Quinn of Axeford (Ironsworn Actual Play - Session 7)

Session 0

Session 6

So, confession time: there was a bit that I'd played out during the combat in this session that I really didn't like, so I rewound time and changed it. It wasn't a matter of the roll results going poorly (which, I mean, they did, but they still did that after the change, too, so clearly that wasn't my issue), but it just didn't fit with what I thought of for the characters. I don't plan to do that sort of thing often, but sometimes I get carried away in the moment and need to step back to remind myself of who the characters are supposed to be.

---

Quinn looked down at himself, his clothes and cloak dirt-stained and stitched from the previous day’s damage, one forearm clearly bandaged. While he was not injured badly, it would be easy for anyone to guessed that he had been roughed up recently, which he hoped would make him seem more sympathetic than threatening as he resumed approaching the settlement.

"Best stop there," a voice called out as he reached the base of the hill. Two men approached, wearing heavy wading leathers and holding fishing spears. They stopped halfway down the hill, their postures not aggressive but wary.

Quinn raised his hands out to his sides. "I mean no harm," he responded. "I got into a rough spot about a half-day’s journey back, and I was hoping to find a place I could rest for a day or two before moving on."

Secure An Advantage: 6 + 3 Heart = 9 vs 1/10 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 1 + 1 = 2

Oracle 12 (Character Descriptor): 90/59 = Fervent/Driven

Oracle 11 (Character Goal): 93 = Resolve a dispute

Ask The Oracle: "Was there anything mystical about the raider attack?" (small chance) = 53 -> No

Ask The Oracle: "Was there an internal reason for the raid?" (50/50) = 41 -> No

Ask The Oracle: "Was there something clearly unusual about the raid?" (50/50) = 49 -> No

Ask The Oracle: "Is the leader of the village here?" (50/50) = 97 -> Yes

The pair stood their ground, but their posture relaxed slightly. "We’ve had a rough spot of our own, stranger," the one further back said, with a motion of his head at the burned hut.

Quinn nodded in understanding. "So I saw. And I apologize for not introducing myself; I don’t travel much. I’m Quinn, of Axeford." The two armed men shared a look, seemingly unfamiliar with the name, so Quinn added, "It’s a small village, further coastward from here. I left three days ago."

"Curious time to travel, with winter about to come."

"A curse befell us, about two weeks back. We recovered, mostly, but I still had some concerns about it, so I was hoping to find some help in Greatstead. Please, can we sit down somewhere and talk? Perhaps we can help each other."

Compel: 4 + 3 Heart = 7 vs 2/4 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 2 + 1 = 3

Gather Information: 4 + 2 Wits + 1 = 7 vs 6/9 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

The pair lowered their weapons at last and waved for him to come forward. They brought him to the top of the hill, where they sat on tree stump seats arranged around a round altar of smooth grey stone. A thatch ceiling gave them some relief from the day’s misty rain. "I’m Sibila, and I suppose I’m what passes for a leader now in Redmoor. There was a raid yesterday. Kiah, our previous leader, tried to fight them off, so they put him in that hut before they burned it. To send the rest of us a message."

Quinn grimaced and lowered his gaze. "I’m sorry."

"Don’t be," Sibila said. "It was Kiah’s own fault for not ending things with the raiders the first time they tried harassing us. The others are out trying to make up for what was lost, but I think that’s just going to make us a target again. If you want to help, Quinn, you can help by making those bandits understand what it’s like to preyed on."

Oracle 19 (Challenge Rank) 17 = Troublesome

"It’s people like them that make us all wary of strangers," Quinn said, his demeanor hardening. "What can you tell me about them?"

Oracle 8 (Quick Settlement Name Generator): 46 = Storm

Oracle 10 (Character Role): 75 = Warrior

Oracle 4 (Location): 05 = Mystical site

Sibila smiled hungrily. "They called themselves the Storm Shield band, but as far as I know, they’re just a group of four or so ruffians. Kiah had fought them off before; for all his faults, he was a devil of an archer; but the mist was thicker than usual yesterday, so they got the drop on him."

"Any idea where they’d be?"

"Can’t be far from here, since they’ve tried to hit us more than once," Sibila replied. "If I had to guess, my bet’s on the old henge, further towards sunrise."

Quinn nodded, then held up his hands. "As you can see, I’m wounded, and honestly, I wouldn’t be the strongest person even if I wasn’t. Are you willing to come with me, so that we can do this together?"

