Iron Heroes: Fortunes of War Episode 1

Romance of the Three Kingdoms totally needed samuraiThe Great Empire is in turmoil. The western provinces rebel and foreign kingdoms make trouble along the borders. General Xin, a renowned tactician, was charged with suppressing a rebellion in Jing Province, the farthest and wildest province of the twelve. Xin was forced to recruit mercenaries, who were common in Jing province, as it was the center of trade between the Empire and many other foreign kingdoms. A horde of the Warriors of the Grey Sky used the rebellion to launch their own invasion of the Great Empire and routed both Xin’s army and the rebellion.

The last rebel officer alive, a man named Sheng, did not want to see the Great Empire fall to the horde so he told a few remaining mercenaries of a secret exit out of the valley, on the condition that they warn the Great Empire. Sheng made each mercenary swear a blood oath to each other to keep each other alive in order to make sure the normally selfish mercenaries would work as a team.  In order to keep the horde from killing them, the mercenaries posed as merchants. A few weeks later, they arrived at the capital and dutifully told the army of the horde.

The nobles and bureaucrats of the Great Empire do not like hearing bad news, especially from mercenaries. Furthermore, the court soothsayers declared Xin and all who served under him as cursed. No army would take the mercenaries now, even General Tzu’s new army, which is tasked with defeating the Grey Sky Horde.  This tale concerns the fate of Xin’s Crows – the cursed remnants of his army.  Their only chance of fulfilling their destinies is to become traveling merchants, selling to Tzu’s army.  So begins the saga of a group of foreign warriors who would change the fate of the Great Empire forever.

Read more about the campaign on the RPPR forums.

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12 Comments

  1. So this is finally up for everyone.

  2. heyyy, I was just relistening to this one today on an endless train ride! PENDANTS AVAILABLE IN THE LOBBY. classic.

  3. Finally! 😀

    Really liked the role-playing and combat in this one. Especially Vo.

  4. See, this is why Ross is a genius. Because he managed to sum up China so well in RPG terms.

    Also, love how Caleb is going to own the rest of the party.

  5. Does Aaron die?

  6. I am so looking forward to the other episodes of the series
    Cause it was a decent start but I want more in the great out somewhere

  7. Been chomping at the bit to listen to the rest of these since the last kickstarter ended. This is gonna be a great campaign. Great characters, awesome setting, woo!

  8. Finally, an RPPR campaign I can listen to from the beginning in ‘real time’ 🙂 I’m downloading this now… looking forward to seeing how it goes!

  9. Just started but Caleb’s line “I am a woman of the valley and my spear is strong” caused me to chuckle and then think, “Phrasing!”

  10. This campaign had me as soon as I realized that Xin and Qin weren’t gonna be pronounced as “Zin” and “Kwin” 🙂 Enjoyed all of Ep.1 and downloading the second; this is gonna be fun. (For me, at least.)

  11. Lots of neat stuff in this one. I dig the low-magic PCs and the Chinese inspired setting. I am looking forward to seeing the character arcs, especially given Vo’s matriarchal background.

    Sadly I can relate to making a convoluted plan only to have the players’ dice come up “1” or the NPC’s roll that perfect 20. Or both.

    I’m not super familiar with Reign, but I am surprised by the choice to give each player/character their own company. I thought the default was that they were all part of the same one?

  12. Really enjoying the first episode in Iron Heroes! Thanks RPPR!

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