Quinn of Axeford (Ironsworn Actual Play - Session 12)

Ash Adler
4 minutes ago
8 min read

Ironsworn's art is great, even if I'm not a fan of its mechanics (yet)

Another frustrating to start to this session, in terms of roll results, but things did even out some as it went on, at least. The intrigue has certainly ramped up, which is kind of wild considering this whole beast hunt sidequest started out as just the result of a weak hit on reaching my destination, but that's the Ironsworn way. Had it not been for that miss when making camp, I might have been in a position to try finishing it in this session, but considering the wrench that threw in the way of the straightforward approach, I decided to cut this session a little short and take my time (hopefully) playing that out in the next one.

Curious but unable to make further sense of it, Quinn cleaned the glass knife and stowed it carefully in his pack. That reminded him of how scant his remaining provisions were, so he and the effigy took a break from the investigation to forage around the bog for anything useful while they were wet and muddy already.

Resupply: 3 + 2 Wits = 5 vs 6/10 -> Miss

Burn Momentum: Weak Hit, Momentum Reset (2)

Supply: 1 + 2 = 3

Momentum: 2 – 2 = 0

Wading through the mire was slow, but the effort proved fruitful. There was a growth of cranberries tucked beside a rocky outcropping, and Quinn was also able to find some flowering moss that he could use as a base for poultices.

Satisfied with that, he cleaned himself off as well as he could with the mud scrapers outside of the building, hung up the wet clothes to dry, and went inside.

It was a sparse cabin, with light cloth nailed over the windows to keep pests out while letting in what passed for daylight. Drying peat was piled in a mesh-screened cubbyhole next to a clay oven, a wooden box sat at either end of the two-layered bed, and there were niches cut into the main posts of the walls with the remains of candles sitting in them. At first glance, it seemed to have been spared from whatever violence had happened on the platform, but Quinn took some time to search the place.

Gather Information: 4 + 2 Wits = 6 vs 2/2 -> Strong Hit + Match

Momentum: 0 + 2 = 2

Oracle 1/2 (Action/Theme): 21/43 = Leave/Opportunity

Oracle 12 (Character Descriptor): 14 = Connected

Ask The Oracle: "Is there a common thread among the people who were attacked?" (Likely) = 32 -> Yes

Ask The Oracle: "Were they all related?" (50/50) = 67 -> Yes

Ask The Oracle: "Was someone at this site using themselves as bait?" (Likely) = 86 -> Yes

Reach A Milestone: "Get Tessa and Vigo…" Progress: 3 + 1 = 4

The bedside boxes contained various personal effects, but hidden at the bottom of one was a folded parchment. Quinn opened it and read:

"Makari, should you ever read this, I’m sorry for disobeying you, but my honor demands that I must do this. Haf and Nekun’s spirits won’t rest until this murderer is made to pay for their crimes, you’re too important to risk, and Kormak wouldn’t know which end of a blade to hold under threat, so the burden falls on me. Your faithful bodyguard and loving brother, Hirsham."

Quinn sat against a wall to think through the message and what it meant for him. "So, there is more to these attacks than random chance. That might help explain the lines of rage outside; I’ve never known someone’s emotions to leave a mark like that, but I’ve also never known someone angry enough to apparently murder multiple people before, either. Maybe Tessa was on to something after all. I’ll have to figure out who these names belong to and what their connection is. And who can deal with this properly, because it’s starting to sound like something far more dangerous than I was expecting.

"Still, this could be good news. If the murderer is someone who knew people in Greatstead, there’s probably a good chance that they’re from Greatstead, and if that’s the case, there wouldn’t be any more need to keep outsiders from getting inside the walls."

While the possible existence of a connection between the attack victims might mean he was unlikely to be targeted, Quinn did not feel confident about counting on that based on just a single written message, especially if whatever force was behind the attacks might not appreciate someone else prying into the matter. He gathered the clothes that he had hung to dry and brought them inside, shutting and barring the door afterwards. The building seemed like the safest shelter he was likely to have, so he decided to settle in there for the remainder of the day, thinking through what he had learned to come up with a plan for what to do in the morning.

Make Camp: 4 + 3 Supply = 7 vs 9/10 -> Miss

Pay The Price: 32 = Something of value is lost or destroyed

Ask The Oracle: "Is the parchment damaged?" (50/50) = 85 -> Yes

The revelations had Quinn on edge, snapping to grip his knife at every creak and caw. The fatigue of sustained tension pulled at the edges of his mind, making his eyelids heavy, only for a flash of supernatural rage to tear through him as soon as his head bobbed down for a moment of rest, startling him back to consciousness.

Accepting he would find no rest in the cabin, Quinn gathered his belongings to make shelter in a forest instead. Tired and sleepless as he was, though, he misstepped as he was getting off of the platform. His foot slipped out from under him, and he fell backwards into the mud.

"At least my pack took the worst of that," Quinn thought, picking himself up. Finding the nearest tree that seemed suitable, Quinn climbed to sleep in the branches, leaving the effigy to stand sentinel below.

