Battle for Stilthouse (Blood of Tyrants - Session 5)

After an unpleasant encounter with the Tyrant's men, we finally managed to leave the Delve. This means we finally get to Fulfill Our Vow: "Get Glain safely back to the village." We get a Strong Hit (9 vs. 4, 4), which means no unpleasant surprises. We mark 1 XP for fulfilling a Troublesome vow.

There was a long silence after I finished my story. Mira didn't even look worried; she was simply tired.

"I never thought I would prefer you didn't return," she said.

"Well, that's harsh," I protested. "I wasn't the one that brought them here. They were already determined to find us, and eventually, they would. At least now we know about them."

The Overseer shifted uneasily in her stool, then nodded.

"Perhaps you're right. There's no point crying over spilled milk. Now I have to really think what are we going to do about them."

"You aren't going to swear fealty, are you?" I asked. Usually, an iron vow would have been sacrosanct, but years living in this dump made our people regretful and wonder what would have happened if they had accepted the Tyrant's ultimatum.

Does Mira consider accepting the proposition (50:50)? No.

"What good would that do?" She asked bitterly. "We would be known as oathbreakers. No one could trust we wouldn't betray the Tyrant the first moment it's convenient for us."

"In that case, we need to strike as soon as possible," I suggested. "Before they find us."

"It's not a given they do," she protested. "We are well-hidden, and I'd rather they pass us and return with nothing than not return at all. The Tyrant can and will send more men."

"But what if they do find us? We trade with other villages. If they really want to get us, they only need to ask."

She exhaled.

"You're right. I'll call a thing today. Don't do anything on your own before that."

I nodded. I had no weapons; I was beaten up, wounded, and tired. The only thing I wanted right now was a good sleep, something to eat, and checking out on Glain.

But it turned out that the gods had other things in store for me. As I went towards the entrance to the hut, the goatskins covering it parted, and I stood face to face with pale Setara.

"Overseer!" She shouted. "Some men are coming towards the village! They're armed and want to see you!"

They were already here.

Compel with Heart went well (Strong Hit, 5+1 vs. 2, 4), and Mira agrees to fight the invaders before they find the village. Momentum +5.

But then we make a roll to Sojourn, and it goes terribly (Miss, 1+1+1 vs. 6, 6, Complication). Not only do we Pay the Price, something goes unexpectedly and awfully wrong. Obviously, there's no time to recuperate because the enemy already found Stilthouse.

**

There was no time to prepare for combat except going to Glain's hut to grab a spare bow and a few more arrows. The old man was asleep. I shook his shoulder gently to wake him up, told him to get ready for combat, grabbed my weapons, and left.

As a familiar group emerged between the trees, the village looked even more pitiful than before I left it. The circle mainly gathered near the overgrown bloomery, where the ground was dry and high. They wielded mostly slings and spears, with a few bowmen among them.

Morter's group, to the contrast, was armed to the teeth. When I met them, they only wore leather; now, each of them sported a byrnie. This made sense: heavy armor in the swamp was more trouble than it was worth unless you expected a brutal fight. Their leader wore an iron helmet with a nose guard; a sharp-looking ax in her hand left no doubt she was prepared for violence.

Mira stood at the front of the defending group with a defiant look.

"You are not welcome here!" She shouted.

"Do you even know who we are?" Morter asked in response. Her eyes spied me in the crowd, and she grinned unpleasantly. "I'll assume you do."

"You're the Tyrant's men." The Overseer spat out, causing a few shocked gasps among the circle.

"We serve the rightful king of the Ironlands, yes. The one you foolishly defied, exiling yourself to this swamp. But even now, he extends a merciful hand towards you. Swear fealty, and in no time, you'll be in Thornhall again, among his subjects!"

"We want nothing to do with your king!" Mira shouted, but a few villagers gave each other an unconvinced look. Morter must have spotted it too.

"Does this woman speak for all of you?" She asked.

"Don't you see my circlet?" Mira grabbed her headdress and raised it into the air. "I am their Overseer for at least five more springs."

"Wait, aren't we even going to consider it?" Wulan, our tanner, asked incredulously. His bearded face was pale, and it seemed clear he didn't want to fight.

"Are you serious?!" I couldn't believe my ears. "We all vowed to get rid of the Tyrant one day."

His face went red.

"Who are you to decide, boy? For all we know, it's you who brought them here."

This is a dangerous moment: the circle is tired of resisting and is on the verge of breaking their vow. A perfect moment to Test Our Bond. Failing this means the hamlet swears the fealty and effectively stops existing.

We succeed, but not wholly (Weak Hit, 5+1 vs. 8, 5). If we don't want them to give up, we must do something decisive. We need to win. 

The villagers are dispirited and worse armed than the invaders. Because this is a battle and the main problem is that the defenders really want to surrender, a Formidable scene challenge seems more appropriate than a regular fight.

"I did. And I'll take them out." I said, drawing my bow. I didn't even need to aim; Morter only gave a shocked gasp after an arrow hit her right shoulder, punching between the rings of her chainmail.

"Attack, damn it!" She spat out. Her men fanned out between the buildings, trying to avoid getting hit by even more arrows.

"We have the higher ground!" I shouted. "This is our chance!"

First, we Secure an Advantage with our Archer talent (Strong Hit, 6+3+1 vs. 1, 3). Momentum goes to +7. Then we Face Danger with Heart, trying to energize the defenders (Miss, 2+1 vs. 6, 6, Complication). Terrible, but that's what Momentum is for (Strong Hit, 7 vs. 6, 6, Opportunity). We eliminated the leader, changing a Formidable fight to Dangerous. We also mark Progress (+2)

Too shocked and angered by her wound, Morter was the only person that didn't try to take cover. Instead, she charged straight towards the hill. This meant that she was the most obvious target for every circle member with a ranged weapon.

A stone nearly as large as a woman's fist went straight into her nose, bending the guard and breaking the bone with a sickening crunch. The shock sent her reeling and made her drop the spear. Before she fell, an arrow went into her knee. With a muffled scream, she toppled either dead or unconscious.

But it wasn't the end of the fight. Seeing their leader fall, the rest of her men screamed in anger and charged through the damp ground towards the bloomery. There were too few spearmen among the circle to successfully repel them; they only needed to reach defenders to slaughter them effortlessly.

I assessed the situation. It didn't look good for us. Another salvo as strong as the first one could break the charge. Nothing less than another death could discourage our enemies from their charge.

I drew my bow again, hoping to finish another enemy in one shot. The big man who nearly broke my nose the day before seemed like an obvious target. However, when I loosened the bowstring, he tripped over a loose plank, and the arrow that would have hit his bald forehead didn't even nick him.

Secure an Advantage with Wits (Weak Hit, 5+2 vs. 9, 6) gives us only +1 to Momentum (+3). But the more important Face Danger with Edge roll fails miserably (5+2 vs. 10, 8). Not only it raises our Countdown to +1, but it also means there is too late to stop the charge.

Kalidas, the man with the wispy mustache, reached the defenders first with his sword already raised. Maya, a mother of three, met him with her spear, but a thrown javelin hit her just below the ribcage. The attacker smiled triumphantly as she dropped her weapon, putting all his strength into a vicious stab. It never connected: I charged him, hitting his shoulder with mine.

In any other conditions, he would have kept his balance. However, getting pushed on a wet, grassy slope in the middle of an attack was too much for him. He fell, nearly dropping his sword. I reached for it, but he grabbed my right hand with his left.

Rolling to Face Danger with Iron gave an unexpectedly good result (Strong Hit, 6+1 vs. 5, 1), bringing our Progress to +4. Unfortunately, an attempt to Secure an Advantage by grabbing the sword was a failure (Miss, 1+1 vs. 4, 5). Our Momentum goes back to +2.

