I had a solid idea of what would happen before I started this session, so I guess this is more a visual novel than a standard Ironsworn session. I even chose to not make Face Danger rolls, because I liked the idea that Kiah was being tricked. Even so, some things surprised me. I was introduced to Stoad the Wanderer. Kiah will need to wait a little longer for the magic Bayara Doom Axe will grant her. (What Does Kalina Ask? Threaten Trade) Late that night Kiah was shaken aw

Progress on Orboboros, the Brick Kingdom is going well, I've nearly finished the rules section and will soon fill out the adventure parts. This has got me thinking about the kind of backdrop I want to offer. My original idea was that; no matter what background you roll, you're related to the heroes of old. You've got knight, wizard, or princess blood in you, and through the course of the game, you'll become what you're meant to be; amazing. However, some dialogue on the Mari

Things are heating up in the Barrier Isles. I'm kind of worried that Great Mount will fall, that would certainly take this game in a direction I didn't expect. However, we'll see. Reema's pretty cunning and powerful in her own right. Overseer Serene lounged on her throne to greet the dawn. She was spectacular, dressed in orange and red, the Queen of Flame. A gold goblet filled with red wine was in her hand. Her wardens were arrayed along the walls, dressed in finery, their we

My previous Norse fiction writing is definitely affecting this playthrough. In my Ironsworn there are no inns or taverns; one simply invokes the right of hospitality at a hall that can accommodate them. Of course, one can overstay their welcome. While beds exist, they're only for the powerful. Most folks sleep communally on benches. The Norse had slaves; slavery was rampant. However, there is no slavery in my Ironsworn. Servants are certainly lower class but are compensated

I recently got this feedback on Reddit, and it filled me with joy: Hi, I tried to leave a comment on the blog but couldn't for whatever reason. These Ironsworn sessions have been a great read, and a major eye-opener for me - I am new to Ironsworn and have not actually played a session yet, but I imagine it as very combat/ martial focused gaming...and then in 5 sessions of Kiah's saga, the Battle move is used once and no other combat...all adventure and social drama! I feel b

So I attended CanGames this weekend and ran a little Orboboros . It went well, it went really well. So well, in fact, that at every game, I sold at least three copies. Which is huge. For me. I 'm no Cam Banks or Fred Hicks, okay? I wrote Orboboros for the Troika 2021 Game Jam . Trokia is a surreal science fantasy RPG that doesn't take itself at all seriously. You make wacky characters and explore a hunchbacked sky. Not a lot is explained, just floating flavor text, but it w

[Oracle Grandmother's Next Lesson - Uphold, Ability] [Sorjurn: Weak Hit] Winter progressed and ice bobbed between the Barrier Isles. Everyone wrapped themselves up or stayed by the fire to keep warm. Kiah was in demand. She visited every important person in Great Mount to share stories, songs, and enjoy feasts. It was lovely and exhausting work. [Do both of Kiah's parents visit? No] When the skald returned to the Great Hall, her father Tristan was there to see her. Kiah let o

This session determined two things. A) Kiah's grandmother is basically a Sith, and B) magic is most useful when it's used to fill one with awe and wonder. The next day, Reema sent priests armed with divining tools to Raven Falls. Kiah couldn't help but glare. Reema answered her unspoken question, thus, "I sent you as a mere test. They, on the other hand, are my true eyes and ears, well-equipped to find the source of the hex. That being said, you successfully determining the n

This session covers the harm of a horrid curse, and how Ironlanders deal with it. There was not a lot of danger, but it did involve grueling work in service to the departed. It also expressed how complete strangers can come together in the face of a great tragedy . Kia and Gruff spent the night on the beach. The fire was warm, the sky was clear and they gained the rest they desperately needed. The next morning they hiked up the trail to Raven Falls. It was a long climb but

I rolled a lot of misses in this session. It didn't kill our heroes but certainly made things more interesting. Kiah and Gruff spent a few days in Great Mount. Kiah shared some of her famous stories, however, few people in the city listened. Some even laughed at her. She was a Brokenhelm bumpkin after all. On the third day, Gruff found that some of their supplies had been stolen. [Sourjun: Miss] That evening, in the temple after prayers, Kiah brought such up to her grandmothe

Pirates of the Dragon Spiral was a small setting book I published in conjunction with PIP Worlds. It's a fun, piratical setting with swashbuckling, spirits, and spaceships. I'm rather proud of it. The PIP system is a fast and loose TTRPG with enough crunch to customize your game to make something really special. I like it very much and recommend checking it out. Pirates of the Dragon Spiral: King of the Smoke will be a solo journalling game that uses the same setting and is

This first session of Dream Chaser ended in a direction I did not expect. However, that is to be expected in Ironsworn . The spooky Icelandic nature of Kiah's current quest speaks to me. One chilly afternoon bright Kiah ran into her weathered father, Tristan, dealing with a group of angry townsfolk. Her huge brother Gruff stood beside him with his arms crossed. "They're taking our fish!" "They do that AND ask tribute!" "We keep Ikram's grave. He'd be ashamed how his mother t

One of my current projects is Pirates of the Dragon Spiral - King of the Smoke, a journalling game that uses Ironsworn: Starforged . It's really fun, I've spent days playing it and the original game. I showed up on the Ironsworn discord and had some chats. One such chat lead to a neat story idea for an Ironsworn game. So I thought I'd share it here. I just finished the game setup. Great Mount Great Mount was founded when the People first landed in the Ironlands. They fled the