iron heroes - bloodwood

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Table of Contents

Bloodwood Legacy Map 2

Welcome to Lakeshore 3

Religion 4

Law and Government 5

Places of Note 6

The Seven Scholars 10

Lakeshore Heroes 11

Mastering The Lakeshore 14

Lakeshore Campaign Hooks 16

Credits

Design: Adam Windsor

Editing: Scott Holden

Production:Jason Kempton

Cover: Claudio Pozas

Interior Illustration: Claudio Pozas

Cartography: Ed Bourelle

BloodwoodAn Iron Heroes Setting Guide

This product is protected under the copyright laws of Canada and the United States of America. Alltextual contents of this book, regardless of designation, are 2008 Adam Windsor. All rightsreserved. Reproduction or use without the written permission of Adam Windsor is expresslyforbidden, except for the purpose of review or use of OGC consistent with the OGL. All artwork iscopyright Fiery Dragon Productions, Inc. The Fiery Dragon logo is a trademark of Fiery DragonProductions, Inc. Iron Heroes 2007 Adam Windsor. Used under license. All rights reserved.Printed in Canada.

www.fierydragon.com


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Bloodwood

An Iron Heroes Setting Guide

Generations ago, a group of refugees fled a disaster. Exactlywhat that disaster was is no longer known, the details lostor deliberately forgotten by its survivors. The refugeestraveled many difficult miles, across barren and brokenterrain, until they found their way to fertile anduninhabited land on the shores of a vast lake. Having foundgood land, with further passage barred by the impenetrabletangle of an ancient forest, the refugees settled in theshadow of the trees.

They named both their new town and the nearby forestThornwood for the many brambles and thickets within thedensely packed trees. For some time, all seemed well, thoughsome of the more nervous refugees claimed to have seen

movement in the shadows under the trees.

Such early misgivings were forgotten as seasons and thenyears went by. The small band of refugees put down roots,and their numbers grew. As time passed, the need formaterials also grew and, as other sources dwindled, the folkeventually decided to clear some land from the Thornwood.

The nights of terror and death that followed earned theforest its current name: Bloodwood. There were indeedthings in the shadows under the trees terrible, misshapenthings that considered the forest their domain and wouldbrook no invasion of its boundary. Dozens of people died,some torn literally limb from limb, as the creatures exactedtheir revenge.

A second wave of refugees left the village, fanning outacross the region to establish new settlements. Some becamefarmers; some, fisherfolk; some even turned to piracy.Nearly one hundred years later, the events of this time arealmost as much a thing of legend as the cataclysm thatbrought their forebears to this land. Yet even today, fewpeople venture near the Bloodwood and of the few who do,none return.

About this Guide

This guide is intended for players and GMs of the IronHeroes roleplaying game. It details a specific region foruse as a setting in Iron Heroes campaigns and providesadvice on creating characters from the region; alsoincluded are a map of the area, descriptions of themajor communities and landmarks, and a brief outlineof notable organizations and individuals who can befound there.

A series of adventures to be based in this setting theBloodwood Legacy are planned for publication, butthis guide can be used as a standalone product.

Welcome to LakeshoreFrom the first day they saw Ocean Lake, the refugeesdubbed their new homeland Lakeshore. The vast bodyof water is integral to life in the region, not just

because it provides both food and a livelihood for

many of its human inhabitants, but for a host of otherreasons as well. The comparatively warm waters of thelake make the local climate less severe (though rathermore prone to rain) than it would otherwise be. Thelake also provides reliable, but not too ready, access tooutside cultures and goodsClose enough fortrade, but too far for trouble, as the local saying goes.The lake also figures strongly in local craftwork,poetry, and philosophy.

Overview

The Lakeshore is an alluvial plain some 50 milesacross from north to south and roughly 70 miles fromeast to west. Most of the plain consists of fertile blackearth, well irrigated by the streams and tributaries oftwo fast-flowing rivers of clear, cold water. The regionis bounded to the north and east by broken, rockyterrain, to the west by the tangled expanse of theBloodwood, and to the south by the vastness of OceanLake.

Agriculture, particularly dairy or pig farming and fruitand grain crops, is common throughout most of theLakeshore region. The land is less fertile in the

extreme north: hunting and foraging play a muchgreater role in the diet in these regions. Coastal andriverside communities make extensive use offreshwater fish in their diet, of course, as well asshellfish and certain edible sea plants. The fertility ofthe land, coupled with intensive agricultural practicesand the bountiful supply of fish in the rivers and lake,sustains a population of some 40,000 people.

The People

Although it has been settled for several generations,

most of Lakeshore still has something of a frontierattitude, with the peculiar blend of independence andinterdependence that entails. A common local adage isThe only crop you can sow on your neighbors field istrouble; folk dont like interference from outsiders,and expect to be left alone to live their lives how theywant. On the other hand, if a family runs intodifficulties, there is a strong sense of community aswell: Gifts of food, assistance with work, and anyother aid possible will flood in for the afflicted folk.

Outsiders are generally treated hospitably, thougharmed travelers will usually be asked to set aside their

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weapons, especially if they are looking for a meal orshelter. In areas prone to pirate attack, the welcome isgenerally much more cautious, and armed travelerswill be required to hand over their weapons if they donot intend to move on immediately.

Attitudes in certain of the larger settlements, where

the communities are not so close-knit, may vary. Anyspecific variances for these locations are covered in thePlaces of Note section below.

Religion

The original refugees who entered Lakeshore did nothave a single, strongly held faith, and there are manydifferent religious beliefs in the area. Dedication tomost such faiths is casual rather than fanatical; outsideof attending certain annual festivals and making anoffering or two for a good harvest or success for their

business, most folk prefer not to bother the gods andhope the favor is returned.

The most widespread or widely known religions ofthe Lakeshore include the following:

Church of the Chosen

One of the few evangelical faiths in the Lakeshoreregion, the Church of the Chosen was founded in theterrible nights leading to the exodus from Thornwood.The Chosen believe that the original refugees wereguided to Lakeshore for some divine purpose, but thatthis task was forgotten or ignored when the settlementat Thornwood was founded. They see what happenedat Thornwood as a divine punishment for this failure.

