Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 7, The wrong place at the wrong time

The exit ramp touches down on Bulwark's sand-encrusted landing pad and I take the lead, E.R.I.C. behind me and Eveline bringing up the rear. I double and triple checked the route before leaving the ship; I've been to this trading city dozens of times but never to this particular bar. Walking out of the climate controlled ship is like walking out of a fridge and into a blast furnace. Eveline an I are both wearing desert goggles - pretty much a necessity on this world even in the cities, and the lenses almost immediately began to darken as they sense the bright afternoon sunlight.

This is a short walk across town, along a well-researched route. But I think there's an opportunity for something to happen en-route. None of the journey moves are quite right, so we'll face danger with wits to represent vigilance.

Face Danger + Wits (2)

[Miss: 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 8 | 4]

Pay the Price: 28 - Your action causes collateral damage or has an unintended effect

Location (Inhabited) theme - Peril: Signs of unrest or rebellion

We've established that this sector is in the midst of a Civil War. I'm getting some proper Rogue One vibes from this scene, so let's roll with that.

Gather Information + Wits (2)

[Strong Hit: 3 + 2 + 0 = 5 vs 4 | 2] +  2 momentum, but we're already maxed out.

I keep an eye on the doorways and windows as we pass, and I know Eveline is watching the rooftops. At the same moment I see a hooded figure duck back into cover to avoid my glance, she sends a terse message through the comm, "Sniper rifle up high 10 o'clock. Break break break." I grab E.R.I.C. and throw myself into the nearest doorway, backing up as far as I can into cover. I don't see Eveline but I trust that she's found something solid to hide behind. I put one hand on my holstered laspistol and pause, breathing as lightly as I dare.

All is still for 10 seconds, and just as I'm beginning to wonder if we've overreacted the first explosion goes off.

The street empties as energy bolts start flying, and I catch a glimpse of Eveline sighting down her rifle from a doorway across from us. A figure stands up and lines up a grenade toss from further up the road - Eveline is focused on her target and hasn't seen it. No time for comms, I draw my pistol and fire off a flurry of lasfire in their direction hoping to distract them.

I think this probably counts as entering the fray, and since I'm getting the drop on someone we'll roll it with Shadow.

Enter the Fray + Shadow (1)

[Weak Hit: 2 + 1 + 0 = 3 vs 1 | 3]

We take control. I don't think we're the target of this ambush, so I'm going to set this as a dangerous encounter. Combat Objective will be to escape the ambush.

Strike + Edge (2)

[Strong Hit: 3 + 2 + 0 = 5 vs 1 | 3] Mark 2 progress (that's 4 boxes for a dangerous encounter)

Progress 4/10 [****______]

The grenade thrower drops their grenade and throws themself back into cover. A few seconds later there's an explosion and gunfire from that location stops. I hear a voice in my ear "they're onto you, move it" and Eveline starts laying down fire at a point a couple of dozen meters ahead of me. I see a glint from the rooftop opposite and run for the cover of a transport vehicle stopped in the middle of the street.

Gain Ground + Edge (2)

[Miss: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 6 | 6] with a match

Burn momentum (+10  reset to + 2)

[Strong Hit: 4 + 2 + 0 = 10 vs 6 | 6] with a match

Mark Progress 6/10 [******____]

+2 Momentum (+4)

Definitely worth burning momentum, and we get some back right away. Since our objective is survival, finding better cover is suitable narrative progress, and it also turns that match into a positive twist rather than negative.

Action Oracle: Release

We are next to a transport. If we were to open it, what would we let out?

Theme Oracle: Knowledge

As I skid to a halt behind the transport I hear a plink as an old fashioned slug round ricochets off the chassis of the vehicle. A bulletproof hiding place sounds good; I yank the rear door and to my surprise it opens right away. Inside I see the driver pressed against the front of the compartment where there's an access hatch from the front seats. He scrambles as he sees me standing there holding the pistol, and doesn't seem too happy when I climb inside. I point the pistol away from him and shout to be hear over the general chaos.

"I'm not going to shoot you. I landed on this planet fifteen minutes ago. What the hell is going on?"

Compel + Heart (3)

[Strong Hit: 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 vs 4 | 4] with a match

+1 momentum (5)

We'll come back to that match. For now, let's pick up the knowledge from the last match roll.

Warily looking at the pistol he shouts back "government sympathisers attacking patrols. They appear, all hell breaks loose for a few minutes and then they vanish. Military advice is to get the hell off the streets and let them handle it". I grimace, "wish I'd followed that advice." I glance up at the access hatch.

Is there some kind of bio-security lock? Seems likely.

Ask the Oracle: 85 - No

I'm pleasantly surprised to see that there doesn't seem to be a lock. "If you see an annoying golden droid out back do me a favour and haul him in will you?" I push through the hatch staying low without waiting for an answer. I climb into the driver's seat, keeping my head down, and try very hard not to think about how stupid this next move is. I risk a glance out the window to see if E.R.I.C is still where I left him.

Is E.R.I.C. still in the spot where I left him? Likely.

Ask the Oracle: 12 - Yes

Is he damaged? 50/50

Ask the Oracle: 73 - Yes

What kind of harm have they suffered?

D6 Fortune roll: 4 - Serious Harm (-2 health)

Companion takes a hit + their health (1):

[Miss: 2 + 1 + 0 = 3 vs 3 | 8] - It's worse than you thought

Either E.R.I.C loses another health point and goes down or I take -2 momentum.In this case I think I'll take a momentum penalty (3). It fits the fiction - getting a damaged E.R.I.C. into the back of the transport is going to slow me down and leave me a sitting duck for precious seconds.

E.R.I.C. is there but he's slumped in the doorway. Sparks are pouring from his hip actuators and one of his legs is lying on the floor next to him. Swearing, I slew the transport over to the building and run back through the hatch to pull him in.

Face Danger + Heart (3)

[Weak Hit: 2 + 3 + 0 = 5 vs 5 | 3] - Succeed at a cost, make a suffer move.

As much as he can be annoying, I think Mina is pretty attached to E.R.I.C. The fiction suggests they've been together for a while, and she's not a fighter so I don't think she's accustomed to seeing a companion take damage, even if it's a bot. This would be a very stressful experience.

Endure Stress: Serious Stress, -2 Spirit (3)

It looks worse up close. I lose a valuable second to despair as I pick up the severed leg and stare at it, but an explosion and a burst of charge fire bring me back to my senses and I toss the leg into the back of the transport, grabbing hold of E.R.I.C. and supporting the bot into the vehicle. "Hold on tight, we're getting out of here".

I send a comm message to Eveline asking "where are you? I'm coming to get you." The reply comes quickly interspersed by curses thrown at some unseen assailant. "I'm coming to you, cover me". Poking my head round the side of the transport, I see Eveline break cover and start to run. Two figures on the rooftop behind her notice the movement and start to raise weapons. "Oh no you don't!", before I've had time to think the laspistol is in my hand and I fire a wild burst, emptying the rest of the pistol's charge pack in the direction of the rooftop.

Our last combat action was a strong hit on Gain Ground, so we'll pick up from there and Gain Ground again, this time with Heart as we come to Eveline's aid. Mina isn't trying to hit anyone, she wants to get their heads down and stop them firing as her friend runs for cover.

Gain Ground + Heart (3)

[Weak Hit: 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 vs 10 | 1] Retain control and mark progress.

Mark Progress 8/10 [********__]

I don't think I hit anything, but the mini-fusillade does its job. The two on the rooftop duck back out of the way and Eveline throws herself into the back of the Transport and slams the door. "I'm in, get us the fuck out of here". "Way ahead of you." I throw the transport into a 180 degree turn, accelerating away down the street.

