#ironsworn rpg

[solofighterblog]

Hroarr - Session 0.

Hroarr is a berserker who hails from a Kyngi settlement in the Veiled Mountains. The settlement was destroyed several winters ago by a great wyrm that emerged from the depths of Darkfall Cave. Young Hroarr was spared because he had been away from his village, guiding pilgrims to a sacred mountain in the north when the great wyrm attacked.

Hroarr traveled to the walled settlement of Summerfield in the Havens, where a famous mystic warrior named Stigandr lives. Hroarr once heard a legend about a hero named Olafur who carried a magical spear called Dragon's Bite. Hroarr believes that with the power of Dragon's Bite, he can descend into the depths of Darkfall Cave and slay the wyrm.

Unfortunately, Stigandr's settlement is beset with troubles, and the old warrior is too frail to handle matters. To the southwest, a raider named Alva has died and returned as a wight. To the southeast, a strange cult has taken hold in Deeproot Bog, offering prayers to a deity called the One Beneath Us. Farther south, in Stillgrave Mire, a bitter war between two elven clans threatens to spill over into surrounding human territories. Worse, many elves are returning from death as Hollows and continuing their bitter feud.

Stigandr offers to tell Hroarr what he knows about the location of Dragon's Bite if Hroarr swears an iron vow to confront the evils surrounding Summerfield. Hroarr obliges Stigandr, swearing upon the tip of his iron spear, and his epic quest begins.

Hroarr (Berserker)

Abilities:

Edge 3, Heart 2, Iron 2, Shadow 1, Wits 1.

Assets:

Berserker, Skirmisher, Wildblood.

Bonds:

Darkfall (ruined settlement), Kyngi (people), Stigandr.

Starting Location:

Summerfield, a settlement in the Havens.

[dravencroft]

One of the main NPCs in the Ironsworn solo campaign I'm playing, the quiet and mysterious Synneva.

[wehavekookies]

Dear Kooks, do you have some tips to play D&D alone or some solo RPG? I want to play it so bad, I have a lot of characters sheets ready because I’m so excited, but none of my friends are interested. If you know and could tell me is there some online platform to discover groups to play?

Thanks always!

Hello!

(First of all I need to start posting a bit more about solo rpgs and solo gaming in general cos I gathered some really cool materials and games over last months, so thank You for reminding me of that. Just need some more free time but it's coming, oh it's coming)

I don't have experience playing specifically DnD solo, but I know there are tools for it people recommend. The GeekGamers YouTube channel has TONS (and i say it both as an encouragement and as a warning, because it can be a bit overwhelming) of advice materials, also regarding soloing DnD and solo roleplaying in general. She also wrote a book on solo gaming called Solo Game Master's Guide which if I recall correctly has a chapter on DnD specifically as well. I know people are recommending Mythic Game Master Emulator as a good tool, but I haven't personally tried it yet.

What I can recommend tho is... Ironsworn (check the link, the pdf for the first main game is free). I have been playing it solo recently and I find it very fun and satisfying. It's a system based on Powered by the Apocalypse rules framework, so not that close to DnD rules, but if you are looking for a solo rp with some more rules structure I recommend taking a look at this game because it is designed specifically for solo playing (but it can be co-oped and GMed too). You can alter the world of the game freely (and the author encourages you to do that) or use the rules in existing setting, so you can adjust it to your liking (tho i do encourage you to try the setting offered by the book first, together with its world creation process: 1) it's very cool, 2) you will get a grip of the rules in their natural environment)

I found I need a couple of additional oracle tables aside of the ones the book has, but these you can pick up as you go according to your needs, there is plenty online, and a lot of free ones too. Other than that everything you need you have in the free book.

I also recommend taking a look at some actual play of an Ironsworn game (or other games, you can find some examples of actual solo plays on GeekGamers channel too) to get a bit of an idea how people think about running a solo session and how they build a story on their own, and perhaps taking something away from it for yourself. For Ironsworn specifically I super enjoy and highly recommend The Bad Spot podcast. It has several seasons of Ironsworn: Starforge game (Ironsworn's younger brother set in space, but the rules and the idea of how the game runs are basically the same) but also some loose talks about solo gaming in general.