Having no weapon to defend, I attempted to jump back before he got a good grip. Instead of even bothering with holding me in place, Kalidas stabbed my side. The blade went effortlessly through the skin and muscle, stopping only at the pelvis. I nearly pissed myself from sheer pain.

Face Danger with Edge went even worse (Miss, 1+2 vs. 8, 5). We take +2 Harm, bringing us to 0 Health and +1 Momentum. Fortunately, an Endure Harm move goes well (Strong Hit, 5+1 vs. 5, 2), letting us get Momentum back. Unfortunately, Countdown also raises to +2.

"Maya! Get him!" I didn't even bother to look if she was still standing, but she did. With the javelin still jutting from her abdomen, she pointed her spear at Kalidas; its point was visibly shaking, though. It was clear she was barely holding up. Her enemy didn't even bother with her; he was still looking for a way to get through her and reach me.

Still with no melee weapon, I notched another arrow. Seeing this, Kalidas viciously kicked Maya's spear, then slashed her throat with a merciless cut. But it was enough time to send a projectile into his belly. Chainmail offered little protection from a point-blank distance; the arrow went into his stomach to the fletching. He groaned in pain and collapsed.

Securing an Advantage with Heart (Weak Hit, 3+2 vs. 4, 7) gave us little +1 Momentum (+3). A Face Danger with Edge roll didn't go much better (Weak Hit, 3+2 vs. 4, 7), raising the Progress to +6 and the Countdown to +3. The battle will be decided one way or the other soon. The next Face Danger roll will most likely determine our success or failure.

I dived for his sword as he lay there. He still fought me, and it took me a moment to snatch it from his weakening grip. Around me, the battle raged. Several circle members were already lying on the ground, blood seeping from their wounds. I tried to assess the situation and determine where I was needed the most. The answer was pretty much "anywhere," as long as I wouldn't dally. But then I spotted the large man I tried to shoot before: he broke through the spearmen and faced a bunch of slingers. Because of the crowd, shooting him was not an option: I had to reach him before it was too late.

I need to stock up on Momentum, trying with Secure an Advantage rolls with Edge and Wits (Weak Hit, 4+3 vs. 2, 7), (Weak Hit, 4+2 vs. 7, 3). Momentum +5 isn't really comfortable enough, but it must do.

I didn't. His ax went into Vigo's shoulder with a sickening crunch, sending the barely thirteen-year-old boy sprawling. Another vicious hit crushed his mother's skull like an egg, splattering the defenders with her blood and brain. Then Glain, of all people, stabbed the warrior's neck with a javelin, severing an artery. The large man died before I reached him, trying to stop the bleeding with his hands, but only managing to protect his enemies from getting splashed with his blood.

The three remaining men were already breaking away from the fight. Nobody pursued them; they all looked at the wailing boy, bleeding profusely from his shoulder. He was already pale as death. Mira knelt next to him, trying to staunch the flow of blood, but she was merely going through the motions at this point.

"I'm sorry- I wasn't fast enough," I blurted out.

"Damn right you're sorry." Wylan pointed the accusing finger at me. "You should be."

We Face Danger with Edge, hoping we got enough Momentum to overcome a lousy roll (Miss, 3+2 vs. 9, 10). It isn't nowhere near enough. Two more people are brutally murdered before our eyes, losing us Spirit (+1) and forcing an Endure Stress move. It went as well as expected (Miss, 2+1 vs. 6, 6). Momentum goes down to +4, and our guilt makes us an obvious target.

With Countdown going to +4, we need to end the scene challenge immediately (Weak Hit, 6 vs. 9, 4). The village is saved. Unfortunately, several people are dead, and the rest is are unhappy about starting a fight. At least, our vow to Free Thornhall to the Tyrant's yoke deserves a tick.

I also realized I wasn't filling the Bonds correctly; it's one tick per Bond, not one progress. 

**

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

Health +0, Spirit +1, Supplies +4, Momentum +4 (+10), Bonds +0.5, Experience +1

Debilities: None

Background Vow: Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke (Epic, 0.75/10)

Vows:

• Get Glain safely back to the village (Fulfilled)
• Kill the basilisk (Dangerous, 2/10)
  

Assets: 

Archer

• When you Secure an Advantage by taking a moment to aim, choose your approach and add +1.
  • Trust your instincts: Roll +wits, and take +2 momentum on a strong hit.
  • Line up your shot: Roll +edge, and take +1 momentum on a hit.
  

Fletcher

• When you Secure an Advantage by crafting arrows of fine quality, add +1. Then, take +1 supply or +1 momentum on a hit.

Outcast 

• When your supply is reduced to 0, suffer any remaining -supply as -momentum. Then, roll +wits. On a strong hit, you manage to scrape by and take +1 supply. On a weak hit, you may suffer -2 momentum in exchange for +1 supply. On a miss, you are Out of Supply.
  

Bonds:

• Glain, vilage hunter, Escape from something, Timid, Cautious, Wary
• Stilthouse, settlement in the Flooded Lands

The Envoys (Blood of Tyrants - Session 4)

At the end of the last session, we finished weaponless, hurt, and ambushed by a hostile group of warriors. We're really not in the position to fight them off, but hopefully they won't attack me on sight. But first things first, what do they even want here? Let's ask the Oracle.

It seems they're here to make an agreement. But is it with someone in this swamp (unlikely)? No, it seems they're passing through or got waylaid.

Who is their leader? Morter, someone Active, Critical, and Fervent. Given that I already decided they're working for the Tyrant, they're most likely highly loyal to him.

"Drop that." The woman barked, and I realized I was still holding my ruined weapon. I threw it on the muddy ground. "Good. Do something as stupid as before, and you'll die. Where's the old man?"

"I told him to run away." I decided to omit the fact that I told him to get help. I didn't want to point them at my village or expect trouble.

Face Danger with Shadow (Weak Hit, 6+2=8 vs. 9, 7). She may suspect we're hiding something. Momentum goes down to +2.

"Convenient." The woman spat on the ground. "Do you have any other weapons I should know of?"

"Only my knife, but I lost it. I had to fight off a wolf."

"That's why he turned back." A young man with a wispy mustache chimed in.

"I'd say it's poetic justice unless you're lying, and we'll find this knife later."

"Justice?" I asked, incredulous. "I didn't do anything to you!"

"Really? Can you explain why did your friend wear Rhoddri's armor?""

"We found a body, which I assume was Rhoddri. He was long dead when we found him."

"Let me get this straight." The woman pointed the finger at me. "You saw a dead man, and the first thing you do is rob his body."

"We were hunting a basilisk. We needed every help we could get."

I could Face Danger again, but it doesn't seem like she has a solid case. Securing an Advantage with Heart better represents what's happening here (Weak Hit, 2+1=3 vs. 1, 7). Momentum goes back to +3. Not great, not terrible.

"All right, and why would you flee immediately after seeing me? Do you have an explanation for that?" Her voice lost an accusing tone, and she was only going through the motions at this point.

"It really seemed like you were going to attack. What were we supposed to do?"

She sighed.

"Well, a basilisk did attack us two days ago, and it's much more likely it killed Rhoddri than a one-handed old man and a beardless boy. You stole from us, but, given the circumstances, it's not a big deal. Of course, we will need to see his body and get the armor back."

"Well, thank you," I said, although I was seething. Those people tried to kill me, chased me away, apprehended me, and accused me of murder because of their own hotheadedness. And when their allegations proved to be unfounded, they didn't even have the decency to apologize. Instead, they behaved like they were doing me a favor.

"Perhaps you can help us, though." The woman continued. "My name is Morter, and I'm looking for the outcasts of Thornhall. I was told they settled somewhere in this area."

