Interest Check: Ironsworn

[Smith]

In the Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands. You will explore untracked wilds, fight desperate battles, forge bonds with isolated communities, and reveal the secrets of this harsh land.

Are you ready to swear iron vows and see them fulfilled—no matter the cost?

THREE WAYS TO PLAY

• Guided: One or more players take the role of their characters, while a gamemaster (GM) moderates the session.
• Co-Op: You and one or more friends play together to overcome challenges and complete quests. No GM required.
• Solo: You portray a lone character driven to fulfill vows in a dangerous world. Good luck!

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Quest-driven mechanics and fast, flexible character creation
• Story hooks and creative prompts to eliminate game prep and push your adventures forward—with or without a GM
• A setting guide for the Ironlands, a rugged and treacherous peninsula at the edge of the known world
• Inspiring tools to customize your setting and fine-tune your gameplay experience
• Extensive advice, examples, and options for exploring the story of your characters and their fateful vows

THE SETTING

The default setting for your adventures is the Ironlands. It is a rugged peninsula of isolated communities and untracked wilds on the frontier of the known world. For now, here’s a summary of some default assumptions.

• Two generations ago, your people were driven to the Ironlands from their former homes in the Old World.
• The weather here is harsh. Winters are brutal. The rugged terrain makes travel and trade difficult and dangerous.
• There are no thriving cities. Instead, Ironlanders live in isolated villages or steadings. Their homes are modest buildings of wood, stone, and thatch.
• Many areas of the Ironlands are unexplored and uninhabited except by the firstborn—beings such as elves, giants, and the wolf-like varou.
• Coins have little value here. Most commerce is made through barter and favors
• Some communities remain isolated and independent, while others trade in basic goods such as iron, grain, wood, livestock, wool, and coal.
• There is a diverse mix of peoples and cultures within the Ironlands, even within a single community. You can envision your character and those you interact with however you like, unbound by considerations of geography, lineage, sexual orientation, and gender.
• Communities sometimes band together under a powerful leader, but there are no kingdoms. Territorial lines are sketchily drawn, if at all.
• Large-scale warfare is unheard of, but raiding parties and skirmishes between communities are a constant menace. Some communities subsist entirely on raiding.
• Spear, axe, shield, and bow are the dominant weapons. Swords are rare and highly prized. Some warriors choose to wade into battle clad in iron, while others trust in their prowess or in the strength of their shields.
• Magic is subtle and mysterious. Mystics seek to ward away the darkness through the practice of magic, but often succumb to it. Rituals are performed as blessings and to gain insight.
• Supernatural creatures and beasts are rare, frightening, and dangerous.

You are encouraged to make Ironsworn your own, and to bend the setting to your liking. Your version of the Ironlands will be unique because you’ll define aspects such as the history of your people, magic, mythic beasts, and more. The choices you make will help inspire the personal vows driving your character.

DriveThruRPG Link - the PDF is free!

TL;DR a mythical, iron-age inspired Scandinavian island/continent with a beleaguered peoples struggle to survive. Amidst them, the player characters are adventurers of some kind who swear vows and are honour-bound to complete them.

It's based on PBtA so I believe it might work well for PbP formatting, especially so if we only have a few interested and take the 'Co-op' route, giving much more player agency to each individual based on their roles.

I have never played this myself, so it might create an onus on each individual to read up a fair amount on the system. I am interested in playing this co-op with my wife, though, so I am likely to become more proficient in the coming weeks, assuming I can get my printer working.

 

[Séadna]

I'd be up for it.

 

[Séadna]

Bought it there now. I'll read it over the next day or two.

 

[Voros]

I'd be interested but have a number of games on right now. If one finishes up or falls apart I'll let you know.

 

[Silverlion]

I'm interested. Straight up. Mostly because I've heard great things, and had the PDF's for a while.

 

[Smith]

With three, possibly four interested I think that's more than enough.

Séadna Silverlion would you prefer we do the world creation first, or create characters first? I'm leaning towards world out of personal preference.

 

[Séadna]

World sounds kind of cool to do first. Not typical RPG fare so I'll give it a go.

