inhabiting the Kathela Hills in eastern Hârn. These forest nomads consist of about 60 bands, each about 50 strong, with two or three Bands often travel together for security. The Kath never fight among themselves and will aid each other as needed.
Kath are renowned for their tall, powerful, and attractive women. Legends say there are more than a few drops of Dryad Blood flowing through the Kath's veins.
They fiercely defend the Kathela Hills, claimed but not controlled by the Kingdom of Kaldor. Kaldor has tried to conquer or pacify the Kath several times but has failed every time. The Kath guerrilla tactics are very effective against knights and slower-moving, more heavily armed opponents.
Structure
Men and women share most tasks with no sexual prejudice. Kath bands are democratic with an elected chief who can be either male or female.
The men are slightly smaller and weaker than the Hârnic average, while Kath women are tall, very strong, and generally have beautiful faces and figures.
Military
Kath warriors, in most cases all adult males and females, are usually armed with spears for close fighting, but their specialty is in the use of short bows, always of their own making. They typically utilize a wide range of obsidian arrowheads, created using ancient crafting techniques, including heads that can cause bleeding or are serrated. Some are designed to break inside of wounds.
Most wear crude ring armor made by sewing captured coins or stones into a leather tunic.
They are experts in the use of snares, pitfalls combined with well-planned ambushes.
Religion
Kath practice animist and totemic beliefs. They hold all creatures of the forest sacred.
Each band worships one of six animals and carries a standard representing their totem. The members wear symbols of their totem, such as bear claws, boar tusks, and eagle feathers.
Wandering shamans live alone or with an apprentice and practice powerful drug-enhanced magic.
The Kath Animal Totems
Missionaries of the civilized religions (Larani, Peoni, and Agrik) are usually executed.
Language
The Kath language is a mixture of old Hârnic and obscure Lythian languages. It contains little in the way of gender pronouns.
Foreign Relations
Kingdom of Kaldor
Kaldor claims the whole Kath tribal range but is unable to enforce their will. They occasionally send patrols into the Hills but the Kath avoid them unless they are in a position to set an overwhelming ambush. The Kath occasionally raid Kaldorian settlements.
Pagaelin Barbarian Tribes
The Kath hate the Pagaelin and will ambush and kill them all if at all possible.
Chelni Barbarian Tribes
The Chelni generally respect the Kath Borders but do occasionally trade or share intelligence on Orc or Kaldorian movements.
Agriculture & Industry
Kath are expert in Herbalism and actively use good quality herbal potions prepared by their Shaman. They rarely use poison.
Well hidden Kath herb gardens are scattered throughout the Hills.
They have access to obsidian mines or quarries, with the locations keep secret and known only to the shaman and maybe a few senior chiefs.
Kath Tribal Range
Kath Totems
Members of the tribe gain benefits from their totem.
Bear: The totem of strength and wisdom.
Benefit: Proficiency in Nature.
Boar: The totem of defense and stamina.
Benefit: Proficiency in Athletics.
Night Lion: The totem of stealth and the ambush.
Benefit: Proficiency in Stealth.
Stag: The totem of protection and strength.
Benefit: +1 AC.
Wolf: The master of pack hunting.
Benefit: Proficiency in Survival
Eagle: The primary totem of magic and scouting.
Benefit: Proficiency in Perception
Kath Shamans
Shamanic magic is essentially Druidic.
Kath Obsidian Arrowheads
Superbly crafted black obsidian arrowheads. They vary in shape and design but all are thin, fragile, serrated, and sharp.
Lore
The Kath Barbarians utilize a wide range of obsidian arrowheads, created using ancient crafting techniques. These heads cause excessive bleeding and some are designed to break inside of wounds.
Properties
These critical on an 18+. On a critical hit, and if the target is damaged to below half hit points, they have a 30% chance of shattering in the target's wound. The character will then lose 1d6hp each round if they move. The obsidian shards will need to be surgically removed.
Kath Obsidian Arrowheads, Nasty Arrows these. Aemon
Yep, insanely sharp and brittle. You can make scalpels out of obsidian.