Ironsworn-Solo

Ironsworn-Ironlands-Map-2025

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:46:03 GMT

Necromancy

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:11 GMT

The practice of magic that involves animating the dead, often with the goal of achieving eternal life or of resurrecting a loved one. Few who walk this path survive it unchanged. Fewer still do so without attracting unwanted attention. Wardens seek out Necromancers, considering the practice an insult to the cycles of life and death set out by the gods.

Wulan Torradsson

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:20:47 GMT

The eldest brother of the family Torradsson of Fjoll. He and Kova fought when she attempted, and eventually succeeded, in stealing the Direshame from the family.

First Session -- 05-26-26

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:53 GMT

World creation
Character creation An amalgam of the Quest Starters from our worldbuilding choices: From The Old World You are a descendant of the Skulde. Because of your heritage, your family has long borne the distrust of your fellow Ironlanders. Now, a small force of Skulde have landed on our shores. Are they the harbinger of an invasion? Where do your loyalties lie? This is just such an awesome character backstory I couldn't not take it. I think that Kova was a baby when the Skulde who carried her was killed during a raid. Whether the Skulde or the Ironlanders were the perpetrators of that raid, she has gotten conflicting information on. But given how everyone treats her, she's pretty sure she knows from which group she descends from. She was raised by a Warden and her husband, saved perhaps only by her Godmark. From Iron Your dreams are haunted by visions of a pillar which stands in an unfamiliar landscape. What do you see? Why are you sworn to seek it out? This is just a delightfully weird aspect to add to add to a world -- so alienating, so different and strange. It seems almost sci-fi in this very fantasy world. I think this is the most important aspect that forces Kova to leave -- perhaps to the relief of those around her in Papyli. She must find the pillar in her dreams. From Defense You come upon a dying warden. She tells you of an important mission, and charges you with its completion. “Swear to me,” she says, reaching out with a bloodied hand to give you an object crucial to the quest. What is it? I think this happened shortly before Kova began having the pillar dreams. She believes that this was the start of it -- the start of... something, at least. Destiny, perhaps? An answer to her questions about her origins? From Religion You bear the mark of a god. What is it? The priests declare this as a sign you are chosen to fulfill a destiny. Do you accept this fate, and swear to see it through, or are you determined to see it undone? What force opposes you? Kova's Godmark is the sign of Grimbrook, her veins spreading across her body not like a human's but closer to the veins of leaves stretched into the shape of a human. Her skin carries with it a lightly coppery tinge, too. It changes in intensity with the seasons.
I wonder often if we are the same people now that we were when we left our homeland. It took months to come from the homeland to the Ironlands🏝 via longboat. It was an always arduous, often dangerous journey, I have heard that much. I was not yet old enough to remember what happened when I was on the boat, protected in the tunic of my mother, wailing against the sound and motion of the waves and the chill rain that dripped down her body. It was not only the elements from which she had to protect me. Other Groups, for that is what they--... we call ourselves now, sought someone to blame for being forced out of their home and into what had, until that point, been considered accursed lands. A defenseless Skulde baby filled that role for many of them. I was apparently the subject of some debate, Godmark and all. Many wanted to throw both my mother and I overboard. The elders would not let that happen. "We are better than them," they scolded the violence from their people. "We will not kill the innocent, the defenseless. We will treat life with the respect that it deserves." And yet, they still look at me and see little more than my blood. I may have been raised amongst them, I may know their culture better than some of them do, I may practice their customs... But I was born a Skulde, and to most, I will always be a Skulde. They even saw fit to curse me with a weapon of my people, marking me forever. The axe, Lifecarver, was first wielded by the one who birthed me. Like poetry, the story of a weapon must rhyme. I would like to wield a sword of my people -- my ACTUAL people, those who raised me -- someday. One does not simply forego a weapon here. That is a death sentence. This is all you need to know of my life. The specifics matter not, I am used to them. It has been a long time.
To say this was the beginning would be a lie, but it is nonetheless the place I must start. Owena👤 was a Warden of Papyli. I looked up to her. Considered her a friend, even. Loved her, when I was lucky enough to be able to do so... though those times were few and far between, what with her responsibilities as Warden and all. Papyli had been facing nightly undead hordes, sent from the cavern network to its north-northeast. We had lost many, another Warden just two nights before and more regular folk than I could count. I slept during the days and fought alongside the Wardens during the nights. My weapon -- Lifecarver -- was invaluable against the hordes, borne from the same magic, able to kill them for good. The Osteomancer sent veritable armies of undead, the town was overrun every time -- there were just too many of them. The skeletons would drag the bodies back to the cave, more soldiers for the next night, stripped bare of flesh. Owena👤 was the reason I had stayed in Papyli for as long as I had. Many months longer than I generally stayed in one place, especially outside of the Bitterfrost, the cold month. I was smitten with her. And I'd like to think she felt similarly of me. She was the one person who treated me like an Ironlander. Who understood that I was not my past, not my blood. And now she is gone. After we lost Aida, her anger got the better of her. She stormed the caves alone. She approached the Osteomancer alone. She won, alone. But it cost her everything. With her final words, Owena👤 entrusted in me the location of... Well, I'm not really sure. But she told me to go there. And I need to. For her. I've had nightmares of the pillars ever since.