 

[Smith]

I think once we come to an agreement on world and characters I could create an OOC thread to collate it all in one place, but here's some choice bits from the book (starting on page 111):

WELCOME TO THE IRONLANDS
The Ironlands is a vast peninsula in the northern ocean. The people who now refer to themselves as Ironlanders settled here two generations ago, cast out of their homelands by a catastrophic event. Since that time, they have survived but not prospered. The Ironlands are a harsh, dangerous place. The winters are long and brutal. Harvests are uncertain. Depending on the choices you make as you create your version of the Ironlands, monstrous beasts and dreaded horrors may be a constant threat.

(each area has a deeper breakdown in the book but you can read up on it yourself!)


YOUR TRUTHS
For each category in this section, choose one of the three options and make it true for your version of the Ironlands. Your choices set the background and tone of your campaign, and may inspire vows through the quest starters listed with each option.

Not happy with any of the choices? You can also make your own truth.

Some choices in one category may contradict a choice you make in another, but you’re free to bend and twist these options to fit your unique version of the Ironlands. If you find a particular choice to be evocative or interesting, make it work in the setting implied by your other choices. You can even select multiple choices within a single category. There are no rules here. Seeming contradictions can be the foundation of interesting stories.

Your choices may impact your characters and the assets you might reasonably select. For example, if magic is rare or unknown in your world, rituals can be ignored or themed in such a way as to make them more about superstition and subtlety.

Don’t get mired in building the detail of your setting before you start playing. Leave room for inspiration and surprises. As you play, fill in the blanks to further deepen your narrative and world. You may even discover that some of the choices you make here—which reflect the common knowledge of the people—aren’t the actual truth after all.

Onto the questions: (There are some choices they provide, otherwise we are free to bend the existing ones or come up with our own.)


THE OLD WORLD

1. The savage clans called the Skulde invaded the kingdoms of the Old World. Our armies fell. Most were killed or taken into slavery. Those who escaped set sail aboard anything that would float. After an arduous months-long voyage, the survivors made landfall upon the Ironlands.
2. The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However, the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures—tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind.
3. 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

1. The imposing hills and mountains of the Ironlands are rich in iron ore. Most prized of all is the star-forged black iron.
2. 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.
3. Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.

LEGACIES

1. We are the first humans to walk these lands.
2. Other humans sailed here from the Old World untold years ago, but all that is left of them is a savage, feral people we call the broken. Is their fate to become our own?
3. Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands.

COMMUNITIES

1. We are few in number in this accursed land. Most rarely have contact with anyone outside our own small steading or village, and strangers are viewed with deep suspicion.
2. 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.
3. We have forged the Ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed.

LEADERS

1. 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.
2. Each of our communities has its own leader, called an overseer. Every seventh spring, the people affirm their current overseer or choose a new one. Some overseers wear the iron circlet reluctantly, while others thirst for power and gain it through schemes or threats.
3. Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing.

DEFENSE

1. Here in the Ironlands, supplies are too precious, and the lands are too sparsely populated, to support organized fighting forces. When a community is threatened, the people stand together to protect their own.
2. 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.
3. Our warbands are rallied to strike at our enemies or defend our holdings. Though not nearly as impressive as the armies that once marched across the Old World, these forces are as well-trained and equipped as their communities can manage. The banners of the warbands are adorned with depictions of their Old World history and Ironland victories.

MYSTICISM

1. Some still find comfort in the old ways. They call on mystics to divine the fortune of their newborn, or ask them to perform rituals to invoke a bountiful harvest. Others act out of fear against those who they suspect of having power. However, most folk believe true magic—if it ever existed—is lost to us now.
2. Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted.
3. Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it, and even the common folk often know a helpful ritual or two.

RELIGION

1. A few Ironlanders still make signs or mumble prayers out of habit or tradition, but most believe the gods long ago abandoned us.
2. The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
3. Our gods are many. They make themselves known through manifestations and miracles. Some say they even secretly walk among us. The priests convey the will of the gods and hold sway over many communities.

FIRSTBORN

1. The firstborn have passed into legend. Some say the remnants of the old tribes still dwell in deep forests or high mountains. Most believe they were never anything more than myth.
2. The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands.
3. 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

1. The beasts of old are nothing but legend. A few who travel into the deep forests and high mountains return with wild tales of monstrous creatures, but they are obviously delusional. No such things exist.
2. Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands.
3. 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

1. Nothing but stories to frighten children.
2. We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
3. 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.

