Quinn of Axeford (Ironsworn Actual Play - Session 8)

Session 0

Session 7

Well, after the last session took an unexpected twist with its dice results, this one had its ups and downs line up wonderfully with the flow I was hoping for. Managed to turn what had been a random sidequest into something connected to Quinn's background vow, and I was cheering in my seat at some of those dice rolls. It was a very fun session.

---

Sibila and Eleri looked at Quinn in confusion, but his panicking state spoke volumes to them in that moment. Working together, they repurposed the struts of the lean-to and the pelt over the bedrolls into a litter to carry as much as they could load onto it. Whatever uncertainties the pair might have had about listening to Quinn were overcome by their eagerness to recover the stolen food and more, and so in short order, the three were back on the raft, returning to Redmoor.

"What was that all about?" Sibila finally asked.

Quinn struggled for a moment to think of how to explain his premonition. "That place, it seemed like the sort to have had a history. I’m worried that spilling blood there might’ve awakened something best left slumbering. I hope I’m wrong and nothing comes of it, but I’m worried we’ll be needed for more tonight."

Face Danger: 3 + 1 Edge = 4 vs 2/6 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 3 – 1 = 2

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 1 + 2 = 3

Weighed down by the recovered goods, the return trip was slower than expected, but to Quinn’s relief, they still managed to reach Redmoor before the sun set. Faces marked with concern for the missing pair turned to confusion at their return with a stranger, then elation at the sight of their bounty. Quinn expected the other villagers would not listen to him, so he pulled Sibila aside to say, "Please, tell the people to set up a perimeter of torchlight and then fortify themselves as well as they can in their homes. If what I fear is going to happen does happen, we may not have much time, and we have to work together."

Forge A Bond: 5 + 3 Heart = 8 vs 4/10 -> Weak Hit

Compel: 2 + 3 Heart = 5 vs 3/9 -> Weak Hit

Sibila held Quinn’s gaze for a moment, thinking. "You’ve been a good ally so far, but don’t think that I trust you fully just yet, Quinn. If anything happens, you’d better be at the forefront of keeping my people safe."

"I will be."

"See that you are." Sibila broke off at that and gave the orders as Quinn had wanted. The people were hesitant at first, but once Eleri started to move, the others listened. In short order, a pair of torches were set up illuminating each of the four paths up the hill, and aside from the three of them, everyone was shut inside their huts.

Gather Information: 3 + 2 Wits + 1 Sighted = 6 vs 4/7 -> Weak Hit

Momentum: 2 + 1 + 1 Sighted = 4

"Care to share any details about what we should expect?" Sibila asked, his tone indicating that he was still skeptical of Quinn’s concerns.

Quinn stepped into the darkness beyond the torches and walked a slow circle around the hill. He could feel the dark wave from the henge all around them, as if it was spread throughout the waters of the marsh. "I’m not sure," he said finally. "It could come from anywhere. I think we should spread out, each of us on a different side of the hill. Try to keep hidden, and stay alert for anything out of the ordinary."

Secure An Advantage: 4 + 2 Shadow = 6 vs 7/8 -> Miss

They separated as he suggested. The buzz of wetland vermin seemed to be all Quinn could hear over his breathing, the night air somehow simultaneously cold and humid. Sitting alone for a while, huddled in the shadow of a hut, the tension tugged at Quinn’s patience, replacing it with a growing sense of anxiety. Whatever grace he had earned with Sibila and Eleri was clearly fraying from his seemingly-erratic behavior since events at the henge, and he was starting to worry if he was jumping at ghosts, on edge from the rot smell of the marsh.

Except that was a smell he had grown accustomed to hours ago, which meant it had to be something else now.

Foe: Storm Shield Raiders Reanimated (Dangerous)

Enter The Fray: 6 + 2 Wits = 8 vs 6/10 -> Weak Hit (choice: Bolster your position)

Momentum: 4 + 2 = 6

Quinn tried to sink further into the shadow when he saw it, a shape lumbering in the darkness. The torchlight reflected off of the wet slick of dark, water-soaked leather, with the crescent of an axe catching a highlight. A stain of inky blackness spilled forth down one leg, where Quinn had carved through that thigh earlier. It was, unmistakably, one of the dead raiders, moving now on unseen strings.

It was, unmistakably, only one of the dead raiders. A shout from Sibila drew Quinn’s attention, and then a yell from Eleri snapped it to the other side of the hill. They had outmaneuvered his preparation, catching each of them alone. With the figure turning directly towards him, seemingly not needing any light, that clearly included Quinn as well.

Face Danger: 6 + 1 Edge = 7 vs 1/5 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 6 + 1 = 7

Secure An Advantage: 6 + 2 Shadow = 8 vs 5/6 -> Strong Hit (choice: Take control)

Quinn did not feel confident about facing one of these moving corpses alone, so as it came at him, he threw himself away from it. Adrenaline dulled the pain in his ankle as he dashed around the base of the hill towards where Sibila was clashing with another. It had not seemed to notice him yet, so he closed quickly, drawing his knife.

