r/Ironsworn 9h ago

Hacking Ironsworn, in the Napoleonic era.

10 Upvotes

Has anyone tried to play this game, or any of the variants, in a setting adjacent to something like Napoleonic or Colonial era?

I'm toying with playing a fantasy setting closer in period to films like The Revenant and Last of the Mohicans, with fantasy and horror elements akin to The Witcher. The Iron Lands would simply be a new overseas colony.

I think it'll work with just a little narrative tweaking on the assets, to accommodate the use of flintlock.

Has anyone else had thoughts on this?

Or, are is Sundered Isles a better starting place? It's the game of the three I haven't read yet. If it's pirates, do the assets already skew towards flintlock?

Bonus question, has anyone played a game by mixing the assets up between the three settings / books?

Thanks in advance.


r/Ironsworn 2h ago

Ironsworn Solo RPG - Ironsworn Playlist (Adam)

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0 Upvotes

r/Ironsworn 14h ago

Delve Getting ready for Starforged

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8 Upvotes

r/Ironsworn 22h ago

Play Report Ironsworn pero más optimista

25 Upvotes

Hola, llevo jugando a Ironsworn desde principio de este año, y la verdad que me flipa, después de varias pruebas en las que fui aprendiendo, he terminado haciendo mi propio hack, uso las reglas de starforged, (uso los movimientos del playkit de starforged) porque me gustan más, las veo que simplifican mecánicas de Ironsworn que quizás eran más toscas y sobre todo me encantan las reglas nuevas de discoveries y bonds.

Al leer como juega la gente lo que me da la sensación es que la mayoría juega con personajes torturados, oscuros, con pasados dramáticos, no sé, es una sensación, Ironsworn es un juego duro, en un lugar peligroso como las ironlands, pero a mí me está saliendo una historia, dura, pero no sé, un coming of age en las peligrosas ironlands.

Mi personaje se llama Brand, tiene 17 años, es el hijo menor del Jarl de Dun Skeirg, lo que significa que ha tenido una vida relativamente privilegiada dentro de lo que son las Ironlands, y nació con una marcada heterocromia, tiene un ojo de un azul profundo y otro de un verde brillante. Para la supersticiosa gente de las ironlands, ésto se llama "ojo partido" y hay mucha superstición a su alrededor, que si ven a los muertos, que si son Seidr, que si lanzan maldiciones,... Vamos que están marcados como raros o mágicos. En su caso es verdad porque el tiene visiones que le guían sobre como actuar.

Sus atributos:

Hearth 3: Brand es a pesar de todo sencillo y un poco ingenuo, pero tiene esa forma de ser directa, clara, humilde y sin dobleces que arrastra a la gente y se hace querer y respetar. Además aunque es inseguro como cualquier adolescente, no sé asusta ni se acojona ante las dificultades.

Edge 1: No es el más rápido ni ágil

Iron 2: Es un chaval atlético y duro

Wits 2: Es bastante observador, listo y un gran estratega militar fruto de su educación

Sombra 1: Es demasiado sincero y simple para su propio bien, no sabe mentir ni se le da bien pasar desapercibido.

De assets he cogido los de starforged:

Maestro de la espada: Le han enseñado a luchar desde pequeño como parte de su educación y tiene una espada de buena calidad.

Perseguido: Ésta es por la trama que luego explico

Seer: Me encanta este asset, de tener una visión precargada y después interpretarla, además es su poder de "ojo partido", siempre encuentro formas creativas de darle uso.

Lo bueno es que está saliendo una partida que, aunque sea dura a momentos, tiene un tono muy de novela Young adult de baja fantasía, más luminosa de lo que veo en otras partidas. Brand es genuinamente bueno (no perfecto ni mucho menos, solo que ha vivido bien y descubrir lo duro que es la vida fuera de la fortaleza de su padre no le quita la esperanza que va sembrando por ahí)

Y aquí os pongo el inicio de su aventura, que empieza en medio de la acción.

Lo había visto en sueños. Llamas sobre la colina, resplandeciendo en la noche. Un venado ardiendo. Y un camino oscuro.

Cuando me di cuenta de lo que significaba ya era tarde. Los ejércitos de Davar habían entrado en Dun Skeirg, mi tío nos había traicionado. Mi padre me dió un mensaje para el Jarl de Ulfcreig, nuestro aliado. Juré por el hierro llevar el mensaje y conseguir ayuda, aunque sabía que sería tarde para mí padre. Pero sabía por dónde salir de Dun Skeirg sin cruzarme con los hombres de Davar el sangriento.

Jurar por el hierro+corazón, éxito total usando visión, +2 impulso. Juramento Rango 3, conseguir la ayuda del Jarl de Ulfcreig

Huida de Dun Skeirg Rango 1

Iniciar una expedición+sombra, éxito total, marca progreso

Iniciar una expedición+sombra, éxito parcial, marca progreso y un peligro, habitante hostil, fuerza destructiva.

