D&D 4E RRH1: Expanding the Iron Circle

[Jacob Lewis]

This is part of a series about expanding the classic D&D adventure from 4th Edition, Reavers of Harkenwold. I initially started this project on another forum. But after a bit of encouragement and positive response, I've decided to share it here. The first thread of this project can be found here.

Even though I am writing specifically for 4th edition, most of the information here is usable with any version or game system. I don't think I need to explain that, but it seems that people sometimes forget. I hope to convince others that an older edition is still a viable option, no matter which one you prefer. We don't need tools, or support, or permission, if we have the books and the desire to continue enjoying them.

I'd love to have more discussions with those who want to share their ideas and their passion for adventure design, 4th edition, and D&D. Your responses and participation in this thread tell me that there is interest and appreciation for me to continue posting this series.

Introduction
Reavers of Harkenwold chronicles the Iron Circle's invasion of Harkenwold. Despite being the central antagonist of the plot, the Iron Circle is presented to us with just enough information and detail needed to run this two-part adventure. With a brief overview, we get an idea of who they are, where they're from, and what they've done. What I see missing are any real motives (i.e. why are they doing this specifically, and why this particular place), how they got to where they are, and what their next plans might be. They are just there, seemingly waiting for someone (i.e the player characters) to do something about it.

This is similar to how the Empire was introduced in the original Star Wars film. We don't know anything about the Empire itself. We don't know why they're doing what they do. But we know that they are the bad guys and that they must be stopped. That may work fine for a couple movies (or an adventure designed for no more than two levels of play). But eventually we're gonna want to learn more, especially when we find the villains might be at least as interesting as the main characters. Even more important if we plan to see them strike back.

For this stage of my plans, I will look for more ideas to expand the role of the Iron Circle in this adventure. I want to keep them as the primary nemesis throughout this part of the campaign, so I will need to include or create more level-appropriate challengers in their ranks. But at the same time, I don't want to overload the adventure with too many same-suited adversaries. Resources from other source books will help ease the burden of creating too much content on my own.

I will also look ahead towards the next arc of the campaign, which lead players to the Madness at Gardmore Abbey adventure. Despite being months away, I want to include strong clues and hooks that will lead characters naturally towards the next storyline. If done properly, this will give players a greater sense of foreshadowing and continuity. It is certainly better than having a one-sided conversation with a quest-giving NPC who just points players where they should go next.

I'll worry about a third campaign arc when I begin working on a second one. Right now, I'm focusing only on the first with eyes towards the second. By the time I'm done with these, I should have enough of a foundation to support more than a few ideas. It also leaves room for more player input who should be settled in and more familiar with the campaign, the setting, and having me for a Dungeon Master.

Part I: The Iron Circle || Part II: The Iron Circle (cont.) || Part III: The Fell Court || Part IV: The Ashmadai || Part V: Gardmore Abbey

Related Thread Links
========================
Main: Revisiting Reavers of Harkenwold
2: Building the Adventure Outline || Part I: The (Original) Adventure Synopsis || Part II: Just Add the Starter Set || Part III: The Revised Synopsis (Part I) || Part IV: Regarding Eladrins, Elves, and Goblins || Part V: TBA

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Part I: The Iron Circle
Reavers of Harkenwold (RoH)
The adventure gives us a brief introduction to the Iron Circle before setting things in motion. In fact, the group has already executed its plans and sits firmly in control of Harkenwold when the PCs arrive to deal with them. For an adventure designed with only two levels of play in mind, you don't need more. Here's the bad guys. Go kick their butt. To stretch the adventure for five levels, we'll need to do some more work beyond creating more level-appropriate challenges, monsters, and treasures.

One of the remarkable design aspects of this adventure is how it sets the pace. The players are introduced to the Iron Circle in the first encounter, so they know who is the enemy and what is happening in the Vale. After that, the party encounters the Iron Circle members only a few more times while they travel around Harkenwold doing other things. As the adventure continues in part one, the confrontations with the Circle become more frequent and more dangerous. This builds the tension gradually until part two where the party must respond to a direct assault by the Iron Circle, and then finally bring the fight to them for the climatic conclusion.

