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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
Bloodwood
An Iron Heroes Setting Guide
This product is protected under the copyright laws of Canada and the United States of America. All
textual contents of this book, regardless of designation, are 2008 Adam Windsor. All rights
reserved. Reproduction or use without the written permission of Adam Windsor is expressly
forbidden, except for the purpose of review or use of OGC consistent with the OGL. All artwork is
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Printed in Canada.
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Bloodwood
An Iron Heroes Setting Guide
Generations ago, a group of refugees fled a disaster. Exactly
what that disaster was is no longer known, the details lost
or deliberately forgotten by its survivors. The refugees
traveled many difficult miles, across barren and broken
terrain, until they found their way to fertile and
uninhabited land on the shores of a vast lake. Having found
good land, with further passage barred by the impenetrable
tangle of an ancient forest, the refugees settled in the
shadow of the trees.
They named both their new town and the nearby forest
Thornwood for the many brambles and thickets within the
densely packed trees. For some time, all seemed well, though
some of the more nervous refugees claimed to have seen
movement in the shadows under the trees.
Such early misgivings were forgotten as seasons and then
years went by. The small band of refugees put down roots,
and their numbers grew. As time passed, the need for
materials also grew and, as other sources dwindled, the folk
eventually decided to clear some land from the Thornwood.
The nights of terror and death that followed earned the
forest its current name: Bloodwood. There were indeed
things in the shadows under the trees terrible, misshapen
things that considered the forest their domain and would
brook no invasion of its boundary. Dozens of people died,
some torn literally limb from limb, as the creatures exacted
their revenge.
A second wave of refugees left the village, fanning out
across the region to establish new settlements. Some became
farmers; some, fisherfolk; some even turned to piracy.
Nearly one hundred years later, the events of this time are
almost as much a thing of legend as the cataclysm that
brought their forebears to this land. Yet even today, few
people 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 Iron
Heroes roleplaying game. It details a specific region for
use as a setting in Iron Heroes campaigns and provides
advice on creating characters from the region; also
included are a map of the area, descriptions of the
major communities and landmarks, and a brief outline
of notable organizations and individuals who can be
found there.
A series of adventures to be based in this setting the
Bloodwood Legacy are planned for publication, but
this guide can be used as a standalone product.
Welcome to Lakeshore
From the first day they saw Ocean Lake, the refugees
dubbed their new homeland Lakeshore. The vast body
of 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 other
reasons as well. The comparatively warm waters of the
lake make the local climate less severe (though rather
more prone to rain) than it would otherwise be. The
lake also provides reliable, but not too ready, access to
outside cultures and goods Close enough for
trade, 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 miles
across from north to south and roughly 70 miles from
east to west. Most of the plain consists of fertile black
earth, well irrigated by the streams and tributaries of
two fast-flowing rivers of clear, cold water. The region
is bounded to the north and east by broken, rocky
terrain, to the west by the tangled expanse of the
Bloodwood, and to the south by the vastness of Ocean
Lake.
Agriculture, particularly dairy or pig farming and fruit
and grain crops, is common throughout most of the
Lakeshore region. The land is less fertile in the
extreme north: hunting and foraging play a much
greater role in the diet in these regions. Coastal and
riverside communities make extensive use of
freshwater fish in their diet, of course, as well as
shellfish and certain edible sea plants. The fertility of
the land, coupled with intensive agricultural practices
and 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 frontier
attitude, with the peculiar blend of independence and
interdependence that entails. A common local adage is
The only crop you can sow on your neighbors field is
trouble; folk dont like interference from outsiders,
and expect to be left alone to live their lives how they
want. On the other hand, if a family runs into
difficulties, there is a strong sense of community as
well: Gifts of food, assistance with work, and any
other aid possible will flood in for the afflicted folk.
Outsiders are generally treated hospitably, though
armed travelers will usually be asked to set aside their
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weapons, especially if they are looking for a meal or
shelter. In areas prone to pirate attack, the welcome is
generally much more cautious, and armed travelers
will be required to hand over their weapons if they do
not intend to move on immediately.
Attitudes in certain of the larger settlements, where
the communities are not so close-knit, may vary. Any
specific variances for these locations are covered in the
Places of Note section below.
Religion
The original refugees who entered Lakeshore did not
have a single, strongly held faith, and there are many
different religious beliefs in the area. Dedication to
most such faiths is casual rather than fanatical; outside
of attending certain annual festivals and making an
offering or two for a good harvest or success for their
business, most folk prefer not to bother the gods and
hope the favor is returned.
The most widespread or widely known religions of
the Lakeshore include the following:
Church of the Chosen
One of the few evangelical faiths in the Lakeshore
region, the Church of the Chosen was founded in the
terrible nights leading to the exodus from Thornwood.
The Chosen believe that the original refugees were
guided to Lakeshore for some divine purpose, but that
this task was forgotten or ignored when the settlement
at Thornwood was founded. They see what happened
at Thornwood as a divine punishment for this failure.
The original adherents of this belief founded a new
settlement at Chosen Bay, which remains to this day a
highly religious (and some would say superstitious)
settlement. They regularly send out the brightest and
bravest to spread the message of their faith to the rest
of humanity. Those who remain in Chosen Bay
dedicate themselves to study and prayer in hopes of
rediscovering the forgotten purpose for which the
refugees were originally brought to the Lakeshore.