We definitely don't want to tell them we're one of those outcasts, so Face Danger with Heart seems appropriate (Weak Hit, 3+1=4 vs. 1, 6). Let's take some stress (Spirit +2) and Endure Stress (3+2=5 vs. 8, 4).

It took everything for me just to stand here and look her in the eyes. I was sure I was going to faint, yet my voice was emotionless when I spoke.

"I never heard of Thornhall." I lied. "What of those outcasts? Are they dangerous? What did they do?"

That probably warrants a Gather Information test (Weak Hit, 5+3=8 vs. 6, 9). I have something in mind that introduces a new danger and fits the group's goal.

Morter looked disappointed.

"Well, it's not a secret." She shrugged. "They disobeyed our king and were banished for that. But in his mercy, he decided he would give them another chance."

"Another chance?" I felt weak. Those people were the servants of the Tyrant!

"They just need to swear fealty to him, and they're forgiven." The man with the mustache explained. "Not a bad deal, eh?"

"Beats getting slaughtered." A giant of a man staying behind Morter laughed.

"But enough about them." The woman decided. "If you don't know them, it can't be helped. Where do you live?"

I didn't like where this conversation was going.

"There's a settlement nearby." I tried to be as vague as possible. "But it's poor. We may not have enough food for all of you."

Do they want to resupply (Likely)? You bet.

"Good enough. We have some rations, and there are some skilled hunters around us. We just need shelter, information and some boats. And our armor, of course. Lead the way."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again.

“What’s the matter?” The man with the mustache asked. “She said, lead the way.”

I didn't want to lead the way. Our entire village had taken a vow to free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke. What will happen if I guide his servants there? After they realize they had found the outcasts of Thornhall and make their offer?

It would have been nice to think that my kin would refuse and stand against the enemy side by side. But five years in this hell would have given anyone second thoughts. Some would take them up on an offer and leave. Some would refuse, and what then? I didn't want to find out.

We don't want to guide them to the village. This calls from a scene challenge: Losing the Escort. It's going to be Dangerous.

We're not threatened right now, so I'm going to start with Securing an Advantage with Shadow (Strong Hit, 6+2 vs. 7, 1). Let's take control and follow this up with Facing Danger with Wits (Miss, 2+3+1 vs. 7, 9). Progress 0, Countdown 1. Paying the Price gets us "It causes a delay or puts you at a disadvantage." Let's represent that by losing 1 Momentum (+2).

"I just have to remember which way was that." I lied. "I'm a little bit lost."

"Understandable, but try not to waste too much of our time," Morter said with a shred of sympathy.

I looked around, pretending to get my bearings and looking for an escape route. I spotted a place where reeds were dense, but there was a suggestion of a path; if I jumped there and sprinted, I could have a chance of losing them.

"And where do you think you're looking?" The giant man sneered, following my gaze.

"Unless your village is hidden in these reeds, I suggest you look elsewhere." The woman didn't even look angry, just mildly annoyed. "Kalidas, Tamar, keep an eye on him."

I barely kept myself from grinding my teeth. I hadn't even tried to escape yet, and they were already suspicious.

"For gods' sake, can you at least try to treat me with some dignity?" I couldn't hold my anger anymore. "Some envoys you are! Why would I lead you to my village if you behave like common bandits?"

I didn't even see the fist before it hit my nose. I reeled backward, lost balance, and hit the wet ground with my bottom. My head was pounding, but the nose seemed numb. It started to hurt only after I touched it and saw blood on my hand.

"Any more questions?" The big man looked down on me. "No? I thought so."

I tried to Secure an Advantage with Iron (Miss, 3+1 vs. 6, 4). My Health is now at +1, and Endure Harm went even worse (Miss, 1+1 vs. 9, 6), so Momentum is down to +1. These rolls are downright terrible.

I Face Danger with Wits (Weak Hit, 2+3 vs. 10, 2), trying to lead them to the body. Progress +2, Countdown +2. Still not good, but at least I have made some progress.

Resigned, I spoke no more and began leading the way towards where Glain and I had found the body. I figured out if I gave them something, they would be less hostile, or at least less vigilant. But while no more hits were coming towards me, the veneer of civility was gone. They kept me at the center of their group, glaring at me whenever I slowed down.

Maybe let's try to regain some momentum by Securing an Advantage with Heart (Weak Hit, 6+1 vs. 1, 7). Wheeeeee... Momentum goes back to +2.  

I tried to break the ice by talking to them. I explained where I found the body, how far away it was, and its state. It seemed to work for a moment. However, when I asked them how they lost their friend, the only answer was Morter's icy stare.

It took me some time, but I could finally locate the floodplain where I had found the body. This time, I didn't even bother to take my boots off; I could be needing them soon enough. My captors watched me like hawks, but I assumed they would want to take a close look at their companion's corpse at least. Maybe this would allow me to escape.

But, annoyingly enough, I couldn't find the trunk where the body was located. There were plenty of trees there, after all. I sensed by captors' growing hostility, enhanced by water sloshing around in their boots.

"Are you sure you remember where he was?" Morter asked, visibly annoyed.

I was just about to give up, then something in my mind clicked: I was already in the right place. Stressed and annoyed, I forgot I was coming from the opposite side, and I instinctively looked for the reeds in front of me.

Secure an Advantage with Wits (Weak Hit, 2+3 vs. 4, 7). Progress +4, Countdown +3. Not great, not terrible, although it doesn't seem we will slip away.

At this point, I wouldn't have been surprised if the body had stood up and left the swamp, but it was lying as Glain and I had left it.

"That's Rhoddri, all right." The man with a wispy mustache knelt next to the body. He briefly patted the body in search of something worthwhile. It seemed that he hadn't found it because he spat into the water, visibly disappointed.

Something seemed wrong to me.

"You don't seem upset that your companion died," I said slowly.

"Who said anything about a companion?" Morter shrugged.

"Rhoddri was a bloody traitor!" The man stood up and kicked the body angrily. "A thief! What he stole was-"

"Kalidas." The woman didn't even raise her voice, but the man went silent. It didn't matter because he said enough.

"Then that thing is what you're after, right?" I asked. "You're not looking for the outcasts?"

"The outcasts were one of the first things we asked you about. What do you think?" Morter asked sardonically.

"You think he took it to them." My question was more like a statement.

I know I'm not supposed to Gather Information during a scene challenge, but this seemed like a perfect place (Strong Hit, 3+3 vs. 3, 3, Opportunity). I didn't expect such a great result. Not only did we learn the envoys' true goal, but we also got an opportunity.

Oracle says, "Uncover Health.” I decided it's metaphorical – the Tyrant's kingdom is not as united as it seems, and poor Rhoddri stole something very crucial to its continued existence. I even have an idea of what it could be. We get Momentum to +4 and give "Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke" one tick, bringing it to 1/2.

"That's not your problem," Morter stated. "Of course, that's only if you have nothing to do with the outcasts, as you claim."

"I already told you that! Can't you believe me for a moment?" I tried to feign outrage, but it sounded false even to me.

"Then why you're so interested in them?" The woman looked me into the eyes. "Do we really have to beat you up to get the truth?"

We try to Secure an Advantage with Shadow by lulling them into false security (Miss, 2+2 vs. 5, 9). It seems we used up our entire luck for this session. The obvious consequence here is that our captors now know we're actually with the outcasts.

She expected me to protest and assert my innocence or to get cowed and spill my guts. I did neither.

"Well, I-" I said and started to sprint. The man next to me reached over to stop me, but he was too slow, and his fingers only skimmed my shoulder.

"Don't just stand there, morons! Get him before he warns them!" I heard Morter's voice behind my back.

Water splashed under my boots as I ran. There were no reeds here to hide. No one to distract them. They had a numerical advantage over me and could quickly surround me if they tried. It would have been over for me if I weren’t significantly faster than them.