To Owena👤 I made an Iron Vow. I will get to whatever is to the north among the snow. I will find what she wants me to find there. I must. I missed bad, losing two momentum as I chose to press on. The obstacle The Oracle gave me was: "You encounter a fellow traveler in peril." I consulted the Oracle again to get an idea of the peril this other traveler is in. "Home", "Mysticism"
So this is a kindred spirit searching for a home after losing hers to a mystic problem. I think that she's traveling toward Papyli from a neighboring village, Fjoll, in search of help.
Fjoll is a village Circle🏙 about a day's travel from Papyli. It is primarily run by three families:
The Torradssons, who manage the village's agricultural needs and food.
The Grith👪s, who manage the village's rules, regulations, and laws.
The Bothvars, who manage the village's defense from threats.
Shekhar Bothvar👤 is the daughter of the Bothvar matriarch, and next in line for the position. On , an Elf🧝‍♀️ named Mitunu🧝 approached the elders of Fjoll with a proposition: He knew that in the village's stores they held an item useful in a Ritual for binding people to a vow or task, obligating them to do something for the wielder. Mitunu🧝's people did not trust this in the hands of the Groups, sure that it would spark war between them and the Giants👹 should it fall into the wrong hands. In return, Mitunu🧝 has said that his people will ensure that the beast that is coming for the village is redirected elsewhere. Of course, the village of Fjoll knew nothing of an incoming threat. It was widely known that Elves🧝‍♀️ did not perceive time as we do, that they were skilled in the art of future-telling. If this warning was coming from an Elf🧝‍♀️, two things were true: The warning should be heeded. They are not known to lie, nor to be wrong.
It was in at least his -- and more likely, his people's -- best interest to make this deal. They saw Fjoll continuing to hold this item as a bad thing. Trust of Elves is not common among Groups, even despite their powers being known to be reliable. This comes from their reputation as harbingers of bad omens -- they only appear when they have bad news to deliver, or when they need something from them. Their magic, also, is intimidating -- they have much finer control over it than even the most skilled and attuned Ironlander. It is widely believed, and with some evidence, that Elves🧝‍♀️ only ever work in their own self-interest. So, alongside Mitunu🧝, the council was gathered to discuss. Do we trust this outsider? Do we believe that this Beast would be too much for our own forces? How do we know that, if we refuse, the Elf🧝‍♀️ would not just sent a Beast of his own making or manipulation our way to teach us a lesson? Shekhar Bothvar👤 was in attendance at this meeting, and had a voice there. It was her who brought up the idea that this could be the Elf🧝‍♀️'s manipulations -- the other council members far too trusting, ready to give away this powerful item so quickly. When her words fell on deaf ears, she left out of frustration. The girl is young, and this was not the first time that her legitimate concerns had been dismissed. The last person she expected to find upon the road was the Skuldeborn.
I roll Begin the Scene to begin the scene between Shekhar👤 and Kova. I have a clear advantage if this goes sideways: Kova is a warrior, Shekhar👤 is a politician. Still, alone on the road, Kova knows to always have her guard up. Illugi🕸 hisses, startled at the sudden person coming around the same bend. I'm going to Secure an Advantage, as I don't know if I'm in danger yet. I'm taking a defensive stance, so I'll roll with Iron. I miss hard. Rolling on the "Pay the Price" table, I get "It causes a delay or puts you at a disadvantage." I'd put Shekhar👤 attacking Kova at Unlikely, but I'm going to Ask the Oracle about it. I get a "No", meaning that she doesn't straight up attack me. Earlier, I rolled that Shekhar👤 was Demanding, so perhaps seeing me as an Ironsworn she demands that I escort her to Papyli, even though that's precisely where I'm headed away from. Let's see how Kova handles this demand. I'd say there is some risk here, as it is Bitterfrost, and Kova will need a place to stay with Illugi🕸. Other than a few farms, there aren't many places nearby other than Fjoll. She's going to Face Danger. "Ironsworn are not lackeys," she says to the demanding Shekhar👤. "We're not here just to fulfill any quest you might see fit to give us." That sounds like observation to me, so we'll roll with Wits. I miss again! "You fail, or a momentary success is undermined by a dramatic turn of events."
Paying the Price again, I roll "A surprising development complicates your quest." I roll on the Story Clues table to get an idea of what this could mean, rolling "It involves a person or community from your background." So it must involve the Skulde in some way. Perhaps the item of power that Fjoll has is one made by the Skulde. The Cultural Touchstone I rolled for Fjoll was Martyred Heroes, so perhaps this item was taken from the Skulde from a member of one of the families that now make up Fjoll who eventually succumbed to their wounds. Let's roll them up and see what we get: Name: Yorath Role:* Artisan Goal: Protect a person Descriptor: Ironsworn First Look: Armored
