The Battle of Elstwater Keep was a conflict during the Age of Three Emperors, taking place in 2015 IC.[1a]
During the battle, Count Ostrein of Nordland took an hourglass to the walls of his besieged castle and entreated his men to hold for a single hour. He turned the glass over as the attacking Middenland troops advanced, and for an hour, the defenders held against the vastly larger army of the Graf of Middenheim. As the last of the sands ran out, a great storm broke out and the attackers were forced to abandon their assault. Because of this, the hourglass has become a symbol of defiance and stubbornness amongst regiments from the northern states.[1a]