Hopefully one final Gain Ground as we high-tail it away from this ambush.

Gain Ground + Edge (2)

[Weak Hit: 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 vs 1 | 7] - Retain control and mark progress

Mark Progress 10/10 [**********]

Take Decisive Action:

[Strong Hit: Progress 10 vs 1 | 5] Take +1 Momentum (+4)

Objective achieved: Escape the ambush.

We've only been driving for a few seconds when we pass half a dozen a security quick response units heading the other way. I hit the brakes and, for a few seconds, there's silence. Then Eveline pushes her armoured form through the hatch and drops into the passenger seat. "Nice driving! No offense but I didn't know you had it in you! Your new friend doesn't seem to appreciate it quite so much." Her face is flushed, but she's grinning ear to ear. "My new friend?" I ask blankly. "The guy out back, looks like a delivery driver." I'd forgotten about him. I slip out of the chair and pause at the access hatch as I go to check on E.R.I.C and apologise to the man whose vehicle I hijacked. I look round at Eveline. "Bodyguarding seems to suit you." She swings her feet up onto the dashboard and leans back in her chair. "You're living up to your promise. Got to live up to mine."

Connection (Dangerous): Eveline Durant - Guard: 4 boxes]

 

Well that wasn't the session I expected to play, but I've got some ideas for the fallout. I never did think up a good twist for that match on the Compel roll, so we'll let that go and pick up as we finally arrive at the bar next session.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 6, A Fresh Start in a New Sector

New sector rolled up and we are ready to go. Mina would be following the trade routes out of Veiled Keeper space and back to somewhere she can hole up and get her bearings, so we'll begin with a 'Set a Course' roll to see how that journey goes. If you'll forgive me some exposition, I'm going to indulge in a little scene setting in the new sector and we'll get back to media res as soon as I can

Set a Course + Supply (5)

[Strong Hit: 6 + 5 + 0 = 10 vs 1 | 6]

We reach our destination and the situation there favours us, take +1 momentum.

I'm already at the maximum of 10 momentum, but we'll happily take the permission to give ourselves a favourable starting situation on arrival.

The ship rattles and shakes as it exits the jump not too far from the glowing orange star of Vindemiatrix. I let go of a breath I've been holding since shortly before passing through Veiled Keeper border controls and feel the tension leave my shoulders. I silence an alert from the navcomp, set course for the planet of Pyla and start downloading everything I can off the local comms network. This place was a powder keg in the process of exploding when I was last here, and I have a cargo hold full of riot gear. In chaos there is opportunity.

The cockpit door slides open and Eveline walks in stifling a yawn and holding a cup of steaming coffee in the other hand. "This is good" she says proffering the mug. "One of the perks of trading the stuff is always having a fresh supply" I respond, eyes fixed on the latest news reports. "Well, well... looks like the rebels have taken Burnell station. It's Broken Union territory now." I send a quick comm message to E.R.I.C asking him to bone up on Broken Union ettiquette. I'll be needing his help.

"How much galactic politics did you hear on Larissa?" I ask. Eveline shrugs. "OK the short version - this sector is run by a faction called the Fated Domains. Not very well, and possibly not for much longer. Leadership is passed down through dynasties, descendants of the original families that first settled here. They always looked after their people and it always worked OK, but the latest bunch got greedy. They tried to funnel all the mining profits to themselves, and to take control of the military off the generals. The generals didn't like that much, and the people weren't keen on becoming serfs. They splintered and formed a rebel group called the Broken Union."

I scan the news again. "Last time I was here they'd seized control of Bulwark, the military HQ on the planet, and rumour was they'd be pushing for Pinnacle, the mining settlement. But sounds like they went for the Orbital instead." Eveline glances at the sector map and takes a sip of coffee. "Makes sense. Those orbitals are your eyes in the sky. You want to control trade, see who's coming in and out of the sector. For that you need assets in space. Mines are hard to assault, easy to defend. But if you can't sell the stuff you're mining, it doesn't do you much good."

I nod. "Right, but here's the twist. What they're mining is Spice. The whole faction is built on it. Most of the people who live in this sector are spice users, to some extent or other. It's not much good for trade outside Fated Domains space - legally at least, it's minimum class B everywhere else - but cut off the supply and most of the sector goes into withdrawal once the stockpiles start running out. Those mines are the ultimate leverage."

What can I say? I rolled up a desert planet, a planetside settlement with a mining project, and a faction whose quirk is "dependent on an addictive substance". Both the main faction and the fringe group rolled 'Consolidate control of a valuable commodity." He who controls the Spice controls the Igneous Verge sector, apparently.

If I don't roll up an encounter with a Worldbreaker when I go exploring the desert then I'm going to be very disappointed.

Eveline gives a low whistle. "We used to catch shipments of that stuff occasionally and lock up the smugglers. Sometimes the smuggler was also a user. The comedown looked... unpleasant."

"There's no panic in the comms about supply yet, so hopefully the stockpiles will last a while longer. In the meantime we're heading to Bulwark, I have a contact and it sounds like they might be able to use a few dozen crates of body armour. And actually those tasers might be popular with private citizens in times like these. Law and order breaks down, people like to know they can defend themselves."

"That reminds me." I reach over, punch a few buttons and speak a passphrase. "I've authorised you to access the 'armoury'. I forget what's in there, but have a look and kit yourself out as best you can."

I intended to roll "Check your gear" but it's not really intended for this kind of thing, so instead we'll attempt to "Secure an Advantage" by kitting Eveline out with some decent combat equipment. And I'm going to roll +supply, since this doesn't really relate to any personal attributes.

Secure an Advantage + Supply (5)

[Strong Hit: 6 + 5 + 0 = 10 vs 7 | 9]

The mechanical bonus of this will be that Eveline is now equipped to aid me in a wider variety of situations, so I'll be able to take that +1 connection bonus for bigger fights and at longer ranges without putting her at risk.

I get a comm a few minutes later from Eveline complaining about the state of the charge rifle she found out back, but between the contents of the cargo hold and the weapons cabinet she's able to cobble together a respectable combat outfit. I have a laspistol that I don't really know how to use, but I ask Eveline to bring me back one of the tasers. She snorts with laughter, but when she gets back she has one for me.

Within the hour we're on approach to Bulwark and my docking request has been approved. I fire off a quick message to my old contact based in the city and hope they're still around despite the upheaval.  As we touch down on the landing dock I get an affirmative and an invitation to meet up in one of the local bars later that evening. I let Eveline know what's happening. "Danger money starts here." She manages the first smile since we left Veiled Keeper space. "You did promise it would be interesting." I find myself smiling back.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 5, Forsaking vows and making new ones

 

We have a few things to deal with here before we pick up the narrative again. This may end up being a mechanical post rather than narrative, but it's all part of play.

First of all, the vow Find out what they are working on in the secret archaeological settlement known as Forlorn needs to be Forsaken. I'm giving up and leaving Veiled Keepers space, and that has consequences.

Of the suggested costs in the Move description there are three that stand out to me as possibles:

• You are demoralized or dispirited: Endure Stress.
• You must abandon a path or resource: Discard an asset.
• Your reputation suffers: Envision how this failure marks you.

This was an unlucky start to a new game, and it turned into a very static scene that was a bit of a grind by the end, so I don't want to go discarding assets and making my character less dynamic. But maybe I could lose the benefits of an asset until I make amends.

And losing a bit of spirit doesn't seem quite enough.

On the other hand, losing access to Veiled Keepers space and being branded a Spy if I return sounds like reputational damage to me, and seems like a narratively satisfying cost for that failed adventure. So I think this is what we'll go with.