Spirit: 4 – 1 = 3

Endure Stress: 1 + 3 Heart = 4 vs 4/9 -> Miss

Momentum: 2 – 1 = 1

In the morning, Quinn checked through his pack. Unfortunately, the shifting of its contents from the fall during the night had caused the parchment to tear badly. Disheartened by the damage to the key piece of evidence he had found so far, he fell into a morose state, moving languidly through the motions of eating and preparing his gear. Despite that, though, he did ready himself eventually and set off to return to the shanty camp outside of Greatstead.

Face Danger: 2 + 2 Shadow = 4 vs 10/10 -> Miss + Match

Oracle 9 (Settlement Trouble): 46 = Corrupted by dark magic

Health: 5 – 2 = 3

Endure Harm: 4 + 3 Health = 7 vs 5/5 -> Strong Hit + Match

Health: 3 + 1 = 4

Momentum: 1 – 1 = 0

Foe: Raging Attacker (Dangerous)

Enter The Fray: 1 + 2 Wits = 3 vs 1/4 -> Weak Hit (choice: Bolster)

Momentum: 0 + 2 = 2

The travel did little to alter Quinn’s mood, but some part of his mind remained alert enough to notice the growl behind him in time to brace himself. His raised arms took the worst of the impact, and he rolled with it instinctively, creating some space between himself and the attacker. He heard a flurry of motion from the same direction, but rather than turning to face whatever it was, he let his momentum carry him into a mad dash, trying to escape.

Face Danger: 2 + 1 Edge = 3 vs 9/10 -> Miss

Oracle 16 (Combat Action): 56 = Use the terrain to gain advantage

Health: 4 – 2 = 2

Endure Harm: 5 + 2 Health = 7 vs 1/7 -> Weak Hit

As he ran, however, Quinn became aware that his pursuer was faster by a wide margin, not only closing the distance but also moving around to overtake him and cut him off. Something lashed out at his legs, and Quinn tumbled, crashing into a set of knotted tree roots protruding from the soil. He tried to gather his senses and gain some sight of his assailant.

Face Danger: 5 + 2 Wits = 7 vs 4/6 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 2 + 1 = 3

Oracle 16 (Combat Action): 66 = Leverage the advantage of a weapon or ability

The ever-present mists obscured too much for Quinn to get a clear view, but he saw a human-shaped figure stalking towards him. He also saw the effigy standing at the ready nearby, and with a shout of, "Grab that!", tried to use their numbers advantage to wrestle whatever it was.

Face Danger: 5 + 1 Iron + 2 Awakening = 8 vs 3/6 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

In the chaos of the tussle, somehow, Quinn managed to get his arms securely around a pair of bare calves, lifting the assailant’s feet from the ground while the effigy tangled with their arms. "Toss them and run," Quinn said, feeling even now that the attacker was stronger than them.

Face Danger: 6 + 1 Iron + 2 Awakening = 9 vs 7/9 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 4 – 1 = 3

They heaved the attacker aside with all their might, then broke into a run again before the body hit the ground. Quinn knew he could not outrun their attacker, but that was not his goal. He just wanted to get out of sight for long enough to double back and take cover in some bushes, hoping that would be enough to evade pursuit.

Face Danger: 3 + 2 Shadow = 5 vs 2/4 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

Ask The Oracle: "Does the attacker figure out where to search?" (50/50) = 24 -> No

Quinn heard the assailant run by and continue further. He held his breath and strained his ears, but there was no sense that they picked up on Quinn’s trick yet. He was certain that would not last for long, though, so he grabbed the effigy’s wrist and crept away, trying to stay quiet and alert.

Face Danger: 1 + 2 Shadow = 3 vs 1/7 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 4 – 1 = 3

Reach A Milestone: "Get Tessa and Vigo…" Progress: 4 + 1 = 5

It was slow going, with Quinn on edge to the point of paranoia, but the assailant did not make another appearance before Greatstead’s palisade started to come into view. Sighing with relief, Quinn left the effigy behind and approached the shanty camp.

Ask The Oracle: "Are Tessa and Vigo still there?" (Almost Certain) = 78 -> Yes

Quinn walked up to the hide-covered tent and said, "Tessa? Vigo? It’s Quinn." He stepped back as he heard movement inside, giving them space to exit and put away their makeshift weapons when they saw him.

"Looks like you took a swim in the mud," Tessa said, eyeing his disheveled and dirt-stained appearance.

"Something like that," Quinn said dismissively, "but that’s beside the point. I need to know if some names mean anything to you. Haf, Hirsham, Kormak, Nekun, or Makari."

Gather Information: 3 + 2 Wits = 5 vs 4/6 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

Reach A Milestone: "Get Tessa and Vigo…" Progress: 5 + 1 = 6

Vigo let out a scoffing grunt. "You sure you’re a stranger here?"

It took Quinn a moment to understand the significance of the response, and once he did, all he could do was laugh to himself. "This just keeps getting better. Are they all important people in Greatstead?"

"That’s one way of putting it."

"And another? Maybe a way that’d tell me who they are?"

"Piss and blood, you really don’t know," Vigo said. "You just named the overseer and his siblings."

Character Summary: Quinn of Axeford

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

Health: +2 / 5

Spirit: +3 / 5

Supply: +3 / 5

Momentum: +4 (max +10, reset +2)

EXP: 0 available / 6 total

Bonds: 1.25 / 10 Progress

Vows: