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Table of ContentsBloodwood Legacy Map 2Welcome to Lakeshore 3Religion 4Law and Government 5Places of Note 6The Seven Scholars 10Lakeshore Heroes 11Mastering The Lakeshore 14Lakeshore Campaign Hooks 16

CreditsDesign: Adam WindsorEditing: Scott HoldenProduction: Jason KemptonCover: Claudio PozasInterior Illustration: Claudio PozasCartography: 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.

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BloodwoodAn 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 forest“Thornwood“ 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 seenmovement 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 GuideThis 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 justbecause it provides both food and a livelihood formany 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 goods ― “Close enough fortrade, but too far for trouble,“ as the local saying goes.The lake also figures strongly in local craftwork,poetry, and philosophy.

OverviewThe 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 theextreme 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 PeopleAlthough 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 is“The only crop you can sow on your neighbor’s field istrouble“; folk don’t 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, wherethe communities are not so close-knit, may vary. Anyspecific variances for these locations are covered in the“Places of Note“ section below.

ReligionThe 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 theirbusiness, 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 andbravest 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 farmingcommunities across the region (except around ChosenBay). The faith is closely associated in many people’sminds 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 Mother’s 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 abusy 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 Pastorbeing recognized, but particularly wise or well-knownpastors are generally accorded informal seniority bytheir 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 wouldbe merely to return what was already the God’s tobegin with ― a 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 fishingboat to fishing boat. Specific local superstitions arecommon and jealously maintained. No formal priestsare appointed; all rituals required to appease the LakeGod 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 Schoolbelieves 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 GovernmentThere is no overarching authority for Lakeshore. Lawand government are handled individually within eachcommunity. The smallest settlements ― those of ahundred people or less ― usually settle any importantmatters that arise with a public meeting of all adults.They generally have no organized law enforcement ordefenses; 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 community’sresources, 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 & ArmorIn 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 person’s 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 be“armed” for the purposes of these customs.Carrying more than one dagger would invariablybe 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 NoteThis 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 WeirDominated 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 Weir’s 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 aren’t afraid to stick up forthemselves.

Black River

Running 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 anyboats 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 forest’sedge is the grim little town of Thornwood.

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