The original adherents of this belief founded a newsettlement at Chosen Bay, which remains to this day ahighly religious (and some would say superstitious)settlement. They regularly send out the brightest and

bravest to spread the message of their faith to the restof humanity. Those who remain in Chosen Baydedicate themselves to study and prayer in hopes ofrediscovering the forgotten purpose for which therefugees were originally brought to the Lakeshore.

Organization: Centralized and hierarchical. Adherents(layfolk) make up the majority of the followers, withpriests and archpriests above them and a council offour cardinals as the final authority. All ecumenicaldecisions are made by the cardinals, who must agreeunanimously for a ruling to be final. Members of bothgenders may become clergy, though the ratio of mento women is currently about three to one.

The Harvest Mother

Usually depicted as a matronly figure with hands fullof bundled corn, the Harvest Mother of today isactually an amalgamation of several fertility andagricultural deities once worshipped by some of theoriginal refugees. Her faith is common in farming

communities across the region (except around ChosenBay). The faith is closely associated in many peoplesminds with the wild festivals held in her honor on thesolstices and equinoxes of each year.

Most of the religious ordinances of this faith relatespecifically to offerings, ceremonies, and practicesrequired to curry the Harvest Mothers favor. Theserituals are numerous, even though the Mother isgenerally seen as a beneficent figure. Injunctions onmoral or ethical behavior are minimal, though most ofthe clergy encourage honesty, integrity, and industryin their followers, believing quite practically that a

busy and contented community is vital to a goodharvest.

Organization: Highly localized. Most villages andtowns in the Lakeshore area have their own uniqueinterpretation of this faith, with minor dogmaticvariations. Lay followers rarely concern themselveswith such details. Clergy from different areas considerthemselves part of the same faith, but enjoy spiriteddiscussions on dogma. No formal hierarchy existswithin the clergy, with only the position of Pastor

being recognized, but particularly wise or well-knownpastors are generally accorded informal seniority by

their compatriots. Members of both genders maybecome clergy, though significantly more are femalethan male.

The Lake God

References to the God in the Lake appear in recordsalmost as soon as the refugees arrived in Lakeshore.Whether this was an existing faith that wastransplanted to the area or a wholly new phenomenonis not known, but there are many testaments to eerielights beneath the waves, waters that abruptly boilwith steam before cooling once more, and strangemusic heard by fisherfolk as they ply their trade.

The Lake God remains popular with anyone whoearns a living from the waters of Ocean Lake,including fisherfolk and pirates alike. A wild andcapricious force, the Lake God must be appeased withregular offerings in exchange for the bounty heprovides from the lake and rivers. All offerings mustcome from the land (precious metals are favored), forto make an offering that originated in the water would

be merely to return what was already the Gods tobegin witha terrible insult to the God of the Lake.

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Organization: Localized, informal, and somewhatisolationist. Variations in specific beliefs exist fromvillage to village, and sometimes even from fishing

boat to fishing boat. Specific local superstitions arecommon and jealously maintained. No formal priestsare appointed; all rituals required to appease the Lake

God are conducted while afloat, by either the captainor the first mate of the vessel.

The Theomatists

Originating in Stone Cabal, and only slowly becomingknown in other communities, the Theomatic School

believes in a divine force that created and sustains allreality, but rejects any anthropomorphism of thatforce. They scoff at the idea of human-seeming gods,and believe instead that humans are tiny parts of thedivine force that have become separated from thewhole, and thus diminished. They seek to rediscovertheir connection with the force, believing that if theydo, they will shake off their physical forms and returnto their true place in the universe.

It is not uncommon for Theomatic scholars to studythe magic of spiritualism as part of their search.

Organization: Highly individualistic and egalitarian.Most Theomatic scholars would reject the idea thatthey were part of an organized religion at all. Researchis conducted independently, though many scholarscorrespond via messenger, or gather in smalldiscussion groups if they are geographically close.

Personal rivalries between individual scholars are notuncommon, and may become quite heated,particularly as there is no formal means of resolution.

Law and Government

There is no overarching authority for Lakeshore. Lawand government are handled individually within eachcommunity. The smallest settlementsthose of ahundred people or lessusually settle any importantmatters that arise with a public meeting of all adults.They generally have no organized law enforcement or

defenses; each family simply protects itself and looksout for its neighbors as a matter of course. A few suchcommunities are organized enough to have every able-

bodied adult participate in weapons training once amonth or so, but there is rarely anything more formalthan this.

Larger communities generally elect two or more publicofficials: at minimum, a Sheriff (who may hireassistants) to enforce the laws and preserve order anda Justice to hear and adjudicate upon public or civicdisputes. Such communities often maintain avolunteer militia, responsible for dealing with

disturbances to the peace or assisting in the event of athreat to lives and property (including such things asfires and flood). Volunteers are generally expected totrain once a week. Depending on their communitysresources, they may or may not receive somerecompense or tax benefit for their activities.

Some of the largest communities use a variety ofgovernmental forms. These are detailed in eachindividual entry for those communities in Places ofNote.

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Arms & Armor

In most parts of Lakeshore, it is consideredperfectly acceptable to carry common weapons orto wear light armor in public. On the other hand,

it is considered the height of bad manners toenter another persons home or business whilearmed. (Because armor is more difficult to divest,it is sometimes acceptable to wear, depending onthe circumstances of the visit.) Most buildingshave an antechamber near the entrance whereweapons can be stored. Most people in Lakeshorewill refuse entry to anyone who insists oncarrying a weapon into their home or place ofwork.

Since a dagger may be a useful tool for eating andother non-violent pursuits, a person carrying onlyone such blade is not generally considered to bearmed for the purposes of these customs.Carrying more than one dagger would invariably

be considered to be going armed.

Naturally, if a weapon is concealed and othercharacters are not aware of it, it may be carriedanywhere. However, most settlements considerany attempt to conceal a weapon to be a sign of illintent, and this may bring unwanted attentionfrom any local law enforcement if the weapon isnoticed.