 

[Smith]

THE OLD WORLD

1. The savage clans called the Skulde invaded the kingdoms of the Old World. Our armies fell. Most were killed or taken into slavery. Those who escaped set sail aboard anything that would float. After an arduous months-long voyage, the survivors made landfall upon the Ironlands.
2. The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However, the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures—tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind.
3. 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

1. The imposing hills and mountains of the Ironlands are rich in iron ore. Most prized of all is the star-forged black iron.
2. 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.
3. Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.

LEGACIES

1. We are the first humans to walk these lands.
2. Other humans sailed here from the Old World untold years ago, but all that is left of them is a savage, feral people we call the broken. Is their fate to become our own?
3. Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands.

COMMUNITIES

1. We are few in number in this accursed land. Most rarely have contact with anyone outside our own small steading or village, and strangers are viewed with deep suspicion.
2. 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.
3. We have forged the Ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed.

LEADERS

1. 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.
2. Each of our communities has its own leader, called an overseer. Every seventh spring, the people affirm their current overseer or choose a new one. Some overseers wear the iron circlet reluctantly, while others thirst for power and gain it through schemes or threats.
3. Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing.

DEFENSE

1. Here in the Ironlands, supplies are too precious, and the lands are too sparsely populated, to support organized fighting forces. When a community is threatened, the people stand together to protect their own.
2. 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.
3. Our warbands are rallied to strike at our enemies or defend our holdings. Though not nearly as impressive as the armies that once marched across the Old World, these forces are as well-trained and equipped as their communities can manage. The banners of the warbands are adorned with depictions of their Old World history and Ironland victories.

MYSTICISM

1. Some still find comfort in the old ways. They call on mystics to divine the fortune of their newborn, or ask them to perform rituals to invoke a bountiful harvest. Others act out of fear against those who they suspect of having power. However, most folk believe true magic—if it ever existed—is lost to us now.
2. Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted.
3. Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it, and even the common folk often know a helpful ritual or two.

RELIGION

1. A few Ironlanders still make signs or mumble prayers out of habit or tradition, but most believe the gods long ago abandoned us.
2. The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
3. Our gods are many. They make themselves known through manifestations and miracles. Some say they even secretly walk among us. The priests convey the will of the gods and hold sway over many communities.

FIRSTBORN

1. The firstborn have passed into legend. Some say the remnants of the old tribes still dwell in deep forests or high mountains. Most believe they were never anything more than myth.
2. The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands.
3. 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

1. The beasts of old are nothing but legend. A few who travel into the deep forests and high mountains return with wild tales of monstrous creatures, but they are obviously delusional. No such things exist.
2. Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands.
3. 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

1. Nothing but stories to frighten children.
2. We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
3. 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.

THE OLD WORLD

I'm okay with any of these, I guess it depends on whether or not we want the 'hope' of ever returning to be part of the theme of the world. I think 1 or 2 adds an existential threat (what if the raiders follow us, what if the plague comes back) sorta stuff.

IRON

I like the idea of 2 purely as i'm from the British Isles so I fully resonate with the miserable, wet weather outlook x100.

LEGACIES

I like the idea of 3 - a sort of parallel to the real iron age's view of the Roman era, coming across the ruins of a civilisation that made this new land their home but mysteriously disappeared or fell apart slaughtering one another. But I could go with 1, too, and have this land be a new land for all.

COMMUNITIES

Either 1 or 2 speak to me as realistic after a couple generation's worth of settlers - longhouses and village walls made from the very ships that brought their families ashore, each small fleet happening to settle together and form their bonds/feuds that exist longer than the first settlers.

LEADERS

I could go with any of these three. 3 opens up a lot of political aspects, as each chief repeats the errors of the past world in their attempt to become 'king/queen' of our new lands, but 1 feels realistic for a broken people scattered amongst the continent.

DEFENSE

1 or 2 again feel fitting for a few generations in, with 2 opening up a lot of room for our character's position within the world - wandering 'witchers/mercenaries/adventurers' with an element of legitimacy in society. 3 would pair well with the idea of chiefs vying for power.

MYSTICISM

This, I have no strong feelings on - I lean more towards low-magical settings out of preference but I'd be happy for this to take place with heavy magic elements in this new land - maybe that's the only way we survive.

RELIGION

To me, this relies heavily on MYSTICISM as if magic exists, it would in turn prompt religious beliefs around how magic is imbued upon our peoples. Without magic, religion might be a fading aspect due to the harsh realities of our plight.

