This one-shot was played in October 2023. It focused on a group of characters sent to liberate the city of Brill from the cultists that had taken it over in the name of the 'Iron Logic' of Førland, "Might makes right, and only the strongest survive."
They ended up dealing with the archfiend Gol'roth, the Celebrant of Corruption, and his blessed cultist Ulfhildr the Iron-Hearted.
The characters hired by Count Edvard Aurgelsen were:
Vali Vagnsgard - F Astral Elf Stars Druid (Vijay)
Bryce Vuhsen - NB Tiefling (Theratis) Arcane Trickster Rogue (Arya)
Grunk the Smasher - M Orc Beast Barbarian (Jouweria)
Gokir Myrkrdatter - F Duergar Forgewright Alt. Artificer (Aaron)
Solvor Orrindottir - F Silver Dragonborn Ascendant Dragon Monk (Suneha)
Famous warlord Ulfhildr seemingly came back to life after being supposedly slain by Duke Gabryel von Gothwyn a year or so prior. Conscripting many bitter veterans and unemployed soldiers using post-war dissatisfaction, she formed an impressive army and began to take village after village before marching on and taking over Brill and turning it into a stronghold. Using the blessing of the Iron Heart, she seemed to be able to regenerate from all mortal wounds and bring back the fallen as Shadow creatures. Reports of this army eventually reached Count Edvard of House Aurgelsen who was heavily involved in post-war reparations alongside his friend, Bryce Vuhsen. He called forth any and all willing soldiers, official or otherwise, to the city of Kystby and unify them to bring an end to Ulfhildr’s warband before another war may take root. Vali Vagnsgard - a starseer druid, Grunk the Smasher - a former war veteran and Solvor Orrindottir - resident monk of Brill were three such volunteers who decided to join this army but got delayed by a snowstorm. Despite their late arrival, Edvard provided them with support - asking his own celebrity blacksmith Gokir Myrkdatter to bolster their force and send them as back up. Bryce suggested that he ought to join this force too and did so with Edvard’s approval.
After a difficult bit of travel, the party came across many razed villages and settlements - work of Ulfhildr’s warband. As they entered the city outskirts, they saw people fleeing. The outer section of the city seemed to be in battle - forces of Krydsvej led by the Knight Captain Desmond, against the forces of the warband led by Freyja, a general of Ulfhildr. The party intervened and aided Desmond in defeating the forces here, but not before Ulfhildr and her generals were able to extract Freyja away. Amidst this exchange, Bryce recognized Halvar, one of her generals, as the same man who killed his parents in a prior conflict and sweared vengeance. The party came face to face with her and understood her ideologies as well as seeing how the Iron Heart works first hand as she raised the fallen of the battle as these Shadow beings. Following a tough fight, the party discussed how to proceed. They decided to appeal to Ulfhildr’s lust for battle and promised to duel her. If she lost, her warband would depart and if the party lost, they would submit to her. At the end of this duel, they would attempt to destroy her ‘iron heart’.
Ulfhildr agreed to the duel. Alongside her generals - Eskel, Halvar and Freyja - she faced off against the party. A grueling fight took place, but the party prevailed. They also managed to turn Freyja to their side. Finally, they were about to destroy the heart from Ulfhildr’s body but not before the source of the Iron Heart religion appeared before them. Gol’roth, the Celebrant of Corruption - an archdevil who feeds off conflict and death. He was the one who blessed Ulfhildr and also the being that is inadvertently worshiped by followers of the Iron Logic. He expressed his frustration at the party foiling his plans and turned all of Ulfhildr’s followers into Shadow monsters, and the heart itself turned into a gigantic Shadow monster itself. The party defeated this monster while Desmond and Freyja bought them time. This resulted in all those corrupted by the heart to become freed, thus ending the threat of the Iron Heart.