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Places of Note

This section details some of the most notablesettlements and landmarks within the Lakeshoreregion. All of these locations can be found on the mapincluded in this setting guide.

Ardent Weir

Dominated by miners, smiths, and other artisansconcerned with the working of base metals, ArdentWeir is at the center of a belt of copper, tin, and irondeposits. Many of the weapons and tools used acrossthe Lakeshore are crafted here, or at the very leastmade with ore from Ardent Weirs many mines.

Ardent Weir is a rough and rambunctious place, withconstant soot and dust in the air, and frequent fights inthe taverns.

Population: Approx. 700

Government: Ardent Weir has both a Sheriff and aJustice. Elections are public, and occur for bothpositions every two years. All adults have a vote,though many choose not to attend the electionmeeting. The over-worked Sheriff and his fourassistants usually intervene in civil disturbances onlyif weapons are drawn.

Despite the lax law enforcement, those who try tothrow their weight around here usually come to a

sticky end: Ardent Weir is full of self-reliant folk whoknow how to swing a pick or a hammer, if not a swordor an axe, and who arent afraid to stick up forthemselves.

Black RiverRunning through Ardent Weir and providing power toseveral water-powered ore grinders, the Black Rivergets its name from the soot and dust it carries downfrom the mining town, which turn the waters black-

brown in color. This is the only river or stream in theLakeshore without good supplies of fish: the stockshave been killed by the contaminants in the water.

Bloodwood

A dense and tangled mass of thorny bushes and close-

packed trees, the Bloodwood is an immense forest. Itsfull size is not known, but it stretches at least 70 milesalong the coast of Ocean Lake, which is as far as any

boats have bothered to explore. Strange things areknown to lurk in the Bloodwood, and people avoidstraying too close to it, even at the cost of many extrahours of travel.

The only settlement within three miles of the forestsedge is the grim little town of Thornwood.

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Chosen Bay

Founded by refugees from Bloodwood at the timewhen the forest was first given that name, this is alarge settlement comprised largely of adherents to theChurch of the Chosen. The majority of non-believers intown dwell within a small community of shipwrights,who make use of the bays deep water in theperformance of their craft. The Chosen tolerate thiscommunity, though they make regular attempts toevangelize the shipwrights.

By Lakeshore standards, Chosen Bay is a highlyregulated community, though enforcement relies moreon the strong local sense of community andconvention than on any direct pressure from theauthorities.

Population: Approx. 1,000

Government: The church provides all authority in the

town, and all adults are expected to perform one dayscommunity service every week, working at thedirection of the cardinals. Such service may includelabor on public works or service in the town guard, forinstance.

At any given time, roughly 100 able-bodied adults inthe community possess and have received basictraining with one or more weapons as part of theircommunity responsibilities, making Chosen Baylargely secure from pirate activities.

EastforkOne of two communities founded in an attempt toundermine Golden Weirs domination of the preciousmetals trade, Eastfork is the marginally moresuccessful of the two. The inhabitants pan enoughgold and silver out of the river to make their

businesses viable, though they produce nothing likethe volumes of their down-stream competitor.


Government: Eastfork elects a Sheriff and a Justiceevery three years, though the elections are mostly a

formality. Both positions are unpaid, and there israrely more than one candidate.

Emden Watch

There was considerable fear, many years ago, amongthose who fled the slaughter from the Thornwood,that the strange things from the forest would followthem. A small group, led by a young woman namedAlia Emden, volunteered to establish a watchpost toguard against any such incursion. Eager for protection,several dozen refugees stayed with them.

In the decades since, Emdens Watch has become oneof the largest towns in Lakeshore. The town sustainsthe only permanent military force in the region: some200 trained troops, dispersed in four units known asechelons. The nominal function of these troops is toprotect the region against the Bloodwood, despite the

fact that there are dozens of small settlements nowlocated closer to the forest than this one. In practice,their real role is to keep order in the town and tosustain the power of the handful of upper-classfamilies in the area.


Government: Originally run as a military camp out ofnecessity, Emden Watch now has a de facto nobility:The town is divided into four quarters, each of whichis administered directly by the hereditary officer ofone of the four military echelons.

Law enforcement tends to be harsh and arbitrary,conducted by soldiers who are more interested infinding someone to punish than in ensuring they havethe right person. More than one local has mutteredthat Alia Emden would be ashamed of what her homehas become but they mutter it quietly, so as not to beoverheard.

Fenshore

A low-lying region of marshy ground between BlackRiver and the Golden River delta, the Fenshore isdotted with small settlements, most of them populated

by fisherfolk who make their livelihood on the Lake.There are also communities of swamp fisherfolk, whouse poles to punt their flat-bottomed boats through theshallow delta, where they catch various stream-dwelling fish, gather birds eggs, and trap the varioussmall mammals that live in the region. Such folk areusually extremely poor, with few if any possessions.

Pirates from the Fingerbones sometimes raid thesecommunities. Unlike those settlements along the restof the coastline, the Fenshore folk usually abandontheir homes when they see the pirates coming, beingable to pack up their few belongings and take their

boats into parts of the delta the deeper-drafted piratevessels cannot go.

Fingerbones

Some of those who fled Thornwood years ago couldnot feel safe until they had left the very shore itself,taking up habitation of the bleak and stony islandsknown as the Fingerbones. Unfortunately, as thepopulation grew, it quickly became apparent thatwhile there was enough fish for everyone to eat, therewere no resources for them to make new buildings,

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produce large amounts of clothes, or simply to haveany variety in their diet.

By the second generation, the population of theFingerbones had begun to fight amongst themselvesfor precious resources. Perhaps they would all have

been killed in these internecine squabbles if one of

their number had not pointed out that there wereother sources of the needed goods. Thus began thehistory of the Fingerbone Pirates.

Each island sustains a clan, and each clan maintains apirate vessel, which sets out two or three times a yearto plunder goods and supplies. Such raids are almostalways conducted by only a single clan (and thus asingle ship), though fleets of two or three vesselshave been seen from time to time. They conduct raidsall along the Ocean Lake shoreline, and may eventravel up the Golden River as far as Halsham Ferry.