Compel: 5 + 3 Heart = 8 vs 3/6 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 4 + 1 = 5

Vow: "Deal with the raiders who attacked Redmoor" – Troublesome

Swear An Iron Vow: 6 + 3 Heart = 9 vs 4/4 -> Strong Hit + Match

Momentum: 5 + 2 = 7

Oracle 1/2 (Action/Theme): 89/84 = Lose/Spirit

Sibila shared a look with the other man, Eleri, and they both smiled eagerly. "Those raiders are the greatest threat to our families right now, so we’d be happy to help take care of them."

Quinn fished out the nail talisman from under his collar and grasped it. "By this iron, I vow, we shall ensure the Storm Shield band no longer troubles Redmoor." The other two held the heads of their spears and repeated the words.

"How far is this henge?" Quinn asked.

"A little over an hour’s trip, if we go straight through the marsh."

Quinn looked out at the sky. "Gods willing, we should be able to make it there and back before nightfall, then. Let’s not delay."

Ask The Oracle: "Does anything happen during the trip?" (Unlikely) = 46 -> No

Riding a raft made of reeds, the three men cut a path through the marsh. After some time, Sibila maneuvered the craft next to a tree and pointed ahead at a dirt embankment. "That’s the henge, up ahead," he whispered. "What do you think?"

Quinn scanned their surroundings. "Everything seems quiet so far. How about you two stay back here for a moment and let me go ahead first? If all seems clear, I’ll wave you up, and we can handle things from here."

They agreed and got off of the raft, standing on the exposed roots of the tree to keep out of the water. Quinn laid down on the raft and used his hands to paddle forward as quietly as he could, coming up to the embankment. There, he crawled out and pulled the raft onto land enough to feel that it was unlikely to drift away before creeping forward to peek over the edge.

Secure An Advantage: 6 + 2 Shadow = 8 vs 1/5 -> Strong Hit (choice: Prepare to act)

Momentum: 7 + 2 = 9

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 0 + 3 = 3

The embankment surrounded a circular basin filled with knee-high grass. A reedy lean-to was set up against a stunted tree, a bare and gnarled thing spreading dead branches like a skeletal umbrella. A large pelt hanging over a rope tied between two others gave cover to a few bedrolls, one of which had someone laying on it. Two more figures dressed in dark leathers sat on a disk of stone in the center of the basin, eating, with simple shields and axes nearby. They did not seem to be particularly alert, but the lay of the land offered little cover.

Quinn waved for the other two to advance, searching his surroundings while waiting for them to wade over. "I saw three down there, one resting and two eating," he said once Sibila and Eleri rejoined him. "I’ve got an idea to help me get closer. If it works, I can hold one hostage while you two gather anything they stole, plus anything else that you can. In the best case, we can be in and out without any big risks."

"You want to just leave them, so that they can raid us again some day?" Sibila asked, incredulous. "Kiah had tried to just scare them off, and he died for it."

"That was when they were attacking you. Showing that you can hit them after they killed your defender and leave them worse off for their raid is another story." Quinn paused for a moment, pushing back old memories. "If they try to fight, I’m fine doing what we have to to survive, but the safest way for us to get through this is to not start a fight in the first place."

Compel: 4 + 3 Heart = 7 vs 6/10 -> Weak Hit

Sibila narrowed his eyes. "Fine, we can try things you way, but it’ll be on your head if either of us gets hurt. And if they try attacking Redmoor again, I’ll find a way to make you pay for it."

"Agreed."

Face Danger: 3 + 2 Shadow + 1 Trickster = 6 vs 9/10 -> Miss

Quinn circled around the embankment, until he judged that he was positioned where the lean-to would be between him and the pair of raiders eating. He loaded a stone into his sling and launched it to make a noise on the opposite side before sending himself over the lip. The idea worked initially, getting the raiders to turn their attention away, but his slide down into the basin made more noise than he had expected, and they noticed him before he could hide in the grass.

"Well, aren’t you a pretty one," one of them said as they snatched up their arms and advanced towards him. "Not too bright, but that’s fine with me. If you give up, we can show you some pleasure before we gut you."

The threat filled Quinn with rage, and he gave up any thoughts of sparing the scum in front of him as he sprang up to his feet. "Sibila!" he shouted. "Eleri!"