Strike: 1 + 1 Iron + 2 Cutthroat + 1 = 5 vs 2/4 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 7 + 1 Cutthroat = 8

Harm: 2 + 1 vs Dangerous = 6 Progress

Quinn gripped the knife two-handed and slashed across the raider’s legs, cutting through both hamstrings. The creature faltered, giving an opening for Sibila’s spear to sink in under its jaw. It fell still instantly, unnaturally. Sibila locked eyes with Quinn, wearing a mixed expression of shock and horror. "What th-"

"Later," Quinn interjected, hustling up the hill. "Eleri first."

Ask The Oracle: "Is Eleri still unscathed?" (Likely) = 70 -> Yes

Looking down from the top of the hill, Quinn was thankful to see that Eleri was still unharmed. As Sibila ran by, he launched a stone at the raider from his sling.

Strike: 2 + 1 Edge = 3 vs 1/9 -> Weak Hit

Harm: 1 vs Dangerous = 8 Progress

The stone caught the corpse in its face, sinking in with seemingly little effect. Sibila engaged it, however, and Quinn decided to trust that the pair could handle it as he scanned the darkness for any sign of the one that had attacked him initially, opening his mind for any aid that might provide.

Face Danger: 4 + 2 Wits + 1 Sighted = 7 vs 1/2 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 8 + 1 Sighted + 1 = 10

"Quinn."

He turned towards the voice, one that he recognized immediately, and saw the raider’s silhouette against the starlit sky. The axe came down where he had been standing, finding only empty air, as Quinn drove off of his uninjured leg with his full weight behind a thrust at the creature’s chest.

Strike: 6 + 1 Iron = 7 vs 3/9 -> Weak Hit

Burn Momentum: Strong Hit, Momentum Reset (2)

Harm: 2 + 1 vs Dangerous = 10 Progress

End The Fight: 10 Progress vs 5/8 -> Strong Hit

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 3 + 2 = 5

The blade sank into the creature, and then Quinn also crashed, sending both of them to the ground. Having been braced for the impact, Quinn wasted no time in withdrawing the knife and stabbing again, and again, until he was certain that the raider was no longer moving.

Sibila and Eleri found him just before he had finished with that. "Easy there, Quinn," Sibila said, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

Quinn jerked away from the contact, rolling onto his back, knife bared and ready, until he saw them. He laid there, breathing heavily, eyes searching wildly.

"Easy there," Sibila repeated. "They’re all dead."

"They were dead already," Quinn said, calming enough to pull himself up to his feet. He wiped the gore off of his knife and sheathed it. "This isn’t over."

"No," Sibila said, nodding in agreement, "but for the moment, it’ll do. Gather the bodies in Kiah’s hut. We can burn them there to keep them quiet."

Bond: Village of Redmoor

Bond Progress: 0.75 + 0.25 = 1

Glad that they had the same understanding of how to delay the restless dead, Quinn grabbed the body nearest him as the other two left, but his mind was miles away, back in the ruins near Axeford, wondering how he could have heard the figure’s voice just now, and why it had seemingly warned him of danger.

Reach A Milestone: "Heal the scars..." Progress: 0.25 + 0.25 = 0.5

Eleri weighed down the bodies large stones before they were set on fire. "Come," Sibila said to Quinn, pulling him away from the scene. "You can rest with my family tonight."

Quinn nodded and went along, grateful to have a place to sleep.

Make Camp: 1 + 1 Supply = 2 vs 4/8 -> Miss

Spirit: 2 – 1 = 1

Endure Stress: 4 + 3 Heart = 7 vs 8/10 -> Miss

Momentum: 2 – 1 = 1

Quinn had been too exhausted to notice how little he had eaten that day, and his sleep was plagued by nightmares again, both of the sort he had suffered from before and new ones involving the figure from the ruins. Come morning, he was sitting at the altar under the thatch ceiling before sunrise, feeling tired and haunted in equal measures. The other villagers avoided him, until Sibila sat across from him.

"You look like shit," he said.

"I feel like it, too," Quinn replied, "but I’ll manage. The raiders stayed quiet, but that’s not likely to last through another night, if the stories I’ve heard are true."

Eleri also joined them as Sibila said, "Back to the henge, then?"

Quinn nodded. "I think we should bring them, too. Not that I’ve ever done this before, but it might help."

"Are you a mystic?" Sibila asked.

Quinn shook his head. "If I was, I wouldn’t be searching for one to give me answers about the curse in Axeford." He rose and let out a deep breath. "I’ll be happy to talk more later, after Redmoor’s safe from them."