Second thing, we need to get to know Eveline a little better since she's going to be travelling with us. Below is what I rolled when I first arrived on Larissa and was envisioning an NPC for my first interaction:

Name: Eveline Durant

Role: Guard

Goal: Defend a place

First look: Grim, Shifty

Revealed Aspect: Loving, Violent

We're going to roll and re-roll a couple of attributes:

Disposition: Indifferent

Goal: Escape a captor

Revealed Aspect: +Stingy

Callsign: Dash

Sometimes the Oracles are spookily on point. So Eveline's goals have changed to reflect her new reality, and I'm going to read her indifference as a combination of withdrawal and total apathy as it sinks in that she's lost what little she had and has nothing in this universe to ground her again.

Thirdly and finally, we need a new sector and a new vow. The obvious vow is to find and retrieve a Precursor relic, and from our starting point that sounds like a Formidable task.

Swear an Iron Vow + Heart: Find and retrieve a precursor relic (Formidable)

[Strong Hit with a match: 4 + 3 + 0 = 7 vs 6 | 6]

+2 Momentum

That match is interesting,let's roll some Oracles and seed some ideas:

Story Clue: Connects to a known rumor or scandal

Action: Surrender / Theme: Life

We'll bear this in mind when we start gathering information, but with a strong hit making it clear what we must do next, I think we probably learn of a rumour of some fellow lore hunter, maybe an old friend/rival, who was trying to break in somewhere in faction space and was found dead in suspicious circumstances.

I think the benefit of this match will be that, because this happened in the lore hunting community, we're starting with a slate of known contacts who can probably be persuaded to give us more information.

I'll represent this as starting out with a mark of progress in the Vow tracker.

[Mark Progress: Find and retrieve a precursor relic :1 boxes]

All that's left is to roll up a new sector and envision the new vow. Next post we'll jump right into the narrative.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 4, An honest question deserves an honest answer

No sense playing dumb, I've been caught in the act. I sit back in my chair and pinch the bridge of my nose between finger and thumb. My mind races. There are no good reasons for me to be asking questions about that orbital, but being outed as an artifact smuggler isn't the worst. This is now all about damage limitation. If they decide I'm a spy for another faction I'll never see the outside of this prison block again.

"I have a client" I say, carefully and with emphasis, "a very wealthy client, who has a great interest in certain specialised archeology. They have heard rumours of a place where some particularly interesting archeology may be found and have tasked me with finding out more about it. It took me weeks even to confirm the name. Given the scale of your operations, your data security is pretty tight."

Half truths and omissions. A dangerous game. No outright lies, but a few exaggerations.

Face Danger (Scene Challenge) + Wits

[Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 7 vs 6 | 10]

Mark Progress: [****______]

Clock: 3/4

Both eyebrows raised. "Really? You're just going to confess? No games, no denials?

I give a pained look. For once there's no deception there. "You have me on video saying the name. You have a copy of my Protocol bot's memory. In the unlikely event you let me off this station I'll definitely not be allowed back into Veiled Keeper space, so I have nothing left to lose here. It would be painful to lose my reputation for reliability with my very wealthy benefactor, but much better than rotting in prison."

I hold up my hands. "I didn't smuggle your Simsense. If that's the charge I plead not guilty, but I think we've already addressed that or else you'd still be pressing me on it. Asking about a secret base isn't a crime. I'm still hoping I'll be allowed to leave if I promise not to come back."

Time to take a risk, one more clock segment and I'm lost.

Finish the Scene (Scene Challenge)

[Strong Hit: Progress = 4 vs 2 | 1]

OMG. I was fully expecting to end this playthrough in a Veiled Keepers prison, but perhaps Mina still has a little more story to tell yet.

You achieve your objective unconditionally: Get out of this interrogation without incriminating myself

I hold my breath. That wasn't my most eloquent speech, but what it lacked in technique it made up for in total defeatism. 

The lieutenant smirks and makes a note on his datapad. "Well I appreciate your forthrightness, let me be equally candid." A pause. "We've been watching Eveline for a while now. Too many quiet chats with too many captains; too many suspiciously light cargo manifests. We thought by watching her we might catch her handler, but it seems we overestimated her. She's a simple addict taking simple bribes."

He places the datapad on the table and leans forward, arms crossed in front of him. "We have placed your ship on a blacklist. I am convinced that you are a trader, and that the small amount of information you have uncovered is of extremely limited utility. You may travel out of Veiled Keepers space using the most direct route, and if you return your ship will be impounded and you will be arrested as a spy."

He gets up and walks towards the door. As he punches in the keycode he says "Report to the guard station on the way out." The door slides open and he marches out of the room. I'm left to find my own way down the corridor to a worn desk where a bored guard makes me sign a small stack of paperwork. I'm told E.R.I.C will be delivered to my ship within the hour, and if I'm not leaving the station within five minutes of his return I'll regret it.

As I'm on board waiting for E.R.I.C to be delivered, Eveline appears in civilian clothes. She looks like her whole world has just collapsed around her, which it probably has. "I can wait to be court marshalled, or I can choose exile." She looks down. "There's nothing left here for me. No one will give me a job with a narcotics charge on my record." The question remains unasked, but I know why she's come to me.

I look at her and surprise myself by feeling some small pity. She brought this on herself, but she's still the only friendly-ish face on the station. She has the build of a fighter and she knows her way around a charge rifle. I'm going to need to go big with my next precursor attempt to make up for this. It would be handy to have someone who can fight or threaten.

Test Your Relationship + Heart

[Weak Hit: 6 + 3 + 0 = 9 vs 1 | 9]

Develop Connection with Eveline (Dangerous)  [**________]

Looks like she's going to be part of the crew. The obvious consequence for that weak hit is that she's an addict without her supply, which is likely to cause some problems down the line.

I say to her "I have a spare bunk if you want to get out of here. And I could use some help with my next job if you're interested in earning a little danger money?" She nods. "I... they confiscated everything. I don't know how well I'm going to cope without..." she tails off.

This is a concern, but I don't show it. "I'll keep you busy". She nods again and I take her up the boarding ramp and show her to a bunk. "Rest for a bit. Use the ship's computer. I promise you, once you're off this toxic helhole real life gets a whole lot more interesting. You won't need the Sims." I head back to the cockpit with a sense of foreboding and start planning my next jump.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 3, Interrogation

My bot lets me know when an hour has passed. Shortly after that our guard comes back. "The Lieutenant is ready for you, follow me." He stops at the door and turns to me, "Your robot can wait here".

The protocol bot would be a useful ally in an interrogation. It seems unlikely I'll change this underling's mind but I decide the benefits outweigh the risks. 

"E.R.I.C here is programmed with the cultures, languages and customs of every world and every sector we know about. I'm a stranger in Veiled Keeper territories; an outsider who has only the most rudimentary knowledge of your laws and social conventions. I rely on E.R.I.C to tell me when I'm running afoul of your laws, or inadvertently causing offense. Allow me to take him into the interrogation room - he won't speak except spoken to, and he'll keep me from landing myself in even deeper trouble. I've not been arrested, so I assume I'm here in my capacity as a concerned citizen and just helping your enquiries for now?"

Compel + Heart

[Weak Hit: 4 + 3 + 0 = 7 vs 2 | 9]

My guard actually stops and considers it. "The bot is also a potential witness I suppose. You've chosen to involve him, so you will allow us to make a copy of his memory in case it helps our investigation."

Fuck. I'm careful to compartmentalise my operations just in case of something like this. E.R.I.C doesn't know about my interest in Forlorn, but his memory will have references to my search for Precursor artifacts. He doesn't know about the illegal Simsense I smuggled in for Eveline, but he does know I'm here looking for leverage over useful contacts and that I'm not particularly pure in my methods. No worse than any other jobbing trader perhaps, but it's not going to play well with this crowd.

