The Midlands

Farhold

A far-flung Dwarf hold in the north of the Moraine mountain range, the aptly named Farhold has long been at the edge of the Dwarf empire. It maintains itself as one of the members of the High King's court, though is treated for all intents and purposes as independent. Its rulers have cared little for the intrigues and politics of the various Holdkings, instead supporting whatever course sees their entire race regain its former strength. They have great relations with the Arrans in Sarzig, the two isolated cities having much of their culture in common. Its ruler is Sridjar, known for his honest and straight-forward manner. Farhold is looked down upon by most other Dwarves, who see it as a rural backwater.

Politics

Farhold occupies a world far from the minds of most Dwarves in the empire. Forgotten at its lonely end of the Moraine mountains, it has been left to rot by many. Having little value, strategic or otherwise, has them ignored at best. Its envoy tl the High King is mostly ceremonial, signalling the hold's continued existence rather than their import to the realm. As such, the Dwarves here are quite self-sufficient, relying on the barest minimum of support from other holds. They largely survived unscathed during the Dragon Wars, far away from the centre of fighting, but contributed vast amounts of soldiers in the south. Their greatest enemy has always been the various monsters in the north, especially the Kayung Orcs on the far west reaches of the mountains. In this they are aligned with the humans in Sarzig, working alongside them for both common defence and trade purposes. This relationship has been fostered by the harsh storms and life along the rim of the Skagen, sharing traits and aspects of culture through their shared environment. King Sridjar and Duke Siffrid have diplomats at eachothers courts, and the rulers themselves get on quite well.

Groups

Landmarks

Personalities

Holdking Sridjar

Farhold is a distant and far-flung realm, lost to the minds of most Dwarves. As such, its people have become quite self-reliant, taking pride in their own activities and the autonomy of their homeland. They have little care for the politics and scheming of the rest of the Dwarf empire, instead content to remain as a vassal, however distant. This is made tolerable by their remote isolation, allowing them the benefits of fidelity without the overbearing management of the High King himself. The harsh nature of the hold, tucked into the desolate northern mountains, has bred a certain type of Dwarf. Honest and stoic, they pride hard work more than usual, caring little for fancy titles and prizing substance over style. It is fitting that their Holdking embodies these traits, with Sridjar perhaps the most stoic and gruff among them. He cares little for his own station, having even taken the trade of stonemason in his youth. A humble and incorruptible ruler is rare, and the Dwarves of Farhold are immensely proud of their king, though it falls into a sort of quiet acknowledgement fitting of their humility. For his part, Sridjar is a relatively young king with few ambitions beyond the prosperity of his own hold. He shares a goal of better integration with the Arrans in Sarzig, where he has travelled and met with the young Duke Siffrid. Sridjar is a Dwarf of average height with a strong arm and an even stronger stomach. He is a capable fighter, though he has been little tested. He bears a shaggy beard rimming his face, and deep set eyes peer out at the world.

Wasim, Sword of the Rock

As the two races live in close proximity, the Dwarves of Farhold and humans of Sarzig are united by a shared culture and environment. Many Dwarves travel between the two holds for work, plying their trades either in the markets of Sarzig, or even sailing on its whaling ships into the Skagen. So comfortable are they, that some Dwarves even take to the city full time, inhabiting it and accepting the human Duke as their own liege and lord. Some exceptional figures are even accepted into the aristocracy, granted land and power regardless of their race. So it is for Wasim, one of the Knights of the Rock, that fabled order so esteemed along the shores of the Skagen. An old Dwarf, he has given himself entirely to fighting the Kayung Orcs, spending much of his life in the defence of his adopted homeland. He governs his land, what there is of it, fairly with many other Dwarves choosing to live under his rule. His retinue consists of several other old Dwarves, all of whom are immensely capable warriors in their own right. Wasim is a short and broad Dwarf, with a long beard and bushy moustache. He wears a traditional Dwarf headwrap, adorned with the symbols of his order, as well as a mixture of Dwarf and human armour. He is surprisingly amicable considering the dourness of his fellow order knights, and it seems as though relative isolation truly becomes him.