Dweghom: Hold Raegh

"Rising through the ranks in the military machine of a Dweghom Hold is a very difficult process, riven with physical danger on the battlefield and traps and pitfalls in the advancement as an officer, for, the higher one seeks to rise, the lower he may fall. For this reason, many Dweghom warriors, who have earned the right to command soldiers, chose to forgo the honor and potential advancement, content instead to remain a part of the rank and file. There are many holds, therefore, in which no single Dweghom can rise to the rank of Raegh. Trapped by the pitfalls of the system, the most worthy candidates ruthlessly crush aspiring contenders at the expense of advancing themselves, fearful of losing the labor of a lifetime. This leaves the Hold leaderless, devolving power down to a triumvirate composed of the highest ranking Mnemancer, the leader of the Ardent and the Forge Lord of the Tempered. Thus, when one encounters a Raegh, one knows he stands across one of the most capable fighters in a Hold, ruthless enough to have crushed all opposition so that his assent was assured, or talented enough to defend himself against all comers, while simultaneously rising through the ranks. Unfortunately for the Dweghom race as a whole, and their neighbors, this process seldom encourages skills and virtues such as diplomacy, compromise and patience. To most Dweghom this is just as well, providing more chances to take the field of battle and earn more Aghm."