Erythnul's Hill Fort
Few fortifications in all the Lands of Warlderia have witnessed as much bloodshed as Erythnul's Hill Fort. Standing atop a rocky ridge commanding the surrounding valleys and roads, the fortress occupies one of the most strategically important positions in the region. Whoever controls the hill commands the principal route between east and west, making the fort a prize sought by every great power that has marched through these lands. Its true origins have long since been forgotten.
So many armies have captured, repaired, expanded and rebuilt the fortress over the centuries that no historian can say with certainty who first raised its walls. Elven stonework stands beside Dwarven masonry, while Human timber fortifications have been rebuilt atop foundations laid by kingdoms that vanished centuries before. Every generation has altered the defences, yet none has ever erased the work of those who came before. The fortress has changed hands countless times, but never through peaceful negotiation. Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Goblinoids and Humans have all fought desperately for possession of the hill, often paying a terrible price for their victories. During the Higher Wars alone the fortress was besieged on numerous occasions, while Kaegor himself was forced to storm its walls twice after enemy forces seized it in an attempt to sever his vital supply lines.
Although its walls are not especially imposing, the hill itself is a formidable natural defence. On three sides the slopes are covered by broad fields of loose scree and broken rock that make any rapid assault almost impossible. Attackers struggle to maintain formation as they climb, while dislodged stones frequently turn ordered advances into chaos. Countless assaults have stalled upon these treacherous slopes, allowing determined defenders to rain arrows, stones and burning missiles upon exhausted enemies before they ever reached the battlements.
Following centuries of relentless warfare, massacre and betrayal, the stronghold gradually acquired the soldiers' nickname of Erythnul's Hill Fort, after the dread god whose portfolio embraces slaughter and senseless conflict. The title was never officially bestowed by any ruler, yet it spread from one army to another until even the cartographers abandoned its older names. Today every map marks the fortress simply as Erythnul's Hill Fort.
The Modern Garrison
Today the fortress serves a very different purpose. Rather than being occupied by one of the great kingdoms, Erythnul's Hill Fort is held by the March Wardens, a small but highly capable frontier brotherhood composed primarily of Half-Elves and Humans. Many are descended from soldiers, traders and refugees who settled around the fortress after the last great wars, while others are veterans who chose to devote their lives to keeping the surrounding frontier peaceful.
Officially, the March Wardens are an independent military order owing allegiance only to the fortress itself. In practice, few doubt that they enjoy the quiet support of Radiant Melthurien. The city provides experienced officers, engineers, healers and occasional financial assistance, while the Wardens ensure that no hostile power is able to establish itself upon one of the most strategically important crossings in the region. This arrangement suits all concerned. Radiant Melthurien avoids appearing expansionist, neighbouring realms are reassured that the fortress is not occupied by Elven troops, and the Wardens retain the independence that has earned them the trust of merchants and travellers alike.
The garrison numbers little more than four hundred men and women during peacetime, supported by local militia drawn from the surrounding villages in times of danger. Although small by the standards of the great kingdoms, they are experienced frontier soldiers accustomed to fighting upon the broken slopes surrounding the hill. Every officer knows that the strength of Erythnul's Hill Fort lies not in its walls alone, but in the determination of those who defend them.
The Wardens maintain a strict neutrality in the disputes of neighbouring realms, provided no army attempts to seize the fortress or threaten the safety of the surrounding communities. Merchants travelling between Radiant Melthurien, Zinkst and the eastern kingdoms often regard the sight of the fort's blue-and-silver banner as a welcome sign that the roads ahead remain open.