Ironsworn RPG, session 0
Kori Morgan thanked the couple for the night’s shelter against the storm as he left. Rythane, his raven, was waiting for him outside, perched above a tall stack of split firewood. Kori looked east, into the Flooded Lands that bore out before him, further than he’s ever been. The breeze did not keep away the smell of rot. He wondered if he should have taken them up on their offer of breakfast before he came out, as his appetite suddenly left him. Kori’s thoughts were interrupted by the pained scream of a woman. The people working outside jumped, looking in his direction. Children were ushered into the nearest houses, some shrieking for dolls that were left behind. Kori looked to Rythane before she startled the people again, and asked “What happened? Show me.”
I’m going to try and play Ironsworn (plus expansion Delve) solo for a little bit and see how I like it.
Blue text is my thoughts or commentary
Red text is backfilled, added after the fact some time in the future, and was not present when originally written
In the future, rules text will be mostly in spoiler tags, to keep the over text mostly narrative focused I think? These are just the rulesy stuff that had to be done to start the game. There are some more narrative blurbs near the bottom here. I’ll explain rules as needed in the spoiler tags when the game is actually played? maybe?
Truths of my version of the Ironlands:
- Each of these had three options, I picked one.
The Old World
The Old World could no longer sustain us. We were too large in number. We had felled the forests. Our crops withered in the barren ground. The cities and villages overflowed with desperate, hungry people. Petty kings battled for scraps. We cast our fate to the sea and found the Ironlands. A new world. A fresh start.
Iron
The weather is bleak. Rain and wind sweep in from the ocean. The winters are long and bitter. One of the first settlers complained, “Only those made of iron dare live in this foul place” – and thus our land was named.
Legacies
Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands.
Communities
We live in communities called circles. These are settlements ranging in size from a steading with a few families to a village of several hundred. Some circles belong to nomadic folk. Some powerful circles might include a cluster of settlements. We trade (and sometimes feud) with other circles.
Leaders
Leadership is as varied as the people. Some communities are governed by the head of a powerful family. Or, they have a council of elders who make decisions and settle disputes. In others, the priests hold sway. For some, it is duels in the circle that decide.
Defense
The wardens are our soldiers, guards, and militia. They serve their communities by standing sentry, patrolling surrounding lands, and organizing defenses in times of crisis. Most have strong ties to their community. Others, called free wardens, are wandering mercenaries who hire on to serve a community or protect caravans.
Mysticism
Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted.
Religion
The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
Firstborn
The firstborn hold sway in the Ironlands. The elves of the deep forests and the giants of the hills tolerate us and even trade with us—for now. Ironlanders fear the day they decide we are no longer welcome here.
Beasts
Beasts of all sorts roam the Ironlands. They dwell primarily in the reaches, but range into the settled lands to hunt. There, they often prey on cattle, but attacks on travelers, caravans, or even settlements are not uncommon.
Horrors
The dead do not rest in the Ironlands. At night we light torches, scatter salt, and post sentries at the gate. It is not enough. They are coming. What? I don’t know, exciting
(Quest Starter: A group of Ironlanders establish a settlement in a territory cursed by a malevolent horror. What evil plagues this land? I’ll find out soon. Why are the Ironlanders so intent on settling here? I’m envisioning them being pushed here from poor soil / bad crops, and there’s actually good earth here. but could change. Will you aid them, or attempt to force them to give up this foolish undertaking? I think he’s a sap, so he’ll probably get involved and/or played, often)
Kori Morgan
3 Edge
1 Heart
1 Iron
2 Shadow
2 Wits
Bonds
- Kori remembers his home circle of Bleakfrost favorably. It was a close-knit village, and in his youth, he became a proficient hunter, and provider and protector for the community. Eventually, his wanderlust got the best of him, but he will be remembered there.
- Elstan and Kori grew up together, and were born under the same moon. Their parents did not get along with each other in circle politics, which made the trouble they often got into more complicated, but they could not be pried apart. They left Bleakfrost together to see more of the world after they came of age. They traveled together for some time, until he was caught by a beautiful woman, Owena. Together they hold a respected station in a small cluster of homes by the side of a mighty river. This cluster is only one representative of many in the larger circle of Greenstead. Their bonds are forged strong with a thousand hammer strikes. They hold unspoken debts to each other.
- ????? – third, undetermined bond. I can’t think of anything yet and will backfill later.
Assets
- Companion: Raven, Sly – When you Secure an Advantage or Face Danger, Roll +Shadow using your raven to perform trickery (such as creating a distraction or stealing a small object) add +1 and take +1 momentum on hit. I like birds, this seems fun.
- Path: Sighted – When you Face Danger or Gather Information to identify or detect mystic forces, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit. I like the idea of playing around with magic and mysticism but didn’t want to start there, this is going to serve as an introduction to that, with a connection to the mystical.
- Combat Talent: Skirmisher – When you Face Danger by holding a foe at bay using your spear’s reach, Roll +iron or Roll +edge. if you score a hit, you may [iron] Strike (if you have initiative) or Clash now, and add +1, or [edge] take +1 momentum. Recently caught up with the Stormlight Archives series, wanted to use a spear, but exceptionally.
Equipment
Simple travel gear, some well-worn leathers for armor, as he prefers to move quickly and quietly. A lightweight buckler strapped to his bag, a knife for woodcarving, and a well-kept spear with a sharp bone head.
Background vow
End the nightmares: Extreme – I don’t know what I’m doing yet, let’s take the lesser of the two options
Kori has a connection to the spiritual realm, which he barely understands. He has occasionally had recurring nightmares his whole life. He believes these two things to be connected. Lately the nightmares are getting worse: brutal, debilitating. He must seek out a mystic to learn more about himself, and maybe sleep without fear again.
Kori has traveled with Rythane the raven for around a year. It followed him for a time before that. Kori had no qualms with sharing extra scraps of game with it. There was a fierce wit in its eyes, and Kori decided to try training it. Rythane was sharper than Kori expected, and she was eager for more bits of dried meats. Rythane has a vocabulary of a few dozen words, gathered from several different voices in a curious number of accents. She also knows an undetermined number of sounds from animals and beasts and other things that wander the Ironlands, natural, and unnatural.