A javelin hit a tree on my left with a loud thunk, cutting into the wood. I didn't think I could go faster, but I did. I couldn't help but take a glance back. One was fumbling with an arrow, trying to notch it and draw his bow simultaneously. One waddled to the water towards the javelin. Kalidas, in desperation, picked up a thick bough and threw it towards me. It got caught by the branches on an oak next to him and fell into knee-deep water with a silent splash.

Nothing more was sent towards me, except some impotent, angry shouts.

It's sink or swim now: Face Danger with Edge (Weak Hit, 5+2 vs. 6, 9). It got our Progress to +6, but Countdown is now +4. This means we're ending the scene challenge now (Weak Hit, 6 vs. 1, 7). It appears that we managed to slip away, but the Tyrant's men already know that the outlaws they want live somewhere nearby. They’ll likely pay us a visit soon.

**

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

Health +1, Spirit +2, Supplies +4, Momentum +4 (+10), Bonds +2

Debilities: None

Background Vow: Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke (Epic, 0.5/10)

Vows:

• Get Glain safely back to the village (Troublesome, 9/10)
• Kill the basilisk (Dangerous, 2/10)
  

Assets: 

Archer

• When you Secure an Advantage by taking a moment to aim, choose your approach and add +1.
  • Trust your instincts: Roll +wits, and take +2 momentum on a strong hit.
  • Line up your shot: Roll +edge, and take +1 momentum on a hit.
  

Fletcher

• When you Secure an Advantage by crafting arrows of fine quality, add +1. Then, take +1 supply or +1 momentum on a hit.

Outcast 

• When your supply is reduced to 0, suffer any remaining -supply as -momentum. Then, roll +wits. On a strong hit, you manage to scrape by and take +1 supply. On a weak hit, you may suffer -2 momentum in exchange for +1 supply. On a miss, you are Out of Supply.
  

Bonds:

• Glain, vilage hunter, Escape from something, Timid, Cautious, Wary
• Stilthouse, settlement in the Flooded Lands

 

Out of My Depth (Blood of Tyrants - Session 3)

The last time we left our character, he managed to flee a group of very aggressive hunters. It seems logical to Delve the Depths with Shadow this time (Weak Hit, 5+2=7 vs 7, 1, Mark Progress (+3) and Reveal a Danger). Progress goes to +3, but the game really doesn't give us a break.

The feature is a narrow path through a fetid bog. The danger is a disturbing evidence of a victim's fate.

Having evaded my pursuers, I should have been elated. But, instead, I couldn't help but think how close to dying I was. It could have taken one arrow or a thrown spear to kill me on the spot.

I didn't know why this group of people decided to hunt fellow travelers like animals. Of course, they may have recognized the armor and thought we had something to do with their companion's demise. But was that a good enough reason to attack us on sight, never giving us a chance to explain ourselves?

Finding a narrow path out the expanse of reeds several minutes ago was a mixed feeling. It certainly felt good to not have to wade through cold, murky water to be able to put on my boots again. But if I could reach this way that easily, the same could have been expected of my pursuers. As the overgrown lake made its way to a fetid swamp, sparsely covered by trees, I also felt more exposed.

Now entering the water looked like a horrible idea. On both sides, it was stagnant, partially covered with duckweed, nearly black where there were no plants. Occasionally, tiny air bubbles reached the surface. It was deathly silent here, save from the quiet buzzing of mosquitoes.

What was worse was the stench of rotting plant matter permeating the air. Carious wood and waterlogged grass mixed with the stench of rotten eggs, probably released from the mud. As I walked the path, I retched several times when a whiff of stink blew into my nostrils.

I was moving silently through the path, made of slippery tree roots, overgrown patches of land, and an occasional tree trunk. As I climbed a small mound, I looked for another raised surface where I could set my foot. Suddenly, a large number of bubbles disturbed the water on my right. Then, a dark, elongated shape broke the surface with a sudden splash.

To my horror, I saw a mummified corpse of a man. His skin and long hair were blackened, dirty with dark mud and green duckweed, but his face seemed familiar. I have found our village carpenter.

This is certainly scary and requires strength of character, so we roll Face Danger with Heart (Weak Hit, 5+2=7 vs 10, 3). We lose 1 point of Spirit and Endure Stress (Miss, 3+4=7 vs 10, 7). This also loses us a point of Momentum (+3).

For some time, I simply watched the body. How did it get here? Had the man gotten merely lost and drowned here, far away from anyone who could have helped him? Had someone killed him and dumped his corpse here? Should I have tried to bury him?

It was becoming increasingly clear I was out of my depth here. Not only I had to find a way to kill a wounded basilisk somehow, but I also had to get to its lair and not drown or get shot on my way there. I briefly thought about obeying Glain's request and getting back to the village. Getting some help.

But the entire reason I was here is that the overseer didn't want to send more people to help my mentor. Danger didn't change the reality of what needed to be done. First, the basilisk had to be killed; otherwise, we would lose more people when digging for bog iron. Second, Glain was sure to get back here at some point, this time making sure I can't follow him quickly. And I had to be the one to kill the beast, or I would have to forsake my vow and risk the wrath of the Iron Goddess when she escapes her confinement.

Again, we Delve the Depths with Shadow (Miss, 3+2=5 vs 10, 6). These rolls are really terrible. The danger is: You encounter a hostile Denizen.

Who will that be (01-50: the hunters, 51-100: something else)? Something else. We roll a wolf.

I felt like someone was watching me, which took me out of my thoughts. I almost laughed hysterically when I saw a grey, quadrupled figure following my steps. The wolf was clearly visible in the distance, repeatedly sniffing the ground and carefully stepping on the same path I traversed.

Wolves were intelligent animals. An entire pack could attack a human if he was a threat to them, or they were starving—but in the latter case, it wasn't usually worth the effort. It rarely, if ever, happened with lone specimens. This one must have been really desperate, or just really confident.

I put out my bow. If the wolf felt so good about itself, it was best to show confidence.

Compel with Iron (Weak Hit, 4+1=5 vs 7, 1). It wants something, most likely food—leaving some of our Supplies should pacify the animal. This requires some courage, so let's Face Danger with Heart (Miss, 5+1=6 vs 8, 6). Oh, well.

As soon as I turned towards the beast, it stopped, watching me and the bow in my hands with care. It knew what it meant, so it didn't dare to attack yet. But I was aware that as soon as I loosened the bowstring, it would sprint towards me. I might not have time for another shot.

If the animal wanted to eat me so desperately, I would have to sweeten the pot. Still watching the animal, I reached for my bag for salted pork. In retrospect, this was stupid. The animal couldn't have understood my intention, but it clearly saw me distracted and chose this moment to pounce.

Enter the Fray (Miss, 2+1 vs 5, 7). Sigh. Pay the Price gives us "It is stressful" and seems fitting, Qamar is probably as dejected as I am. Endure Stress (Miss - Complication, 1+3=4 vs 6, 6). Momentum goes to +2.

At this point, everything goes against Qamar to the point where it seems almost ridiculous. It's not hard to imagine he's frustrated beyond belief. Enough to make him see red. We won't be shooting at all.

Instead we Clash with Iron (Miss, 1+1=2 vs 8, 5). Terrible. I don't want to take harm yet, so I'll Pay the Price another way: the bow is destroyed.

Had I maintained cold blood, I could probably shot the animal there and now. But, instead, something broke in me. The fear of dying, the anger at being constantly waylaid, it culminated in one reckless decision. I moved towards the attacking animal, swinging my bow at it as if it was a club.

The wolf caught the arc with its powerful jaw and bit. I heard a crack as the wood gave up and bent. Because of my stupidity, my best weapon became useless.