We follow through to the interrogation room. It's the world's most bleakly functional table and three uncomfortable-looking chairs. I seat myself on one side of the table and the guard sits opposite. A man in slightly smarter uniform walks in and sits in the remaining seat at the end of the table off to my right. I can't keep both in view at the same time - that's definitely a tactic. E.R.I.C takes up position behind my shoulder.

I'm gong to run this interrogation as a scene using a tension clock.

Objective: Get out of this interrogation without incriminating myself

Begin the Scene: Dangerous

Clock: 0/4

As the Lieutenant shuffles papers I take the initiative and ask E.R.I.C "excuse me Eric, but I could use your advice on the customs here. What does it mean f I have been coerced into an interrogation room but not arrested or told why?"

Secure an Advantage (Scene challenge) + Wits

[Weak Hit: 4 + 2 + 0 = 6 vs 6 | 2]

+2 Momentum (5)

E.R.I.C responds "by the laws of Veiled Keepers territory it would not be permissible to coerce you anywhere if you have not been placed under arrest, unless the supervising officer suspects clear and present danger to the Veiled Keepers, their property or their citizens. In that order. They may instead ask you to go with them voluntarily in order to assist with their investigations,which request you are, of course, at liberty to refuse."

The Lieutenant looks up at the bot in irritation. I place my hands on the table, palms up in a gesture of appeasement. "So am I voluntarily helping you with your investigations, which I'm happy to do, or is something more serious going on here?"

Face Danger (Scene Challenge) + Heart

[Miss: 1 + 3 + 0 = 4 vs 6 | 9]

Not enough momentum to burn that into a weak hit. This is a bad start.

Clock: 1/4

He levels a carefully blank stare at me and I can tell this wasn't the right approach. Either he knows I'm hiding several somethings, or he's got an incredible poker face. "Tell me about your relationship with Eveline Durant."

I try to keep the sudden alarm off my face. My relationship with Eveline is polite and transactional. She has no particular loyalty to me, and therefore no reason to cover for me... except to keep me from exposing her role in gathering intelligence on the Forlorn research orbital. Which, now I think about it, doesn't look any better for me than it does for her. I can't expose her without condemning myself. If she's been caught with the Simsense and she's named me as her supplier... my only hope is that fear of the personal consequences has kept her from testifying against me, and that the Lieutenant is just doing his job and shaking down the outsider who was seen talking to her alone earlier today.

There's no way he hasn't started reading something into that pause. I play into it; maybe I can muddy some of these lines of enquiry. "Professional, for now. I was kind of hoping she might be open to something a little less professional off duty..."

Secure an Advantage (Scene challenge) + Shadow

[Weak Hit: 6 + 1 + 0 = 7 vs 9 | 6]

+2 momentum

His face is carefully blank, but there's no immediate retort. This angle explains my keeping the conversations out of earshot of her squad, the note asking her to meet me at the bar, the slightly covert nature of some of my past coversations with her. I get the impression I've bought myself some leeway. I risk a glance at the guard and see a smirk on his face.

I ask "is Eveline OK? Did something happen to her?". I have to pitch my concern at the right level for someone whose relationship with the subject so far consists of 'unsuccessful flirting', but the concern is genuine even if it's much more self-interested than they know.

"She was found in her quarters immersed in a Simsense programme. When we searched her living space we found several other chips hidden away. Simsense is a class B narcotic in this sector. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

My answer here will be the defining moment of the interrogation. If I evade they'll know I'm hiding something. If I'm anything less than convincing they'll know I'm involved. With calculated alarm and not a moment's hesitation I say "Simsense? I've heard of it but I don't trade in narcotics. I have nothing to do with whatever you've found on her."

Face Danger (Scene Challenge) +  Shadow

[Strong Hit: 4 + 1 + 0 = 5 vs 1 | 2]

Oh wow I needed that.

Mark Progress: [**________]

As I'm saying it I can feel the truth of the statement. It's not true, but I feel it and I can see that it cuts through. Starting with a truth gives me the run-up I need to sell the final sentence.

E.R.I.C cuts in. "Eveline Durant sees dozens of pilots every day. Many of them will have incentive to smooth the way with a customs inspector, and many of them will be less honest than my Captain." An excellent point from my protocol bot, sowing seeds of doubt.

Face Danger (Scene Challenge) + Wits + Protocol Bot assistance

[Miss: 4 + 2 + 1 = 7 vs 7 | 9]

Pay the price. This interrogation is about to take a dramatic turn for the worse.

Clock: 2/4

The lieutenant looks up. He meets my eyes and doesn't deviate as he passes orders to the guard. "Soldier, take this bot down to engineering and get them to copy his memory please." The guard stands and leads the bot out of the room. It's no great loss to this interrogation, that bot has been worse than useless, but he's the closest thing in the room to a friendly face and I feel a small sense of loss as he passes out of sight.

The Lieutenant checks to make sure the door has been secured and then turns back to me with the smallest of grins. "I too meet many pilots every day, some more honest than others, but very few are stupid enough to ask questions about secret governmental archeological sites in the middle of my cargo hold. Tell me, how you did find out about Folorn?"

And I realise my trouble here has only just started.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 2, Searching for new leads

I spend the next couple of hours on my day job. Places like this are always looking for some of the more exotic raw materials and little luxuries that they can't get through their big trade contracts. And there is absolutely no one in this galaxy who won't buy coffee. I don't have a hauler, so smaller loads of more luxurious items are my stock-in-trade. I sell out most of my stock of alloys and a decent amount of fresh food.

This settlement is a weapons manufactury so in return I pick up some small arms and riot control gear - strictly non-lethal. Rumour has it that one of the other founding factions is stirring up internal trouble. The opressive and unqeual society of the Veiled Keepers is brittle and vulnerable to rebellion if given a spark. Other factions see their militaristic and expansionist tendencies and make a point of setting that spark every now and then to keep the Keeers busy and inward facing.

I'm not thrilled about the idea of selling weapons to local mercenary forces in the pay of the Oligarchs, but it's a necessary part of keeping my trading privileges and allows me to keep visiting these territories in search of precursor tech. I placate my conscience by not buying or selling lethal weaponry. And I am open to the idea of a crate falling off the back of the ship into the hands of local rebels if it can be arranged safely.

[D6 Fortune roll: 2]

With rebellion in the air outsiders like myself can't get hold of the good stuff. Basic body armour is fine, but for offensive weaponry nothing more advanced than ancient pattern hand-held tasers. I don't really care - someone will buy it, and in this region of space it's all just cover for my real goal.

Finally I hear the shift change announcements begin over the tannoy and I know the spaceport bar will be starting to fill up. I summon E.R.I.C, my protocol bot, to meet me at the off-ramp and together we walk toward the bar. On the way I explain that my first priority, if Eveline shows up, is to see if I can get her to spill any information on other notable characters in this station who might have... needs... that are difficult to fulfil in this locked-down environment. If she doesn't show, which is likely, I'll be listening out for opportunities to make a new contact. E.R.I.C points out that off-worlders might be as valuable as workers and employees. They're less likely to have useful clearance or authority, but much more likely to talk and since their personal finances arn't being monitored, much more amenable to bribes.

We arrive and I grab a table in a booth - not so good for overhearing conversations, but essential if I want to avoid being overheard.

Ask the Oracle: Will Eveline show up at the bar?
[Unlikely: 56. No]

I finish my first drink with no sign of Eveline and decide she's probably in a virtual stupour in her quarters. I'm not entirly disappointed, I have a strong feeling that overlooking the occasional bit of contraband is probably going to be the limit of her usefulness as a contact.