In my plans for a longer campaign, I want to follow a similar design but adjust the pace to accommodate for five levels of play. While the characters are levels 1-2, they will have only limited dealings with the Iron Circle directly. These will include some encounters on the roads, protecting innocents along the way, and possibly some skill/roleplay challenges. The players will need to realize that they are not ready to take on the Circle head on or alone. Most of their early adventures will focus on helping pockets of resistance to mobilize, learn what they can about the enemy, and rally allies to their cause. By the time they reach level 3, the characters should start attracting the Iron Circle's attention as a potential threat.

The players will need more than a collection of Iron Circle cronies and bosses to fight over and over. Repetition can get boring. I don't want players losing interest. So as well as filling out their ranks with more level-appropriate members, I will look in other places for more monsters, factions, and allies to keep things interesting and unpredictable. The first two books that come to mind are Threats to the Nentir Vale and the Neverwinter Campaign Setting (NWCS). We'll take a look at what I find below.

Here is a list of the rank and file members of the Iron Circle that appear in this adventure:

• Iron Circle Brigand (level 1 soldier)
• Iron Circle Rabble (level 2 minion brute)
• Iron Circle Cutthroat (level 2 Skirmisher)
• Iron Circle Enforcer (level 2 Elite Brute)
• Iron Circle Sentry (level 3 minion Artillery)
• Iron Circle Guard (level 3 Soldier)
• Iron Circle Dark Adept (level 3 Controller (Leader))
• Tar Devil Harrier (level 3 Artillery)
• Iron Circle Mage (level 4 Artillery)
• Tar Devil Guard (level 4 Soldier)

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Part II: The Iron Circle (cont.)
Threats to the Nentir Vale (MVN)
This is as much a setting book for the Nentir Vale as it is a supplemental Monster Vault. Here we find more information about the Iron Circle, but the details focus on their presence in the local setting and the events described in Reavers of Harkenwold. If I wanted more information about the Iron Circle outside of the Vale, or this adventure, I would need to dig up the relevant articles buried somewhere in my digital library of Dungeon and Dragon magazines. But for this project, these four pages (72-75) will be enough.

The entry for the Iron Circle references RoH many times. It also includes some additional insights on the two lieutenants featured in the adventure: Nazin Redthorn and Val Esed. This will make it quite easy to portray these characters as villains to the party, and provide some guidance on any other villains I may want to develop on my own. Aside from that, the first two sentences of page 72 tells me everything I need to know:

The Iron Circle is a powerful band of mercenaries under the control of the inscrutable Lord Vhennyk, who hails from the city of Sarthel, to the south of the Nentir Vale. Lord Vhennyk and his followers worship Asmodeus, but few Nentir Vale inhabitants are aware of the mercenaries’ true affiliations.

First, the Iron Circle is not native to the Nentir Vale, the region where the adventure takes place. That may seem unimportant, but its a defining feature that I can portray easily to my players. They're not local upstarts or everyday people like you and me; they're invaders from another land. If the adventurers are natives to the Vale, that might be enough motivation for them to find reasons to oppose them (assuming they're the heroic types).

(Sidebar: I'm not aware of any real-world cultural references or comparisons regarding ethnicity within the setting. So I will leave that up to individual DMs to decide how they want to portray these foreigners. Just be mindful that stereotypes and comparisons might be offensive to some of your players. Do not assume, and do not be insensitive. And be open to a discussion with your players, especially if you have any doubts.)

Another key element is that the Iron Circle is relatively unknown in the Nentir Vale. Thus far, they have just recently started their operations in Harkenwold. So its not unreasonable to assume that the party, and most other common folk in the Vale, will not know a lot about this group, their presence, or even their identity. Being hidden and unknown will be a valuable asset that the Circle will most likely want to hold on to for as long as they can in order to maintain their advantage.
Secrecy, in fact, is something the Circle most likely values since people recognize devil-worshipers as being wholly evil (or at the very least, up to no good).

