Kazak Skulk/The Hold of the Fox: Reconstruction

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Prior to the reconstruction of Kazak Skulk, it possessed a simple but practical design and consisted of
the basics. The entrance was well hidden and due to a thought through agricultural system, the
inhabitants could live underground without need to come to the surface indefinitely. Its purpose was that
of a small and secretive barracks, providing the Iron Hold with shielding to the north and/or a source of
reinforcements should the hold itself ever be attacked. The dwarves deployed to the garrison possessed
a wide range of skills and talents and were accompanied by their families. In the years after its
construction, to the residents, it became known as The Hold of the Fox and foxes and their furs became
common place. There was a period of expansion and prosperity; the garrison grew into a hold.
During the Iron Hold’s Orc Wars, The Hold of the Fox was assumed destroyed. Although dwarves were
sent from the Iron Hold to investigate, they incorrectly reported that all had been lost and it was
designated a tomb. Instead, deep underground, the survivors battled on fearing that the Iron Hold itself
had fallen. Over time, their forces were diminished, the infrastructure of the hold was destroyed and they
found themselves without even a forge or smiths, often wielding the weapons of their enemy out of sheer
desperation. At one point, they broke their secrecy and reached out to the Lions (as the faction then
based in Albion) for aid, striking up a trade deal for resources in exchange for what meagre minerals they
had to offer. Overwhelmed by their generosity, the lord of the hold swore an oath of allegiance to the
Lions and promised to stand by them in their time of need, something that they would be unable to accomplish during the Lion’s and Hart’s civil war. Time past and still their situation worsened. In a last-
ditch attempt to save themselves, the Lord of Kazak Skulk collapsed the remaining entrances to the hold and to their surprise, the orcs assumed a total collapse of what little was left. In the years that followed,
eventually, Tolin Windword was sent from his home and instructed to travel to the Lions to repay the
hold’s oath with his own service. Through a chance meeting, Tolin met King Olaf and with haste, the Iron
Hold deployed a rescue party to Kazak Skulk.

In the years following its rediscovery, the Iron Hold has formally recognised Kazak Skulk as an off shoot
of the main hold and a hold in its own right. A huge amount of resources were sent north and it wasn’t
long before the The Hold of the Fox was not just restored but reinvented. Its hidden entrance was
replaced with a grand doorway adorned with Iron Hold banners, dwarven decoration and images of
foxes. The blue banners and this decorative architecture are present throughout the various rooms and
corridors of the hold, no matter their size or purpose.

In the centre of the hold, there is a large chamber with a memorial positioned in the middle of the room.
Atop a piece of jagged slate, an enormous, iron statue of an unnamed dwarf swinging an orc’s axe and
wielding a damaged shield stands proudly. Their armour is frayed and damaged and their look is of
someone who is exhausted but the fire of the forge is burning in their eyes. By their feet, there are two
foxes stood loyally by their master. Their heckles are raised and they’re bearing their teeth towards an
unseen enemy. Water runs over the large piece of slate into a clear blue pool. Over time, the statues
have been allowed to rust and especially near their bases were the water laps around boots and paws,
they have become a bright orange. To the people of the hold, this is a reminder of how desperate things
became. The rust reflects the gradual destruction of their home but despite the damage, they stood and
continue to stand strong. The foxes represent the spirit of the people and the tenacity they showed.
Around the base of the pool, the names of the fallen are written in Iron Hold script. This is used a place of
ceremony and remembrance and is visited regularly by many Iron Holders, particularly by the new lord of
Kazak Skulk, Tolin.

In the same hall but in a decorative alcove to the side, a large statue of a lion and a fox, covered in gold
leaf, rest upon a marble plinth. The two animals are sat directly facing one another and appear to be
regarding each other with understanding and respect. Upon the marble, the names of the survivors of the disaster are etched in Iron Hold script in a similar style to those around the memorial. At the front of the plinth, the words ‘An Oath Not Forgotten’ are written in common. To the few remaining survivors and to some Iron Holders, there is still a sense of loyalty to the Lions as without their help, the hold would have fallen.

The hold has kept its purpose and it possess a large and active garrison. The 42nd Iron Guard were
created and based here. As the Iron Hold’s shock troops, the facilities are top notch and there are
multiple training rooms for them to hone their craft. The wider hold contains a number of other amenities
including living quarters, rooms for storage and trade, a shrine to the ancestors and mining facilities.
During his time as Thane of the Dwavern Nation, Tolin split his time between Kazak Skulk and
Govannon’s Crown in Lantia where he continued to uphold his service to the Lions. In order to enable
him in his role as Thane, the Lord’s chambers were enlarged to fit his entourage of advisors and
personal guard. A broad and fortified tunnel runs between the Iron Hold and Kazak Skulk and has
become an active highway with taverns and holdings opening up along it.

The Hold of the Fox, Kazak Skulk, stands reborn, proud of its heritage, a loyal standing of the Iron Hold
and an active part of not just dwavern society but that of Edreja. It enjoys a connection to not one but two factions as it sits within Albion and thus remains part of the Harts Faction whilst also honouring its oath to the Lions. During the recent conflict against Gazran Goldaxe and the Shattered Assembly, it was the 42nd Iron Guard who, on King Olaf’s orders, were deployed to Maritania to assist the Unicorns in their conflict.