Hirschenwald: Holds of the Ironweld

The lands of Hirschenwald sit safely nestled between mountains to the west, sea to the south, Heldenmarch to the east, and above all, the great Ironwoods to the north. Once a part of Heldenmarch itself, as can be attested to by the name, Hirschenwald is now a strong kingdom in its own right, plying in the trade of venison and iron oak. The latter has brought the attention of the Ironweld Arsenal, who, for all intents and purposes, now manage the country.

The Age of Myth

The wild forest now known as the Ironwoods once stretched to the coast of the Auric Sea. The great sea of trees harbored many creatures within, terrifying beasts once hunting the over abundant dear that lend the country its name. Men of Ravenmarch eyed the lands suspiciously, as many who entered failed to return. The tiny town of Durmondochit was alone past the River Argent, mostly fishing for glitter carp to trade for Beograd steel. 

The Age of Chaos

With the burning of Ravenmarch, a great flock of people shifted westward to escape the ravages of Chaos. As the great army spilled south, a significant portion broke away, its leader, Skall Dargon, seeking glory elsewhere. Durmndochit was defiled in one swift night, its inhabitants fleeing deep into the Ironwoods. Hounded by the slathering hordes, the desperate people came to live off the land, sheltering beneath great roots of oak. This chase is what brought forth the discovery of the Iron Oaks, great trees with boughs composed of Chamonite iron. Dragging timber to what is now Stagmoor, the Chaos army used the newly discovered trees to carve out their monstrous metal ships, sickly prows carved in unnatural shapes used to ram enemy vessels. Tiring of the hunt for the last denizens of Durmondochit, Skall led his men to sea, never to set foot in Hirschenwald again. 

The Age of Sigmar

The arrival of the Stormcast Eternals brought hope to the people of Heldenmarch, and with this hope came a renewed sense of curiosity. Brave peasantry gather what little belongings they owned, drifting down the River Argent from Ravencourt. Chancing upon the ruins of Durmndochit, the newly arrived people raised the town anew. Timber was in short supply in ravaged Heldenmarch, and the village of Coswig sprang up to gather the vast shipments of wood from Durmondochit. As the Ironwoods shrank the population of men grew, overtaking the old port that was once Skall's shipyard. Planks of Iron Oak were discovered, drawing the attention of the Ironweld Arsenal for their use in the manufacturing of thousands of artillery pieces. 

The guild began to arrive en masse, cutting huge swathes of the forest to find the Iron Oaks deep within. Here, the old people of the country were found in the city beneath the trees, Estin, Cirencester, and Aberstown. Conflict arose, and unbeknownst to many, the Ironweld purged the remnants of the people, taking over the cities and their crucial forges. To avoid the overbearing scrutiny of Heldenmarch, the guild pushed for independence, and to this day Hirschenwald stands free, its dark past buried deep inside dusty tomes.