Quinn of Axeford (Ironsworn Actual Play - Gaiden Session 1)

Session 0

Session 15

After some other matters kept me away for a while, I'm back at this. I didn't want to jump right in again with Quinn, though, since I wasn't in the mood for more of his heavy roleplay right now, so this is a little side story in the same setting. Whether Alain crosses paths with him at some future point remains to be seen, but for now, I decided to enjoy an adventure with a monster hunter in the Flooded Lands.

As for Alain herself, I dove in without anything more that stats, assets, and an inciting incident, so her background and bonds are all indeterminate at this moment.

This was also an excuse to add in Delve moves and oracles. I plan to make use of those for Quinn as well, going forward. I'd left them out initially to remind myself of what the core Ironsworn experience was like (and I do still like it), but I think the extra content does add worthwhile depth to the game. I won't be using the alternate Starforged-inspired versions of move in Lodestar, though, since I do want to maintain the difficulty.

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"You’re the one who claims to be a great monster-hunter, saying we should give you free shelter," the trader who was acting as a guard jeered. At the sounds of support from his comrades, his lips pulled into a sneer that made the pale scar on his cheek stand out against his sandy skin. "Prove you alone can do what we haven’t, and we’ll let you in. Otherwise…" He gestured at their surroundings.

Alain narrowed her eyes, but she forced a smile onto her face. "I can live with that." She drew her sword, grasped it with both hands, and thrust its tip into the soil. "As I stand here," she said, her voice strong and loud with the weight of ceremony, so much so that a hush fell over the crowd, "so do I swear, the creature’s days of troubling your camp are numbered."

Vow: "Free the camp from the creature’s predation" – Dangerous

Swear An Iron Vow: 6 + 2 Heart = 8 vs 7/7 -> Strong Hit + Match

Momentum: 2 + 2 = 4

Alain sheathed her sword and asked, "Where and when did it strike last?"

"Last night, we’d set the horses grazing in that pasture," the trader said, pointing to a clear track of grass standing out of the marsh at the base of the hill. "Young Morter was supposed to be on watch, but he’d been taking a piss a bit before dawn when the bastard devil struck. He raised an alarm when he heard the commotion, but by the time anyone had mustered enough to do something, it was too late. One horse missing, and another hurt badly enough that it’s probably ending up in our pots tonight."

Alain rubbed her chin. "If it just caught a meal that large," she thought, "it’s probably not going to be very active now. This might be a chance to catch it with its guard down, then." She thanked the man and trekked down the hill to see what she could find at the site.

Gather Information: 6 + 1 Wits + 1 Slayer = 8 vs 1/2 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 4 + 2 + 1 Slayer = 7

Reach A Milestone: "Free the camp…" Progress: 0 + 2 = 2

Oracle (Monstrosity Size): 64 = Medium (person-sized)

Oracle (Monstrosity Form): 40 = Snake

Oracle (Monstrosity Characteristics): 30/20 = Oversized mouth/Strange color or markings

Oracle (Monstrosity Abilities): 64/88 = Burrower/Symbiotic

Broken ground foliage made it obvious to Alain where the attack had happened. After going around the perimeter, she found two trails of interest leading towards the mire. One was a wide and mostly straight path, which she guessed was left behind by a horse carcass being dragged into the wetland where its buoyancy could ease the burden. The other was a meandering but continuous track, similar in width to her hips, ending at a squat tunnel near the water’s edge with boundaries suggesting that it had been left behind by something emerging from underground.

"Curious," she thought, picking up a vibrant red scale from the tunnel. "This seems like a bloodcrawler scale and burrow, and I know those do hunt in this swamp, but they should be starting to brumate by this time of year, and it doesn’t make sense for one of them to target something as big as a horse in the first place."

Tucking the scale away, she returned to the settlement’s excuse for a fence. Waving for the trader’s attention, she said, "I have an idea of what I might be dealing with, but if I’m right, it’d normally be holed up somewhere warm and underground. Is there someplace nearby with a hot spring or the like?"

Gather Information: 2 + 1 Wits = 3 vs 7/8 -> Miss

Pay The Price: 94 = It forces you to act against your best intentions.

Oracle (Delve Theme/Delve Domain): 97/04 = Wild/Barrow

Oracle (Delve Name Template): 67

Oracle (Delve Name Place): Barrow/54 = Grave

Oracle (Delve Name Description): 06 = Grey

Oracle (Delve Name Detail): 63 = Lament

Spirit: 5 – 2 = 3

Endure Stress: 3 + 3 Spirit = 6 vs 2/2 -> Strong Hit + Match (choice: Shake it off)

Spirit: 3 + 1 = 4

Momentum: 7 – 1 = 6

"No hot springs around here," he said, "but there’s a sinkhole not too far that used to be used as a grave until it started filling with some ashen grey mist. Folks took that as an ill omen, so we don’t go there anymore."