FIRSTBORN

This also depends to me on the level of setting we wish to pursue - I could any of the three ways depending on our approach to magic's existence. Maybe if there are ruins of civilisation, the firstborn are the original owners who wrought some terrible destruction into their path.

BEASTS

Again, same issue around setting level. I could any of the three ways depending on the grimdark/magical nature we wish for.

HORRORS

I think 1 or 2 suffice unless we want to go hard in on a grimdark, horror setting.

 

[Séadna]

Here are my choices. Didn't look at yours to be more neutral about it as separate ideas coming together might make something more interesting.

THE OLD WORLD
Hard to know. 1 and 2 are very post-apocalyptic in a sense. However the third implies a pretty massive society so that they could run out of resources. Something like they were magically advanced and draining the world or something similar. I think maybe 3, but we could flesh it out more.

IRON
2 and 3 together. 2 gives the right feel, but 3 links in with the choice below.

LEGACIES
3 I think. More possibilities.

COMMUNITIES
I like the harshness of 1. Very like actual Scandinavia of the time

LEADERS:
I think 1 would reflect the varied backgrounds of the peoples fleeing here and work with the COMMUNITIES answer

DEFENSE:
I think what I have said previously leads to 1, although some places may have organised something like 2

MYSTICISM:
No strong opinion here

RELIGION:
Again with people coming from different places I feel 2 works best

FIRSTBORN:
I think 2. They won't be present at the start, but they are there for later maybe

BEASTS:
2-3 would be my choice. Gives the setting a savage edge.

HORRORS:
Again 2, have them possibly there

 

[Séadna]

I think 1 or 2 suffice unless we want to go hard in on a grimdark, horror setting.

I had also picked 2, but something about that last part of your sentence now tempts me to 3! It's like playing beyond the Wall in Game of Thrones. Feels a bit like Slavic myth.

 

[Smith]

I had also picked 2, but something about that last part of your sentence now tempts me to 3! It's like playing beyond the Wall in Game of Thrones. Feels a bit like Slavic myth.

Haha, i'm down!

Each community is well walled to keep out the gribblies, and it would tie into the remoteness of each community - travelling is a dangerous act, reserved only for the brave/foolhardy wardens (maybe we can find a cool translation for warden to use as a title - Icalandic varðstjóri for example) - moving from settlement to settlement to deal with problems that the commonfolk are not equipped to deal with - especially so if regular beasts roam the land during even the day.

To tie into adding the 2 & 3 aspects of Iron - maybe some folk have a superstition that the presence of the metallic obelisks is what causes the dead to not rest in this land. Rumours that the precursor peoples who resided here and left their stone ruins tried to cheat death and were cursed by the gods of the land to roam the night endlessly.

 

[Silverlion]

THE OLD WORLD

Mine:
Terrible magic and necromancy spoiled the lands, our ancestors rebelled against the power that unleashed it but it became more than just magic vile folk used but the very land was soiled with decay and desolation of their powers.

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

Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing.

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, though old fears remain to those who deal with the dead. More than a few are outcast, or killed if they tamper close to those powers.

RELIGION
The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.

FIRSTBORN
The firstborn have passed into legend. Some say the remnants of the old tribes still dwell in deep forests or high mountains. Most believe they were never anything more than myth. Some believe they wielded great magical gifts, but few remnants have been found that identify who are what they were.

BEASTS

Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands. Even if we go low magic, I want to keep this as it means there are dangers out there.

HORRORS
We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.

 

[Séadna]

I think your choice for MYSTICISM sounds cool Silverlion .

In fact I think the only difference is the well armed and established settlements with vying rulers versus the isolated and fractured villages with various political systems.

 

[Silverlion]

I'm actually good either way. It was just my first instinct.

 

[Séadna]

I'm actually good either way. It was just my first instinct.

I actually don't mind either. Might have both.

 

[Smith]

I like the idea of magic being why we left in part due to corruption of our old world, and now it's a rarity that is often hidden, especially from strangers.

Maybe some folk are of the witch-huntin' type!

 

[Smith]

So, trying to collate some of our decisions (if there was dissent I either went with majority or merged ideas) into one (additions are in italics):

THE OLD WORLD

• Terrible magic and necromancy spoiled the lands, our ancestors rebelled against the power that unleashed it but it became more than just magic vile folk used - the very land was soiled with decay and desolation of their powers. 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.
• Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them. Some folk have a superstition that the presence of the metallic obelisks is what causes the dead to not rest in this land.

