Alright, I've quickly put together my NS. Apologies if it's a bit awkwardly written---there are a lot of concepts which are admittedly a bit new to me, and I'm continuing my research to ensure that my depiction of Sasanian Persia is, at the very least, as accurate as I can manage. I'll be reading some scholarly articles and papers and will probably update this a little bit; I still need to do some more research on Zoroastrianism. Additionally, there's not much in the manner of characterization, as I haven't drawn up character profiles for all the members of the House, and that will change soon. Anyway, without further ado: 

[hider=House Karen-Pahlav]

[h1]Leader Name[/h1] 
[b]Alanda, Spāhbed of the West[/b] 

[h1]Faction Name[/h1] 
[b]House Karen-Pahlav[/b] 

[h1]Map Province[/h1] 
[b]Media, Sasanian Empire[/b]

[h1]History/Bio[/h1]
	One of the Seven Parthian Clans who allied with the Sasanians following the subjugation of the Parthian hegemony, the elite of Karen claim the status of [i]vāspuhrān[/i], in stature subordinate only to the Shahanshah. Unlike their fellow clans, most of whom intimate Parthian descent, but only through the invention of false histories, the magnates of Karen can attest to their descent from Kāve the Blacksmith of Aspahan, who expelled Dahāg from their lands and whose leather apron now adorns the banner of the nation. Who dares to doubt their descendance? House Karen holds court at Nahavand, their holdfast swaddled in the snows of the Alvand Mountains and built upon the foundations of the [i]Haft Hessar[/i] itself. Despite the iniquity of Sukhra, a previous [i]spāhbed[/i] of Karen who had lusted for the crown, the House of Karen has prospered under Sasanian rule. Following the war with the Turk, the family gained holdings in Zabulistan and Tabaristan, and reigns as perhaps the richest clan of the Empire, if not the most premier at the court of Ctesiphon. 
	But all is not well in the House of Karen. Alanda, the present patriarch of the family and the Spāhbed of the East, has held that office for more than thirty years---and while he has garnered some acclaim for his contributions to the military during his tenure, his health is waning. And while Alanda’s condition deteriorates, sinister forces gather to wrest the title of [i]spāhbed[/i] from the hands of Karen. Alanda’s eldest son, Vushmgir, is more sickly than his father---and his second son, Valash, remains a toddler. Meanwhile, Houses Ispahbudhan, Suren, Mihran (especially following the failed shahdom of Shahrwāraz), and Zik jostle for ascendancy at Ctesiphon. With the Romans, the Turks, and the forces of a newly inaugurated infidel faith out of Arabia, there can be no chinks in the Sassanid armor. In the coming crucible, the House of Karen will need the guidance and wisdom of the [i]fravashi[/i] if they wish to maintain their foothold within the Empire.[/hider]