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Cairm Ironhead is one of Black Dow’s five war-chiefs in the war with the Union, with a hard-won name for never giving ground.

Appearance and Personality[]

Ironhead is a slab of a man with a scar-crossed face, and closely cropped dark hair and stubble. He is notoriously stubborn and is always frowning, but a subtler man than he appears. He and Glama Golden are locked in a feud.

History[]

Although it is unknown what he did during the First Law Trilogy, he seemingly followed Bethod. By the events of The Heroes he is a powerful war chief following Black Dow.

The Heroes[]

On the first day, General Jalenhorm’s division occupy the key ground in the valley of Osrung, but are overstretched, with some Regiments still caught up on the bad roads. Under cover of the thick forest to the north, the Northmen approached in great numbers. Caul Reachey’s forces leads off, moving towards Osrung, carrying all the Northmen standards to make it look like their big effort. Jalenhorm falls for this bluff and sends men from the Heroes to reinforce Osrung, leaving the stones weaker held. Then Ironhead and Tenways make the proper effort on the Heroes, and comprehensively breaking the defenders.

After the fighting, Calder tries to convince Ironhead to betray Black Dow, but Ironhead pisses on his boots.

On the second and third days, Ironhead is given the shallow and the orchard in the centre to hold. Jalenhorm spends the second day regrouping, and attacks on the third day in overwhelming force. The Ironhead’s men fall back to the orchard for cover, but soon flee back to the Children and beyond, as Dogman’s men with Jalenhorm shout “The Bloody-Nine”. The Northmen provide much heavier resistance on the Heroes. Despite the efforts of Bremer dan Gorst, they eventually drive the Union off, leaving the hill scattered with the dead of both sides.

Cairm Ironhead holds a shield for Black Dow in his duel with Calder, where Caul Shivers steps into the circle and kills Dow. Ironhead is one of the men who hail Calder the victor.

Calder makes Ironhead buy him new boots to replace the one’s he’s previously pissed on, but Ironhead remains one of his and Scale's war-chiefs.

The Age of Madness[]

In a conversation between Jonas Clover and Greenway, the latter comments that Jonas had turned on his former leader, Cairm Ironhead. When Leo dan Brock goes to Carleon, Stour Nightfall points out Jonas Clover and says that the man had once been Jonas Steepfield. Leo recognizes the name, noting that Steepfield had killed Cairm Ironhead in the past, which Stour confirms.

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