Let's Clash again (Weak Hit, 6+1=7 vs 1, 10). We get some Progress (+2), but also Pay the Price. Harm seems the most obvious consequence (Health goes to +2). Endure Harm (Strong Hit, 6+2=8 vs 3, 4) lets us get some of it back (+3) at the price of Momentum. It falls to +1.

Fortunately, it had to spit out the remains of my bow, which gave me just enough time to get my knife. I thrust at the animal's flank, feeling it sink into its flesh. It only angered the wolf, though. I felt its teeth on my calf, tearing apart the skin and almost pulling me down.

We can't afford to trade blows with the wolf. It's time to Turn the Tide. Securing an Advantage narratively seems more fitting, then we'll do just that, with Shadow (Strong Hit, 2+2+1=5 vs 2, 4). We get Momentum to +2, taking control.

At that moment, I realized something: we were fighting on a narrow path, with swamps on both sides. I couldn't dodge easily, but neither could the wolf. I just needed to trick it into making a mistake. Instead of jumping into its waiting jaws, I grabbed my ruined bow and raised it. As I expected, the animal didn't know it was too damaged to be used; it jumped left nervously. Its paws slid from the path, and it fell into the water, head first.

Let's Strike with Iron (Miss - Complication, 4+1+1 vs 7, 7). Way to waste getting the initiative. How do we Pay the Price? We roll 86, it wastes resources. Supplies go to +4.

I intended to jab the animal as it flopped in the water. Instead, I stabbed its surface. The weapon slipped from my hand, hit the surface, and disappeared. I briefly considered jumping in too and ending my miserable existence. The wolf already regained its bearing, climbing back on the path. I remained with a broken bow and several useless arrows.

Instead of fighting, I just ran blindly towards the path's end. Outrunning the wolf on the open space would have been impossible; on the winding path full of slippery roots, I had a chance. The animal pounced again, only to hit the ground as I jumped over it. I no longer cared about dispatching it, just ran away blindly, hoping not to get eaten.

At this point, Qamar has no chance to kill the wolf, let alone a basilisk. I'd rather cut my losses here, rather than get my character killed. First, we have to Face Danger with Edge (Strong Hit, 3+2=5 vs 1,3). This allows us to regain Momentum and get it to +3.

Now it's time to split. Let's Escape the Depths with Edge, as we're trying to find the fastest way out (Miss, 4+2=6 vs 6, 8). Of course. Well, I just have an idea for the Price.

I expected to hear the panting of the wolf behind my back and feel its teeth sinking in my back. But no such thing happened. Perhaps it didn't consider me a meal worth pursuing. Maybe the wound I gave it was more severe than it looked. But I managed to nearly get to the end of the path, and when I looked back, it was gone. I was safe. I couldn't believe it.

"Well, well. Who do we have here."

The entire group of hunters, six people in total, waited near the end of the path. Among them, a woman I escaped stood, smiling triumphantly. Some of them wielded bows, others—spears. There was no hope I could fight them and survive. Nor I had any hope to flee.

I could only hope they was in magnanimous mood and wouldn't hurt me too much.

 

Hunters Hunted (Blood of Tyrants – Session 2)

Previously, we left Qamar as he promised to help his mentor kill a wounded basilisk. The beast, however, has to be found. We try to Secure an Advantage with Wits (Weak Hit, 6+3=9 vs 7,9), which only raises our Momentum to +6. Not as well as I hoped, but it must do.

The basilisk's lair is... somewhere in this swamp and we need getting there. I could just make it a Journey, but a Delve fits better. I create a Wild Shadowfen and populate if with monsters. It's hard to decide on its Difficulty, but Formidable seems fine.

Let's Delve the Depths with Wits (Miss, 2+3=5 vs 8,9). Not good. We roll for the Danger: Deep water blocks the path.

"All right. You said it was bleeding?". I muttered. "It shouldn't be hard to track it to its lair then."

It didn't look easy though. To be honest, I had no idea where to start. It didn't help that Gain cocked his nearly bald head, as if deeply confused.

"You... want to find its blood trail?" He asked. "In the swamp?"

"Um, well..." I felt myself blush. "That doesn't sound like a great idea, but... how do you know it's bleeding then?"

"Because I saw it! Why, did you think I just randomly stepped into a pool of blood and decided the basilisk must have left it?"

I stomped on the muddy ground and my right foot sank ankle-deep. I jerked my leg and it let go with a sucking sound.

"It's getting wetter." I commented. "We didn't do any bridges there, did we?"

"Look for yourself." Glain pointed behind the copse of trees we were approaching. "Does it look like there was a bridge there?"

I groaned. Behind the trees there was a wide floodplain. Stagnant water was everywhere where the eye could see. Birches and white oaks grew here and there, but most of the surface was devoid of plants, suggesting significant depth.

"Tell me you hid a boat somewhere here." I looked around.

"What does your heart tell you?"

"That we have to wade through."

"Well, yes."

I thought about a scene challenge, but this doesn't look interesting enough, so a single Face Danger with Edge (Strong Hit - Opportunity, 3+2=5 vs 1, 1) has to do. Momentum goes up to +7. The Oracle suggests Advance Wealth.

Is found wealth something natural, or man-made? Man-made. Is there a body nearby (likely)? Yes.

We didn't want to get our boots wet, so we took them off, tied them together and hanged them on our necks. Slowly and reluctantly, we entered the cold, murky water, hoping there aren't that many leeches there. My foot touched something cold, slick and pliable, which made me shudder and I almost considered turning back.

"We should have gotten exiled somewhere drier." I said, when my knees got already submerged and the water got deeper.

"Hopefully the Tyrant covets Stilthouse so much he's going to come here and banish us back to the Havens." The old man was already hip-deep. "Try not to get the bowstring wet."

"It's in the boot." The footwear was already dangling dangerously close to the surface of water, but I couldn't do much about it besides hoping it didn't get much deeper. Unfortunately, it didn't seem so—my chest was already wet.

"The trees are close." Glain said. "It should be shallower there."

He paused for a moment.

"What's that? A trunk?"

"Where?" I asked.

"Under that tree."

I looked there. It definitely wasn't a trunk—the shape lying next to an oak was definitely human-like. As we came closer, it turned out to be a corpse of a man. His skin already had a greenish tint, so he must have been lying there for some time. He wore a byrnie, which seemed to be heavily damaged at his chest. A jagged, blackened wound under the armor suggested the man died violently.

"I think we know why the basilisk was wounded." My mentor took off his shirt and now tried to wring it with his only hand. He gave up after several unsuccessful tries.

"Maybe there's no basilisk anymore?"

"There better be, because you swore." Glain looked at me with a serious expression. He squatted next to the body, checking the belt for pouches and purses. He took one off, looked inside and winced.

"Mouldy bread." He explained. "But there's some nuts too and they seem good. Help me get that byrnie off."

"It's damaged." I protested. "And didn't seem to help its owner much."

"It's free armor, boy. We'll be fighting a basilisk and every single bit of metal can save our lives. And we can melt it back for iron later."

He was right.

We Resupply (Strong Hit, 6+3=9 vs 6, 2), getting our Supplies back to +5.

**

We Delve again (Miss, 2+3=5 vs 5, 8). Uhhhhh. I'm going to burn Momentum, resetting us to +2,  and get a Weak Hit. Mark Progress Twice (getting us to +2) and Reveal a Danger... which is an overzealous hunter. How fitting. Let's also roll for a Feature for a good measure ("Tall reeds").

Let's also Face Danger with Shadow (Miss, 2+2=4 vs 10, 9). We're not very stealthy, which means the hunters spot us.

