Iron-Pass Hold

Iron-Pass Hold is a vertical marvel of engineering clinging to the side of Mount Orod. Stone bridges connect cavernous merchant halls to wooden cantilevered docks where airships and griffon riders moor. The central plaza is a tiered marketplace where the warmth of massive communal braziers keeps the commerce flowing even in the deepest winters. It serves as the bottleneck for all ore and gems moving from the high mines to the lowland kingdoms.

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Trading Post

Iron-Pass Hold

Where the clouds meet the coin and the stone speaks of gold.

TypeTrading Post

Population1,200 permanent residents

WealthProsperous

GovernmentMerchant Oligarchy

ReadinessVery High

“The air is thin and smells of charcoal and ozone.”

Gallery

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Connections

Geography

RegionThe Jagged Spine Mountains

ClimateAlpine and biting cold with frequent snow squalls.

TerrainNarrow granite ledges overlooking a three thousand foot drop.

Travel Links

The Great North RoadThe Sky-Lift Pulley SystemThe Low-Pass Mule Trail

Culture

Hard work and fair trade are the only laws that matter.

Races

DwarvesHumansOrcsGnomes

Religions

MoradinWaukeenKord

Arts & Entertainment

The city is famous for stone-carving competitions and thunderous mountain shanties.

History

Founded by a coalition of dwarf outcasts and human entrepreneurs three centuries ago to bypass royal taxes. It has since grown into an independent city-state that controls the only safe passage through the Spine. The settlement survived the Great Avalanche of 112 and a three-month siege by the Frost-Giant King. Today it remains a neutral ground for all who have coin to spend.

The FoundingThe Pact of the PeakThane Ironfoot and Merchant-Lord Vane agreed to share the tolls forever.

The Age of FrostThe Great AvalancheA massive slide buried the lower docks and forced the city to build upward.

Government

LeaderHigh Arbiter Voren Thul

Merchant Oligarchy

Key Laws

All scales must be calibrated by the Guild annually.Violence within the marketplace carries a double fine.No unsanctioned magic may be used to influence a deal.

Problems

Supply Chain Sabotage

Caravans are being raided by invisible foes on the North Road.

The Sky-Lift Strike

Gnome engineers are refusing to work until safety gear is upgraded.

Economy

Industries

Ore SmeltingLogisticsToll Collection

Scarcity

Fresh greenery and timber

Wealth LevelProsperous

Exports

Refined MithralMountain Goat WoolEnchanted Grinding Stones

Imports

GrainFine TextilesTropical Fruits

Defenses

ReadinessVery High

Fortifications

The Iron PortcullisTwin Ballista TowersThe Boiling Oil Chutes

The Peak Guard(250 Heavy Infantry)

Dwarven shield-bearers and human crossbowmen trained in mountain warfare.

Law & Order

crime Level: Low
enforcement: The Peak Guard monitors every corner with eagle-eyed precision.
typical Punishment: Hefty fines or two weeks of hard labor in the smelting pits.

Voren Thul

NPC

High Arbiter

A man in fine furs with a ledger always tucked under his arm.

Elena Ironfoot

NPC

Merchant Queen

She wears jewelry made of raw gemstones and gold ore.

Captain Zarkov

NPC

Guard Captain

A scarred veteran with a silver-plated tusks.

Fidget Gearwhistle

NPC

Master Engineer

Covered in grease and smelling of copper.

Old Malleus

NPC

Historian

An elderly man with a beard that reaches his knees.

The Gilded Pick

Shop

General Store and Outfitter

A shop carved into a crystal vein that glows softly in the dark.

The Drunken Yeti

Tavern

Miners, caravan guards, and weary travelers.

A rowdy hall built over a natural hot spring vent.

The Iron Guild

Faction

Merchant Union

The most powerful collection of traders in the region.

The Tunnel Rats

Faction

Smugglers Guild

A group of experts who know every secret path in the peaks.

The Echo Chasm

Point of Interest

A deep rift where a whisper can be heard a mile away.

Founder's Ledge

Point of Interest

A massive stone statue of Thane Ironfoot overlooking the valley.

The Steam Baths

Point of Interest

Natural volcanic vents converted into public luxury baths.

Calendar of Events

Early Spring

The Festival of the First Thaw

A celebration marking the arrival of the first supply caravan.

A massive blizzard almost always hits on the second day.

Secrets

The town is built over a dormant volcano.

RegionalThe water in the Steam Baths is getting suspiciously hotter.

The High Arbiter is an impostor.

LocalHe doesn't recognize his own family's signet ring.

Rumors

The Tunnel Rats have found a way into the mountain heart.

Captain Zarkov is actually working for the Frost-Giants.

The Great Lift wasn't an accident; it was sabotage.

Plot Hooks

The Missing Mithral

A shipment of Mithral has vanished between the mines and the Hold.

InvestigationElena IronfootA high-quality masterwork weapon.

Sabotage at the Sky-Lift

Defend the gears from a group of clockwork-destroying gremlins.

CombatFidget GearwhistleFree passage on the lift for life.

The Historian's Burden

Escort Old Malleus to the dangerous Echo Chasm to read a tablet.

ExplorationOld MalleusA bag of ancient, valuable coins.

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