TEXT: Cities of Sundara
  Ironfire
  Azukail
  Games
  
  I
  Cities of Sundara: Ironfire
  Credits
  Design: Neal Litherland
  Editing and Layout: Adrian Kennelly
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  permission, all rights reserved, some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with 
  permission, Bob Greyvenstein, some artwork © Grim Press, used with permission, all 
  rights reserved.
  Map: Watabou
  Published by Azukail Games, a trading style of eGDC Ltd
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  II
  Table of Contents
  Teaching a Lesson 
   
  1
  What is “Cities of Sundara”?  
  2
  Ironfire: The City of Steel 
   
  3
  History 
   
  3
  The Riddle of Dragon Steel 
  3
  The Fire Crest Compact 
  4
  The Founding of Ironfire 
  4
  The Dragon Forge Earns Its Name 
  5
  Birth of the Iron Trade 
  6
  The Iron Law 
   
  8
  Dueling Culture 
  8
  Government 
   
  9
  Gazetteer  
  9
  Stone Pole 
  9
  Noteworthy Locations 
  10
  Persons of Interest 
  11
  Whispers and Rumors 
  11
  The Harbour 
  12
  Noteworthy Locations 
  12
  Persons of Interest 
  13
  Whispers and Rumors 
  13
  Middleshade 
  14
  Noteworthy Locations 
  14
  Persons of Interest 
  15
  Whispers and Rumors 
  16
  Ghostborough 
  16
  Noteworthy Locations 
  16
  Persons of Interest 
  17
  Whispers and Rumors 
  17
  The Dragon Forge 
  18
  Noteworthy Locations 
  18
  Persons of Interest 
  19
  Whispers and Rumors 
  19
  Dragon Steel 
   
  20
  Cinderscale Lizardfolk  
  20
  Species Traits 
  20
  Cinderscale Variant Abilities 
  21
  Dragonsbreath Salamanders  
  21
  New Background: Mercenary Veteran 
   
  22
  Feature: Preceding Reputation 
  22
  More 5th Edition Compatible Supplements 
   
  23
  Links  
  23
  A Lesson Learned  
  24
  Ironfire Map 
   
  25
  
  1
  Teaching a Lesson
  The square was lively that night. Crowds of people moved over the pavers in small 
  knots, gossiping and laughing. Peddlers with wine casks on their backs, or racks of 
  grilled meats on sticks, moved among them, doing a brisk business as the city’s lights 
  were lit. No one stepped over the line of the circle in the center of the square, though. 
  Blood still glistened on those stones; a slick, dark testament to the differences that had 
  already been settled that night.
  Two figures stepped into the circle from the northern end. They were a study in con-
  trasts. One was broad-shouldered and tall, his thick nose scarred from being broken 
  many times, and his long hair unkempt and knotted. The other was shorter, and slender, 
  with an amused sneer on his face. The brute was pale, the other was dusky. The warrior 
  wore steel and boiled leather, his companion painted silk and lambskin. The crowd began 
  to whisper, eyes turning toward the pair of them. Oleg the Grinder had never lost a chal-
  lenge laid down in the square, and given how easily his master Varian Kadrick took of-
  fense it was rare that a week passed that the musclebound enforcer didn’t settle at least 
  one affair in the dueling ring.
  It was a moment later when another figure stepped into the ring. He was tall and slen-
  der, dressed in a sweat stained tunic and worn down boots. His skin was burned nut 
  brown by the sun, and though he wasn’t large, he seemed strong enough. He carried 
  a staff nearly as tall as he was, but other than that he bore no weapon or armor. He 
  leaned on the staff with both hands, regarding the other two across the circle.
  “I call a challenge,” Varian said, his pouty lips curling into a cruel smile.
  “Are you sure this is what you want?” the young man in the handmade woolens asked. “I 
  apologized for what happened.”
  “Your apology is worth less than nothing,” Varian snarled, turning and spitting on the 
  ground. “I call a challenge. Do you accept, or yield?”
  The young man looked around at the crowd for a moment. Dozens of eyes were turned 
  his way. Some were curious. Others pitying. Several had the sharp, hungry look of those 
  sure they were about to see real bloodshed. One man sat on a bench, his gnarled fingers 
  wrapped around the head of his walking stick. He smiled, his white teeth a sharp con-
  trast to his dark skin, and winked at the young man holding the staff.
  “I accept,” he said, turning back to face Varian. Oleg smiled as well. It was just as un-
  pleasant as his master’s smile, though for completely separate reasons.
  “Teach him a lesson, Oleg,” Varian said, slapping his champion on the shoulder. Oleg 
  drew the sword from his hip, turning it in his grip so the unsharpened edge was on the 
  striking side. Those who’d seen the Grinder fight knew that the blunt edge was no less 
  dangerous for lack of a whetstone. The young man sighed, rolled out his shoulders, and 
  stepped forward.
  
  2
  What is “Cities of Sundara”?
  In fantasy tabletop roleplaying games there is a tendency for settings to constant-
  ly be looking backward to a lost golden age, or a time of legend where great feats of 
  magic and the techniques for creating potent items of power have been lost. Whether 
  this downfall comes as a result of an apocalyptic event, societal collapse, destruction 
  of knowledge or some combination thereof, players often find themselves struggling 
  through a world that, for all its wonders, is not what it once was.
  Sundara: Dawn of a New Age takes the opposite approach.
  The world of Sundara has all of the monsters, magic, dangers and hardships you would 
  expect in a fantasy RPG. However, the people of Sundara tend to look for the other side 
  of the coin, harnessing the raw forces of their world in order to overcome trials and trib-
  ulations in strange, unexpected ways. Through discovery, industry, understanding and 
  sheer grit, the people of Sundara are boldly stepping forward to master the world around 
  them.
  “Cities of Sundara” offers game masters and players alike a peek into this world. By 
  visiting unique locations across the setting, it gives you a taste of what life is like in this 
  setting. Not only that, but you can choose to use the cities in their original setting, or in-
  corporate them into your own. Each supplement will also include resources such as new 
  materials for weapons and armor, new creature types, as well as new weapons, magic 
  items and more to enhance your game!
  As the setting grows, even more elements will be included. So come, step out into the 
  dawn of a new age with us, and revel in all the fresh possibilities that Sundara has to 
  offer!
  
  3
  Ironfire: The City of Steel
  Glimpsed through the mist that lingers in 
  the Dragonsbreath Mountains at the edge 
  of the Bay of Swords, it’s easy to mistake 
  the rearing bulk of the city for a colossal 
  wyrm sipping at the steaming waters. With 
  its bleak, black walls and the smoldering 
  skull of the Dragon Forge, glimpsed from 
  the outside the city of Ironfire looks a dour, 
  foreboding sight.
  Those who make it past the Ironfire’s 
  gates, however, find a city of industry, 
  invention, curiosity, art and trade. Har-
  nessing the churning, volcanic heart of 
  the region, the alchemists of Ironfire have 
  produced wonders known far and wide; 
  perhaps none of them as famous as their 
  dragon steel. Characterized by a whorled 
  pattern almost like a wood grain left by the 
  unique forging process, it was the discov-
  ery of how to reliably produce this resil-
  ient, lightweight alloy that has been key to 
  the city’s growth and expansion since its 
  founding over a century ago.
  History
  Though a relatively young city, built in a 
  region that was considered too volatile for 
  most to even try building in, innovation 
  and curiosity were the foundation for what 
  Ironfire eventually became.
  The Riddle of Dragon Steel
  Dragon steel was first discovered hundreds 
  of years before Ironfire was ever built. 
  Found only in regions where the earth 
  steamed and the rock boiled, these jagged 
  spits of unique steel had been formed in 
  the natural crucible of the earth during vol-
  canic events. Referred to as dragon’s teeth 
  in myths and stories, even small deposits 
  of dragon steel were worth several times 
  their weight in gold. Prized for its strength 
  and rarity, a dragon steel weapon was a 
  mark of great honor and prestige for one 
  deemed worthy (or wealthy) enough to 
  carry it.
  While there had been many attempts to 
  recreate dragon steel, no metallurgist 
  