OTHER THAN THAT: I encourage you to look around and see what the solo gaming scene has to offer. There is so many interesting games (some with more rules structure, but also journaling games, choose your own adventure-like games, solo hacks for existing systems, and more etc etc, a whole new world to discover really), it's worth checking regardless of having a group to play with or not. I will try to get back to posting more actively on these topics, cos there is a lot of stuff I would love to share, so fingers crossed I won't get distracted lol.

Cheers!

[maxkirin]

YOU'VE GOT MAIL 💌💕

My latest game is out on right now! I'm doing a public beta test to get feedback--but don't get it twisted, this game is feature complete and good enough for you to lose countless hours living through your very own Romantic Comedy of Errors!

You can learn more about it and download it by heading to the official announcement: ko-fi.com/mkirin 💖🧡💛💚💙💜

[haveyouplayedthisttrpg]

Have you played IRON VALLEY

By M. Kirin

Ironsworn hack based on Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and Animal Crossing. Cozy game made mostly for solo play - lots of oracles and events, and a system for developing relationships with the townsfolk

[dungeonofthedragon]

Free RPG day is on the 22nd of June! To celebrate I'm going to spotlight a free RPG each day, culminating in a new release of my own on the 22nd.

June 2nd 2024: Iron Valley

Iron Valley is a solo ttrpg inspired by farming sims and Animal Crossing. It utilises the Ironsworn ruleset, but with much less dire stakes. Make friends and cultivate relationships, grow crops and raise livestock, forage for resources, and have yourself a wholesome good time!

[sololog]

Starforged Campaign - Session 0

System: Ironsworn: Starforged, by Shawn Tomkin

I used the Ironsworn: Starforged Reference Guide to create a planet for my Starforged campaign.

Sector Name: Infernal Pyre

Stellar Object: Hypergiant star generating turbulent winds.

Planet: Ignis, furnace world, aka "Planet Hell." A planet with relentless volcanic activity, wreathed in fire and ash.

Settlements:

Terminus: None.

Outlands: None.

Expanse: None.

Atmosphere: Toxic.

Life: None.

Observed From Space: Once verdant terrain.

Planetside Feature: Lava tube tunnel networks.

Planetside Peril: Seismic or volcanic upheaval.

Planetside Opportunity: Abandoned camp.

Now, I need to think of a reason for my character to go to Planet Hell. The focal point for the start of my adventure will be the abandoned camp.

[songsandsagas]

Frostmark Campaign - Session 0 (Part 1 of 2)

System: Ironsworn, by Shawn Tomkin

When I play Ironsworn, I like to create a gazeteer of a region to explore before I jump right into play. Today, I generated information about Frostmark, where my character Aevar's adventures will take place. You are welcome to use this gazeteer for your own games.

Gazeteer: Frostmark

Location: Northern Reaches of the Ironlands, nestled between jagged mountains and frozen seas.

Area: Approximately 200 square miles of harsh terrain, spanning mountains, forests, and icy plains.

Population: About 1,500 people, scattered across isolated villages and small outposts.

Languages: Primarily Ironlander dialects, with some Old Tongue spoken by elders in rituals.

Coinage: Barter-based economy, where goods such as pelts, iron, and food are exchanged. Rarely, silver, or gold coins are used by wealthier traders.

Government Type: Decentralized clan leadership, where elders of each village hold authority. Disputes are settled through council meetings or, in some cases, trial by combat.

Industries: Hunting, mining (iron and precious metals), blacksmithing, and fishing. Due to the harsh environment, survival skills and resource gathering are central to life.

Description: Frostmark is a cold, unforgiving land where the wind howls and snow blankets the ground for most of the year. The people are hardy and resilient, used to biting cold and harsh conditions. Villages are small and sparsely connected, with trade caravans making dangerous journeys across the frozen plains to deliver goods. Massive iron-rich mountains loom over the landscape, providing the region's primary resource.

History: Frostmark's people have always been survivors, living on the fringes of the Ironlands. Originally settled by exiled clans from the warmer southern lands, they adapted to the cold and thrived, establishing strongholds in the mountains. Over time, however, raiders and wild beasts became a constant threat. Aevar's ancestors fought to protect these lands, and he carries that legacy forward.

