# Ironsworn Solo Game
**URL:** https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794
**Category:** Games
**Tags:** ironsworn, worldbuilding
**Created:** [November 23, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794 "2019-11-23T23:58:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 15
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2020, 10:44pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/21 "2020-01-07T22:44:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> It was dawn when Kaivan jostled the Northerner awake. Though Althus was one of the Baron’s bannersworn, he did not have a chamber of is own and had taken up residence in the Baron’s great hall.
>
> Groggy, the Northerner peered up from under his fur blanket at Kaivan. “Come on Northerner,” Kaivan said with a sly grin, “it’s a grand day. The Baron has a job for you.”
>
> * * *
>
> “I’m not sure I understand why you want me to do this?” Althus asked.
>
> “You’re a fine warrior, Althus,” the Baron responded. They were in the Baron’s private chambers where they and a handful of the baron’s other trusted bannersworn shared a breakfast of pork and fresh eggs. “You’ve proven yourself trustworthy and earnest. You are exactly the sort of person to find out what is going on Sibila.”
>
> Althus averted his gaze. “If that’s what you believe, Baron. But sending only one person out to find out why one of your bannersworn did not answer the call to war, there is much that could go wrong.”
>
> “You have too little faith in yourself, Althus. Besides, I thought there was another that was joining your clan?”
>
> “Another that was joining…” Althus began to say, but already his mind was churning trying to decipher the Baron’s meaning. After a few moments of confusion, the gears finally clicked into place. “You mean Saskai?”
>
> * * *
>
> It was close to noon when Althus made his way out of the great hall and over to the Baron’s stables. The stables were not built to accommodate a beast of Cratch’s size and girth, so a makeshift canopy had been built next to it for the mammoth to take covered under in inclimate weather. Despite Althus’ protests that it was unnecessary, Quinn had said he would have a permanent addition built onto the stables for Cratch once the builders were done repairing the damage the forces of Dragonshadow had done to the town.
>
> Cratch laid on the ground while a trio of stable workers attempted to get his barding strapped on. Beside the mighty mammoth, Saskai watched the three and scolded one when they tried to step up onto Cratch’s legs to try and get a little extra height.
>
> “Saskai,” Althus called as he waved them over to him.
>
> “Morning,” they replied. “Kaivan told me the Baron had a job for you, so I got the stablehands together to get Cratch ready but he seems like he’s having a bit of a fit. When was the last time you took that barding off him?”
>
> “Couple of weeks,” Althus answered with a shrug. “Month at the most.” Saskai shook their head at that answer, but Althus cut them off before they could say anymore. “So the Baron thinks you’re coming with me to Sommerbrooke.”
>
> “Am I not?”
>
> “Well Pearce and Nadira had lives to get back to, I thought you might too.”
>
> Saskai’s face twisted into a sour look. “Could you not have said that any other way?”
So we are back with another quest for the Northerner. Baron Quinn has asked Althus to check in on the town of Sommersbrooke and their leader: the bannersworn Sibila. First thing’s first, we need to Swear an Iron Vow. I want this to be someone significant, so let’s make it a formidable quest to “Secure Sommersbrooke’s Aid to Wyvern’s Rest.” Since we’re not just the player but also the GM, I’m going to say I already know who is behind what’s going on with Sommersbrooke’s silence (thought Althus obviously wouldn’t), a warlock named Brynn. So we’re going to make them [the Threat](https://mobile.twitter.com/ShawnTomkin/status/1200576607716380672) of this particular Vow. This will be important as we make moves.
So we roll +heart to Swear Our Vow (+1 as it Vow is made to a community we share a bond with) we get a weak hit (7 vs. 7, 4). With this result, we take +1 Momentum (putting us up to +4) and envision what we need to do: the most obvious thing is going to be to travel to Sommersbrooke and get some information.
However before we set off, we have Experience to spend. With 3 Experience, we can either upgrade one of our existing Assets (which would cost 2 Experience) or buy a new Asset (which costs 3 Experience). Per the poll, we’re going to get Saskai as a Kindred asset. Since there isn’t a preselected option for this Asset, we get to choose any of the three options to start with. We’ll select Skilled and say Saskai’s Expertise is “Relating to Others” (since that seems to be hobo protagonist Althus’ biggest flaw).
So now that we’ve got our new Companion, it’s time to grab our mammoth and set out for Sommersbrooke. Since Sommersbrooke has sworn fealty to Wyvern’s Rest, I don’t think it can be that far away and so we are going to set this as a Troublesome journey. We’ll roll +wits (+1 since we’re leaving a community we have a bond with) for the first leg of the journey and get a weak hit (6 vs. 6, 5) meaning we’re going to mark progress (3/10) and suffer -1 supply (down to +2). We’ll roll for what this waypoint is and it looks like we’re going to have to travel through a mountain pass. Lots of steep cliffs and chilly winds. Good thing the group has a shaggy mammoth like Cratch nearby.
We’ll roll +wits for the next leg of the journey (we do not have our +1 anymore, since it was only for departing a bonded community) and get a miss (5 vs. 8, 6). With the mountain pass, I think some of the ground gives under Cratch’s weight and he begins to slide down one of the steep cliffs. This is both painful for the mammoth (we’ll Endure Harm for a Companion in a moment) and dangerous as we’ll need to get him back up onto the mountain pass.
We subtract -1 harm from Cratch’s health (bringing him down to +4) and then roll +health (since it is higher than Althus’ Heart) and get a strong hit (10 vs. 1, 9) which means he rallies and he regains +1 health (back up to full). Since it doesn’t make sense to rely on the supplies Cratch is carrying to save him, we’ll Check Our Gear using our own Supply and get a weak hit (5 vs. 8, 1) which means we gain +1 Momentum at the cost of -1 Supply. I imagine Althus and Saskai get some rope and throw it down to the mammoth, who wraps his trunk around it while the three work to get Cratch back up onto stable ground.
We face Danger with +iron and get a complication (7 vs. 8, 8). Oh dear.
I think the ground gives out under Cratch entirely and all three go tumbling down the side of the mountain together.
This seems like a good place to wrap up and deal with the fallout of the group falling off the side of a mountain next time, but first we’ll going to deal with our Threat. I think this situation constitutes _giving ground through inaction, failure or delay_, so we Advance the Threat. We roll on the table and get a 79: the threat makes a dramatic and immediate move or a major event reveals new complications; mark menace twice (2/10). Menace is a track to measures how close the Threat is to completing their goal; no matter how difficult the quest is, once the Threat marks 10 menace they have completed their goal.
I rolled on the character goal table for Brynn and found that they want to harm a rival (obviously Baron Quinn) which I believe they will do by turning Sommersbrooke again Quinn. I roll on the Action and Theme Oracles to find out how this manifests and get Release Fear. I think Brynn has just cast a spell over the town which makes them fearful of outsiders. Even in comparison with having taken a tumble down a mountain, I think Althus’ job has gotten much, much more difficult.
Next time, I wonder what’s at the bottom of the mountain. Something good hopefully.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/22 "2020-01-08T10:56:22Z")
Last session, rocks fell and everyone died. Now on with the game.
So Althus, Cratch, and Saskai are tumbling down the side of a mountain. A fairly ignoble start to Saskai’s adventuring career, unfortunately. So firstly, I think everyone is taking 4 harm (I quibbled for a while on this, but the term “grievous harm” seemed the best fit for the situation) and then will have to Endure Harm. First Althus, who rolls +iron and gets a strong hit (10 vs. 8, 6) while we’ll use to endure the pain and take +1 Momentum.
Next Saskai, who rolls Althus’ +heart (since it is higher than their current health) and gets a weak hit (4 vs. 5, 1). We won’t burn our Momentum since there are no additional downsides because Saskai’s health is greater than +0. Finally Cratch, who also rolls Althus’ +heart and gets a complication (7 vs. 8, 8). We’ll see what else shakes out from this situation before we decide what that complication is.
Now time to Ask the Oracle some questions to find out where our heroes wind up. Does an outcropping or ledge stop their fall (Likely)? Yes (88). Are our heroes seperated due to the fall (50/50)? No (15). So all of our heroes together and have landed a few hundred feet further down the mountain on an outcropping. I think this means the complication is that Cratch’s barding was damaged by the fall and we suffer -1 Supply. This may not sound too bad, but it drops us to 0 Supply which means we perform the Out of Supply move (pg. 97). We mark the Unprepared condition and cannot gain Supply while it is marked. That’s pretty bad, especially since now any -Supply we would suffer is now -Momentum, -Health, or -Spirit, depending on the fiction.
> [@](#):
>
> Althus’ world finally stopped spinning, only to be replaced by pain. Sharp, aching pain all throughout his left side and back. He went to reach down and check what had happened, but a sudden jolt shot through his arm and he clinched up.
>
> When the pain finally subsided, Althus reached down and tried again. The pain shot through his arm again, but this time he was ready for it and could continue the motion. Wherever his hand touched, the skin felt sore and tender. Finally opening his eyes, Althus pulled his hand up where he could see it and saw it was a mess of blood and dirt.
>
> A thought tried to push its way through to the forefront of his mind, but the pain held it back. The Northerner focused and finally the thought came through clearly.
>
> “Saskai?!” Althus shouted, his voice gruff and ragged. “Cratch?!”
>
> The mammoth was the first to answer with a pitiful trumpting through his snout. Saskai’s only answer was a groan of pain.
>
> Althus slowly lifted himself up to his knees and scooted his way over to Saskai’s crumpled form. Althus reached down and moved their long, dark brown hair away from their face. Saskai flinched at the touch, but Althus continued to look them over. They were badly hurt, possibly more so than Althus, but they could live through it. They could, but they needed to get off this mountain as quickly as possible.
Well, our trio is not just going to wipe the dirt off and get back to the adventure. Since we have ourselves a major complication, I think drastic action is necessary.
> [@](#):
>
> “Leave me,” Saskai said. The Northerner pretended not to hear it. “Leave me, Althus. You still might get out of this.”
>
> It was a horrible, pragmatic thought and it had crossed Althus’ mind. He was grievously hurt but was managing to work through the pain. Perhaps his iron shirt had afforded him some sort of protection during the fall or just a lifetime’s worth of experiences that required him to always wear the shirt had toughened him to where he was more used to pain that most, but he could still walk away from this under his own power.
>
> The same couldn’t be said for Saskai.
>
> Althus lowered himself down to the ground, despite his back’s protests, and latched an arm around Saskai’s shoulder to help lift them up to their feet. Saskai grunted in pain at the exertion, but they did their part to get themselves up to their feet.
>
> “I’m not leaving anyone behind,” Althus said. “I never do, do I Cratch?”
>
> The mammoth, favoring his back right leg when he walked, gave an agreeable bellow.
>
> “You’re a fool, Northerner.”
>
> “Probably,” Althus answered as he reached down and grabbed his iron shirt with his free hand. His eyes locked with Saskai and before they could protest, Althus proclaimed, “But no matter what, you are making it off this mountain. I swear on my iron.”
>
> “You’re a fool, Northerner,” Saskai repeated, though this time there was no conviction in the words.