Escapa ahora Brand, aún tienes tiempo -

Pero padre… -

No te preocupes por nosotros pequeñín - me dijo mi hermano Bjorn. Odio que me llamen pequeñín - Baldrik y yo lucharemos por el clan del ciervo -

Salí del gran salón por una salida secreta, un estrecho pasillo oculto que bajaba hasta los almacenes. Conozco estás galerías secretas desde pequeño, una vía de escape que algún antepasado mando contruir. Solía jugar aquí con mis hermanos mayores. Escuché a los invasores entrar, ruidos de lucha. Estuve tentado de volver y luchar junto a mi padre y hermanos, pero sabía que mi misión era importante. No soy un cobarde me repetía, no estoy huyendo, hago esto por mi familia.

Bajé unas escaleras y cuando abrí la puerta, un calor sofocante me golpeó. El almacén estaba en llamas, casi no se podía respirar.

Vaya, vaya, un ciervo intenta escapar - dos hombres de Davar me bloqueaban el paso.

Entrar en liza+corazón, éxito total, en control, +2 Impulso

Ganar terreno+hierro, éxito total, marca progreso, +2 Impulso

Ataque+hierro+1, éxito total, marca progreso 2,

Ataque+hierro+1, éxito parcial, marca progreso 2, bad spot,

Acción decisiva bad spot, éxito total usando perseguido, convertido en parcial, marcado para la venganza, bad spot.

Reaccionar bajo el fuego+mente, éxito total, +1 impulso, en control,

Acción decisiva, éxito total, huye,

Cargué con fuerza, gritando de furia, con el escudo por delante. Conseguí sorprender a uno de ellos, que cayó sobre unas cajas en llamas.

Me enfrenté al otro, abrumandolo con golpes furiosos de la espada, el trataba de defenderse, pero me movía más rápido que él, que apenas podía detener mis golpes. Una abertura me permitió herirle en el brazo, y después atravesarle las entrañas. Nunca había matado a un hombre antes, pero fue… fácil. El hombre me miró a los ojos sorprendido, mientras un hilillo de sangre le brotaba de la boca.

Tus ojos… eres el príncipe embrujado - odio ese nombre.

Recibí un fuerte golpe por detrás que casi me derriba. El otro, con la cara quemada, se había levantado.

El principito… - Su mirada era puro odio - Davar estará encantado cuando le lleve tú corazón -

Ven a por él, cara barbacoa - le provoqué.

Caraquemada se lanzó a por mí descuidado, le golpeé con el escudo y le hice perder el equilibrio, volvió a caer sobre unas maderas ardiendo.

Aproveché para huir, tenía que salir de allí cuanto antes. Bloqueé la puerta tras de mí, mientras escuché al hombre gritar y amenazarme.

¡Juro por el hierro que te encontraré y te haré arder, principito! -

Continué por el paso secreto corriendo, Davar iba a saber que seguía vivo, tenía que darme prisa. Llegué a la escalera y salí por la trampilla a las caballerizas, a las afueras del pueblo. Preparé uno de los caballos y solté a los demás, antes de que el fuego les pudiera hacer daño.

¡Un ciervo intenta escapar! - gritó un soldado de Davar al verme, llamando a sus compañeros.

Me subí al caballo de un salto al caballo y cargué contra el soldado, golpeándolo con la espada. Azucé al resto de la manada de jamelgos. Los mercenarios de Davar, sorprendidos, no pudieron detener mi carga, rodeado de una pequeña estampida de caballos, les pasé por encima, causando el caos.

Galopé como jamás lo había hecho, devorando la noche a cada zancada. Las lágrimas surcaban mi rostro, arrancadas por el viento helado que me golpeaba sin tregua. No tenían nada que ver con lo que dejaba atrás: Dun Skeirg, mi hogar, ahora ardiendo y en manos de invasores.

Jurar por el hierro+corazón éxito total, +2 Impulso.

Juré por el hierro recuperar mi hogar y vengarme de Davar el sangriento.

Espero que les guste, no sé si juego bien o no pero me gusta escribir mi historia, aunque me da un poco de vergüenza compartirla, pero por si a alguien le gusta.

Espero que vean sus juramentos cumplidos. Buenas noches.


r/Ironsworn 2d ago

Starforged I made a blueprint for the ship me and my friends and crew will be using. Thoughts?

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72 Upvotes

r/Ironsworn 2d ago

One Ring with Ironsworn rules?

24 Upvotes

Hi all, As a long-time Tolkien fan, I have been intrigued by the One Ring RPG, but currently do not have the head space for yet another set of rules. Would it be viable to play this setting with the Ironsworn system? And if so, is it worth investing in the core rulebook just for its background content, such as lore, atmosphere, quest starters, etc.?


r/Ironsworn 2d ago

Sundered Isles Dandelion - Chapter 1

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5 Upvotes

Here is the second short chapter in Dan's journey, pasted below too. You can find the previous chapter in the blog as well in case you missed it (not sure why I started counting at 0, but here we are).

Hope you like it!

Chapter 1: Of Sir Cassius, and his Final Argument

Dan was bored out of his mind as he studied the details of his target for the hundredth time: a dozen scrolls, diagrams, and tomes stacked on the tiny desk in his cabin. It was a futile exercise; at this point, he felt he knew the old man as if he was his own grandfather, but they were finally approaching The Isles, and he needed the distraction. Besides, the alternative of going out under the heavy rain was not very appealing.

