Twenty years ago, Thraxas Blackhammer became Thane of Anvilrock Pass. He took the title while his brother, Arngald, died on expedition fighting Drow in the deeper reaches of their domain. However, as he lay dying with a poisoned Drow bolt buried in his breast, Arngald had named Rogar Foesplitter as his successor. But Thraxas denies this claim and calls Rogar a traitor and an outlaw, banishing him from the Pass.

In the meantime, Rogar has gathered a band of loyal dwarves around him and has harried the outer trade roads of Thraxas’ domain. He steals from the Thane’s couriers, harasses loyalist travelers, and generally makes Thraxas’ life hard. With Anvilrock Pass being a fairly popular travel point between the human and elven lands, there is much gold to be made—but Rogar is interfering with that.