The Old World could no longer sustain us. We were too large in number.
We had felled the forests. Our crops withered in the barren ground. The
cities and villages overflowed with desperate, hungry people. Petty kings
battled for scraps. We cast our fate to the sea and found the Ironlands. A
new world. A fresh start.
Quest Starter: Decades ago, the exodus ended. Since then, no ships have
sailed here from the Old World. Until now. Word comes of a single ship,
newly arrived across the vast ocean, grounded on the rocks of the Barrier
Islands. When you hear the name of this ship, you swear to uncover the fate
of its passengers. Why is it so important to you?
Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron
gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say
they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them
and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along
their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and
even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.
Quest Starter: Your dreams are haunted by visions of a pillar which stands
in an unfamiliar landscape. What do you see? Why are you sworn to seek
it out?
We are the first humans to walk these lands.
Quest Starter: In the writings of one of the first settlers, there is a description
of a glade in the heart of the Deep Wilds. The spirits of this place are said to
grant a miraculous blessing. What boon does it bestow?
We are few in number in this accursed land. Most rarely have contact
with anyone outside our own small steading or village, and strangers are
viewed with deep suspicion.
Quest Starter: In the dead of winter, a desperate man arrives at a snowbound
steading. He is wounded, hungry, and nearly frozen to death. His family has
been taken. By whom? Will you brave the merciless winter to save them?
Leadership is as varied as the people. Some communities are governed by
the head of a powerful family. Or, they have a council of elders who make
decisions and settle disputes. In others, the priests hold sway. For some, it
is duels in the circle that decide.
Quest Starter: You have vivid reoccurring dreams of an Ironlands city. It
has strong stone walls, bustling markets, and a keep on a high hill. And
so many people! Nowhere in the Ironlands does such a city exist. In your
dreams, you are the ruler of this city. Somehow, no matter how long it takes,
you must make this vision a reality
Our warbands are rallied to strike at our enemies or defend our holdings.
Though not nearly as impressive as the armies that once marched across
the Old World, these forces are as well-trained and equipped as their
communities can manage. The banners of the warbands are adorned
with depictions of their Old World history and Ironland victories.
Quest Starter: A warband was wiped out in a battle against an overwhelming
enemy. What is your connection to this band? Who defeated them? Will
you carry their banner on a quest for vengeance, or do you vow to see it
brought home to a place of honor?
Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly
gifted.
Quest Starter: You have heard stories of someone who wields true power.
They live in an isolated settlement far away. Who told you of this mystic?
Are they feared or respected? Why do you swear to seek them out?
The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a
simple but powerful comfort.
Quest Starter: An Ironlander is determined to make a pilgrimage into
dangerous lands. What holy place do they seek? Why do you swear to aid
them on this journey? Who seeks to stop them and why?
The firstborn hold sway in the Ironlands. The elves of the deep forests
and the giants of the hills tolerate us and even trade with us—for now.
Ironlanders fear the day they decide we are no longer welcome here.
Quest Starter: Humans and giants are on the brink of war. What has
happened? Who do you side with? Can anything be done to defuse the
situation?
Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands.
Quest Starter: A prominent Ironlander is consumed with the need to bring
vengeance upon a specific beast. What makes this creature distinctive? How
did it earn the wrath of this Ironlander? Do you aid this person in their
quest, or act to prevent their blind hate from destroying more than just the
beast?
We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in
those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in
darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
Quest Starter: You bear the scars of an attack by a horror. What was it? Are
those scars physical, emotional, or both? How do you seek to make yourself
whole again?