Disposition: Curious A statue of Yorath, son of the Torradsson family, sits heavily armored and carved from stone in the central square of Fjoll. He recovered this item from a Skulde artificer's lair after hearing rumors of its power upon the battlefield, able to turn allies upon each other and other heinous things. Yorath managed to get into the Skulde keep, into the Tresher's quarters, and almost all the way out before he was spotted. He managed to get the Direshame all the way back to his Warden-Keeper, who also happened to be his father, before eventually dying. He is considered a hero by the Torradsson family. Ever since, Direshame has sat unused, protected by the current Matriarch of the family should it indeed ever be needed again. Let's generate a name for the item: Direshame. Yeah, that's suitably Skulde-y. I envision it as a circlet with an eye-shaped gem at its center, like the wearer has a small third-eye through which they can see into the soul of those they target. Shekhar👤 exclaims as they talk, "If not for that damn Direshame I wouldn't be in this mess!" Recognizing the naming convention, Kova says, "Wait, Direshame? I know that name," lowering her weapon. "You mean that Fjoll has a Skulde weapon?" Shekhar👤 has a realization, then. Of course the Skuldeborne wants to gather the items of her people -- the last connection she has to them. I'm going to roll on the Disposition table to see how she feels about that. I rolled, "Desperate". I think Shekhar👤 hatches a plan -- if Kova can take the Direshame, then surely that Elf🧝‍♀️ Mitunu🧝 wouldn't have any reason to stay in her village and things can go back to normal. I don't think she's told Kova about Mitunu🧝 yet so Shekhar👤 can pull a fast one on her -- she doesn't care about this Skuldeborne wretch, the Elf🧝‍♀️ can kill her for all she cares. She convinces Kova of the plan to return to the Torradsson longhouse under the cover of night and steal the Direshame right from under their noses. As long as she doesn't ever make it clear that Shekhar👤 is involved, Kova can keep it, do whatever she'd like with it, just get it out of the village's hair. I'm going to roll Swear an Iron Vow as Kova is too eager to promise this to Shekhar👤 without getting all the details. I got a strong hit! I gain +2 Momentum. The pair trudges through the snow back to Fjoll and, as it turns out, they have quite a lot in common. Shekhar👤 has also frequently felt alienated and unlistened too, mostly due to her age, even in a position of power. Kova grits her teeth at the privilege on display. "Yeah, it's just like that," she says. I'm going to roll Undertake a Journey as this is the start of our first journey. I'll also roll Follow a Path as we're walking on a road on mostly familiar terrain to both Shekhar👤 and Kova. On the Undertake a Journey: I got a weak hit! I mark progress, but lose 1 Supply. On the Follow a Path: I get a weak hit! That means we complete the journey, but face a cost or complication. I'm going to choose, You suffered under the burden of foul weather, worries, or fearful locations: Endure Stress. According to my Calendarium (an Obsidian plugin I'm using for calendar tracking and weather), it is 31F out and flurrying. I guess the cold got to our bones. Given that it's relatively light weather, I'll give it a relatively low Rank and lose 1 Spirit. Then, I'll roll with Spirit: I miss, losing 1 Momentum.
It would look suspect if Shekhar👤 and I arrived at the same time, so we decide that I will Make Camp while we wait for true night to fall. I gain a Strong Hit! That means I can choose two effects. I'll choose Relax (regain 1 Spirit) and Focus (+1 Momentum). Then, I see the candles begin to be blown out in the Torradsson longhouse, each window going dark one by one. I wait another hour. Then, I begin my approach. I will Face Danger to start, attempting something risky -- getting up close to the building-mound despite the fact that this village has an Outpost. I'll roll with +Shadow as I'm using stealth. I miss, meaning my success is undermined by a dramatic turn of events. I need to Pay the Price. I can make the most obvious negative outcome happen, I can roll on the yes/no table, or I can roll on the Pay the Price table. I think the most obvious negative outcome of this is that I'm discovered. I'm going to say it's about 50/50 that it's Mitunu🧝 or one of the Torradsson family. Let me consult the Oracle: I got "Yes", so it was Mitunu🧝. I wonder what he has to say? I rolled on the NPC Disposition table and got the "Helpful" and "Indifferent" options. That is super interesting. I wonder if this was Mitunu🧝's plan all along? Either way, I have an ally. I think that he is staying with the Torradssons even though he needn't sleep. I think he opens the door for me, letting me come inside. When I give him a strange look, he shrugs and gives me a soft, knowing smile.
I've made it in. That's another segment of my Journey done. Let me do that roll: I miss hard. I am "waylaid by a perilous event" and must Pay the Price. I get, "The current situation worsens." Mitunu🧝 vanishes into the shadows before he is seen. I think I am spotted by one of the Torradssons. I will use the Warrior statblock for them. Let me roll up some information about them: Name: Sadia Role: Fisher Goal: Avenge a wrong Descriptor: Armored First Look: Unassuming
