Ironsworn RPG is a solo TTRPG designed by Shawn Tomkin (links for the game can be found in the Dragon's Hoard). In our first adventure, we will be following the story of Jaggar Kova as he journeys around the Ironlands. We set up the character, his initial relationships, and motivations in Session 0 part 1 and part 2. If you missed Session 1, you can find it here.
Dice Rolls
Jaggar set out at dawn. He knew if he made good time, he could reach the vicinity of Stonetower before mid-afternoon. The prisoner could not tell him the cave's precise location, only that it was a bit further north than the Stonetower settlement.
He trekked north through the low scrub brush of the Ragged Coast, seeing nothing but shorebirds and the occasional beaver. What few trees subsisted in the sandy soil were tall and thin conifers, their seaward side needles browned from exposure to the cold, salty winds blowing in off the ocean. At mid-morning, Jaggar passed the ruins of an ancient fortification, the site of a destroyed beacon tower from before his people had arrived in the Ironlands. He stopped for a bite to eat and to rest his legs, enjoying the brisk breeze on his sweat-streaked face.
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By late afternoon, Jaggar found himself in an old grove of thick conifers. He soon discovered a small village tucked away in the trees. The rough-hewn cabins and dirt paths seemed to almost blend into the surrounding trees. A man stepped into his way, as though from nowhere. Jaggar was startled to see the figure on the path before him, and weighed his options, even as his hand strayed to the hilt of his sword.
"Ho traveler!" the man said, raising an empty hand in greeting. "We don't see many folks around these parts."
"I am just passing through on my way north," Jaggar replied, letting his palm rest on the pommel of his sword.
"North you say?"
"Aye, north."
"Our woodsmen spotted a group of raiders headed north last night. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you stranger?"
"They attacked my village and made off with our Chieftain."
"I suspected something of the sort. You may pass through our village but I would request you spend your evening elsewhere. My people do not take quickly to outsiders."
"I appreciate the warning. I will not tarry."
The man moved from the path and motioned Jaggar forward. He moved through the village quickly, cognizant of the many eyes turned his way from windows and doorways. On the other side of the village, the grove began to thin rapidly, and he soon found himself in the open air.
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Jaggar built a small fire in the clearing just beyond the grove and warmed some of the dried meat from his pack over the flames. While chewing on the tough meat, he considered the situation. He had no idea what he would find at this cave, or if this was, in fact, even where the Stonetower warriors had taken Serene. The fear the captive warrior seemed to exhibit whenever speaking of the settlement's leadership also concerned Jaggar. The man was clearly terrified. Jaggar considered the potential of using this fear to his advantage, turning the people of Stonetower against their leaders, but determined this was beyond his capabilities. He had only ever been a smith and a warrior. Diplomacy and guile were not his strong suit. As he mulled these thoughts, his eyes grew heavy, and he fell asleep no closer to answers.
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The next morning, before the sun had edged itself over the horizon, Jaggar was up and moving again. He pushed down the morose thoughts of the night before and hardened his resolve. The next few hours were quiet, only the sounds of birds carried by the wind filled his ears. The land began to rise on one side, leading up to a lush green hill that towered over the lowlands below. Jaggar, unfamiliar with the landscape this far to the north, decided to trek up the hill and get a better lay of the land.
Atop the hill, he was able to see for several miles all around. To the east, the gray of the sea extended to the horizon, but the coast itself was obscured by the rise and fall of sand dunes and scattered copse of trees and shrub brush. The saltwater marsh lay below him and stretched north, where he could just make out the ruined tower from which Stonetower received its name. Beyond the settlement, small, barren hills rose. The hills marched north until they met the Veiled Mountains many miles in the distance, their shadows dark against the pale, gray sky.
Dice Rolls
Jaggar descended the hill and traveled the last couple miles north without interruption. He came to the outskirts of the Stonetower settlement by mid-afternoon and crouched in a stand of stunted trees on a low hill to the west of the village. From his vantage, he could see into the settlement itself. There seemed to be a celebration of some sort under way in the village square. He could see crowds of people milling about, and the two burly warriors who had taken the chieftain sitting astride their steeds. Standing atop a platform was Chieftain Serene, her nightgown torn and dirty. A man dressed in fine clothes stood beside her, addressing the people. Jaggar was too far away to hear what he was saying.
When the people cheered, however, the sound of their celebration carried up to him. He watched as the chieftain was led away by the now dismounted warriors. They led her toward the ruined tower. Jaggar knew now that his quest would be more difficult. No longer was he to invade a cave. Instead, he must sneak into the village and the Stonetower itself to rescue the chieftain.
Dice Rolls
Jaggar's quest grows more perilous--things are not what he expected at Stonetower. What new dangers will he face? Session 3 drops Tuesday, 7 June right here on Just Roll With It.