"Who do you think this man was?", I asked, as we moved towards a clump of reeds. At this point, I'd kill for a warm fire and some hot soup. My clothes were soaked and I still had to wade in a knee-deep lake, so I was shooting my mouth off to take my mind off this. It didn't help that I already saw a large black leech attached to Glain's calf. I hated leeches.

"No idea, to be honest. No one from Fool's Fall, for sure." He meant another settlement, a day away from hours. "I don't think he was from anywhere in the Flooded Plains."

"Why not?"

"You saw his scabbard. Who needs a sword here? How would you keep it from rusting away in a few years? A spear is a much better... Ah, crap!"

We almost bumped into the woman, as we were forcing our way through the reeds. She was middle-aged, with her red hair cropped short and wore leather and furs. She wielded a hatchet, which she raised immediately as she saw us.

Does she recognize the byrnie (almost certain)? Yes.

"Peace!" Glain said. "We are just hunters!"

For a moment, it looked like she relaxed. Then her eyes went to the byrnie which Glain was wearing and her eyes flashed with recognition. She cursed, raised her fingers to the mouth, then blew a loud whistle.

We looked at each other and started to run.

This looks like a scene challenge. If we miss, we'll probably have to fight a bunch of angry hunters. Our first move is Face Danger with Edge (Weak Hit, 4+2=6 vs 8, 1), Marking both Progress (+2) and Countdown (+1).

"No! Get back here!" We heard her angry shout. Around us, we heard more whistles. It wasn't a single hunter, it was an entire party. They whistled to coordinate their hunt, which was a pretty useful trick, but also revealed their position.

Let's try to Secure an Advantage with Wits (Strong Hit, 5+3=8 vs 4, 3). We immediately use it to make a Face Danger (Shadow) roll (Weak Hit, 1+2+1 vs 2, 4). Progress goes to +4, Countdown to +2.

I pointed at the direction where I didn't hear anyone whistling. Instead of rushing blindly in that direction, we slowed down, trying to move silently. It was hard to wade through water covered by reeds and not make a single noise, but we tried. For a minute, it went well. Then something trashed around in the reeds and a duck flew away, quacking madly and betraying our position.

This time, there were much fewer whistles than before. Some of them must have realized it hinders them more than it helps. This meant there were at least a few pursuers we couldn't hear anymore.

Now we try to gain some momentum by Securing an Advantage with Edge (Weak Hit, 6+2=8 vs 10, 3). We only get +1 Momentum, bringing us to +3. A subsequent roll on Face Danger with Shadow (Miss, 3+2=5 vs 6, 5) goes even worse. Not only does this bring the countdown to +3, but we also have to Pay the Price. The Oracle says "It is hurtful", so we get our Health down to +3 and have to Endure Harm...

Which goes swimmingly well (Strong Hit, 5+3=8 vs 6, 6). Not only does this mean we get to sacrifice our Momentum (+2) to regain a point of Health (+4), but also we get an opportunity out of this. Oracle says "Seize Prize". I think at this point the prize is most obviously Glain—what happens will finally convince him to get back to the village. Let's mark Progress on his vow, bringing it to +9. Maybe it's not the letter of our vow, but almost certainly the spirit.

With shaking hands, I pulled off my bow and started putting the bowstring back. I had to be ready to fight when it came. The delay, however, cost us dearly.

"There they are!" I heard behind my back. Something whooshed next to me and I felt my right ear explode with pain. Pain gave me strength, however, and we started running madly. More arrows whizzed, but we were at the safe distance. For now.

"You'll only slow me down, old man." I pounced on the occasion, as we started walking again. "Run to the village and get help. I'll distract them."

"How about I distract them and you run to get help?" Glain asked.

"You're wearing armor and can't draw a bow. You're dead as soon as they find you again."

He thought about it for a moment, but from his pained expression I knew that I convinced him.

"All right, but as soon as you ditch them, you come back too, you hear me?" He said. "No looking for the basilisk by yourself!"

I didn't respond, just dashed madly as loud and fast as possible.

Secure an Advantage with Iron (Strong Hit, 4+1=5 vs 1, 2) goes well and I use it to get some Momentum (+4). Now we Face Danger with Edge... and only get a Weak Hit (3+2=5 vs 8, 2). Tough luck. This gives us Progress +6, but the Countdown goes to +4, forcing us to Resolve the Encounter...

...and we get a Strong Hit, with 6 vs 3, 5. We've won! Outrunning the basilisk hunters advanced our "Kill the Basilisk" vow. What Qamar doesn't know, however, is that the group works for the Tyrant—which also progresses the vow related to him...

I was afraid they wouldn't take the bait, but it seems that I overestimated their skill. As soon as they heard the splashing of water, they all moved towards me. I even briefly saw one of them in the reeds, nicking his bow. They barely cared about stealth right now, didn't even whistle. They just shouted to each other whenever they saw me, or thought that they saw me. At this point I cared nothing about being quiet too, I just ran as fast as I could, trampling weeds and splattering water everywhere.

Suddenly I saw a movement on my right and I realized I made a grave error. There weren't supposed to be anyone on the right! I only had a moment to think this, before a heard a swish and I swear something skimmed my neck as it flied. I saw a spear falling into the water, then heard a curse on my right, closer to me than I would have wished.

I don't have an explanation of what happened. I think I just got lost and at some point started to run towards them. Before I realized, I was in the middle of their group , their shouts surrounding me from every side. Every instinct screamed at me to turn back, except I knew I would have no chance to escape them if I stopped for even one moment. At some point I saw a silhouette before me, the same woman I met just before this pursuit started, her bow half-raised and an arrow already on the bowstring.

The time didn't slow for me. At one moment I was rushing at her, then I heard her cursing behind my back. I didn't stop or even try to ditch her, just ran like a frightened animal where my feet took me.

I stopped. I didn't hear any pursuit. No shouts, no whistles, no splashes of water. Only the reeds gently rustling in the wind and a duck quacking somewhere. I was alone.

I had incredible luck. But this was only the very first step towards fulfilling my vow. Did I really have what it takes to kill the basilisk?

**

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

Health +4, Spirit +5, Supplies +5, Momentum +4 (+10), Bonds +2

Debilities: None

Background Vow: Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke (Epic, 0.25/10)

Vows:

• Get Glain safely back to the village (Troublesome, 9/10)
• Kill the basilisk (Dangerous, 2/10)
  

Assets: 

Archer

• When you Secure an Advantage by taking a moment to aim, choose your approach and add +1.
  • Trust your instincts: Roll +wits, and take +2 momentum on a strong hit.
  • Line up your shot: Roll +edge, and take +1 momentum on a hit.
  

Fletcher

• When you Secure an Advantage by crafting arrows of fine quality, add +1. Then, take +1 supply or +1 momentum on a hit.

Outcast 

• When your supply is reduced to 0, suffer any remaining -supply as -momentum. Then, roll +wits. On a strong hit, you manage to scrape by and take +1 supply. On a weak hit, you may suffer -2 momentum in exchange for +1 supply. On a miss, you are Out of Supply.
  

Bonds:

• Glain, vilage hunter, Escape from something, Timid, Cautious, Wary
• Stilthouse, settlement in the Flooded Lands

Tracking the Tracker (Blood of Tyrants - Session 1)

 "You sent him where?!" I couldn't believe what I heard.

Mira looked at me, resigned. Five years ago she was an energetic, muscular woman, but the time spent in the swamp didn't age her well. Her sunken cheeks, pale skin and thinning brown hair made her look at least ten years older than she was. Even her iron circlet had rusty spots here and there—she used to polish it regularly, but recently gave up.

"I sent him nowhere." She clarified. "I asked him if he wanted to kill a basilisk. He agreed."

"He's not fit to fight a basilisk. You know it!"

"He agreed." Mira repeated.

"You sent him there to die." I pressed.