And finally, the Iron Circle align itself with devils, and even worships Asmodeus. This is something they may flaunt proudly in their own country, or places where they are known. But this is the kind of sign might attract unwanted attention because most good people will recognize devil-worship as being wholly evil (or at the very least, up to no good). Then again, its hard to miss the tar devils fighting alongside them in battle.

The obvious implication is that devils can be counted as potential allies and accomplices in encounters. (More on that later.) But the other, less obvious connection is that I can also include other factions who share common ground with devil-worshipers, those who align themselves with devils, or at least don't mind those that do. This gives me a much greater sample to choose for adversaries, and two groups already come to mind: The Fell Court (also in MVN), and the Ashmadai (in the Neverwinter Campaign Setting). I will explore those two factions in Parts III and IV below.

With this Monster Vault supplement (MVN), I have some updated statblocks from the adventure, and some new ones as well:

• Iron Circle Brigand (level 1 soldier)(updated)
• Iron Circle Dark Adept (level 3 Controller (Leader)) (updated)
• Tar Devil Brawler(level 3 Brute)
• Tar Devil Harrier (level 3 Artillery) (updated)
• Iron Circle Spy (level 4 Lurker)
• Tar Devil Guard (level 4 Soldier) (updated)
• Iron Circle Commander (level 5 Elite Soldier (Leader))

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Part III: The Fell Court
Threats to the Nentir Vale


I must confess. If the Neverwinter Campaign Setting had not pointed me to the Fell Court while I was reviewing the Ashmadai (see Part IV below), I probably would have overlooked them. Reading the first paragraph of their description, however, it's still likely that I might have skipped them altogether. Take a look at what it says:

The first tieflings entered the Nentir Vale as ragged survivors, exiled from most civilized areas and distrusted by all because of the corruption of Bael Turath. A handful of tiefling scoundrels descended from those refugees have banded together for mutual protection, calling themselves the Fell Court. These self-proclaimed scions of Bael Turath are determined to restore the shattered empire under their rule.

It's interesting, to be sure. But from what I read there, I didn't think I would be able to make it work for this adventure. The group operates mostly out of Fallcrest, which is a few days removed from Harkenwold. And the Court seems like they would have a conflict of interest with the Iron Circle. Both want to see themselves in power, but neither strike me as the type to share it. Or, so I thought.

I continued reading and found this hidden surprise on the next page:

Through his network of spies and informants, Melech Ambrose (the leader of the Fell Court) has become aware of the activities of the Iron Circle and learned that its leaders are followers of Asmodeus. Thus it seems to him that the Fell Court and the Iron Circle have much in common.

Alright. Some of you might have picked up on the relationship between tieflings and devils right away. I, on the other hand, needed to have it spelled out for me. Regardless, I am grateful that it did. I have yet to find a more succinct and intriguing correlation between the Iron Circle and any other faction or monster anywhere. This one, in my opinion, is a really, really good one. Here's why.

Up until this point, I had expected to find only mercenaries, weak-willed sycophants, and mindless monsters that could easily be manipulated to do whatever the Iron Circle wants them to do. The Fell Court, however, is none of these things. They are scoundrels, schemers; villains in their own right. And they are willing to help these new comers achieve their goals of conquest, if only to get closer to achieving their own.

But an alliance has not yet been made. Thus far, the Iron Circle has ignored the Melech Ambrose's requests for an audience. But the leader of the Fell Court answers to his own dark masters; devils and fiends who have a vested interest in seeing Bael Turath rise from the ashes. One might think Asmodeus would align the groups towards a common goal. If so, why hasn't he done so already? Well, who says it has to be Asmodeus? Maybe a rival or upstart devil is using the Court to work their own machinations? And here we have our most interesting twist!

From an adventure designer's perspective, this presents an opportunity to create a decision point allowing for multiple paths in an otherwise linear script. Will the Fell Court join the invaders? Can the party stop them from adding their strength to the Iron Circle? Or do the tieflings have some other nefarious plans to betray everyone? These are all delicious possibilities better left decided by the players and the actions of their characters.