So we’re Swearing a new troublesome Vow: “Ensure Saskai’s survival.” We roll +heart (and get a +1 since we have a bond with them) and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 4). We take our +2 Momentum (up to +8) and now it is time to head down this mountain. It seems unlikely that we would end up on sometime like a washed out or disused mountain path, but we’ll Ask the Oracle anyway: no. So it looks like we’re just going to have to take this slowly and steadily, finding or making paths as we go.
We’ll Face Danger (the mountain) with +wits (since observation and expertise seems most important) and get a weak hit (8 vs. 5, 10). I think this whole experience is weighing heavily with Althus, and so he’ll Endure Stress. We get a weak hit (8 vs. 9, 1) and so all we suffer is the -1 Spirit. Very fortuitous.
Having made our way to the bottom of the mountain, we Mark Progress (3/10) on our Vow to Saskai and now need to find someplace to tend to our injuries. I think we need to Secure an Advantage to find a lake, river, or even just stream or small spring. We roll +wits (again, observation) and get a weak hit (5 vs. 5, 1) but that should be able to get us something useful: a small stream of water coming down from the mountain.
> [@](#):
>
> “We’re here,” Althus announced.
>
> Althus almost collapsed when they finally reached the creek. Helping keep Saskai on their feet had taken its toll on the Northerner, but his task wasn’t over yet.
>
> “Let’s take a look at your wounds,” the Northerner said, but Saskai did not respond. They were looking away from the Northerner, their face flush.
>
> “Are you embarrassed?” Althus said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.
>
> “No,” Saskai said, and their face reddened.
>
> “I assure you, I only want to tend to your injuries,” Althus said, trying his best of sound sincere, but then quickly added, “now let’s get those clothes off.”
>
> Saskai gave the Northerner a shove, only to double over as effort had aggravated their injuries.
Having made it to the creek, we Mark Progress again (6/10). Now it’s time to deal with everyone’s wounds. Since we have no Supply, our Herbalist asset will not help us, so we are going to roll +wits to Heal Saskai and get a miss (6 vs. 10, 7). Luckily, we have Momentum to burn (+8) and can turn that into a weak hit. We reset our Momentum to +1 (since we have the Unprepared condition, our Reset score has lowered) and then suffer another -1 Momentum (from the weak hit to heal) to take us down to +0 Momentum. I have a feeling it is only going to get lower from here.
However, I think getting Saskai’s health back up to +2 is enough for us to mark our last bit of progress on our Vow to them (9/10) and Fulfill Our Vow. We roll the Challenge Dice and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 8) which means our quest is complete and we mark 1 experience. Huzzah. Now to deal with Althus and Cratch’s injuries.
First Althus. We roll +iron (since these are our own injuries) and get a miss (5 vs. 6, 8). While there are some obvious outcomes here, I think we’ll roll on the Pay the Price Oracle for some inspiration. It is stressful, so I’m going to consult the book on Stress (pg. 20) and I would say this is a highly distressing event, so we’ll lose -2 Spirit (down to +2) and then Endure Stress. We get a weak hit and so we press on.
Finally Cratch. We roll +wits and get another weak hit (6 vs. 10, 4). Cratch gets +2 health (up to +3) but we suffer another -1 Momentum (down to -1). Things are starting to look bleak.
> [@](#):
>
> Night had fallen and the roar of the fire fought to drown out of the sound of the water running down the creek. Both Saskai and Cratch sat in the creek, relaxing while the water cleaned the dirt and blood from them, while Althus sat stoking the fire, the flames causing the links of his iron shirt to sparkle.
>
> “You should join us,” Saskai called from the water, but the Northerner ignored the request.
>
> He had led them all on a dangerous path and it had nearly gotten them all killed. It weighed heavily on his mind and relaxing was the last thing he wanted to do right now.
>
> Althus wasn’t certain when Saskai had gotten out of the water, the distraction of his own thoughts great enough to block out the world around him.
>
> “Come on,” Saskai pleaded with the Northerner as they tugged at their iron shirt, “let’s get that off and clean your wounds off.”
>
> “I’m fine,” Althus responded, obviously not fine. “Finish up and then we can see if we still have some blanket to dry you off with.”
>
> Saskai kneel down, putting themselves directly into the Northerner’s view. Their body was covered in dark bruises, gashes, and cuts and the sight only made Althus more mad at himself.
>
> “There was nothing you could have done about this,” Saskai said, awkwardly reaching up for Althus’s shoulders while the lingering pain made their movements stuttering. “It was a bad road and we knew it, but it was the only way to get to Sommersbrooke. We’re alive and that’s what’s important.”
>
> “I…” Althus started to say, but the word hung in his mouth, “I could have… could have…”
>
> “Could have what? Let Cratch fall? Said no to the Baron? We both know _you_ couldn’t have done either of those.”
>
> Althus sat silently and stared at nothing, at a loss for a reply, an answer, or anything. He agreed with what Saskai had said but couldn’t help but blame himself for all of it. Suddenly Althus’ mind stopped churning on those thoughts when he noticed Saskai was hugging him.
>
> “I know this is bad,” Saskai said softly, “and you’re blaming yourself, but you can’t let this hold you down. You got us out of it alive and that’s what matters. Now come on and get in the damn creek. You smell like blood and ass.”
So things are bad. While Althus is unaware of it, there is a warlock turning the town of Sommersbrooke against him and Wyvern’s Rest. Also, both he and his companions are hurting really bad and are somewhere lost in the wilderness. I think the best we can do right now is Make Camp and see if we can return to our journey.
We roll +supply (using Cratch’s health per our asset, since I imagine sleeping cuddling up next to a big fluffy elephant isn’t that bad) and get a weak hit (7 vs. 7, 4). I think the best option is to recuperate so all three can recover +1 health (Althus up to +2, Cratch up to +4, and Saskai up to +3).
Once everyone is rested up, it’s time to return to the Journey. Since we’re off the path, I think we need to Gather Information to try and find our way back. We roll +wits (lots of +wits rolls today) and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 5). We get back onto the path and take +2 Momentum (up to +1). We roll +wits to continue our Journey and get a weak hit (8 vs. 9, 1). We’ll suffer -1 health (since we’re Unprepared and cannot suffer anymore -Supply) but luckily we do not have to roll to Endure Harm since this is just general wasting from lack of food and rest and not direct physical harm (small comfort). We do at least mark progress on our Journey (6/10) and I think we’re going to take our chances and try to Reach our Destination.
We roll the Challenge Dice and get a miss (6 vs. 10, 9). I think we’ve gone astray, but hopefully we may have reached another town other than Sommersbrooke. We Ask the Oracle and learn that we’ve arrived a different city than the one we intended. We roll on the Location Oracles and learn this is Blackfalls, a lowland settlement in a barren area with a diverse population. Perhaps they are those who fled the various Barons and created their own town in the shadow of a waterfall. Hopefully we can restock and resupply here.
But we’ll leave that for next time.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/23 "2020-01-11T22:21:19Z")
Last time, a ship-teasing bath scene occurred and several fanfics were spawned. Don’t worry, we keep that theme going. Now onto the game.
So Althus, Saskai, and Cratch limp up to Blackfalls and hope for the best. Let’s see what the community’s initial reaction is to this ragtag group.
> [@](#):
>
> “So what are we going to do?” Saskai asked as they neared the town.
>
> “I’m going to go up to the first person I meet and say _I require lodging_,” Althus said, his tone turning grim at the end. Saskai looked at him with a befuddled expression and the Northerner shrugged. “It always works.”
>
> Saskai shook their head. “You’re a fool. We just need to explain what happened and hopefully the people of this community will be glad to help out.”
>
> Ahead, the two saw a tall woman standing watching at a wooden archway. She was leaning on a spear, watching the fields, but stood up at attention when the three neared her.
>
> “Who goes there?” she asked in a neutral tone, eyes scanning from Cratch to Saskai to Althus.
>
> “We’re travelers and we had a bit of trouble at the mountain pass,” Saskai said, gesturing at their still fresh wounds. “We’re lost and hoping that we could get something to eat and maybe rest.”
>
> The guard nodded along with Saskai’s statements but suddenly froze. Her eyes were transfixed on Althus and his iron shirt.
>
> “Are you Ironsworn?” the guard asked. Althus began to confirm but the guard had already brought their spear up to the ready and prodded it in the Northerner’s direction. “Take off the iron shirt and give it to me.”
>
> Althus turned to Saskai and gave them a very flat look. Suddenly his hand shot forward and grabbed the spear, wrenching it from the guard’s hands and flinging it idly a couple meters away.
>
> “I require lodging,” Althus said grimly.
So we rolled on the Character Disposition Oracle (Lorestar, pg. 29) and found that the people of Blackfalls are wanting something. To find out what, we roll on the Character Goal Oracle and find that they are wanting to pay a debt. Perhaps staying separate from the Barons of the Havens requires a lot of coin and that coin is running out. And Althus’ iron shirt is likely worth a lot in this setting (per our Truths, Iron is rare and highly sought after).
With this in mind, I think we’re going to convince the people of Blackfalls to that, while the group is in need of help, they are not to be trifled with. We roll +iron (since threats of violence seem the best way to handle this, though it does mean we don’t get the bonus from our Kindred asset) and get a weak hit (9 vs. 10, 1). We’ll get +1 Momentum (taking us up to +1) but Blackfall is going to ask something of us.
> [@](#):
>
> “I apologize Northerner, but you must understand our situation,” the young hunter said.
>
> At the public house, Althus and Saskai sat with the defacto leader of Blackfalls, a huntsman named Elstan. Althus did his best to maintain his composure and dignity while Saskai greedily dug into the bread and cheese the landlord of the public house had brought to the table.
>
> Althus nodded, “I understand but I have nothing to offer you.” The young hunter gestured to the iron shirt, but Althus waved him off. “I would no more be willing to part with this than I would give up my own life.”
>
> “He had a thing about the shirt,” Saskai chimed in between bites. “He doesn’t ever take it off. And don’t ask about the mammoth either.”
>
> Elstan groaned at this and kicked the table leg in frustration. “If we cannot muster something to pay off Kiah, he and his bandits will surely take whatever they wants when he comes to collect his payment.”
>
> Althus sat up in his seat. “Tell me more about this Kiah.”
We roll to find out a little more about the person Blackfall owes their debt to. We find that it is a criminal named Kiah (he | active, disfigured, dependent). I’m imagining some bandit lord who has Blackfalls under their thumb. With those tags, I’m imagining someone with some disfigurement that caused the people of Blackfalls to turn him away, so he decided to start his own small community of bandits and brigands. While still active and healthy, perhaps he’s taken with drugs or some other addiction (due to his dependent tag). Or maybe it’s that he can only prey upon Blackfall because of its lack of bannermen to protect it? I like that second one slightly more. Since the town is going to ask something of Althus, why not that he deals with Kiah.
Althus agrees and Swears an Iron Vow. We roll on the Challenge Rank Oracle and see that this is merely Troublesome. We roll +heart and get a strong hit (9 vs. 1, 8) which means we get +2 Momentum (up to +3) and the way is clear to us. I think the people of Blackfalls know where Kiah and hit bandits stay, but are unwilling to confront him.