"He can die, that's true." She admitted. "But we need that basilisk out of our best iron deposit or we won't have anything to trade. And he's the only one I could risk."

"Is that because he can't hunt anymore?" Despite my efforts, my eyes started to get wet. "He loses his arm and that's it, we throw him out like a rusted tool?"

Mira sighed. She gestured at the room: walls made of carious planks, holey floor, leaking reed roof, the pitiful hearth in the center giving off more smoke than fire. Her throne was a simple wooden stool with two badly nailed arm-rests and a moth-eaten goat skin. A pile of reed and patchwork fur signified the place where she slept

"Do we look like a circle that can afford to throw anything or anyone out?" She asked sarcastically. "We can't afford to let anyone sit idly and eat our food. Even someone as distinguished as Glain."

"What if he dies?" I couldn't let go.

"Then he'll be dead. He's an old man, Qamar. He'd still have more luck than those who died last winter. Remember Wynne? She was twelve."

I didn't have a good retort. Wynne was Mira's own daughter. She survived until the spring snow-melt, until the combined strain of malnourishment and some lingering sickness turned out to be too much for her body. She just fell asleep one evening and would never wake up.

"I'm sorry." I said. "But I can't just let him die his way. He's like a father to me."

"Don't do something stupid." She protested, but I was already pulling out my knife. I touched its blade with the tips of my fingers.

"I swear on my knife I will get Glain safely back to the village." I said. Mira looked like she wanted to hit me.

"And here I thought you were smart, boy." She hissed. "If you die, I will find your corpse and piss on it."

We create a new Troublesome vow, then use Swear an Iron Vow (Strong Hit, 2+1+1=4 vs 2, 2, Momentum +4). Not only does it go swimmingly, it's also an Opportunity. The most obvious one is that the villagers help somehow—but given how poor and pitiful this settlement is, I have no idea how they could help. Let's ask the Oracle.

Oracle: Affect Opportunity. Not very helpful. The opportunity is probably the basilisk and our chance to become the hero who slays it. Perhaps it's already wounded?

Nevertheless, our plan currently is pretty simple. First, we go to the place where the basilisk dwells, which will probably require a  short journey, find Glain before the monster finds him, convince him to go back and escort him to the village. Easy peasy.

**

I gave the village a glancing look. It was easy, because the whole village was only a bunch of buildings. The foundry, as we called the shed where we kept iron and our only anvil, was at the center of the settlement, on the grassy mound. There was also a small bloomery there. Around it, wooden houses on stilts were rising from the omnipresent mud. Planks were placed on the most traversed path to let the villagers pass without getting their legs wet, but it was a losing fight. It didn't take them long to become wet and slippery, or completely rotted and useless.

Water was the only thing we did have in abundance, although it had to be boiled before drinking—as we learned during our first year here. Firewood was relatively easy to come by. Everything else had to be scavenged. It was impossible to grow anything here, so we had to get by with berries, roots, mushrooms and fish. Wild game was a rarity, provided mostly by Glain and me.

Fortunately, the outlying area had an abundance of  bog iron. When we didn't have to forage for food, we tried to get as much of it as possible. We stabbed the ground with sticks. Finding a pea-sized nodule meant having to cut and pull back layers of peat that concealed it. We used a small amount, mostly to make arrows and spearheads. We traded away the most for cabbage, carrots, beets and salted pork.

The one thing we didn't have to fear were raiders. Not only were we too poor to be robbed, but anyone trying to raid the village would have a bad time. There were only a few safe paths through the treacherous swamp that surrounded Stilthouse. I just traversed one of them, hoping that would get me to my goal.

We Undertake a (Troublesome) Journey (Strong Hit, 4+3+1=8 vs 7, 3). We mark progress, getting us to 3/10. As I feel adventurous, let's ask the oracle what's our first milestone. I get a Defended River.

Who defends it? At this point, it makes sense the area is patrolled by inhabitants of Stilthouse.

Let's also make the guard. We get Setara, who wants to create an item and make an agreement—a weird result, but let's roll with it. She is Angry, Cunning and Manipulative.

After a few hours of walking through the swamps, I finally reached the river. It was hard to figure out where the swamp ends and the waterway starts. First the muck started to get more wet and the dry spots became rarer. Then the entire area started to look like surface of a lake overgrown with reeds and trees started to get sparse. At this point you needed a boat to traverse.

Fortunately, there was an observation post nearby. I looked for the only red maple in the surrounding area (not counting a few saplings), then looked up. At the thickest branch there was a small platform made of planks. There, I saw the wiry silhouette of Setara, our smith's only daughter.

I would be lying if I said I liked her. She was unpleasant where she didn't want anything from you, or slippery and manipulative if you had something she needed. After she saw me, she perked up a bit. A bystander could take it as a sign of sympathy, but I knew her long enough to realize the true reason.

"Great, someone came to relieve me." She said, dangling her legs from the platform.

"Sorry, but no." I said. "I'm looking for Glain and I need a boat."

"There's one in the bushes. Is there a possibility you could bring me some ore while you're there?"

"What? No!" I rolled my eyes. "There's a basilisk prowling there, do you think I will have time to look for iron?"

"Fine, fine!" Setara shrugged. "I just thought the greatest hunter in the village, by virtue of having both hands, could use the opportunity to get us some ore."

"I don't have time to talk." I was annoyed already. "Do you need anything doable from me?"

"If the inevitable happens and the basilisk eats you, be sure to throw your quiver as far away as possible. I could use some arrowheads."

There was nothing to say after that. I found the boat tied to an oak, a simple hollowed out trunk. I took a large stilt and started to cross the river.

We're Undertaking a Journey again (Weak Hit, 2+3=5 vs 7, 4). We mark progress (6/10), but suffer -1 Supply, reducing us to +4. This time the Oracle gives us a Low Bridge.

It was a slog. The boat was wobbly and the slightest tilt could overturn it. At one point, I saw it for myself when I accidentally pushed on the stilt too vigorously. The trunk rotated and before I could react, I was in the water. I managed to climb back into the boat, but the damage was done: I was wet, cold and angry. What's worse, I lost some of my arrows—they simply fell into the river. Not the best omen for the future. Fortunately, Setara wasn't around to see this disgrace.

After getting on the other side, it was the matter of walking to the dig site. In a bout of optimism, the villagers had built some foodbridges two years ago, hoping to speed up transporting the ore to Stilthouse. They even talked about building a bridge through the river. Then our only carpenter just went missing one day. We never found the body.

I briefly considered stopping here and making some arrows to replace the ones I lost, but there was no time. It was already late afternoon and Glain had a large head start. Hopefully he didn't find the basilisk yet.

We Undertake a Journey (Strong Hit, 4+3=7 vs 4, 2), marking Progress (9/10). High Wits makes Qamar good at traveling, which fits his background. This time I'm not rolling for a location, because we're close to the destination and I already know what should be there. I could roll once more to be sure, but the chance of failure seems low.

We Reach Our Destination and get 9 vs 8, 7. A Strong Hit, although barely. Let's mark the progress on our starting vow, bringing it to 3/10.

When I found Glain, it was already quite dark. I spotted him on the large, muddy field, where we usually looked for bog iron. He was sitting on a trunk, trying to light a fire with his only good hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, frowning.

"Hunting a basilisk." He said calmly, raising his balding head. He knew me well, but his hand involuntarily grabbed the spear lying on the ground. I didn't begrudge him; it was a useful reflex in the wild.

"You can't shoot with one arm!" I protested.

"I still can wield a spear. It's more than enough."

"It looks to me that you're trying to die here." I sat next to him. "Is that the case? Is life without a hand not worth living?"

He went silent for a moment.

"I just had to try. I feel useless there, sitting at the doorstep. I don't want others to look at me and see just a useless mouth to feed."