Disposition: Hostile Alright, so an unassuming armored Warrior who wants revenge for me breaking into her home. I am going to Enter the Fray. I would say I am "Facing off against my foe" (the other options being against an unaware foe or ambushed), so I'll roll with Heart: I got a weak hit! I will bolster my position, gaining 2 momentum. We Clash, so I roll +Iron: I miss. I am outmatched and must Pay the Price. The most obvious outcome happening, I think, is that I get hit, so I'll Endure Harm: A strong hit! I take some damage, but I also get to choose from shaking it off or embracing the pain. I think I'll choose the latter, gaining 1 Momentum. The enemy still has Initiative. We Clash again: I got a weak hit that time! So I still need to Pay the Price. I'll roll on the Pay the Price table this time: "A surprising development complicates your quest." Interesting. Let's consult the Oracle to see what form that takes: "Protect + Truth". I think that Sadia Torradsson is not just protecting her home here, she's protecting some truth from getting out. What could that truth be? Let's roll on the Story Clue table: "Involves a personal item." Okay. My only personal item is Lifecarver, so the truth involves that somehow? Perhaps it and Direshame were made by the same Skulde artificer. I like that. Maybe we can learn more about that later. For now, Sadia has the initiative. I'm going to Turn the Tide, stealing initiative to make a move. That move will be Strike. I roll a weak hit. I inflict my harm and lose Initiative. We trade blows again, Clashing once more. I get a weak hit, inflicting my harm but still lacking Initiative. This fight is very evenly matched, it seems -- I'll also need to think about whether the sounds of this wakes anyone else up. We'll see how that goes after the fight itself. Either way, we Clash once more, netting me another weak hit. Now, with Sadia's Progress bar down to 2/10 left, I'm going to try to end the fight. I don't want to kill her, but just to disable her for now so I can get to my prize. I'll roll End the Fight: I get a weak hit. I get to choose from several options, and I think I'll choose You are overcome: Endure stress. I'll roll that: A weak hit! I press on after taking some Spirit damage. The fight is over. I take deep, heaving breaths. I think I will Face Danger, rolling with Shadow, to see if we woke anyone: A strong hit! I am successful in keeping the longhouse asleep. I gain 1 Momentum. I'm going to say that that is another journey segment complete -- I'm deeper into the Torradsson longhouse, and the one person who was awake is incapacitated. I'll roll +wits: A weak hit. I lose some supplies, maybe some bandages tending to my wound. I'm going to Secure an Advantage now, moving slowly and carefully assessing my surroundings as I get deeper in. Shekhar👤 said that the Direshame was in the storeroom, as far from the door as possible. I'll roll with Shadow: a ROUGH miss. I pay the price: "It forces you to act against your best intentions." I decide to rush, risking waking up others: I Face the Danger: Strong hit. Phew. That's filled up my Progress Clock, so I could roll to Finish the Scene. That has a relatively low chance of working at this point, though, so instead I'll continue. I Face Danger deeper into the Torradsson Longhouse, rolling once again with Shadow: A weak hit. I mark progress, but also encounter a setback. Let's consult the oracle to see what that could be: From the Story Clue table, it "involves a hidden or mysterious person". I think that Mitunu🧝 is stalking me from the shadows, but how could that be a setback? Perhaps one of his spells goes awry, a Ritual Backlash as he's magically keeping the Torradssons asleep. "You hear ghostly voices whispering of dark portents." I'm going to Endure Stress in response: A miss! I'm going to burn some Momentum to cancel one of the die, making it a weak hit. I press on. I'll try one last Face Danger on my way to the storeroom: a strong hit! I mark progress. At 8/10 progress, I'm going to try to Reach Your Destination now: A strong hit! I stealth my way to the storeroom and manage to find and steal the Direshame. That's a big deal. I'll make progress on my Vow as well. My Vow was to take it far away, so I cannot fulfill that quite yet. Now I'm going to Follow a Path out: I miss. I am waylaid by a dire threat, and must Pay the Price. A boss after the journey is complete makes sense. Another Torradsson wakes up and sees me with the crown. Name: Wulan Role: Leader Goal: Cure an ill Descriptor: Influential First Look: Firstborn
Disposition: Wanting So he's an influential leader looking to cure an illness. You'd think he's a Firstborn at first glance. He wants Kova. He's big, intimidating, and eager to make this fight just the two of us. I Draw the Circle to accept his challenge: I miss, hard. I begin the duel at a disadvantage and Pay the Price: "The current situation worsens." I was going to use the Warrior statblock for him, but instead I will use the Raider statblock and raise his Rank. We Enter the Fray: I get a weak hit. I'm going to Prepare to Act, giving me Initiative. I attack with Strike: A weak hit. I inflict my harm, and lose initiative. We Clash next: A miss. I am outmatched and must Pay the Price. This guy is strong, I'm not sure I'll be able to do this! I'd say it's Likely that I took damage there. Let me Consult the Oracle: Yes, I took damage. I'm down to 1 Health. I will Endure Harmnext: A miss. I suffer -1 momentum. Fighting this guy is clearly not working. I'm going to attempt to flee with Secure an Advantage, using the darkness to my advantage: A strong hit! I am going to Take Control of the combat, making another move now, adding +1 to my roll: I'm going to Turn the Tide, taking initiative from my opponent. Then, I'm going to Face Danger of the night outside to get the hell out of there: A weak hit. I sacrifice more resources in getting away, dropping the rope from my pack.
I get as far from Fjoll as I can in one night before Making Camp again and tending to my wounds. I don't get very far, but hopefully it's far enough that the Torradssons won't come after me. When I Make Camp: A weak hit. I recuperate, gaining +1 health. When I Heal: Miss. My aid is ineffective, and I now must pay the price. I roll, "It is stressful." I Endure Stress: I miss again. I suffer -1 momentum. Mitunu🧝 finds me in my camp somehow. "Be careful with that artifact," he says, voice like creaking wood. "There are many out there who crave it." "I'll take my chances," I reply. "Now find your own campsite." He smirks again. I hate it when they do that. And then, he is gone. End of Session 1