I'll explore the Fell Court in more detail, and the role they'll play in this adventure, in another section later. For now, I have some new monster stats for the adventure, including Melech Ambrose himself. They are:

• Fell Court Blackheart (level 2 Lurker)
• Fell Court Ruffian(level 2 Minion Brute)
• Fell Court Creep (level 3 Minion Skirmisher)
• Fell Court Underboss (level 3 Soldier (Leader))
• Fell Court Hellmage (level 4 Artillery (Leader))

And that's not all! Because the Fell Court have access to small groups of the tiefling-bred monsters, called Felldrakes, I can also add incorporate the following creatures:

• Leaping Felldrake (level 1 Lurker)
• Crested Felldrake (level 2 Skirmisher)
• Hissing Felldrake (level 3 Artillery)
• Tri-Horned Felldrake (level 4 Soldier)

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Part IV: The Ashmadai
Neverwinter Campaign Setting (NWCS)


So now I start looking at sourcebooks and materials that are not directly tied to the Nentir Vale campaign setting. For me, "going outside the box" means looking at other campaign settings, editions, or even game systems to find bits of useful information and ideas that can be ported over into my own personal designs and setups. Generally speaking, the farther I get from the source (i.e. setting, edition, system, etc.), the more work I'll probably need to do. But, as I've said before, I'm not afraid to do more work for better results. Lucky for me, I don't need to go too far outside the box to find what I wanted.

It is in the Neverwinter Campaign Setting that I found the Ashmadai, a brutal cult of devil worshipers sworn to Asmodeus. Although written for the Forgotten Realms setting (and specifically for the Neverwinter campaign), there is plenty of inspiration and information that I can transplant into this adventure. Because it was written using the rules for 4e, I can also grab some of the crunchy bits, too.

(Sidebar: Before I get further into this, let me just say how much I love this book! It is, in my opinion, one of the best DM resources for a campaign setting I have ever read. It is also a great campaign, and I say that as a fan who was extremely disappointed with what happened to the Forgotten Realms in 4th Edition. This book made up for a lot of it. Well, some of it. Enough said.)

I don't want to spend a lot of energy going over all the specifics of the details and setup packed into this supplement because there is a lot. You can read up on it for yourself, if you're so inclined. So instead, I'll just boil down some of the bits and pieces that I can use for this campaign. (Note: Some of the text is taken directly from pages 98-103. I just don't want to clutter up the post with a lot of quote blocks.)

• The Ashmadai (have been) working in the region as agents of Thay. The exact nature of the bargain between the (Red Wizards) and the cult remains unclear. What is known is that Thay’s regent possessed a powerful magic scepter that the Ashmadai consider a holy relic.
• The Ashmadai is split into two distinct sects. One is slavishly loyal to Asmodeus, and the other is populated by cunning and manipulative creatures who care more about acquiring power than paying homage to it.
• The two sects rarely interact, and most cultists don’t know members of their own branch, let alone ones in the other. However, the sect’s leaders meet often to discuss the cult’s machinations. In this way, the Ashmadai conducts its own business right under (Thay's) nose.

On the surface, it appears that the Ashmadai shares a lot of the same space in the narrative as the Fell Court. Both organizations work in secret, their members have an affinity for devils, and each has ambitions of gaining power for themselves. I could simplify the redundant elements by merging these entities into a conglomerate and avoid complexities. But I love complexity when it can be presented in an interesting way that doesn't confuse or muddle the experience. And here, we have just that.

To begin, I have identified three factions I can use: The Fell Court, which I described in the previous section, plus two distinct sects within the Ashmadai. The former group, led by the dwarf Favria, consists of older and less studied cultists who still serve the scepter’s holder. The less fanatical branch, led by the tiefling Mordai Vell, is responsible for the Ashmadai’s rise in the region as a shady, manipulative powerhouse. At this point, I would rather focus on their differences than unite them with their similarities. Because good stories (like most D&D sessions) revolve around conflict.