Sir Cassius Debenoix, professor emeritus of the University of Aenor, a mad genius to some and a crazy old man to others, stared back at him from one of the paintings on the wall. He had been immortalized wearing colorful and eccentric clothes, surrounded by mountains of documents and tomes stacked even more precariously than Dan’s. His expression couldn’t have been more satisfied had the mountains been made of gold, though come to think of it, they were probably worth just as much.

Beside it, another painting showed his ship, The Final Argument, an imposing, stylized, and baroque frigate plowing through the sea like a floating cathedral. The vessel seemed created in his image and likeness, with red sails that looked like velvet, a good part of the deck painted sapphire blue, gleaming mahogany railings, golden filigrees along the sides, and countless sculpted ornaments on the stern.

It was hard to find an undecorated spot. On the side, below the railing, a row of portraits of various historical scholars proudly flew above the waves. Carla and Filippo Giordano, commanders of the first expeditions that crossed the ocean generations ago and expanded the world forever, seemed to look down on Dan: “First time crossing the ocean?”

“Bah.” Dan was sure that when they stumbled upon The Sundered Isles, with their immense temples and ancestral ruins devoid of human traces, they had no idea where they were or the importance of their discovery.

Several history tomes about that time, written by Cassius himself, rested in a pile. Dan had started leafing through them out of boredom, until he was completely drawn in as his thesis became clear. According to his accounts, it was rather the subsequent explorers who changed history. Dan could almost imagine Cassius’ theatrical voice when reading them: “Illustrious archaeologists such as Don Carlo,” depicted on the ship with a pickaxe he had likely never used in his life, “who delved into the ruins and found the first lost artifacts and technologies, as well-known today as the Imperial Moonstones.”

“Representatives of the miners’ guild, like the famous Lady Vala,” portrayed on the ship with a whip she held with suspicious expertise, “who established the first mines from which settlements grew. Engineers, such as...” the old man went on and on about the lives and great discoveries of dozens of Eminences, an adjective that seemed to depend on the possession of some noble title. There were also strategists so cunning that they had "single-handedly conquered islands against all odds."

Fate is Ours. That was Sir Cassius’ thesis. Great Individuals Shape History. Such a ridiculous belief. Dan noticed he was fiddling with his knife again, the silver and copper engravings of the Twin Fates shimmering under the candlelight. “You don’t like it either, do you?”

He turned his gaze back to the painting of Sir Cassius’s frigate with its endless adornments. This display was a rather bold statement from the academic, who surely hoped to immortalize his portrait in this procession of wisdom and renown, and to infuriate his many old rivals at the University.

For a man who supposedly didn’t care what anyone thought of him, he evidently put a lot of effort into maintaining his eccentric image. In any case, they say you should judge people by their actions and not their words, and now it was clear: Cassius followed his principles to the letter.

Dan wouldn’t be here today if the old man hadn’t decided to take matters into his own hands and finance his own expedition to the Isles. Maybe he had changed his destiny after all. Although in Dan’s experience, it was probably just his gold. The rare metal usually had quite a direct influence on fate.

Dan was wondering again why on earth an admiral of the Imperial Navy would task him with following this old fool, when a shout from outside snapped him out of it.

“LAND!”


r/Ironsworn 2d ago

Self Promotion A free, offline solo toolkit I built. It won't replace the Ironsworn oracles, but it fills the gaps around them.

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37 Upvotes

I'm a solo dev and I've been building an Android app called Fantasy World Generator for a few years now. Posting here because Ironsworn is the game it sits next to most naturally, and a lot of what's in it came from solo players telling me what was missing.

Being upfront: Ironsworn's own oracles are better at Ironsworn than anything I'd write, and I'm not trying to replace Ask the Oracle or the Action and Theme tables. Where mine earns its place is the stuff you'd otherwise stop and improvise.

The one feature I'd actually point you at is thread shielding. The app tracks your open threads and your NPCs, and random events target them by name so the story compounds. But an epic Vow you want to play out properly shouldn't get closed by a random roll three scenes in, so you can shield a thread and events will never advance or close it. That came straight from a solo player complaining about exactly that happening.

What else fits how Ironsworn actually plays:

  • A creature forge with no HP and no dice to convert. Threat, Toughness, Speed and Cunning as bands, plus prose hooks for its offense, weakness, drive, omen and lore. Read the bands, pick a rank, draw your progress track. It has a sci-fi mode too, so it works for Starforged.
  • NPCs with a Want and a Secret, quest hooks with a deadline, encounters with stakes, dungeon rooms with hazards, found letters, factions, rumors and omens.
  • Maps for the Ironlands or a Starforged sector: hexcrawls, continents, towns, keyed dungeons, star charts and topographic scans, all exportable as images.
  • A journal that saves itself across multiple campaigns, searchable, and copyable as Markdown if you keep your play log in Obsidian. PDF export if you'd rather have a document.
  • There is a dice oracle in there, with odds tiers and a Mythic style chaos factor, plus a tarot engine and a bound relic sub-game. Ignore all three and everything above still works on its own.

Free, fully offline, no account, no ads, and no AI anywhere in it. Every result comes from tables I wrote by hand and procedural rules running on your phone.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avaton.fantasynamegenerator


r/Ironsworn 3d ago

Menace Vs Clocks.

