On the Realm (Lore 2)

by Anselm the White

It has been over two hundred years since our kind first arrived in this land. Ever since, we have worked it, and nurtured it, and protected it from the influences of those who work to expand the forces of entropy. The Orogs of the wilds, those ferocious beasts of which we scare our children with stories of, still lurk in the forests and the hills, as they did when we first set foot here. The various beasts of monstrous nature, whether they stem from the Wood Man himself, or come from the very earth they inhabit, still dwell within those corners that have not yet been illuminated by our Lord of Fire.

It is thus that I find it wise to expand the knowledge of our brethren on the various towns and villages of our realm, so that one may know where they can find the safety that all good men and women crave. One must know the holds of our kingdom if he is to avoid that which seeks to destroy the foundation on which we have built our livelihoods.

## Vengard

**King Rhobar**

The very capital of the kingdom in which we reside. Its name, which has been constructed from those two words that we all favor, comes from the mythical Venland, which our ancient King Alaric and his retinue of knights left behind during the Great Migration. Our noble lord, Rhobar, First of his Name and Protector of the Vengard Peoples, resides in this city which has been founded by none other than the progenitor of our modern people. Here, one can find all that one may need, in this jewel that rests on the edge of Lake Tarly.

## Faring

**Duke Conrad**

Most of our legends started here, in this town founded by none other than its eponymous lord, Faring Knelman, one of those men who accompanied King Alaric on his long voyage east. Story tells that it was founded when the Yellow Knight, as we also know him, fell in love with a woman that belonged to a tribe of those First Men we have mingled with, and settled down with her at the mouth of the Aylon River.

Yet extraordinary people such as him always find themselves being followed by those of a less magnificent nature. Even though he sought peace, our famed knight found himself hounded by the glory-seeking youth of our people, and despite seeking nothing but solitude for himself and his love, found it within his heart to swear an oath to always protect those who seek it. It is thus that the town of Faring came to be, and it is thus that its principles still stand, a century and more after his death. Ever since, all those who came to the settlement found peace and prosperity - except during the horrible times of the Orog War, which is best left unaddressed in this literary work of implied tranquility.

## Gray Keep

**Duke Lothar**

This impressive edifice of stone has been what has protected our people from the wild bands of Orogs and monstrous beasts that can be found in the Valley of Mines to the south and to the east. Originally nothing more than a staging point for all expeditions within the plateau, it has since grown to encompass the nearby areas, and has become the military center of our kingdom. Those who favor the martial arts can always find shelter here, as the sounds of ringing steel still echoes across its yards as much as it has when it was built.

The Valley of Mines has long been left abandoned, as has the fort that lies in its middle, whose name has been stricken from our records for a reason hidden to all but the most high-ranking members of the Order of Fire.