Hammerholme
A dwarven mining community and military citadel located under an ancient tower. It is one of three dwarven towns in Fultar's Eastern Borderlands area, including Hammerfast and Thunderdelve.
Hammerholme is situated in a land of rocky desolation, bordered on the west by the Barony of Bortlan, on the north by the Wild Reaches and to the east by Sentinel Fortress and the half-orc warriors of Grahluk. Hammerhole has a population of about 600, and guards one of the two mountain passes between Wild Reaches and the civilized lands of humans, dwarves, hobbit and gnomes in the Eastern Borderlands. Hammerholme sits at foot of the great Forge Peak.
The surrounding land was once said to have held a great stone mound called Rubyfill by humans. According to dwarven legend, land around Hammholme Tower was once ruled by Holmkeeper clan that mined the mountain and brought them riches. About a thousand years ago at the time of Guar Conquest and conquest of Fultar, the surrounding chaos and these riches brought the Dragon Calastryx and his Necromancer master Yarlzedd during the Arrival of the Great Worms. Using magic from legend they fought a great battle that caused the destruction of Rubyfill and shattered the surrounding lands. No survivors were ever found. Calastryx was the scourge of the entire Dawnforge Mountains, but the wizard Starris confronted Calastryx and Yarlzedd and they waged an epic battle that spilled across the mountain range over a year. The struggle ended when Starris placed a curse on Calastryx, forcing the dragon to slumber and slowly grow weaker. Although Starris could not defeat the dragon, his spell has meant the dragon’s doom. Yarlzedd disappeared, which many thought he would never return.
As modern Fultar expanded and reclaimed the Sua Hills, the forest of Bortlan, the Dawnforge Mountains, and other areas, no settlers or explores entered what was considered a cursed place. About eighty years ago, the dwarven prince Ithragor Holmkeeper came to the lands and reclaimed Hammerholme Tower. Ithragor Holmkeeper had been sought out by Lord Alden Ilios, Marquess of the Wild Reaches and Lord of Sentinel Fortress in an effort re-close the pass between the Wild Reaches and Fultar. Ithragor Holmkeeper led a group that could trace their lineage to the original dwarves and settled the lands. Sir Alden Ilios’ gambit was wildly successful, and was a key component of defeating the Bloodspear orcs during the Bloodspear Orc Invasion.
The tower was discovered mostly intact but the land infertile, which did not stop the dwarves from staying. Within a few years, new halls were constructed beneath Hammerhole as various mining tunnels provided wealth for trade. Hammerhole Tower has never fully been rebuilt, but is a gateway and bastion against entry into their underrealm, as well as a protection against the Wild Reaches. Over the years, the inhabitants of Hammerholme have changed their stern but good nature to one of stoic duty and rigid work.
Ithragor Holmkeeper remains the aged King of Hammerholme.