"No one called you that!"

"But they will. Winter will come and our food supplies will get scarce. More and more people will wonder why they have to feed a useless geezer when their own children starve. I need to kill that basilisk, Qamar. I need to be able to look them in the eyes and tell them I'm not useless."

We're trying to Compel him with Heart (Weak Hit, 2+1+1=4 vs 1, 8). He wants something from us and it's not hard to guess what. We mark progress (6/10)

"You can't kill a basilisk. Not in this state." I tried to protest, but it was hard to mount a defense. He was right and I hated it.

"No, listen." He said. "I tracked it almost to its lair. It's bleeding. I can pull it off."

"No. We can pull it off." I reached for an arrow, touching the arrowhead with two fingers. "I swear on this iron that we will kill the basilisk. Together."

Swear an Iron Vow (Weak Hit, 4+1+1=6 vs 7, 1). This will be a Dangerous quest. Momentum goes to +5.

I had no idea how I was going to pull it off. I never hunted a basilisk before and I heard it requires a group effort. Pulling this off with two hunters, one of them without a hand, seemed insane. But I couldn't just leave him to do it by himself. That wouldn't do at all.

**

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

Health +5, Spirit +5, Supplies +4, Momentum +5 (+10), Bonds +2

Debilities: None

Background Vow: Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke (Epic, 0/10)

Vows:

• Get Glain safely back to the village (Troublesome, 6/10)
• Kill the basilisk (Dangerous, 0/10)
  

Assets: 

Archer

• When you Secure an Advantage by taking a moment to aim, choose your approach and add +1.
  • Trust your instincts: Roll +wits, and take +2 momentum on a strong hit.
  • Line up your shot: Roll +edge, and take +1 momentum on a hit.
  

Fletcher

• When you Secure an Advantage by crafting arrows of fine quality, add +1. Then, take +1 supply or +1 momentum on a hit.

Outcast 

• When your supply is reduced to 0, suffer any remaining -supply as -momentum. Then, roll +wits. On a strong hit, you manage to scrape by and take +1 supply. On a weak hit, you may suffer -2 momentum in exchange for +1 supply. On a miss, you are Out of Supply.
  

Bonds:

• Glain, vilage hunter, Escape from something, Timid, Cautious, Wary
• Stilthouse, settlement in the Flooded Lands

Blood of Tyrants - Session 0

A lot of Ironsworn campaigns I see revolve around finding the true king of the Ironlands. It makes sense—it's one of the more evocative quest starters, promising a lot of heroic action. The dramatic potential of such a campaign is high and full of questions just begging for an answer. How to find a leader worthy enough to rule the entire continent of scattered settlements? How to convince their population that being ruled by one king is beneficial for them? And what to do with those who, no matter how good points you make, won't agree to the beneficial unification?

This time someone else will have to answer these questions, because this Ironsworn campaign is not about finding the true king. Instead, we’ll be opposing him. We’ll be the villain that prevents the Ironlands from uniting, or the rebel trying to stop a tyrant from achieving absolute power. Without further ado, let’s create the world for our hero.

Our world

• The Old World was run into the ground. We were pawns in the hands of our kings, princes and petty nobles, who never had enough. They squeezed us for every scrap of food, drafted us into their petty wars. When the land itself started to get barren because of their greed, they hid in their luxurious palaces while we died of hunger and thirst. We cast our fate to the sea and sailed to the cursed continent where no one wanted to settle, because that was preferable to staying.
  
• Iron is the favored metal of Gamanna, the goddess who created the Ironlands. The jealous gods shackled her in the center of the world, forging the chains of her greatest creation. When we swear on iron, she hears and remembers our vows.
  
• Other humans sailed here from the Old World untold years ago, but all that is left of them is a savage, feral people we call the broken. Is their fate to become our own?
• 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.
• Each of our communities has its own leader, called an overseer. Every seventh spring, the people affirm their current overseer or choose a new one. Some overseers wear the iron circlet reluctantly, while others thirst for power and gain it through schemes or threats.
• Here in the Ironlands, supplies are too precious, and the lands are too sparsely populated, to support organized fighting forces. When a community is threatened, the people stand together to protect their own. Only the Tyrant's kingdom uses wardens instead.
  
• Some still find comfort in the old ways. They call on mystics to divine the fortune of their newborn, or ask them to perform rituals to invoke a bountiful harvest. Others act out of fear against those who they suspect of having power. However, most folk believe true magic—if it ever existed—is lost to us now.
• Our gods from the Old World didn't help us, so we strike out their names of our stories and vowed to never worship them again. Some try to pray Gamanna, but most find it pointless—as she is imprisoned and wouldn't have been concerned with us anyway. She is hard and cold like the iron she loves; vows and obligations are the only thing that concerns her.
  
• The firstborn have passed into legend. Some say the remnants of the old tribes still dwell in deep forests or high mountains. Most believe they were never anything more than myth.
• Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands.
• We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes

Our Character

Once, we lived in Havens. Thornhall, a large village on a fertile hill, used to be our home. We almost always had enough barley and pork to last through the winter and we traded the surplus for iron from the Veils. Our stockade was large enough to deter weaker raiders and our community was large enough to give the stronger ones a pause. It was a paradise.

Five years ago, the Tyrant came, along with his warband. He showed us a trinket he claimed to be a half of the True Crown, the proof of his descent from the royal family. Had he tried to conquer us, we would have defeated him. Instead, he spoke with honeyed words, promising riches, power and safety to those who would swear fealty to him.

No doubt he used some vile magic to make himself more convincing. Despite our traditions and history, most of the village—including the overseer—was swayed, joining his nascent kingdom. He turned his biggest supporters into nobility, giving them privileges and power over the others. His "wardens" guarded the land from dangers, but also enforced his will.

Those who opposed his rule were cast out from his demesne. We were banished into the Flooded Lands and told never to return under the threat of death. Some of us died. Around fifty people persisted in these swamps, founding a new village: Stilthouse.

We have survived five years here hunting, foraging and digging for bog iron. Each year there's less of us. Some perish from hunger and sickness, some drown, some get eaten by beasts or worse. Everyone knows most of us won't survive five years more. The only thing that keeps our society together is a shared vow: that one day we will return to Thornhall and see it free from the Tyrant's yoke.

My name is Qamar. I was only thirteen when we had been forced out of Thornhall. I spent a lot of time in the bogs and swamps around Stilthouse with Glain, our best hunter. He taught me how to craft arrows and shoot them for the best result. We both did our part to provide our village with food.

But that was in the past. Glain can no longer hunt. His right arm is gone, taken by an infected wound. He can't draw a bow or hold a spear. His days as a hunter are over.

As I learned, he left the village yesterday—to fight a basilisk.

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

Health +5, Spirit +5, Supplies +5, Momentum +2 (+10), Bonds +2

Debilities: None

Background Vow: Free Thornhall from the Tyrant's yoke (Epic, 0/10)

Assets: 

Archer

• When you Secure an Advantage by taking a moment to aim, choose your approach and add +1.
  • Trust your instincts: Roll +wits, and take +2 momentum on a strong hit.
  • Line up your shot: Roll +edge, and take +1 momentum on a hit.
  

Fletcher

• When you Secure an Advantage by crafting arrows of fine quality, add +1. Then, take +1 supply or +1 momentum on a hit.

Outcast 

• When your supply is reduced to 0, suffer any remaining -supply as -momentum. Then, roll +wits. On a strong hit, you manage to scrape by and take +1 supply. On a weak hit, you may suffer -2 momentum in exchange for +1 supply. On a miss, you are Out of Supply.
  

Bonds:

• Glain, vilage hunter, Escape from something, Timid, Cautious, Wary
• Stilthouse, settlement in the Flooded Lands