I leave my table and find a standing space near the bar where I can be closer to the centre of things. Sipping my drink I tune into the converstions around me.

Gather Information
[Miss: 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 vs 10 | 9]
Pay the Price: You are delayed or put at a disadvantage
Action: Surrender / Theme: Authority

My first mistake of the evening. I'm so focused on what people are saying, I fail to hear trouble walking up behind me. It's only when I feel the clap of a hand on my shoulder that I realise something has gone very wrong.

A space opens up around me as I turn and see one of the station guards standing there holding a datapad. He double checks my face and puts it away. "Come quietly please ma'am, we have some questions for you." There are two more guards at the bar entrance, these ones standing casually but with batons drawn. I realise there's no wriggling out of this. It's not a case of 'what have I done?', but 'what have they found out about?'.

I put down my drink, signal to E.R.I.C, and follow the guard out of the bar. His colleagues fall in behind us as we walk away, out of the publically accessible areas and deeper in the facility. I'm taken to a featureless room with a stark overhead light and a few uncomfortable looking chairs around the walls. "Wait here". I'm left in silence to consider my position, a deliberate tactic I'm sure but not ineffective. My protocol bot remains quiet, an unusual occurence but I suspect it's probably the right move. There is nothing to be gained by talking here, however innocuous the conversation. Silently, we wait.

Starforged - Mina the lore keeper: Session 1, Landing at Larissa settlement

 As I power down my ship, I walk down the off-ramp and submit to the usual security inspections. As an arms manufactory for the Veiled Keepers the inspections are tight and the guards can't be bribed. At least, not with cash.

I spot Eveline at the head of the inspection team and walk over, pulling out a datapad and putting on a show of trying to make small-talk as we walk back toward the ship until we're out of earshot of her team.

"Anything on board I should be worried about?" she says in a low voice as we feign a detailed inspection of the contents of the pad. I shake my head and she raises a hand into the air and motions toward the ship. With her other hand she keys her comm. "Secure the cargo area, download the nav logs for the last journey, I'll be there in a second". She side-eyes me and gestures at my pad, "If you'll be so kind...?". I give a wry grin and navigate to the ship functions, unlocking the logs for the most recent journey. This isn't my first visit to this place, and I made sure my starting point for this trip was above suspicion.

As her team board the ship I turn so that I'm facing away from the security cameras (at least, the ones I'm aware of) and ask "you have news? About Forlorn?" A sharp intake of breath and she growls "don't say that name here. It's not safe". I bow my head in apology and she composes herself. "You have something for me first?"

[Action: Suppress / Theme: Humanity. Sounds like an escapist thing to me. Drugs or illegal Simsense.]

 I nod and say "I'll leave it in the usual place. What have you got for me?".

Swear an Iron Vow: Find out what they are working on in the secret archaeological settlement known as Forlorn
[Weak Hit: 4 + 3 + 1 = 8 vs 10 | 5]

"A data stick. Air gapped. Coordinates. And an old security code. It's be best I can do, they run searches. I tried to get you something current but it's locked up tight. You'll find it in the drop."

Mark Progress [**________]

Coordinates is something, but it doesn't do me much good if I get blown to bits the second I get within sensor range. I need more information, but Eveline's the first person on this station with even moderate influence that I've been able to find any kind of leverage over. I don't like being on the wrong side of the law, but as a trader in Veiled Keeper space, just existing is borderline criminal.

We play out the rest of the inspection without any further conversation. I have what I need from her. Even if this lead doesn't work out, we're now bound by a shared secret - she knows I've smuggled illegal materials into the base and I have concrete evidence that she's passed military intelligence onto an unauthorised 3rd party. I know which of us comes off worse if this gets out.

I need another angle. If Eveline can't deliver me the clearance I need, maybe she can deliver me someone who can. Or maybe I should give up this fool's errand and leave Veiled Keeper space. The whole faction gives me the creeps.

Later that day as I drop off and collect Eveline's stuff from the drop point I leave her an old fashioned paper note saying I'll be in the bar this evening if she finds herself off-duty. I don't expect that she'll show up when the alternative is several hours uninterrupted time with a new Simsense, but I'll need to be here for a couple of days doing mundane trades if I want to keep my cover and with the toxic spillover making outdoors a no-go zone this is a particularly boring place to be stuck, and she's still the only person I know.

Ironsworn - Deshi the Healer: Session 4, A friend in a high place

 

Session Start

Health: +5
Spirit: +1
Supply: +2
Momentum: -2
Tethered: Nabuma village

We dive straight in with an Undertake a Journey roll for the new journey to get back to the village. Please actually be just troublesome this time.

Journey to Nabuma village (Troublesome)

Undertake a Journey + Wits +1 (Tethered): Weak Hit
Mark progress. -1 Supply (+1)

Journey to Nabuma village (Troublesome)
***_ _ _ _ _ _ _

Waypoint: Beautiful Hovel

Unable to believe his eyes, Deshi sees lights through the dark and the storm. It's only been an hour since he started walking downriver so it's definitely not the town, and he's not aware of any settlements in this location. He gets closer and sees that there seems to be a very well kept little house that blends into the hillside. With nothing to lose, he walks over and knocks loudly on the door, trying to be heard over the sounds of the storm. To his relief the door is opened and framed in the doorway is a figure.

Deshi doesn't know this figure's name yet, but we need to.

Name: Dotani
Role: Mystic
Descriptor: Affectionate

Disposition:  Unfriendly
Goal: Defend a place

 

And this is one of those occasions where my brain just latched onto something in the random Oracle results and the storytelling followed it. This was going to be a hunter's cabin, but as soon as I rolled up the Character Oracle attributes I thought "who might you bump into that's Mystic, living in a beautiful but isolated hovel in the middle of nowhere, unfriendly to the human traveler knocking on their door in middle of a horrific storm, and dedicated to trying to defend a place"? And I immediately went back and re-rolled the name on the Elf Names table.

 

At first with water in his eyes and in the darkness that now surrounds him Deshi doesn't notice anything unusual, but when seconds pass and he hasn't been greeted, let alone invited inside out of the rain, he wipes his face and takes a closer look at the figure in front of him. It doesn't have a face. And it dawns on him that the figure is wearing a mask. He's never met one of the firstborn but he's heard the tales, and most of them end badly. However, the storm is lashing down around him - though as he now notices, a little less fiercely in the vicinity of the building - and he has very little to lose. Deshi does his best to adopt a respectful stance, averts his eyes downward, and chooses his words carefully, speaking them loudly but firmly over the storm-noise.

 

"Greetings friend. My name is Deshi, a healer of Nabuma village. I am honoured to meet one of the firstborn of this land. On any other day I would respectfully take my leave, as I understand the firstborn do not welcome the company of humans and I do not wish to intrude upon your home. But the storm is fierce and my supplies are low, and I am on a mission to gather herbs to treat an outbreak of disease in my home village. It is imperative for my people that I find my way back to them. I beg leave to shelter here until the worst of the storm has passed."

Deshi keeps his eyes down for a full count of ten before glancing up to see how this has landed with the elf. He can't read their expression through the mask, but they regard him for several more seconds before warily gesturing him forward and watching him closely as he enters the house. The elf closes the door and the noise of the storm disappears entirely. Deshi is no mystic himself, but he has his own connection with the magics of this land and there is a feeling here of a web of ritual workings and effects. He doesn't begin to understand what they are or how they work.

Removing his sodden cloak and boots, Deshi arranges them as best he can beside the door but keeps his silence until the elf finally speaks. Her voice is soft but utterly controlled and gives no hint of her inner thoughts.

