The Kazarri

The Kazarri were a band of military knights who founded the country of Raskvaeric. Posthumously, they have been made the leaders of the Holy Order of Saints, the chief religion in the Raskvaerii Empire. Little in way of written documentation has survived to shed light on their campaigns, structure and administration prior to the founding of Raskvaeric. Their archive was destroyed on the orders of the first Karr of Raskvaeric, Józef Marszalek.
Their name, Kazarri, has been shortened to 'Karr' or 'Karrena', to denote the ruler of the country they created.

History

In 435 HE, the Holy Order of Kazarri were founded by King Sofroniusz, the ruler of the now defunct Kingdom of Ostraucia. They were created in repsonse to a group of 'pagans' (whose names have been forgotten to time), who were attacking the trading routes between Ostraucia and their allies in the east. The Kazarri were so successful in their mission to quell the attacks on merchant caravans and travellers, that they spent a decade or more being hired out to Ostraucia's allies for military support.
The Kazarri earned a fearsome reputation as warriors, though the most recent official history of the military order insists that they were deeply religious, and viewed themselves as monks before knights.

The Creation of Raskvaerii

There are two main schools of thought concerning the founding of Raskvaeric. The first claims that the leader of the Kazarii, a knight by the name of Ilyin Thygesen, was visited in his dream by a Saint. This Saint claimed his holy resting place was being vandalised by hominid beasts, and beseeched the Holy Order to come to His aid. Despite the refusal of their King, the Kazarri abandoned Ostraucia and set out on their sanctified mission to rescue the bones of the unidentified Saint. Guided by dreams, they came to a stop on the banks of what is now the Ilyin River.
The story continues that after the Kazarri defeated the hominids, and spent a year helping to establish law and order in the regions. When the time came for them to leave, the locals begged the Kazarri to stay and be their rulers. By this point, their beloved leader had died, and Józef Marszalek had taken over control of the order. On behalf of the Kazarri, he accepted the invitation, and crowned himself 'Karr of Raskvarr' - thereby creating a sovereign monastic state. This view is the one accepted and taught by the Raskvaerii temple.
The second school of thought - which, ironically, is heavily criticised for lack of historical evidence - suggests that the Kazarri were sent to the land of Raskvarr to aid in the bitter war between the ancient kingdoms of Lormont and Raskvarr. Scholars who favour this interpretation cannot adequately explain how the ruler of House of Olszanski came to be replaced by the Kazarri - it is thought that, after the King's death in battle, the throne should have passed to one of his two sons. However, on the Declaration of Peace, it is the leader of the Kazarri who signs for Raskvarr instead of the dead King's heirs. The two princes simply vanish from the historical record.
In the historical documentation that has survived from the founding of Raskvarr as a sovereign monastic state, there is only one further mention of an Olszanski. This is in the record of marriage between Józef Marszalek and Karina Olszanski, the old King's daughter. It is thought the title of 'Karrena' was inspired by her name.

by K. Mitch Hodge

Type

Militia

Founding

435 HE

Dissolution

558 HE

Overall training Level

Elite