Organization: Centralized and hierarchical. Adherents
(layfolk) make up the majority of the followers, with
priests and archpriests above them and a council of
four cardinals as the final authority. All ecumenical
decisions are made by the cardinals, who must agree
unanimously for a ruling to be final. Members of both
genders may become clergy, though the ratio of men
to women is currently about three to one.
The Harvest Mother
Usually depicted as a matronly figure with hands full
of bundled corn, the Harvest Mother of today is
actually an amalgamation of several fertility and
agricultural deities once worshipped by some of the
original refugees. Her faith is common in farming
communities across the region (except around Chosen
Bay). The faith is closely associated in many peoples
minds with the wild festivals held in her honor on the
solstices and equinoxes of each year.
Most of the religious ordinances of this faith relate
specifically to offerings, ceremonies, and practices
required to curry the Harvest Mothers favor. These
rituals are numerous, even though the Mother is
generally seen as a beneficent figure. Injunctions on
moral or ethical behavior are minimal, though most of
the clergy encourage honesty, integrity, and industry
in their followers, believing quite practically that a
busy and contented community is vital to a good
harvest.
Organization: Highly localized. Most villages and
towns in the Lakeshore area have their own unique
interpretation of this faith, with minor dogmatic
variations. Lay followers rarely concern themselves
with such details. Clergy from different areas consider
themselves part of the same faith, but enjoy spirited
discussions on dogma. No formal hierarchy exists
within the clergy, with only the position of Pastor
being recognized, but particularly wise or well-known
pastors are generally accorded informal seniority by
their compatriots. Members of both genders may
become clergy, though significantly more are female
than male.
The Lake God
References to the God in the Lake appear in records
almost as soon as the refugees arrived in Lakeshore.
Whether this was an existing faith that was
transplanted to the area or a wholly new phenomenon
is not known, but there are many testaments to eerie
lights beneath the waves, waters that abruptly boil
with steam before cooling once more, and strange
music heard by fisherfolk as they ply their trade.
The Lake God remains popular with anyone who
earns a living from the waters of Ocean Lake,
including fisherfolk and pirates alike. A wild and
capricious force, the Lake God must be appeased with
regular offerings in exchange for the bounty he
provides from the lake and rivers. All offerings must
come from the land (precious metals are favored), for
to make an offering that originated in the water would
be merely to return what was already the Gods to
begin with a terrible insult to the God of the Lake.
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Organization: Localized, informal, and somewhat
isolationist. Variations in specific beliefs exist from
village to village, and sometimes even from fishing
boat to fishing boat. Specific local superstitions are
common and jealously maintained. No formal priests
are appointed; all rituals required to appease the Lake
God are conducted while afloat, by either the captain
or the first mate of the vessel.
The Theomatists
Originating in Stone Cabal, and only slowly becoming
known in other communities, the Theomatic School
believes in a divine force that created and sustains all
reality, but rejects any anthropomorphism of that
force. They scoff at the idea of human-seeming gods,
and believe instead that humans are tiny parts of the
divine force that have become separated from the
whole, and thus diminished. They seek to rediscover
their connection with the force, believing that if they
do, they will shake off their physical forms and return
to their true place in the universe.
It is not uncommon for Theomatic scholars to study
the magic of spiritualism as part of their search.
Organization: Highly individualistic and egalitarian.
Most Theomatic scholars would reject the idea that
they were part of an organized religion at all. Research
is conducted independently, though many scholars
correspond via messenger, or gather in small
discussion groups if they are geographically close.
Personal rivalries between individual scholars are not
uncommon, and may become quite heated,
particularly as there is no formal means of resolution.
Law and Government
There is no overarching authority for Lakeshore. Law
and government are handled individually within each
community. The smallest settlements those of a
hundred people or less usually settle any important
matters that arise with a public meeting of all adults.
They generally have no organized law enforcement or
defenses; each family simply protects itself and looks
out for its neighbors as a matter of course. A few such
communities are organized enough to have every able-
bodied adult participate in weapons training once a
month or so, but there is rarely anything more formal
than this.
Larger communities generally elect two or more public
officials: at minimum, a Sheriff (who may hire
assistants) to enforce the laws and preserve order and
a Justice to hear and adjudicate upon public or civic
disputes. Such communities often maintain a
volunteer militia, responsible for dealing with
disturbances to the peace or assisting in the event of a
threat to lives and property (including such things as
fires and flood). Volunteers are generally expected to
train once a week. Depending on their communitys
resources, they may or may not receive some
recompense or tax benefit for their activities.
Some of the largest communities use a variety of
governmental forms. These are detailed in each
individual entry for those communities in Places of
Note.
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Arms & Armor
In most parts of Lakeshore, it is considered
perfectly acceptable to carry common weapons or
to wear light armor in public. On the other hand,
it is considered the height of bad manners to
enter another persons home or business while
armed. (Because armor is more difficult to divest,
it is sometimes acceptable to wear, depending on
the circumstances of the visit.) Most buildings
have an antechamber near the entrance where
weapons can be stored. Most people in Lakeshore
will refuse entry to anyone who insists on
carrying a weapon into their home or place of
work.
Since a dagger may be a useful tool for eating and
other non-violent pursuits, a person carrying only
one such blade is not generally considered to be
armed 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 other
characters are not aware of it, it may be carried
anywhere. However, most settlements consider
any attempt to conceal a weapon to be a sign of ill
intent, and this may bring unwanted attention
from any local law enforcement if the weapon is
noticed.