Population: In total, there are approximately 800people in the Fingerbones, spread across a dozendifferent clans.

Government: Each clan is independent of the others.Generally, authority within each clan rests with thetoughest or cleverest warrior, who also captains theship on its raids.

Golden River

The largest river in all of Lakeshore, the Golden Riversustains several of the largest settlements in the region

and is also the principal source of precious metals,being rich in alluvial gold and other valuablesubstances.

Golden Weir

Founded to take advantage of the alluvial gold in theGolden River, this community is, per capita, the richesttown in Lakeshore. Most of the inhabitants are eitherminers or artisans. There is a sharp social andeconomic divide between those who own the minesand the craft shops and those they employ, but by thestandards of many communities, even the workingclass in Golden Weir are comfortably well off.


Government: Although Golden Weir has a Sheriff anda Justice, these positions are appointed rather thanelected. Appointments are made by an oligarchiccouncil of the six wealthiest families, who retain theirpower by ensuring that all the most lucrative workmust pass through them. These families effectively runthe town, and each maintains small cadres of hired

guards to protect them and their property; notably,theft and burglary are subject to unusually harshpenalties in Golden Weir.

Goldenwood

Goldenwood is the largest forest in Lakeshore (otherthan the Bloodwood) and the regions principal sourceof lumber. A number of people also live within theforests confines, hunting and trapping to support theirown subsistence.

Halsham Ferry

For some years, the Golden River was a barrier tooverland trade between the eastern and western halvesof the greater Lakeshore area. Merchants could bringtheir goods as far as the river, but getting them acrosson the small boats available was a time-consumingand expensive process. Halsham Ferry was establishedas a solution to this problem: The enterprising DawelHalsham built a large, flat-bottomed ferry capable ofcarrying an entire loaded wagon without runningaground, and charged only a small fee for transitacross the water. As merchants flooded to use the newservice, a town sprang up to meet their other needs:

taverns, hiring halls for guards, entertainments of amany and varied nature, and so on.


Government: Halsham has an elected Justice andSheriff. More often than not, one or both positions arefilled by a member of the Halsham family (andtroublingly, that one person often holds both offices);moreover, the family exercises a strong influence onmost other candidates.

Elections occur in a public meeting every four years.Anyone who pays the voting toll (1 gp) may cast a

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The Halsham Family

The Halshams have money, which allows them tosupport many children. Most of them indulge thisopportunity, and broods of seven or more

offspring in the extended family line are notuncommon. Many of these children marry intogood families (either in Halshams Ferry or inother communities).

The Halshams are not a vindictive bunch, despitewhat some would saythough they have theodd bad seed, like most familiesbut theyrevery bad people to cross: they have friends andfamily almost everywhere.


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vote. Purchasing votes (paying 2-3 gp to get someoneto vote for your preferred candidate) is a commonpractice.

Hidden River

So named because its mouth is almost lost in thefoliage of the Bloodwood, Hidden River is one of onlytwo waterways known to emerge from within theforest. It has been explored only a mile or so upriver,for no explorer has yet been willing to penetrate moredeeply into the forests interior.

Ironreef

This strange collection of jagged metal outcroppingsjuts out of Ocean Lake to the south of the Bloodwood.How these outcroppings came to be there, and why

they do not rust, is unknown.

Lumberton

This settlement of lumberjacks, carpenters, and otherartisans is the largest town in the Lakeshore. As itsname suggests, Lumberton provides the region withthe majority of its bulk timber and lumber needs. Thiswood all comes from the Goldenwood, Lakeshoreslargest source of lumberif one does not count theBloodwood (and no one does).


Government: The Lumberton council, consisting ofthree elected representatives, determines and enforcesthe laws of the town. The most important of these is avigorous tree-planting and tending initiative: Forevery tree felled, another must be planted. Thelumberjacks and carpenters are well aware that theGoldenwood is the only possible source of theirlivelihood, and act accordingly.

Ocean Lake

The single largest geographical feature of the region,with the possible exception of the Bloodwood, OceanLake is a source of trade, food, and livelihood,whether directly or indirectly, for most of theinhabitants of the Lakeshore region. From the easternedge of the Fenshore to within a few miles of theBloodwood, the shoreline is dotted with dozens ofsmall fishing thorps and hamlets.

These settlements are frequently victimized by thepirates of the Fingerbones, though there are enoughcommunities that each one might be attacked onlyonce every few years. Most try to pay off the pirates

with food and goods, but a few of the larger ones fightback sometimes successfully, more often not.

Stone Cabal

Founded only 30 years ago, Stone Cabal wasestablished as a place of learning by a group of sevenscholars. The renown of their academy grew quickly,and Stone Cabal has become a center of learning andstudy. It houses Lakeshores largest library well overa hundred books! and anyone who wishes to studythe works can do so, for a small contribution.


Government: Although anyone who wishes to studyis permitted access to Stone Cabal, the island is theprivate estate of the seven original scholars. They levyresidence taxes (as well as library fees) in order to

finance a small militia force for defense against pirates.There is no permanent Sheriff or Justice; if one isneeded, the scholars simply appoint one of their ownto the task.

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Thornwood

The first settlement founded in the Lakeshore,Thornwood once held nearly a thousand inhabitants.It was all but abandoned during that horrific timewhen the Bloodwood earned its new name. Folksimply do not travel there now, though persistentrumors circulate to suggest that a handful ofinhabitants still remain, either unwilling or unable toleave.

Population: Unknown

Government: Unknown

Thornwood River

Though it emerges from the Bloodwood, there appearsto be nothing unusual or unnatural about this river. Itprovides fresh water to Emden Watch and Lumberton,and feeds into the Golden River north of HalshamFerry.

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The Seven Scholars

The founders of the Stone Cabal settlement are amongst the best known citizens in all of Lakeshore. The

information below is common knowledge throughout the region.