Important Figures: Thrain, village elder of Frostmark; Ylva the Ironclad, trader; Bjorn the Ironblooded, raider chieftain.

Flora and Fauna:

Flora: Hardy conifers dominate the forests, along with shrubs and lichens. In summer, the alpine wildflowers bloom briefly. Medicinal herbs like frostwort grow in secluded glades.

Fauna: Wolves, snow elk, and frost bears roam the wilderness, while sea life like whales and seals are hunted along the coast.

[agenteggnog]

if deep cut plays splatoon d&d i wonder who their dm is

[mapas-fantasticos]

Map of the Ironlands from the rpg Ironsworn (map by Josiah Van Egmond).

[saycheezecomics]

Being alone can be fun sometimes.

[solofighterblog]

No fancy-schmancy dashboard for Ironsworn? No problem!

Index cards, beads, and/or chips are all you need.

[dravencroft]

During my latest session of Ironsworn, the solo tabletop RPG I'm playing, my character Nero has "accidentally" befriended Aesir, a Gaunt - sort of a skeletal horse-like creature. The rulebook doesn't have any pictures of Gaunts, so I decided to try my hand at designing Aesir. In my version of the Ironlands, Gaunts are covered in tiny iron scales and they are more or less 7 ft tall.

[foundry-fabrications]

System Spotlight: Ironsworn

Hello everyone, and welcome to my first ever System Spotlight! Before we begin, let me explain a little about what this is and what to expect.

This is a series I've wanted to do for a while where I talk about RPGs other than D&D, their mechanics, and my overall thoughts on them. There are thousands of wonderful RPGs out there and I want to shine a spotlight on some of the ones I feel could use more love or just give my two cents on ones that are already popular.

This won't be a regular weekly series or anything like that, but I do want to write these so there's less of a gap between content posts. I also want to use them as a sort of primer/101 for future projects made for those systems. I'm known for 5th edition and it's likely the system you fine folk are most familiar with so I want to give you the basics of whatever system I'm working with so the associated project makes some sense. And hey, if even one of you takes in interest in a game I talk about then that's a win in my book.

I would also like to preface that I have not actually played every game I will be talking about in this series, though I have read about them and gone through whatever core rules they have at the very least. I will state whether or not I have played in each post for transparency and so you can judge my opinions accordingly.

Anyway, that's enough preamble, let's Undertake a Journey and talk about Ironsworn!

Are you the Forever GM and never get to play? Are you in-between games or groups and want something to scratch that RPG itch? Perhaps you want to try GMing your own game but don't want the pressure of other players. You're not alone! Turns out there is a huge community for the solo play of RPGs and I am fascinated by it. People have been finding ways to play RPGs by themselves for years and there are lots of tools to let people do just that (I'll get to those at some point), but recently there has been a certain game that has become very popular that is built for just such a method of play.

Created by the wonderful Shawn Tomkin, Ironsworn is game built from the ground up to be solo or co-op and entirely GMless, though you can play traditionally if you wish. It's based on the Powered by the Apocalypse system and is more narrative than mechanics focused unlike a lot of other RPGs, especially games like D&D. Basically, the mechanics are designed to be in service of the story. Speaking of mechanics, let's talk about ‘em!

Dice

Starting with dice, Ironsworn uses a d6 and two d10s for everything. The d6 is your Action Die and acts like a d20 in other systems. The two d10s are your Challenge Dice, which set the difficulty of whatever it is you're trying to roll for.

When you roll to do something, you roll the d6 and d10s together adding your relevant stat and any bonuses you have to the d6. If your action die is over both challenge dice, you get a Strong Hit. If it's only over one of the challenge dice, it's a Weak Hit. But if it's under both of the challenge dice then it's a Miss. Now, if both of the challenge dice are the same, you either have a Strong Hit or Miss with a Match. Matches are like crits in other games, making your Strong Hit or Miss way better or way worse for you.

Moves

So how do you actually do stuff? Like most PbtA games, you make Moves, each with their own mechanics that tell you how to resolve them. For example, let's look at a common move: Gather Information.

