BookTenTiger
He / Him
This is going to be a write-up of a solo Ironsworn adventure I ran for myself over two days while my baby napped. For those who don't know, Ironsworn is a PbtA game that uses Moves to move the narrative foreward. Ironsworn is unique in that it can be played without a GM. It has various Ask the Oracle tables you can roll on to see how enemies will act, what surprises lie around the corner, or what consequences should follow actions.
Ironsworn takes place in the Ironlands, a kind of mythical Viking-adjacent fantasy world.
To begin, I established some truths about the world. I chose one of three truths about The Old World, Iron, Legacies, Communities, Leaders, Defense, Mysticism, Religion, Firstborn, Beasts, and Horrors. I'll list the truths I chose here, but if you want to just read the story feel free to skip to the next post! (Please note that I did not come up with these, they were created by the authors of Ironsworn.)
The Old World
The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However, the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures—tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind.
Iron
Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.
Legacies
We are the first humans to walk these lands.
Communities
We have forged the Ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed.
Leaders
Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing.
Defense
Here in the Ironlands, supplies are too precious, and the lands are too sparsely populated, to support organized fighting forces. When a community is threatened, the people stand together to protect their own.
Mysticism
Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it, and even the common folk often know a helpful ritual or two.
Religion
The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
Firstborn
The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands.
Beasts
Beasts of all sorts roam the Ironlands. They dwell primarily in the reaches, but range into the settled lands to hunt. There, they often prey on cattle, but attacks on travelers, caravans, or even settlements are not uncommon.
Horrors
We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
Ironsworn takes place in the Ironlands, a kind of mythical Viking-adjacent fantasy world.
To begin, I established some truths about the world. I chose one of three truths about The Old World, Iron, Legacies, Communities, Leaders, Defense, Mysticism, Religion, Firstborn, Beasts, and Horrors. I'll list the truths I chose here, but if you want to just read the story feel free to skip to the next post! (Please note that I did not come up with these, they were created by the authors of Ironsworn.)
The Old World
The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However, the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures—tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind.
Iron
Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.
Legacies
We are the first humans to walk these lands.
Communities
We have forged the Ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed.
Leaders
Numerous clan-chiefs rule over petty domains. Most are intent on becoming the one true king. Their squabbles will be our undoing.
Defense
Here in the Ironlands, supplies are too precious, and the lands are too sparsely populated, to support organized fighting forces. When a community is threatened, the people stand together to protect their own.
Mysticism
Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it, and even the common folk often know a helpful ritual or two.
Religion
The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land, a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.
Firstborn
The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands.
Beasts
Beasts of all sorts roam the Ironlands. They dwell primarily in the reaches, but range into the settled lands to hunt. There, they often prey on cattle, but attacks on travelers, caravans, or even settlements are not uncommon.
Horrors
We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.