Since Blackfalls is slightly more friendly with us, I think we need to Sojourn here and prepare for our confrontation with Kiah. This will give Brynn more time to work their magics against Sommersbrooke, but we don’t have many options. We roll +heart (and this time I think we do get Saskai’s +1 bonus from the Kindred asset, since they will be more apt to convince people to help us) and get a strong hit (9 vs. 4, 3). We will Equip, which removes the unprepared debility and gets us +1 Supply, and Recuperate, which gets everyone +2 health (Althus up to +4, Cratch up to +5, and Saskai up to +4). While it’s pushing our luck, I think we’re going to focus on provisioning ourselves and roll +heart again. We get a weak hit (5 vs. 3, 10) so we take an additional +1 supply.
> [@](#):
>
> That night at the public house, Althus and Saskai tried their best to get comfortable in the hay cot that the landlord provided them. They shared a blanket but only in the loosest of terms, for Saskai had curled up with as much of it as possible, leaving most of Althus exposed to the cold air.
>
> “What are you planning,” Saskai asked when they had finally decided Althus was not going to stop drumming on his iron shirt.
>
> “Don’t know,” Althus admitted. “Give these folks a little bit of courage and training before we leave in case we fail, then head back up the mountain to confront Kiah.
>
> “Is that wise?” Saskai asked, rolling over so they could see the Northerner’s face.
>
> “Probably not,” Althus said with a faint shrug. “But _I am_ a fool.”
>
> Saskai kicked Althus’ leg from under the blanket and rolled back over to try and go back to sleep.
After a couple nights’ rest and some tending to their wounds, the team is almost back to fighting shape. Althus, knowing blow back in likely if they fail, is going to try and find the most able body combatants in Blackfalls and try to give them some basic training (yes, I love this trope). We’re going to start by Gathering Information to narrow down who is worth training, so we’ll roll +wits (+1 from Saskai, since they really understand people better than Althus) and get a weak hit (6 vs. 3, 7). This introduces some information with complicates things, which I think is that the people of Blackfalls tried to stand up to Kiah before and it ended very badly for the town. It’s barren description is due to Kiah and his men burning their fields when they tried to stand up to him before. I think they’re going to need some convincing.
> [@](#):
>
> “This is Althus,” Saskai announced to the assembled villagers, “and he is an Ironsworn. He’s sworn to protect your village from Kiah but if he fails, Kiah will come here looking for revenge.”
>
> “Then he best not fail!” a swineherd from the back of the crowd shouted.
>
> “He won’t,” Saskai said, trying to speak over the chattering of the villagers, “but we would feel so much better knowing that you folks were prepared to defend yourselves if something were to happen.”
>
> “But you said he wouldn’t!” another villager in the crowd shouted. “And now you’re trying to tell us he might!”
>
> The crowd’s shouting and arguing drowned out Saskai’s words and Althus grabbed their arm. “I think we need to go.”
We roll +heart and let Saskai take the reins on this, since this is exactly what they’re good at. Unfortunately we get a miss (5 vs. 7, 5) so I think the villagers refuse entirely. This is the tail end of a lot of bad that’s happened with Saskai lately and I think we might need to Test That Bond (pg. 75). We roll +heart and get a weak hit (8 vs. 9, 3) which means our bond is very fragile at the moment. Saskai’s going to ask Althus something and I’m not entirely sure what.
We’ll turn to the Character Goal Oracle and it tells us to roll twice (97). We roll twice more and get the goals of “protect a secret” and “prove worthiness.” We know from Saskai’s traits that they are Adventurous, Violent, and Stingy. We’ve seen the Adventurousness and the Stinginess, but we haven’t really seen the Violent side of them. I think they were once a very Violent person and have tried to change that about themselves, but recent events is making it very hard for them. I think this means Althus is going to reassure them in some manner.
> [@](#):
>
> Outside of town, Cratch lead the way while Althus and Saskai walked in his wake. Althus wanted to give Saskai their distance after the people of Blackfalls turned on them but that was difficult on the road, so he just averted his gaze from them. He finally looked up when he heard them crying. Saskai’s face was red and patchy from the tears, but what Althus noticed the most was that their hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists.
>
> Althus tried to say something comforting but couldn’t find the words. Finally Saskai broke the silence. “I want to kill them.”
>
> “Who?”
>
> “Those villagers,” Saskai said between sobs and blowing their nose, “they’re cowards. Every last one of them.”
>
> Althus didn’t know how to respond to this. He still wanted to comfort Saskai but, while he didn’t want to belittle their feelings, he didn’t fully agree with them either. “They are,” Althus finally said. “But that doesn’t mean they don’t need our help.”
>
> Saskai froze at that. The tears flowed more freely now and Saskai began to shake softly. Althus reached out a hand but Saskai slapped it away and punched him in the jaw. Saskai froze in surprise at their own reaction, but the Northerner used this as an opportunity to reach out and grab their arms; not gruffly to bind them in place, but gently.
>
> Saskai started to cry out an apology, but Althus shushed them quiet. “I know,” Althus croaked out, his voice starting to crack. “I know how damn infuriating these people can be, but they are scared and hopeless and they don’t know what to do. But I am Ironsworn; I have to do something. I cannot look away when I see someone in trouble.”
>
> Althus bowed his head, the thought that his time with Saskai coming to an end weighing heavy on him. Being Ironsworn meant walking a different path and it had taken him away from so many people: his home, his family, his friends. He’d hoped that joining Quinn’s baronsworn and Wyvern’s Rest might have changed that but perhaps nothing changed so easily.
>
> And then he felt Saskai’s forehead softly rest on his own.
>
> The Northerner didn’t dare look up, just enjoying the warmth and closeness. Through the touch, Althus could still feel Saskai’s body shutter and jerk with tears but each one grew weaker and weaker as they stood like this.
>
> “I know,” Saskai whispered. “I know you can’t. That’s what I love about you.”
So to give Saskai their due, we are going to Endure Harm from their punch (1 harm). We roll +iron (since it is higher than our +3 health) and amazing get an opportunity (8 vs. 4, 4) which we used to let Althus take control of the conversation. It’s rough going and we don’t know how Saskai will take Althus’ words, so we turn to Ask the Oracle (50/50) and it looks like they’re going to stay (59). 🙂
With this behind us, I think it’s time to handle Brynn’s scheming with Sommersbrooke. We Advance the Threat and get another major event (90). It looks like Brynn is going all out to take over Sommersbrooke, which is unfortunate for Althus.
We mark menace twice (4/10) and roll on the Action and Theme Oracles to see what they are up to: Bolster Health. Is part of why Brynn wants Sommersbrooke due to something mythical that they are using to bolster their own health? Or, because she is loyal (from their traits, which I don’t think I’ve shared yet: deceitful, driven, loyal), she is bolstering the health of whatever dark master they serve. An interesting possibility. So let’s envision what form of magic this could take the form of.
My initial thought is some healing springs, which Brynn might have just secured. To get some ideas, we roll for the Location Description of the spring and get wild, savage, and remote. So not by the village, but the village is the most direct way to get there. Perhaps it is hidden through a mountain pass or a dense forest? Maybe it is something the Firstborn used but, because of the savage tag, they have set some ancient guardian to watch over it. Did we just create the Ironlander version of the fountain of youth? Probably.
So Brynn has discovered the path to it, but she needs to deal with the guardian in order to claim it. Perhaps she’ll force the villagers of Sommersbrooke to start working at bypassing or dealing with the guardian if we continue to get sidetracked. Here’s hoping we can deal with Kiah quickly.
Next time, up into the mountain… again.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/24 "2020-01-12T01:28:58Z")
Last time, a damn fool decided to climb up a mountain he fell down once already. Now onto the game.
Heading up the mountain, I think this is a perfect time to make use of the material from Delve again (we’ve been told that the full release is going to be late January/early February, so I’m looking forward to that). I think for this area, the Pass domain is the obvious choice for the mountain, but I’m a little less certain about Theme: Ancient, Fortified, Ravaged and Wild all make a certain amount of sense. Looking through them, I decide that Wild’s features work best and settle on a Wild Pass.
While we did technically explore part of this area before, I don’t think that gives us any benefit here so we’ll ignore that part of the Discover a Site move. Since we already almost died here, calling it a Dangerous site seems good. Now we’re ready to Delve the Depths.
We’re in the foothills of the mountain, nothing too scary yet (hopefully). Althus is going to take this slow and steady, since he’s already familiar with the dangers of this place, so we roll +wits and get a weak hit (5 vs. 6, 1) so we roll on the wits table and get the choice of marking progress or finding an opportunity. While finding an opportunity would be nice, I think we’re just going to take the progress (2/10) and continue up the mountain.
I’m not sure about this next leg of the journey, so we roll for the feature of this area and get a denizen’s lair. I don’t think this is the bandit’s camp, so perhaps we’ve run into the territory of a mountain lion or some great birds. Hopeful we don’t run afoul of them. We roll +wits to continue to Delve the Depths and get a strong hit (9 vs. 4, 6) which means not only do we mark progress (4/10) but we also Find an Opportunity. Since we got this due to a strong hit on Delve the Depths, we can choose what form this takes. I think that this is the territory of some great bird and we’ve come across its nest. Let us not let a good opportunity to Resupply our food stores go to waste.
We roll +wits again to Resupply and get a weak hit (8 vs. 5, 8) so we can take up to 2 supply but supply -1 momentum for each. Since our momentum is 6, I think we can let both go and collect some fresh eggs (momentum now +4, supply now +4). I imagine the penalty to momentum comes from Althus and Saskai having to constantly be on the lookout for the parents while they raid the nest. Now that we’ve got breakfast, let’s scram.
Since we’re moving out of the birds’ territory quickly, it makes sense to roll +edge and get another strong hit (8 vs. 7, 3). We roll for the location features and see that this is a winding mountain path, probably not too much unlike the one that gave out under the group before.
> [@](#):
>
> Cratch let out a loud bellow at the sight of the narrow pass. Althus gave the mammoth a comforting pat on the base of his trunk.
>
> “Don’t worry friend, we’re not going to have a repeat of last time,” Althus reassured him, but then grabbed onto one of Cratch’s tusks. The Northerner pointed to the part of the path closest to the side of the mountain and tried to direct him there as best he could. “But let’s try to stay as close to the walls as possible.”
>
> The mammoth gave a nod of agreement.
We still get an Opportunity, however, and I’m not sure what form that should take so I’m going to roll on the table. We get “you locate a secure area,” so I think once we get across the pass, we find a secure outcropping that we can take a moment to rest at and perhaps Make Camp. Since we’re making camp as part of our opportunity, we get +1 to our roll and get +1 momentum on a hit. We roll +supply (aka, Cratch’s health) and get a strong hit (8 vs. 3, 6) so we’ve got some options to make. We get +1 momentum from our hit (now +5). Only Althus is injured (+3 health) so I think recovering is a bit of a waste but we’re going into a dangerous situation, so we’ll take the time to Recuperate (health now +4). Our Spirit, however, is quite low (+2) to I think Relaxing is a good option (Spirit now +3).