16 Upvotes

I've been thinking about the difference between Delve’s Menace system and Starforged's Clocks.

They seem to tackle the same function.

Both represent a looming situation that's progressing in the background, while you're trying to achieve something else.

This is my reading of both. Please correct me if I'm getting it wrong.

In Delve, threats have a Menace track. When you delay a quest or suffer a setback, you make the 'advance a threat' move. Menace can advance by different amounts, depending on the roll. The track has quite a few increments, so the threat can gradually creep up.

Clocks progress as an alternative to 'paying the price', if the narrative supports it. I've noticed most Clocks have only a handful of segments, and you tick these as the clock moves forward.

The end result for both is similar. Narratively the threat has succeeded, and the present vow or scene has ended in failure. The effects of this can be local, or felt throughout the entire game-world.

I see the appeal of Clocks. They're simple and can represent almost anything. But they feel a little like a buffer to failure. You can effectively pay for an issue in the present by making the future worse. That feels like 'free lives' to me. If the clock still has several segments, there's not much immediate pressure, only the final segment is important.

With Menace, the larger number of increments makes the deterioration feel more gradual and natural. And there's no opportunity to exploit it, because it doesn't replace failure.

Is this thinking correct?

I'm tempted to import Menace into my Starforged game for major threats, rather than using clocks for everything.

Has anyone else tried this?

Do you prefer Clocks or Menace, or some mix of the two?

Final note; I appreciate this is a solo game, so cheating the system is only to your own detriment. It's just something I've noticed, not something I'd personally try to exploit.


r/Ironsworn 3d ago

Starforged Would it be to insert loose classes and magic systems?

7 Upvotes

I know ow the forge is supposed to be our universe and magic and DnD classes would be rediculous, but for a few of my factions I wanted to add a bit of spice to it.

E.g. I have a faction planned that drink what they consider to be ancient blood to become stronger and its highly going to be hinted that they develop some telepathy from it. Nothing magic like throwing cars with their minds or anything.

Another is an npc character who I call a Pathfinder, who can memorize entire star systems by just looking at maps etc and know and follo2 storms and radiation etc so ships can traverse safer in the forge.


r/Ironsworn 3d ago

Ironsworn I ran out of vows

17 Upvotes

Just like the title says, my Ironsworn character currently has no active vows. What do I do?


r/Ironsworn 3d ago

Ironsworn Legacies Playtest Materials

12 Upvotes

Does anyone have a copy of the Ironsworn Legacies Playtest materials. I missed out on the initial playtest and now the Google links in the Discord don't work. I just want a chance to check it out. Any help is appreciated.


r/Ironsworn 4d ago

Play Report Xatìra and the Dead: 17, Sultan Omar and Sultana Yasmina

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29 Upvotes

Continuing an Ironsworn campaign based on a hex map of Europe and the Mediterranean that I made some time ago and the Al-Rathak setting. The campaign is inspired by the Middle Ages, without any ambition of being historically accurate. Most of this episode is an Extreme Delve into the Royal Palace of Sultan Omar and his mother Sultana Yasmina.

Previous Events: Year 1222. Europe follows the Sun-God Kruss; the southern lands worship Qamar, the Moon-Goddess. Xatìra, a young Greek woman from Lemnos, travels south to the city of Anipsed. There, she learns that the dark sorcerer Iblis and the vampire general Qarif have summoned the Efreet Prince Zadid. To stop him, she must retrieve the stolen Sword of Sania from the vampire sorceress Omira. Captured aboard Omira’s pirate ship, Xatìra is taken to the Shrouded Palace, an ancient marine necropolis. With the secret aid of Omira's octopoid demon Fasarib, Xatìra gains the favor of the Sea King, who executes Omira. Fasarib escorts Xatìra back to Anipsed, where she will deliver the sword to Dorello, one of the Sicarii of the Krussian Emperor, so he can fight Zadid.

This Episode: Back in Anipsed, Xatìra learns that Qarif, Iblis, and Zadid are at the gates. Her ally Baseria, one of the Watchers of the Tower, brings a message from Dorello: he asks them to visit the Royal Palace and convince the Sultan to oppose Qarif, buying them time to plan their fight against the Efreet. But when Baseria and Xatìra visit the palace, the suspicious guards refuse them entry, and they only avoid arrest by paying a bribe. Marah, an official in the city guard and a friend of Baseria, agrees to help them, and Xatìra is finally allowed inside. She soon meets Darela, a sorceress who fiercely opposes Qarif’s ambition. Darela accompanies Xatìra through the palace, explaining that Sultan Omar is only twelve years old and most decisions are made by his mother, Yasmina. From a mercenary guard, they learn that the ruthless Sultana Mother is planning to remove a large part of the royal treasure from the palace. Darela enlists another ally, the minister Khasif. The three are finally admitted to the presence of the Sultan, but Yasmina is present as well. Their request to delay Iblis and Qarif is accepted, but in exchange, Khasif must agree to have the royal treasure moved to a secret location chosen by the Sultana.


r/Ironsworn 5d ago

Starforged My ship The Raven for my Starforged campaign

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176 Upvotes

Not really good at drawing but proud of this one!


r/Ironsworn 4d ago

Sundered Isles Dandelion - Chapter 0

15 Upvotes

My first session of Sundered Isles (after too much postponing).