Alain’s heart skipped a beat. Dealing with beasts of flesh and blood was one thing, but horrors from beyond the grave were a whole different matter. "Is it haunted?" she asked reluctantly, even while knowing it was a stupid question.

The trader shrugged. "There were things in the swamp for as long as we’ve lived here."

"That…could complicate things."

"Are you backing out on your oath?"

"No," Alain snapped, a flash of anger pushing aside her concerns for a moment. "I’m just stating a fact, since I’ll expect my accommodations to be commensurate to the danger of the hunt. Tell me how to find this sinkhole."

After getting directions, she set off, hoping that she could find the place, take care of the bloodcrawler, and return before nightfall.

Face Danger: 4 + 2 Edge = 6 vs 7/9 -> Miss

Momentum: 6 – 2 = 4

Despite her intentions, travel through the cold swamp was a slow and arduous task. To make matters worse, the route that the trader had described had seemingly flooded over time. A step where the ground was much lower than expected left her knee deep in the fetid water, which immediately spilled in over the cuff of her boot and left her leg soaked. "Lovely," she muttered, forcing herself to trudge on.

Face Danger: 1 + 3 Iron = 4 vs 2/3 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 4 + 1 = 5

Discover A Site: The Grave of Grey Lament – Troublesome (Wild/Barrow)

Reach A Milestone: "Free the camp…" Progress: 2 + 2 = 4

The trail picked up after a while, and Alain found the low hill that fell away into a sinkhole. As the trader had said, it was filled with a pale, dirty-white mist, billowing gently on the warm updraft before dispersing in the general miasma of the swamp. "Better make sure this is the right place first," she thought, searching around for any traces matching what she had found before.

Gather Information: 1 + 1 Wits + 1 Slayer = 3 vs 5/5 -> Miss + Match

Pay The Price: 62 = It is harmful

Health: 5 – 2 = 3

Endure Harm: 6 + 3 Iron = 9 vs 2/7 -> Strong Hit (choice: Embrace the pain)

Momentum: 5 + 1 = 6

Alain knelt at the edge of the sinkhole and strained her eyes to peer down, but the mist within made it difficult to spot anything useful. Thinking that she saw a flash of color, she leaned forward for a better look, and the ground gave way beneath her. Alain tumbled in, skidding down the steep slope until she was jolted to a stop by an outcropping of rock. She pulled herself up with a groan, she thought, "I can worry about being hurt tomorrow."

For what it was worth, she had not been mistaken about what she had seen; there was a red scale caught in a crack, matching the one that she had found near the pasture. Taking some heart that she was on the right track, Alain tried to climb swiftly down further.

Delve The Depths: 3 + 2 Edge + 1 Infiltrator = 6 vs 7/10 -> Miss

Reveal A Danger: 68 = You face an environmental or architectural hazard.

Check Your Gear: 3 + 5 Supply = 8 vs 2/9 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 6 + 1 = 7

Supply: 5 – 1 = 4

Delve The Depths: 6 + 2 Edge + 1 Infiltrator = 9 vs 4/6 -> Strong Hit

Delve: The Grave of Grey Lament: Progress: 0 + 3 = 3

As she made her way down, a bitter odor cut through her senses, nearly making her retch. Clinging to the wall of the sinkhole with one hand, she used the other to rummage in her supplies until found a cloth to wrap over her nose and mouth, followed by tucking a handful of herbs under it to neutralize the stench. That worked well enough for to her climb the rest of the way down, reaching a surface strewn with bones and other, less identifiable remains, with a cave opening from which the mist and updraft both emanated.

Pushing her disgust to the back of her mind, she searched through the remains for something she could fashion into a torch. Like most beasts, bloodcrawlers could be scared with fire, and she would want the light before pressing further anyway.

Secure An Advantage: 6 + 1 Wits + 1 Slayer = 8 vs 10/10 -> Miss + Match

Spirit: 4 – 1 = 3

Endure Stress: 5 + 3 Spirit = 8 vs 1/9 -> Weak Hit

Alain grabbed a long bone, possibly what was left of someone’s thigh, wrapped a wad of cloth at one end, and struck a spark with a piece of flint. However, instead of lighting the torch, the spark set off a flare of flame that shot up out of the sinkhole. Shaken by the close call with immolating herself, Alain realized the gas that was making the mist must be flammable. "Well, a bloodcrawler shouldn’t need to dig too deep in a place like this," she thought, trying to convince herself, as she drew her sword and began stalking into the opening.

Delve The Depths: 1 + 1 Shadow + 1 Infiltrator = 3 vs 3/10 -> Miss

Burn Momentum: Weak Hit: 94, Momentum Reset (2)

Delve: The Grave of Grey Lament: Progress: 3 + 3 = 6

Find An Opportunity: 77 = You get the drop on a denizen

Locate Your Objective: 6 Progress vs 2/5 -> Strong Hit (choice: Add)

Reach A Milestone: "Free the camp…" Progress: 4 + 2 = 6

Secure An Advantage: 3 + 1 Shadow + 1 Slayer + 1 Infiltrator + 1 = 7 vs 2/6 -> Strong Hit (choice: Prepare to act)

Momentum: 2 + 2 + 1 Slayer + 1 Infiltrator = 6

Against all odds, her thought turned out to be true, as she saw the engorged form of the serpent ahead of her, the red streak running down its back standing out even in the painfully dim light struggling to give any illumination in the darkness.

