| abstract
| - In these books I will tell of the lengthy war between Frostkeep and the orcish hordes of the Wastelands. Special attention will be given to the Battle of Frostkeep, an epic battle which turned the tide of the war in favour of Frostkeep, and which brought forth great heroes. But before I begin with this story, the reader should know some of Frostkeep’s history. Frostkeep was founded as a small mining community. The walled settlement was meant to supply workers to the iron mine north of it, and performed as a defence from the goblinoid tribes in the area. In time the town grew, and turned into an independent city state. In the period of it’s greatest prosperity, Frostkeep exported iron to all the great cities of the south, and the weapons made by Frostkeep smiths were famous because of their quality. However, the golden period did not last long. Why the orcs left their homes in the Wastelands and started moving west is still unknown. All we know is that Frostkeep suddenly had to deal with the greatest threat they had ever faced. When the Duke heard of the approaching horde, he sent out a battalion of soldiers to intercept them. This resulted in the first battle, and the actual beginning of the war. For a long time the war endured, and mostly only small skirmishes were fought. The limited number of Frostkeep soldiers and the unorganised orcish war bands seemed to be evenly matched. Nonetheless, the war had devastating consequences for Frostkeep. The town went from a period of prosperity to a period of crisis and disorder. The iron mine, which was outside the city gates, could not be properly defended from attacks, and was eventually closed. Losing it’s major source of income, trade with other states became impossible. Since the city had always been heavily dependent on trade for it’s food supply, famine soon struck. In a decade, Frostkeep’s total population was halved. The city never recovered from this crisis. The first period of the war was ended in an epic battle, by a soldier who’s name still brings a feeling of hope to the people. According to the legend, the first truly organised attack of the orcs on Frostkeep was heroically crushed by Kalldor Sarwick, who fought back the horde entirely on his own. What is true about this legend is of course debatable. I believe Sarwick probably didn’t stand alone, at least not in the beginning of the battle. In any case, it is certain that this was a decisive battle. The orcs returned to the Wastelands, and for a few decades peace returned to Frostkeep. A fort was constructed at the edge of the Wastelands. It was named Fortress Sarwick, in honour of the hero who had fallen during the battle. I will write more on this legendary battle in a future book. The rest is recent history. A few years ago, the orcs once again started moving west. After a long struggle, they eventually managed to take the fortress. This was the final strike which made Frostkeep the losing side. After the fort was taken, the orcs formed alliances with the goblinoid tribes. To make matters worse, the Duke came to suffer from a mysterious disease no one seemed to have a cure for. In an attempt to change the situation, some minor expeditions to hunt down orcish or goblin camps and scouting groups were performed by local adventurers. It is also said that the Duke had called for adventurers to obtain the armour and sword of the legendary Kalldor Sarwick. This was supposed to increase morale among Frostkeep's ranks, and maybe even cause fear among the orcs. Other than that, Frostkeep could do little but wait for the orcs to storm the gates.
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