> [@](#):
>
> Althus relaxed, sitting next to the fire while resting his back on Cratch’s flank. In his lap was a plate with the remains of the eagles eggs they had taken from further down the mountain. Saskai plopped down next to him and took in the view of the Ironlands from their outcropping.
>
> “That’s where I’m from,” Saskai said, excitedly pointing out into the distance where the wide plains of the Havens gave way to a network of rivers. “Out in the Hinterlands, by the coast. New Arkesh.” Their eyes glittered when they said the name.
>
> “What brought you out here?” Althus asked.
>
> Saskai gave a small laugh and shook their head. “It was a small fishing village–that’s what we were, fishers–and I always heard stories about the great cities of the Havens. My nan always would tell me and my siblings stories of them: Kei’s Hall, Olgar’s Stand, Three Rivers…” As they named the cities, the glint in their eyes started to dim. “But those were just stories. Olgar’s Stand is a bit of a shit hole.”
>
> “Well, no one else tells you about the slaves,” Althus said, reaching down for a drink from his waterskin. “The city loses its glamour once you find out it was built on the backs of the people Olgar fought.”
>
> Saskai nodded soberly and Althus felt the need to change the subject. He scanned the horizon and, once he got his bearings, he pointed due North. “That’s where I’m from.” This stirred Saskai a bit, so Althus continued. “Essus. It’s a small village in the Tempest Hills, at the foot of the Veiled Mountains.”
>
> “And what do you do in Essus?”
>
> “We were warriors,” Althus said plainly. “Taught you to swing a sword as soon as you were old enough to hold one.”
>
> “Makes sense,” Saskai said, looking at the Northerner’s massive frame.
>
> “We would do mercenary work for the Circles of the Tempest Hills. Anyone who could afford to pay the Essians to fight for them could win any war.”
>
> Saskai smirked at that comment. “Well now I had to know what made you leave.”
>
> “We were… superstitious,” Althus said, struggling to find the right word. “ We made offerings to the Seers to ask what the gods saw for our family. When we were old enough, we were brought to the Seers to have our fates read to tell us how we’d die, try to hold it off as long as possible.” The Northerner paused there, staring out to the north. To his home.
>
> “What was your fate?” Saskai asked, finally breaking the silence.
>
> “I was fated to die at my kins’ hands after I murdered my cousin, the next warlord of the Essian.”
>
> “That horrible,” Saskai said. “Were you going to?”
>
> “I was thirteen. Zura was nine. We used to train together in the practice yards. I loved her so much, I don’t know how I was supposed to kill her.”
>
> “So what happened?”
>
> Althus sighed. “Zura’s parents wanted me put down before I could harm their eldest. My parents wouldn’t allow it. There was going to be a fight, but I told everyone I would leave to keep the family together.”
>
> “And they just let you go?” Saskai shouted in disbelief.
>
> “They equipped me like a warrior and sent me out to let the gods decide my fate.”
>
> Saskai made a disgusted noise. “That is some self-fulfilling bullshit right there. You didn’t have a reason to kill her before but you would after being exiled.”
>
> “No,” Althus said, partially to assure Saskai and partially to assure himself, “I’m never returning home. That was my first Iron Vow and plan to keep it to my grave.”
So after that wonderful bit of bonding, I think it’s time to move on. We’ll continue through the mountain passes and roll +wits to Delve the Depths. We get a miss (6 vs. 6, 7) so we Reveal a Danger. We roll on the table and get “you face an environmental or architectural hazard.” Fair enough, we have more Oracles for this. We roll for the environment features and get “remains or carrion.” We roll for environment dangers and get “weather or environmental threat.”
What I am imagining is that Althus and the group spot in the mountains after discovering some fossils of some massive titans which once walked the Ironlands. Something like a massive rib cage jutting out of the ground where even Cratch could walk inside. And while they are marvelling, a storm breaks out and they need to find shelter. And I’m not talking about just some rain, I mean waves of water deluging from the sky while lightning peppers the ground around them.
The first thing I think the group needs to do is find someplace safe to wait out the storm. We’ll Gather Information to search the area and get a weak hit (8 vs. 3, 8) which means we find something but it complicates things. I think the cave is not empty.
Thinking back to what I said earlier, I think this might be a den of a mountain lion. Not finding stats to fit the beast, I think I’ll just use the stats for a wolf (pg. 150) and ignore the “run with the pack” part. Since we did get a weak hit on our Gather Information, I don’t think we’re ambushed but I do think we are on our back foot.
> [@](#):
>
> Saskai and Althus tore through the rain for the cave entrance. Cratch did not follow, for the rain and cold did not bother him greatly. With a quiet stoicism, the mammoth looked about and eventually found an outcropping of stone to take cover under.
>
> Inside the cave, Althus tried his best to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. “Let’s see if we can find something to start a fire with.”
>
> Saskai let out a disgruntled grunt and walked further into the cave. They did not get far before their path was blocked by the roar of large cat.
>
> “Althus,” Saskai said in a panic, “I this cave is taken.”
The first thing Althus is going to try to do is just chase the cat out of the cave, which would be a Compel, but I think the mountain lion is very disinclined to leave: it is raining, this is its den, and it is probably not very afraid of humans. We’ll Ask the Oracle whether it’s even possible for Althus to scare the lion away (small chance) and it looks like it is not. Which means we has fight.
We Enter the Fray with +heart and get a miss (4 vs. 4, 7) but we can make it a weak hit by burning our momentum (momentum now +2). However, we then get the choice of bolstering our position (+2 momentum) or taking advantage. I think we’ll bolster our position (momentum now +4) and try to get the upper hand.
Our mountain lion is on the initiative and because I haven’t used it before, I roll on the Combat Action Oracle and get “reinforce defenses” I think the mountain lion moves into a tight part of the cave where it has the advantage. I think Althus is going to try and provoke it out of its position and Secure an Advantage. We’ll roll +iron (since we’re using aggressive action) and get a strong hit (9 vs. 1, 2). This gives us the Initiative and think Althus’ prodding has caused the lion to make a headless charge at him, so Althus can easily step aside and slice at it.
We’ll immediately make a Strike and roll +iron and add +1 (due to our Securing an Advantage) and get another strong hit (10 vs. 5, 2). We deal 3 harm (6/10) and retain the initiative. We’ll try to End the Fight (since we just made a strong hit) and get a weak hit (6 vs. 6, 5). This means we win but we need to choose one of the negative options. I think with the fiction, Althus is trying to run the mountain lion off and he succeeds, but one its way out the lion barrels through Saskai and they are harmed.
Since the mountain lion is dangerous, this mean Saskai must suffer 2 harm. This brings them down to 2 health and then we roll +heart. We get a weak hit so nothing worse happens (since they are above 0 health). Well, at least we’ve got a cave to hole up in for a couple hours until the rain stops.
Althus will tend to Saskai’s wounds and roll +wits (+2 from our Herbalist asset) and get a weak hit (7 vs. 7, 1), which means we’ll lose 1 supply (down to +3) to give them +2 health (back up to full at +4). We’ll spare the shipbaiting fiction for now (unless I’ve completely misjudged my audience and this is why you’re reading this) and turn to events elsewhere.
Between the delays with camping earlier and now the storm, I believe we’ve satisfied the delay clause to trigger Advance a Threat (it is going to be amusing for Althus to finally get there and find the big bad has already enacted their plan). We roll and get another dramitic and immediate move that causes them to mark menace twice again (98). Brynn is not messing around with their plans for Sommersbrooke. They’ve now got 8/10 menace marked and we roll for what happens: Investigate Burden. Looks like Brynn is trying to find a way to bypass the springs guardian. Perhaps looking into the town’s history or perhaps having her forces dig up some Firstborn relics looking for clues. Well, if we roll 71+ again (or otherwise Advance the Threat twice), we get to see what action she performs to get past the guardian.
Part of me kind of wants to see Althus get there too late and have to make things right. But we’ll play to find out… next time!
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2020, 5:21am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/25 "2020-01-13T05:21:20Z")
Last time, we still had made no progress on our quest to secure Sommersbrooke. Now onto the game.
So after a cold and freezing night in the cave, I think the group can finally head out. I imagine once Althus and Saskai emerge from the cave, Cratch chooses that exact moment to shake all the water out of his fur. That seems about right for how this particular journey has been going.
We continue our journey up the mountain (Delve the Depths) and get a weak hit (7 vs. 1, 10). We roll on the wits table and get mark progress (8/10) and find an opportunity (91). Not a bad turn around from the end of last session. We roll for the features to get an idea of what form this opportunity takes and get 100: you transition to a new domain! I wonder if perhaps the healing spring of Sommersbrooke is not the only remnant of the Firstborn in this area, so we transition to an underkeep.
> [@](#):
>
> “Althus,” Saskai said quietly, putting the Northerner on edge.
>
> Althus put one hand on his belt knife and stalked over to where his companion was. When Althus finally reached Saskai, they pointed into a hole in the side of the mountain. Below, Althus could see the remnants of structures built directly into the mountain. And as he watched, he saw someone walk into view.
Since we’re at 8/10 progress to find Kiah’s lair, I feel good enough to Locate Our Objective. We roll the challenge dice and get a strong hit (8 vs. 6, 2). With that in mind, I think we’ve found a backdoor or unused entrance into Kiah’s firstborn ruin lair. We’ll use the bonus from our strong hit to Gather Information with a +1 bonus. We get another strong hit (6 vs. 1, 3) so I think it is time to learn some things about Kiah’s bandits (as well as take +2 momentum).
> [@](#):
>
> From above, Althus and Saskai peered down at the bandit camp. They had taken up residence in the ruins of some firstborn city.
>
> Althus noted that several of the bandits were examining some large door, perhaps a vault or some other secure storage area. He could tell that they were not examining it in fine detail like someone who had just happened across some find, but the long, slow examination of someone trying to unlock a puzzle.
We roll on the terrain features oracle to see what major features this part of the underkeep and get an imposing doorway. Perhaps Kiah and his bandits flocked here because there is some firstborn cache or vault here. Hopefully he has not gotten into it, but we’ll Ask the Oracle to be certain (unlikely). Fortunately, he has not (67).
Now for Kiah’s bandits. We see that they are generally (rolling on the character descriptor oracle) cautious (makes sense with the firstborn ruins), ugly (wow, way to be judgmental, Ironsworn), and insightful. Looks like Kiah’s gathered together a group suited for trying to crack into this vault.
Now for our next step. We’ve found Kiah’s lair, so we’ll mark progress on our quest (6/10). We don’t really care about Kiah’s interest in the firstborn vault, we care about what Kiah might do to the town… but that makes us care about Kiah not getting into said vault. Well, if this is a vault, is there a security system?
Since we already got a strong hit on a Gather Information move, I don’t see the need to make another one, so we’ll just Ask the Oracle (likely). No there is not (16) which is unfortunate. I guess this means we’re back to the obvious solutions.
> [@](#):
>
> “You are a fool,” Saskai said.
>
> Althus had lashed one end of a rope to himself and gave the other end to Cratch to hold. He tested the strength of the line with a couple of quick tugs and found them satisfactory.
>
> “As you keep telling me,” Althus replied. “Do you have a better idea?”