Places of Note
This section details some of the most notable
settlements and landmarks within the Lakeshore
region. All of these locations can be found on the map
included in this setting guide.
Ardent Weir
Dominated by miners, smiths, and other artisans
concerned with the working of base metals, Ardent
Weir is at the center of a belt of copper, tin, and iron
deposits. Many of the weapons and tools used across
the Lakeshore are crafted here, or at the very least
made with ore from Ardent Weirs many mines.
Ardent Weir is a rough and rambunctious place, with
constant soot and dust in the air, and frequent fights in
the taverns.
Population: Approx. 700
Government: Ardent Weir has both a Sheriff and a
Justice. Elections are public, and occur for both
positions every two years. All adults have a vote,
though many choose not to attend the election
meeting. The over-worked Sheriff and his four
assistants usually intervene in civil disturbances only
if weapons are drawn.
Despite the lax law enforcement, those who try to
throw their weight around here usually come to a
sticky end: Ardent Weir is full of self-reliant folk who
know how to swing a pick or a hammer, if not a sword
or an axe, and who arent afraid to stick up for
themselves.
Black River
Running through Ardent Weir and providing power to
several water-powered ore grinders, the Black River
gets its name from the soot and dust it carries down
from the mining town, which turn the waters black-
brown in color. This is the only river or stream in the
Lakeshore without good supplies of fish: the stocks
have 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. Its
full size is not known, but it stretches at least 70 miles
along the coast of Ocean Lake, which is as far as any
boats have bothered to explore. Strange things are
known to lurk in the Bloodwood, and people avoid
straying too close to it, even at the cost of many extra
hours of travel.
The only settlement within three miles of the forests
edge is the grim little town of Thornwood.
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Chosen Bay
Founded by refugees from Bloodwood at the time
when the forest was first given that name, this is a
large settlement comprised largely of adherents to the
Church of the Chosen. The majority of non-believers in
town dwell within a small community of shipwrights,
who make use of the bays deep water in the
performance of their craft. The Chosen tolerate this
community, though they make regular attempts to
evangelize the shipwrights.
By Lakeshore standards, Chosen Bay is a highly
regulated community, though enforcement relies more
on the strong local sense of community and
convention than on any direct pressure from the
authorities.
Population: Approx. 1,000
Government: The church provides all authority in the
town, and all adults are expected to perform one days
community service every week, working at the
direction of the cardinals. Such service may include
labor on public works or service in the town guard, for
instance.
At any given time, roughly 100 able-bodied adults in
the community possess and have received basic
training with one or more weapons as part of their
community responsibilities, making Chosen Bay
largely secure from pirate activities.
Eastfork
One of two communities founded in an attempt to
undermine Golden Weirs domination of the precious
metals trade, Eastfork is the marginally more
successful of the two. The inhabitants pan enough
gold and silver out of the river to make their
businesses viable, though they produce nothing like
the volumes of their down-stream competitor.
Population: Approx. 600
Government: Eastfork elects a Sheriff and a Justice
every three years, though the elections are mostly a
formality. Both positions are unpaid, and there is
rarely more than one candidate.
Emden Watch
There was considerable fear, many years ago, among
those who fled the slaughter from the Thornwood,
that the strange things from the forest would follow
them. A small group, led by a young woman named
Alia Emden, volunteered to establish a watchpost to
guard against any such incursion. Eager for protection,
several dozen refugees stayed with them.
In the decades since, Emdens Watch has become one
of the largest towns in Lakeshore. The town sustains
the only permanent military force in the region: some
200 trained troops, dispersed in four units known as
echelons. The nominal function of these troops is to
protect the region against the Bloodwood, despite the
fact that there are dozens of small settlements now
located closer to the forest than this one. In practice,
their real role is to keep order in the town and to
sustain the power of the handful of upper-class
families in the area.
Population: Approx. 1,200
Government: Originally run as a military camp out of
necessity, Emden Watch now has a de facto nobility:
The town is divided into four quarters, each of which
is administered directly by the hereditary officer of
one of the four military echelons.
Law enforcement tends to be harsh and arbitrary,
conducted by soldiers who are more interested in
finding someone to punish than in ensuring they have
the right person. More than one local has muttered
that Alia Emden would be ashamed of what her home
has become but they mutter it quietly, so as not to be
overheard.
Fenshore
A low-lying region of marshy ground between Black
River and the Golden River delta, the Fenshore is
dotted with small settlements, most of them populated
by fisherfolk who make their livelihood on the Lake.
There are also communities of swamp fisherfolk, who
use poles to punt their flat-bottomed boats through the
shallow delta, where they catch various stream-
dwelling fish, gather birds eggs, and trap the various
small mammals that live in the region. Such folk are
usually extremely poor, with few if any possessions.
Pirates from the Fingerbones sometimes raid these
communities. Unlike those settlements along the rest
of the coastline, the Fenshore folk usually abandon
their homes when they see the pirates coming, being
able to pack up their few belongings and take their
boats into parts of the delta the deeper-drafted pirate
vessels cannot go.