The Fell Court, as previously mentioned, operate out of the shadows of Fallcrest. They are known by rumors and whispers, but their ambitions and machinations are a secret. Its members, who are almost exclusively tieflings, share an aspiration of reviving their fallen empire and ruling the Vale.

The Ashmadai, or Messengers of the Raging Fiend, are cultists from all walks of life. They have a tendency toward arrogance, a shared faith in (and fear of) Asmodeus, and a curious mark branded on their chest, which they usually take pains to hide. Most members do not know one another on sight, and the brand is the only way they can identify each other.

In Reavers of Harkenwold, the Fell Court are trying to gain favor with the Iron Circle by showing their worth as a network of spies. They believe they have the advantage because they are familiar with the local area, and they share a common ground with the Circle. The Circle, however, does not seem interested and have largely ignored the Court's requests for an audience. The leaders of the Fell Court are perplexed by their rebuff and continue to strive for their attention. Here's what they don't know:

Years before the invasion of Harkenwold, the Iron Circle sent agents into the region to sow fear, discontent, and otherwise weaken the Vale before their approach. These agents were not part of the Iron Circle, but a cult of fanatic worshipers of Asmodeus known as the Ashmadai. Their efforts were effective, creating a new sect of the cult located within the very heart of the region. Fact is that the Iron Circle has no need for another network of spies because they already have one. But they can't let the Fell Court know that.

Now comes the twist. As originally written for the Neverwinter campaign, the Ashmadai have been pressured to work for the Red Wizards of Thay. The Iron Circle, however, is supported by Asmodeus. This makes it far more likely that the Ashmadai go as willing accomplices in the service of their infernal master. That doesn't mean the Iron Circle didn't make promises it did not intend to keep. Or that the individual goals and ambitions were the same. And let's not forget the two factions within the cult seem to have opposing opinions on everything.

This is all a twisted, delicious web of politics, intrigue, and suspense emanating from all the villains, and none of it is even directed at the characters. At least, not yet. The characters will discover on their own that the villains are not always on the same side. If they defeat one, will they create a vacuum of power that gets filled by something worse? Will one faction help the characters remove their rivals, only to take its place instead? And how can they tell who is an enemy in Harkenwold when anyone can be a spy, a cultist, or worse?

So this book gives me not only two well-developed NPCs to cast as villains for the campaign, but four new monsters including two level-appropriate devils:

• Branded Zealot (level 4 Brute)
• Hellfire Warlock (level 4 Artillery)
• Fimbrul Devil (level 5 Controller)
• Seared Devil (level 3 Soldier)

Better than that, the section gives a list of monsters from multiple 4e sources that would make appropriate Ashmadai Encounters. Most of the monsters have already been listed in this post, and it pointed me towards the Fell Court. The list goes all the way up to level 10 (Chained Cambion), which would probably be the highest creature I'd use for this module, sparingly and cautiously.

This gives me sufficient ammunition to plot out, populate, and build a meaty campaign for levels 1-5. But there's one thing left before I move on to the next post for this thread...

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Part V: Planning Ahead for Gardmore Abbey
Madness at Gardmore Abbey

As I mentioned before, I want to transition Reavers of Harkenwold smoothly and seamlessly into Madness at Gardmore Abbey. So before I start working on other areas of this adventure, I will take a look ahead for seeds I can begin to plant. The players will need to find plot hooks and bits of information that will provide hints and ideas for what is to come. I'm not looking for a lot of details or specifics at this time. Just enough foreshadowing to pique their interests, nudging them in the right direction.

Madness at Gardmore Abbey is loaded with quests and plot hooks. Many of them tie directly to events and non-player characters from both the setting and previous adventures in the D&D Essentials line. However, none of the quests require that the players actually participated in any of those adventures. DMs are given leeway to incorporate or embellish details as they see fit. Fortunately for me, one of the quest-givers is already a member of the Iron Circle:

Alira Vond, a merchant from the distant south, is secretly a member of the Iron Circle. This powerful group of evil mercenaries worships Asmodeus and fights alongside various devils. Alira Vond hides her connection to this sinister group, presenting her mission as something far more innocuous.