>
> Saskai started to say something but came up blank.
>
> “Then I’m going to go challenge Kiah for leadership of the bandits.”
>
> “But what if they don’t… you know, subscribe to a method of leadership that derives from strength of arms?”
>
> Althus shrugged. “Then I’ll make it up as I go. Look after Cratch. If I’m not back by nightfall, I’m not coming back. Go back to Wyvern’s Rest and tell Quinn I was a fool.”
>
> Saskai started to say something but Althus did not wait to hear it, instead beginning his descent into the firstborn ruins.
So Althus is going down alone into the midst of the bandits. First we’ll Ask the Oracle and see if the bandits do indeed subscribe to a “might makes right” system of leadership (50/50). They do indeed (75) so when Althus announces himself, he’ll be brought before Kiah.
> [@](#):
>
> Althus was brought before the leader of the bandits, Kiah. Althus immediately noticed that he did have the unsettling appearance of someone with too tight skin that the people of Blackfalls described and also noticed that the bandit’s skin had taken on an unnatural blue tint. Perhaps some taint from these ruins?
>
> “So you know my name, Northerner,” Kiah said, lounging in a stone seat build for someone of much larger stature. “Who told you? Those pitiful villagers in Blackfalls?” The bandit leader barked out a laugh and his followers all followed suit.
>
> Once the laughter had died down, Althus said loudly, “Yes, they did. And yes, they are a pitiful lot.”
>
> Amused, Kiah leaned forward so he could examine the Northerner more closely. “If you think that, you’re obviously not here to stop us-”
>
> “Yes, I am.”
>
> The bandits began to laugh again, but Kiah silenced them with a wave of his hand. “You seem to misunderstand the situation, friend,” Kiah said as if explaining things to a small child. “You have been captured. Your arms are bound. You are not going to be doing anything without my say so.”
>
> In response, Althus swung his bound arms into the gut of the nearest bandit and, when they doubled over in pain, shot his knee up into the man’s face. A sickening crack accompanied the blow and the man fell down in a heap. Althus turned his attention back to Kiah and said, “You seem to misunderstand the situation.”
>
> The bandits drew weapons but Kiah raised his hand and his men stopped. The bandit leader chuckled softly and said, “You’ve got spirit Northerner, I will give you that. What do you think you can do here?”
>
> “Beat you, scatter your men to the winds,” Althus said, but then added, “take you back to Blackfalls for their judgment.”
>
> Kiah pulled a knife from his belt. “Challenge accepted.”
So let’s see if we can get Kiah to agree to duel. We roll +iron to Compel and get a strong hit (8 vs. 4, 5). Looks like Kiah is down, so we’ll roll +heart to Draw the Circle. We get an opportunity (6 vs. 3, 3) so I think one of the bandits is honorable enough to cut Althus free from his bonds and give him back his knife. We get +1 momentum and can take up to two boasts in exchange for more momentum: we’ll give Kiah the initiative for another +1 momentum (bringing our Momentum up to +8). Reflecting on the difficulty of the quest, I think Kiah is probably a Troublesome opponent.
I imagine Kiah’s going to come in with thrust of the knife and Althus is going to try and step into it the swing and hope his iron shirt can take the blow. We’ll Face Danger with +iron (for endurance and forceful defense) and get another opportunity (7 vs. 6, 6). I think Kiah was expecting to bowl us over, but we are the ones who stood strong after his charge, leaving the bandit leader on the ground. We take +1 momentum (+9 total) and the initiative.
Althus is going to for decisive blow, pressing our weight onto Kiah to keep him down and follow up with some knife strikes. We roll +iron to Strike and get a weak hit (8 vs. 10, 4) so we at least inflict harm (2 harm for 6/10 progress) but we’ve lost the initiative. I think once Althus has gotten a few strikes in, Kiah is able to roll him off long enough for both of them to scramble to their feet.
Kiah’s hurt, so we’ll turn to the Combat Action Oracle to see what he’ll do. We get “attack with precision,” which I guess means he’s feeling kind of cornered and looking to go for a killing blow on Althus. We’ll meet him head on and Clash (here’s hoping we get one of those samurai showdown simultaneous strikes) with +iron. We get another weak hit (7 vs. 9, 1) so we are able to inflict harm again (10/10) but Kiah also gets a good strike on Althus. We’ll roll to Endure Harm (health down +2) and get a miss (7 vs. 7, 8) but this is finally a roll we can burn our momentum for a strong hit. We do so, taking +1 momentum from our Ironclad talent, as well as another for our strong hit (Momentum now +4). Unfortunately, this doesn’t give us the initiative or allow us to finish the fight.
We’ll see if we can disarm Kiah, which would be Face Danger +edge (since this involves deftness and speed) and get another weak hit (7 vs. 7, 1). We do manage to disarm Kiah’s knife (possibly getting it caught in our iron shirt and tearing it free when we push away from each other) but we’ve got to suffer another strike as the knife digs into our ribs (health now +0). We roll +iron to Endure Harm and get weak hit (6 vs. 6, 1) so nothing worse happens.
We’re winning each exchange but we can’t seem to get a decisive hit, so Kiah’s chipping us to death. I can imagine Kiah taunting us with something to that effect, which I think Althus would respond by just punching him in the jaw (we can’t do any more harm, but Clashing is what we’re good at). We get a weak hit (6 vs. 7, 5) and I can see the comment getting into Althus’ head. We’ll endure stress (spirit now +1) and get a miss (4 vs. 10, 5) which brings our momentum down to +3.
We need to finish this, so Althus is going to Turn the Tide and try to finish this. Kiah is in Althus’ head, so he is going to go for a killing blow. We Strike and finally get a strong hit (8 vs. 7, 2). We roll to Finish the Fight and get a strong hit (10 vs. 6, 8). So Althus finishes Kiah off with a blow to the gut (probably not that different from the one he gave the much better armored Kaivan in our first session) which kills the bandit leader. Althus might have won the physical battle, but Kiah won the ideological fight here.
With Kiah dead, we Ask the Oracle if the other bandits will flee (50/50). They do not (42), so Althus tries to convince them to do so. We roll +heart and get a weak hit (7 vs. 10, 6) so the bandits ask him something in return. We roll on the Character Disposition Oracle and see that they are threatening; they want something from Althus. The iron shirt (likely)? No (7). We roll on the Character Goal Oracle and get “find redemption.” They want him to convince the people of Blackfalls to take them in? Given how our Compel rolls have been going, I think this is not going to go well.
But we’ll leave that for next time. We did not have any significant delays so I don’t feel we need to Advance the Threat, but if things continue to be complicated in Blackfalls, we might.
---
### Author:  [@doyce](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/doyce)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/26 "2020-01-13T20:26:50Z")
> [@insomn14](#):
>
> I think I need to make sure this new Vow includes a [Threat](https://mobile.twitter.com/ShawnTomkin/status/1200576607716380672) as it I think it will be of great interest to @doyce given his previous topic.
I couldn’t get the thread on Twitter to open before, but I can now and… yeah, that’s pretty much exactly …
Yeah. Man. That’s exactly it.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/27 "2020-01-15T18:28:15Z")
With all the beginning of the year travelling starting to commence next week, I am taking a small break from the solo game to let the batteries recharge… at least [until Delve comes out](https://twitter.com/ShawnTomkin/status/1217505974677671936). Much hype for all the new features and systems.
---
### Author:  [@doyce](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/doyce)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2020, 7:04pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/28 "2020-01-15T19:04:19Z")
That’s cool. I can start sharing the dumb thing I’m doing.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/29 "2020-01-15T19:16:16Z")
If it is what I think it is, I have seen the “dumb” thing you are doing and I look forward to what occurs.
---
### Author:  [@garrett](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/garrett)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2020, 9:20pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/30 "2020-01-15T21:20:54Z")
I’m interested in it as well, for a project I’ve been wanting to write for awhile, set in a post-apocalyptic setting. If it works as well for that as Masks has worked being an oracle for Silverline, I’m happy.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/31 "2020-01-22T03:36:45Z")
Last time, I took an ill-timed break from the game, realizing too late that I cannot easily add in all the cool new material from Delve in the midst of an important vow. Unfortunate. Now onto the game.
Althus, Saskai, Cratch, and all of Kiah’s bandits (well, at least a majority of them, I’m sure a few scampered off to do their own thing) are heading back down the mountain to Blackfalls. We try to follow the normal path the bandits took and roll +wits to _Escape the Depths_. We get a weak hit (6 vs. 1, 6) so I think that this trip is really taking a mental toll on Althus. He had to kill Kiah (not really I found out, thanks to the Ironsworn Discord, I could have _Ended the Fight_ on any of those strong hits to _Endure Harm_ apparently), the people of Blackfall are kind of dicks, he’s likely still not emotionally recovered from Saskai’s meltdown a couple of sessions ago, and probably not physically recovered from all his injuries from falling off the mountain path. It has been a rough week for our Ironsworn.
We take -1 spirit (which brings us to 0) and roll +heart to _Endure Stress_. We miss and get a complication (4 vs. 6, 6) so now we need to look at things. For the miss, we’re going to mark **Shaken** (in the narrative, Althus is at his breaking point mentally now; mechanically, we lower Max Momentum and Reset Value by 1 and cannot regain Spirit until it is cleared) and then lose -1 Momentum (taking us down to +2). Now for the Complication… I think Althus just gives up. He has had enough of this sidequest BS.
> [@](#):
>
> As the crowd neared Blackfalls, one the bandits–Parcell, Althus thought he heard his name was–gave the Northerner an excited swat on the back.
>
> “We’re almost there, Ironsworn,” Parcell beamed. “All you need to do is explain to the people that we’ve given up our ways and are willing to join their city.”
>
> Althus relaxed his back, having just arched it in pain at Parcell’s overexcited hit, and let his shoulders slump. “This as far as I go,” Althus said, almost a growl more than words.
>
> “What?” several of the former-bandits shouted around him in near unison. Parcell glared at the Northerner and began shouting. “What do you mean this is as far as you go?” Parcell barked. “You promised us…”
>
> Althus grasped the bandit by his leather collar and pulled him so close the two nearly collided. “I swear only to iron,” Althus said, slowly loosing the long knife he’d taken from Kiah’s corpse. The sound of metal on metal as the blade ran against its bronze scabbard cut through the noise of the former bandits’ complaints and jeers until it was the only sound to be heard. “I do not swear oaths to the likes of you.”
>
> Althus released Parcell and shoved him away. He held Kiah’s knife at his side in a solid reverse grip, letting the threat of the chopper punctuate his gestures as he spoke. “You are bandits. Your leader is dead and you want to stop being bandits.
> But those people in that town fear you. They are not going to let the words of some Northerner sway them for long. You’re going to get along for about an hour after I leave and then you are going to be back at each others’ throats. They’re be afraid and isolate you. The repentant of you will wonder what you’ve done to deserve this while the rest will just wonder just how much stronger you are than whatever leadership that town has. And then you’ll fight and people will be dead; same as if I left Kiah alone, just for different reasons."
>
> "You want your redemption? Your second chance? Go someplace else, anywhere else. You want blood? Keep walking.”