  4
  managed to truly succeed before the alche-
  mist Aragor Irons.
  A student of the natural world, Irons built 
  upon the work of those who had come 
  before him. What he realized, though, was 
  that too many scholars had attempted to 
  examine natural dragon steel as a relic 
  of a process. They studied the grain and 
  the weft, tested the metal and compared 
  it to other forging processes performed in 
  smithies and forges, but all of them had at-
  tempted to recreate the ideal conditions in 
  their own lairs and laboratories.
  What Irons did instead was to look for the 
  crucible nature had already made, and to 
  turn it to his advantage.
  The Fire Crest Compact
  The Dragonsbreath Mountains were (and 
  still are) a particularly hostile place. Wild 
  beasts run untamed there, and while there 
  were isolated communities living in small 
  pockets across the mountains, the only 
  real power in the region were the lizardfolk 
  clans that had claimed the most heavily 
  active volcanic mountains for their own. 
  The alchemist knew that he would need 
  their aid if he were to have any hope of 
  succeeding in his endeavor, which was why 
  he reached out to the largest of the five 
  major clans; the Fire Crests.
  It took months of negotiating through an 
  interpreter and guide for Irons to reach a 
  negotiation with Mother Hydara, the matri-
  arch of the clan. In return for allowing him 
  passage through their lands to the un-
  claimed territory near what is now the Bay 
  of Swords, he would allow representatives 
  of the tribe to stay with him to observe, 
  except during the winter months when 
  they traditionally went into a kind of com-
  munal hibernation. Hunting and cultiva-
  tion would be allowed, provided they kept 
  their activities to the lowlands. Any dragon 
  steel that was found during his excavation 
  would be theirs by right, and Irons would 
  refine it into weapons for them. Additional-
  ly, if the alchemist found what he sought, 
  and he was able to produce dragon steel 
  on request, then an additional tithe would 
  be paid to the Fire Crest clan every year. 
  Irons agreed, but with the condition that 
  if he was successful, then the tribe would 
  provide the materials he needed in ex-
  change for forging it into quality steel.
  With the bargain struck, Irons brought a 
  small team of apprentices, as well as a 
  crew of experienced miners and engineers, 
  to the shores of the smoking bay in hopes 
  of finally accomplishing what so many had 
  said was impossible.
  The Founding of Ironfire
  It took the better part of a year for Irons 
  and his team to find and excavate a volca-
  nic vent that was perfect for their needs, 
  but they knew when they uncovered three, 
  thick fangs of natural dragon steel that 
  were each the length of a man’s arm that 
  they had found what they needed.
  Though the Fire Crests were pleased with 
  Irons’ initial find, they grew less patient 
  as the months went on and it seemed the 
  alchemist was paying far more attention to 
  quarrying stone and exploring the under-
  ground chambers than he was in fulfilling 
  his part of the compact. It was in the heat 
  of high summer that Mother Hydara her-
  self came down from the peak, along with 
  her honor guard, to demand that Irons 
  forge the weapons he had promised them. 
  To the matriarch’s surprise, Irons greeted 
  them cordially, and presented Hydara with 
  an impressive spear that had been forged 
  from one of the three fangs that were 
  uncovered. Worked in an intricate pattern 
  that complemented the natural waves 
  in the steel, it was as beautiful as it was 
  deadly. The second fang had been used to 
  forge razor-edged scimitars, which were 
  presented to each of her personal retinue. 
  The third was untouched, as of yet, as he 
  had wanted to her to choose whether it 
  
  5
  would be a single weapon, or many.
  Hydara instructed Irons to forge the fi-
  nal fang into a large staff, the twin to the 
  spear she had been given, but without a 
  blade on the end. Irons agreed, and told 
  the matriarch he would be pleased to send 
  it to her with an escort of her guards, but 
  she told him she would remain until the 
  work was complete. It took three days in 
  the forge Irons had built from the dark, 
  heavy stone that had been cut from the 
  ground, before the staff was quenched, 
  detailed and polished to a shine. On sunset 
  of the third day, the alchemist presented it 
  to the matriarch.
  Rather than taking the staff, though, Moth-
  er Hydara closed the alchemist’s fingers 
  around its haft, and spoke to him haltingly 
  in his own language. He was to keep the 
  staff, as a symbol of their pact, and as his 
  own symbol of authority in this place of 
  iron and fire.
  Thus was the place that would become 
  Ironfire consecrated, and given its name.
  The Dragon Forge Earns Its 
  Name
  It took another two years of work for 
  Irons to find the natural crucible that he’d 
  sought, and to construct the necessary 
  chambers to perform and refine his under-
  ground experiments. Rather than waste 
  the stone that was cut during this endeav-
  or, the engineers used it to construct a 
  castle keep, which contained workshops on 
  the lower floor and sleeping chambers for 
  the workers above. Fed by the rising heat 
  from below, and using differences in tem-
  perature to store rising steam in a rooftop 
  cistern, the castle was a surprisingly com-
  fortable place for those who had dedicated 
  themselves to Irons’ cause.
  As the work dragged on, the castle be-
  came something of a landmark for those 
  traveling through the misty lowlands of the 
  Dragonsbreath Mountains. It offered safe 
  haven, and became a rudimentary trading 
  post to those braving the wild country. This 
  was particularly true for merchant ships, 
  who spied the castle as they passed, and 
  who began to regularly stop for fresh wa-
  ter and resupply at the castle. Additional 
  outbuildings were constructed, but most of 
  the focus was still on the work being done 
  beneath the castle.
  Until Irons finally managed to unlock the 
  secret.
  It took nearly five additional years of work 
  and experimentation, as well as study-
  ing the scraps that had been left behind 
  from the weapons he’d forged for the Fire 
  Crests, but Irons managed to uncover the 
  secrets of the process. Representatives 
  from the Fire Crest were contacted, and 
  sent a sample of the forge’s product as 
  proof of what the alchemist had achieved, 
  and it was not long after that word began 
  to leak into the trade routes that the mad 
  metallurgist in the Dragonsbreath Moun-
  tains had finally accomplished his goal.
  The Siege of Skallarn
  With the process of creating dragon steel 
  all but perfected, Ironfire began to grow in 
  earnest. Orders for the forge’s steel came 
  from noble houses and private armories, 
  from knightly orders and private collectors. 
  At first they were few, but demand grew as 
  more people saw first-hand what the Forge 
  could produce. Within a year the forge ran 
  day and night in order to keep up with de-
  mand. Not only that, but people began to 
  flock to Ironfire as well. Many were adepts 
  and apprentices hoping to find a place in 
  the forge, but there were masons and min-
  ers, carpenters and drovers, bar keeps and 
  merchants among their number as well. It 
  wasn’t long before plans were made to ex-
  pand Ironfire as a settlement, and to pro-
  vide the necessities for citizens of a proper 
  city.
  
  6
  The heads of the Dragon Forge were not 
  the only ones laying plans, though. The 
  self-styled Lord Skallarn, little more than 
  a bandit king who had evaded punishment 
  from the surrounding governments by 
  hiding in the rough country along the edge 
  of the Dragonsbreath Mountains, managed 
  to acquire a dragon steel blade from the 
  forge. By the third time he’d swung it, he 
  was already planning how he could take 
  Ironfire and its resources for his own.
  Though the gang he commanded was 
  large, Skallarn knew he would need a 
  much larger force if he hoped to take even 
  a relatively small settlement like the one 
  that had sprung up around the Dragon 
  Forge. Dipping into his ill-gotten treasury, 
  he solicited the services of mercenary 
  bands and free companies. In addition to 
  silver and gold, Skallarn also made prom-
  ises of dragon steel blades and armor for 
  those loyal enough to help him take the 
  forge as his own. He waited until winter 
  was nearly upon them, since Skallarn knew 
  of the allegiance between Ironfire and the 
  Fire Crests, and he wanted the lizardfolk 
  deep in hibernation when he finally made 
  his move. It helped that winter tended to 
  be a lean time for those in the mercenary 
  trade, so there were plenty of sellswords 
  seeking a fresh patron.
  History would have unfolded differently if 
  the bandit lord hadn’t made the mistake of 
  approaching Celadine Corvishan. Captain 
  of the elite Scarlet Company, she did more 
  than just refuse Skallarn’s offer of employ-
  ment. She, along with a complement of 
  warriors under her command, made their 
  way to Ironfire under a cover of secrecy. 
  Once within the city, she informed Irons 
  and those who made up his advisory coun-
  cil that Skallarn would be moving against 
  the city to take control not just of it, but of 
  the dragon steel it produced.
  Celadine volunteered herself and her men 
  to fight for the city, with the condition that 
  they would receive first right of refusal on 
  all future contracts, along with having their 
  arms and armor produced by the Dragon 
  Forge. Though there was a great deal of 
  negotiation back and forth, Irons eventu-
  ally agreed to their terms, under the con-
  dition that the mercenary army they swore 
  was hot on their heels manifested, and the 
  Scarlet Company had to earn their keep.
  The first Forge Master got all that he bar-
  gained for, and more. Skallarn had hired 
  perhaps half a dozen free companies, and 
  enticed several dozen more renegades, 
  rebels and rogues of all stripes to help 
  him take the city. Several ships under the 
  command of pirates in Skallarn’s pay com-
  manded the bay, and warded off any help 
  that might have come by sea. Ironfire was 
  cut off within a day, with those who hadn’t 
  run packed in behind the skirting walls of 
  the castle, watching as the occupiers ram-
  paged through the town. They smashed 
  against the walls when they came, though, 
  and between the furious fighting of the 
  Scarlet Company, and the burning slag 
  poured down among those who tried to 
  take the walls, the assault quickly turned 
  into a siege.
  It was the depths of winter, with Skallarn’s 
  forces growing indolent and those inside 
  the Dragon Forge growing desperate, that 
  help arrived. The Fire Crests, awoken from 
  their hibernation by an outrider who had 
  seen what had befallen Ironfire, had gath-
  ered allies from the other mountains. A 
  combined force of warriors from the Black 
  Fangs, Razor Skulls, Flame Speakers and 
  Ash Claws emerged from the mist and 
  fell upon Skallarn’s ragtag army. Within 
  the hour the bandit lord’s head had been 
  claimed, and the loyalty and cohesion of 
  the freelances severed.
  Birth of the Iron Trade
  With their paymaster dead, a majority of 
  the remaining mercenaries scattered into 
  the mountains. There were several com-
  panies, however, who retreated from the 
  