Aludin Dale: Still powerfully built at age 60, and still prone to wearing his cherished chainmail armor, Dalelooks more like a soldier than a scholar, but he is nonetheless Lakeshores foremost expert on animals andunnatural beasts alike, as well as a respected historian.

Challimer Gent: The oldest of the scholars at 73 years, wispy-haired Gent is almost completely deaf, andhas a tendency to shout because of it. He is a renowned expert in all forms of herbalism, agriculture, andplant lore.

Erena Mallaw: A founding force in the Theomatic School, Erena is, at 50 years of age, the youngest of theseven scholars. Her knowledge of religions and of practices of worship is unparalleled.

Hoban Farmer: Despite his surname, the 58-year-old Farmer has no interest in tilling the earth. Thesomewhat effete man is, however, a veritable fount of knowledge regarding geography and linguistics,having traveled extensively in his youth.

Pinyi Sardoki: Raven-haired even at 61, Sardoki hails from somewhere far off on the other side of OceanLake, as her coppery skin suggests. She is a devoted student of the arcane forces of magic, and arguably themost skilled Arcanist in Lakeshore.

Teydis Kolp: At 55 years, Kolp is the only one of the original Seven Scholars never to marry. He has a strictand military bearing and is a master artisan, skilled in many forms of craft; he has an unmatchedknowledge of all forms of precious objects.

Welter Marrison: The 68-year-old Marrison is a renowned Spiritualist, and possesses expansive knowledgeof all forms of demons, djinni, and spirits. His deceased wife was a Halsham, and Marrison remains incontact with the family.


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Westfork

Founded at the same time and for the same reason asEastfork, this community is the less successful of thetwo. Small amounts of precious metals are pannedfrom the river each year, but most of the communityhave to farm and hunt in order to make ends meet.


Government: Westfork elects a Sheriff and a Justiceevery three years, though the elections are mostly aformality. Both positions are unpaid, and there israrely more than one candidate.

Contact with Other Regions

Although it has proven exempt from any large-scaleincursion, Lakeshore is far from being completelyisolated. Only from the west, where the Bloodwood

blocks all passage, do no travelers come. Individualsand small parties of travelers often enter the regionfrom the north or east, while merchants brave theweather and the pirates of Ocean Lake to tradethroughout the summer months. Such foreign folkare particularly common in communities on the edgeof Ocean Lake itself and in Ardent Weir.

The World beyond Lakeshore

The world beyond Lakeshore has been deliberately leftvague to give GMs the freedom to place this regionanywhere they like within their campaign world.

If, as a player, you wish to play an outsider who hastraveled to the Lakeshore region, you should discuss

your background ideas with your GM. Depending onyour GMs decisions, the region may or may not be apart of the Swordlands, the campaign setting brieflydescribed in the Iron Heroes core book.

Lakeshore HeroesThis section provides information about creating IronHeroes characters native to Lakeshore. Choosing toplay a local is not a setting requirement: with yourGMs permission, you may play an outsider. A few

travelers do come to Lakeshore each year, usuallyfrom the east or north, but occasionally from acrossthe mighty width of Ocean Lake.

Traits

Natives of Lakeshore can possess any of the mental orphysical traits from the Iron Heroes core rulebook orthe Iron Heroes Players Companion. A small number of

background traits are inappropriate for natives of theLakeshore. (Refer to the sidebar on the next page for alist of these traits.) You may still select these traits ifyou are playing a foreigner who has traveled to theLakeshore region.

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Other Locations

The empty spaces on the map between themajor settlements are in fact anything but empty.Most of Lakeshore is dotted with thorps and

hamlets, usually separated by no more than a fewhours ride.

A typical thorp consists of one to three families,each with two to eight members. Usually, thedifferent families in the thorp cooperate to farmcrops (or to fish if they have access to a river orthe lake). The families are often interrelated by

blood or by marriage. New thorps constantlyform, or old ones dissolve, as the children ofearlier generations strike out on their own,forming new families. The Lakeshore region isdotted with empty or partially empty thorps,

which will one day house new residents.Honest travelers can usually expect a friendlywelcome in most thorps, including a warm mealand a bed in the barn, but such communitiesusually have little more to offer: they are toosmall to support stores or produce any goodsother than those needed for their own survival.

When several thorps are in close proximity, orwhen a group of families are particularly fecund,a hamlet may form. Such communities havesufficient population, usually 2080 people, toattain a level of permanence. Many have endured

for three or four generations, or even since thedays of the terrible flight from Thornwood. Somehamlets may also be large enough to support astore, or even an inn, where travelers can getservices and goods they need.

Thornwood and the Bloodwood

Some players may wish to create a character fromthe town of Thornwood, or from somewhere elsealong the edge of the Bloodwood. Your GM willindicate whether or not this is permitted: theremainder of this guide assumes that it is not.


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The remaining background traits are all appropriatefor natives of the Lakeshore. The following sectionprovides suggestions on how characters with various

backgrounds might fit into the Lakeshore region. Notethat these suggestions are intended only as an aid; youare of course free to develop other concepts if you

wish.

Arctic Born: Although Lakeshore does not possess anyarctic regions, it often experiences heavy snowfalls

during winter. While most people huddle close to theirfires in such conditions, a small number of men andwomen show an unusual affinity for the icyconditions. These folk may come from any part ofLakeshore, and are commonly referred to as winter

born by the locals.

Artisan: Craftspeople are found throughoutLakeshore, but are particularly common in the townsof Golden Weir (where there are several goldsmithsand jewelers), Ardent Weir (where weaponsmiths and

blacksmiths tend to congregate), and Lumberton(home to many carpenters).

Child of Faith: The only strongly religious communitywithin the Lakeshore region is that of Chosen Bay, andchildren of faith are common there. Characters fromother settlements may also develop this trait, but arelikely to be viewed by their peers as being somewhatodd for their passionately held beliefs.

Child of Omen: A child of omen may be bornanywhere within the Lakeshore region.

City Rat: Although there are no true cities inLakeshore, the settlements of Lumberton, EmdenWatch, and Ardent Weir are all sufficiently large and

diverse (in both economic and social terms) thatcharacters from these towns may develop the City Rattrait.

