Aerie Peak.
The armies of every Wildhammer Dwarf tribe had gathered here.
The Wildhammer Dwarves had a tribal social hierarchy. Each lord had his own territory, while the most powerful ruled Aerie Peak.
Aerie Peak was, in a sense, the heart of their people, a sacred place they had to defend.
Thus, when it came under attack and its Highlord, Falstad Wildhammer, summoned the tribes, every army answered.
However, each tribe had only limited troops, and many Gryphon Riders were away on duty, so their combined force amounted to barely a thousand.
Now, inside Aerie Peak Castle-or Wildhammer Castle, as it was also called-the lords were holding a war council.
The Wildhammer Dwarves had tempers every bit as fierce as their Bronzebeard brethren, so this supposed war council was more like a noisy argument in a marketplace.
Only when Falstad Wildhammer spoke did the other lords stop arguing and listen.
Falstad had once been a noble Gryphon Rider of the Wildhammer Clan in the Hinterlands. He had earned great distinction in the war against the orcs and had even fought at Grim Batol to rescue Alexstrasza, the Red Dragon Queen.
To the Wildhammer Dwarves, Falstad was a true war hero.
Thus, when Kurdran Wildhammer, the former leader of Aerie Peak and the Wildhammer Clan, joined the Alliance Expedition to Outland, Falstad remained at Aerie Peak and inherited the title of Highlord. He had led the Wildhammer Clan ever since.
Now that he wanted to speak, everyone naturally shut their mouths.
"After these last few battles, we can now be certain that our attackers are the Witherbark trolls led by Zalaz Witherbark."
"These cruel, despicable trolls used to do nothing more than harass us from time to time or attack travelers on long journeys. Now they've actually found the nerve to