  7
  city and re-established their camps. They 
  formed defensive perimeters, but made no 
  moves to advance or attack. After several 
  days, a lone rider approached the city un-
  der a banner of truce.
  Skallarn was dead, but too many knew 
  what he had tried to do. If someone smart-
  er, stronger or with a larger fortune at-
  tempted to do the same, and this time 
  planned for the interference of the lizard-
  folk warriors, then Ironfire would need far 
  more to defend them than even the fabled 
  Scarlet Company. These soldiers of fortune 
  still had the dead man’s silver in their purs-
  es... but they want-
  ed the dragon steel 
  weapons Skallarn 
  had promised. Now 
  that he was dead, 
  they were more than 
  willing to hire on to 
  protect the city if it 
  meant they’d earn 
  that price.
  Irons, Celadine and 
  the heads of the 
  mountain clans sat in 
  conference with the 
  captains of the three 
  other companies; 
  The Dogs of War, The 
  Jackdaws, and the 
  Bloody Fools. It took 
  several days of dis-
  cussion, but eventually an agreement was 
  reached. The three free companies would 
  serve for a five-year contract, and the city 
  would provide them food and quarters 
  during their time. At the end of that time, 
  every freelance who had honorably served 
  would receive a single weapon from the 
  forge itself.
  Once the agreement was struck, a plan 
  was formed. The Jackdaws and the Dogs 
  of War left the city to patrol the roads and 
  man lookout stations, watching for signs of 
  any approaching forces where they could 
  act as stop gaps. The Fools were second-
  ed to the Scarlet Company, and acted as a 
  peacekeeping force in the city itself as peo-
  ple put their upset lives back to order. The 
  warriors of the mountain clans remained in 
  the city, warming themselves on the vents 
  until the spring came. Once the days were 
  warm again, they departed to their holds, 
  each touching the dragon steel stave Irons 
  had been given as a sign of authority, and 
  trust.
  The captains had been right in their pre-
  dictions, and mixed among the fresh trade 
  and craftsmen coming to Ironfire were 
  scouts from various free 
  companies and invested 
  interests who wanted 
  to see just how blood-
  ied the city had been 
  by Skallarn’s ill-fated 
  attempt to seize power. 
  What they found was 
  a city that was rapidly 
  expanding, with build-
  ings made of native 
  stone that would be 
  proof against fire, and 
  a protective wall grow-
  ing a little larger every 
  day. Those things would 
  have given anyone 
  pause, but the number 
  of sellswords walking 
  the walls, and riding the 
  roads, made Ironfire 
  about as tempting a target as dragon with 
  a sore tooth.
  Many of the scouts left, spreading the word 
  about what they’d seen. Others heard of a 
  bustling, growing trade city, and decided to 
  see if they could strike it rich in the city as 
  well. While some few individuals managed 
  to join the four companies under contract 
  to the city, most had to find paymasters 
  elsewhere. With ships and caravans coming 
  and going, and persons of import looking 
  for a little extra protection once they’d left 
  the city’s sheltering arms, that wasn’t as 
  
  8
  difficult as it sounded.
  In fact, as Ironfire grew, it became known 
  for its massing soldiers of fortune almost 
  as much as for its public works, innova-
  tions, and the quality of its crucible steel. 
  The center of the iron trade in all senses of 
  that term, it’s said all these years later that 
  whether you need a dragon steel blade, or 
  a warrior skilled enough to wield it, you will 
  find both in Ironfire.
  The Iron Law
  Though it is a relatively young city, Ironfire 
  has become a melting pot of ideas, lan-
  guages, goods and trades. On the whole, 
  however, the city prides itself on innova-
  tion, expression and on solving the issues 
  and problems it faces on a daily basis. At 
  the same time Ironfire has a fierce inde-
  pendent streak to it, with its citizens often 
  taking matters into their own hands.
  To maintain some kind of order, the city 
  relies on the Iron Law.
  Though there are relatively few crimes 
  under the Iron Law (murder, theft, assault, 
  etc.), the very simple basis of the Iron Law 
  is that consent is the cornerstone of inter-
  actions with the city. Not only that, but the 
  consent must be offered freely, and in good 
  faith, to be considered just. As a result, 
  Ironfire has a rather... diverse economy, 
  freely bartering for services and items that 
  would only be available in the most shad-
  owy of black markets in other cities.
  If someone is suspected of committing a 
  crime, they will stand before an iron judge 
  and plead their case. These judges hold 
  simple, steel staves that are an imitation 
  of the staff wielded by the Forge Master as 
  symbols of their authority. Trials are al-
  ways conducted in public, and there must 
  be witnesses for a trial to be considered 
  legitimate. While someone can demand an 
  appeal, this requires convening the district 
  judge. The only level higher than that is 
  the Ironfire Council, and it is rare in the 
  extreme for the city’s top representatives 
  to hear a case that was settled by a lower 
  court.
  Justice under the Iron Law tends to be 
  focused on repairing the damage done, 
  rather than simply punishing the individu-
  al. The imbalance caused by a crime must 
  be restored in some way. In extreme sit-
  uations an individual will be declared out-
  lawed. Ironfire has no death penalty, but 
  when an individual is declared outside the 
  protections of the Iron Law itself, comeup-
  pance for their actions tends to be rather 
  swift.
  Dueling Culture
  An unusual aspect of Ironfire is something 
  that was first used by the Bloody Fools in 
  the early days after the Siege of Skallarn, 
  but which was rapidly adopted by many of 
  the other freelances and sellswords who 
  came to the city; dueling culture.
  For those who aren’t willing to wait for a 
  case to be taken before a judge, it’s per-
  fectly legal to challenge someone to a duel 
  to settle your difference. Over the years, 
  though, dueling in Ironfire has developed a 
  formalized process that must be recognized 
  in order for the duel to be considered legit-
  imate. Both participants must declare the 
  duel in public, they must set the terms for 
  it to be settled (first blood, submission and 
  in some circumstances to the death) and 
  weapons must be declared. There must be 
  a neutral third party to declare the duel be-
  gun, and the duel must happen in full view 
  of an audience.
  It is also perfectly acceptable for someone 
  to stand as a champion in a duel. Several 
  noted mercenaries started their careers by 
  stepping into highly public duels to show 
  off their skills to potential employers, and 
  it’s far from uncommon for someone with 
  more money than sense to hire a champion 
  from one of the major free companies in 
  
  9
  the city to get into the challenge circle on 
  their behalf.
  Lastly, the Iron Law does allow for duels for 
  those who demand a trial by combat. How-
  ever, such situations tend to be very rare, 
  as most people who would win a case be-
  fore a judge would not jeopardize that vic-
  tory with a duel. However, in the case that 
  the city of Ironfire is the aggrieved party 
  (such as in the case of a murder, where 
  the victim cannot stand for themselves) 
  the city will provide a champion should the 
  accused desire a duel to settle the matter... 
  and in many cases that means one of the 
  renowned members of the Scarlet Compa-
  ny will be fighting on behalf of the city.
  Government
  As Ironfire has grown, the city has devel-
  oped a need for a more responsive govern-
  ment. The Iron Council makes decisions, 
  approves appointments and handles mat-
  ters of public affair and policy. The Forge 
  Master holds the position as head of the 
  Council, acting as the first among equals, 
  but is traditionally the member who is least 
  involved in the day-to-day affairs of the 
  city (as running the Dragon Forge tends 
  to take a majority of their time and atten-
  tion). In many instances the Forge Mas-
  ter may send a representative to attend 
  to public meetings and business in their 
  stead, only putting in an appearance when 
  decorum requires. The rest of the seats 
  on the Iron Council are filled by represen-
  tatives from each district of the city. Elec-
  tions are held once every three years, and 
  all citizens of Ironfire are eligible to make 
  their voice heard by voting and petitioning 
  their representatives.
  While the Council must convene in its en-
  tirety for matters of importance (such as 
  large-scale public works projects, taxes 
  and dues, changes made to the city’s laws, 
  or agreeing to take up a legal case which 
  has been appealed), individual members 
  are generally allowed to make and enforce 
  policy within their own districts, as long as 
  those decisions do not affect the rest of the 
  city in a meaningful way.
  From choosing which businesses to con-
  tract with (particularly important for dis-
  tricts who hire mercenary companies to 
  keep the peace on their streets), to which 
  individuals are elevated to positions with-
  in the local government structure, Council 
  members tend to be more answerable to 
  those who live in their districts rather than 
  to the Council itself. And while every mem-
  ber of the Council technically has equal 
  standing with one another, districts who 
  have a higher population, or which gener-
  ate more revenue, tend to be given defer-
  ence. It’s why, as Ironfire shifts and grows, 
  districts which were once considered less 
  important have swelled, and those once 
  considered leading voices have receded.
  The seat at the far end of the Iron Coun-
  cil chamber is traditionally left empty. 
  Reserved for a representative of the Fire 
  Crest clan should they wish to make their 
  voices heard during Council meetings, it is 
  a rarity that one of the cinderscales at-
  tends. This is most common when a new 
  leader of the clan is selected, and they 
  wish to come and meet with the city to 
  renew and reaffirm the agreement made so 
  long ago.
  Gazetteer
  The current districts of Ironfire are as fol-
  lows. Each description contains several 
  locations of note, along with NPCs one is 
  likely to run into while spending time in the 
  district, and rumors that might be heard 
  for those who listen to whispers on the 
  street.
  Stone Pole
  Half a hundred different races, colors and 
  creeds come through Ironfire every day, 
  and if you stand on a street corner in 
  