Forest Born: Characters with this trait are most likelyto hail from Lumberton or one of the other muchsmaller settlements on the outskirts of the Golden

Wood. It is possible that they may come from otherareas of Lakeshore, as there are small woods dottedaround the region. Not even the Forest Born, however,have ventured into the Bloodwood.

High Born: The most likely places of origin forcharacters of this background are either Golden Weir,where the oligarchic families of goldsmiths and

jewelers enjoy considerable wealth and privilege; orEmden Watch, where military rank once defined socialstanding, but where that relationship has now becomeossified to the point that the it is social standing thatdetermines military rank.

Hunter-Gatherer: The lands of Lakeshore are welladapted to agriculture, but the earth becomessignificantly less fertile and stonier as one travelsnorth of the settlements of Eastfork and Westfork.There are a number of small communities in theseregions that survive by hunting and foraging forwhatever they can find.

Marsh Born: Most lands in Lakeshore are wellirrigated, but the Fenshore, though sparselypopulated, offers a natural origin point for characterswith this trait.

Mountain Folk: Although not strictly mountainous,the broken and hilly terrain east and north ofLakeshore features enough precipices, ravines, andsheer climbs that folk raised in or near this region arewelcome to develop this trait.

Nomad: Small communities of nomadic and semi-nomadic folk travel throughout Lakeshore. A characterwith this trait could come from anywhere in theregion.

Patrician: For much the same reasons as with the HighBorn trait, the characters most likely to develop thistrait are those from Golden Weir and Emden Watch.

Reaver: The pirate clans of the Fingerbones are anatural breeding ground for Reavers with the seawolf cultural background. (See InappropriateBackground Traits sidebar.)

Road Rat: As with the Nomad trait, a character withthis trait could hail from any part of the Lakeshoreenvirons or all parts. Its even possible (though rare)for such a character to be a foundling (an unwantedchild given up by its biological parents to the travelingfolk).

12

Inappropriate Background Traits

The following background traits are notappropriate for natives of the Lakeshore region,

but may be possessed by people from otherregions who have traveled to the area.

Desert Born: There are no deserts in theLakeshore region.

Jungle Born: There are no jungles in the

Lakeshore region.Reaver: Golden horde and herd raidercultures are not found in or near Lakeshore.Natives of the region with this trait must selectthe sea wolf cultural option.

Slave: Slavery is not practiced in the Lakeshoreregion.


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Sea Child: Characters with this trait could hail fromany of the many riverside or lakeside settlements inLakeshore, or from the pirates of the Fingerbones.

Shadow Born: Most folk in the Lakeshore hold notruck with strange beings and powers, but thecommunities of Stone Cabal and Chosen Bay are a

notable exception. Characters with this trait are mostlikely to hail from one of these settlements, though theshadow born might crop up from time to time in otherlocationsoften to the dismay of the family intowhich they are born.

Classes

Members of all the non-spellcasting classes in IronHeroes can be found throughout Lakeshore. Some aremore common than others, but unless your GMspecifies otherwise, all such classes from the corerulebook and the Iron Heroes Players Companion areavailable and can hail from any part of the Lakeshoreregion. An Archer, for example, might be a soldierfrom Emden Watch, a huntsman (or huntswoman)from the Golden Wood, a sniper for a pirate crew, orany of a dozen other backgrounds within the region.

Spellcasting Classes

Both Arcanists and Spiritualists are known inLakeshore and, unless your GM rules otherwise, areavailable for play. However, they are much lesscommon than the other classes, and much more likelyto originate from certain locations in the region: mostoften Stone Cabal, and to a lesser extent Chosen Bay.

Arcanists in particular are most likely to come fromStone Cabal, which is the only community withinLakeshore where the study of magic is conducted inan organized and thorough manner. A handful ofindependent magical scholars can be found in otherlocations across the valley, but they are few and far

between.

Spiritualists are slightly less common in Stone Cabal

than are Arcanists, but they are much more commonin Chosen Bay, and somewhat more common ingeneral across the Lakeshore region.

13

Attitudes toward Magic

In general, the people of Lakeshore are distrustfuland a little fearful of magic, which they see as adangerous and unpredictable force. Yet there isno active persecution of spellcasters. The generalattitude is rather like seeing someone jugglingknives: theres a measure of respect for what theperson can do, but a natural inclination to take afew steps away in case something goes flying inthe wrong direction.

The fact that Spiritualists are the most commonpractitioners of magic also colors the localattitudes: the strange creatures they keep ascompanions, and the even stranger things thathappen to the spiritualists bodies, have a strongeffect on attitudes toward magic.

Its considered very impolite (by spellcasters andnon-spellcasters alike) to use magic in someoneelses home without first asking their permission.Its somewhat akin to drawing a sword in astrangers living roomunderstandable if youre

being attacked, perhaps, or if the homeownerasks to see the blade for some odd reason, butinappropriate in almost every other situation.


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Mastering the LakeshoreThis section of the setting guide is intended for GMs only. Ifyoure going to be a player in a Lakeshore-based campaign,we recommend your not reading this section: Doing so mayspoil the surprises for you if your GM decides to use some of

the ideas presented below.The Mastering the Lakeshore section providesinformation for running a campaign set in theLakeshore region. This information is split into fourparts:

Lakeshore Atmosphere: A brief outline of thebasic feel of the campaign setting, includingsome notes on how to bring that atmosphere intoyour games.

Locating the Lakeshore Region: Notes oninserting Lakeshore into a wider campaign setting,including the Swordlands from the Iron Heroesrulebook and the New Coast setting from theFiery Dragon Iron Heroes adventures Dark Harborand Blood Storm.

Dangers of Lakeshore: A region-by-regionoutline of the types of monsters andenvironmental dangers that might be found inLakeshore and its environs.

Lakeshore Campaign Hooks: Threerudimentary campaign ideas.

