Where iron roads climb into snow, every promise is weighed against the winter.
LFLA MARCHE DE FER
Overview
LA MARCHE DE FER is a broad alpine border territory where iron, mountain roads, and old treaties shape daily life. Its scattered communities cling to sheltered valleys beneath immense peaks, while exposed routes make every journey a wager against weather and ambush. A stark cliff fortress watches an open forge town, and a river bridge links the western mines to a separate dwarven stronghold. Low magic leaves survival to craft, courage, and hard bargains.
Cultures
Human valley communities prize practical craft, shared labor, and contracts witnessed before the forge.
Dwarven merchant houses value measured weights, durable workmanship, and ancestral claims to mountain roads.
Borderfolk blend customs from both sides of the ranges, adapting quickly to hard winters and shifting tolls.
Places
6 settlements
Small · FortressFORT-FRONTIÈREMilitary watch and treaty seatA solitary black-stone keep crowns the cliff, with no outer walls on the rock face.
Large · Forge townLA FONDERIEMining, smelting, and regional marketA dense, unwalled sprawl of timber cabins and smoking chimneys presses directly against the cliff.
Small · Mining villageBASSE-FOUILLENorthern supply post and mine communityA foothill settlement of low mine mouths, sheep pens, and weather-beaten sheds.
Small · Bridge crossingLE VIEUX PONT DE L'ESTRiver crossing and trade bottleneckA massive ancient stone bridge stands alone across the eastern river, with toll shelters at either approach.
Medium · Dwarven fortressLE BASTION DES NAINSDwarven stronghold and trading postA heavy stone dwarven fortress sits apart from the bridge at the end of a winding mountain road.
Small · Pass stationDÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISESSouthern entry and caravan checkpointA dangerous canyon pass hosts a scattering of shelters and a watched road station.
How they spread
PatternSettlements cluster near ore, dependable water, and sheltered slopes, with long empty stretches between them. The largest communities sit at the cliff base, bridge approaches, and foothills.
Common kinds
Open mining and forge towns
Small valley farming hamlets
Roadside inns and pack stations
Dwarven stone strongholds
Trade routes
The southern valley road through DÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISES
The eastern bridge road winding toward LE BASTION DES NAINS
The northern foothill track past BASSE-FOUILLE
Dangers and hooks
3 threats
Most dangerous · HighThe GreyfallNatural hazardRockslides strike the southern pass most often after heavy rain or thaw.
The Deep KnockHighUnnatural subterranean threat
Strange impacts and unexplained cave-ins recur in abandoned mine galleries.
The Hungry RoadModerateBanditry
Small bands waylay isolated caravans along the eastern hills and southern track.
Hazards of the land
Rockslides and sudden avalanches
Freezing storms that erase trail markers
Flash floods in narrow ravines
Plot hooks
1
The Missing GrainInvestigation and wildernessA caravan carrying winter grain vanished between the southern pass and LA FONDERIE, and both merchants and villagers accuse the other side of withholding it.Starts: The caravan's last known camp at DÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISES.Reward: A share of recovered cargo, a paid-for pack animal, and a local travel writ.
2
Stone Under StrainMystery and dungeonCracks have appeared in LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST, but the dwarven engineers insist the damage was made from below rather than by age.Starts: The eastern bridge tollhouse.Reward: Dwarven repairs, a bridge-passage token, and a favor from the Deep Ledger.
3
The Hammer BelowExploration and horrorA mine crew broke into a sealed gallery whose cold draft carries the sound of hammering from deep underground.Starts: An abandoned ore cut above LA FONDERIE.Reward: A modest iron claim, salvage rights, or a rare piece of dwarven workmanship.
4
Fire in the White PassSurvival and rescueA blizzard traps travelers near the northern foothills while an unknown signal fire burns on a route believed impassable.Starts: A shepherd shelter below BASSE-FOUILLE.Reward: A safe-conduct across the foothills and a cache of winter gear.
The land
Climate and ground
ClimateAlpine, with long snowbound winters, brief cool summers, sudden storms, and sharp temperature drops after sunset.
TerrainA rugged mountain borderland of steep slopes, narrow valleys, cliff faces, and limited traversable passes.
Biomes
Alpine scree and bare high peaks
Subalpine conifer forest
Cold upland meadows
Rocky foothill scrub
Waters and borders
Waterways
The eastern river, fast and cold beneath LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST
The Forges Run, descending past LA FONDERIE
The Greywater Brook, threading DÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISES
Borders
The impassable northern range of L'ÉCHINE DU MONDE
A western divide of broken ridges
Lowland marches beyond the southern pass
Eastern uplands beyond the raging river
On the road
The southern road crosses the exposed, treacherous canyon of DÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISES.