"Have it your way!"

Foe: Storm Shield Raiders (Dangerous)

Enter The Fray: 5 +3 Heart = 8 vs 3/7 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 9 + 2 = 10

Strike: 5 + 1 Iron = 6 vs 7/8 -> Miss

Burn Momentum: Strong Hit, Momentum Reset (2)

Harm: 2 + 1 vs Dangerous = 6 Progress

The two raiders came at him, but Quinn’s fury burned away the fear that he should have had. He drew his knife as he slipped past the first swinging axe, bracing his shoulder against the raider’s arm to pin it to his chest long enough for his knife to stab forward unimpeded, burying in between the raider’s ribs. Quinn tore the blade free and scampered back, ready to face the other while that one collapsed, wheezing sickly.

"Run now," Quinn said as he heard Sibila and Eleri yelling to join in, "and you might survive." It was a lie, but he thought he would rather stab the raider in the back than face them in a straight fight.

Compel: 1 + 2 Shadow + 1 Trickster = 4 vs 7/7 -> Miss + Match

Momentum: 2 – 2 = 0

The remaining raider seemed to hesitate, baiting Quinn into relaxing and failing to notice that the fallen one had crawled closer until he felt a grip close on his ankle, holding him in place for the unscathed raider to attack.

Face Danger: 4 + 1 Iron = 5 vs 1/5 -> Weak Hit

Health: 3 – 1 = 2

Endure Harm: 4 + 1 Iron = 5 vs 3/4 -> Strong Hit (choice: Embrace the pain)

Momentum: 0 + 1 = 1

Quinn managed to stop the incoming blade from chopping into him, but the sheer force behind the blow knocked him off of his feet, wrenching his ankle in the downed raider’s grip. He kicked a boot heel against that hand to break free and scrambled backward along the ground. The remaining raider pulled up short as the two others neared, giving Quinn an opening to rise again. Keeping his attention on the raider, Quinn signaled for Sibila and Eleri to spread out so that they could surround their foe.

As they moved around, Quinn saw the third raider, now awake and armed, approaching quietly. Recognizing they had to act quickly to keep their three-to-one advantage, Quinn shouted a warning about the reinforcement before lunging forward.

End The Fight: 6 Progress vs 1/2 -> Strong Hit

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 3 + 3 = 6

Being the smallest of the trio and injured already, the raider underestimated how much of a threat Quinn could pose and so was slow to react to the sudden strike. Quinn’s knife cut into the raider’s thigh before slicing downward, exiting at the knee. The raider fell immediately, unable to support their own weight anymore, leaving Sibila and Eleri free to face off against the third. From how much blood was pouring forth, Quinn was certain he had dealt a mortal wound.

"Your allies are dead," Quinn said flatly, keeping the third raider in his peripheral vision while watching the second’s death throes. "Surrender, and you’ll have a chance to beg for mercy." Quinn felt certain he knew Sibila well enough to judge that none would be granted.

Compel: 1 + 2 Shadow + 1 Trickster = 4 vs 1/5 -> Weak Hit

"After you lot just killed them?" the woman hissed angrily. "How about I give each of you a duel to the death instead?"

Quinn looked at Eleri, then Sibila. "She’s yours."

Battle: 6 + 3 Heart = 9 vs 3/8 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 1 + 2 = 3

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 6 + 3 = 9

Fulfill Your Vow: 9 Progress vs 9/9 -> Miss + Match

The two gave the last raider little chance, keeping her at bay with their spears and lashing out whenever she was focused on the other one until she went down. Quinn, however, paid little mind to that, as he felt a pull on his second sight.

Opening his mind, he saw a silhouette seated on the stone disk where the first two raiders had been eating. A wash of darkness reached out from its form towards the three corpses in the henge.

"Gather what you can, quickly," Quinn said, interrupting the celebratory taunts the other two were hurling at the fallen bodies. "We have to get back to Redmoor and prepare, before it’s too late."

---

Character Summary: Quinn of Axeford

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

Health: +2 / 5

Spirit: +2 / 5

Supply: +1 / 5

Momentum: +3 (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)

Deal with the raiders who attacked Redmoor (Dangerous, 1 / 10 Progress)

Assets:

Bonded (x / - / -)

Sighted (x / - / -)

Trickster (x / - / -)

Cutthroat (x / - / -)

Session 8