Circle

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:53 GMT

An umbrella term for villages, towns, and settlements. Occasionally, multiple small villages will decide they are the same Circle. Circles are differentiated by their governmental structure and the people within that government. Each Circle is responsible for deciding their own governmental structure and means of electing government officials.

Torradsson Longhouse

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:16:48 GMT

The home estate of the family Torradsson in Fjoll.

The Old World

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:16:23 GMT

The original homeland of the Ironlanders, who fled to the accursed Ironlands🏝 in response to genocide put forth by the Skulde.

Fjoll

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:15:51 GMT

Ironlands

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:54 GMT

Home of the Firstborn and the Firstborn.

Sadia

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:13:52 GMT

Sadia Torradsson is a member of the family Torradsson of Fjoll. She and Kova fought as Kova attempted to, and eventually succeeded, steal the Direshame from the Torradsson Longhouse.

Shekhar Bothvar

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:54 GMT

Next in line for the position of Matriarch of the family Bothvar.

Ironlanders

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:02:49 GMT

Groups

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:54 GMT

Kova Lensdatter

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:55 GMT

Pronouns: they/she Stats: Edge: 1 Heart: 1 Iron: 2 Shadow: 3 Wits: 2 Health: 5 Spirit: 5 Supply: 5 Momentum: 2 (max 10, reset 2) Iron Vow: I will find belonging among the Groups, even though they hate who I came from. I am no Skulde. Bonds:
Illugi, the Icesickle Spider🕸
Papyli, a village in the south. Assets: Companion: Giant Spider (Illugi)
Ritual: Augur
Path: Spirit-Bound
Equipment:
Lifecarver, a battleaxe made from star-stung iron. The only Skulde weapon upon this forsaken rock. Inciting Event: "Unjust Leadership"I wonder often if we are the same people now that we were when we left our homeland.
It took months to come from the homeland to the Ironlands🏝 via longboat. It was an always arduous, often dangerous journey, I have heard that much. I was not yet old enough to remember what happened when I was on the boat, protected in the tunic of my mother, wailing against the sound and motion of the waves and the chill rain that dripped down her body.
It was not only the elements from which she had to protect me. Other Groups, for that is what they--... we call ourselves now, sought someone to blame for being forced out of their home and into what had, until that point, been considered accursed lands. A defenseless Skulde baby filled that role for many of them. I was apparently the subject of some debate, Godmark and all. Many wanted to throw both my mother and I overboard. The elders would not let that happen."We are better than them," they scolded the violence from their people. "We will not kill the innocent, the defenseless. We will treat life with the respect that it deserves." And yet, they still look at me and see little more than my blood. I may have been raised amongst them, I may know their culture better than some of them do, I may practice their customs... But I was born a Skulde, and to most, I will always be a Skulde.
They even saw fit to curse me with a weapon of my people, marking me forever. The axe, Lifecarver, was first wielded by the one who birthed me. Like poetry, the story of a weapon must rhyme. I would like to wield a sword of my people -- my ACTUAL people, those who raised me -- someday.One does not simply forego a weapon here. That is a death sentence.This is all you need to know of my life. The specifics matter not, I am used to them. It has been a long time.