The eastern river is dangerously swift, and LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST is the dependable crossing.
Snow, rockfall, and washed-out tracks can close high routes without warning.
Landmarks
FORT-FRONTIÈRE stands alone on the summit without outer cliffside walls.
LA FONDERIE is an open, crowded town of wooden cabins tucked against the cliff base.
LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST spans the raging river as a massive freestanding stone bridge.
LE BASTION DES NAINS stands independently beyond the bridge, reached by a winding mountain road.
Landforms
The sheer cliff beneath FORT-FRONTIÈRE
The high wall of L'ÉCHINE DU MONDE
The narrow canyon of DÉFILÉ DES ROCHES-GRISES
Wild eastern hills between the cliff and river
Resources
Iron ore
Hardwood and charcoal
Building stone
Mountain herbs and game
Power
Rule
GovernmentLe pouvoir est partagé au sein du Conseil, formé par Aldus "Corbeau" Vance, Sir Thorgar, seigneur nain, Sir Morand, Marchand, Sir Vane, Marchand, Sir Juste, Bailli et Sir Grise-barbe, aide bailli
SeatFORT-FRONTIÈRE serves as the military seat, while trade courts meet in LA FONDERIE.
StabilityBrittle; rival toll claims and scarce winter stores strain a peace maintained by mutual dependence.
Laws
Bridge and pass tolls must be posted before collection.
Mine claims require a witnessed boundary mark and a recorded share of the yield.
No armed company may seize food, pack animals, or shelter without compensation.
Factions
The Furnace CompactCraft and trade league
Influence: Strong in LA FONDERIE and among nearby miners.Secure the mines, regulate furnace work, and keep the open town supplied through winter.
The Deep LedgerDwarven merchant consortium
Influence: Strong around LE BASTION DES NAINS and the eastern road.Protect their road claims and control the passage of ore across the eastern river.
The Roadside OathLocal mutual-defense pact
Influence: Uneven but widespread among hamlets and caravan crews.Keep the southern pass open while resisting new tolls and conscription.
Faiths
The Hearth Below
Influence: Common among miners and smiths, with small shrines at workshops.Endurance, honest labor, and the keeping of vows made under stone.
The Roadside Flame
Influence: Strong among caravan crews and families near the bridge.Safe passage, river crossings, and remembrance of those lost on the roads.
The High Silence
Influence: Limited, chiefly among hermits and shepherds.Quiet contemplation of the high peaks as witnesses to mortal disputes.
People and trade
Who lives here
How manySparse across the high country, with dense clusters around mines, forges, crossings, and sheltered valleys.
Main peoples
Human miners, smiths, and smallholders
Dwarven traders and stoneworkers
Mixed communities of road wardens and carters
Other peoples
Seasonal shepherds from the high slopes
Pilgrims and itinerant peddlers
Languages
Common, Dwarvish, Marcher Cant
Trade
WealthUneven and generally modest; merchants and mine owners prosper while most households live close to subsistence.
Work
Iron mining and smelting
Blacksmithing and toolmaking
Pack transport and toll collection
Exports
Iron bars and forged tools
Stonework and dwarven hardware
Furs, charcoal, and smoked meat
Imports
Grain and salt, Fine cloth and lamp oil
Markets
LA FONDERIE, LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST, LE BASTION DES NAINS
History and secrets
LA MARCHE DE FER grew around iron seams, a cliffside garrison, and the roads that carry ore between lowland markets and dwarven holdings. Its settlements expanded wherever fuel, water, and shelter allowed, often without walls or reliable protection. Treaties and shared labor have kept the frontier functioning, but old border claims, hard winters, and the value of its metal continually threaten that uneasy arrangement.
Key events
Old March
The Cliff WatchA border garrison was established atop the cliff to watch the southern road and northern approaches.
Forge Years
The First SmeltMiners gathered below the cliff, and their furnaces grew into the exposed settlement now called LA FONDERIE.
Bridge Accord
The River JoiningDwarven masons completed LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST, binding the eastern road to the mining country.
Recent Winter
The Empty SledsA failed winter convoy left several high settlements isolated and made local supply pacts essential.
Secret 1 · GM only
The first furnaces were built over a concealed shaft that predates the current mining claims.Found by: A sealed survey mark beneath the oldest forge floor does not match any known mine seam.If found: The mark points to a buried vein running beneath the foundations of LA FONDERIE, and opening it could destabilize the town.
Secret 2 · GM only
LE VIEUX PONT DE L'EST was built using stones taken from an older dwarven refuge, despite the public story of a voluntary gift.Found by: Compare the bridge's worn underside carvings with the stonework in the lowest chamber of LE BASTION DES NAINS.If found: The revelation could invalidate the existing bridge treaty and ignite a contest over who may demand tolls.
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