Fingerbones
Some of those who fled Thornwood years ago could
not feel safe until they had left the very shore itself,
taking up habitation of the bleak and stony islands
known as the Fingerbones. Unfortunately, as the
population grew, it quickly became apparent that
while there was enough fish for everyone to eat, there
were no resources for them to make new buildings,
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produce large amounts of clothes, or simply to have
any variety in their diet.
By the second generation, the population of the
Fingerbones had begun to fight amongst themselves
for precious resources. Perhaps they would all have
been killed in these internecine squabbles if one of
their number had not pointed out that there were
other sources of the needed goods. Thus began the
history of the Fingerbone Pirates.
Each island sustains a clan, and each clan maintains a
pirate vessel, which sets out two or three times a year
to plunder goods and supplies. Such raids are almost
always conducted by only a single clan (and thus a
single ship), though fleets of two or three vessels
have been seen from time to time. They conduct raids
all along the Ocean Lake shoreline, and may even
travel up the Golden River as far as Halsham Ferry.
Population: In total, there are approximately 800
people in the Fingerbones, spread across a dozen
different clans.
Government: Each clan is independent of the others.
Generally, authority within each clan rests with the
toughest or cleverest warrior, who also captains the
ship on its raids.
Golden River
The largest river in all of Lakeshore, the Golden River
sustains several of the largest settlements in the region
and is also the principal source of precious metals,
being rich in alluvial gold and other valuable
substances.
Golden Weir
Founded to take advantage of the alluvial gold in the
Golden River, this community is, per capita, the richest
town in Lakeshore. Most of the inhabitants are either
miners or artisans. There is a sharp social and
economic divide between those who own the mines
and the craft shops and those they employ, but by the
standards of many communities, even the working
class in Golden Weir are comfortably well off.
Population: Approx. 800
Government: Although Golden Weir has a Sheriff and
a Justice, these positions are appointed rather than
elected. Appointments are made by an oligarchic
council of the six wealthiest families, who retain their
power by ensuring that all the most lucrative work
must pass through them. These families effectively run
the town, and each maintains small cadres of hired
guards to protect them and their property; notably,
theft and burglary are subject to unusually harsh
penalties in Golden Weir.
Goldenwood
Goldenwood is the largest forest in Lakeshore (other
than the Bloodwood) and the regions principal source
of lumber. A number of people also live within the
forests confines, hunting and trapping to support their
own subsistence.
Halsham Ferry
For some years, the Golden River was a barrier to
overland trade between the eastern and western halves
of the greater Lakeshore area. Merchants could bring
their goods as far as the river, but getting them across
on the small boats available was a time-consuming
and expensive process. Halsham Ferry was established
as a solution to this problem: The enterprising Dawel
Halsham built a large, flat-bottomed ferry capable of
carrying an entire loaded wagon without running
aground, and charged only a small fee for transit
across the water. As merchants flooded to use the new
service, a town sprang up to meet their other needs:
taverns, hiring halls for guards, entertainments of a
many and varied nature, and so on.
Population: Approx. 1,000
Government: Halsham has an elected Justice and
Sheriff. More often than not, one or both positions are
filled by a member of the Halsham family (and
troublingly, that one person often holds both offices);
moreover, the family exercises a strong influence on
most 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 to
support many children. Most of them indulge this
opportunity, and broods of seven or more
offspring in the extended family line are not
uncommon. Many of these children marry into
good families (either in Halshams Ferry or in
other communities).
The Halshams are not a vindictive bunch, despite
what some would say though they have the
odd bad seed, like most families but theyre
very bad people to cross: they have friends and
family almost everywhere.
vote. Purchasing votes (paying 2-3 gp to get someone
to vote for your preferred candidate) is a common
practice.
Hidden River
So named because its mouth is almost lost in the
foliage of the Bloodwood, Hidden River is one of only
two waterways known to emerge from within the
forest. It has been explored only a mile or so upriver,
for no explorer has yet been willing to penetrate more
deeply into the forests interior.
Ironreef
This strange collection of jagged metal outcroppings
juts 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 other
artisans is the largest town in the Lakeshore. As its
name suggests, Lumberton provides the region with
the majority of its bulk timber and lumber needs. This
wood all comes from the Goldenwood, Lakeshores
largest source of lumber if one does not count the
Bloodwood (and no one does).
Population: Approx. 2,000
Government: The Lumberton council, consisting of
three elected representatives, determines and enforces
the laws of the town. The most important of these is a
vigorous tree-planting and tending initiative: For
every tree felled, another must be planted. The
lumberjacks and carpenters are well aware that the
Goldenwood is the only possible source of their
livelihood, and act accordingly.
Ocean Lake
The single largest geographical feature of the region,
with the possible exception of the Bloodwood, Ocean
Lake is a source of trade, food, and livelihood,
whether directly or indirectly, for most of the
inhabitants of the Lakeshore region. From the eastern
edge of the Fenshore to within a few miles of the
Bloodwood, the shoreline is dotted with dozens of
small fishing thorps and hamlets.
These settlements are frequently victimized by the
pirates of the Fingerbones, though there are enough
communities that each one might be attacked only
once every few years. Most try to pay off the pirates
with food and goods, but a few of the larger ones fight
backsometimes successfully, more often not.
Stone Cabal
Founded only 30 years ago, Stone Cabal was
established as a place of learning by a group of seven
scholars. The renown of their academy grew quickly,
and Stone Cabal has become a center of learning and
study. It houses Lakeshores largest library well over
a hundred books! and anyone who wishes to study
the works can do so, for a small contribution.