Landing and ToC

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:55 GMT

*First Truth: The Old World
Quest Starter
Expanded:
*Second Truth: Iron*
Quest Starter
Expanded
Third Truth: Legacies
Quest Starter:
Expanded
Fourth Truth: Communities
Quest Starter
Expanded
Fifth Truth: Leaders
Quest Starter
Expanded
Sixth Truth: Defense
Quest Starter
Expanded
Seventh Truth: Magic
Quest Starter:
Expanded
Eighth Truth: Religion
Quest Starter
Expanded
Ninth Truth: Firstborn
Quest Starter
Expanded
Tenth Truth: Beasts
Quest Starter
Expanded
Eleventh Truth: Horrors
Quest Starter
Expanded The savage clans called the Skulde invaded the kingdoms of the Old World. Our armies fell. Most were killed or taken into slavery. Those who escaped set sail aboard anything that would float. After an arduous months-long voyage, the survivors made landfall upon the Ironlands. You are a descendant of the Skulde. Because of your heritage, your family has long borne the distrust of your fellow Ironlanders. Now, a small force of Skulde have landed on our shores. Are they the harbinger of an invasion? Where do your loyalties lie? The number of those who remember our homeland dwindles through this harsh winter. Two generations have been born and have grown in the time since our people journeyed to this accursed place, pushed from our home by the warbanner Skulde. We knew they would not follow us here. No one in their right mind would.People don't return from the Ironlands. This was our last hope for the survival of our people. We only hope that our gods came with us. 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. Your dreams are haunted by visions of a pillar which stands in an unfamiliar landscape. What do you see? Why are you sworn to seek it out? The pillars that dot this landscape carry with them an air of... apprehension, at best. Among some, they invoke a feeling of terror. Others still push down these feelings, researching, writing, exploring the pillars and their atmosphere of dismay. These people do not last long in this pursuit, dying from obsession or losing their minds to the pressure.A few are immune. They keep this status close to their chest. We are the first humans to walk these lands. Though we are not the first to walk these lands. In the writings of one of the first settlers, there is a description of a glade in the heart of the Deep Wilds. The spirits of this place are said to grant a miraculous blessing. What boon does it bestow? Other living, sentient things have walked the paths of this land, carved paths through its forests and sipped upon its fjordwater. There are signs everywhere to those who know where and how to look. They were an old civilization. They knew and treated this land well. Some curse wiped them from the face of this planet. It is the curse that will befall us, undoubtedly, if we are not careful. We live in communities called circles. These are settlements ranging in size from a steading with a few families to a village of several hundred. Some circles belong to nomadic folk. Some powerful circles might include a cluster of settlements. We trade (and sometimes feud) with other circles. A decades-long feud between two circles has flared into open conflict. What is the cause of this dispute? Do you join in the fight, or swear to put a stop to it? Your Circle is your everything. Without the support of a Circle, you will meet a cold and bitter end. Hospitality is expected for those who fit within the norm. Reluctant hospitality is expected for the rest... to a point. This is a harsh, difficult land. Survival does not come easy. It creates hardy people. It creates unfriendly people. But it creates people that take care of their own, when and if they can.Unfortunately, it seems that the definition of 'their people' has been narrowing. Ironsworn are seen as burdens and risk-bringers. Few inns will lodge wanderers they do not know for fear that it could spell the end of their business, or worse, their lives. Leadership is as varied as the people. Some communities are governed by the head of a powerful family. Or, they have a council of elders who make decisions and settle disputes. In others, the priests hold sway. For some, it is duels in the circle that decide. You have vivid reoccurring dreams of an Ironlands city. It has strong stone walls, bustling markets, and a keep on a high hill. And so many people! Nowhere in the Ironlands does such a city exist. In your dreams, you are the ruler of this city. Somehow, no matter how long it takes, you must make this vision a reality. Each Circle is expected to establish a means of choosing a leader to represent them during biyearly Althings, when regions of settlements come together to discuss their latest needs, news, and to spread information. These vary from mystic Ritual to familial monarchy to democratic election. Each leader has their own opinions about what is right. Those leaders who consider the power of leading a burden are the most successful, and respected. The wardens are our soldiers, guards, and militia. They serve their communities by standing sentry, patrolling surrounding lands, and organizing defenses in times of crisis. Most have strong ties to their community. Others, called