  10
  Stone Pole you’ll see every single one of 
  them pass you by. With inns and taverns, 
  playhouses and art galleries, at a glance 
  Stone Pole may look like just another en-
  tertainment district. Sharp-eyed watchers 
  are likely to notice the amount of steel on 
  display, though, and anyone who’s done 
  time in the iron trade would recognize the 
  banners flying from mercenary company 
  chapter houses. Not a day goes by without 
  blades being drawn in Stone Pole, and a 
  square that doesn’t play host to at least a 
  handful of duels a day is considered a dull 
  place, indeed.
  Making up the bulk of the center of Iron-
  fire, Stone Pole is named for the obelisk of 
  black, volcanic rock that punches up a doz-
  en feet from the center of the city’s main 
  plaza. Used as a sundial, this square is also 
  where a great deal of public duels take 
  place, as there’s always witnesses nearby 
  to observe the proceedings. With visitors 
  coming north from the Harbour, south from 
  the North Ward and even from the Oak 
  Gate, Stone Pole is where sailors come to 
  spend their wages, where sellswords seek 
  patrons, and where anyone looking for a 
  bit of entertainment can usually find it.
  Noteworthy Locations
  • The Scarlet Chevron: Located east of 
  the central square, the Scarlet Chev-
  ron is a square-cut building of local, 
  black stone that looks like a barracks... 
  or a small fortress. Flying the red and 
  gold colors of the Scarlet Company, the 
  Chevron has served as the free compa-
  ny’s base of operations for decades now. 
  The street outside is often thronged 
  with hopefuls, clamoring for the chance 
  to take service with Scarlet Company, 
  who are the only mercenary company 
  to have an exclusive contract with the 
  Dragon Forge itself. Trials are held at 
  the convenience of the captain-in-resi-
  dence, and while the ring of steel often 
  comes from the courtyard, it’s just as 
  common for hopeful recruits to be given 
  a test mission to prove themselves as 
  it is for them to step into the ring with 
  one of the Crimson Sergeants of the 
  company.
  • The Ashes: Just north of the obelisk 
  for which the district is named, the 
  Ashes is one of the most popular clear-
  ing houses for the latest gossip and 
  rumors of interest to the city’s various 
  soldiers of fortune. The tavern is larg-
  
  11
  er than it seems, with the bulk of it in 
  a basement below street level, and a 
  mezzanine above the lower floor. The 
  walls are covered in trophies of various 
  battles, each with a plaque noting what 
  the item is, where it came from, and 
  who offered the trophy to the Ashes to 
  display. The clientele consists of every-
  thing from caravan guards seeking fresh 
  work, to freelances flush with coin from 
  their latest deployment, and the atmo-
  sphere is often boisterous to say the 
  least. The tavern is also known for its 
  spiced salamander steaks (either served 
  raw, or acid-scorched), as well as its 
  throat-searing apple whiskey that can 
  knock even the toughest drinkers off 
  their stools.
  • Duraga Arms: Sword smiths and ar-
  mor peddlers are thick on the ground in 
  Ironfire, but Duraga Arms is a purveyor 
  of war gear that has stood the test of 
  time. Found in the western part of the 
  district, the storefront looks no different 
  than any of its neighbors aside from the 
  chimney sticking up from the smithy 
  in the rear. The weapons and armor on 
  display are carefully labeled, and there’s 
  a wide, scuffed testing arena in the 
  center of the shop filled with scarred 
  practice targets. While much of the steel 
  on display is fresh-forged, Duraga Arms 
  is more than happy to buy serviceable 
  arms and armor from those who are 
  retiring from the trade, or who sim-
  ply have no use for their older kit once 
  they’ve purchased something better.
  Persons of Interest
  • Bastion “The Watcher”: An old man 
  with skin the same, deep hue as his 
  mahogany walking stick, Bastion’s head 
  is always freshly shaved, and his thick, 
  gray beard neatly trimmed. Often found 
  sitting on one of the many benches 
  around the center plaza, it’s said he’s 
  witnessed every duel that’s taken place 
  in the center of Stone Pole for at least 
  the last decade. Those who take the 
  time to speak with him find that Bastion 
  is friendly and knowledgeable, able to 
  offer commentary on dozens of differ-
  ent combat philosophies, weapons and 
  fighting styles that have gone in and out 
  of fashion over the years. Those who 
  listen carefully may even hear a tale or 
  two from Bastion’s youth, when he often 
  stepped into the ring and cracked heads 
  with the hardwood cane he still carries.
  • Keiru: A “squire for hire” as she bills 
  herself, this slender halfling wears her 
  hair cut short, except for a small rat tail 
  that dangles down between her shoul-
  der blades. Keiru can polish armor, care 
  for a mount, sharpen a blade and han-
  dle nearly any other duty a squire would 
  for someone on campaign... for a fee. 
  Though several mercenaries give her 
  the side eye, suspicious she’s little more 
  than a thief with an elaborate con, Keiru 
  has served several notable individuals 
  throughout the city. Though the long 
  knife at her belt isn’t for show, Keiru 
  prefers a position a little more removed 
  from the action. She always has her 
  ear to the ground for who’s rising in the 
  city... and just as importantly, who’s 
  falling.
  • Karaka: The head cook at the Ashes, 
  Karaka is a long, lean half-orc woman 
  who tends to have a plug of sweet cin-
  der between her teeth more often than 
  not. With the air of a ship’s bosun while 
  she’s running the kitchen, she ensures 
  that everything goes as smoothly as 
  possible on her watch. While a serving 
  boy who clumsily drops a plate might 
  catch the rough side of her tongue, she 
  is the only one allowed to speak out 
  about her workers. Fierce as a mother 
  fire lizard when angered, Karaka has 
  flung her share of hard cases and big 
  talkers out into the street when they 
  tried to lay a hand on a member of her 
  staff.
  Whispers and Rumors
  • Even though Stone Pole is somewhat fa-
  
  12
  mous for the number of free companies 
  who maintain halls there, the number of 
  independent sellswords seems to have 
  grown strangely thin on the ground of 
  late. The established companies haven’t 
  been taking on fresh soldiers, but those 
  who ask around hear about suspiciously 
  well-paid jobs that have been sending 
  streams of mercenaries out of the city. 
  It’s emptying Ironfire somewhat, and 
  some are beginning to speculate the 
  jobs were just a red herring to deplete 
  the city’s easy supply of fighters... but 
  to what purpose?
  • A figure in black has offered themselves 
  as a champion to several individuals 
  who were on the wrong end of a dis-
  agreement. With their face swathed be-
  hind a black cloth, and a long, straight 
  blade at their hip, this black champion 
  has not lost a single duel yet. There 
  have been a dozen in the past month, 
  all of them at dusk or nightfall. Specu-
  lation is running rampant about who (or 
  in some cases what) might be lurking 
  beneath that shadowy hood.
  • A tall woman with a long, blonde braid 
  has been speaking to dozens of old 
  hands throughout Stone Pole. Her 
  questions are always about particular 
  dueling champions, famous soldiers of 
  fortune and the more esoteric fighting 
  styles that have come through the city. 
  When asked why she’s so interested she 
  claims she’s doing research for a vol-
  ume on the history of free companies 
  and their martial prowess in and around 
  Ironfire, but the answer always comes 
  a little too easily. It feels like she’s look-
  ing for something, but most are too 
  charmed by her to consider what until 
  after she’s closed her journal and left.
  The Harbour
  Filled with the creaking of hawsers, the 
  shouts of longshoremen, and the bustle of 
  goods, the Harbour flows in time with the 
  tides in the Bay of Swords. The scents of 
  exotic spices mix with fish, salted pork, 
  alchemical reagents and a thousand oth-
  er commodities that come off the various 
  merchant vessels every single day. The 
  shining teeth of the city’s break wall cut 
  the power of the waves, and the sleek ves-
  sels of the Harbour’s defense ships crouch 
  like hounds waiting for the call to run.
  One of the major sources of commerce in 
  Ironfire, the Harbour district brings in ev-
  erything from food and supplies, to trav-
  elers and diplomats. An unruly district, it’s 
  said that if you can find something in the 
  city at all, there’s someone in the Harbour 
  willing to either buy or sell it. Rumors buzz 
  through the district like flies on a midden 
  heap, and there are those who maintain 
  fortunes are won and lost every day by 
  those who happened to be in just the right 
  (or just the wrong) place.
  Noteworthy Locations
  • The Clearinghouse: Sitting in the 
  middle of a collection of warehouses at 
  the east end of the docks, the Clear-
  inghouse is where goods are inspected, 
  docking and import fees are paid, and 
  records are stamped regarding what has 
  come into (and gone out of) the city. 
  The Clearinghouse tends to be a hive 
  of orderly chaos, and there are always 
  small crowds lingering around the fring-
  es; laborers hoping for work, travelers 
  seeking passage, and mixed in among 
  them the occasional thieves trying to 
  get a line on rich cargoes that are sit-
  ting at the dock.
  • Lanasha’s Duty Free: Though there 
  are several so-called duty-free shops 
  throughout the Harbour district, Lana-
  sha’s is considered both the fairest and 
  the most reputable. Founded decades 
  ago, it is the oldest continuously-oper-
  ating private business on the city’s wa-
  terfront. Lanasha herself, a broad-shoul-
  dered, wide-hipped dwarven woman, 
  tends to greet her customers with the 
  warmth of a distant aunt you only see 
  during yearly celebrations. Most say 
  