LEGACIES

• Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands. Rumours that the precursor peoples who resided here and left their stone ruins tried to cheat death and were cursed by the gods of the land to roam the night endlessly. The fears of our old world plague many commonfolk even here.

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. There are some collectives of settlements ruled under single chieftains who are vying for total control.

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

1. Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted. Given our collective history with the abuse of magic, those who use and wield are both feared and reviled by many superstitious folk.

RELIGION

• The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.

FIRSTBORN

• The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands. They are so rarely seen or interacted with, that at the heart of our circles many believe that tales of the firstborn are just rumours and myths.

BEASTS

• Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands.

HORRORS

• We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
• 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.

 

[Séadna]

Sounds great.

I'll get a chance for a proper read of the book itself tomorrow.

 

[Smith]

Wife and I created our world, characters, and ran through a session yesterday. Fun but brutal, the challenge system is interesting in handling itself as a 'difficulty' generator without the need for a GM, and allows for us as players to come up with 'what happens'.

 

[Smith]

Anyway the next steps for us would be character creation, I believe! I'll mull over my thoughts, gotta make sure I don't just re-create my other character.

 

[Silverlion]

I've read through it, a bit on the complex side for me, but willing to try may need help navigating its. I get the idea of most of it.

 

[Silverlion]

I found an online character random roller, and a google spreadsheet I absolutely have no idea how to work. (It shows the roll. and name of what you get, but doesn't seem to move it to the character sheet at the bottom.) The character roller is a wordpress site and pretty nice. If anyone wants links or if we're going to do this here, somehow? Also there is an android app, I'm about to download. Edit: Nope it is gone.

 

[Séadna]

Okay finished the book. I'll put up the character tomorrow.

 

[Silverlion]

Are we working together to be cohesive?

 

[Séadna]

Are we working together to be cohesive?

I'd enjoy that. I might just throw something up to get the ball rolling. Or we could do it step by step.

 

[Smith]

I'd enjoy that. I might just throw something up to get the ball rolling. Or we could do it step by step.

Either way works by me!

 

[Silverlion]

I like the step by step thing, helps me learn (I actually used one of the random generators that is partially done to figure this out a bit so I'm now ahead of where I was.) Did we decide on gritty, etc scale for this game? I didn't see it in a reskim.

 

[Séadna]

I think the general tone we ended up with was gritty.

Sorry meant to post a bit here today but was mad busy. I'll have something up in the morning.

 

[Smith]

Same, I will try and get something by monday!

 

[Silverlion]

So do we start with rolls, or choices?

 

[Smith]

I say you go with what feels good for you!!

My physical book copy arrived today! Very nicely put together.

 

[Silverlion]

Yay! Well using the website I found originally, I got:
Rolled Name: Uktannu (are we Finnish?)
Character Role: Scout (but can't seem to save these...)
Character Goal: Seek a Truth and Repair a Relationship
Character Descriptor: Friendly
2 EDGE
3 HEART
1 IRON
2 SHADOW
1 WITS
I Have a Hound, Wayfinder, and Animal Kin

Now, I don't know what else to do.

 

[Séadna]

Sigurdur Ólafurson

Sigurd took after his father in training to be a member of his settlement's night garrison. The harsh weather and the rumoured threat from the inhuman inhabitants of the land meant those aiming for the garrison were put through a harsh initiation ritual whereby they needed to survive a weak in the mountains, famed for their giant creatures and supernatural occupants. During the trial he entered into a friendship of sorts with Uki as he defended her brood and she provided him meat.

His elders have now sent him out into the world on rumours of other attacks of the inhuman and see what he can learn.

EDGE: 3
HEART: 2
IRON: 2
SHADOW: 1
WITS: 1

Health: +5
Spirit: +5
Supply (Shared): +5
Momentum: +2

Assets:

Spoiler: Companion: Giant Spider Uki

Discreet: When you Secure an Advantage by sending your spider to scout a place, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

Soul-Piercing: You may Face Danger+shadow by sending your spider to secretly study someone. On a hit, the spider returns to reveal the target’s deepest fears through a reflection in its glassy eyes. Use this to Gather Information and reroll any dice.

Ensnaring: When your spider sets a trap, add +1 as you Enter the Fray +shadow. On a strong hit, also inflict 2 harm.