"Greetings Deshi, healer of Nabuma. You should know that this place is warded, I was surprised you were able to find it. But now we are close I think I understand. You have the spirit-sense, yes?"

Deshi explains, briefly, the connection that healers traditionally held with the magics of the old world and the tether-sense he has with his home village. She nods and he senses that, though she is still wary, this is a common thread that could help bridge some of the divide between them.

 

"You may call me Dotani, that is my glade-name that we share with those outside our families. I too have the spirit-sense, you humans would call me an 'elder mystic' I believe, yes? One who is experienced in ritual and magic? It has been long since I had news of the wider world. Please, I understand you are tired from your journey but perhaps we can talk a while? I too was a healer in my community, and I would hear more of this disease you mention."

Deshi is happy to oblige and they talk for a couple of hours of the vow he has undertaken and the finer points of herb-lore. Gradually Dotani lets down her guard and eventually she steers the conversation toward the problems she has been having with a nearby human hunting camp.

And we get to roll one of my favourite Tables! The Settlement Trouble oracle. This Oracle is where sidequests are made and tangents are born.

 

Settlement Trouble: Roll twice

    - Broken truce

    - Revolt against a leader

 

This is a pretty neat result for a double-roll. A classic case of new leader deposing the old and reneging on a long-standing agreement that the old leader had agreed and abided by.

Under the old overseer the hunters of the camp would leave her glade alone. There was little contact, but the couple of times she had met him he seemed honourable and keen to co-exist. However, recently hunters from the camp have been trespassing onto her land, taking advantage of her charms and rituals to trap wildlife and harvest her provisions.

 

Deshi does his best to sympathise and follow the conversation but his eyelids are heavy and he is betrayed by a drooping head and a sudden jolt as he snaps back to wakefulness. Dotani apologies, it's been a long time since she had company and she has been talking much longer than she intended. 

 

Sojourn: Strong Hit

+2 supply (+3)

+2 momentum (0)

 

She offers Deshi a pallet in front of the hearth and the chance to restock his supply of medicines from her warded enclave in the morning. Deshi gratefully accepts. She's also able to share a sketched map of the paths and major landmarks down to the coast which should help him on his journey. He barely remembers putting his head down before waking rested to a bowl of nourishing grains and rejuvenating herbs warmed by the fireplace.

Come the morning the storm has abated and Deshi is ready to leave. He feels that he's made a friend here, and would like to return once his mission is complete.

Forge a Bond: Weak Hit
They ask something of you first. Envision what it is and do it, or swear a vow.

Dotani is happy for him to return and actually seems pleased that he might want to come back, but asks that he helps to stop the hunters from trespassing in her enclave and stealing her provisions. As a human, she hopes he can wield some influence with his fellow men and women.

 

Swear an Iron Vow (I will stop the hunters trespassing and stealing from Dotani(Troublesome)): Strong Hit

+ 2 Momentum (+2)

Deshi stands and closes his fist around the pendant to Eir that he wears around his neck. Closing his eyes, he focuses on the feeling of the iron talisman in his palm and speaks clearly.

"I swear on iron that I will stop these hunters trespassing and stealing from you. I will speak to this new overseer at their camp and I will make it right."

I mark a tick into my bond tracker to represent my new bond with Dotani.

 

I also mark progress on my background vow to Heal the Ironlands. This is an epic vow and I don't expect to get anywhere near completion in this series, but I think finding a magic user that he could learn from is a big step for Deshi, and a potential route to getting some of the skills and tools he'll need to understand what's wrong with the land and how it can be fixed.

 

Of course, actually becoming a student of Dotani means earning the ritualist Asset, which means fulfilling a Formidable vow for her. Maybe we'll come back to that.

 

Session End

Health: +5
Spirit: +1
Supply: +3
Momentum: +2
Tethered: Nabuma village

Future Edit: Deshi's story went on a while longer, but because I started this campaign on paper I ended up doing transcription when I could have been actually having fun and playing the game. I'll experiment with some online tools for future sharing.

This hobby is a good excuse to use my nice pens and paper, so I don't want to be all digital. It will need a balance.

Ironsworn - Deshi the Healer: Session 3, A Bridge Too Far

 

Session Start

Health: +5
Spirit: +4
Supply: +1
Momentum: +2
Tethered: Nabuma village

Deshi knows he needs to move quickly, but he's also down to crusts. As he pushes ahead he starts diverting off course to inspect likely spots for foraging on the move - fallen wood where mushrooms might grow, or thickets of bushes where he might find berries - hoping investing a bit of time in investigating likely spots will save time finding food overall.

Secure An Advantage + Wits: Miss. Find nothing, Pay the Price
Pay the Price: -1 Momentum (+1)

The most likely and most relevant price here is to lose more time, so no need to roll for it. We lose momentum.

However, all it does it slow him down further. As he climbs higher the forage is different, he's not used to foraging in these lands, and Deshi finds nothing useful. Finally he accepts that he's no use to his overseer starved to death on the hillside and he takes a long detour to a distant stream to refill his water bottle where he knows there will also be edible plants.

Resupply + Wits: Weak Hit
+2 Supply (+3)
-2 Momentum (-1)

Journeys in Ironsworn are brutal. Combat gives you lots of options to take consequences other than harm and spread the damage, but even a troublesome journey is only a couple of bad rolls from leaving you Unprepared. So I'll gladly trade supply for Momentum here, and hope that the weak hit is a sign of my dice rolls turning the corner.

With his satchel slightly damp with edible river plants but reassuringly heavy on his shoulder Deshi turns once again to the horizon and sets forth hoping that the worst of the journey is behind him and he can focus on grabbing the medicine and getting back before the disease progresses past the point of no return.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Miss, with matched 10s.

Well, fuck. That is the worst possible result. This one will have to hurt.

Pay the Price: You are separated from something or someone
Action / Theme: Withdraw / Shelter
Major Plot Twist: A new danger appears

And I have everything I need. Please dice, be kind for the next few minutes.

That forboding sky suddenly takes on a new aspect. Deshi hears the rain before he sees it, and by then it's too late. There is no shelter as the storm sweeps in from the mountains and his visability is reduced to a few yards in front of his face. Hail pelts his eyes and he pulls his travel cloak tight up over his head. Thunder splits the sky, and he realises he's the tallest point for hundreds of meters around. Deshi pushes forward into the sudden cold wind and hopes that he can hold his course to the distant bridge now hidden by sheets of water from the skies.

By some miracle he finds the bridge and looks nervously at the river which is beginning to swell with the rainwater that has no doubt been chasing this storm all the way from the mountains. This is a large river and impossible to ford at the best of times and the bridge has seen better days. The old wood creaks as he sets foot onto the planks. Deshi gets most of the way across before the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a deafening roar of thunder drives him forward. He doesn't even look back as he sprints and dives for the far bank.

Face Danger + Edge (we are relying on our speed): Weak Hit

Deshi barely makes the far bank before a crashing and groaning of splintered wood behind him tells him that the bridge did not survive the lightning strike. He braces himself to look around from his prone position and where there used to be a bridge there's now a small splintered jetty, a rapidly rising river and a charred, smouldering mess on the far side. His heart darkens as it sinks in that the only way back is the week long trek downriver to the estuary where there's a settlement that will have boats and traders. The medicine supply in Nabuma won't last that long, especially if others get sick. This may have spelled death for the village.

Endure Stress + Heart (-1 Spirit (+3)): Weak Hit
Press On

The moment of despair passes. He cannot control storms, thugs or random acts of lightning, but Deshi has sworn an Iron Vow and will see it through whatever the cost. He picks himself up and pushes on into the teeth of the storm. First he must find the medicine. The fates will weave what they will. He tries to focus his mind on Eir and her teachings and block out the danger that still surrounds him.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Miss
No Progress, Pay the Price -1 Momentum (-2)

I roll 50/50 to see if the price is momentum or supply and we lose momentum.