  13
  that Lanasha knows the name of every 
  ship big and small that’s been through 
  the Harbour more than twice, and then 
  name of most sailors who come to her 
  shop at least once. While she keeps her 
  business to herself, many of her neigh-
  bors keep an eye on Lanasha as a kind 
  of weather vane for what rises and dips 
  are coming through the district’s mar-
  kets.
  • The Quartermaster: A public house 
  and hostel run by “Captain” Dorn Ja-
  zeerit, the old man certainly plays the 
  part of a grizzled old sea dog. A wid-
  ower, he took over the Quartermaster 
  from his late wife who’d opened it after 
  she lost her first husband to the sea. 
  While anyone can find a stiff drink and 
  a hot meal at the Quartermaster, it’s 
  something of a home away from home 
  for those who have nowhere else to go. 
  And while donations of coin are always 
  welcome, those who can’t afford to pay 
  out of their pockets are allowed to haul, 
  cook, clean, make repairs or do nearly 
  anything else in exchange for their time 
  on the “crew,” however long or short it 
  is.
  Persons of Interest
  • Brona Spires: A slender woman with 
  flyaway blonde hair, Brona is usual-
  ly seen near the docks either standing 
  at her easel, or with a leather-bound 
  sketchbook in her hand. An artist of 
  some local fame, she prefers the Har-
  bour district for its constantly changing 
  scenery. Every day there’s something 
  new to see, and to commit to whatever 
  medium she has to-hand.
  • Aron “Red Merry” Merriweather: A 
  deep-chested man with a head full of 
  thick, black hair that’s just starting to 
  go gray, Aron is the captain of the ves-
  sel Sunset Glory. One of the few iron-
  side ships in the hands of a privateer, 
  it cost him a fortune to have his ship 
  outfitted by the Dragon Forge; but it’s 
  a fortune he claims he’s earned back 
  thrice over defending the Harbour. While 
  there are rumors that Aron will be re-
  tiring from the trade any season now, 
  those who try to tell him he should give 
  up the life and fortune of a privateer be-
  fore he’s ready are apt to see him reach 
  for the cutlass at his side.
  • Jergis Fleech: An unusual gnome with 
  a lazy eye and a habit of talking to him-
  self, Jergis is a tinkerer and inventor. Of-
  ten seen haggling for strange or unusual 
  items to cart back to his workshop, no 
  one ever knows what discovery he’s go-
  ing to make next. From water-repellent 
  blade oils, to an automatic deck scrub-
  ber, his successes are relatively few, but 
  they tend to be exceedingly useful.
  Whispers and Rumors
  • Members of the Dragon Forge’s staff 
  were recently seen leaving Jergis 
  
  14
  Fleech’s workshop. Since that day there 
  have been deliveries to the gnome’s 
  lodgings day and night, as well as bi-
  zarre smoke rising from his chimney, 
  and the occasional controlled explosion. 
  Whatever he’s currently testing must 
  be important, because he seems to 
  be working at all hours of the day and 
  night.
  • Dredgers have been out in the Bay of 
  Swords, dragging chains and casting 
  nets into the smoking waters. While this 
  is far from unusual in and of itself, there 
  are rumors that a ship pulled something 
  up in its anchor chain in the deeper 
  section of the bay, and now the hunt is 
  on to find more. Whether it’s a lost load 
  of ingots, a cache of valuable coins or 
  some relic from before the founding of 
  the city, the story changes depending 
  on who’s telling it. There are new ships 
  joining the hunt every day, however.
  • The freighter Sea’s Grace was found 
  adrift, and has been under heavy guard 
  by the Scarlet Company since being 
  dragged back to the dock. Unusual in 
  and of itself, as the Black Gulls are the 
  current free company contracted to the 
  Harbour district, there has been a great 
  deal of speculation about what busi-
  ness the red cloaks have with that ship. 
  Some claim there’s a plague on board, 
  and they’re keeping people out. Others 
  say there was murder done on the ves-
  sel, and they’re preserving the scene. A 
  few voices claim there’s a new mecha-
  nism that was being tested, allowing the 
  ship to get under way without a crew, 
  and the engineers are studying the re-
  sults. There’re dozens of different sto-
  ries, but none have been willing to earn 
  the displeasure of the guards keeping 
  watch on the vessel to get close enough 
  to it to find out if any of them are true.
  Middleshade
  Growing in the shadow of the Dragon Forge 
  like bizarre, stone fungi, the homes and 
  storefronts of Middleshade are built from 
  the black rock excavated from the forge’s 
  initial creation. The streets are paved with 
  slag blocks, which form a bizarre, corus-
  cating pattern that can disorient those 
  not used to it. As grim as the district may 
  seem at first glance, the people of Mid-
  dleshade are as colorful as their district 
  is gloomy. With brightly-dyed clothing 
  and hair, they’ve been compared to birds 
  during mating season. Equally bright art 
  installations dot the district, and along with 
  stained glass, murals and more, Middle-
  shade is a district of sharp contrasts.
  Perhaps the oldest district in the city, aside 
  from the Dragon Forge itself, Middleshade 
  was built to house the workers and early 
  residents of Ironfire, and it acted as the 
  marketplace in the early years of the city. 
  It has only expanded since those early 
  days, and though it still houses many of 
  the workers who serve the Dragon Forge, 
  Middleshade also hosts a variety of en-
  trepreneurs, upscale taverns, schools and 
  public facilities. From breweries to glass 
  blowers, and greenhouses to tea shops, 
  there’s something new to discover around 
  every corner of this unusual, technicolor 
  sprawl.
  Noteworthy Locations
  • Irons Academy: Built around a court-
  yard in the northeast part of the district, 
  the Irons Academy accepts any and all 
  students free of charge who can pass its 
  
  15
  entrance exams. Focusing primarily on 
  the practical philosophies of alchemy, 
  the academy also boasts classes on ar-
  cane instruction, divinities and ecology 
  both natural and unnatural. The primary 
  purpose of the academy is to cultivate 
  the next generation of researchers for 
  the Dragon Forge, but the school is 
  also a testing ground for new theories, 
  methods and inventions. It’s by casting 
  an eye toward the future, by creating or 
  discovering a new formula, invention, 
  process or refinement of practical use, 
  that a student earns the iron chain of a 
  graduate.
  • Nightshade Brewery: Located just 
  north of the boundary with the Harbour 
  district, the Nightshade Brewery is a 
  brooding structure of windowless black 
  stone with roof tiles cut from volca-
  nic glass. Those who step inside find a 
  taproom that’s surprisingly cheery, with 
  hardwood floors, bright lamps with col-
  ored glass shades and several serving 
  windows cut into the walls. The bulk of 
  the ground floor is filled with tanks and 
  casks of spirits, with the second and 
  third floors primarily used for drinking 
  and dining. Those who walk through the 
  doors can always find something unique 
  on offer; from the deep purple sweet 
  ale that is the brewery’s trademark, to 
  bitter black wine and mulled mush cider, 
  the variety shifts on a near weekly ba-
  sis. In the basement, somewhere only 
  employees are allowed to venture, the 
  cellar is filled with regimented beds of 
  mushrooms and fungi. Carefully cata-
  loged and maintained, these plants are 
  the key to the brewery’s operation.
  • The Museum of Artistic Industry: 
  Housed in a number of buildings in the 
  center of the district, the Museum of 
  Artistic Industry is filled with examples 
  of the machinery that literally built Iron-
  fire, as well as functional models ex-
  plaining several processes behind how 
  aspects of the city function, and are 
  maintained. From massive trip-ham-
  mers that used the steam-pressure from 
  the natural vents to form and shape 
  bars of dragon steel, to a display show-
  ing how the steam chambers carved 
  beneath the city warm the streets and 
  buildings in the winter while cooling 
  them in the summer, the museum is a 
  popular attraction for visitors and locals 
  alike.
  Persons of Interest
  • Aelonwe Feldspar: A woman with 
  long, chestnut hair that’s just starting 
  to go gray over her temples, Aelonwe 
  seems young for someone who holds 
  the position of head librarian; at least to 
  those who can’t see the signs of some-
  one with a touch of elven blood in their 
  veins. A long-time cataloger of the Irons 
  Academy, Aelonwe is one of three peo-
  ple who have the key to the restricted 
  section of the library. Knowledgeable 
  about much of the city and its history, 
  her area of focus is in book preserva-
  tion techniques. Her own thesis focused 
  on the unique properties of salamander 
  skin to ensure that even a roaring blaze 
  would barely singe the cover of a prop-
  erly treated volume.
  • Aethelwulfe Kettleblack: A slender 
  halfling man with teakwood skin and 
  raven hair, Aethelwulfe lives with his 
  wife and four children on the south side 
  of Middleshade. His unique position as a 
  city inspector means that his small size 
  is quite an advantage in getting into 
  places no one else can reach, and he’s 
  far from the only halfling in his depart-
  ment. While he ensures that he keeps 
  city business under wraps, for the most 
  part, nothing makes him happier than 
  telling stories about the various close 
  calls and bizarre encounters he’s had 
  crawling through Ironfire’s bowels.
  • Saphia Ringeld: A former crane oper-
  ator who got her start in the Harbour 
  district, Saphia worked at the Dragon 
  Forge for several years before an acci-
  dent led her to take early retirement. 
  Walking with cane, most wouldn’t be 
  