Population: Approx. 300
Government: Although anyone who wishes to study
is permitted access to Stone Cabal, the island is the
private estate of the seven original scholars. They levy
residence 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 is
needed, the scholars simply appoint one of their own
to 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 time
when the Bloodwood earned its new name. Folk
simply do not travel there now, though persistent
rumors circulate to suggest that a handful of
inhabitants still remain, either unwilling or unable to
leave.
Population: Unknown
Government: Unknown
Thornwood River
Though it emerges from the Bloodwood, there appears
to be nothing unusual or unnatural about this river. It
provides fresh water to Emden Watch and Lumberton,
and feeds into the Golden River north of Halsham
Ferry.
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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, Dale
looks more like a soldier than a scholar, but he is nonetheless Lakeshores foremost expert on animals and
unnatural 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, and
has a tendency to shout because of it. He is a renowned expert in all forms of herbalism, agriculture, and
plant lore.
Erena Mallaw: A founding force in the Theomatic School, Erena is, at 50 years of age, the youngest of the
seven 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. The
somewhat 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 Ocean
Lake, as her coppery skin suggests. She is a devoted student of the arcane forces of magic, and arguably the
most 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 strict
and military bearing and is a master artisan, skilled in many forms of craft; he has an unmatched
knowledge of all forms of precious objects.
Welter Marrison: The 68-year-old Marrison is a renowned Spiritualist, and possesses expansive knowledge
of all forms of demons, djinni, and spirits. His deceased wife was a Halsham, and Marrison remains in
contact with the family.
Westfork
Founded at the same time and for the same reason as
Eastfork, this community is the less successful of the
two. Small amounts of precious metals are panned
from the river each year, but most of the community
have to farm and hunt in order to make ends meet.
Population: Approx. 400
Government: Westfork elects a Sheriff and a Justice
every three years, though the elections are mostly a
formality. Both positions are unpaid, and there is
rarely more than one candidate.
Contact with Other Regions
Although it has proven exempt from any large-scale
incursion, Lakeshore is far from being completely
isolated. Only from the west, where the Bloodwood
blocks all passage, do no travelers come. Individuals
and small parties of travelers often enter the region
from the north or east, while merchants brave the
weather and the pirates of Ocean Lake to trade
throughout the summer months. Such foreign folk
are particularly common in communities on the edge
of Ocean Lake itself and in Ardent Weir.
The World beyond Lakeshore
The world beyond Lakeshore has been deliberately left
vague to give GMs the freedom to place this region
anywhere they like within their campaign world.
If, as a player, you wish to play an outsider who has
traveled to the Lakeshore region, you should discuss
your background ideas with your GM. Depending on
your GMs decisions, the region may or may not be a
part of the Swordlands, the campaign setting briefly
described in the Iron Heroes core book.
Lakeshore Heroes
This section provides information about creating Iron
Heroes characters native to Lakeshore. Choosing to
play a local is not a setting requirement: with your
GMs permission, you may play an outsider. A few
travelers do come to Lakeshore each year, usually
from the east or north, but occasionally from across
the mighty width of Ocean Lake.
Traits
Natives of Lakeshore can possess any of the mental or
physical traits from the Iron Heroes core rulebook or
the Iron Heroes Players Companion. A small number of
background traits are inappropriate for natives of the
Lakeshore. (Refer to the sidebar on the next page for a
list of these traits.) You may still select these traits if
you are playing a foreigner who has traveled to the
Lakeshore region.
11
Other Locations
The empty spaces on the map between the
major settlements are in fact anything but empty.
Most of Lakeshore is dotted with thorps and
hamlets, usually separated by no more than a few
hours ride.
A typical thorp consists of one to three families,
each with two to eight members. Usually, the
different families in the thorp cooperate to farm
crops (or to fish if they have access to a river or
the lake). The families are often interrelated by
blood or by marriage. New thorps constantly
form, or old ones dissolve, as the children of
earlier generations strike out on their own,
forming new families. The Lakeshore region is
dotted with empty or partially empty thorps,
which will one day house new residents.
Honest travelers can usually expect a friendly
welcome in most thorps, including a warm meal
and a bed in the barn, but such communities
usually have little more to offer: they are too
small to support stores or produce any goods
other than those needed for their own survival.
When several thorps are in close proximity, or
when a group of families are particularly fecund,
a hamlet may form. Such communities have
sufficient population, usually 2080 people, to
attain a level of permanence. Many have endured
for three or four generations, or even since the
days of the terrible flight from Thornwood. Some
hamlets may also be large enough to support a
store, or even an inn, where travelers can get
services and goods they need.
Thornwood and the Bloodwood
Some players may wish to create a character from
the town of Thornwood, or from somewhere else
along the edge of the Bloodwood. Your GM will
indicate whether or not this is permitted: the
remainder of this guide assumes that it is not.
The remaining background traits are all appropriate
for natives of the Lakeshore. The following section
provides suggestions on how characters with various
backgrounds might fit into the Lakeshore region. Note
that these suggestions are intended only as an aid; you
are of course free to develop other concepts if you
wish.
Arctic Born: Although Lakeshore does not possess any
arctic regions, it often experiences heavy snowfalls
during winter. While most people huddle close to their
fires in such conditions, a small number of men and
women show an unusual affinity for the icy
conditions. These folk may come from any part of
Lakeshore, and are commonly referred to as winter
born by the locals.