For this example, we roll our dice and get a 3 on the Action Die and a 4 and an 8 on the Challenge Dice. We'll say our character has a 2 for Wits and no other bonuses, bringing our Action Die total to 5. This would be a Weak Hit, revealing some troubling information and giving us +1 Momentum (we'll get to momentum in a bit). Pretty simple, right? Whatever you want to do, there's a move for it.

Momentum

Now, about momentum. Momentum is a really cool mechanic that gives you some much needed control over your dice when you really need it. Most moves give you momentum when you succeed, up to a max of 10. When you roll, you can burn your momentum to cancel out any challenge die that is less than your momentum, letting you turn a Miss into a Weak Hit or a Weak Hit into a Strong Hit. Your momentum then gets reset back down to 2 so you always have a little.

Characters

Ok, let's talk character creation! Characters in Ironsworn have 5 stats: Edge, Heart, Iron, Shadow, and Wits. Edge is your quickness and is for ranged combat; Heart is your courage and charisma; Iron is your strength, constitution, and is for melee combat; Shadow is your sneakiness and cunning; Wits is your intelligence and wisdom. You set your stats with a stat array, putting one number for each stat: 3, 2, 2, 1, 1. They even have alternate arrays with higher and lower numbers to make the game easier or harder, which is cool. Your stats will never change during a game so be sure to choose wisely.

Health, Spirit, and Supply

Characters have 3 meters to represent their status: Health, Spirit, and Supply. They each start at 5 and can be increased or decreased by failing moves or taking damage. Health and Spirit are pretty self explanatory, representing your overall physical health and stress levels. Supply is a little different. You don't have equipment, money, or resources in Ironsworn so Supply is used as an abstract representation of how prepared you are during your adventures.

Assets

Now it's time to pick your assets. Assets represent your skills and traits, giving you bonuses to certain things and letting you make new moves. There are 4 asset types: Companions, Paths, Combat Talents, and Rituals. Companions are pretty self explanatory. Paths are your background, skills, and training. Combat Talents let you do special moves with whatever weapon you wield. Finally, Rituals are how you perform big magic in the world of Ironsworn. You get any 3 assets of your choice when you create your character and you can get more through character progression. Assets can also be upgraded, unlocking new abilities and benefits.

Iron Vows

So how does character progression work? In Ironsworn, you earn experience by completing quests, or Vows as they're called. When you take on a quest, you literally swear on iron that you will do whatever it is you set out to do, hence the name of the game. But should you forsake your vow, there are consequences. You always start a game with a background vow, which is basically your personal quest and what drives your character, and an immediate vow to get the story going.

Once you complete a vow, you get experience based on how dangerous it was. Experience can be spent on upgrading your assets or buying entirely new ones.

Combat in Ironsworn

So how does combat work in Ironsworn? Well, a bit like everything else, using moves and with a greater focus on the narrative instead of the nitty gritty details. To be honest, I still have trouble wrapping my head around combat coming from a background of the crunchy, tactical style combat of D&D.

Basically, when you enter combat you Enter the Fray and roll to see who is in control of the situation. Whether or not you are in control determines what moves you can make. Rolling well means you gain or maintain control and you can mark progress towards ending the encounter and claiming victory, whatever that looks like for you. I know my explanation is probably woefully inept at best, so I encourage you to check out Matt Risby’s explanation and example. He does a much better job than I ever could.

The Oracles

Now that you have your version of the Ironlands, you need people, places, and things to populate it with. For that, we turn the the Oracle tables. The oracles are d100 tables filed with words and descriptors to help you flesh out your world and spark inspiration when you're not sure what to do next. There is even a dedicated move called Ask the Oracle, which many other moves reference to help you out if you're not sure what their results might mean for your character.

But what if you need to generate something? For example, say we just entered a new settlement and we want see what it's like and what might be going on there. For that, we turn to the Settlement Oracle tables. We roll a 45 so our settlement is named after a creature. Then we roll and 97, giving us the name Dragonshadow. Now let's see what's going on in Dragonshadow. We roll a 65, giving us “families in conflict”. Squabbling nobles perhaps? But I think you get the idea. There's 19 oracles in Ironsworn and you're even encouraged to make your own.