  16
  able to tell at a glance that her left leg 
  is missing from just below the knee, as 
  it was replaced with a cunningly-crafted, 
  articulated prosthetic. An associate at 
  the Museum of Artistic Industry, Saph-
  ia leads tours, and she can break down 
  half a dozen displays, explaining the 
  physics behind these seemingly miracu-
  lous operations.
  Whispers and Rumors
  • The Museum of Artistic Industry has an-
  nounced there will be a new, fully inter-
  active exhibit debuting soon to open a 
  new wing to the public. No one seems to 
  know what will be in the new wing, but 
  the opening date keeps getting pushed 
  back for undisclosed reasons. Security 
  around the wing has been beefed up, as 
  well, and there are whispers that there 
  have been... accidents during the con-
  struction. While representatives have 
  claimed there’s nothing to worry about, 
  the museum’s attendance has notice-
  ably decreased since the rumors began.
  • Sewage workers have been doing more 
  checks than usual throughout Middle-
  shade, adding extra doses of what looks 
  like a thick, gray, alkali powder to the 
  system. Workers handle the material 
  while wearing bulky protective gear, 
  and they keep that gear on when they 
  follow the powder down into the sew-
  ers. Several teams have resurfaced 
  with injuries, and wild stories, though 
  none seem to agree on what, precisely 
  they faced before it scuttled away into 
  the darkness. Clearly there’s something 
  down there, and it’s not willing to be 
  dislodged without a fight.
  • Several town homes throughout Mid-
  dleshade have been temporarily closed, 
  with those living in them moved to 
  other quarters for the time being. The 
  official story is there may have been a 
  leak of harmful vapors from the caverns 
  below, and workers are attempting to 
  find and seal any such leaks. Such a 
  situation has happened before, and it’s 
  typically a quick thing to fix... but teams 
  of individuals have been going in and 
  out of these homes for nearly a week, 
  and very few of them look like the ma-
  sons or alchemists who would normally 
  be dispatched to solve such a problem.
  Ghostborough
  Clouds of steam linger on the streets 
  of this district, dribbling from pipes and 
  grates. The air is thick and warm regard-
  less of the time of year, and figures mov-
  ing through the steam seem more like 
  restless shades than living people. The 
  surfaces of the buildings are streaked with 
  impurities, and fungi grow wild in the mor-
  tar. Lights beckon from taverns and inns, 
  bathhouses and brothels, but shadows lurk 
  in the alleys of Ghostborough as well... 
  shadows far more dangerous than any 
  spirit.
  Named for the steam vents that line its 
  streets, Ghostborough is always hot and 
  damp. Originally the termination point 
  for the steam tunnels that ran from the 
  Dragon Forge, the expanding population 
  of Ironfire demanded more space be add-
  ed. Neighborhoods in Ghostborough tend 
  to have their own cultures, and boundar-
  ies between them are almost palpable for 
  those who walk the streets. Shadier ele-
  ments of the city are also drawn to Ghost-
  borough, conducting business that skirts 
  the Iron Law when it isn’t outright bro-
  ken. There has been a push back against 
  these illicit operations thanks to the re-
  cently-elected district representative Rissa 
  Davenport, but while the former duelist’s 
  rhetoric won the heart of her constituents, 
  she’s found it difficult to pull the roots of 
  these syndicates out of her district.
  Noteworthy Locations
  • Oak Gate: While the Northward Road is 
  where the majority of travelers and vis-
  itors enter Ironfire, Oak Gate is where 
  caravans, wagons and other shipments 
  
  17
  of goods and imports enter the city 
  walls. The large warehouses outside the 
  city stores hazardous goods and dan-
  gerous materials until they can be prop-
  erly retrieved, and once the gate of the 
  Northward Road is closed for the night, 
  the Oak Gate is where all those entering 
  or leaving the city must go.
  • The Steam Room: Located just off a 
  small plaza not far from the Oak Gate, 
  the Steam Room is a public bath house 
  built atop the terminus of one of the 
  city’s largest steam tunnels. This far 
  from the Dragon Forge a majority of the 
  steam has condensed into hot water, 
  which is collected and re-boiled for use 
  by the patrons above. While far from 
  the only such location in the district, 
  much less in the city, the Steam Room 
  is where travelers often come to wipe 
  the dust and aches of the road from 
  their bodies while attendants clean and 
  press their clothes.
  • Blackscales: Abutting the wall on the 
  western side of the district, the build-
  ing referred to as Blackscales was built 
  several decades ago. The official point 
  of contact with the cinderscale nation 
  spread throughout the region, this 
  place provides food and lodging for the 
  lizardfolk visiting the city, as well as 
  answering questions for those attempt-
  ing to adjust to life within the walls. 
  Individuals looking to make peaceful 
  contact with clan representatives, or to 
  find guides to shepherd them through 
  the region, can also find them here. The 
  banners of the five clans are prominent-
  ly displayed outside the Blackscales, 
  and those who step inside find the place 
  decorated with skins and hung with 
  fetishes. Even among the buildings of 
  Ghostborough, the Blackscales is notice-
  ably warm, which helps keep the tem-
  perament of its residents even.
  Persons of Interest
  • Samarda Blackscale: The seventh 
  among the cinderscales to accept her 
  current position, along with the name 
  Blackscale, Samarda is a lithe, long-
  tailed example of her species. Soft spo-
  ken, typically dressed in the red shawl 
  of the Fire Crests fringed with black to 
  show her standing as mistress of the 
  Blackscales, she handles the day-to-
  day affairs of the place. Though usually 
  reserved and calm, those who’ve seen 
  her enraged can attest that her bite is 
  far worse than even the rough side of 
  her tongue... particularly as she is one 
  of the few among her clan who inherited 
  venomous fangs that she isn’t afraid to 
  put to use.
  • Lemardan Three-Fingers: A pale man 
  with a crescent moon scar around one 
  eye that complements the notch left in 
  his ear by a knife fight, Lemardan has 
  all three fingers on his left hand mixed 
  up in the various pools of black business 
  that happen in the shadows of the city. 
  While it’s rarely Lemardan’s hand that 
  holds the dagger on any particular job, 
  it’s said that whether it’s smuggling at 
  the gates to thievery in the Harbour, 
  that a little bird has whispered in his ear 
  about it.
  • Asher Whiteclaw: With skin like soft 
  leather, and eyes as hard as an an-
  vil, Asher has the air of a predatory 
  beast when he walks the city’s streets. 
  An outlaw hunter by trade, Asher has 
  brought down some of the most dan-
  gerous bounties ever posted in Ironfire. 
  Some of his bounties have required him 
  to drag his charges out of the city in 
  order to collect... something which has 
  put him at odds with the iron judges 
  on more than one occasion. Asher has 
  weathered accusations and duels alike, 
  and to his credit has brought most of his 
  bounties in alive. Rarely well, and not 
  always in one piece, but still alive.
  Whispers and Rumors
  • Several parties of cinderscales have 
  been coming into the city, and congre-
  gating at the Blackscales. This isn’t un-
  
  18
  usual in and of itself, but there appear 
  to be clan speakers from across the 
  mountain holds who have all made long 
  journeys to be part of this conclave. 
  Something important is going on behind 
  the dark stone walls, but no one in the 
  district has any idea what it could be.
  • A dozen people have been found dead 
  throughout Ghostborough, their muscles 
  seized up, and blood running from their 
  eyes and noses. Each of them seems to 
  have been poisoned, but so far no one 
  has been able to determine how, why or 
  what the poison was. Some have sug-
  gested that the steam, released more 
  heavily during the night-time hours, 
  may have been tainted enough to do se-
  rious harm to those unlucky enough to 
  be caught by the vapors. Others aren’t 
  convinced, trying to find some common 
  thread connecting all those who’ve died.
  • The board game King’s Nails has recent-
  ly grown in popularity all throughout 
  the city, but nowhere is it more popu-
  lar than in Ghostborough. One factor 
  driving the popularity of the game is 
  that roughly once a month a mysteri-
  ous notice will appear somewhere in the 
  district, announcing altered rules and 
  fresh scenarios for players to follow. It’s 
  as if someone is watching, and creating 
  a kind of chronicle for the ongoing war 
  between the light and dark pieces on 
  the board. But who could be doing it? 
  And to what purpose?
  The Dragon Forge
  A looming presence over 
  the entire city, the cas-
  tle smolders and smokes 
  like the head of a waking 
  wyrm. Impressive as it 
  is, with its scarred walls 
  and sweeping defenses, 
  the castle is merely the 
  tip of the Dragon Forge 
  itself. It runs beneath the 
  city, pulsing like a colos-
  sal heart that pounds with 
  steam and molten metal. Large enough to 
  be a district of the city in its own right, the 
  Dragon Forge is where Ironfire began... 
  and many say that as long as the Forge 
  functions, the city will endure.
  The oldest structure in Ironfire, the Drag-
  on Forge is the entire reason for the city’s 
  existence. The thundering of trip hammers 
  and the hissing quench of steam sound 
  night and day from deep in the earth, and 
  every day new wonders and follies are 
  dreamed up by those who toil within the 
  Forge’s depths. The Forge is where ideas 
  become reality, and where even failures 
  can be melted down, and transformed into 
  something new, unique and strange.
  Noteworthy Locations
  • Smokefield: A collection of outbuildings 
  near the Steaming Gate, Smokefield is 
  the central control for the city’s under-
  ground steam heat, as well as its sew-
  age and water flow. And much like the 
  main body of the Dragon Forge, Smoke-
  field extends down into the ground, with 
  the control mechanisms installed above. 
  In addition to monitoring and controlling 
  the processes to keep the city running, 
  excess pressure is often vented from 
  these facilities by opening exterior pipes 
  that spume steam high into the air. The 
  engineers who keep Smokefield running 
  are said to be some of the most import-
  ant public servants in the 
  entire city. And other than 
  the castle built over the 
  main body of the forge, 
  nowhere is more impreg-
  nable than Smokefield.
  • 
  Slag Runs: Out-
  side the city wall are thick, 
  frozen waves of impurities 
  that have melded to-
  gether and been expelled 
  from the Forge. Rather 
  than simply being left to 
  cause untold damage to 
  the surrounding area, 
  