Lakeshore Atmosphere

Lakeshores culture is very much that of a frontierterritory. This is reflected, amongst other things, by thelack of a centralized municipal authority. Theres astubborn streak of independence through most of thelocal folk, one thats missing only in some of the largersettlements, where money or military power holdssway. Members of the average Lakeshore family wantnothing more than to be left alone to get on with theirlives, and theyre willing to fight to hold onto thatright, both for themselves and for their neighbors.

The geographic dispersion of Lakeshores residentsalso contributes to the regions frontier feel. Even thelargest settlements comprise at most 2,000 people, andthe majority of the land is dotted with individualhomesteads or tiny villages with less than a dozenfamilies. These peoples lifestyles also reflect a frontierway of life. Most grow their own food and make their

own tools, trading only for those items they cannotprovide for themselves. Barter is a common form oftrade between ordinary folk, though most will acceptcoins if they can be convinced of the purity of themetals used.

A third factor that reflects the frontier is the lack of anorganized transport system. There are perhaps a half-dozen formally recognized roads throughoutLakeshore, and these are mostly the simple result ofmany people following the same routes. Maintenanceof proper dirt roads occurs only near the larger towns,with most of the route being marked only by the

wagon ruts of prior travelers. Between smallersettlements, there are only tracks and a scattering ofsmall villages. Travelers without a compass or goodwilderness skills will frequently need to stop and askfor assistance.

Perhaps the most important factor of any frontier,though, is the sense of danger. Lakeshore can be adangerous place. There is always the threat of piratesto contend with, as well as dangerous creaturesroaming the wilderness. And, of course, lurking in the

back of everyones mind are the unexplored dangers ofthe Bloodwood.

History and fiction based on the colonization of theCaribbean and North America are a good source ofinspiration for establishing the Lakeshore atmosphere,as are tales of the American west. Some possiblesources of inspiration might include the tale of theRoanoke colony, the escapades of various piratecaptains, or accounts of the various gold rushes.

Locating the Lakeshore Region

Lakeshore has been designed with the intent that itcan be easily inserted into a larger campaign world:either one of your own devising or a published setting.

You should be able to adapt the information in this

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book quite easily to any part of such campaign worldswhere there is an isolated region bordering a large

body of water.

The Swordlands: There is little difficulty in placingLakeshore in the setting briefly outlined in the IronHeroes rulebook. The Swordlands have no defined

geography, so Lakeshore can be placed wherever youlike it, and the surrounding lands detailed at your owndiscretion. If you do choose to place Lakeshore in theSwordlands, then the terrible disaster the originalrefugees were fleeing when they first came toThornwood is almost certainly the Masters War.

The New Coast: If you have the adventures DarkHarbor or Blood Storm, you can easily place Lakeshoreto the southwest of Borat. The Broken Lands toLakeshores north and east can be considered acontinuation of the Cloven Lands that border thekingdom of Borat; these lands are sufficiently broad

and dangerous to make travel between the two areasdifficult, but not impossible.

Dangers of Lakeshore

The list of regions below is not identical to that in theplayers section. Several of the settlements are notspecifically listed, for instance, and there are twoadditional entries.

Black River

Although generally believed to be devoid of life, theBlack River could serve as a spawning ground formutated beasts, strange ooze-like monsters, and othernoxious, unnatural aberrations.

Bloodwood

The secret danger that lurks in the Bloodwood can bequite literally anything you might desire. Whateveryou choose, you should make sure the forests grimreputation is entirely deserved.

The upcoming Bloodwood Legacy adventure serieswill further develop this dark place, but theres noreason you cant use your own ideas instead.

Broken Lands

The rugged terrain to the north and east of Lakeshoreis home to many kinds of brutal humanoid creatures,including cliff ogres, and there have been reports ofstrange, rock-like creatures from time to timewhether these are trondar or some other menace is upto you.

Emden Watch

Gangs of street thugs, covertly supported by corruptelements of the military, make life a misery for theinhabitants of Emden Watch. One of the mostnotorious gang leaders is Big Marl, a massive man

rumored to be tainted with ogre blood.

Fenshore

This swampy area is a prime location for reptiliancreatures, whether mundane lizards and crocodiles ormore fabulous creatures such as kobolds or evendragons. It is also an excellent breeding ground formonstrous vermin such as centipedes, waterscorpions, and bog spiders.

Fingerbones

The most prevalent threat of these rocky islands arethe ruthless pirates who make their lairs here, butthere are also rumors of lake shades: the water-

bloated remains of the pirates victims, which are saidto claw their way out of the surf in search ofretribution or just food.

Golden River

As might be expected, any monster with the aquaticsubtype is a suitable candidate for use along the riversshores. The sometimes slow-moving and reed-riddenriver is also a good spawning ground for monstrousvermin.

Goldenwood

Although nowhere near as terrifying as theBloodwood, the Goldenwood is home to twosignificant dangers: the first and best-known of theseis the unusually large and aggressive animals (direanimals) that make their home there. Less well-known

but potentially more dangerous are the fey andelemental spirits that lurk deep within its depths.

Ocean Lake

This vast lake has sufficient volume to support almostany aquatic creature. Rumors persist that the strangelights sometimes seen below the waves rise up fromthe cities of an underwater civilization, though this hasnever been confirmed.

15

General Lakeshore Dangers

In addition to the suggested threats for specificareas, there are certain dangers to be encounteredacross the large expanses of Lakeshore. These

include goblins, who lurk in dank tunnelsthroughout the region, and giantkin such asogres, who may wander out of the broken terrainto the north and east. Magical beasts are also anoccasional danger; such creatures often have largehunting ranges that may carry them to variousparts of the Lakeshore.


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Thornwood River

In addition to the dangers listed for the Golden River,there are occasional rumors of misshapen, scalyhumanoids lurking in muddy burrows along the

banks of this watercourse.

Lakeshore Campaign HooksThe most obvious hook for a Lakeshore campaign isthe Bloodwood: the upcoming Bloodwood Legacyadventure series will explore that possibility; evenwithout those products, few GMs would need muchhelp to generate ideas for possible dangers within theforests dark canopy.

