Isle of Longspear

The Isle of Longspear is a small island off the coast of Stonegarde in the Arathi Highlands, which was held by the ancient Arathi tribe of Longspear. When the male Longspear line ended with Loras Longspear, the descendants of his eldest daughter, Lyra and her husband inherited control of the island. It has since been passed on from generation to generation of Marwyn Jarls (See Earl) and is one of the few land holdings which passed directly to Merridyth Marwyn after her father's assassination.

History
Since the dawn of humanity, the island was home to the tribe of Longspear--a line of fierce warriors who frequently raided villages along the coast of the Arathi Highlands. Like many of the first humans, theirs was a culture in which even the women fought and died in battle. Because the isle of Longspear measured less than 16,000 acres with much of the land unusable for farming, the tribe could only improve its lot by raiding its neighbors. Once heavily forested, the island was excellent source of lumber, and the Longspear used this to their advantage. They built small raiding ships, capable of exceptional speeds, and their shallow draft allowed these ships to sail up river, where the Longspear raided villages with impunity for generations.

The rise of King Thoradin and the consolidation of the human tribles that inhabited the Arathi Highlands marked a the beginning of the end for the Longspear, when their greatest enemy joined forces with King Thoradin. The Marwyns of Dagger point had expanded their vast holdings, making it virtually impossible for the Longspear to land in what is now Stonegarde without being forced into battle. For a decade, the two tribes waged a brutal war against one another, which ended in Loras Longspear's defeat in single combat against Tytos Marwyn. Weary of the seemingly endless conflict, both tribes met on the shore of what is now Port Marwyn, and came to a compromise that would join them for generations to come. Loras, who had lost the last of his sons in battle, offered his eldest daughter in marriage to Tytos in exchange for the right of his people to settle in what is now Stonegarde City.

Tytos Marwyn's acceptance marked the beginning of an era of peace, and for bringing the Longspear into the fold, he was rewarded by King Thoradin with more land, and became one of the most powerful chieftains in the region. All future generations of the house of Marwyn are descended from his marriage to Lyra Longspear, and the Isle has been under Marwyn control ever since.

Castle Longspear (Longspear Hold)
The ancient stronghold of the Longspear has stood for more than a thousand years, and has never fallen to an invader. Rising from the Northwestern cliff as if it were part of the land itself, the base of its grey stone towers is covered in patches of green moss and blackened in places from a fire that had failed to consume it centuries ago. Dark and foreboding, the ancient Castle Longspear now serves as the temporary seat of the Duchess of Seastone after the March on the Highlands.

Liam's Landing
Liam's Landing is the only point of anchorage on the Isle of Longspear. The port was named in honor of Lord Liam Marwyn, who perished at the hands of the Alterac Syndicate. When Stonegarde was briefly occupied by the syndicate, Lord Liam and his men used the island to regroup and launch an offensive to take back Stonegarde.

Tower Watch
Though it makes a small foot print, the fort stands at an impressive height of one hundred and eighty-five feet, offering a commanding view of Port Marwyn just across the water, and a large section of Seastone's coastline. Tower Watch presently houses more than two hundred refugees from Seastone. Though it is often referred to as a Castle, Tower Watch has never been a proper Castle, because of its unique design.

Fort Liam
A hastily constructed fort comprised of two towers and a large barracks, Fort Liam was used by Lord Liam Marwyn as a staging point to arm and train his militia before retaking the city of Stonegarde.

Present Day
Despite the outcome of the Horde March on the Highlands and the exodus of Seastone, the Isle of Longspear remains in Marwyn hands. With the aid of ships and soldiers sent by the Duke of Newcastle, the Isle stands defiantly against any Horde forces that may wish to claim it. Its proximity to Port Marwyn has allowed ships from Liam's Landing to blockade the port, and ferry supplies to the fatigued defenders of Seastone Keep on the mainland.

The Isle is currently home to a population of less than four hundred, many of whom are refugees from the mainland who stubbornly refused to give up their homes without a fight. Castle Longspear now houses what remains of the Marwyn family portraits, ancient suits of armor, and other priceless items, which were transported to the Isle before Seastone's evacuation.