free wardens, are wandering mercenaries who hire on to serve a community or protect caravans. You come upon a dying warden. She tells you of an important mission, and charges you with its completion. “Swear to me,” she says, reaching out with a bloodied hand to give you an object crucial to the quest. What is it? There are many who yearn to join the ranks of Warden. It is indeed an exciting job. The lesson that excitement is not a worthy pursuit of life is one that is hard-earned. Most Ironsworn wish they could lead unexciting lives. Most Wardens do, too. Unfortunately, this world has other plans for them.Wardens, by the belief of the people they protect, are given access to power. It is addicting and sly. Many Wardens lose themselves to it, chasing the high of a new ward. Few succeed, as they lose their ability to protect as the withdrawal overtakes them. Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted. And truly feared. You have heard stories of someone who wields true power. They live in an isolated settlement far away. Who told you of this mystic? Are they feared or respected? Why do you swear to seek them out?
Magic requires an intense amount of rigorous study, unending dedication, careful dedication, and/or incredible grief to wield. Those who have lost much tend to turn to magic as a means of filling in the gaps left by what they have lost. Groups turn to magic-users when they need them for something, and mostly shun them out of fear and a lack of understanding whenever else. Our gods are many. They make themselves known through manifestations and miracles. Some say they even secretly walk among us. The priests convey the will of the gods and hold sway over many communities. You bear the mark of a god. What is it? The priests declare this as a sign you are chosen to fulfill a destiny. Do you accept this fate, and swear to see it through, or are you determined to see it undone? What force opposes you? The Gods mark some before they are born. It is believed that these people are blessed by the gods whose symbol they bear, or cursed by those few gods who would do such a thing. Those who bear a positive Godmark are seen as virtuous, respected, and deserving. Those who bear a cursed Godmark are seen as lesser, as troublemakers, with pity.There is a god of and in everything -- our souls are gods. There is a god of and in that stone. There is a god of stones, who sits above them. There is a god of and in that tree. And there is a god of trees, who sits above them. And there is a god of forests, who sits above them. And so on, and so on.
The Firstborn hold sway in the Ironlands. The Elves🧝‍♀️ of the deep forests and the Giants👹 of the hills tolerate us and even trade with us— for now. Groups fear the day they decide we are no longer welcome here. Humans and giants are on the brink of war. What has happened? Who do you side with? Can anything be done to defuse the situation? The Firstborn do not show their faces often. They live in magically hidden settlements deep in the woods, and have trained the woods to keep humans away, twisting their paths into circles that lead ever away. Our magic is nothing compared to theirs. They have weaved it longer, trained with it harder, and known it deeper than any human could in our short lifetimes.When an Elf or a Giant visits your settlement, it is generally for one of three reasons: They were attacked by a beast and you are expected to help them or face vengeance. They come bearing a portent of the future, and it is in their best interest that you are prepared. They had excess, and it was in their best interest that you have it. 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. Professional slayers earn their keep by killing beasts. This particular slayer, famed throughout the Ironlands for her numerous kills, has gone missing on a hunt. Did she finally meet her match, or is something more nefarious at play. What is your connection to her?
Beasts of all kind stalk these lands. They are vicious and terrifying. They are lethal, clawed and teethed. Save for a approximately a dozen categories of lesser Beasts, greater Beasts are all unique -- as if forged for one purpose or another by knowing hands. Woe be to the traveler who faces a Beast alone upon the road. Few who have faced them alone have won, and fewer still with all limbs intact.The dead do not rest in the Ironlands. At night we light torches, scatter salt, and post sentries at the gate. It is not enough. They are coming. And someone is sending them. A group of Ironlanders establish a settlement in a territory cursed by a malevolent horror. What evil plagues this land? Why are the Ironlanders so intent on settling here? Will you aid them, or attempt to force them to give up this foolish undertaking?
Necromantic ritualism is a forbidden study among the Groups, and Wardens are trained in eradicating those who practice it, though this has done little to dissuade powerful, grief-stricken magic users from exploring the art. It is said that some have even succeeded in bringing their loved ones back. Others, instead, pursue revenge against those communities that ostracize them. The summoning of powerful souls is an art requiring viscera.

