Hammerguard


 * Human - Black race - Redguard.jpg

The Hammerguard are a race of dark-skinned Humans who arrived in Haven last among the races of men. Though strong and intelligent warriors, their pride and fierce independence of spirit makes them more suitable as freelancers and soldiers of fortune than rank-and-file Legionmen. Though they are the fewest in number of all races of man, they are prized smiths, ship-builders, seamen, adventurers, mercenaries as well as prudent and resourceful traders and bankers. The major pirating rings of the southern coasts are also thought to be run by Hammerguards.

Exodus to Haven
The Hammerguard landed on the western shores of Haven well into the Age of Endurance, even though the ansestral homeland of men laid far to the east of Haven. In fact, the Hammerguard had actually left their home at the same time the Deornoth had done so, but they had instead gone much further south than their kingly brothers. According to the few surviving texts recounting the events which followed, the Hammerguard actually found land far to the south and west of Haven, though it was uninhabited at that time by any intelligent species.

The Hammerguard built great cities and palaces there, eventually separating into small kingdoms and regencies. The sect of Hammerguard which later left that land and ended up on the shores of Haven were said to be the remnants of a small city-state who excelled in smith-craft and were superb ship-builders and seamen. They were eventually besieged by a larger kingdom and forced into exile, taking up the life of pirates in exchange for their previous vocations as artisans.

When they had commandeered enough ships, weapons, and gold, they once again left the shores of their new land, seeking to build again the homes of their forefathers in the ancestral homeland. Therefore they headed north and east, eventually coming unawares to the shores of Haven, just west of the Sea of Noldor.