The wild places of The Concord are home to all manner of folks; from bandits and exiles hiding in the Bailite Woods of Bolsterlee, to hidden things in the catacombs of Lerona Mere and even stranger ‘peoples’ living in the darkest corners of Resinderholz. As of late, one of the most human and recognisable groups has grown into a considerable problem; The Boar’s Head Clan.
Residing the hidden valleys of the Steinvault Mountains, these warrior mountaineers have begun to move against The Concord, with skirmishes breaking out across Weiland and Windholme. While the history of The Concord’s interactions with these people is a complex one, the future is hardly written in stone. But will likely be written in blood.
Fortesses of Ice and Iron
For years The Concord has been attempting to address the strange group of wildfolk that reside in the deep valleys of the Steinvault Mountains. Calling themselves ‘The Boars Head Clan’, these self-confessed ‘Dragonslayers’ offered to guide The Concord through the Steinvaults, connect Windholme and Weiland with direct trade that brought wealth to both Realms and The Boar’s Head, who charged a hefty toll.
It was this toll that broke down relations. Neither Bordevar nor The Valley had the ability nor the want to pay the precious minerals and Crystal Mana to the brusque warriors from the mountains. Offers of coin, or invitation to feasts, or platitudes of trade deals fell on deaf ears. The Boar’s Head knew what they were here for and if The Concord would not trade for it then circumstances would have to change.
Attempts by The Iron Valley to discover the secret paths of The Boar’s Head through their own subterfuge largely failed, again through lack of investment. But they did identify that The Boar’s Head was not a small isolated settlement of a few hundred, but a web of mountain-valley-holds with a population in the thousands, and many of them warriors under-arms. With contact thoroughly closed off by insult, snow and lack of investment, a storm began to brew.
It began with Summiters in the Steinvaults going missing, but the conflict truly came to a head in Winter 223, when Boar’s Head Clanfolk clashed with Bordevarian commonfolk in the Wolfsden Woods south of Arbington. It appears that the Boar’s Head were logging the deepest parts of the woods for supplies to be hauled up into their mountain abodes. Contrary to the Iron Valley’s attempts at open handed diplomacy, the nobles of Bordevar acted harshly to repulse this intrusion onto their lands. Mercenaries were hired using funds gifted from The Senate and the Boar’s Head Clan were put to the sword or routed back into the foothills of the Steinvaults.
Following the capture of a Boars Head warleader by Bordevarian forces, The Iron Valley made one last attempt at peace, while Bordevar prepared for war. King’s Rangers watched the mountains from the north with bows in hand, while in the south a message was left; Stand with us, or stand against us.
It appears the Boars Head have made their choice.
Game Information
There is vanishingly little known about the Boars Head Clan and plenty of it is hearsay shared by the Clansfolk themselves. They call themselves dragonslayers and are said to worship the Old Gods of the Iron Valley in their oldest form. Whatever that may be. As the Concord readies itself for conflict against The Boars Head it is likely that the Concord will learn more about them very directly.
Characters who are from Heinsgraf in Windholme may have stories of seeing or briefly interacting with Boars Head guides during the short period of trade in 223. These people were clad in heavy furs, always armed and spoke in short sharp sentences. They looked upon the Valleyfolk with harsh eyes and avoided symbols of the Spheres.
Characters from Southern Bordevar (particularly with investments based in the Wolfden Woods) can tell stories of spotting strange figures in the forest at a distance, or being questioned by Kings Rangers in pursuit of these trespassing loggers.
Characters interested in pursuing more information about the Boars Head Clan are recommended to seek out Iron Valleyfolk who interacted with the captured Warleader ‘Grin’ last summit, attempt historic research through the High Historian, speak to titleholders or attempt to access Skirmishes listed elsewhere in this entry. However, it is likely that the time for in person deliberations have passed.
I have heard the words of Obhan Dahk – The Danger in Windholme
In the Valley, the offer had always been simple. They had offered the Boar’s Head a place among them. The Concordian heroes struggled to bring the minerals to trade with the Boars Head and hoped to foster closer ties with the group, when diplomacy with this strange Valley-cousin struggled to the top of the High Reeves current concerns. But each time the Boars Head refused and if anything, grew colder on each offering.
