Quinn of Axeford (Ironsworn Actual Play - Session 5)

Ash Adler
5 days ago
8 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

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

I was glad to have some good roll luck to start off this session, because things would've been in a tight spot if I hadn't. That aside, spending some time with Sola was cool, and Quinn seems to finally be poised to have a pathway towards making some progress on his background vow. As well, I got to lay groundwork for possibly building towards working in a couple more of the session 0 quest starters. While I don't plan on trying to use all of them, it would be neat to use most.

Sojourn: 6 + 3 Heart + 1 Bond + 1 Bonded = 11 vs 4/7 -> Strong Hit (choices: Recuperate, Consort, Provision)

Health: 2 + 2 = 4

Consort: Focus: 4 + 3 Heart + 1 Bond + 1 Bonded = 9 vs 3/8 -> Strong Hit

Spirit: 0 + 2 + 2 = 4

Supply: 3 + 2 = 5

Quinn spent the next few days barely leaving his bed. Kato and Sola spoke to him, offering words of comfort and bringing him food. Servan burned herbs to help with recovering from the cough he had developed. Overseer Taylah visited to convey the gratitude of the villagers. Nothing seemed to elicit any real reaction from him. Part of that was because the recent events had left him with a physical weariness that he had never known before, but more so than that, his thoughts swirled around the figure from the ruins.

Who was it? What was it? How had it known his name? Why had he freed it? Should he have freed it?

The day after his return with the final missing villagers, he had been told that a group went to investigate the caves further, only to find them completely collapsed beyond the initial archway. Whatever answers there might have been down there were lost to him now.

Why had he trusted it? How was it connected to the cursed idol? Why had it stayed a prisoner in cage that should have been fairly easy to escape?

One evening, Sola walked in and poked his shoulder. "Get up," she said. When he did not move, she added, "It’s time for Khinara’s funeral. You should be there."

Quinn looked up at that, seeing his older sister holding a mourning cloak for him. He sat up and took it from her, only to set it down on his lap. "She wouldn’t want me there."

Sola’s face pinched for a moment in frustration, tempted to slap her brother, but she instead sat on the bed next to him and leaned her shoulder against his. "You know that’s not true. You risked your life twice to save her."

"And failed."

"You don’t blame dad when raccoons get to our pumpkins before we can harvest them."

"That’s different. Pumpkins aren’t people."

"Sometimes things don’t go how you want, no matter how badly you want them to," she persisted. "You don’t have to say or do anything, you know. Don’t even join in the crowd if you don’t want to, but you should at least come and watch from the shadows." He still did not move, so Sola added, "Don’t leave Khinara unwitnessed."

Quinn snapped his head around at that, but whatever retort he might have said died unspoken when he saw the expression on his sister’s face. Her concern and sorrow for him broke a crack in his depression, and he nodded. "Alright, I’ll come. Just give me some privacy to get dressed."

"I used to change your diapers, brother," she said, forcing a laugh that undermined the attempt at levity.

"I promise I won’t run away."

"Fine, fine," Sola relented, rocking up to standing. "I’ll be just outside."

Once he was alone again, Quinn took off his chemise and put on his leather binding harness. Normally, he would wear a shift under that as padding, but at the moment, the bite of the leather against his skin felt like a necessary penance. After that was tightened, he put on the drab grey mourning cloak, raised the hood, and rejoined his sister to attend the funeral.

Without speaking, they walked to the village square, where several others had gathered in the circle of light from the torches ringing the bier where Khinara’s body rested under a gossamer shroud. He stopped at a distance from them, and Sola stopped next to him.

"You can join them," he whispered, uncomfortable about breaking the silence.

Sola’s hand found his under their cloaks, intertwining their fingers. "You need my support."

Quinn said nothing more. In truth, he had been afraid that his grief would be too much to bear, and when the first dirge began, he was thankful for Sola’s presence.

They watched the ceremony from a distance, as Taylah led a prayer for Khinara to find the peace and safety in death that no Ironlander knew in life, and then the procession carried the bier to river, chanting a final dirge as they watched the water carry her body out of sight.

Gradually, the other villagers returned to their homes, but Quinn and Sola remained standing there in the dark. A wind blew in from the west, carrying a scent of seawater along with a crisp chill that heralded the approaching winter.

After a long reverie, Quinn said, "I can’t stay."

"We can leave if you want."

"In Axeford, I mean. There was something I saw down there. I’m afraid to say more about it, in case it’s dangerous, but I know I won’t be able to learn more about it here, and I need to know what it was."

Sola did not argue, saying instead, "Winter’s a tough time to travel, and you’ve never gone far on your own before. Let me help check your supplies before you leave."

He looked at her, surprised, and then appreciative, even though neither could see the other’s face from the darkness of their hoods. "Dad would’ve tried to talk me out of this."

"That’s why I said I’d help instead of saying you should ask him to. Dad’s good at a lot of things, but understanding when we need space to be ourselves isn’t one of them. You’ll come back, right?"

Quinn nodded, and then said, "Yes," in case the gesture had not been visible. "It might be a while, but once I have my answers, I’ll be ready to return. And if I can’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll be reasonable about coming back then, too." They both knew that was a lie, so neither felt the need to say so out loud.