>
> And with that, the Northern turned and marched off towards the forest. Former bandits parted for him, no one making any attempt to stop him.
>
> From the back of the crowd, Saskai quietly grabbed Cratch’s lead and walked to join Althus.
We’ve completed what we’ve sworn to do: Blackfall is safe from Kiah forever. And, thankfully, the trigger for Fulfill Your Vow is “when you achieve what you believe to be the fulfillment of your vow” so we’ll do that and get a strong hit (9 vs. 3, 5). Fantastic. We note the 1 xp (5 total, 3 used) and now it’s time to convince these bandits that “we” are finished as well. We roll to _Compel_ (using violence and threats as a motivator this time) and get another strong hit (9 vs. 4, 7) so we convince the bandits to either make genuine amends with the people of Blackfalls or piss off to some other town (Althus doesn’t really care which at the moment, but it’s probably a little of both). Perhaps we’ll get to see the fallout from this decision some other time.
> [@](#):
>
> “What the hell was that?” Althus did not answer Saskai’s question.
>
> They’d been walking in near silence for half an hour, the only noise being Cratch’s steps.
>
> Saskai sped up to catch up with the Northerner. They’d been following behind him since the three of them left the bandits, but now Saskai tried their best to look them in the eyes.
>
> “Don’t ignore me,” they said, more a plea than a command. “How could you just leave them like that?”
>
> Althus stayed silent, the only acknowledgement he gave was letting his head and shoulders finally droop.
>
> Saskai reached out a hand, expecting to get it slapped away, but instead Althus reached up grab it. The Northerner gripped their hand painfully tight. Saskai could feel the shake in the Northerner’s normally steady grip and saw him clenching his eyes closed. They started to say something but Althus’ tensing grip stayed their words.
>
> “I didn’t want to kill him,” Althus said after a long moment. “I didn’t, but he was… he just didn’t… I was so angry.” Tears redden the Northerner’s eyes and Saskai moved in to hold him.
>
> They stood like that for a long time, their foreheads pressed against each other as their hands intertwined. The tears began to flow more freely from Althus, but Saskai gently shushed and cooed to him until they finally stopped.
>
> The Northerner freed a hand and used it to wipe his face. Saskai whispered, “What do you need?”
>
> “I just… I don’t know. I just want to rest.”
>
> “We can do that,” Saskai answered looking about. “I don’t think Blackfalls will be very welcoming though.”
>
> The Northerner snorted. “I don’t care. I never want to see that town again.”
>
> “Do you remember that stream we stayed at?” Saskai asked with a bit of a glint in their eye. “I wouldn’t mind going back there?”
So our Health and Spirit are 0, our Supply is +3, our Momentum is +2, and we have the Shaken condition checked. Also, Saskai’s health is +2 (though Cratch feels great at +5). This is not something a quick _Make Camp_ or _Sojourn_ (as if we had the opportunity) is going to clear up. It’s time for Sojourn’s big brother (with downsides) from Delve: _Take a Hiatus_ (Delve, pg. 158). Althus is going to tell his duty to Baron Quinn to piss off while he, his kindred, and his mammoth go camp out at a stream fishing, sleeping, and taking relaxing baths. And this relaxing montage of recovery is going to allow us to 1) clear all conditions, 2) set our health, spirit, supply, and companion’s health to max, and finally 3) reset our momentum to its reset value (back up to +2 since all our conditions are cleared). Great!
However, all this great stuff comes with a downside: while Althus recovers, Brynn will continue her plot to gain the power of the mystic springs outside of Sommersbrooke. We roll to _Advance the Threat_ and thankfully (62) only mark one box of menace (9/10). With the new Threat Action Oracles (Delve, pg. 220-223) we roll for some inspiration and get “Use magic or trick to deceive.” I think Brynn has found a way to trick her way past the guardian of the springs and can now begin her ritual to sap their powers (for what nefarious purpose, we still don’t know).
> [@](#):
>
> Althus awoke to something soft pressed up against his cheek. He opened his eyes to find Saskai laying propped up on their arm next to him.
>
> “Morning,” the Northerner said, wiping the sleep from his eyes.
>
> “Morning,” Saskai replied. “What do you feel like doing today?”
>
> Althus pondered this for a moment before giving Saskai a serious look. “Do you truly want to know?”
>
> “Of course,” Saskai said cheerfully.
>
> “I want to go to Sommersbrooke and finish what needs to be done.”
A perfect place to pick up for next time.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/32 "2020-01-23T03:47:45Z")
Last time, we returned to the stream. Yeah, _ **that** _ stream. Now onto the game.
So Althus and crew are finally heading to Sommersbrooke (for the first since the first session of this particular vow, if we want to split hairs). I’m not terribly interested in the trip at this point and I think that Blackfalls was close enough to Sommersbrooke that it doesn’t qualify as hazardous or unfamiliar. It’s also likely that, before dealing with Kiah and his bandits, some of the townsfolk of Blackfalls could have told Althus the path to Sommersbrooke, so we’ve got our way there.
Once the team arrives, Althus gets a first hand look at Brynn’s work. Everyone in the town is shut up in their homes, weary of outsiders. Large sections of the town have been excavated, looking for Firstborn artifacts. This place probably looks a bit like a ghost town.
> [@](#):
>
> “What happened here?” Saskai asked, peering in a deep trench dug up through the center of the main road through town.
>
> “I have no idea,” Althus answered. He was looking about trying to find some sign of life in the town, but came up short. Finally he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see the shutters of a window slam closed.
>
> Running up to the home, Althus gave the front door three rapid, heavy knocks with the heel of his palm. “Hello!” he cried. “We’re looking for someone to tell us what happened here.”
>
> No answer came from the house but a shout came from behind the Northerner. “They won’t answer!”
>
> Althus spun around to find an old grizzled man leaning out from behind the corner of a nearby house. He waved for the Northerner come to him and Althus did, though not before beckoning for Saskai to follow.
>
> “Heh,” the old man grunted amusingly, “a Northerner, his pet mammoth, and a child of the seas. What brings you three this cursed town?”
We Ask the Oracle if anyone in town is willing to talk to Althus (unlikely). Surprisingly, someone is (87). We check with the Character Role Oracle and they are an Adventurer. We continue checking with Oracles and learn they are Taylah (he | bitter, cunning, and old) and are Curious about Althus and his friends.
We’ll ask Taylah about what happened here and roll +wits to Gather Information. We get a strong hit (6 vs. 5, 4) so luckily Taylah has some good information (as well as +2 Momentum). He tells Althus about Brynn and her take over of the town, her search for the Healing Springs of the Firstborn, and his own experiences with the site (I imagine he explored it as a younger man and tried several times to unsuccessfully bypass the guardian on his own). But this means Taylah can also tell us about the guardian.
> [@](#):
>
> “Well it sounds like someone needs to deal with this Brynn,” Althus said.
>
> “It’s too late,” Taylah said. Althus gave the old adventurer a questioning look and he continued. “She’s already made it to the spring. She used her magicks to turn into one of the elves that once watched over the springs and gone there. The springs’ guardian will protect her against anything now.”
>
> “Guardian?” Althus asked.
>
> “Aye,” the old man said, “it’s a massive bird. I tried my best to sneak past it many times as a younger man, but it was just too quick to outrun.”
>
> “Why run past it? Why not fight it?” Althus asked, motioning to the old man’s axe latched to his belt.
>
> Taylah gave a dismissive shake of his head. “Never work. The springs heal any cut or scratch you could give the bird. And its poisonous breath would kill you in moments.”
>
> “Poisonous breath?!” Althus exclaimed. “Is this a bird or a dragon?”
We’ll use the new Monstrosity Oracles from Delve (Delve, pg. 214-216) and learn that it is a giant-sized bird with four taloned legs and an oversized mouth on its stomach, lined with rows of sharp teeth. Taylah also tells of its poisonous breath, its incredible swiftness, and its ability to recover from any injury thanks to its bond to the healing springs. Fantastic.
Well let’s see how we’re doing on this quest. We’ve made it to the town of Sommersbrooke and found out about Brynn and her plot. I think that qualifies for two milestones on our quest which, since this is a Formidable quest, counts as two progress (2/10). We’re going to make some headway here.
With that out of the way, let’s return to the guardian of the springs. Normally I would say something like this is an Extreme foe, nigh unassailable in combat, but Taylah has armed us with knowledge of the beast’s capabilities. Let’s see if we can fashion a makeshift gas mask.
> [@](#):
>
> Althus dunked the cloth under the water and then tried his best to tie it around his head.
>
> “This a fool thing to do,” Taylah exclaimed.
>
> “I tell him that a lot, it does not help,” Saskai chimed in.
>
> “The poison will still scorch your flesh even if it doesn’t suffocate you,” Taylah said gloomly.
>
> “Then I’d best end this quickly,” Althus said quickly, the water filling his mouth despite his best attempts.
We roll +wits (since this seems like something insightful) to _Secure an Advantage_ and get a strong hit (7 vs. 1, 2). This seems like the definition of preparation, so we get +2 Momentum (now up to +6) but since it will partially nullify one of the guardian’s traits, I think it makes sense to drop the threat of this monstrosity to “merely” Formidable. Let’s see if we can secure another advantage…
> [@](#):
>
> Althus dug through Cratch’s side bags, pulling odds and ends out. Finally, Althus produced a thick wool cloak and a length of metal wire with irregular, twisted wire barbs covering it.
>
> Saskai nodded to the metal wire. “What’s that? Iron?”
>
> “Yeah,” Althus replied. “The farmers of Lora’s Rise use it to protect their sheep from trogs.” Saskai grimaced at the mention of the bipedal lizard.
>
> Althus quickly donned the woolen cloak and then handed the length of wound metal to Saskai. “Wrap me in it. My iron shirt should protect me against the worst of the barbs.”
>
> “What you planning?” Taylah asked, curiously watching Althus’ preparations.
>
> “Well, you said the guardian was quick, correct?” Althus asked in return. The old adventurer nodded in agreement. “Well, what is it going to do when it catches me?”
>
> “Stomp you with its talons,” Taylah said, the idea starting to dawn on him. “Bite at you with its infernal mouth.” The old man gave a tired groan. “You lucky bastard, if I had this wire I’d have made it past that bird in my heyday!”
>
> “I just hope it dislikes iron as much as its Firstborn creators do,” Althus said while Saskai finished wrapping the iron wire around him.
We make another +supply roll to _Check Our Gear_ and get another strong hit (10 vs. 2, 6)… the law of averages is going to be pain soon I suspect. We get another +1 Momentum (up to +7) and have something very useful against the bird and its tactics. This should also knock it down from Formidable to Dangerous. At this point, we are just about ready to fight the beast.
> [@](#):
>
> Once they had left Taylah and Sommersbrooke behind, Althus started to say something to Saskai but they cut him off. “I’m going to watch Cratch while you’re gone.”
>
> Althus smirked. “You’re going to watch Cratch? You don’t want to insist on assisting me slay the Firstborn abomination?”
>
> “No, I think I’ll be just fine here.”
>
> Althus gave a half-hearted sigh. “And here I thought you had told Quinn you wanted to join my clan.”