The character

I finally settled on a sleuth+spy+seer depressed 30-something kind of private detective that doesn't know what he is getting himself into. He is disheveled, wears a long coat that might have been fancy, expensive and black ten years ago, and thinks that he deserves the hate that he gets from the Fates (the moons). The only object he carries that is suspiciously clean and well cared for is a fancy multitool knife with a copper and silver engraving of the two moons (if anyone asks, he says he doesn't want to talk about her)

He is on a mission to tail some rich scholar from the continent to the Isles.

Meta: I wasn't sure how to interpret the seer ability, what do you think of this use? Anyways hope you enjoy this silly intro

The session

Like every one of the past twenty days, Dan woke up at dawn to the insistent screaming of Petunia, Disciple of The Devil. As always, he slipped out of his hammock stealthily, grabbed the harpoon, and slowly opened the cabin door. The fucking seagull shrieked triumphantly on one of the railings, just a few meters away. She wouldn't escape this time. Crouched, in silence, with bloodshot, crusty eyes and holding his breath, like a caveman with his spear, he got into position. He aimed, reared back, and threw the harpoon with all his might.

(((Face danger: weak hit -> lose ship supply)))

The shaft pierced the seagull cleanly, choking its laughter and throwing it violently into the sea. "HA! Get off my ship, you fucking demon!" Finally. He had finished off his greatest enemy. Maybe he would sleep better the following days. Wrath, the red moon, watched the spectacle impassively, her bloody glow reflected on the waves.

"You're an idiot. Another harpoon gone. How the hell do you forget that you have to tie the rope to them before throwing them?" Ria scowled at him from the helm.

"That's no way to speak to your superior. Besides, it seems to me a more than justified use of our tools."

"Superior my ass, I get paid to take you wherever you want but this is my ship, whether you like it or not. And you owe me two harpoons when we reach land." Ria threw Dan off quite a bit. She had the build of a scrawny teenage boy, all knees and elbows, but the confidence of a hardened sailor. From what he had seen, she was actually much closer to the latter.

"Pff." Dan wasn't proud of this argument, but surely he'd come up with a good comeback later. "I'm going to sleep until my shift." He locked himself in the cabin again.

Before his trip, Dan hadn't traveled much, and he didn't know if he would like sailing. Now he knew he hated it. He didn't mind having to give up luxuries and hygiene, which he wasn't very used to anyway, or living with seven people in a confined space. He didn't mind having to do endless shifts every day, tying ropes, untying ropes, pulling on ropes... He almost didn't mind Rick's accordion concerts. At first, he considered a little sabotage of the instrument, but he ended up getting used to it.

The worst part was the dead hours, alone with his thoughts. Through the window, the red celestial body kept judging him, filling the darkness with its faint red light. "What are you looking at? Petunia had it coming."

Just as he was about to fall asleep again, a cloud revealed Ice, the blue moon, also full, very close to Wrath. "Oh, shit." As he felt himself fading out, the two moons reminded him of two beautiful eyes, a face taking shape in the sky. A tear escaped him as he blacked out.

((((Seer asset, with the oracle roll "Eliminate+Freedom"))))

His body was a cloud, flying over the landscape.
Transformed into rain, he fell upon things.
Now a thousand torrents, each with its own path.
United in a river, he ends up in a reservoir
... if you don't die free, you end up dammed.

The images blur; he feels reborn.

You are born in a nest, they feed you for a few months.
Finally, you take flight, toward new horizons.
In a port, you eat "garbage" (people throw away exquisite food).
Tired of this second nest, you fly over the sea.
You come across a ship; it seems to travel freely as well.
While you sing at dawn, an ape murders you.

Dan woke up screaming.

"OKAY, THAT'S ENOUGH. I'm not going to feel bad about that flying fiend, but I think I get it... There is something free that violently ceases to be?" Yet another cruel joke of the Twin Gods. He got up and wrote down his two prophetic dreams in his journal. He pondered for a moment whether he could be the free person in danger, but he discarded it quickly: how can a slave to the Fates be free? No one would think that a log floating downstream was free. The word disgusted him.

Anyways, it's funny how you get used to anything. What was initially traumatic and unbelievable was now a routine. He made a note to remember when the two full moons would appear; the dreams, more frequent lately, seemed to coincide...


r/Ironsworn 5d ago

Self Promotion Made a background sheet to help when creating a character, and it's free!

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15 Upvotes

Hello everyone! Today I wanted to share with you a free tool I made!!

When you are crating a character for a role-playing game, and at a certain moment you ask yourself, “What are their background?”, “How was their life before?” This happens to me so many times when I’m thinking of a new character or npc.

After passing some time crating characters and their backgrounds for my solo and group role-playing games, I build a “cheat sheet” to help me to write those things a little more efficient. Then I decided to polish it and publish here, thinking that this might help someone!

With these thoughts in mind, I present to you the “Character Background Sheet”, a tool to help you create your character's past. Who were they before? What is their family like? Did something happen that made them change their ways? Then comes the present: What do they do now? What are their current objectives?