The Ironlands

Now that the basics are out of the way, where are we? Welcome to the Ironlands! The Ironlands are a low fantasy, low magic, viking-esque setting that honestly reminds me a lot of Westeros from Game of Thrones. It's a harsh, unforgiving land that has made it's people tough and hearty, people who have already dealt with great hardship after a cataclysm drove them from their homeland, or The Old World.

But the best part is that the Ironlands are yours to create. Alongside character creation you create your own version of the Ironlands based on a series of prompts. The basics remain the same as above but the details are up to you. You determine what drove the Ironlanders from their home, how society works, are there monsters or magic, what horror lurk in the dark, and so much more. And if you don't like one of the prompts, change it! Make up whatever you want, it's your world!

Hacks (or Homebrew)

But what if you aren't a fan of the Ironlands period? Perhaps you want something a little more fantastical or even high tech? Then hack it! There's an entire section in the game that encourages you to rework the game to suit whatever needs you have. Don't like the setting? Make up a new one! Want new equipment or backgrounds? Rename the existing assets or make new ones! Don't want to do the work yourself? There are dozens of hacks and hundreds of custom assets created by the community, most of which are free! Whatever flavor you want Ironsworn to be, it can be with a little tweaking.

Ironsworn: Starforged

Now I can't talk about Ironsworn without talking about it's sister game, Starforged. Starforged is a new version of the game with updated and expanded rules in a new sci-fi setting known as the Forge. All the basics are still there with only minor changes so if you've played one you can jump right into the other without much issue. Everything I've said before goes for Starforged as well so if fantasy isn't your bag maybe give it a go instead!

My Thoughts

I'll just come right out and say it, I fucking love Ironsworn. But sadly I've yet to actually sit down and start a game to experience it for myself, which is honestly a crime. It's completely changed my perspective of what an RPG can be and has really opened my eyes to the incredibly wide world of solo play, which I will be delving into further. I have nothing but nice things to say about the game, its creator Shawn, and its incredible community.

To get into specifics, the biggest thing I love is the simplicity of Ironsworn as a system and how easy it is to expand on it. The fact that you're actively encouraged to customize it is amazing too. The layout of the book is clean, simple, and explains things very well. It even includes examples of play. I love momentum as a mechanic, I think it's a brilliant way help keep the story moving and I would love to try and come up with something like it for other systems. And while low fantasy isn't my bag, I can appreciate it for what it is and I can always customize it to suit my tastes.

But the best part about Ironsworn is its completely free! You can download everything you need to play on the website at https://www.ironswornrpg.com/. Starforged on the other hand is paid, which you can get a pdf of on DriveThruRPG for 20 bucks, which is more than reasonable in my opinion. But should you get a physical copy, you get a pdf for free!

If you're not sold on the game just yet, or just want to see it in action, I highly encourage you to check out Me, Myself, and Die Season 2 (season 1 not required), The Bad Spot podcast, and Errant Adventures podcast. MM&D S2 is just Ironsworn while both The Bad Spot and Errant Adventures do both Ironsworn and Starforged. All of them are fantastic live play shows that are well worth your time in my humble opinion.

If you're still with me, thanks for listening to me ramble about a game I love for a bit. I know it's different than my usual content but different is good and I've wanted to do this for a long time so I appreciate you sticking around while I experiment. Let me know what y'all think, about this as a thing I do now, if you're familiar with Ironsworn, and what other games you'd like me to look at. I have one hell of a list already but I bet y'all have some gems I don't know about and it will help me gauge interest. Anyway, that's all for now. As always, stay safe, don't forget to love each other, and I'll see you again soon.

[maxkirin]

IRON VALLEY, my cozy solo ttrpg inspired by Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley has received a huge update! 🐮🍓

What began as a 100-page book is now a whopping 250, professionally edited, & much better thanks to player feedback~

GO GET IT 🤠

It's pay what you want with no minimum! So download it and give it a try. If you like it, toss a buck my way

Itchio / https://mkirin.itch.io/iron-valley

My Shop / https://ko-fi.com/s/aa643f7015

[monsterfactoryfanfic]

My latest essay is on Shawn Tompkin’s “Ironsworn!” I work through my feelings about the game’s difficult quest resolution mechanics, and try to figure out why it doesn’t work for me, even if it works overall.

Transcript here.