>
> Saskai hit Althus in an exposed part of his shoulder and blow landed solidly enough to make his arm turn numb for a moment. “Shut up and go kill the evil demon bird.”
>
> Althus gave a hearty chuckle at Saskai’s words–likely the first laugh Sommersbrooke had heard in quite some time. “You know if I die, you’re going to feel really bad that those were your last words to me.”
>
> “I doubt it,” Saskai said, crossing their arms and scrunching up.
>
> Althus chuckled again and doused his mouth coverings with water from his waterskin. Unable to speak any more, Althus merely gave a quick wave goodbye to Saskai and Cratch as he departed for the Springs.
Next time, we fight the scary bird monster and maybe face-off against Brynn.
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/33 "2020-01-27T02:09:27Z")
Last time, we decided to fight the Dragon-Raven of Sommersbrooke. Yeah, that seemed like a smart idea at the time. Now onto the game.
So Althus is ready to fight this beast, but what approach to take. There’s a certain amount of sense with our skillset to just run in and let fate take the wheel. But where’s going to try the subtle approach first.
Althus is going to try his best catch the bird monster unawares. First we _Ask the Oracle_ if the bird is on watch for people trying to enter the springs (likely). Yes (68), so we’re going to try and quietly sneak close to it. We roll +shadow to _Secure an Advantage_ and surprisingly get a weak hit (5 vs. 6, 2). We could burn our momentum to upgrade it to a strong hit, but I am perfectly fine with this being a short-lived advantage and taking the +1 Momentum (up to +8).
So thanks to the woolen cloak wrapped around Althus’ iron shirt (tied in place with the Ironlander barbed wire) he is able to sneak up right behind the bird. I imagine he’s right up thing’s tail before it even notices something is amiss. Let’s _Enter the Fray_ and see how that turns out.
We roll +shadow (since we as ambushing or otherwise striking without warning) and get a weak hit (8 vs. 1, 10). I think our choice is obvious: take the Initiative, leap up on the beast’s back before it can act, and drive Kiah’s Cleaver into its spine.
We roll +iron to _Strike_ and get a strong hit (7 vs. 4, 1)! Since our preparations have downgraded the guardian to a Dangerous Foe, we are dealing 3 harm (+1 from our strong hit) which is 6 progress on our track to take out the beast (6/10). Seems risky, but let’s try and _End the Fight_.
We roll the challenge and get so close to a strong hit, but it’s only a weak hit (6 vs. 5, 6). Since we cannot burn Momentum on progress moves, it looks like we’re going to have to choose one of the options from _End the Fight_.
> [@](#):
>
> Althus drove the wicked dagger into the beast’s back over and over again, blood flying every which way while the firstborn guardian tried to buck him free of his perch. Despite the beast’s efforts though, Althus maintained his position on its back desperately grabbing for its feathers to keep his balance.
>
> Althus was not certain what he hit that finally ended the beast, but it arched its back and let loose a blood curdling cry before its death spasm took over. With an unnatural whip of its back, the beast finally freed Althus from it and sent the Northerner flying several meters into the trunk of a tree.
>
> Althus let out a grasp of pain as he collided with the tree and then the ground in rapid order. Pulling himself up to his feet, Althus saw the beast shutter as it tried to lurch forward towards one of the springs. The Northerner was not sure how much stock he put into Taylah’s stories of the beast’s immortal nature, but decided that he did not want to be around to find out and so scrambled to head deeper into the field of springs.
We decide to _Endure Harm_. Since the beast is Dangerous, we lose 2 Health and then roll +iron to find out our fate. We get a weak hit (6 vs. 1, 9) and so do not end up any worse, but at least our Ironclad asset nets us +1 Momentum (up to +9). We also mark progress towards our Iron Vow (3/10). I’m also retroactively adding a progress for having dealt with the situation in Blackfall (4/10). Though it wasn’t directly related, it was something that hindered our ability to complete our main quest and so, based on comments from the creator, should count as progress towards it.
Now clear of the springs’ guardian, we can finally confront Brynn. I imagine she is deep into her ritual and so I’m of two minds; on one hand she could have mystical protections in place against interference, but on the other she may have relied on the guardian for protection. I’m going to make both equally likely and Ask the Oracle (phrased as “does Brynn have magical protections in place?”). Apparently not (6).
> [@](#):
>
> As Althus broke through the tree line, he saw the warlock Brynn deep in her ritual. She had waded into one of the spring pools up to her waist and set candles all about her; most inexplicably floating upright in the spring’s water. Around her, Althus could see light of many colors swirl around the warlock like luminous smoke in the wind.
Let’s wreck up Brynn’s ritual. This is totally outside Althus’ wheelhouse, so let’s just kick over some ritual candles and hopes it does something we want it to. This definitely sounds risky, so we’ll _Face Danger_ and roll +iron since this is an aggressive action. We get a weak hit (9 vs. 9, 6) and so I imagine there’s a bit of a backlash from breaking the ritual. We roll on the Mystic Backlash oracle and get (69) “You are tempted by dark powers.” I now think Brynn is in league with some dark demon, the ancient enemy of the elven Firstborn who is trying to free themselves to act on the Ironlands by siphoning their lost magicks.
> [@](#):
>
> The candles scattered from Althus’ kick and Brynn arched in pain. Suddenly the lights coalesced into a terrifying face. The face looked down at Althus and spoke.
>
> “Mortal, your intrusions are only minor hindrance. Walk away now while you can!”
>
> Althus took a step back at the sight of this demonic visage and took a defensive stance. When he saw that the demon did not act further, however, Althus turned and looked around the pools of water for the warlock.
So per our weak hit on _Face Danger_ we’ll suffer -1 Momentum from our hesitation and surprise but Althus quickly recovers. We’ll _Ask the Oracle_ whether Brynn is going to try and flee in the confusion (50/50) and the answer is yes (62). Althus is going to try to give chase and feel like this is a good opportunity to do a Scene Challenge (pg. 234).
We make a progress track for “Catch Brynn” (0/10) and a separate countdown track (0/4). We have until the countdown track fills to try to catch Brynn. Per the book’s recommendation, we’ll make this a Dangerous challenge for the purpose of marking progress.
> [@](#):
>
> The Northerner spotted Brynn wading through the spring pool, heading for the trees. Althus took off to cut her off, but a massive shrek made the both of them freeze in terror. The Firstborn’s guardian had recovered from Althus’ assault.
So Brynn is tearing off through the spring trying to make it for the tree line. Althus is going to try and race around the outside of the spring to try and cut her off, so we’ll _Face Danger_ with +edge. We get a complication (5 vs. 10, 10), which I think means the guardian is back up. We mark a countdown box (1/4) and I think everyone is now moving a bit more quickly (I imagine Brynn had to drop her illusion while performing her ritual).
Althus is going to try and book it for the treeline now, get out of the area around the springs and hopefully catch up with Brynn there. Roll +edge again and get another miss (3 vs. 6, 4). This one, however, we can turn into a strong hit by burning our momentum, which I think we definitely should (Momentum now +2). We mark progress (2/10) and Althus had escaped from the guardian’s area of protection. Now to see if we can find Brynn now.
We’ll try and look about the forest, _Facing Danger_ +wits. We get a strong hit (9 vs. 4, 3) so Althus catches sight of Brynn escaping through the forest down an incline. We mark progress (4/10) and I imagine Althus is just going to try and make his way through the forest towards her.
We roll +edge again and get a strong hit (8 vs. 3, 6). We mark progress (6/10) and I feel Althus has caught up to Brynn. Now to see if we can trip her up and capture her. We roll +iron to _Face Danger_ and get the strongest hit possible (10 vs. 8, 6).
> [@](#):
>
> The Northerner neared on the warlock and, just before she could dodge behind a tree, he tackled her and the two slammed into the tree. Althus recovered first and, while the warlock wracked with pain, he freed his wet cloth face mask and tied it quickly around her wrists.
>
> Brynn suddenly became aware of what was happening but before she could do anything, the Northerner had his blade to her throat. “I don’t want to do this,” he said evenly, “but I will if you do anything I don’t like.”
>
> Defeated, the warlock slumped to her knees. Althus quickly checked her over and found an iron talisman around her neck. He snatched it away, not sure if it was the source of some of her power but unwilling to take chances.
>
> “Any other iron,” Althus asked, peering her over.
>
> “No,” Brynn answered flatly.
We mark progress (8/10) and now I think is good place to try and resolve this Scene Challenge. We roll the Challenge Dice and get a strong hit (8 vs. 6, 5) which means we achieve our goal unconditionally. We’ve captured the warlock Brynn which I believe should count as a milestone on our vow (5/10).
Althus and Brynn return to Sommersbrooke and now is time to figure out what to do with Brynn. First thing first, let’s see if we can find the leader of Sommersbrooke. We roll +wits to _Gather Information_ and get a weak hit (8 vs. 9, 2) which means the information complicates our quest. I think this means the leader of Sommersbrooke was the first person who tried to oppose Brynn and she killed them with her magicks. We _Ask the Oracle_ (likely) but this seems like that is not the case (3). We roll on the Action and Theme tables and get “Weaken/Decay”: Brynn didn’t kill them, just set a deadly curse upon them.
We could try to convince Brynn to remove the curse, but we have very little leverage to do so. We likely could not break the curse without her, so killing her will only go so far. But we do have a healing spring and Althus already defeated its guardian once.
> [@](#):
>
> They had found a horse stall to place the warlock in.
>
> “I will watch over her,” Althus said to Taylah. “Could you go bring the leader of your village here so they can decide what to do with the warlock?”
>
> “That will be hard,” Taylah said, turning hateful eyes to Brynn. “She cast a wasting spell upon Sibila when she first arrived!”
>
> Althus looked to Brynn, who only gave a disinterested shrug in reply to the unasked question. “Remove the curse,” Althus said in a firm tone.
>
> “Why should I?” Brynn said with a chuckle. “What benefit does it offer me? I release the curse and the matron of the town lives to pass judgment on me. I don’t and at least she goes with me.”
>
> Althus gave an amused grunt. “You seem to forget, I’ve bested the guardian of the springs once. I don’t wish to but I will face it again to see my Baron’s vassal saved. So, would you rather I go through the trouble of slaying the beast again or would you like my gratitude for saving me the trouble?”
>
> “You!” Taylah shouted. “You would deal with this warlock? I won’t let you!”
>
> Taylah loosed the axe from his belt and went to bring it down on Brynn’s skull. Althus moved to intercept, but the old adventurer was quicker than he thought. It was over in an instant.
>
> Althus shoved Taylah into the side of the stall, both covered in blood. “Why!” Althus shouted. “She could have saved your Sibila!”
>
> “Never much cared for her anyway, the upstart,” Taylah responded with a sneer. “Besides, I’ll not be conspiring with any demon worshippers. Or those who do.”
>
> The old man tried to shove his way free of Althus’ grasp, but Althus held firm. Althus stared into Taylah’s eyes for a long moment with murderous fury but the old adventurer refused to break his gaze. Finally Saskai reached out and grabbed for Althus’ arm.
