Cold Iron Blackmarsh Adventures

This campaign is set in Robert Conley's Blackmarsh setting (part of The Majestic Fantasy Realms) using the Cold Iron Blackmarsh Adventures system.

What is Cold Iron? Cold Iron is an old school (circa 1980) skill based RPG designed by Mark Christiansen. Cold Iron Blackmarsh Adventures is my extension of the game as I play it. The system is inspired by RuneQuest and The Fantasy Trip.

What characters, and in fact all creatures, can do in Cold Iron are defined by the levels in their category skills which function as super skills. A character’s Fighter Level determines how well they do in combat. A character skill with spellcasting is defined by their Magic-User Level. For capabilities outside of combat or spellcasting, the character’s skill is defined by their Expertise Level. As character level in each category skill they become more capable in these three areas.

Note that Magic User level is used for all spellcasting regardless if a character is a mage, priest, or cleric. Magic is a force that exists independently of culture and religion and can be learned by anyone with time and the right resources. In addition anybody that is not a spell caster but has exposure to magic has a Passive Magic Level.

The mechanics of Cold Iron have several unique features:

• An open ended dice mechanic that uses normal distribution (bell curve).
• Magic point regeneration that can be leveraged to maintain spells indefinitely.
• A magic item system where most magic items are powered by the user’s magic points. This also includes magic items used by non spell-casters.
• Every NPC and creature has their abilities defined by the classes.
• Healing is limited to the character’s Full Hit Points in one day.

Some additional features that stand out:

• Creatures have the same attributes as characters. The square cube law is followed for the strength of large creatures.
• Magic items are easily purchased at magic shops in larger towns and cities. A price list for common items is included in this book and a supplemental booklet lists are larger number of magic items.
• All magic items except cast a spell from the spell list.
• The most accessible magic items are single use (potions) or limited use “charged” items.
• The way magic items work in the system allows for a treasure economy where adventurers seek out treasure which they use to improve their capabilities for the next adventures by using the treasure or trading it in to acquire magic items useful to their specific needs including replacing spent items.
• Magic Users are not limited in armor and weapon usage.

Cold Iron is an old school game. Combat can be deadly but good tactics can turn a battle. Death is permanent, but there is a possibility of saving all but the most critically injured from death. The open ended combat resolution means a lowly goblin might slay a mighty champion with a single blow though that is highly unlikely. With a better matched opponent, this is more likely, but still a far out probability if you are not surrounded.

This campaign well suited to role playing characters who seek adventure, however, with the Expertise class and skills, other types of campaign are possible. This ruleset is well suited to the “trash the setting” ideal of play that Robert S. Conley advocates where players may role play their characters doing anything that is possible within the setting.

The GM advice includes determining random encounters, setting up an encounter, making rulings, awarding experience, and setting up adventure locations. While Cold Iron Blackmarsh Adventures is offered as a complete game, GMs and players may find areas, such as trade, not covered by these rules. New rules can be created following the style of these rules, or other rule sets could be consulted for inspiration or outright adoption of rules.

Here's more information on Cold Iron:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nyOzdxP8VZV2oSyKnxnS160WBRpC1Cd9fNfn2Va9VAI/edit?usp=sharing