Easterholm

Eastern Island

People: Those born on Easterholm are not hurt as easily against physical damage and tend to be stronger then most.

Weather: Normal weather (sun, clouds, and rain in average amounts)

asterholm is a medium-sized island of dark granite, located offshore from Threelands Bay. Almost the entire island is covered in lush green grass and clover. The western shores have several coves with small, sandy beaches and some minor caves. As these coves are surrounded by fairly low cliffs, access from the western shores is gained via footpaths, worn over the years by the beachcombers who scour the beaches in search of flotsam and jetsam. The northern and southern edges of Easterholm are comprised of jagged faces of grey rock which rise gradually towards the east, culminating at the impressively high eastern edge and its sheer drop to the turbulent sea below.

Easterholm (Old World)

The isle of Easterholm is home to one of the oldest communities in the Realm. For centuries, the Holmsmen have subsisted almost independently from the Mainland - largely because of their thriving fishing industry and verdant farmlands, but also because of their somewhat closed-minded attitude.

The first occupants of Easterholm were hardy folk from the Northlands -- fierce warriors and master shipwrights -- sent by the Elders to establish a defensive outpost and deter attacks from the East. The sheer cliffs on the eastern edge of the island provide an excellent vantage point from which to survey the eastern seas, and the rocky coves and sea caves facing Threelands Bay serve as places of refuge, should the need arise. Unfortunately, these coves and caves also provide ideal hideouts for outlaws, pirates and other groups and individuals of ill repute.

After over one hundred years with no hint of onslaught from foreign lands, the Holmsfolk took it upon themselves to slacken defenses around the island, and although the “Holmsgaard” still patrol the coastlines, it has become more of a tradition than a necessity.

The groups of settlers who came to Easterholm as fisherfolk, farmers or craftsmen -- predominantly from the shires surrounding Threelands Bay -- also established strong communities over the years, and people of all regions came to live together in peace and respect for one another. Some descendents of these settlers now even hold rank within the Holmsgaard.

Holmskeep, the “capital” of Easterholm -- and indeed the only citified area on the island -- obtains its name from the mighty stone fortress that overlooks it. Originally constructed by the first settlers to house the Northmen, the Keep is to this day inhabited almost exclusively by the Holmsgaard, with only a few other workers who perform the more menial duties such as cooking, cleaning, maintenance, armoury and apothecary.

The urban areas surrounding the Keep are home to some of the finest craftsmen in all the Realm: shipbuilders, weaponsmiths, stonemasons and many others. The ancient crafts and methods of all the island’s inhabitants have stood the test of time and remained unsullied by the passing of the years, although the same can also be said of their rather “outdated” way of speaking and fiery loathness to welcome outsiders.