Artisan: Craftspeople are found throughout
Lakeshore, but are particularly common in the towns
of Golden Weir (where there are several goldsmiths
and jewelers), Ardent Weir (where weaponsmiths and
blacksmiths tend to congregate), and Lumberton
(home to many carpenters).
Child of Faith: The only strongly religious community
within the Lakeshore region is that of Chosen Bay, and
children of faith are common there. Characters from
other settlements may also develop this trait, but are
likely to be viewed by their peers as being somewhat
odd for their passionately held beliefs.
Child of Omen: A child of omen may be born
anywhere within the Lakeshore region.
City Rat: Although there are no true cities in
Lakeshore, the settlements of Lumberton, Emden
Watch, and Ardent Weir are all sufficiently large and
diverse (in both economic and social terms) that
characters from these towns may develop the City Rat
trait.
Forest Born: Characters with this trait are most likely
to hail from Lumberton or one of the other much
smaller settlements on the outskirts of the Golden
Wood. It is possible that they may come from other
areas of Lakeshore, as there are small woods dotted
around the region. Not even the Forest Born, however,
have ventured into the Bloodwood.
High Born: The most likely places of origin for
characters of this background are either Golden Weir,
where the oligarchic families of goldsmiths and
jewelers enjoy considerable wealth and privilege; or
Emden Watch, where military rank once defined social
standing, but where that relationship has now become
ossified to the point that the it is social standing that
determines military rank.
Hunter-Gatherer: The lands of Lakeshore are well
adapted to agriculture, but the earth becomes
significantly less fertile and stonier as one travels
north of the settlements of Eastfork and Westfork.
There are a number of small communities in these
regions that survive by hunting and foraging for
whatever they can find.
Marsh Born: Most lands in Lakeshore are well
irrigated, but the Fenshore, though sparsely
populated, offers a natural origin point for characters
with this trait.
Mountain Folk: Although not strictly mountainous,
the broken and hilly terrain east and north of
Lakeshore features enough precipices, ravines, and
sheer climbs that folk raised in or near this region are
welcome to develop this trait.
Nomad: Small communities of nomadic and semi-
nomadic folk travel throughout Lakeshore. A character
with this trait could come from anywhere in the
region.
Patrician: For much the same reasons as with the High
Born trait, the characters most likely to develop this
trait are those from Golden Weir and Emden Watch.
Reaver: The pirate clans of the Fingerbones are a
natural breeding ground for Reavers with the sea
wolf cultural background. (See Inappropriate
Background Traits sidebar.)
Road Rat: As with the Nomad trait, a character with
this trait could hail from any part of the Lakeshore
environsor all parts. Its even possible (though rare)
for such a character to be a foundling (an unwanted
child given up by its biological parents to the traveling
folk).
12
Inappropriate Background Traits
The following background traits are not
appropriate for natives of the Lakeshore region,
but may be possessed by people from other
regions who have traveled to the area.
Desert Born: There are no deserts in the
Lakeshore region.
Jungle Born: There are no jungles in the
Lakeshore region.
Reaver: Golden horde and herd raider
cultures are not found in or near Lakeshore.
Natives of the region with this trait must select
the sea wolf cultural option.
Slave: Slavery is not practiced in the Lakeshore
region.
Sea Child: Characters with this trait could hail from
any of the many riverside or lakeside settlements in
Lakeshore, or from the pirates of the Fingerbones.
Shadow Born: Most folk in the Lakeshore hold no
truck with strange beings and powers, but the
communities of Stone Cabal and Chosen Bay are a
notable exception. Characters with this trait are most
likely to hail from one of these settlements, though the
shadow born might crop up from time to time in other
locations often to the dismay of the family into
which they are born.
Classes
Members of all the non-spellcasting classes in Iron
Heroes can be found throughout Lakeshore. Some are
more common than others, but unless your GM
specifies otherwise, all such classes from the core
rulebook and the Iron Heroes Players Companion are
available and can hail from any part of the Lakeshore
region. An Archer, for example, might be a soldier
from Emden Watch, a huntsman (or huntswoman)
from the Golden Wood, a sniper for a pirate crew, or
any of a dozen other backgrounds within the region.
Spellcasting Classes
Both Arcanists and Spiritualists are known in
Lakeshore and, unless your GM rules otherwise, are
available for play. However, they are much less
common than the other classes, and much more likely
to originate from certain locations in the region: most
often Stone Cabal, and to a lesser extent Chosen Bay.
Arcanists in particular are most likely to come from
Stone Cabal, which is the only community within
Lakeshore where the study of magic is conducted in
an organized and thorough manner. A handful of
independent magical scholars can be found in other
locations 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 common
in Chosen Bay, and somewhat more common in
general across the Lakeshore region.
13
Attitudes toward Magic
In general, the people of Lakeshore are distrustful
and a little fearful of magic, which they see as a
dangerous and unpredictable force. Yet there is
no active persecution of spellcasters. The general
attitude is rather like seeing someone juggling
knives: theres a measure of respect for what the
person can do, but a natural inclination to take a
few steps away in case something goes flying in
the wrong direction.
The fact that Spiritualists are the most common
practitioners of magic also colors the local
attitudes: the strange creatures they keep as
companions, and the even stranger things that
happen to the spiritualists bodies, have a strong
effect on attitudes toward magic.
