Heroes of Might and Magic V: Hammers of Fate - Faction - Fortress - Town

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Asbrand Good luck accompanies the dwellers of Asbrand both in peaceful labour and in war. This is because of a magical spear, Asbrand's pride and the chief of its treasures. A legend says that the runes adorning the ancient blade are the marks left by the breath of Arkath himself, who gave this spear to the first of the Dwarves and promised to grant them his protection and help in all their undertakings. Berngeyr The location of Berngeyr is a backwater district of the Dwarven Kingdom. In this region, which remains as wild and desolate as ever, the Dwarves breed and train their savage bears for use as mounts. The ready supply of trained mounts and riders means that they can always provide an extra warrior for the garrison of Berngeyr. Eirik Traditionally a rough-and-tumble town of nimble fingers and swift justice, the open and freewheeling spirit of Eirik has attracted thieves and rogues even from beyond the borders of Grimheim. The wily Dwarves have arranged a settlement with the Thieves Guild: they grant asylum to the Guild's members, while the Thieves, in their turn, share some information. But beware the thief who oversteps the admittedly fluid boundaries here; it is but a short trip to the mines, ever hungry for labor. Fjori Legend, myth, and faith often conspire to confuse rather than clarify. In this case, however, no one disputes the Rune Priests' claims that Arkath himself, the patron god of the Dwarves, once descended onto the mountain where Fjori is now located. His blessing has since been appreciated by the Dwarves, as mines beneath the slopes where his talons once perched pour forth ore abundantly. Freywar The warriors who have devoted themselves to the use of the heavy Dwarven war spear form the striking force of the Dwarven army. They are also famous as great lovers of barley beer. Freywar is a town renowned for its breweries, so it's small wonder that its garrison boasts more of these warriors than any other place. Frostfred Snow-covered Frostfred is located in a place where fierce winds blow wildly. Few of the Dwarves are able to survive in this sharp frost, not to mention the enemies who would dare trying to usurp the town. Only the natives of Frostfred can firmly hold their weapons in the wind that chills to the marrow, waist-deep in snow, and all the others would suffer slow and unavoidable dying. Geirmir The hinterlands of Geirmir are the only place where those ancient giants, the Mammoths, live. Dwarven heroes use these massive beasts as mounts, though a well-trained Mammoth is very expensive. As a result, the treasury of Geirmir is constantly replenished with gold charged for exporting them. Gudmund Black carrion-crows are Gundmund's chief misfortune. Every year these weird birds come here in great swarms, and every year all the dwellers of Gudmund go into the streets to kill as many of them as possible. All means are put to use, and the smiths of Gudmund have even learnt how to produce Ammo Carts to provide the townsfolk with missiles for eliminating the uninvited guests. Hring Hring values nothing higher than its dwellers' life. During the war against the Dark Elves, the population of Hring was virtually wept out, and since then life is estimated higher than gold there. That is why the town's smiths became renowned masters at producing First Aid Tents, and Hring is a place where such Tents can be purchased at minimal price. Hrottar Centuries ago, clan struggles left Hrottar desolate and almost deserted. Just as the fighting came to a close and the last stragglers were about to leave, an earthquake struck in the nearby mountains and exposed rich veins of precious stones. The waves of migration soon lapped the other way, as there's nothing valued as highly by the Dwarves as quality jewels and gemstones. In short time the mines of Hrottar were famous, and the gems extracted there are still priced higher than all others in all the parts of Ashan. The town is one of Grimheim's claims to fame and an important source of its income. Hyrkjolf Hyrkjolf is a town where warriors who are bent on becoming Berserkers undergo their last trials. The Rocks of Fury, a ridge of tremendous stones, are located near the town's walls, and only a fighter who can cleave one of them with his bare hands is entitled to be called a Berserker. Not all can pass this test, but the flow of bold Dwarves who want to earn the title never stops -- and the town is never short of warriors, either. Icegerd The walls of Icegerd are magnificent mountains covered by ancient glaciers. Once upon a time they served as a shelter for rebellious Dwarves, and many warriors fell under these unassailable walls. Though the rebels -- short of food and supplies -- finally submitted to the victors, the walls remained. Appreciating their defensive capabilities, King Tolghar ordered the town of Icegerd to be built here. Jarveg "Savage", "cruel", and "brutal" are the epithets sometimes used to describe the blood sports of Jarveg, but they flourish none the less. Fights between animals from dogs to bears to yeti are held here, and the betting brings in a generous amount of revenue. While the bloody snows of the arena floor are repugnant to some, the never-ending flow of bettors and spectators guarantees that the coffers of the town are always full. Knud Few know that Knud is the Dwarven Kingdom's capital of thieves. Dwarves shun theft and subterfuge, believing them to be dishonorable and demeaning. Being pragmatic, however, they still resort to the services of the Thieves' Guild in secret. That means Knud is a place where one can gain information about anything that is going on in the Stone Halls, and many know it. But they prefer to hold their tongues, of course, rather than lose them.