The falling rain stabilises into a heavy downpour but the wind seems to be driving directly into his face. Deshi ploughs on but his progress is slowed to a crawl.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Miss
No  progress, Pay the Price -1 Spirit (+2)

Endure Stress (-1): Miss
-1 Momentum (-3)

Deshi's whole world shrinks to the action of placing one squelching foot in front of the other over and over again. He is wet, frozen and increasingly exhausted. The vow weighs heavy, but without it he might have just laid down here in the mud. He repeats the mantra in his head, "Whatever it takes, whatever it takes...". Even Eir seems distant as his internal world starts to come apart around him.

Undertake a Journey + Wits:  Weak Hit
Mark Progress, reach a waypoint. -1 Supply (+2)

Journey to Heathlands (Troublesome)
*********_

Deshi looks up as the endless climb through wind an rain levels off and slowly realises that he's at the place where he gathered Moonwort all those years ago. Feverishly he gets down on hands and knees in a likely spot and scans the ground.

Reach your destination (Journey to Heathlands): Weak Hit
Reach destination but there is a hazard or complication.
Action / Theme: Journey / Trade

Mark progress: Heal the village overseer (Dangerous)

****_ _ _ _ _ _

Finding a source of the medicine gets me another progress mark on the inciting incident quest. Given the Action / Theme prompt, I'm going to say that the complication is that I can't go straight home. I might even have handled the journey back as narrative with no dice rolls since it would be back along a known route, but now I need a new journey via the estuary.

Medicine secured, Deshi looks round for somewhere to rest hoping for a thicket of trees, an outcropping of rock, anything that might get him out of the driving wind for half an hour.

Make Camp + Supply: Miss.
Take no comfort. Pay the Price. -1 Spirit (+1)

But there is nothing, just open grassland and relentless storm. Deshi could almost weep, but at least the journey downriver will be downhill toward the coast. There's no getting lost, and he should see the lights of the town when he gets near even in this weather.

He turns downriver and begins the long trudge downhill to the coast. 

Session End

Health: +5
Spirit: +1
Supply: +2
Momentum: -2
Tethered: Nabuma village

Ironsworn - Deshi the Healer: Session 2, A Troublesome Journey

Session Start

Health:  +5
Spirit: +5
Supply: +4
Momentum: +2
Tethered: Nabuma village

Deshi sets out in a North Easterly direction. It only takes a couple of hours before the ground slopes upward and what started as a brisk walk becomes an uphill trudge. From the top of this first hill he can see a broken sky, and makes a mental note that he'll need to keep an eye on potential spots to shelter if the weather breaks. The path opens before him as the hill gently slopes downward to the foot of the next hill a mile away.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Weak Hit, -1 Supply (+3).

Journey to Heathlands: Troublesome

*** _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Reach Waypoint: Wild Rapids

Straightforward narrative here. Rapids are an easy place to lose supply.

Deshi sees a fast-running river about halfway to the next hill. As he approaches he remembers fording this river last time he travelled to the heathlands. There are large stones blanced across the fifteen or twenty foot span that can be used by those who don't want to get soaked to the knee with freezing water. The river has obviously been slowly removing the soil that holds them steady because two or three steps from the other side one of the stones gives way and Deshi is forced to lunge to the far bank. There's no danger of drowning but his bag is soaked, and he spends 5 minutes picking through some of the ruined provisions, eating anything that looks like it now won't keep and throwing anything beyond rescue into the rushing water. "Should have just waded, idiot" he mutters.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Miss, Pay the Price

Action/Theme: Defend / Bond

I decide to use the action and theme Oracles to give me some inspiration for my Pay the price move rather than the pay the price table. I decide that the price relates to my ability to defend my bonded settlement.

As Deshi shivers his way up the next hill with wet feet he remembers the little pack of dried Moonwort tucked into his pocket to help identify the plant when he reaches the heath. His hand rubs painfully cold against his soaking wet travel cloak as he fishes around for the tiny linen parcel and finds it disintegrated, with the Moonwort little more than a green slime coating the inside of the wrapping. He takes a moment to direct a couple of carefully chosen swear words at the sky and wonders what he did to Eir lately to merit this extra little test. He stuffs the linen back into his pocket, unable to bring himself to waste good material even if the contents are now useless, and carries on up the hill a little less hopeful than he was before.

-1 Spirit (+4)

The loss of Moonwort is purely narrative, but rather than take a point of supply I decide  that mechanically my price will be a loss of spirit as it starts to look like this journey is conspiring against Deshi.

Cresting the next hill, Deshi sees a welcome stretch of flat walking over solid ground. He aims for a stand of trees in the distance that will take him in roughly the right direction, puts his head down, and tries to pick up the pace.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Strong Hit. Make progress. -1 Supply (+2), +1 Momentum (+3)

Journey to Heathlands: Troublesome

****** _ _ _ _

Reach Waypoint: Strange Lake

What's strange about the Lake? My land is supposed to be dotted with mysterious Iron columns, time to introduce another one.

Deshi reaches the trees and sees the lake stretching to the East, confirming that he's on the right path. And if he's remembered correctly, there's something here that he wants to visit...

Rising from the Western shore of the lake is a large black iron obelisk set firmly into the ground. It looks very out of place surrounded by nature and he wonders again, as he did last time, why no settlement had grown up around this iron monument. Especially given its proximity to fresh water. A small mystery, and one he won't solve today.

Deshi takes a moment to place a hand on the hard iron surface, lay his forhead against the cold metal, and renew his vow to heal his friend and Overseer Shekhar. He lifts his eyes feeling slightly renewed by the ritual, but his visage darkens as his eyes meet the clouded sky which is looking more brooding than ever. No time for rest then.

Deshi fishes around in his satchel and pulls out a small stoppered bottle of  Elderberry wine from his dwindling provisions. With pang of regret, he pours out half at the foot of the obelisk and takes a good swig of what's left before placing the bottle back into his pack. Whatever spirits guard this place, they'd better appreciate that little sacrifice. Turning, Deshi heads toward the next upward slope his eyes deliberately avoiding the growing cloud above.

Undertake a Journey + Wits: Miss, with matched 8s.Waylaid by a perilous event.

Pay the Price: It wastes resources

Action / Theme: Take / Resource

Sometimes the Oracles just gang up on you. Rolling a match on the challenge dice triggers a twist or complication. Common practice among those who play Ironsworn is to envision a positive event for a match on a strong hit and a negative event for a match on a miss, and to scale the event to the number rolled. So matched 10s would be the worst roll in the game, and would result in something catastrophic happening. Matched 1s would result in something highly beneficial.

8 is bad, but not terrible. Given the Oracle results I feel that narratively I'm being signposted a pretty clear message about the nature of the price I'll be paying.

Eyes down was a mistake. The dangerous creatures usually don't come this far down toward the Ragged Coast and bandits usually stick to the roads, but there's no such thing as safe travel in the Ironlands. As Deshi passes through a field of large rocks deposited apparently by Gods, giants or the raw fury of the elements on the next large plateau, he hears the creak of a bow being drawn and looks up to find himself face to face with a small group of rough looking men and women.Their hideout must be nearby since there's no profit to bandits hanging round the middle of nowhere. These hills must be full of caves.