Its considered very impolite (by spellcasters and
non-spellcasters alike) to use magic in someone
elses home without first asking their permission.
Its somewhat akin to drawing a sword in a
strangers living room understandable if youre
being attacked, perhaps, or if the homeowner
asks to see the blade for some odd reason, but
inappropriate in almost every other situation.
Mastering the Lakeshore
This section of the setting guide is intended for GMs only. If
youre going to be a player in a Lakeshore-based campaign,
we recommend your not reading this section: Doing so may
spoil the surprises for you if your GM decides to use some of
the ideas presented below.
The Mastering the Lakeshore section provides
information for running a campaign set in the
Lakeshore region. This information is split into four
parts:
Lakeshore Atmosphere: A brief outline of the
basic feel of the campaign setting, including
some notes on how to bring that atmosphere into
your games.
Locating the Lakeshore Region: Notes on
inserting Lakeshore into a wider campaign setting,
including the Swordlands from the Iron Heroes
rulebook and the New Coast setting from the
Fiery Dragon Iron Heroes adventures Dark Harbor
and Blood Storm.
Dangers of Lakeshore: A region-by-region
outline of the types of monsters and
environmental dangers that might be found in
Lakeshore and its environs.
Lakeshore Campaign Hooks: Three
rudimentary campaign ideas.
Lakeshore Atmosphere
Lakeshores culture is very much that of a frontier
territory. This is reflected, amongst other things, by the
lack of a centralized municipal authority. Theres a
stubborn streak of independence through most of the
local folk, one thats missing only in some of the larger
settlements, where money or military power holds
sway. Members of the average Lakeshore family want
nothing more than to be left alone to get on with their
lives, and theyre willing to fight to hold onto that
right, both for themselves and for their neighbors.
The geographic dispersion of Lakeshores residents
also contributes to the regions frontier feel. Even the
largest settlements comprise at most 2,000 people, and
the majority of the land is dotted with individual
homesteads or tiny villages with less than a dozen
families. These peoples lifestyles also reflect a frontier
way of life. Most grow their own food and make their
own tools, trading only for those items they cannot
provide for themselves. Barter is a common form of
trade between ordinary folk, though most will accept
coins if they can be convinced of the purity of the
metals used.
A third factor that reflects the frontier is the lack of an
organized transport system. There are perhaps a half-
dozen formally recognized roads throughout
Lakeshore, and these are mostly the simple result of
many people following the same routes. Maintenance
of 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 smaller
settlements, there are only tracks and a scattering of
small villages. Travelers without a compass or good
wilderness skills will frequently need to stop and ask
for assistance.
Perhaps the most important factor of any frontier,
though, is the sense of danger. Lakeshore can be a
dangerous place. There is always the threat of pirates
to contend with, as well as dangerous creatures
roaming the wilderness. And, of course, lurking in the
back of everyones mind are the unexplored dangers of
the Bloodwood.
History and fiction based on the colonization of the
Caribbean and North America are a good source of
inspiration for establishing the Lakeshore atmosphere,
as are tales of the American west. Some possible
sources of inspiration might include the tale of the
Roanoke colony, the escapades of various pirate
captains, or accounts of the various gold rushes.
Locating the Lakeshore Region
Lakeshore has been designed with the intent that it
can 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
14
book quite easily to any part of such campaign worlds
where there is an isolated region bordering a large
body of water.
The Swordlands: There is little difficulty in placing
Lakeshore in the setting briefly outlined in the Iron
Heroes rulebook. The Swordlands have no defined
geography, so Lakeshore can be placed wherever you
like it, and the surrounding lands detailed at your own
discretion. If you do choose to place Lakeshore in the
Swordlands, then the terrible disaster the original
refugees were fleeing when they first came to
Thornwood is almost certainly the Masters War.
The New Coast: If you have the adventures Dark
Harbor or Blood Storm, you can easily place Lakeshore
to the southwest of Borat. The Broken Lands to
Lakeshores north and east can be considered a
continuation of the Cloven Lands that border the
kingdom of Borat; these lands are sufficiently broad
and dangerous to make travel between the two areas
difficult, but not impossible.
Dangers of Lakeshore
The list of regions below is not identical to that in the
players section. Several of the settlements are not
specifically listed, for instance, and there are two
additional entries.
Black River
Although generally believed to be devoid of life, the
Black River could serve as a spawning ground for
mutated beasts, strange ooze-like monsters, and other
noxious, unnatural aberrations.
Bloodwood
The secret danger that lurks in the Bloodwood can be
quite literally anything you might desire. Whatever
you choose, you should make sure the forests grim
reputation is entirely deserved.
The upcoming Bloodwood Legacy adventure series
will further develop this dark place, but theres no
reason you cant use your own ideas instead.
Broken Lands
The rugged terrain to the north and east of Lakeshore
is home to many kinds of brutal humanoid creatures,
including cliff ogres, and there have been reports of
strange, rock-like creatures from time to time
whether these are trondar or some other menace is up
to you.
Emden Watch
Gangs of street thugs, covertly supported by corrupt
elements of the military, make life a misery for the
inhabitants of Emden Watch. One of the most
notorious gang leaders is Big Marl, a massive man
rumored to be tainted with ogre blood.