Tresher

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:01:14 GMT

A Skulde military rank used to describe officers given access to powerful, artificed items, and put in charge of military bases and troops.

Yorath

Thu, 28 May 2026 03:55:49 GMT

Yorath was a member of the family Torradsson in The Old World. He succumbed to his injuries after infiltrating a Skulde encampment, stealing Direshame for his family and ensuring it could not be used to slaughter more people.

Bitterfrost

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:56 GMT

During the first third of the year, the Ironlands🏝 are struck by cold weather, snow, and ice.

Bothvar

Thu, 28 May 2026 03:48:01 GMT

One of the families that lead Fjoll. They lead the Wardens of the village, sometimes handling the dispatch of Wardens to other surrounding villages around.

Torradsson

Thu, 28 May 2026 03:47:46 GMT

One of the three families that lead Fjoll. They run the village's major farming and agricultural infrastructure.

Grith

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:56 GMT

One of the three families who lead Fjoll. They oversee the rules, regulations, and laws of the village. Many surrounding settlements base their law systems off of those established by the Griths.

Aida

Thu, 28 May 2026 03:44:26 GMT

A warden of Papyli. Died in an encounter with an Osteomancer's army, pushing Owena👤 to confront the Necromancer herself.

Beasts

Thu, 28 May 2026 03:42:07 GMT

Osteomancer

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:56 GMT

A type of Necromancer specializing in the reanimation of skeletons.

Owena

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

A former Warden of Papyli. Died in Kova Lensdatter's arms after confronting a necromancer.

Wardens

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

Protectors of Circles, towns, and villages. They draw a magical power from the belief of the power who trust the Wardens to protect them. How exactly this manifests varies, and it does dwindle if the commonfolk's belief in their Warden is shaken.

Star-Stung Iron

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

Iron that has been exposed to starlight in specially made holy bowls that dotted The Old World. It is stronger than regular iron, maintaining its sharpness longer, and turns blood-black but shimmery like the night sky from the ritual of its creation.

Troll

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

Varou

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

Giants

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:57 GMT

Firstborn

Wed, 27 May 2026 23:18:39 GMT

The Firstborn are the original inhabitants of what we call the Ironlands. They include: Elves🧝‍♀️
Giants👹
Varou🐺
Troll🧌 And likely more.

Direshame

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Illugi, the Icesickle Spider

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Elves

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Mitunu

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Fjoll

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Skulde

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Lifecarver

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

A battleaxe made from star-stung iron. A Skulde weapon. The only Skulde weapon on this continent.

Papyli

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:21:58 GMT

Ironsworn Template

Thu, 28 May 2026 04:22:03 GMT

Pronouns: Stats: Edge: Heart: Iron: Shadow: Wits: Health: Spirit: Supply: Momentum: (max , reset ) _Iron Vow: Bonds: Assets: Companion: Giant Spider (Illugi) Ritual: Augur Path: Spirit-Bound Equipment: Inciting Event:

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Ironsworn-Delve-Rulebook

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:58:40 GMT