Karn was one of the Riders of Mannan who served the Unseelie King.
Biography[]
History[]
Karn was a powerful faerie seemingly born to Mannan and lived almost since the beginning of time. In the old days, he hunted giants and monsters with his siblings.[1] Eventually, they started serving the Unseelie King as his personal hunters and assassins. At one point, the Riders were dispatched by the King to hunt down and kill his daughter Auraline, the First Heir, and her eventual offsprings.
Black Volume[]
In September 2012, the Riders were sent after the Blackthorn family to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead for the Unseelie King. Karn, Etarlam, and Eochaid went after Kit Herondale and the twins Ty and Livvy Blackthorn in London while the remaining Riders went to Cornwall after Julian Blackthorn and Emma Carstairs.
The Hunter Gwyn ap Nudd and Shadowhunter Diana Wrayburn joined the ensuing fight with the children. The battle was interrupted when Eochaid, and later Etarlam, proclaimed that they had felt their brother Fal's death, with Karn only able to express his disbelief. Before leaving to rejoin Ethna and Delan, he swore to make Gwyn pay for his treachery.
Karn and the remaining Riders attacked the London Institute shortly after. He was fearful of Emma Carstairs's sword Cortana, recognizing it as a blade forged by Wayland the Smith, but attacked Emma anyway and fought until Annabel Blackthorn appeared and threatened to reveal the Unseelie King's name, forcing them to retreat.[1]
When they returned to the Unseelie Lands, Karn and his siblings were assigned to guard the Unseelie Tower and the King's prisoner, Ash Morgenstern. At some point, they caught Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale investigating the Lands and imprisoned them.
Hunting Kit[]
Shortly after, Karn and the Riders went after Kit Herondale to the Cohort's parley at the Imperishable Fields, intending to murder the boy for being a descendant of the First Heir. When they told him that they had killed his mother, Kit uncontrollably attacked them with magic, making the Riders’ horses disappear in the air when they tried to flee.
They fell onto the battlefield where they engaged in the fight against the Shadowhunters and Downworlders, determined to complete the mission their late King had given them - murder the Blackthorns and their allies. During the battle, Karn fought against Julian, before he was temporarily dispatched by Hypatia Vex.
When Emma and Julian's parabatai curse was activated and they turned into true Nephilim, Emma challenged the Riders. Even after they murdered Ethna and Delan, Karn did not run and was killed on the battlefield while trying to fight them.[2]
Personality[]
Like all the Riders of Mannan, Karn was arrogant, confident in his abilities and very loyal. He had no problem killing and seemed to enjoy carrying out his missions.[1]
Physical description[]
Unlike his siblings, Karn had short bronze hair in curls that made him resemble a Greek kouros. He was beautiful, with a cruel and lovely face covered in a bronze half mask, and wore the typical bronze cloak and armor etched with designs of waves and the sea. He also wore a longsword at his side.[1]
Abilities[]
- Longevity: As a Rider of Mannan, Karn was very old and had been alive for thousands of years.
- Enhanced strength and speed: Karn was able to move incredibly fast and deal heavy blows.
- Deceit: As a Rider of Mannan, Karn was wild magic and could lie despite being a faerie.[1]
Possessions[]
- Karn had the bronze armor, mask, gear, and weapons, including a longsword, that all the Riders possessed, as well as a steed that coalesced from the air when summoned.
Appearances[]
- The Land I Lost (alluded to)
- Lord of Shadows (first appearance)
- Queen of Air and Darkness