Fenshore
This swampy area is a prime location for reptilian
creatures, whether mundane lizards and crocodiles or
more fabulous creatures such as kobolds or even
dragons. It is also an excellent breeding ground for
monstrous vermin such as centipedes, water
scorpions, and bog spiders.
Fingerbones
The most prevalent threat of these rocky islands are
the ruthless pirates who make their lairs here, but
there are also rumors of lake shades: the water-
bloated remains of the pirates victims, which are said
to claw their way out of the surf in search of
retribution or just food.
Golden River
As might be expected, any monster with the aquatic
subtype is a suitable candidate for use along the rivers
shores. The sometimes slow-moving and reed-ridden
river is also a good spawning ground for monstrous
vermin.
Goldenwood
Although nowhere near as terrifying as the
Bloodwood, the Goldenwood is home to two
significant dangers: the first and best-known of these
is the unusually large and aggressive animals (dire
animals) that make their home there. Less well-known
but potentially more dangerous are the fey and
elemental spirits that lurk deep within its depths.
Ocean Lake
This vast lake has sufficient volume to support almost
any aquatic creature. Rumors persist that the strange
lights sometimes seen below the waves rise up from
the cities of an underwater civilization, though this has
never been confirmed.
15
General Lakeshore Dangers
In addition to the suggested threats for specific
areas, there are certain dangers to be encountered
across the large expanses of Lakeshore. These
include goblins, who lurk in dank tunnels
throughout the region, and giantkin such as
ogres, who may wander out of the broken terrain
to the north and east. Magical beasts are also an
occasional danger; such creatures often have large
hunting ranges that may carry them to various
parts of the Lakeshore.
Thornwood River
In addition to the dangers listed for the Golden River,
there are occasional rumors of misshapen, scaly
humanoids lurking in muddy burrows along the
banks of this watercourse.
Lakeshore Campaign Hooks
The most obvious hook for a Lakeshore campaign is
the Bloodwood: the upcoming Bloodwood Legacy
adventure series will explore that possibility; even
without those products, few GMs would need much
help to generate ideas for possible dangers within the
forests dark canopy.
Presented below are three alternative concepts around
which a Lakeshore campaign could be built. These
concepts can be used individually, or woven together.
From the Depths
Despite the many dangers of their world, Lakeshore
residents take comfort from the fact that they are
isolated from other nations. Difficult terrain blocks
land access, while the width of Ocean Lake makes any
waterborne invasion a logistical nightmare. But such
comforting thoughts ignore the very real possibility of
an aquatic civilization, such as that of the sahuagin or
tritons, or a subterranean one such as the malevolent
hundoon. Any such species might become aware of
the humans living nearby or be driven by a harsh
master (or just by common greed, rapacity, or cruelty)
to begin an infiltration of Lakeshore society, seeking
first to weaken it, then to either destroy or enslave the
human inhabitants.
The motives of such an infiltration could vary
depending on the tone of campaign you wish to run.
Perhaps the hostility is due to some (perceived) wrong
committed by the humans, such as pollutants and
poisons being pumped into Ocean Lake from the Black
River, or the passage of humans over their territory
without proper tithes (an insult the prickly hundoon,
at least, would be unlikely to forgive). Perhaps they
find human flesh succulent and tasty, so they intend to
create a vast farm of frightened slaves; or maybe they
suffer from intense xenophobia that compels them to
destroy all other intelligent life.
The Doom Tide
Ocean Lake, long the source of food and livelihood for
many inhabitants of Lakeshore, suddenly becomes a
dangerous threat. The waters of the great lake begin to
swell, battering at the coastline in a terrible deluge that
swamps many of the coastal villages. Even the regions
rivers burst their banks and flood the great settlements
of Lumberton and Halshams Ferry.
Has the Lake God been angered, as his adherents
claim, or is there some other reason for the deluge?
The sudden rise of the Lakes waters may arise from
several possible sources. Perhaps it is indeed the work
of the Lake God, or at least of a powerful creature
which believes itself a god a mighty elemental or
demon, for instance. Such a creature might be able to
wrack the land as well as the waves, causing
earthquakes and other natural disasters, and unleash
corrupted beasts on the Lakeshores inhabitants.
Alternatively, the strange phenomenon might merely
be a symptom of some other danger. Perhaps one of
the scholars in Stone Cabal has toyed with terrible
forces that were never meant to be found, and the
strange actions of the waters merely reflects the
abhorrence of the natural world for whatever
abomination has awakened. Perhaps humans and
animals will soon become as disturbed as the Lake,
their dreams tormented by strange visions, leading
them to turn on each other.
A New Order
Independence and self-reliance may be an integral
part of the Lakeshore psyche, but that does not mean
there are not those who dream of establishing a
kingdom of their own. Perhaps the military rulers of
Emden Watchs echelons begin to demand tribute
from nearby villages. Perhaps the far-flung Halsham
family is scheming its way into a position of
unassailable power. Perhaps both have their own
agendas and are on a collision course. Or perhaps
someone knows of an imminent threat to the region
and is desperate to forge a Lakeshore-wide alliance in
order to oppose the threat.
Whatever the motivation, someone is making a
concerted effort to unify Lakeshore under a single
authority. Promises of security are posed against an
instinctive desire for independence. Threats of danger
are 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
Bl oodwood Cover : Bl oodwood Cover 5/ 13/ 2008 10: 44 AM Page 1
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15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
d20 System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2005, Wizards of the
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