the Highspires

The Highspires region of the Cragsworn Range were formed of stone that the Theissiesc call "Magniescheil", or "lava plug", a phenomenon where the lava inside a volcano cools into a much harder metamorphic rock that lasts the test of time while the softer stone around it eroded after the world's creation, resulting in great stone pillars that have likely seen the rise and fall of hundreds of ages of man, beast and celestial, and will see many yet more. The Highspires are connected to the south-eastern Highlands and maintain their height throughout their range as they extend further east and south, towering over the Flint Hills to their north and over the ancient cragpine forestlands, which it extends into. Various Clans of the Flint Hills and Lowland regions inhabit these areas, though their borders overlap, as some inhabit the pillars and skyways while others inhabit the craglands or woods at their bases.
Highspire Theissiesc architecture is partly inspired by their dwarven allies, grand stone strongholds and humble dwellings alike. They often chisel the foundation and framework of their buildings straight from the crags, leaving them as still part of the solid mountain. They then build the rest from iron, obsidian, simple flint slabs and wood and rope. Like the crags that surround them, they tend to build taller rather than wider, with overhangs, bridges, and walkways where others would never have thought to build them. Navigating a Highspire Theissiesc stronghold often proves confusing and bewildering to visitors and outsiders.
Their warriors, both man and dwarf, fight with weapons and in armour of an amalgam of both Theissiesc and Dwarven style. They greatly utilize harpoon cannons with grappling and stone piercing ends to give them even more tactical manoeuvrability in their lands. the chains attached to the harpoons are made of Vulcite, a very hard metal found in volcanic areas, unlike their Highlander counterparts which use meteorite chains, though like their highlander cousins they do use line-hooks to speed down the chains towards their enemies. The line-hooks that they use are of old gnomish design, the speeds can be adjusted and even stopped to allow for ranged assailment before closing in and attach to the upper back, unlike the simple hook and rope of the Jagged Peaks folk, which must be held on to. Troops on the ground, below the pillars, often wield large shields, spears and pike formations, which they use to try to pin enemies in place below the pillars, letting their warriors bombard enemies with artillery from higher spans of the pillars with cannon fire or with mortars before shooting off their harpoon chain cannons, and then advancing slowly down the line, guns blazing, before launching themselves into combat when the time is deemed ripe. A regiment from the Highspire's "ziplining" directly into combat easily has the force of a cavalry charge and can be countered similarily.

Type

Geopolitical, Principality

Demonym

Highspire Clansmen