They take almost everything he has left, leaving him half a water-damaged loaf and what's left of his waterskin. Deshi takes a moment of pleasure remembering the wine he poured out onto the ground an hour ago - better to give it to the dirt than these scum - but keeps his face carefully neutral. Adding insult to injury, his attackers bind his arms and legs and leave him helpless on the path as they head back to whatever hole keeps the rain off their heads. It's lucky they didn't kill him really, they must know he'll be back here with the wardens if he makes it back to civilisation. Maybe they were planning to move hideout anyway.

It's getting late in the day by the time he's free of his bonds. Picking up his staff, discarded on the dirt beside him, he sets off again in the direction of the heath making a note of the location. He will be back. Letting this group go would be like allowing a wound to fester, it goes against everything he stands for, but one man with a stick isn't going to last long against a gang and he has a mission to complete. He needs to find somewhere to bed down for the night before darkness sets in, but maybe it's best to put some distance between himself and these brigands, lest they decide there's more sport in chasing him up the hill than letting him go.

I decide that the mechanical results of the complication will be -1 Supply (+1) and -1 Momentum (+2). Having Deshi bound and losing time on his journey seemed like a serious enough complication along with the robbery to satisfy a matched 8 roll. And since it's my first time playing I wasn't quite ready to go to 0 supply and suffer the Unprepared debility quite yet. Time to wrap up this session and come back fresh, hopefully with better luck next time (this is called foreshadowing, I was very wrong).

Session End

Health: +5
Spirit: +4
Supply: +1
Momentum: +2
Tethered: Nabuma village

Getting into solo RP with Ironsworn

Since my last blogpost I've started doing some RP. Some of it with a group and some of it on my own. I didn't know you could RP on your own, it sounded a bit weird if I'm honest. But I'm hooked. And it all started with Ironsworn.

Ironsworn

If you don't know, Ironsworn is an RPG designed to be played in solo, co-operative or guided modes. Solo and Co-Op have no GM, you use Oracle tables and dice rolls to give ideas for where the action will go. Guided mode is a bit more traditional, with a GM to make decisions and push forward the story. By default, all action takes place in The Ironlands.

The Ironland

The Ironlands setting is a bit like what you'd get if you implemented Skyrim the way the characters talk about it

• the weather is harsh and deathly cold
• food is scarce and hard to grow
• dangerous wild animals and worse roam the forests and hidden places

rather than how it's actually implemented 

• a stranger fresh off the boat can run around in all weathers wearing skimpy leather armour without a care in the world
• you can steal so much food from town that you literally cannot move
• you can kill three wolves single-handed on the way to your first villiage

One of the first things I loved is that there's a workbook that encourages you to flesh out your own verison of the Ironlands by choosing your 'truths' across a range of categories - how did your people come to live in this land? how did it get the name 'The Ironlands'? how well tamed has it been in the years since it was settled? Is magic common or non-existent? How do communities work in this environment? etc

Each truth has a few options to get you started, and the player is encouraged to add flavour and make it their own. Each truth also comes with an inspirational prompt for an inciting incident, which is where you'll begin your story.

Iron Vows

Your story is driven by the Iron Vows you swear. Your characters gets an epic 'background vow' which gives a bit of flavour to their motivations, and you may or may not make progress against that vow in your campaign. Your inciting incident will drop you into the middle of the action as you either Swear an Iron Vow to see something done, or tackle the first obstacle in a vow already sworn. Again the Skyrim comparison is apt, with a main story quest that you can choose to chase or ignore as you talk to people, pick up random sidequests and generally decide what your character sees as their priority.

The Move System

Actions are framed as 'moves', and your dice rolls against those moves encompass both your actions and those of the people around you. Hits mean progress, while Misses typically introduce complicatons. So if you roll a Gather Information move on a hit you discover something helpful and specific, and the way forward is clear. If you roll a miss you still get information, but you discover a new threat or something that undermines your quest. An example.

The family sword of the villiage overseer has been stolen from above the great hearth in the villiage hall. You have sworn a vow to get it back and Gather Information to work out whether you can find any clues about what happened.

1. You roll a strong hit! You roll the Action and Theme oracle and get A: Demand T: Solution. You decide that this means the Overseer tells you that a warrior from a nearby community came to the villiage and demanded that the overseer provide men and resources to help fight off a threat. When the overseer refused he took matters into his own hands and stole the heirloom blade, and you need to track him in order to retrieve it. Your next steps are clear, you know who has the sword and you know where he was going with it.
2. You roll a miss! You roll the Action and Theme oracle and get A: Demand T: Solution. You decide that this means the head of a powerful family, a rival to the overseer, is demanding that the question of villiage leadership is resolved. He claims that without the family sword the overseer cannot fulfil his duty to protect the villiage and should hand over the leadership role to someone who can. Maybe the sword was stolen by this rival family, maybe they paid someone to take it, maybe it really was stolen by an outsider and the family is just jumping on the opportunity to weaken the overseer's position. Your next steps are unclear, you have several possiblities to contend with and the political situation will make progress difficult unless you do something to resolve it.

The Dice

The dice mechanic is streamlined and easy to use. You roll two D10 and those set your target number. You roll a D6 and add your modifiers. If your D6 plus modifier roll is higher than one of the the D10 you score a weak hit. If it's higher than both D10 you score a strong hit. There's enough swing that you're never really confident, but enough influence from the modifiers that your character still feels like they have strengths and weaknesses. 

The rulebook suggests getting a different set of dice for your Oracle rolls which are percentile based. You can do it with D10 if you nominate one for ones and one for tens, but the books says having separate dice makes those rolls feel a bit special and I did enjoy the excuse to do some dice shopping.

The Narrative

The big change from other games I've played is that dice rolls are to be embraced. All RP is storytelling, but solo RP is more so. We all love rolling hits, but a miss is a chance for the story to get interesting. The thing that really hooked me was having the game take my cliched, on-rails story ideas, yank them off-course with a poor dice roll and a weird Action/Theme, and force me to be a more interesting and creative storyteller as I weaved the narrative back together from these disperate ends. The words 'trust your instincts' appear throughout the rulebook and it's absolutely true - you are not a bad storyteller, you just have well-worn patterns of thought that need the occasional kick up the backside to get them out of their rut and onto more exciting, unfamiliar territory.

The rules often ask you to 'envision' what your character is doing. When you swear an Iron vow, how do you swear that vow? Do you swear on your blade? On a pendant you wear around your nec? On the Iron pillars that may dot the land? Is it a vow of quiet determination, or a full-on cut-my-hand-and-swear-on-the-blood-of-my-ancestors type of deal? However your charcter does things, envisioning is about stopping for a moment and really picturing the scene, letting the fiction and the setting lead you story. Otherwise it feels less like a narrative and more like like you're just chaining together a bunch of moves and dice rolls. Personally I like to journal as I go with pencil and paper, and I've really enjoyed reading blog posts from other people running games who alternate blocks of narrative with fourth-wall-breaking inserts describing the moves and dice results that drive those story beats. I have every intention of posting some here.

Helpful resources

If all this sounds interesting I'll recommend two resources that really helped me start. The first is this video playlist from voice actor Trevor Devall, who runs a short Ironsworn campaign and gives a really neat flavour of what the narrative flow of the game is like.

The second is the Ironsworn rulebook, available free as a PDF from DriveThruRPG. The rulebook is tidy and professional - phenomenal quality for a free product. You'll need to be able to see the asset cards, but you don't necessarily need to print them. Being free, there is absolutely no risk and nothing to lose from giving the system a try, other than a little time investment learning the rules (and really, if you're interested in tabletop RPGs then reading through rulebooks and settings probably isn't your idea of a chore).

A big thanks to Shawn Tomkin for his extreme generosity in giving this away. It's definitely paid off with me, as I've put my money straight down for the second print run of his Ironsworn-in-space follow up Starforged.