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Organizations in Ironwood

For a long time I struggled building the faction ladder for B.A.D. Ironwood is a boomtown built into the side of a volcano. The relatively short time frame in which the city has existed, paired with it’s odd location means that there simply isn’t opportunity for there to be the richness of faction variety that there are in core Blades. But I recently came into a source of inspiration.

In a western, when our wandering gunslinger comes into town, there are various people they meet. The Sheriff, the proprietor of the saloon, the person who runs the stable. My trick has been to take each of these people and turn them into an organization.

Background

The city of Ironwood is build high up the slopes of a dead volcano which is honeycombed with the ruins of the massive dead city of Agartha. Long ago the Anumalik, the ancient witch kings who ruled Ush’vania long ago, built Agartha and why they abandoned it is the greatest mystery of our time. The mountain in which it was built., Halnia Strajor or, as most outlanders call it, Valdov’s Foly, is famous as the richest site of artifacts, legends, and treasure in the westward expansion.

The Factions

Hevlan Trading Company: (General Store): Ironwood is a company town and the HTC is that company. They control the main gate into the ruins of Agartha as well as the gondola line that runs goods up and down the mountain. Their monopoly on access to the ruins has recently been broken by House Chalevoir and the Mata Nadiya literally carving their own access points into Agartha.

Church of Agnilos: (The Preacher) The Goddess of Civilization, Light, and death attracts many followers with her outspoken, generous, and magically gifted clergy. Pilgrims from coast are sent over what is becoming known as “The Bone Road” presumably due to its white stone bricks, though it could just as easily be based on the number of people that don’t survive the journey. Each pilgrim carries a single white flagstone with them which is placed at the head of the road when they arrive. The Bone Road has just reached the base of Vladov’s Foley in it’s journey across Ush’vaia. With the increased number of the faithful in the city, the power of the church has grown.

Mata Nadiya (The Native Resistance Leader) As the outlanders claim more and more land for their own the native Ush’dvani struggle to maintain a hold. Mata Nadiya understands that the outlanders are not going away. She understands that if her people are going to resist invasion they are going to need power. She has led her army here, to the ruins of Agartha, to find that power. Her forces have recently breached the mountain and built their own access into Agartha. What they find there will change the course this land.

House Chalevoir : (The Doctor) This storied Tessian house is famed for their mastery of ancient history, alchemical expertise, and culinary artistry. Since all known magical power is sourced from the flesh (especially the hearts) of monsters, and because Agartha is the richest source of both monster flesh and magical wonders in the known world it was no great surprise when Lord Cadyern Chalevoir decided to move his family’s forces into the city. House Chalevoir has historically acted as the premier buyer of arcane wonders and monster flesh and purveyor of alchemical substances, medicines, and culinary delights. Recently they have built their own tunnel into the depths of Agartha and started offering contracts to would be dungeon crawlers.

Iron Hides (The Old Prospector) After only Vladov returned from his failed expedition to the top of Halnia Strajor word began to spread. Those first settlers who arrived before the Hevlan Trading Company established their stranglehold on the main gate established a stronghold and supply lines deep in the heart of the mountain. They allied with the Trau they found there and maintain their claim against all outsiders. The Ironhides are famous for their tough as nails nature, mastery of the strange environment of Agartha, and their viscous and expertly organized raids on outsider claims.

Trau Resistance (The OTHER Native Resistance Leader) The Trau have lived in the mountain since long before Vladov set foot on the peak. They were here before the Ironhides built their camps and lantern lit cities. They were here before the Hevlan Trading Company established the their supply line and took the gate. They were here before all the others. All save the Anumalik. Only the Trau have some understanding of what happened in Agartha. They keep the tombs silent and the breaches sealed. And the outsiders know nothing of their vigil or how crucial it is. Those who came before must never be woken.

The Blue Roses: (The Madam) Every boomtown has a brothel, but before the HTC established it’s stranglehold on Irowood, Iahaphon Puriel had united the sex workers of the city under her rule. To this day Puriel maintains a debt to all of her employees, and they to her. In traditional Edrostani style debts are tatooed on the inside of the forearm. So, every employee of the Blue Roses bears the groups mark on the inside of their wrist, and Madam Puriel’s left arm and shoulder are an intricate mesh of twining blossoms. To harm a Blue Rose is to invite a, shall we say, deeply cutting fine. To operate independently, without Madam Puriel’s protection, is to invite swift and public reprimand.

The Grey Foxes: (The Sheriff) Once the most famous treasure hunters in the city, The Grey Foxes now act as the peacekeeping force of the HTC. The Foxes are the de facto police unit in Ironwood, though their senior members are still famed dungeon crawlers and are given the choicest contracts by their parent company. The Foxes are, hypothetically, an independent operation and their rise in power comes from a number of years as the most successful tomb raiders in the city. Most of the founding members have retired, died, or moved on, but Keniov Oksim, the last of the old guard and legendary dungeoneer still leads the Fox’s raids into the deepest and most dangerous parts of Agartha.