Kolvard While the fierce and honorable Dwarves revel in hand to hand melee combat, the precipices around Kolvard make meeting the enemy face-to-face almost an impossibility. Since the founding of the town they defenders have relied more on missile weapons than brute strength to defend themselves, and the traditions of the spear and javelin run deep within the populace. The best troops of the kingdom are to be hired here, and there are always a few extra troops on hand eager to become a part of their town's martial traditions. L'etolf It's been a custom of many hundreds of years L'etolf to keep white wolves as pets, and the dwellers of other towns could not understand why their fellow countrymen need these fierce beasts of prey. Everything became clear when a civil war began in the Dwarven Kingdom. L'etolf was besieged, and then the pets came to their masters' aid. The beasts' howl was so terrible that it forced the attacking army to flee. Merasgar Prized by the Dwarves as much as precious metals, gems are coveted playthings. No race on the face of Ashan knows as much about the mining, cutting and setting of precious stones as the Dwarves, and no town of the Stone Halls knows more than Merasgar. Blessed by geology and exploited through a huge network of mines, there are always a few extra gems available in this town. Ongeir Originally a training center for Fire Dragons, Ongeir came close to disaster during the War under the Mountain when Dark Elf assassins killed the guards and trainers and set the monsters free. Though the dragons fled that day never to return, the more amazing fact is that not a single Dwarf was wounded. More than dragons, it seems the town had a staggering supply of luck. Everyone notices it and comments on it now, and gamblers the world over treat travelers from Ongeir like visiting royalty. Rungerd There is a legend among the Dwarves about a Mount of Gold hiding somewhere in the wilderness of the Northern Wood. The dwellers of Rungerd, which lies in the midst of this weird thicket, firmly believe that the hidden mountain is somewhere near their town. Many generations of the Dwarves were retaking land, inch after inch, from the forest to make way to the treasure. They haven't found any gold yet, but the wood is plenty in Rungerd's stores. Skeld The gate of Skeld resembles a Defender's shield and is a memorial to the fortitude of those Dwarven warriors. During the war against the Dark Elves, the garrison of Skeld included no other troops but Defenders who were brave enough to stop the invasion of the Servants of Shadow. Hundreds of warriors formed a living shield before the town's gate, keeping the attackers from breaching its walls. Steynjar The Dwarves are known to be thrifty and even tight-fisted. Vast deposits of ore allowed the dwellers of Steynjar to manipulate the ore markets secretly for their own ends, amassing great wealth for a few local merchants. But their fraud was disclosed, the ore they were hiding was seized for the benefit of the Crown, and the King assigned the duty of mining additional ore to the dwellers of Steynjar forever. Svadlund Ore from the mines, gems from the hills, weapons from the forges – all these things and more can be found in Svadlund. Ill-frequented by caravans of other nations due to the hard and dangerous route, the town is actually at a nexus of Dwarven underground thoroughfares. The ruling clan takes advantage of the situation by ensuring that the ways are safe, the services are efficient, and the taxes are low. On its way to becoming one of the wealthiest towns of the Stone Halls, Svadlund can offer excellent prices on any and all goods. Thorbjar Thorbjar's frozen waterfall is a magnificent and beautiful sight. A pillar of water, glittering in the sun, it towers above the town, its summit disappearing into the clouds. Many Dwarves come to Thorbjar to feast their eyes upon this natural marvel. Few know, however, that the waterfall of Thorbjar is also the town's source of prosperity: deep in the core of the mountain, hidden from an outsider's view by the frozen column, there is another waterfall with fair crystals instead of ice. Tor Hrall Gateway to the Dwarven Kingdom, this town is the centre of trade for all those who wish to do business with the Stone Halls. They keep the prices low here, happy to ensure that nobody is upset at their monopoly on commerce. Torgerd The dwellers of Torgerd are known to be the most unfriendly and secretive among the Dwarves. To get into their town, an alien would have to undergo numerous verifications, and even having at last found himself within the town's walls, he can be sure that many eyes follow him intently. No one knows what exactly are the people of Torgerd hiding, but not even once has the town submitted to an enemy, and during siege its defenders are like solid rocks that only time can wreck. Ulfson The shooting towers of Ulfson are adorned with intricate reliefs of magical runes, carved by the Rune Priests upon their stones. Blessed by the powers of Arkath and powered by super-heated air from lava vents beneath the city, the towers enable particularly devastating and accurate missile fire. Defense towers have a 25% bonus to damage. Vemsdal Vemsdal was the Dwarven Kingdom's first capital, besieged during a time of clan infighting. That war, which took the lives of many renowned warriors, ended in a grand tournament whose winner became the founder of the current ruling dynasty. Though the winner left the town and founded a new capital, Vemsdal remains a magnet for heroes. Legend has it that a Dwarf who begins his or her service in Vemsdal can reach similarly lofty heights.