Presented below are three alternative concepts aroundwhich a Lakeshore campaign could be built. Theseconcepts can be used individually, or woven together.

From the Depths

Despite the many dangers of their world, Lakeshoreresidents take comfort from the fact that they areisolated from other nations. Difficult terrain blocksland access, while the width of Ocean Lake makes anywaterborne invasion a logistical nightmare. But suchcomforting thoughts ignore the very real possibility ofan aquatic civilization, such as that of the sahuagin ortritons, or a subterranean one such as the malevolenthundoon. Any such species might become aware ofthe humans living nearby or be driven by a harshmaster (or just by common greed, rapacity, or cruelty)to begin an infiltration of Lakeshore society, seekingfirst to weaken it, then to either destroy or enslave thehuman inhabitants.

The motives of such an infiltration could varydepending on the tone of campaign you wish to run.Perhaps the hostility is due to some (perceived) wrongcommitted by the humans, such as pollutants andpoisons being pumped into Ocean Lake from the BlackRiver, or the passage of humans over their territorywithout proper tithes (an insult the prickly hundoon,at least, would be unlikely to forgive). Perhaps theyfind human flesh succulent and tasty, so they intend tocreate a vast farm of frightened slaves; or maybe theysuffer from intense xenophobia that compels them to

destroy all other intelligent life.

The Doom Tide

Ocean Lake, long the source of food and livelihood formany inhabitants of Lakeshore, suddenly becomes adangerous threat. The waters of the great lake begin toswell, battering at the coastline in a terrible deluge thatswamps many of the coastal villages. Even the regionsrivers burst their banks and flood the great settlementsof Lumberton and Halshams Ferry.

Has the Lake God been angered, as his adherentsclaim, or is there some other reason for the deluge?

The sudden rise of the Lakes waters may arise fromseveral possible sources. Perhaps it is indeed the workof the Lake God, or at least of a powerful creaturewhich believes itself a goda mighty elemental ordemon, for instance. Such a creature might be able towrack the land as well as the waves, causing

earthquakes and other natural disasters, and unleashcorrupted beasts on the Lakeshores inhabitants.

Alternatively, the strange phenomenon might merelybe a symptom of some other danger. Perhaps one ofthe scholars in Stone Cabal has toyed with terribleforces that were never meant to be found, and thestrange actions of the waters merely reflects theabhorrence of the natural world for whateverabomination has awakened. Perhaps humans andanimals will soon become as disturbed as the Lake,their dreams tormented by strange visions, leadingthem to turn on each other.

A New Order

Independence and self-reliance may be an integralpart of the Lakeshore psyche, but that does not meanthere are not those who dream of establishing akingdom of their own. Perhaps the military rulers ofEmden Watchs echelons begin to demand tributefrom nearby villages. Perhaps the far-flung Halshamfamily is scheming its way into a position ofunassailable power. Perhaps both have their ownagendas and are on a collision course. Or perhapssomeone knows of an imminent threat to the regionand is desperate to forge a Lakeshore-wide alliance in

order to oppose the threat.Whatever the motivation, someone is making aconcerted effort to unify Lakeshore under a singleauthority. Promises of security are posed against aninstinctive desire for independence. Threats of dangerare posed against the call of tradition.

Do the heroes join the movement toward a new order,or do they stand against this tide of change?

16


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APPENDIX III: LEGAL

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and isCopyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademarkowners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Mate-rial" means copyrighted material including derivative works and transla-tions (including into other computer languages), potation, modification,correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation,abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, trans-formed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent,lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute;(d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes themethods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such contentdoes not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over theprior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Con-tent by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, in-cluding translations and derivative works under copyright law, butspecifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means prod-uct and product line names, logos and identifying marks including tradedress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic ele-ments, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depic-tions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic,photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and de-scriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, per-sonas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments,creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos,symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trade-mark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the ProductIdentity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f)"Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that areused by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associatedproducts contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g)"Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, mod-ify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Con-tent. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that con-tains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Usedunder and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to anyOpen Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or sub-

tracted from this License except as described by the License itself. Noother terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content dis-tributed using this License.

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12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any ofthe terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open GameContent due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation thenYou may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail tocomply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of

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14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforce-able, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary tomake it enforceable.

15 COPYRIGHT NOTICEOpen Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

d20 System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2005, Wizards of theCoast, Inc.; authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, RichBaker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, and Bruce R. Cordell,

based on original material by E.Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.Iron Heroes Copyright 2007 Adam Windsor. All rights reserved.Mastering Iron Heroes 2007 Adam Windsor. All rights reserved.Bloodwood Copyright 2008 Adam Windsor. All rights reserved.Designation of Product Identity: The following items are hereby desig-

nated as Product Identity in accordance with Section 1(e) of the OpenGame License, version 1.0a: Any and all Henchman Productions logos andidentifying marks and trade dress, such as all Henchman Productionsproduct and product line names including but not limited to Iron Heroes,Iron Heroes Revised, Mastering Iron Heroes, The Iron Heroes Bestiary;Iron Heroes Players Companion; any specific characters and places; capi-talized names and original names of places, artifacts, characters, races,countries, geographic locations, gods, historic events, and organizations;any and all stories, storylines, histories, plots, thematic elements, and dia-logue; and all artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps,and cartography, likenesses, poses, logos, or graphic designs, except suchelements that already appear in final or draft versions of the d20 SystemReference Document or as Open Game Content in another work and arealready open by virtue of appearing there. The above Product Identity isnot Open Game Content.

Designation of Open Game Content: Anything contained herein which is

already Open Game Content by virtue of appearing in the System Refer-ence Document or some other Open Game Content source.

Some portions of this book which are Open Game Content originate fromthe System Reference Document and are 19992005 Wizards of the Coast,Inc. The remainder of these Open Game Content portions of this book arehereby added to Open Game Content and if so used, should bear theCOPYRIGHT NOTICE Bloodwood 2008 Adam Windsor. Permission isgiven to copy and print this document for personal use. This documentmay be freely distributed, provided such distribution is free of charge.

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