>
> “Come on,” they said softly but firmly. “We can still make this right. Let’s talk through this, Althus.”
>
> At Saskai’s words, Althus’ anger melted away and he followed them out, leaving Taylah to deal with Brynn’s corpse.
So we attempt to _Compel_ Brynn into releasing the curse on Sibila (she/her | jealous, experienced, ironsworn) the leader of Sommersbrooke. We roll +heart (since we’re more bartering than threatening) and get a complication (6 vs. 9, 9). I don’t think Sommersbrooke (represented by Taylah) cares for us trying to bargain with the warlock and moves to end the threat of the warlock once and for all. We try to intercept (_Facing Danger_ with +edge) but fail to react quickly enough (5 vs. 8, 9).
These last two major failures make me think it’s time for another new feature from Delve, _Learning From Your Failure_ (Delve, pg. 58). We make a new progress track (called “Failures”) and mark a single tick for each failure (0.5/10). Once we’re up 6 progress or greater, we can attempt to _Learn from Our Failures_. But that’s a ways off.
We still need to _Pay the Price_ for our _Face Danger_ (the _Pay the Price_ for the _Compel_ was the “soft move” of Taylah threatening to kill Brynn then and there) so I think this was quite stressful. Looking at the table of stress levels (pg. 95) I feel this was an upsetting failure, so we suffer -2 spirit (down to +3) and then roll +spirit. We get a strong hit (6 vs. 3, 1), so I think we shake it off, trading -1 Momentum (down to +1) for +1 spirit (back up to +4).
Now to figure out what we’re going to do. The choices are fairly obvious: let Sibila die (not likely a good outcome for Baron Quinn) or face the guardian again to collect some of the restorative waters of the spring. And said like that, there’s hardly any option for us at all.
But we’ll deal with that particular complication next time!
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/34 "2020-01-27T05:10:53Z")
Last time, we tried to offer peace to those that offered us harm but dice wouldn’t let us. Now onto the game.
> [@](#):
>
> “So what are you planning on doing?” Saskai asked while Althus searched through Cratch’s packs.
>
> “Well, Brynn is dead,” Althus said between taking sniffs of various herbs he pulled out, trying to decern which was which. “That means our only chance of saving Sibila is the waters of the spring, if they have the healing powers that old fool said they did.”
>
> “Couldn’t you try your poultices on her?”
>
> “Could,” Althus said with a curious tilt of his head, but quickly followed it up with a dismissive shake of the head. “If it is truly a curse, my herbs would only mask the effects for a time. I’ve got to hope that the magicks of the waters counter the magicks of the warlock.”
>
> “Then what are you looking for?” After asking the question, Saskai moved up until their body pressed up against Althus’ and peered over his shoulder.
>
> “I don’t think I’m going to sneak up on that beast twice. Besides, I don’t mean it any more harm than what’s needed. If I can outrun it, I might be able to collect some of the waters and escape before its on me.”
>
> “Do you think you can?” Saskai asked hopefully.
>
> Althus finally found what he was looking for: a striking red grass that burnt a bit at the touch. The people of the Deep Wilds called it Hot Meadow, for it felt like walking across coals when you came across a field of it. He rolled a bit of it through his fingers to test how dried it had become and, pleased with the test, then reached back in to grab a handful.
>
> “Hopefully.”
So we’ve still got out preparations from our last tangle with the Raven-Drake, but since we’re changing tactics I think that we should try to _Secure an Advantage_. Althus is going to try and craft a potion that will heighten his focus and speed his limbs. We’ll roll +wits and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 5). We’ll prepare to act and take the +2 momentum (now up to +3).
Next, since we’re already delving into the herbs, we’ll attempt to _Heal_. We’ll take the +2 bonus from our Herbalist asset and roll +wits, but only get a weak hit (10 vs. 10, 5). Unfortunate, but we’ll still recover +2 health (up to +5), though at the cost of -1 supply (down to +4).
> [@](#):
>
> Cratch let out a mighty bellows and the people of Sommersbrooke finally peered out their windows. Althus sat atop the mammoth’s back as it made its way through the town.
>
> “People of Sommersbrooke,” Althus shouted at the top of his lungs, “your warlock is dead! You are free of her terror, though your matron Sibila is still afflicted by her curse!”
>
> Althus lifted Kiah’s cleave by the blade over his head so anyone looking could see it. “I am Althus of Wyvern’s Rest. I have been to the springs of the Firstborn. I have faced its guardian and won. Now I do so again for your matron’s sake!”
>
> Several of the shutters now opened and Althus could see the faces of the people of Sommersbrooke. They still seemed weary, though he did not see the terror he expected. One of the townsfolk shouted for his attention from their window and Althus signalled for Cratch to halt his march.
>
> “We’ve heard these promises before,” they shouted, their rosey cheeks twisted in a sneer. “What makes you so different?!”
>
> “I am not asking for your trust or you belief,” Althus said, bringing his knife level with his gaze of the villager. “I make this oath of my own volition on my own iron. I will see your matron healed of her curse.”
>
> “Well go then,” the villager shouted in reply, motioning their arms to hurry Althus along. “Fulfill your oath, Ironsworn.”
>
> Althus gave Cratch a pat and the mammoth trodded along the road.
>
> * * *
>
> Once outside town, Althus dismounted. Nearby Saskai rested under a tree with a wooden bowl, mixing its contents slowly with a stick.
>
> “You’ve changed since I first met you, Northerner,” Saskai said, handing the bowl to Althus.
>
> “You met me at a poor time in my life,” Althus responded, checking the mixture. It consisted mostly of the Hot Meadow and several other herbs to mask its taste. Althus gave it a questioning sniff and the scent burnt at his nostrils.
>
> “You’ve told me as much,” Saskai said flatly.
>
> Althus gave what he hoped came off as a half-hearted shrug, though he was never one for masking his feelings. “For one, you were not in it.”
>
> Saskai marvelled at that admittance, unsure how to process it. They started to speak, but Althus stopped them with a shake of his head.
>
> “We can speak once I return,” he said quietly.
>
> “Then you’d best make sure you return. It’s a hell of a thing to leave someone after saying something like that.”
>
> Althus nodded in agreement and, with slight hesitation, drank the mixture in the bowl. He took in one massive swallow, trying his best not have to taste the concoction. He failed and his face twisted into a ugly thing.
>
> “Are you alright,” Saskai asked, but the Northerner waved them off.
>
> “I might need some of those waters too now,” he answered horsley.
>
> Saskai handed him his waterskin and Althus drank greedily before remembering he needed to save some for the beast’s poison. He put the stopper back in with his teeth and then ran off into the woods, heading towards the springs.
Finally, since our task is to secure the aid of Sommersbrooke to Wyvern’s Rest, I think a bit of flying the flag is needed. To that end, we’re going to publicly _Swear an Iron Vow_ to see Sibila healed of her curse (which also is probably worth another milestone on our quest, since we’re giving the people of Sommersbrooke some hope, so 6/10 on that progress track). Since it seems fairly simple (though certainly not easy) I think making it only a Troublesome quest is not out of the question. We roll +iron and get a weak hit (6 vs. 6, 4) which is fine. We get another +1 momentum (up to +4) and head out to the spring (marking progress on our vow to cure Sibila, 3/10).
I think we should use another Scene Challenge for this, so we make a progress track for “collect the water of the spring” (0/4) and a countdown track (0/4). First let’s try sneaking as close as possible. We _Face Danger_ with +shadow and get a miss (3 vs. 3, 7). While early, we’ll burn our momentum (back down to +2) to make it a weak hit. We mark progress (2/10) but also mark the countdown (1/4); I think the beast is aware of us.
Now that the beast can see us, I think we just book it towards the springs. We’re running flat out (with the help of our Hot Meadow concoction, though that doesn’t give us any mechanical benefit other than the momentum we generated) so we _Face Danger_ again, but this time +edge. We get another weak hit (4 vs. 3, 8) so we mark further progress (4/10) but also mark the countdown track (2/4). I imagine the beast, with its supernatural speed, has gotten ahead of us and now blocks our path. Let’s see how it like iron.
We’re going to try and rush our way past the beast, leaping at it with Kiah’s cleaver. We roll +iron another weak hit (9 vs. 10, 5). I am imagining Althus leaping at the beast and getting a couple cuts in before it bats him away with one of its massive wings. Perhaps closer to one of the pools? Regardless, we mark our progress (6/10) and mark countdown (3/4).
The beast is bearing down on us, toothy maw on its stomach flapping and talons tearing. Althus takes a quick moment to dump out the last of his water over his face wrappings and dunks his waterskin into the waters. The beast crashes into him and Althus counts on his barbed wire to make the beast regret it. We roll +iron to _Face Danger_ and get a strong hit (8 vs. 5, 1). I feel like the beast kicks him over with one of its talons and starts to stomp at him, only to cut itself on the barbed wire. The beast flaps away in confusion and pain. Luckily, Althus has only some minor bruises to show for the exchange. We mark progress (8/10) and I think it is time to vamoose.
We roll the Challenge Dice and get a strong hit (8 vs. 5, 4). We’re able to escape, most likely with the beast howling in pain behind us, wanting to give chase but the iron cuts (and perhaps its bond to this location) not allowing it to. With water in hand, we mark progress on our Vow (6/10) and rush back to town.
Once back, it’s time to see Sibila. We administer the healing waters to her and _Ask the Oracle_ “can the waters break the curse” (almost certainly). They can (86), and while it’ll still be a while until Sibila will be back on her feet, we’ve saved her life. We roll the challenge dice to _Fulfill Our Vow_ and get an opportunity (6 vs. 1, 1). We mark xp (6 total, 3 used) and now to imagine what this means. The most obvious answer is that we did not need to use all of the healing water to break the curse. An interesting single-use resource to hold in our back pocket. We’ll mark that on our sheet.
With Sibila saved, we’ll mark progress on that Vow as well and I think we can try to _Fulfill_ that as well. We get a strong hit (7 vs. 2, 4) netting us 3 more XP (9 total, 3 used) which gives us a lot to work with. I’ll need time to figure out what to do with all of it. But wait, we also had a threat on that quest. And since the threat’s menace equaled or exceeded our progress when we completed it (9 menace vs. 7 progress) we get 1 additional progress (a small bonus for excepting a threat on a Vow). That puts us at 10 total XP.
But for now, we’ll attempt to _Forge a Bond_ with Sommersbrooke. We roll +heart and get a strong hit (6 vs. 2, 4) and so we mark the bond and get +1 spirit, bringing us back up to max. With that, I feel this is a good place to leave Althus and crew until his next quest. He’ll spend some time recovering, training, and bonding with the people of Sommersbrooke.
Until next time, I leave you all with a question: What sort of adventures would you like to see Althus go on next?
---
### Author:  [@insomn14](https://forum.menagerie.team/u/insomn14)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://forum.menagerie.team/t/ironsworn-solo-game/794/35 "2020-02-19T15:28:01Z")
So now that Delve has been released and the Roll20 sheet has been updated with that content, it might be time to dust off the old chainmail and head back out into the Ironlands. Before I start a new adventure later this week, does anyone have any suggestions for what sort of adventures they’d like to see Althus go on?
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