Lore

There are 3 nations fighting for control of the continent of Stoneholm.

The Ismirs

The Ismirs are tough honorable clan warriors from the frozen mountains and fjords of Nordheim. Ismirs are forged by war.

In the Ismirean culture, chants play an important role – not only for entertainment and passing down stories of their great heroes, but they also help brave warriors completely focus on combat before battles.

Ismirs are a race of great brawn and colossal appearance. This feature let them survive in the harsh, ungrateful tundra of Nordheim. All men have long, bushy beards, often braided. Almost all Ismirs have fair or red hair.

Tough terrains give birth to tough men – and that is what Ismirs are, with their faces worn by cold. They love to fight and live off of dispatching plundering sorties. They treat brave warriors and skilled smiths with great respect, they also glory in scars earned in battles. There is no place for philosophical talk in the land of eternal winter – all that matters is strength of arms and courage of the heart.

It is impossible to call Ismirs dishonorable. Word given is worth more than life, however they do not harbour a grudge against anyone – an Ismir drinking himself into a stupor with someone he has recently beaten up after an argument is pretty common.

It is also a nation famous for its hospitality. A tired traveler can always expect a place to rest his head at night, a warm broth to gain strength and a jug of beer to brighten his mind.

Amongst Ismirs there are great sailors, excellent smiths and brave sellswords, fearless of death either in combat or in the sea.

Their enormous axes brutally break through enemy shields and colossal swords rip enemies in half. Before battle, Ismirs don perfectly crafted armor and helmets. They also often war-paint their faces. An Ismirean warband consists mostly of infantry. It is hard to talk about tactics and elaborate formations when it comes to Ismirs, however these northern warriors can efficiently defend themselves behind a solid wall of shields. But they are more likely to attack suddenly, engaging the enemy with a chant on their lips.

For years, Midlandic sailors would pray to Geliand whenever they saw the terrifying dragonboats under the Ismirean flag on the horizon. Ismirs and Midlanders signed peace a peace deal in the city of Nerval when the Azebs and Sangmar increased raids on both the Ismirs and Midlanders. The peace deal remains to this day, although it is a tense and strained peace with frequent border skirmishes. Ismirs now claim the northern coasts of Midland, where they formed the dukedom of Styrborg, with its capital of Styrhala, formally a vassal state of Logres. But, the dukedom maintains a high level of independence, choosing sides in countless arguments and affairs.

Ismirs are famous for their fearless hearts – and that is why the Midlandic Logrean royal guard consists only of Ismirean mercenaries. They serve kings, and take part in crusades against Azebs where they earned their reputation of being unstoppable.