Karnac

"Well, that's no insult, I am a pig, you know!"

- Karnac unperturbed by Alysoun's threats

Karnac is a boar mercenary of Prince Poynt and is a secondary antagonist in the book Thunder Oak by Gary Kilworth.

Origins
Karnac was an ordinary boar before the humans left Welkin and some ancient magic returned to the land which had been banished by humans. Karnac was animated of this magic like all other animals and then he learned the arts of speech and dexterity. He became sentient like all other creatures but, unlike his fellows, he used this power for nefarious deeds.

Black market deals
"Well, weasels get this instinctive fear in them when they hear a paw beating on the skin of a dead sister or brother - its like beating on their own hearts - and their brain tells them to run in blind panic to get away from the sound - into stoat nets!"

- Karnac displaying his true evil plans to the shocked weasels

Karnac knew that Prince Poynt hated weasels and the like so he offered his services to the barbarous leader, that if Karnac killed weasels and turned them into drums for Poynt's army, then could Poynt make Karnac richer? The evil prince and the boar struck up an agreement, and this worked well, with Karnac luring lost or travelling weasels out from his moor by holding a candle up to a cross-shaped window, illuminating the show and making it appear to be a glowing cross alone in the moor. It looked especially eerie at night. Once inside, the weasels would be treated nicely by Karnac yet this was what made it all the more nightmarish. He gave them food and wine and then drugged them and toyed with their lives before skinning them.

Defeat
"Ridiculous, preposterous!"

- Karnac dismisses Sylver's plans of finding the humans

Karnac was eventually found out and defeated by Sylver the weasel and his band. They were heading towards Thunder Oak where the first clue to finding the humans was. On the way, the band saw the aforementioned illuminated cross. Following it, they found a huge seemingly abandoned, abbey, and knocked wearily on the door. Karnac appeared, as a somewhat sinister, shrouded figure. Karnac seemed to be friendly enough, but this was belying an edgy, on-his-guard presence. He never wanted the weasels escaping, and Sylver got out of his dormitory cell one night and found the towers had disappeared. He also found stacks of drums in the cellar.

Confronting the "monk" about this, Karnac eventually revealed himself as a wild boar, and Wodehed the magician attempted to turn him into a frog, by giving him apparently enchanted wine, but all that hilariously happened was the wine pouch turning into a frog. Karnac only said it was a pity there was so little wine.

After, an exasperated Sylver sent Bryony, the smallest weasel in his band, to secure help. No villager would help them, to terrified as they were of Karnac's wrath. However, only one outcast weasel, Scirf, (who stank) agreed to help them in their fight against the boar. Karnac got irritated when Scirf returned, and Sylver was more disappointed than ever because he needed an army of weasels, not just one. But the clever Scirf knew the ways of pigs and their weaknesses so he mentioned, in conversation, that the humans loved the taste of pork and pork chops and sausages, and this terrified Karnac so much he ran off and hid under a barrage of insults, flying into the woods.

The weasels reluctantly recruited Scirf, and buried the drums as best as they could as the drums were made from dead weasels. Sylver had no doubt Karnac would eventually return, but his business would be made all the more difficult because of the buried drums which he would be unable to sell.