Strokhelm

(The Kingdom of Strokhelm, The Strok, Strokhelm)

-The easternmost kingdom, the warrior-lords of Strokhelm are forged in fire and steel after a lifetime of fighting back the roaming Orc war bands. The most recent lord took his crown when the previous lord, his father, was killed in a fight with the Orc warlord Gurzhag. Taking up his father’s broken axe, he slew Gurzhag and ended the onslaught of the great Orc horde. A horde approaching the same size has not emerged in the 20 years since, though there are rumors of a great war-host forming at the orc stronghold of Gnar’thul.

-Citizens of Strokhelm are all warriors first and foremost, with even the youngest boy and oldest woman ready to take up an axe and join the shield-wall should the need arise. Each Strok is ready to fight at a moment’s notice, and live under the constant awareness of the enemy close at hand.

Military

-The armies of Strokhelm do not exist in standard terms. When fighters are needed, the warlord calls upon the chiefs of each settlement to provide a pre-agreed upon number of able-bodied fighters. There is no guarantee that these groups were not previously at war with one another the year before, so discipline is a constant struggle within the war band. It is uncommon for a war band to remain coherent for longer than a few months, long enough to deal with the crisis and return home with loot and (often exaggerated) tales of glory.

-The navy of Strokhelm functions in much the same way as the army. While a great number of ships can be raised very quickly, a warlord never knows whether his fleet will be filled with warships or fishing vessels.