Face Danger: 5 + 3 Heart = 8 vs 5/7 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 1 + 1 = 2

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 5 + 2 = 7

Reusing their makeshift litter from the previous day, the three of them loaded the remains of the raiders onto their raft and set out for the henge. Quinn had suggested that they walk instead, not entirely comfortable sharing the raft with their macabre cargo, but he was limping enough for Sibila to talk him out of that.

When they reached it, Quinn was quick to step out and climb the embankment, searching for any hints about what they had to do next.

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

Momentum: 2 + 1 Sighted + 1 = 4

Oracle 1/2 (Action/Theme): 13/06 = Surrender/Safety

With his second sight, Quinn could still detect some traces of the dark energy flickering around the stone disc at the center of the basin. He hobbled toward it, and when he neared, ethereal sigils formed in the spectral fan of flames. "Bring the remains," he called out, and then he drew his knife before waiting for the pair to arrive.

"Well? Any ideas?" Sibila asked.

Still facing the disc, Quinn nodded. "By spilled blood was this site awakened, and so by blood shall it be laid dormant again. Three of them, three of us." He turned and grabbed one corner of the litter. "Help me put the remains onto the disc."

Once the bones were all in position, he directed the other two to stand surrounding the disc. Quinn sliced across his palm and held it out, letting the blood drip until it clotted before passing the knife to Sibila. "Both of you, do this as well. Make sure all the blood spills on the bones."

"And then?" Sibila asked hesitantly.

"And then we pray that it works."

Face Danger: 5 + 3 Heart = 8 vs 6/10 -> Weak Hit

Health: 2 – 1 = 1

Endure Harm: 3 + 1 Iron = 4 vs 9/10 -> Miss

Momentum: 4 – 1 = 3

Reach A Milestone: "Deal with the..." Progress: 7 + 2 = 9

Fulfill Your Vow: 9 Progress vs 2/8 -> Strong Hit

EXP: 4 + 2 Dangerous = 6 (3 unspent)

Sibila and Eleri shared an uncertain look, but they followed through with their parts of the ritual. Once that was done, Quinn said the only fitting prayer he could think of, the prayer of peace and safety in death. It burned on his tongue to speak the words over the remains of the raiders, but he found the will to push past the distaste.

The silence stretched when he finished. Sibila broke it eventually to ask, "Well?"

Quinn raised his unmarred hand in a signal for patience as he stared at the stone disc. Little by little, the sigils faded, and the dark energy withdrew, until it was just the faintest flicker of instability. He guessed that was the best they could hope for. "It seems like it worked," he said.

"And you still claim you aren’t a mystic?" Sibila asked.

Test Your Bond: 5 + 3 Heart = 8 vs 3/10 -> Weak Hit

Oracle 1/2 (Action/Theme): 100/54 = Summon/Creature

"After all this, you don’t trust me?" Quinn asked, hurt.

Sibila’s expression wavered for a moment, but he stiffened to say, "You showed up out of nowhere the day after the raiders had fortunate circumstances to kill Kiah, and then you happened to come up with a plan for dealing with them that woke up whatever evil sleeps in this henge. That’s an awful lot of misfortune to all be coincidences."

"It does seem bad," Quinn agreed, "but you guessed the raiders were at this henge before I showed up, and I’ve fought beside you twice against them. In front of you, even. If I had some nefarious purpose, I wouldn’t have exposed myself by running to save you last night, or I would’ve hit Eleri with my sling and pretended that was an accident. Believing me or not is up to you, but I know I speak the truth, and I think my actions, and my willingness to put myself in danger ahead of either of you when I could, should make that plain enough."

Compel: 4 + 3 Heart = 7 vs 2/8 -> Weak Hit

"And what about saying a funeral prayer for this trash?"

Compel: 3 + 3 Heart = 6 vs 1/4 -> Strong Hit

Momentum: 3 + 1 = 4

"It was the only prayer I could think of to encourage their spirits to rest. Trash in life they were, but they deserve a final death, especially when the alternative is for them to haunt your village."

Sibila opened his mouth to retort, but Eleri put a hand to his chest to cut him off and gave him a stern look. With a sigh and a reluctant nod, Sibila said, "Indeed you helped us, Quinn of Axeford, and your words ring with truth. I’d asked you to be at the forefront, and you have been. I’m just shaken by all this, but it’s unfair to take that out on you."

Quinn laid a hand on Sibila’s shoulder and smiled. "We all have moments. Come on, let’s make this return count for taking what we had to leave behind before, and then we can go back to Redmoor with the good news."

---

Character Summary: Quinn of Axeford

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

Health: +1 / 5

Spirit: +1 / 5

Supply: +1 / 5

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

EXP: 3 available / 6 total

Bonds: 1 / 10 Progress

Vows:

Heal the scars left by the haunt that had attacked Valeri (Epic, 0.5 / 10 Progress)

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

Assets:

Bonded (x / - / -)

Sighted (x / - / -)

Trickster (x / - / -)

Cutthroat (x / - / -)