You push the mounts hard on the well-maintained highway. The terrain grows increasingly rugged, and the foothills of the Icetops begin to become more prominent, but the road itself is smooth and straight, and you reach the edge of Irontown by late evening.
Unlike most walled cities in Khorvaire, which feature sprawling farming, industry and villages beyond their edges, the country leading up to Irontown is largely devoid of civilized activity, other than the occasional placer mine or roadhouse. The town's stern stone walls loom tall, the land edging them scrupulously cleared of brush and buildings even now as it would be during wartime. You note that rather than using Lake Dark as a natural barrier and incorporating it into the town's defenses, the encircling wall separates Irontown from the waters. A curious choice, given the expense and difficulty of building and maintaining such a barrier, when nature could do the work for the defenders. Mists from the lake lick against the wall in the deepening gloom of the falling night.
Despite the forbidding exterior and surroundings, the highway gate is thrown wide open, lit by welcoming torches. Bored-looking national soldiers man guard points and local militia weave among the trickle of entrants, keeping traffic orderly and chatting with drovers about travel conditions, but no one moves to stop or question you as your steeds wearily work their way into the town - it is peacetime, after all, and your appearances are nothing to excite consternation.
Your immediate impression of the town once inside is one of somber order. You hear the faint clank and rumble of industry, but the forges appear largely quiet at this hour, and with deliveries largely done for the day, the streets are open and easily passable. Modest stone buildings, most two or three stories, tidily line the streets, the warm glow of lamps showing through curtained windows - you take as a sign of prosperity that most of them sport glass panes, not wooden shutters or oilcloth. The friendly smell of woodsmoke reminds you of the prospect of a comfortable hearth and a warm dinner. The occasional clusters of Karrn pedestrians, in thick wools and furs, bustle along the sidewalks, going visiting, making for neighborhood taverns, or heading home for the night. You do notice that few seem to be walking about alone.
[All right, friends! What's next for your group? What are you looking to do here in Irontown? Are you looking for lodging? Are they any points of interest you are keeping an eye out for? Are those of you who are comfortable in darkness going to continue your explorations overnight? Let me know! Throwing in a Streetwise check has the potential to get you more detailed leads as well.]