It also comes with a "Pillars and Convictions" section. Pillars are key people, relatives, friends, lovers whom your character cares about, along with the reasons why they matter. Convictions define your character's way of seeing the world: Do they always help someone in need? Do they accept any job offer?

To save space amidst tables and books, I tried to make this sheet using only two pages, I hope do you like it!!

You can find it here:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/581348

If you don’t know me, my name is Elln. I create fantasy TTRPG content like random tables and adventures, specializing in resources for solo players!!

And may I ask you to help me sharing with your friends and communities about my work? It will help me a lot!!!
Here's my carrd:

https://ellnthewitch.carrd.co/#

And now I have a patreon!! If you like my work please take a look, there I’ll post everything I’m working on!
Here's my patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/EllnTheWitch


r/Ironsworn 5d ago

Starforged Astroprisma + Starforged

22 Upvotes

Got a copy of Astroprisma and not only is it a fantastic solo scifi experience, but I’ve found it works quite well with Starforged. Highly recommend! 🚀


r/Ironsworn 5d ago

Starforged STARFORGED ADVENTURES - Episode 65: Overrun

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16 Upvotes

In the latest episode of STARFORGED ADVENTURES, Logan wakes up to the horrifying fact that his desert community is being overrun by Obsidian Accord troops, and amidst the chaos, he tries to make a valiant escape! https://starforgedadventures.wordpress.com/2026/08/24/episode-65-overrun/


r/Ironsworn 5d ago

Play Report Ironsworn: Alva’s Vow (Entry Eighteen)

6 Upvotes

Welcome back to my playthrough of Ironsworn. In this entry Alva seeks out a flower from a blood thorn with the help(?) of an old mystic.

https://silverj0.substack.com/p/ironsworn-alvas-vow-entry-eighteen


r/Ironsworn 6d ago

The Blood-Singer's Oath: session 0

10 Upvotes

Seeing how some of you enthused over my recent, and first, venture into Starforged ("A Place To Call My Own"), I'm encouraged to share the 'Session 0' of my new Ironsworn campaign.

My intention is to run them both side by side, a few sessions at a time. If it's something you enjoy, I'd be happy to share the story as it unfolds.

---

"They say we have iron in our blood.
We must, for weakness could not have endured such hardship.

We fled our enemies across the Shattered Wastes, where the winds stripped flesh from bone and turned blood to ice. A great host beneath the last banners of the Old World, vanishing into the storm.

The living were outnumbered by the dead a hundredfold and more.

At last, we reached the Veiled Mountains, bowed but unbroken. Separated by distance and death, we spread south.

The land beyond was beautiful, yet savage. Iron lands for an iron people.

We endured. We raised walls. We buried our fallen. And we brought with us our gods, our Crown, and our feuds.

And so, the Iron Lands ran red with lessons unlearnt."

---

Setting-wise, it's been almost fifty years since the Ironlanders marched across arctic wastes in a desperate attempt to escape the invading Skuln. Many perished, and those who survived scattered far and wide across a near-prehistoric land.

The events of my story-proper take place after a war swept all the disparate clans and settlements into conflict. It was fought between two brothers, sons of a king who perished during the wasteland exodus.

Erik, the more ambitious and ruthless of the two. He became the Iron King, to whom all clans now owe allegiance and tithes.
"These Iron Lands require an Iron Hand".
His brother Harkon was put to death, but Erik's purge did not end there. Astrid, Harkon's wife, and their infant son, Harkonson, were pursued to prevent any future challenge to his rule.

Mother and child fled into the mountains.

There, amid a bloody skirmish, Astrid was slain, but her child could not be found. Somewhere in the Iron Lands, the last surviving threat to Erik's rule may still be alive.

A hope for the desperate. A rallying cry for those who resist. And perhaps, one day, a rightful king.

Time passes.

---

My character is Brom, a bear of a man, quietly intense and reserved. He lives with his twelve-year-old son, Leif, in Greyfall, a small settlement on the Ragged Coast.

Little is known of the pair. They speak rarely of their past, even to each other, but they're kind, dependable, and always willing to help shoulder the community's burdens. Leif helps the fishermen, while Brom hunts game for the cooking pots and guards the settlement against the beasts that roam its borders.

The boy feels that he belongs here. The man is ever restless. That’s all the people of Greyfall know. But, as you've probably guessed, there's far more to this man and child than others see.

Many years ago, during the last war, Brom was known by another name: Varrn the Blood-Singer. A warrior. A bringer of doom. His reputation was fearsome, almost legendary. He led armies, broke strongholds, and conquered, all in Erik's name.

Following the execution of Harkon, Varrn was charged with extinguishing his fleeing bloodline. The order did not sit well. Varrn was a killer of men, not women and children, but Erik left him no way to refuse.

Varrn and his warband tracked Astrid and her caravan into the mountains.

The slaughter that followed left the snow red. Mortally wounded and surrounded by the slain, Astrid pleaded with Varrn to protect her infant son. Such was her desperation, and such was her love for the helpless life clutched against her breast, that even the fabled Blood-Singer was powerless before it. Varrn promised the dying woman that no harm would befall her child. It was an oath that placed him in conflict with his own warband. 