Stopping where she was and keeping as still as possible, Alain took out her whetstone and threw it back towards the opening. The clatter caught the bloodcrawler’s attention, and it slithered in that direction, somehow not noticing her presence. She waited until it was just passed her before lashing out.

Foe: Bloodcrawler (Formidable)

Enter The Fray: 6 + 1 Shadow = 7 vs 2/3 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 6 + 2 = 8

Strike: 2 + 3 Iron = 5 vs 4/5 -> Weak Hit

Burn Momentum: Strong Hit, Momentum Reset (2)

Harm: 0 + 2 + 1 + 2 Swordmaster vs Formidable = 5 Progress

Alain’s sword bit deep into the bloodcrawler’s flesh, leaving the end of its tail limp as it thrashed to pull away and face her. She broke into a charge immediately, chasing the bloodcrawler into the open pit of the sinkhole as she tried to keep close and deny it the space to coil for a counter strike.

Secure An Advantage: 5 + 3 Iron + 1 Slayer = 9 vs 4/5 -> Strong Hit (choice: Take control)

Momentum: 2 + 1 Slayer = 3

Strike: 4 + 3 Iron + 1 = 8 vs 7/10 -> Weak Hit

Harm: 5 + 2 vs Formidable = 7 Progress

The beast turned just as Alain slashed again. Her sword cut into the side of its mouth, but from this direction, the orientation of its scales was more effective in deflecting the strike without nearly as much harm.

Alain took a moment to reset herself, not wanting to rush in foolishly, and that was when she noticed that the remains in the sinkhole was no longer entirely still.

Face Danger: 6 + 3 Iron = 9 vs 5/10 -> Weak Hit

Spirit: 3 – 1 = 2

Endure Stress: 4 + 2 Heart = 6 vs 1/3 -> Strong Hit (choice: Embrace the darkness)

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

Skeletal hands reached out of the organic sludge, grasping for her feet and ankles. Spine-chilling though the sight was, Alain knew that she could not afford to freeze. She leapt aside, positioning herself in the clear space just in front of the cave opening to bait the bloodcrawler into attacking at a place where it would be the only immediate threat.

Secure An Advantage: 2 + 2 Heart + 1 Slayer = 5 vs 1/10 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 4 + 1 + 1 Slayer = 6

The bloodcrawler came at her, but before it got into range of her blade, it dove into the ground, burrowing into the soft soil.

Not seeing any solid rock nearby, Alain stomped once at her current position to bait the bloodcrawler before jumping aside, hoping that she could time the movement correctly.

Face Danger: 3 + 2 Edge = 5 vs 6/8 -> Miss

Health: 3 – 3 = 0

Endure Harm: 5 + 3 Iron = 8 vs 1/5 -> Strong Hit (choice: Embrace the pain)

Momentum: 6 + 1 = 7

End The Fight: 7 Progress vs 5/5 -> Strong Hit + Match

Reach A Milestone: "Free the camp…" Progress: 6 + 2 = 8

Fulfill Your Vow: 8 Progress vs 6/9 -> Weak Hit

EXP: 0 + 1 Dangerous = 1

Alain misjudged the beast’s speed, cunning, or both, because she landed and had a moment longer to look around before it burst forth, slamming into her from behind. She fell to the ground, rolling onto her back just as the bloodcrawler sprang forward, jaws opened impossibly wide to swallow her whole.

Without any time to spare, Alain braced the pommel of her sword against her hip and raised the tip. The serpent impaled itself on the blade, its dead weight falling on top of her and pinning her down.

Looking through a gap under the bloodcrawler’s coils, Alain saw the sludge slurping towards her. She tightened her grip on her sword, not sure how that was going to do her any good in the moment but certain that she would need it to get back to the settlement and warn them that the sinkhole housed more than an ill omen and a great snake.

Vow: Warn the settlement about the horror in the sinkhole – Dangerous

Swear An Iron Vow: 2 + 2 Heart + 1 = 5 vs 2/7 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 7 + 1 = 8

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Character Summary: Alain, the Bonfire

Edge 2 / Heart 2 / Iron 3 / Shadow 1 / Wits 1

Health: 0 / 5

Spirit: +2 / 5

Supply: +4 / 5

Momentum: +8 (max +10, reset +2)

EXP: 1 available / 1 total

Bonds: 0 / 10 Progress

Vows:

Warn the settlement about the horror in the sinkhole (Dangerous, 0 / 10 Progress)

Assets:

Infiltrator (x / - / -)

Slayer (x / - / -)

Swordmaster (x / - / -)