Moonshiners (The Barkeep) Ironwood is a city that is powered by its addictions and quickest and simplest among those is liquor. Since the city’s founding adventurers, vendors, heroes, and derelicts have all needed a drink at one time or another and Saux Picour, has been there to offer it to them. The exiled scion of a fallen Tessian house Saux has attempted to turn the Moonshiners Guild into something worthy of his family’s legacy. Not much grows high on the slopes of Vladov’s Folley. Turnips and cactus make for shitty whiskey. But still, Picour soldiers on, against the base desires of most of Ironwood’s populace. Saux provides the beer, liquor, and (if you can call it that) wine that the city runs on. He is apologetic about lack of quality, but it’s not due to lack of caring. Rumor has it he is equally apologetic to his would be rivals as his men bury them.

The Sevens and Nines (The Gambler): The Sevens and Nines gambling house is named after the most common hand of the most popular game, Scofflaw. Scofflaw revolves around the dealer establishing certain rules for behavior and enforcing drinks on the players when they violate them. On a hand valuing seven to nine the offender must drink, but the dealer must buy. This is generally considered a mutually beneficial arrangement, especially to the house which accepts the monies and distributes the booze. The Sevens and Nines is a gilded marvel built of exotic woods, gold leaf, and finely tooled jade. It hires the finest the Blue Roses have to offer. It offers the cheapest and the rarest the Moonshiners can create. And best of all, it offers credit. Of course, it extracts interest in the form of more and more daring jobs in the depths of Agartha.

Lamptrimmers (The Innkeeper) Everyone who comes to Ironwood needs a place to sleep, and most of them want a place that isn’t haunted by vagrants, drunks, or the spirits of the vengeful dead. There are plenty of hollowed out wrecks to sleep in if that’s your taste. But The Lamptrimmers, worshipers of Athestia, don’t want you to settle. They are a dedicated to offering those who come to Ironwood a place to stay that is safe, clean, and isn’t haunted by the specters of a dead civilization. Each room comes furnished with a mattress, washstand, locking door, and a patented Lamptrimmers sacred oil lamp guaranteed to drive off the ghosts who stalk this benighted city. The Lamptrimmers ask a modest rent for their services or, of course, you can bring them relics of the city below and break them upon the altar. Alternately, you can sleep in some ghost ridden hovel. Your choice.

Falconers: (The Telegraph Operator)The Ush’dvani have long used trained falcons to carry messages between cities. When the various outlanders arrived they adopted the technique to communicate between their settlements. The Falconers, formed from a union of Ironwood various Falconers, provide the city with one of it’s information and contact with the outside world. While The Falconers are sworn to secrecy about the messages they handle they have a long history of being perfectly positioned to make a profit or avoid disaster.

Sashka and Son’s (Livery and Butcher): Shashka and Son’s supplies the city’s need for animal products and labor by keeping a veritable army of Makorhn, the massive mountain goats native to the slopes. Makorhn’s incredible strength and agility make them perfect for moving goods through difficult terrain. Their milk and meat, while gamy, are a stable food source. Their wool provides clothing. And their long curved horns are used for bows and tools. Even their dung provides fuel. Shashka son’s roam the mountain’s highest reaches managing their herds, and offering their services as guides. They are famed for their knowledge of the mountain and many act as coyotes guiding dungeoneers into Agartha’s hidden entrances.

#BladesAgainstDarkness

Quick update for those interested. B.A.D is proceeding nicely. I’ve gotten the playbooks massaged into something resembling completion. Playtests are helping me track down what needs altered from the core rules to fit Dungeon Crawling.

In the meantime here’s a bit of a series pitch to (hopefully) get you and your players excited.

Ironwood is city of adventure from top to bottom. Every guild, clan, religion and hungry freebooter is competing for fortune and glory. They swarm over the bones of a dead civilization and scheme and struggle for the choicest cuts. The winners at famed and feted. Most simply die in obscurity.

The life of most adventurers come to our city is a short and brutal affair. Most arrive, either out of desperation or bravado, proclaiming their inevitable rise to fame and fortune. They will be the ones to return from the depths of Agartha with some legendary artifact. They will retire on the spoils and the stories they tell will ensure they never have to buy their own drinks again.

Most who go down below into the caverns of that dead city are not seen again. Of those that do return, many quickly lose their taste for the life. They disappear in the night leaving unfulfilled boasts and unpaid debts behind them.

Those that survive and stay on can be easily recognized. They are a hard, practical lot. They live to swap stories and burn their coin on their chosen poisons. They are tellers of impossible tales. Liars. Gamblers. Unpredictable. Mercurial. They will laugh at a pick-pocket who steals their purse and murder a stranger for a perceived insult.

Most will simply disappear one day. Their luck will turn. Some monster will get the drop on them. A rope will break. A map will prove false and they will be lost. No small few will simply succumb to their chosen vice. They will be consumed and wither and die from either want or excess.

But you’re different. You will be one of the storied few. You are a legend just waiting to be told. You will be remembered as one who rose above the desperation, hunger, and greed. A shining paragon of bravery, prudence, and iron will. You will amass such great wealth, respect and arcane power that you and your line will lead this poor, harrowed, corpse of a city to greatness.

Doubtless.

Now, if you’d care to get started, I happen to have recently come into possession of this map to a particularly rich find. Just the thing to start you on your pathway to greatness. Practically littered with treasure. Small Shrieker infestation, but nothing you can’t handle. A pittance at 20 coin. No, no Hevlan trade chits, thank you. I won’t be buying from the company store. This is my last exchange in this city. I’m headed home.

What? No. No one else knows of this particular claim. Well, no one has returned at least.

Tag: BladesAgainstDarkness