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 Lands of Heldenmarch

Welcome back to the Silverlight Region in the Realm of Metal! Today we will be covering the land of Heldenmarch! Composed primarily of men of Sigmar, the country of Heldenmarch has carved out a swathe of relative peace in an otherwise chaotic land. However, within its borders are still plenty of dangers...

The Age of Myth

As men ventured south across the Auric Sea, they eventually settled upon the shores of what would eventually become Heldenmarch. The twin towns of Muldorf and Rothenztyn quickly sprang up, flourishing with trade to the lands of the north. The undisputed leader of this band, Hemt Grimst, sought a more defensible land. Each winter, a massive flock of ravens clouded the sky. Grimst followed the great migration, finding that the ravens roosted amidst a circular band of hills. A new city, whose name has long since been forgotten and is now only referred to as Olztyn, began to grow between the hills, its walls becoming a legend in time. As time went on and the population grew, the country became known as Ravenmarch, with the Grimst family ruling well over its inhabitants.

The Age of Chaos

Prosperous as the kingdom of Ravenmarch was, nothing could have prepared it for the arrival of Chaos. An enormous warband swept in from the East, quickly burning Rotheztyn and Beograd to ashes. Sigmar's closing of Azyr left many with no hope. Desperate, the people of Udenheim turned to necromancy to raise heroes of old and regiments of honored dead to defend them. Abhorred with the abomination that the town became, Vathek Grimst shut the gates and cursed Udenheim to be known as Hexenheim. Soon after, Nachtbriar became embroiled in necromancy and chaos invasions. Enraged, Vathek rode out upon his dragon, but was slain in the ensuing battle. The carnage was so great that a great tide of death magic roiled out upon the whole of Ravenmarch. Ironically, Vathek rose once more, embittered at what he now was. 

Vathek's son, Triglav, took command of what was left of Ravenmarch and her armies. His kingdom burning, he ordered the living to escape to the east while he remained with his father to defend the fleeing population. Triglav, Lord of Embers, was the last living king of Ravenmarch, and for millenia his armies kept the tide of chaos from devouring his people. The nobility settled near the River Argent, and in honor of those early leaders, the town was named Ravencourt. Repulsed by the undead forces of Ravenmarch, the Chaos invasion swept south and westward, remaining an oppressive cloud over Ravencourt for centuries. 

The Age of Sigmar

With the coming of the Stormcast Eternals, Chaos was largely eradicated from the Eastern Silverlight Sea. Overjoyed, the flourishing people named their country Heldenmarch. Ravencourt became a bustling capital, and the new town of Varheim to the south rivaled the fortifications of ancient Olztyn. Explorers ventured beyond the River Argent, settling in what would become known as Stagmoor. The Stormcast eye Ravenmarch with suspicion, but the people of Heldenmarch still look fondly upon their ancestors who protected them for so long. Occasionally, a fool-headed ruler will seek to claim the lands of Ravenmarch for the living once more, but are often met with serried ranks of undead. Triglav is content to let Heldenmarch remain free, but with the coming of Nagash's necroquake, the dead no longer rest as easily as they once did...

Garbed in the black and yellow standard uniform of Heldenmarch, halberdiers guard the South Gate of Varheim.