Lord of the Iron Fortress (2002) is a 48-page adventure module written for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition by Andy Collins. It is intended for 15th-level characters.
It is the seventh work in a series of eight linked modules unofficially referred to as the Sunless Citadel adventure path. It consists of The Sunless Citadel (2000), The Forge of Fury (2000), The Speaker in Dreams (2001), The Standing Stone (2001), Heart of Nightfang Spire (2001), Deep Horizon (2001), Lord of the Iron Fortress (2002), and Bastion of Broken Souls (2002).
- Spoiler alert: The following article contains spoilers for a Dungeons & Dragons product.
Plot
Background
In an ancient age, a powerful efreet wielded the powerful Blade of Fiery Might until a band of heroes destroyed the artifact and shattered its parts across the multiverse.
Now, the half-dragon warlord Imperagon is reforging the weapon in the Iron Fortress of Zandikar on the Infernal Battlefield of Acheron. He has enslaved the spirits of the finest smiths in the multiverse to complete his project, and his plans may be only weeks or days from completion.
Synopsis
The player characters stumble upon clues leading them to Imperagon's plot, and head the planar city of Rigus. From there, a portal leads to the plane of Acheron. On this plane lies Kolyoral, the Lost Cube, and home to Imperagon's fortress, guarded by iron golems and steel predator constructs. Within, enslaved forgemasters are forced to work on the Blade. Unless they can defeat Imperagon, the warlord will become a force to be reckoned with across the planes.
Development and release
Lord of the Iron Fortress was written by Andy Collins, with art by Todd Lockwood, David Day and Wayne Reynolds.
It was released as a 48-page paperback in January 2002, for the price of US$9.95, or $13.95 Canadian. Wizards of the Coast made note of the fact that this book was 50% larger than earlier books in the series, while selling for the same price.[1]
On January 22, 2013, Lord of the Iron Fortress was given a digital re-release at DriveThruRPG, and as of November 2020 was rated an electrum best seller at the site.
Reception and influence
Influence on other works
Lord of the Iron Fortress is the seventh in a series of eight adventure modules: The Sunless Citadel (2000), The Forge of Fury (2000), The Speaker in Dreams (2001), The Standing Stone (2001), Heart of Nightfang Spire (2001), Deep Horizon (2001), Lord of the Iron Fortress (2002), and Bastion of Broken Souls (2002). The concept of a series of linked adventure modules taking a character from level 1 to 20 would be come to be known as an "adventure path", a term first used by James Wyatt to describe this series in an interview in Dragon #281 (Mar 2001). Dungeon Magazine went on to publish its own adventure paths beginning in Dungeon #97 (Mar/Apr 2003). Following Dungeon's closure in 2007, adventure paths formed a core feature of Paizo Publishing's Pathfinder product line, which at one point surpassed Dungeons & Dragons in sales.
The high-level planar adventure module The Iron Satyr, Dungeon #108 (Mar 2004), recommends using Lord of the Iron Fortress as a sequel.
The Blade of Fiery Might later appeared in Arms and Equipment Guide (3e) (2003).
Critical reception
Lord of the Iron Fortress won the 2002 ENnie Award for Best Art (Cover).[2]
Kevin Kulp praised this module's NPC and monster design, as well as the layout of the dungeon. He noted that the module includes several pages advising the DM on how to handle high-level divination spells, and suggested that it would make an excellent jumping-off point to further planar adventures. However, he was disappointed that, despite allowing players to visit the Great Wheel, it lacked the unique flavor of 1990s Planescape sourcebooks.[1]
Links
- Lord of the Iron Fortress (3e) on Dungeon Masters Guild
- Lord of the Iron Fortress (3e) on DriveThruRPG
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lord of the Iron Fortress (3e), Dungeon Masters Guild.
- ↑ 2002 Noms and Winners. ENnie Awards. Archived May 30, 2019.
| Sunless Citadel series |
|---|
| The Sunless Citadel • The Forge of Fury • The Speaker in Dreams • The Standing Stone • Heart of Nightfang Spire • Deep Horizon • Lord of the Iron Fortress • Bastion of Broken Souls |
| Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 |
|---|
| Core rules |
| Player's Handbook • Dungeon Master's Guide • Monster Manual • Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Game |
| Supplements |
| Arms and Equipment Guide • Book of Challenges • Book of Vile Darkness • Defenders of the Faith • Deities and Demigods • Enemies and Allies • Epic Level Handbook • Fiend Folio • Ghostwalk • Hero Builder's Guidebook • Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (Dungeons & Dragons Gazetteer) • Manual of the Planes • Masters of the Wild • Monster Manual II • Oriental Adventures • Psionics Handbook • Savage Species • Song and Silence • Stronghold Builder's Guidebook • Sword and Fist • Tome and Blood |
| Adventures |
| The Sunless Citadel • The Forge of Fury • The Fright at Tristor • The Speaker in Dreams • The Standing Stone • Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil • Heart of Nightfang Spire • Deep Horizon • Lord of the Iron Fortress • Bastion of Broken Souls • City of the Spider Queen |
