Ironsworn Solo Game

[insomn14 (Mike)]

So a bit of a change in format. I figured since I’m going to go into a lot more mechanics than fiction (that being the slowest part of this) I thought I’d try having all the game text out of the quote boxes and all of the fiction in boxes (making them more like excepts from a book). We’ll see how this works out.

When we last left Althus, he was in a bad place and didn’t want to face failing the people of Wyvern’s Rest. So I think that means it’s time for him to leave this region entirely. Per the book (pg. 111) travelling from one region to another is a Formidable task, so I think that’s what he’s going to do. I imagine we’re currently at the edges of the Havens, since we were dealing with Barons, so I think it’s time to slip down into the Ragged Coast. Perhaps we’ll run into Kabeera again.

But first we’ll make the most of this hunting lodge and camp (pg. 64) for a few days before undertaking our journey. Though our Supply is +4 we get to roll Cratch’s health which is a +5, and that lands us a strong hit (10 vs. 4, 6). I think Althus is going to relax and prepare, going out into the woods during the day and sitting by a warm fire at night.

Unfortunately, our preparations don’t help when we roll a miss for the first leg of our journey (7 vs. 7, 10) which means we are waylaid by a perilous event and must pay the price. Since we were already on the edges of civilization, I think the most obvious negative outcome is some bandits on the road.

As the Northerner heads back through the woods to find the road, a voice rings out from the trees.

“Lost there, mate? We can help with that… for a fee.”

Three people walk out from the trees, two with knives in their hands and the third with a shoddy bow. The one with the bow, the same who spoke before, asked, “How about your mammoth friend? He’d feed us for a month.”

Cratch let out a loud snort from his massive trunk and Althus gave him a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry friend, no one’s eating you.”

“I think we’ll be the judges of that,” another one of the bandits announced, sounding certain of himself.

Althus slowly reached for the hilt of his short sword. “No,” he said, low but clear, “no, you will not.”

Normally, I can see a single bandit on the road being a Troublesome foe for an Ironsworn like Althus, but there being a couple of them makes them a pack (pg. 78) and increases their rank to Dangerous. Since Althus doesn’t feel like talking his way out of this, it’s time to Enter the Fray (also pg. 78). We also get a miss (5 vs. 10, 9) and begin at a disadvantage and must pay the price. This time I am going to roll on the table and get it is stressful (69). Makes sense.

We’ll Endure Stress (they’re Dangerous, so we’ll make it 2 spirit) and get a strong hit (5 vs. 3, 4). I think now is a good time for Althus to embrace the darkness and gain momentum. And since we’re going dark, let’s Turn the Tide (pg. 81) and lash out at these Bandits with a Strike.

We roll +iron and take +1 from Turn the Tide and get a strong hit (9 vs. 2, 3) which also nets us +1 momentum from Turn the Tide. We inflict +1 harm (we’re armed with a deadly weapon, so by default we deal 2 harm) which translates into 6 progress for our progress track with the bandits.

Althus went to pull his sword, but a rock suddenly cracked him in the head.

“No,” shout one of the bandits as his fellows cheered him on, “I don’t think we’re going to have any of that!”

For a moment, all Althus could see was red. He wiped his brow with his arm and it came away smeared with blood. Althus locked eyes with the man with a bow. He had been laughing, but when he saw the Northerner’s eyes, the laughter died in his throat.

And then Althus rushed him.

With a decisive hit, I think it’s probably best to try and run the bandits off than just murder them, so time to Compel them to give this up (pg. 69). Since we’re going to using threats, we’re rolling +iron and get a weak hit (7 vs. 7, 3) which means they’ll ask for something in return. With nothing immediately coming to mind, I think I’ll roll on the Pay the Price table for inspiration. A surprising development complicates your quest? Perhaps they know about Sarria and Lestara. Are they holding them captive? No (38). Did they join the bandits? Unlikely and also no (27). But do they know about them? Very yes (99). We’ll roll on the Action and Theme Oracles and get Depart Debt (97/48). The women owe these bandits money and run out on it? Were they part of their scheme to flee from Wyvern’s Rest as well?

Althus was breathing heavy, but he was still standing. Around him the bandit wove him off with their pleas for mercy.

“Look sir,” the man with the bow said, “we didn’t mean you any harm, we were just hungry.”

“Hungry enough to waylay a traveller on the road,” Althus asked, still holding his short sword at the ready.

The three considered this for a moment before answering with group consensus of “yes.”

“And what would put three folk such as yourself on such hard times that they would turn to banditry?”

The three turned towards each other, looks of shame, embarrassment, and confusion traded among each other. Finally, the man with the bow—the leader of the three as best Althus could tell—said, “Well, you see, there were these two girls who hired to escort them out here and one night they run off with our provisions and we don’t know the area too way, so one thing leads to another and…”

“Wait,” Althus cut the man off, “what were these girls names?”

So we’ve got a new Iron Vow, though it’s sort of our old Iron Vow: Find Sarria and Lestara and get the bandit’s money back. I think this is going to merely be Troublesome since we’re just acting as a debt collector. We get a strong hit on the move (9 vs. 3, 8) and are emboldened and get a clear course of action (makes sense since we should be able to get info out of the bandits here). Because of that, I think the bandits just take us to where they think Sarria and Lestara are, which is (using the Chartopia Waypoint Generator again) a strange forest. The edge of the Deep Wilds?

We could also figure out of things about Althus’ new buddies, the erstwhile bandits. We turn to the oracles and find that they are:

Pearce (he) – cunning, hostile, and armored.
Nadira (her) – critical, sick, and aggressive.
Saskia (they) – adventurous, violent, and stingy.

Sounds like a real friendly bunch. Getting cheated out of some money is the only reason they turned to banditry.

So we’ve got to track the girls down in this forest. That sounds like Gathering some Information. We get another strong hit (7 vs. 6, 4) which actually tops us off on Momentum. It also makes the way clear to find them, so we’re marking progress (three marks since it’s a troublesome quest). So what are the girls doing when we find them? Rolling on the Action Oracle and get Escort. Looks like they’ve got someone leading them through the forest to their eventual destination.

But we’ll get to that next time.