The Holy Nation

The Holy Nation
Faction HQ	Blister Hill
Pacifier location	Shark, Waystations
Trade Culture	The Holy Nation Trade Culture
Hostile towards	United Cities, Flotsam Ninjas, non-humans

“	The Holy Nation, one of the oldest civilisations still in existence... In the beginning, they kept to themselves. The first of the Phoenixes intentions were noble...	”
–Skeleton Player Characters

The Holy Nation is a theocratic human state that controls a notable portion of the northwest lands of Kenshi. They are ruled by a "Phoenix" whom they believe to be a reincarnation of their first ruler. Their religion encompasses all aspects of their life and is based around the dualism of the holy creator Okran, and the demoness of darkness, Narko. Holy Nation citizens are often referred to as Okranites.

They are xenophobic and zealous people who are oppressive towards non-human races, women, and anyone who does not agree with their religious beliefs. They are opposed to technology, science, and loathe skeletons. However, they can be friendly and helpful to male Humans, often giving food or medical supplies to those in need.

It is speculated that the Holy Nation originated from the Second Empire, forming as a cult under the watchful eye of their overlord. Eventually, the Second Empire cracked down on the cult, but instead of quashing it, they only gave the survivors more reason to hate them. Likely, the cult emigrated north to a more hospitable land, creating the foundations of the Holy Nation, and fueling their hatred of skeletons.

Due to the conflicts of their past, and their beliefs that Narko uses technology and science to tempt people to her ways, the Holy Nation maintains strict bans on almost all technology and research materials, while Skeletons and those with Robot Limbs are killed on sight. Research Books written by the Machinists University are generally allowed within Holy lands, though are in strict control by the government.

The rising tensions between Holy Nation and United Cities broke out into open conflicts in recent decades. Without warning, Holy Nation forces invaded the lands of Bast, burning the nobility alive, and sending the surviving citizens to Rebirth. Now the land is a war zone raging between the two giants, crippling the United Cities economy after the loss of this major agricultural and economic center.

The Holy Nation tends to offer its citizens the best and the worst in terms of living conditions. As long as the citizens keep in line, do their job, uphold the law, and comply to the national religion, life can be fairly pleasant and productive. They are secular in nature but they take good care of their own people, offering aid such as food and medicine to those they find out in the waste (which are other male Greenlander or Scorchlander of the same faith). But for those who are not cut out for this strict, disciplined regime life, quickly becomes intolerable. They lose their respect, honor, status - nearly everything. The options left to them are either be exiled to The Outlands or starve to death in the Holy lands. Although not as xenophobic toward humans as toward non-humans, the Holy Nation is very protective of their way of life and only tolerate those foreigners that comply and stick to the rules.

It is heavily hinted that Holy Nation citizens are literate as there is a dialogue line between the player character and an inquisitor where he tells you to read a certain scripture, which wouldn't make sense if most people in Holy Nation territories were illiterate. Furthermore, why would every citizen be required to carry The Holy Flame if Holy Nation citizens weren't literate? And as a matter of fact, the abundance of Okranite books in Holy Nation stores is further evidence that Okranites are indeed able to read.

In spite of living in high population concentrations, the society remains relatively calm and content; as Okranites have been carefully indoctrinated to be loyal, obedient and ascetic, they lack the drive to seek change - especially technological advancement or violent changes. Necessity for survival will naturally force them to adapt new technology and mobilize military, but their preference is to farm, multiply, and spread their religion in hopes of covering the world with the bask of Okran's light.

The military of the Holy Nation is referred to as the Holy Army. Paladins are perhaps its most recognizable force, though they are often supported by lower-ranking troops like Holy Sentinels (which mostly serve as town or mine guards; hence their name), Holy Servants, and Holy Chosen. High Paladins and Inquisitors serve as the leadership caste, with the latter also functioning as elite religious police.

Although the guards and soldiers of the Holy Nation are almost exclusively male Greenlanders, female humans can still be found serving as Caravan Guards, as well as Slavers at the Holy Mines. The absence of Scorchlanders in Holy Nation territory is not due to any sort of discrimination, but most probably due to Scorchlanders not getting along with rules and religions.