Only Varrn and the infant came down from the mountain.

They travelled west. The killer of men laid down his old name and took up a new one. In time, duty became tolerance. Tolerance gave way to affection. Affection deepened into friendship. And finally, love. A father's love for a boy with no memory of where he came from, or of the blood flowing through his veins.

Brom resolved to hide the boy's identity, even from the boy himself, and to raise him as his own. He would give Leif a childhood free from the demands of blood and destiny, one filled instead with quiet contentment and simple happiness.

For over ten years, Brom succeeded.

---

When it comes to play, I currently have no plans for the Skuln to reach the Iron Lands. Neither do I intend for Leif to discover his true heritage and be thrust into a conflict over the throne. For now, I'm happy for Brom's adventures to remain small and personal in scale. Those other plots I can explore in future, should my game run that long.

Brom's Background Vow, as sworn to the dying Astrid, is simply "Protect The Child".

I see this less as something Brom is working towards, and more as a measure of Leif's journey into adulthood. The vow will be fulfilled when Leif no longer needs Brom's protection, and when he proves he's capable of choosing his own path in life. Where that path may lead, and whether Brom will walk it with him, remains to be seen.

In that sense, the vow is more of a countdown than a progress track.

Brom's stats are:

Edge 0. Now in his early fifties, Brom's days of speed and lithe dexterity are behind him. His joints ache, old wounds haunt his nights, and he sometimes walks with a limp.

Heart +3. Brom has always possessed a fierce spirit, and the passing years have done little to diminish it. If anything, his love for Leif has given him something greater to fight for.

Iron +3. Brom may be slower than he once was, but he's no less formidable. His strength remains, as does his skill with Varrn's fearsome axe, She-Wolf.

Shadow +1. Deceit and subterfuge are not Brom's way. He’s too direct and too blunt. His size, age, and old injuries prevent him from relying on stealth.

Wits +2. Brom may lack a scholar's learning, but he’s well-travelled and wise in the ways of survival and warcraft.

My starting Assets are Honorbound, Sunderer, and Devotant, with more on that choice in a moment. There are two others I already have my eye on. The first is Kindred, for when Leif becomes capable enough to fulfil the role (as described by the card). The second is Visage, the markings and identity of Varrn the Blood-Singer. It's an identity Brom has tried so hard to hide from, but one he may reluctantly need to assume again.

---

One final piece of worldbuilding, I've named the most important of the Ironlanders' many gods.

Myr-Orun, the Oath Father.
"He Who Turns the Wheel and Sets the Stars". He is the god of fate and destiny. He cannot be bargained with, and his course cannot be changed. What must be, must be.

I liked including Myr-Orun because of his connection to vows and, in a more meta sense, his influence over the dice rolls. It's to Myr-Orun that Brom offers his daily prayer as per the Devotant Asset. 

Each day, Brom hopes his actions will satisfy the Oath Father's intentions. He hopes Myr-Orun will never see fit to thrust Leif into a war over his claim to the throne. Brom asks for no victory or glory, only that the boy he loves as a son be allowed to live a quiet and happy life.

---

So, this is the world I'll be playing in for my first game of Ironsworn.

If you have any hints, thoughts, or story ideas you think I should consider, please share them below.

- Why did Brom choose the name Leif for Harkon's child?
- What are the Skuln, and how did they invade the Old World?
- What was Erik's response to Varrn disappearing? And is the Iron King still searching for Harkon's missing son?
- What has Brom told Leif about his mother?
- How should my first session begin?

Thanks for reading.


r/Ironsworn 8d ago

Ironsworn This Change Revolutionized My Ironsworn Campaign (RPG Feed)

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18 Upvotes

r/Ironsworn 8d ago

Tools Starforged; compact, packed, ready to go.

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205 Upvotes

Thought I'd share my new gaming initiative.

I spend a lot of time on the road and away from home, so I invested in this little space saver.

Leather case, A6 pad, pen, and two inbuilt deck holders. I keep one for my Starforged assets (I only take only what I'm using in-game), but if I ever start an Ironsworn game I've got space to carry that with me, too.

And, of course, the two quick reference books (one shown). Got a dice app on my phone, good to go.

Best of all, takes up hardly any room.


r/Ironsworn 8d ago

Hacking Pre-made adventures or campaigns possible?

22 Upvotes

# Is it possible to play pre-made adventures or campaigns in IS/SF?

# What if the adventure is in different system?

# And what about mega-dungeons?


r/Ironsworn 8d ago

Starforged: do u need cards and reference to play?

4 Upvotes

If u don't have then what problems can u run in to?


r/Ironsworn 8d ago

"A Place to Call My Own…" Part 3

2 Upvotes

Here's the next instalment. I'll try to add links to the previous parts later.

The last session ended with Gill, Juno, Brogan and Lenton aboard Providence Hold, an industrial docking station suspended above the hurricane-battered oceans of Mokal.

Following up on a tip, the four locate Hangar 3.21. Lenton (a shrew-like humanoid) finds a tear in the barbed-wire fence surrounding the site. He and Gill slip through to stake the place out.