The last offer was left in the close valleys of the Steinvaults by skilled Summiters, the same Summiters who had pierced the Steinvaults on the behest of some of the Valley’s most influential heroes. A banner and a message that fell on deaf ears. High in these passes, the Boars Head sharpened their blades a readied themselves for what to come.
Since the weather has turned the danger has made itself apparent as small bands of mountainfolk warriors have descended. Striking at outlying boroughs near Rumwold and Heinsgraf, they hack and loot, burning whatever they cannot carry. Borough militia’s do their best to repel the attacks but are often too slow or too dispersed to be of much use.
The attacks look to continue over the Winter as the ice paths into the Steinvaults freeze up, allowing only the skilled Boars Head raiders to come and go as they please, with Concordian forces impotent to attack in return. Worryingly, the forces of the Boars Head will be able to strike out at the Rumwold Vastness, an essential piece of Concordian strategic infrastructure and a great place of wealth for the Valley.
It appears that the Winter will be a time to draw together and survive. But woe be to the Boar’s Head when summer returns to the Valley, they will find a folk who have to mercy for those who strike at their heart.
Game information
There will be decisions and information relating to the Boars Head Clan in Windholme for the Senator of Windholme, the High Reeves Council, The Champion of the Valley and the deed holder of the Rumwold Vastness.
There will be an opportunity for the Valley to face the Boars Head clan in battle this Summit during a skirmish. The parties responsible for organising this skirmish will be the Deedholder of the Rumwold Vastness and the Champion of the Valley. More information will be available at the Summit.
Some investments in Rumwold and Heinsgraf will find that they have been damaged in this past season.
Iron Valley military investments may take the Special Action – Watch the Mountains this coming downside. Doing so will help reduce damage that the Boars Head Clan may be able to do to infrastructure in Windholme. The Champion of the Valley will have additional information about this call to arms.
The Pack’s Strength Prevails – The Danger in Weiland
The conflict against the Boars Head in Weiland has always had a different tone. The protective knights and nobles of Bordevar had no sense of kinship with these strange mountainfolk and the commonfolk had fierce anger towards any who would threaten their homeland. Ever since the Boars Head Clan closed off trade arrangements, Bordevar moved to protect itself. It is very likely that this strong stance undercut any Iron Valleyfolk goals of peaceful interaction, but the mountainfolk were never particularly once for gentle diplomacy in the first place.
The swift military stance has allowed Bordevar to establish watchpoints, manned by soldiers and Kings Rangers throughout the Wolfden Woods even with the larger conflict going on in the East against the Onyx Aristocracy. As the first wary strikes of Boars Head raiders descend from the mountains to claim much needed timber and livestock, they find ready defenders eager the push them back. Quickly these skirmishes have turned bloody, with a running conflict beginning to smoulder in the South of Weiland. Rangers raiding Boars Head camps, skewering warriors in chainmail and giving their labourers a simple choice: “Return to the mountains, or return to the earth.”
In return the Boars Head strike out in harsher manner. Larger bands and stranger forces move against Bordevar as the prideful mountainfolk will take what they need. Soon enough whole bands of warriors are fighting battles under the howling eeriness of the wolves that call this place home. With two peoples consumed by warskill and pride, it is exceedingly unlikely that this growing war will come to peace without destruction.
Game Information
There will be decisions and information relating to the Boars Head Clan in Weiland for the Senator of Weiland, the Ducal Council, the Sheriff of Arbington, the Duke of Heartsgrave, the Champion of the King and the Royal Ranger.
The discrepancy between the Bordevarian and Iron Valley responses to the Boars Head Clan has allowed the Kingless Kingdom to ready itself quite handily for a growing conflict with the mountainfolk from the south, but has certainly done damage to Iron Valley attempts at peace. Given the public nature of these attempts, this knowledge would be easy to find for anyone who would attempt to learn.
There will be an opportunity for Bordevar to face the Boars Head Clan in battle this Summit during a skirmish. The party responsible for this skirmish will be the Royal Ranger. More information will be available at The Summit.