Spoiler: Blade Bound

Once you mark a bond with a kin-blade, a sentient weapon imbued with the spirit of your ancestor...

When you Enter the Fray or Draw the Circle while wielding your kin-blade, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

When you Gather Information by listening to the whispers of your kinblade, add +1 and take +2 momentum on a hit. Then, Endure Stress (2 stress).

When you Strike with your kin-blade to inflict savage harm (decide before rolling), add +1 and inflict +2 harm

Spoiler: Duelist

If you wield a bladed weapon in each hand...

When you Strike or Clash, you may add +2. If you do (decide before rolling), inflict +1 harm on a strong
hit and count a weak hit as a miss.

Once per fight, when you Secure an Advantage +edge by making a bold display of your combat prowess, you may reroll any dice.

When you Draw the Circle, choose one
(before rolling).
• Add +2.
• Take +2 momentum on a hit.

Bonds:
Uktannu:
(Still thinking this out, might be something to do with both having experience with the wilds, or simply journeying together)

Eleri:
The attack on Eleri's sisters village has drawn the attention of Sigurd due to his quest and he has fallen in with the storyweaver.

Vow:
Learn more about the pre-human inhabitants of this land

 

[Smith]

For the rest of Character Creation:

1. Envision your character (page 31).
2. Choose a name (page 33).
3. Set your stats by arranging these bonuses across edge, heart, iron, shadow, and wits in any order: 3, 2, 2, 1, 1 (page 33).
4. Set your health, spirit, and supply to +5 (page 33).
5. Set your momentum to +2, your max momentum to +10, and your momentum reset to +2 (page 35).
6. Mark up to three background bonds (page 36).
7. Pick three assets (page 39).
8. Make note of any important equipment or items (page 45).
9. Set a background vow, and give it a rank of extreme or epic. Then, envision your inciting incident and Swear an Iron Vow. For details on setting up your campaign, see page 193.

Eleri - A middle-aged ex-warrior turned storyweaver, getting on in springs (years). He has traveled the Ironlands providing tales, songs and poems of tales past in exchange for food, supply, and shelter (especially during winters). He has a prized but worn sword, with inlaid gems, inscriptions on the hilt, and a pommel shaped in the face of a howling wolf. Eleri was given this by his father and was told it's a relic from the Old World.

EDGE 1
HEART 2
IRON 2
SHADOW 1
WITS 3

Health: +5
Spirit: +5
Supply (Shared): +5

Momentum: +2

Assets:

Veteran

• When you burn momentum to improve your result in combat, envision how your hard-won fighting experience gives you the upper hand. Then, take +1 momentum after you reset, and add +1 when you make your next move. Once per fight, you also take initiative when burning momentum to improve a miss to a weak hit.

Storyweaver

• When you Secure an Advantage, Compel, or Forge a Bond by sharing an inspiring or enlightening song, poem, or tale, envision the story you tell. Then, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

Swordmaster

• When you Strike or Clash and burn momentum to improve your result, inflict +2 harm. If the fight continues, add +1 on your next move.

Gear:
Wolfsmoot Sword
Chain Haubergeon

Bonds:

New Wolfsmoot
In the Flooded Plains, close to the border of the Havens, an ancient ruin sits within a swamp, the moss covered stone buildings rising out of the still water. Here, New Wolfsmoot was founded by settlers from the Old World. They used the ancient ruins as a foundation and built upon them with the wood they brought ashore and from the trees that had overrun the area. Eleri's family lay claim to being a founding family for the settlement. Eleri grew up to be a wandering warrior, helping settlements in need but regularly returns home when able to see out the winters, bringing tales from the wider Ironlands.

Uktannu
Eleri met Uktannu through his sister and brother-in-law, and was fascinated with the rumoured half-elf's experiences living amongst the wilds.
(I might add my other two bonds with you both, or one with one of you and another with an NPC? I will wait to see more on your characters!)

Sigurd 'Spider-Tamer'
Eleri had heard tell of the 'spider-tamer', and sought Sigurd out in the hopes of weaving a tale of webs and grit to share amongst the circles. He does not know Sigurd too well, but is eager to learn more of the history behind the familiarity between man and beast that Sigurd has forged.