The majority of quests in this adventure are pretty simple. In this one, Alira asks the party to find two "ancient family heirlooms" inside Gardmore Abbey, and return them to her for a reward. She doesn't tell the characters that the items, an amethyst dagger and an adamantine rod, are actually "relics from the Infernal Bastion, sacred to Asmodeus and infused with evil power." But the adventure gives us no other details about the items or the role of the Alira.

Alira plays no further role in this adventure, but she might appear again-particularly if your campaign involves the Iron Circle later on. The adventurers might never discover the true nature of the items they recover on Alira's behalf, or they might encounter them again, wielded by powerful agents of the Iron Circle.

I don't know what will happen after Gardmore Abbey in my campaign. That's too far ahead for me to be thinking at this point. But finding "sacred relics infused with evil power" would be of great interest to anyone affiliated with Asmodeus, like the Iron Circle. And the Fell Court. And the Ashmadai. This is just too good to ignore.

So now I have my first link to Gardmore Abbey, and a potential plot point that I can use in this adventure. The relics themselves won't make an appearance in this part of the campaign. I need them to sit in the Abbey until it is time for the adventurers to go there. But discovering their location (and their existence in the campaign) could be an interesting twist for this adventure. It has the potential to be an interesting, effective plot device that can deepen the rift within the Iron Circle and the Ashmadai, and potentially shift the balance of power in Harkenwold. And, it will most likely turn into the catalyst for some major events to come. I'll leave it at that for now.

But there's one more hook I can include. And it's a big one.

Madness at Gardmore Abbey is built around the assumption that the characters start the adventure with one card from the Deck of Many Things. The book goes on, offering advice about how to weave one of the multitude of adventure hooks into your own campaign, moving the party smoothly into that adventure. The book also suggests a number of alternatives, including sending the party into the Abbey for reasons that have nothing to do with the Deck, and then having them find a card in the first encounter. I'm about to do one better:

Nazin Redthorn, the brigand captain tasked with seizing Harkenwold, possesses one of the cards from the Deck.

This not only makes Redthorn a more interesting nemesis for the party, but it also suggests a better explanation as to how he suddenly gained control of the region so easily. The power of the card itself may not be so great; it just needed to be enough to give Redthorn an advantage. When the party faces him in the final chapter, the card is going to make things more interesting during a fight. Best of all, it won't be found lying somewhere like a worthless trinket.

Once the characters obtain the card through their inevitable victory, they will immediately become aware that it is only one of a set. The Deck will compel them to find the others and make it whole, promising everything to get the party motivated. The characters may want to learn more about the artifact before deciding their next course of action. But from here on out, the road to Gardmore Abbey should become apparent.

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

its been a while since I've been that thrilled to read a thread on this forum! Great work!

 

[pukunui]

@Jacob Lewis: Not sure if you're aware, but the 4e era online Dungeon mags had a "Nerathi Legends" series that expanded on stuff outside Nentir Vale. In issue 402, there's one on the Citadel of Iron's Grasp, which is billed as the seat of the Iron Circle. The article is only 6 pages long, but it might have something useful in it for you, if you haven't already looked at it. (My apologies if you have.)

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

If you consider the game board of Conquest of Nerath, the Iron Circle holds a big part of the south-western continent (they were one of the playable ''faction''), with the Citadel of Iron Grasp being very close to the Serpentus Rift, which is (IIRC) the seat of the Arkhosian power back when they were at war with Bael-Turath.

Soooo...maybe the Circle's mercenaries could even have dragonborn turncoats and sellswords!

Which could cause problem for the leaders of the Circle, if they want to strike a deal with the Fellcourt while having possible Arkhosian descendant in their ranks.

...the possibilities, oh my!

 

[Jacob Lewis]

Not sure if you're aware, but the 4e era online Dungeon mags had a "Nerathi Legends" series that expanded on stuff outside Nentir Vale. <snip> (My apologies if you have.)

I'm aware, but others reading this thread might not be. No need to apologize.

Regardless, it's more than I need to run Reavers of Harkenwold. Thanks.