  19
  engineers have dug canals through the 
  exterior, lining them with stone and 
  installing channel locks to cut off the 
  flow as necessary. This allows an area to 
  be completely filled, and sectioned off, 
  then when the slag is cooled it can be 
  removed, broken up and used for a new 
  purpose. In times of crisis, though, the 
  Slag Runs also act as a deadly defense, 
  providing a molten barrier to any who 
  would attempt to assault the city walls.
  • Castle: While the underground cham-
  bers of the Dragon Forge are off-limits 
  to anyone who has not been granted ac-
  cess by the Forge Master or one of their 
  appointees, a great deal of day-to-day 
  business is conducted in the more public 
  aspects of the Castle. Agreements for 
  acquisition of raw materials are made, 
  public meetings of the city’s district rep-
  resentatives take place, votes are cast, 
  terms of employment are agreed to and 
  dozens of other small but necessary 
  tasks are handled. Though there are 
  workshops in both wings of the Castle 
  where craftsmen put finishing and de-
  tail work on unique items produced by 
  the Forge, the bulk of the work is done 
  below.
  Persons of Interest
  • Forge Master Darris: A man with a 
  short beard and broad shoulders, Dar-
  ris was at the top of his class during 
  his time at the academy. The last Forge 
  Master who met Aragor Irons before the 
  city’s founder passed, Darris is driven by 
  a need to ensure his legacy as someone 
  who honored his position and his city. 
  Already responsible for several alter-
  ations to Ironfire’s infrastructure, Dar-
  ris is well-regarded by the people as a 
  whole for the improvements he’s made 
  thus far. Though friendly and curious, 
  Darris has a noted dislike of charlatans 
  and frauds. “One can only accomplish 
  the impossible through action,” as he 
  so often says. “Not through belief and 
  wishes.”
  • Vars “Breaker” Longspear: An 
  orc-blooded man with the shoulders 
  of a bull and the laugh of an amused 
  donkey, Vars is a swinger on one of the 
  hammer crews that plies the Slag Runs. 
  Taking care to avoid sharp edges and 
  pockets of strange-looking materials, 
  Vars tries not to concern himself with 
  what’s in the slag, or where it’s going 
  to go. He just fills his cart, collects his 
  earnings and ensures he keeps his head 
  wrap and goggles in place so he can go 
  home without injury at the end of the 
  day.
  • Shenara Locke: The Castle seneschal, 
  Shenara handles the everyday affairs 
  within the towering structure. From 
  scheduling meetings, to making ap-
  pointments, to handling documents and 
  queries from potential patrons, she is 
  in many ways the face of the Dragon 
  Forge itself. With her thick, dark hair 
  and friendly smile, she tends to make 
  a good first impression. Those who see 
  past her professional mask note that 
  her eyes are as hard as the walls of the 
  Castle, though, and anyone who’s done 
  business with her will find that she’s as 
  immovable as the battlements once she 
  has staked her position.
  Whispers and Rumors
  • There have been more shifts going out 
  into the Slag Runs than usual, and spec-
  ulation is running rampant about what 
  that might mean. A lot of people seem 
  to think that the Forge is simply in-
  creasing production, and so it wants to 
  have plenty of overflow space for addi-
  tional slag to flow to. Some suggest that 
  something of value floated out with the 
  slag, and the Forge is trying to recover 
  whatever it was before any details leak 
  to those who might try to steal it.
  • An entire wing of the Castle has been 
  put under guard, and cut off from the 
  public. Workers of all varieties have 
  been seen going in and out of the area, 
  but even in the Castle itself no one 
  
  20
  seems to know what’s going on in there. 
  Speculation is running rampant that this 
  might be the culmination of another of 
  the Forge Master’s pet projects, and if 
  whatever is being built functions the 
  way he intends that it might mark the 
  beginning of another large-scale addi-
  tion to the city.
  • Shipments of rare and unusual materi-
  als, including drake’s bones, cultures of 
  various slimes, troll’s blood and more 
  have been arriving at the Forge. No 
  one seems to know why, but the bi-
  zarre nature of the shipments has led to 
  some fairly wild speculation about what 
  purpose they might serve once they’ve 
  been lowered down into the belly of the 
  massive operation.
  Dragon Steel
  A rare substance for centuries, the metal-
  lurgists in Ironfire have made dragon steel 
  a significantly more widely available ma-
  terial. While there are still individuals who 
  cling to the status of “natural” dragon 
  steel dug from the earth as being more 
  potent, durable and true, there is func-
  tionally no difference between the two... 
  except that the steel produced by the 
  Dragon Forge is of a far more uniform 
  quality.
  One reason the metal is so prized is 
  that dragon steel weapons can hold an 
  edge far better than nearly any other 
  non-magical blade. When sharpened 
  with a whetstone (a process that takes 
  roughly 15 minutes of focused work), 
  a non-magical dragon steel weapon 
  that deals piercing or slashing damage 
  deals +1 damage for the next 24 hours. 
  Additionally, dragon steel is so resil-
  ient that it can ignore the first touch of 
  a rust monster. Additionally, scouring 
  the weapon after an encounter with a 
  rust monster (a process that takes a 
  short rest) can remove all the negatives 
  stacked on it. This cannot repair broken 
  weapons or ammunition, however.
  Cinderscale Lizardfolk
  Native to many volcanic regions, the cin-
  derscale lizardfolk have been the dominant 
  species in the region surrounding Ironfire 
  for several hundred years. Unlike lizardfolk 
  who live in lakes and swampy conditions, 
  the cinderscale have adjusted to better 
  suit their volcanic homes. Though they still 
  have roughly the same size and physical 
  appearance as their watery kin, cinder-
  scales tend toward darker scales to blend 
  with their environment, with fiery colors on 
  their crests and frills.
  The clans in the Dragonsbreath Mountains 
  have operated as part of a confederacy 
  for generations. Originally established to 
  prevent inter-clan warfare and promote 
  cooperation, each clan is mostly left to 
  their own devices by the others unless 
  their presence is specifically asked for. Safe 
  passage tends to be granted through each 
  other’s lands, and when there is a clear 
  and present danger the clans unite to deal 
  with it.
  Those who wish to play cinderscale 
  characters can use the following variant 
  lizardfolk abilities for them.
  Species Traits
  Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexteri-
  ty, +2 Constitution; Cinderscales are as 
  quick as they are tough.
  Type: Humanoid (reptilian)
  Size: Medium
  Speed: 30 feet
  Languages: Sulfurus (language of the 
  cinderscale confederacy). Bonus lan-
  guages may be gained for a higher In-
  telligence as normal.
  Low Light Vision: Cinderscales can see 
  twice as far as humans in conditions of 
  low light.
  Fire Hardened: Cinderscales have Fire 
  Resistance
  Rapid Scuttle: Cinderscales have a 
  Climb speed of 15 feet
  
  21
  Natural Attacks: Cinderscales gain a bite 
  attack that deals 1d4 points of piercing 
  damage.
  Cinderscale Variant Abilities
  Many of the clans among the confederacy 
  are known for certain, defining traits and 
  unusual features. Though these variants 
  may be chosen for any cinderscale charac-
  ter, as they’ve spread due to intermarry-
  ing, travel and other factors, they are most 
  strongly associated with the particular clan 
  attached to it.
  Ash Claws: With pale, light gray scales, 
  the Ash Claws are known for their unique 
  ability to vanish into their surroundings; a 
  useful trait for those who stalk the burning, 
  coal-fire canyons of their mountain. Ash 
  Claws can change the color of their scales 
  to blend into mountainous, subterranean 
  and urban environments, gaining Advan-
  tage on Stealth checks. This ability does 
  not function if an Ash Claw is wearing ar-
  mor, or clothing that covers more than ¼ 
  of their exposed hide. This ability replaces 
  Rapid Scuttle.
  Black Fangs: Named for the color of 
  their long fangs, these cinderscales have 
  a deadly venom that can slay their prey. 
  As a bonus action whenever a Black Fang 
  deals damage with their bite attack, they 
  can choose to inject that target with their 
  venom. They can use this ability once per 
  short rest. This ability replaces Rapid Scut-
  tle and Fire Hardened. Black Fang Venom 
  Injury, Constitution save, DC is equal to 8 
  + the Black Fang’s Constitution modifier + 
  the Black Fang’s Proficiency bonus; on a 
  failed save the creature takes 2d6 poison 
  damage, and is poisoned for 5 rounds. On 
  a successful save the creature takes half 
  that damage, and is not poisoned. A poi-
  soned creature must make a fresh Consti-
  tution save every round, or continue taking 
  damage from the Black Fang Venom. When 
  a creature finally saves they only take half 
  damage from that round, and the poisoned 
  effect ends. The damage increases to 3d6 
  at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 
  16th level.
  Fire Crest: Clear-headed and clear-sight-
  ed, the Fire Crests’ eyes have adapted to 
  the unique environments of their particular 
  home. Fire Crests gain the unique ability 
  to see 15 feet through fire, smoke, fog and 
  ash. This ability replaces Rapid Scuttle and 
  their bite attack.
  Flame Speakers: Able to speak the lan-
  guage of fire, this tribe has an intuitive 
  connection to the molten veins of the 
  world. A Flame Speaker who casts a spell 
  that deals fire damage treats their casting 
  stat as 2 points higher for the purpose of 
  making attacks, and determining the save 
  DC against that spell. This ability replaces 
  Rapid Scuttle and Fire Hardened, as they 
  must give into the flame in exchange for its 
  power.
  Razor Skulls: Huge even by the standards 
  of cinderscales, the Razor Skulls have thick 
  necks, elongated teeth and bony crests 
  almost like horns rising from their heads. 
  Their powerful jaws and large teeth deal 
  1d6 damage instead of 1d4. This damage 
  increases to 1d8 at 6th level, 1d10 at 11th 
  level, and 2d6 at 16th level. This replaces 
  Rapid Scuttle.
  Dragonsbreath Salaman-
  ders
  Native to the caverns of the Dragonsbreath 
  Mountains, these huge lizards are named 
  for the monstrous beasts of myth. Roughly 
  10 feet long from nose to tail, these crea-
  tures have thick, wedge-shaped heads and 
  rows of short, heavy horns. They tend to 
  stay in well-heated caverns, only venturing 
  out for food, or to mate. When happy these 
  huge lizards radiate a pleasant warmth 
  that can heat and entire room, but when 
  threatened they burn even hotter, doing 
  serious harm to anything that gets close to 
  