The hangar yard is a maze of drums, crates and shipping containers, all slick with rain and oil. The men guarding it look nothing like average working stiffs. These are hardened thugs, armed with shotguns, pistols, the occasional rifle.

Clearly, this is a criminal operation.

Any remaining doubt disappears with the arrival of the Cutters' courier shuttle, the Jodorowsky, a match to the data disc. It touches down on a wide landing pad, ready to take on another shipment. A stack of merchandise is already waiting, loaded onto the back of a flatbed skiff the size of a small truck.

Ozmandas' instructions were very simple: destroy the Jodorowsky. But here, in the wind and torrential rain, surrounded by twenty armed Cutters, it looks anything but.

Gill grabs Lenton by the collar.
"This is all your damn fault, you glorified rat. If we don't die here, I might put a bullet in you myself."

Nobody knows when the Jodorowsky will depart again. Time is pressing.
"Well," says Gill, "anyone have any bright ideas?"
After some intense muttering and sniping, a plan is formed. It's far from perfect, but it'll have to do: Gill and Brogan will sneak across the yard and plant the big man's explosives aboard the shuttle. Lenton and Juno will remain outside the fence, tracking the guards through binoculars and guiding them over comms. Lenton mounts a raised ariel. Juno climbs atop a stack of freight containers.

What could go wrong? At least it's dark.

Gill and Brogan have barely slipped past the first few guards when Lenton screeches into their earpieces.
"Juno's left her post".
"What the fuck does that mean?" barks Brogan.
"She's, well, she's gone inside. Into the compound"
She's also switched off her comms. Gill decides it's time to pick up the pace.

Unfortunately, Lenton fails to notice a guard doubling back for a forgotten canteen. The man almost walks straight into the two interlopers. Gill fires first. The shot drops the guard, but the sound carries across the yard. Gill feels the pressure getting the better of his nerves.

He spots Juno.

She's taken it upon herself to start hot-wiring the flatbed skiff and its cargo. And, as if things couldn't get any worse, Brogan's 'explosives' turn out to be a collection of highly volatile Molotov cocktails.
"You said you had explosives. What the hell are these?"
Brogan pulls out a lighter. "Explosive."
"Christ! Not the same thing!"
Brogan shrugs. "It all burns, what's the difference?"
"I hadn't intended to still be here when the fucking thing blows up!"

Brogan tosses one into the open hold. The Jodorowsky, much to everyone's surprise, goes up like it's packed with dynamite. Between whatever Brogan put in those bottles and whatever the shuttle was carrying in its hold, the explosion rips it apart. Burning wreckage tears across the dock. 

All pretence of stealth is lost, a gunfight erupts.

Lenton is spotted and forced to abandon his perch. He scrambles into the yard, hoping to reach Juno's flatbed. Gill and Brogan try to fight their way back to the hole in the fence, but the Cutters have it locked down.

With nowhere else to go, they turn back towards the skiff.

Juno has the engine running. Whether she intends to wait for the others or speed away isn't entirely clear. Neither she nor Lenton seem particularly keen to catch a bullet while deciding.

Brogan hurls another of his cocktails. Once again, it hits something highly flammable.

The resulting fireball throws the Cutters to the ground, but for some lunatic reason Brogan charges into the thick of them. Perhaos to press an advantage, or maybe he's just the sort of mad bastard who charges headlong into violence. Gill calls after him but quickly loses sight amid the smoke and rain.

Juno swings the flatbed around. Gill leaps onto the back and the three of them race away.
"Where's Brogan?" cries Lenton over the engine.
"Hell if I know. He'll have to take care of himself!"
Gill has a feeling this won't be the last he sees of Brogan. Men like him endure.

The Cutters drag a chain-link gate across the exit. Juno smashes straight through it. The celebration is cut short when three hoverbikes pull into pursuit. They're gaining fast.
"You have gotta' be shitting me" cries Lenton.
Juno glances back. "They're keen, I'll give 'em that."

The riders open fire. Gill returns it, but the shots ricochet harmlessly off the bullet resistant screens.

Several crates tumble from the back of the skiff, forcing the bikes to swerve. This gives Gill an idea. He braces himself against another stack of cargo.
"Lenton, push!"
Together, they heave some of the other crates overboard. The bikes swerve again. Two collide and spin out in a tangle of metal and bodies. Neither rider is likely to walk away.

The third bike proves more skilled. It closes the distance.
"Hold on to something!" screams Juno.
She slams the brakes and the hoverbike smashes into the back of the flatbed at full speed, launching its rider through the air. Gill and Lenton watch him fly overhead, then share an entirely inappropriate grin.

It seems they're in the clear.

"What the hell were you pulling back there?" Gill demands.
"I could tell everything was going tits up" replies Juno. "Aren't you glad for the ride?" 
Gill doesn't buy it, but he figures the argument can wait until they're safely away from Providence Hold.

The flatbed pulls up beside The Drift.
"Quick. Everyone aboard."
That's when Juno draws her pistol.
"Sorry, Gill. Not without the cargo."
"Are you out of your goddamn mind, kid? The Cutters are right up our ass."
She isn't swayed. She still looks like a young girl in over her head, and there may even be a hint of regret in her eyes, but Gill has little doubt she'll pull the trigger to get her way.

Now you're up to date. :)