Jernhode
Inspired by the ancestors of Ulvriskarr, others among Tahnsko followed the call to leave their ever-migrating brothers and sisters and strike out on their own. These folk initially intended to follow the path of their predecessors who had travelled north, but they found a passage that led them into the foothills of the Beórgstan Mountains. These travelers discovered great veins of iron in caves that had been carved out by Dúnalfs (Mountain Trolls) in ages long past. A friendly colony of Dúnalfs passed on the knowledge of mining and iron smithing, and the Eordic peoples established their first settlement of Ealdhelm in the southern slopes of the Beorgstan.
Although some of the Dúnalfs were welcoming to their new neighbors, many more had no desire to share their mountainous refuge and the resources it brought. Over the course of a year there were conflicts between the Eórdic newcomers and these more aggressive Dúnalfs. Eventually, under the heroic leadership of a humble smith named Haldor, peace was achieved between the Eórdfolk and their closest Troll neighbors, while the insurgent Dúnalfs retreated deeper into the mountains or fled the Beórgstan altogether.
Accords were written up to give the humans freedom to move across, settle, and even mine the ridges, peaks, and valleys of the mountains, leaving the Dúnalfs with uncontested dominion over their vast subterranean caverns. These Eórdfolk renamed themselves the proud clan of Jernhode, taking for their sigil the mighty mountain ram.
As Jernhode continued to establish itself throughout the Beórgstan, they also deepened their friendship with their Dúnalf allies. It became tradition for aspiring Jernhodian smiths and builders to foster in a Dúnalf community, learning the secrets of working iron and stone and even some of the spellwork of the Trolls. Before long, the Ram clan was producing arms and armor that would be the pinnacle of human smithing for hundreds of years to come. They attested much of their success to their access to the supplies of iron, and began to jealously guard passage into the mountains. Jernhode has held a staunch rivalry with Ulvriskarr ever since the Wolverine clan returned to Middangeard, being always on the lookout for raids from the more barbaric peoples of the north.
It is said that the Rams of the mountains are as hard and stern as the stone surrounding them, and this may very well be true. The people of Jernhode can be stubborn and blunt, with a reputation to break before they bend. Although they are not as dedicated to worshipping the Giants as Tahnsko, Jernhode does hold a reverence for the mountains and the treasures they hold. The private lives of the Jernhode are seldom seen by outsiders, but it is possible that there might be a more somber sort of mirth within their mountain halls.