  22
  them.
  Ridden by the cinderscales, many of whom 
  have tamed mounts to make traversing the 
  mountains easier, they’ve also seen use in 
  Ironfire. Particularly in the Dragon Forge, 
  where they make excellent beasts of bur-
  den, unbothered at all by the extreme tem-
  peratures all around them.
  Dragonsbreath Salamander
  Large Animal
  Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 23 (4d10 +3)
  Speed 30 feet Climb 30 feet
  Strength 16 (+3)
  Dexterity 12 (+1)
  Constitution 14 (+2)
  Intelligence 2 (-4)
  Wisdom 10 (+0)
  Charisma 5 (-3)
  Senses darkvision 30 feet
  Languages -
  Challenge 1
  Special Traits
  Volcanic Adaptation Dragonsbreath sala-
  manders are immune to fire damage
  Burning Bite The internal temperature of 
  a Dragonsbreath salamander is scorching, 
  dealing an additional 1d6 fire damage on a 
  successful bite.
  Actions Bite Melee Weapon Attack +5 to 
  hit; reach 5 feet, one target; Hit 10 dam-
  age (1d8+4 piercing damage+1d6 fire 
  damage)
  Note: Items made primarily from the skin 
  of Dragonsbreath salamanders have fire re-
  sistance, and if the item is a large piece of 
  clothing such as a cloak, coat, jerkin, etc., 
  then it grants its wearer fire resistance as 
  well. Salamander hide is prized by wizards 
  who want to protect their spellbooks from 
  the dangers of the adventuring life, and 
  it’s often a main component of protective 
  clothing for those who work in the hottest 
  parts of the Dragon Forge. Smaller items 
  such as spellbooks, belt pouches, gloves, 
  etc. add 25 gp to their cost to be made 
  with salamander hide, while larger items 
  like cloaks, coats, backpacks, etc. add 75 
  gp.
  New Background: Merce-
  nary Veteran
  If you’re good at something you should 
  never do it for free, and the iron trade is 
  replete with soldiers, enforcers, duelists 
  and warriors who have taken this wis-
  dom to heart. Whether you were born and 
  trained in Ironfire, or you came to the city 
  with an illustrious career of deployments 
  under your belt, you know the secret to 
  turning steel into gold is an element of 
  danger, an ounce of fear and at least a few 
  drops of blood.
  Skill Proficiencies: Athletics or Acrobat-
  ics, and Persuasion or Intimidation
  Tool Proficiencies: Smith’s tools
  Equipment: A writ of recommendation 
  from a previous client, a well-used honing 
  stone, a small square of scouring chain, a 
  set of traveling clothes, a banner or patch 
  with your personal emblem, pouch of 10 gp 
  of various mints and cities.
  Feature: Preceding Reputation
  There are bold mercenaries, and old mer-
  cenaries, but for someone to be both is 
  practically unheard of. You’ve been in the 
  trade long enough that people know your 
  name and reputation, even outside the cir-
  cles of soldiers of fortune.
  When taking this background choose either 
  a Good Reputation or a Bad Reputation. If 
  you have a Good Reputation (you are hon-
  orable, stalwart and trustworthy), then you 
  find that people respond well to you. Peo-
  ple are always paying your tab at taverns, 
  asking to hear tales of your adventures or 
  
  23
  even offering you a place to stay when you 
  need it. If you have a Bad Reputation then 
  you can often get away with acts of pet-
  ty theft and intimidation in civilized areas 
  (walking out on tabs, refusing to pay for 
  a room at the inn, etc.), and common folk 
  will be afraid enough of the stories they’ve 
  heard not to call you to task for it.
  Those with a Good Reputation may find 
  they’re often called upon by common folk 
  in need to provide aid, but they’re also far 
  more likely to be sought by wealthy clients. 
  Those with a Bad Reputation may find the 
  city watch keeping a sharper eye on them, 
  and though they may also find wealthy 
  paymasters at their doors, they tend to be 
  far more unscrupulous individuals whose 
  money is more than a little bloody.
  More 5th Edition Compatible Supplements
  10 Ammunition Spells (5E)
  100 Bits of Miscellaneous Tat to Find (5E)
  100 Encounters in a Fey Forest (5E)
  100 Pieces of Flotsam and Jetsam To Find On A Beach (5E)
  100 Random Encounters for on the Road or in the Wilderness (5E)
  A Baker’s Dozen of Rumours (And The Truth Behind Them) (5E)
  Links
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  taken from our fantasy supplements.
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  24
  A Lesson Learned
  Oleg bellowed as bones cracked. Steel clattered as it fell to the paving stones, and the 
  huge man’s roar was cut off suddenly as the butt end of the staff slammed into his jaw, 
  and spun his head. Eyes rolling, he stayed on his feet a moment longer before dropping 
  to the ground in a heap. For a moment the crowd all around was silent, then whistles 
  erupted, followed by curses. Coins exchanged hands as bets were settled. The young 
  man knelt, placing his fingers on Oleg’s neck, and then in front of his mouth.
  “He’ll live,” the man with the staff said as he stood. “But I would get him to a healer, if 
  you want him to be able to use that arm again.
  Varian’s mouth was tight with anger, his eyes dark and narrow. Fear erupted in them 
  when the man with the staff crossed the circle toward him. The crowd around them went 
  quiet. The man had won the duel handily enough, his spinning staff more than a match 
  for Oleg’s brute muscle. But he had the look of an outlander, and outlanders didn’t al-
  ways understand the rules of the duel. If he broke the rules the red cloaks would find 
  him eventually, and there would be a trial, but that was small comfort to Varian, whose 
  protector lay insensate in a heap on the flagstones.
  “See here, now,” Varian said, taking an involuntary step back. His voice had risen to a 
  shrill pitch that he tried unsuccessfully to swallow. “You won. I commend you. Now if 
  you’ll excuse me-”
  The man put a hand on Varian’s shoulder, and Varian’s voice died. The young man 
  leaned down, and held his gaze. He waited a beat, ensuring he had Varian’s undivided 
  attention. The crowd around them was silent as a mural, except for Oleg’s grunt of pain 
  as he attempted to swim back up into consciousness.
  “All I wanted was directions,” the man said. “Where is the House of Black Banners?”
  Murmurs rose at that, as excited onlookers began to speculate. The man paid them no 
  mind, his gaze steady on Varian. For his part Varian might have looked less stunned if he 
  had been struck. He gestured vaguely behind himself.
  “Two blocks down, and turn toward the harbor,” he said, looking at the unkempt man 
  with the staff. “The black flags... they hang from the balcony above the door.”
  “Thank you,” the young man said, enunciating the words to drive them home. He let go 
  of Varian’s shoulder, and smoothed the tunic he’d been gripping. “My uncle has been ex-
  pecting me.”
  “Y-your uncle?” Varian asked as the man brushed past him, walking toward the chapter 
  house of one of the city’s more dangerous companies of freelances.
  “Come by upon the morrow, if you wish,” the young man called over his shoulder, his 
  voice as friendly as could be. “If you’re willing to step into the ring yourself, I’m sure 
  he’d be happy to teach you to fight your own battles. I doubt you’ll be as pretty as Oleg 
  is by the time the lessons are done, though!”
  
  25
  Ironfire Map
  
  26
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  15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
  Open Game License v 1.0a © 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
  System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards 
  of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris 
  Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. 
  Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend,
  based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
  Cities of Sundara: Ironfire © 2021, eGDC Ltd; Author: Neal 
  Litherland
  END OF LICENSE
  
  Nestled in the Dragonsbreath Mountains, the city of Ironfire sprawls like some 
  great wyrm of legend. A legendary producer of fabled dragon steel, Ironfire is a 
  city of industry and invention, where innovation and adventure often make for 
  strange bedfellows. It’s said that fortunes are made within those city walls ev-
  ery, single day.
  For those who think to simply walk in and claim their good fortune, though, this 
  city has teeth. Mercenaries ply their trade through nearly every boulevard, and 
  honor duels are a daily spectacle in the city’s many squares. Shadowy business 
  happens in the darker corners, and everyone from merchant mariners to priva-
  teers is looking for an opening.
  Do you have what it takes to forge your path in the City of Steel?
  “Ironfire: The City of Steel” is the first installment in the Sundara: Dawn of a 
  New Age setting. However, the city itself can easily be adapted to existing cam-
  paigns and settings for use in your current game!
  This supplement includes:
  City map and history of Ironfire
  District-by-district break down including notable NPCs, important locations, and 
  rumors
  Rules for using items forged from dragon steel
  Rules for playing cinderscale lizard folk, native to the volcanic Dragonsbreath 
  Mountains
  Unique backgrounds for veteran mercenaries from the City of Steel
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/Cities of Sundara/Cities of Sundara - Ironfire v2.pdf