"If anyone asks," Quinn continued, "let them know that I’m thankful for everything they’ve done. This journey, it’s something I feel like I have to do to set things right, to pay them all back for helping me become who I am."

"When are you leaving?" Sola asked.

Quinn thought for a moment. "There’s still some harvest to be done. I’ll give it a week."

"It feels good to tell someone about this, doesn’t it? To make it real? Remember that, if you’re ever feeling alone out there. You can always talk to me, even if I’m not around to hear it myself."

"Thanks, sister. I’ll keep that in mind." Their intertwined fingers both gripped tightly, and they moved to return home.

Vow: "Confront the figure from the ruins" – Formidable

Swear An Iron Vow: 5 + 3 Heart + 1 Bond + 1 Bonded + 1 = 11 vs 5/10 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 1 + 2 = 3

Gather Information: 5 + 2 Wits + 1 Bond + 1 Bonded = 9 vs 4/6 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 3 + 2 = 5

Reach A Milestone: “Heal the scars...” Progress: 0 + 0.25 = 0.25

Reach A Milestone: “Confront the figure...” Progress: 0 + 1 = 1

Over the following few days, Quinn started each morning helping with the harvest work and each evening with Sola, preparing a hidden stash with a hunting knife, sling, whetstone, flint, preserved provisions, mending supplies, and other basics for his upcoming travel. He tried to keep quiet about his plans otherwise, but when he was helping Servan forage for useful herbs one afternoon, Quinn took that as an opportunity to get some more direct help finding a path forward.

"Servan, do you remember what we talked about the night after we found that idol?"

The old man thought briefly before nodding. "Your nightmare. Still happening?"

"I’ve been thinking about what you’d said, that I would need a real mystic to help me find answers about whatever link there was between me and that thing. You’ve travelled all over the Ironlands, from the stories you and dad have told. Where do you think I could find someone like that?"

Servan hesitated and then said, "Promise to keep this between us? I don’t need Kato or Taylah leading a mob to burn my hut down if you disappear."

"You know I can keep a secret."

"Mystics are rare enough in general, and most of them are going to be too busy at this time of year to spare much attention for someone they don’t know. I’d wager your best bet’s searching in the Deep Wilds. Winter’s touch is lighter there, as if the world’s apologizing for the other dangers."

Tales of the old forests went through Quinn’s mind, stories of savage beasts and inscrutable elves, so fickle and volatile that their unpredictable whims often made them the greater threat. His skin paled, but his resolve remained resolute. "Do you know any settlements there?"

Oracle 8 (quick settlement name generator): 30/90 = Greatstead

Oracle 7 (settlement name): 90/96 = Summersong

Oracle 1/2 (Action/Theme): 09/34 = Defeat/Deception

"Closest one that might still be around is called Greatstead," Servan said. "Pompous name, but its walls were sturdy enough to encourage most threats to find something softer to pick on. If the Summersong tribe’s still got a presence there, they’d probably be a good source to start with. They used to be involved with tending to the forest paths, to stop the spirits of the woods from leading people into getting lost."

"And I can trust this Summersong tribe?" Quinn asked.

"A good question," Servan said, pleased. "That’s going to be for you to judge. My name’s not going to do you any favors with them, so you’ll have to earn their confidence on your own, if they aren’t giving it freely."

That response piqued Quinn’s curiosity, but Servan shifted to using the rest of their time together to give him woodcraft advice, and that took priority over hearing more stories about the past.

Eventually, the night came where Quinn told Sola that he would be leaving the next morning. The two of them were standing against their wood storage shed, using its overhang as shelter from the light drizzle of rain. "With any luck, this storm’ll keep up and wash out any tracks before anyone thinks of looking for me."

"Oh, Quinn," Sola said, laughing.

"What?"

She rapped a knuckle lightly against his forehead. "You really don’t give yourself enough credit. After you went into some weird cave, twice, for the people here, you think they’d really let some rain stop them if they thought you needed help? If you hadn’t locked yourself to your bed before, you’d know that the harvest feast this year is basically doubling as a ceremony to mark what you did."

Sola laughed again at the expression of surprise dawning on his face. "They’d wanted to keep quiet about it exactly because you’d think it was undeserved. Honestly, I’m surprised they kept it up, what with how well you usually read people."

"Still...you won’t...?"

She nodded, serious. "If anyone tries, I’ll warn them off from trying to follow you."

"Thanks, Sola." Quinn paused. "Tell dad about it, after I’m gone. I don’t want him thinking there was anything he did that made me leave."

"That’ll be a fun conversation," she said sarcastically before smiling. "I’ll take care of him, and I’ll make sure he’s still here when you come back." Her voice betrayed that she was starting to hold back tears. "I guess I won’t be seeing you again for a while, so good luck, Quinn. Don’t insult my help with your preparations by dying out there."

Quinn smiled and hugged her. "I wouldn’t dream of it."

Character Summary: Quinn of Axeford

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

Health: +4 / 5

Spirit: +4 / 5

Supply: +5 / 5

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

EXP: 1 available / 4 total

Bonds: 0.75 / 10 Progress

Vows:

Heal the scars left by the haunt that had attacked Valeri (Epic, 0.25 / 10 Progress)

Confront the figure from the ruins (Formidable, 1 / 10 Progress)