If the player sets up an outpost in the Holy Nation territory, a squad consisting of High Paladins and Holy Servants will visit the player every week to pray together. If the player wants to stay in good terms with the Holy Nation, he must go pray with the priest. Otherwise, he'll have to face the consequences of not following Okran's Law...

Members of this faction can color armour and clothing due to a colour scheme attached. There is one colour scheme associated with this faction and four different ones associated separately with this faction's characters.

Characters

Unique Characters

These characters will only spawn once and may be tied to a World State.

The Holy Lord Phoenix, guarded by his High Paladins.

• Holy Lord Phoenix
• High Inquisitor Seta
• High Inquisitor Valtena
• Protector of the Flame

Generic Characters:

The symbol of the Holy Nation

Military:

• Inquisitor
• High Paladin
• Paladin Guardian
• Paladin
• Holy Sentinel
• Holy Chosen
• Holy Servant
• Strayed Paladin*

Civilians:

• Holy Priest
• High Overseer
• Slaver
• Caravan Guard
• Surgeon
• Doctor
• Holy Farmer
• Holy Farmer Wife
• Holy Shop Guard
• Lower Servant

^{*These characters do not spawn naturally. They may only spawn when certain World States are achieved or during Events.}

Traders and Merchants:

• Caravan Trader Boss
• Holy Farm Leader
• Holy Barman
• Holy Weapon Trader
• Holy Armour Trader
• Holy Boot Trader
• Holy Construction Trader
• Holy Clothes Trader
• Holy Hat Trader

Animals:

• Bonedog
• Domesticated Bull

Lock complexity

• Cages - 35
• Containers - 30
• Doors - 25
• Lock Randomization - 10

Relations

Faction Relations

The factions this faction has special relations towards. For all others, it will use this faction's default (0).

• Deadcat (0)
• Flotsam Ninjas (-100)
• Holy Nation Outlaws (-100)
• Mongrel (-100)
• Raptors (-100)
• Shek Kingdom (-100)
• United Cities (-100)

Player Relations

The reasons for this faction to have a non-zero relation towards you.

• If you start with the Son of a Captain or Holy Sword character they will be hostile toward you.
• The Holy Nation Pacifier will attack any skeleton character upon sight, but can be very easily beaten up.
• By turning in the Flotsam Ninjas leader Moll to The Holy Nation, you will gain a +80 relation bonus with them.
• If you are allied with the Anti-Slavers and/or Flotsam Ninjas officially if you try to talk to one of their leaders (High inquisitors and the Phoenix) they will attack you for being a skeleton lover.

Locations

Loading Screen Tips

It's a very bad idea for any non-humans to venture into Holy Nation territory. Learn the ways of the world if you want to survive.

Zones
Holy Nation patrols can spawn in Bast, Okran's Gulf, Okran's Pride, Okran's Valley, and Skimsands. As well as in Border Zone, Skinner's Roam, and Stenn Desert under certain world states.

Towns
These towns, outposts, and other locations are controlled by this faction. Bad Teeth Blister Hill (Capital City) Farm Ruins Holy Farm Holy Military Base Holy Mines Holy Mine Ruin Narko's Trap Okran's Fist Okran's Shield Rebirth Ruined Farm Ruined Holy Outpost Stack Tiny Settlement Watchtower

World States
There are no locations which can be controlled by this faction due to changes in World States. Downfall If High Inquisitor Seta, High Inquisitor Valtena and the Holy Lord Phoenix (blessed be his name) are all killed or imprisoned, the Holy Nation can collapse and most of their towns will fall into the hands of other factions. Some effects include: - Stack will fall into the hands of the Shek if Seta is killed or imprisoned, and Esata the Stone Golem still exists. - If Stack is in Shek Hands, Bad Teeth will also fall to the Shek. - Blister Hill will fall to the Flotsam Ninjas if the Phoenix is killed or imprisoned. If Moll is not alive, it will fall to the Holy Nation Outlaws. - Holy Mines will fall to the Shek, or whoever is in control of the other cities near them. Rebirth falls to the Flotsam Ninjas as well. - Holy Military Bases will fall to the Fogmen. - Holy Farms will remain under Holy Nation control. If Tengu and Longen are both alive after the Holy Nation has fallen, the farms will become slave farms run by Slave Traders - Okran's Shield will collapse when Valtena is taken out, and Okran's Fist collapses when the Holy Nation falls completely. They fall to the United Cities if Tengu is alive, or to the Shek if the player is allied with them. - Roaming squads of Holy Nation soldiers will no longer spawn, and raids will stop completely. Instead, squads of Strayed Paladins will spawn in their place. - Holy Nation territory can have new spawns, such as Berserkers, roaming Shek patrols, and even Fogmen in Okran's Gulf.

Tips

• Although the Holy Nation itself is exclusively made up of Greenlanders, they treat Scorchlanders as their equals.
• Holy Nation guards usually don't attack your Hive and Shek characters as long as they are closely accompanied by a human character, as the guards will assume that they are their servants. Unless allied with them they will attack Skeletons and character that wear replacement limbs, as they are mechanical and resemble Skeleton limbs.
• Holy Nation NPCs will generally ignore anyone being carried by a PC. You can safely transport Skeletons and Robotic-limbed characters through Holy Nation territories by having your non-robotic characters simply pick them up. You can also carry escaped slaves to safety this way if you fully equip them with weapons and armor, and no one witnesses you picking them up.
• Keeping a copy of "The Holy Flame" (their sacred bible) can allow humans to pacify HN patrols, during interrogation. Without one there is a chance to fail some dialogue checks which lead to being attacked.
  • If one does not have it, swear your loyalty to Okran if the goal is to avoid conflict. And choose the most loyal and boot-licking responses for the safest measures (the ones that include bowing or excessive chants), since there is a rare chance that the interrogator in question would find something suspicious in the lack of devotion and attack nonetheless.
• For the same reason above, it is also recommended to keep " The Holy Flame" in the inventory when pacifying HN patrols questioning your characters when they are accompanying non-humans to prevent conflict or arrestments.
  • There is a very very rare chance that the interrogator will still find the presence of Holy Flame unconvincing and demand the arrest of the non-humans. In that case, comply, fight, or run for the hills.
• If you are allied with the Holy Nation, you will be allowed to wear their Faction Uniform without repercussions. Holy Nation patrols may also offer first aid to your wounded characters. Skeletons and Robotic-limbed players can also have access to Holy lands without being attacked, non-humans no longer require a human escort to travel into the city.
• Many items are illegal in the Holy Nation, take care not to bring any of them near their patrols (AI Core, Ancient Science Book, Cultural Groupings and Evolution Series, Forbidden Sympathy, Hashish, Letter To Moll, Moll's Speech). If you Ally with the Holy nation your non-human characters will not be bothered. However even when allied you should not try to speak to the Phoenix if you are not a male human or have robotic limbs.

Trivia

• Following their low-tech philosophy, Holy Nation towns will only have ceiling lamps and torch posts as light fixtures, buildings interiors have no carpets, and training dummies and mounted crossbows that spawn are replaced by MkI versions. However, a Well III spawns in some locations (Automated version) and materials that require ancient tech to be fabricated (such as Steel Bars) can be found in their towns. A (working) Hybrid Stone Mine can also be found in the north Holy Mine Ruin in Skinners Roam which is controlled by the Holy Nation.
• Despite being hostile to Skeleton and Hiver races, The Holy Nation isn't diplomatically hostile to Western Hive and Skeletons factions.
• HN is the only major faction that doesn't have any Shinobi Towers in their towns, but will still have Thief Fence patrons in Bars.
• Almost all citizens within HN are exclusively Greenlanders. There are Scorchlanders, however they are Mercenaries and Shinobi Thieves.