Background Vow:

Vow: To Seek the Truth about Eleri's Sister - she married a settlement chief in the Havens, north of New Wolfsmoot, but last Spring the settlement was found to have been wiped out and the walls breached. Many bodies had been burned but others were not found, and his Sister amongst those unaccounted for.
Rank: Extreme

Inciting Incident:
(Need to talk with you guys)
Vow:
Rank:

 

[Silverlion]

Vision: A usually lonely scout who often finds paths through the wilds for those seeking to find supplies, or lead trade through quick paths with other settlements. Originally from the Havens. He served some time keeping watch and tracking dangerous beasts that were sighted, to make sure they did not come near enough to threaten the community. He knows the lairs of many common animals, and what to watch for when something is amiss. He was gone tracking something that resembled an enormous wolf some days away when the Havens fell, to its fate. His eager friendliness arisse from his distance from people, due to his skills and needs of the community, only his Hound travels with him much of the time, driving him to seek companionship with others when and where he can.


Name: Uktannu
(It says its an Elf name does that mean I'm an elf? Doesn't matter that's his name.)
Character Role: Scout
Character Goal: Seek a Truth and Repair a Relationship. Uktannu seeks to find the truth behind the Havens' massacre, he also seeks to repair his sisters falling out with one another, leaving both unwilling to talk over petty jealousy over one man, they live in New Wolfenmoot where their trades (baker, and smith) are needed.

Trueheart has been his friend and a near sibling for longer than he remembers--He was given her as a young child and took the responsibility of caring for her to heart. Something strange is there that he knows not what--a blessing or a curse has left them, companions, together for more years than hounds normally live. Their love is deep and protective and each would die for the other. Trueheart has neither slowed with age nor taken on the signs of it. She was found as a pup in the wild, the only one to survive from an abandoned litter found in deep unknown woodland. She has grown to adulthood and then stopped aging. Is it something blessed born here in these lands? Or secret hiding in the dark?


Character Descriptor: Friendly
2 EDGE
3 HEART
1 IRON
2 SHADOW
1 WITS

Health: 5
Spirit: 5
Supply: 5
Momentum: +2

Trueheart: Hound Companion
Wayfinder
Animal Kin

Bonds:

Eleri, the Talespinner. He knows little of Eleri's past beyond what stories he told, but he was friends with Eleri's sister and her husband. He was often a welcome guest in their home. Knowing Eleri's loss drives his goal to find the truth above about what happened to his home, and the kind people who often shared a meal to the seemingly underfed traveler and seeker.

The Wilderness: Uktannu is deeply protective of wild places, and is kind to most animals beyond the needs of food, and defense. He has watched deer give birth to fawns, and wolves to cubs, all without disturbing them. More than a few will greet him when he and his hound are alone. He mostly eats birds, bugs, fish, and those things which nature provides in other ways--grubs, bugs, mushrooms, berries, seeds, wild vegetables, and fruit.


Background Vows:

Vow: To serve as a go-between the people of the villages and the wild things around them, to hold life sacred wherever and whenever he is able. He does this for he fears the tales of undead his people tell from the other lands, and does not wish to see the same blight be free to grow here, believing only a balance of man and nature, can turn back the black tides of death awoken.

Rank: Extreme


Inciting Incident:
Not sure what we should do here?
Vow:
Rank:

Gear:
Tough worn clothes with ages-old brigandine atop padding. A stout spear made of hardened wood and good blooded steel with boar spikes, a tattered hooded, and a waterproof cloak in need of repair. two long daggers at either hip--worn and well used. a waterproof scroll case holding hand-drawn maps, plant-harvested ink in a vial, and small wooden brush for drawing and writing. A necklace of engraved antlers from a dead buck, each hand-carved into different animal icons--wolf, bear, cave lion, serpent, owl, hound, and hart. Simple carving tools.

 

[Smith]

(It says its an Elf name does that mean I'm an elf? Doesn't matter that's his name.)

The game suggests that we tell 'human-centric' stories, but you could well tag yourself as being of half-elven heritage!

 

[Séadna]

I have a bit more there now. Need to link up with you guys more.

 

[Smith]

For Blade Bound, I think it's an asset that has a prerequisite 'narrative' component - I think in our context maybe some backstory of how you acquired a magical blade?

 

[Séadna]

I was leaning toward more mundane than epic, that it's simply an heirloom carrying the wisdom of its previous owners. So it more lines up with the second special ability than the Soul Reaver/Stormbringer image, i.e. it just talks to me. I was wondering if I could modify it mechanically in some way.