Ironsworn RPG is a TTRPG developed by Shawn Tomkin. In this actual play, we follow Jaggar Kova on his adventures in the Ironlands. If you want to catch up with the story so far, you can find Session 1 here, and if you'd like to see how we built the character, you can check out Session 0 part 1 and part 2.
Dice Rolls
“Serene,” Jaggar called quietly, rubbing the sleeping woman’s shoulder gently. “Serene, it’s time to go.”
Serene stirred, her eyes flickering against the pale dawn sunlight. Jaggar smiled down at her, trying to hide the emotions he battled all night. She smiled back, her eyes still tired and sunken in from her ordeal with the raiders.
“Good morning,” she said, pushing up on an elbow. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Something like that,” Jaggar mumbled and turned away before his face gave away his feelings. “I warmed up some meat before snuffing the fire. It’s tough, but edible.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking the proffered meat. Between bites, she asked, “How long do you think it’ll take us to get home?”
“If we start soon and encounter no issues, we can make Olgar’s Stand by sundown.”
“Good, I have the feeling our people will need us soon.”
“As do I,” Jaggar said, strapping his sword belt around his waist and packing up the rest of his gear as Serene ate.
Jaggar stepped away from the campsite and stared into the pine grove. He considered going back the way he had come, hoping the hidden village would allow him passage once again. But he did not want to risk bringing those folk into conflict with Stonetower, should pursuers follow them there. He was determined to go further west, about midway between the campsite and the coastal cliffs, and enter the grove further away from the village. It would add an hour to their journey, but he considered the extra time worth it if it spared the village Stonetower’s wrath.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked once he had made up his mind.
“Yes.” Serene rolled up the bedroll and held it out to Jaggar.
Jaggar strapped the bedroll to his pack, checked his satchel and sword belt, and nodded to Serene. They walked away from the campsite and toward the coast only a few miles away. Shorebirds, flying further inland to find worms and grubs for their breakfast, cawed above.
“Why aren’t we entering the forest?” Serene asked as they crested a low hill.
Jaggar explained his choice to go around the village, and Serene saw the wisdom in his plan.
“You are a considerate man, Jaggar,” she said, quietly.
Jaggar turned to look at her, surprised to hear those words come out of her mouth. “Am I?”
“You are, indeed. A lesser person would not have cared for a village they had no connection to. But not you. You go out of your way to keep others safe.”
“It is what Sendra would do, were she here.”
“She was a good role model for you, though perhaps she could have been a bit more affectionate.”
Jaggar laughed at that, her words echoing his thoughts from the night before. “She shows her affection in her own way, but I do think she rubbed off on me.”
“I can certainly agree with that.”
Jaggar wasn’t sure what to make of her reply, so he chose to say nothing. They walked on in silence until Jaggar stopped and spoke, “I think we’ve come far enough west.”
They turned south and entered the grove. Their footfalls were muted by the needle-covered ground. The soft scuffling of their boots on the ground, along with the gentle, salty breeze blowing through the trees, gave the wood an ethereal quality. Songbirds sang in the boughs of the ancient trees, while shorebird caws leant a cacophonous counterpoint. Rabbit and large red squirrels hopped along the forest floor, gathering berries and nuts or chittering to one another.
“Could you pass me the waterskin?” Serene asked.
Jaggar reached into his satchel and pulled the skin, only to find it was nearly empty. He passed it to Serene and made a mental note to keep an eye out for a pool or stream to refill it. Serene handed the skin back after a sip.
“It’s empty,” she reported. “You think there’s some place where we can…”
Jaggar stopped and motioned for her to be quiet. He drew his sword as quietly as he could and crouched behind a thick trunked pine. He could hear the sound of someone whistling in the wood, and after a moment, a figure appeared between the trees. The figure wore deerskin and carried a longbow of white wood.
“Stay here,” Jaggar whispered, then checked his grip on his sword and sprung out of hiding. The person jumped at the sound and made to draw an arrow from their quiver, but stopped mid-way through the action.
“Oh ho! Hello there, friend!” The figure said, their voice husky and clear. “You gave me a bit of a fright.”
Jaggar did not sheathe his sword. “Who are you?”
“I’m called Joa,” the cheery forester replied, smiling and resting their bow on the ground. “I live in the village over yonder way.” The forester motioned back the way they had come.
“I am Jaggar, of Olgar’s Stand. We are just passing through on our way home.”
“We? I see only one of you.”
Serene stepped out from behind the tree and stood beside Jaggar, her chin held high. “Hail Joa of the forest village, I am Serene, Chieftain of Olgar’s Stand.”
“Hail Chieftain Serene,” they said, bowing their head in respect. “You do not look so great, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
Serene laughed, even as Jaggar, untrusting by nature, adjusted his grip on his sword.
“It has been quite the journey south,” Serene replied. “Don’t mind my friend here, he is wary of strangers.”
“Nothing to fear here, I promise you,” Joa said, stepping forward. “You’ve a ways to go if your aim is the southern end of the grove. I happen to know the forest quite well, if you’d like a guide.”
Jaggar cleared his throat, about to answer the forester with a negative, but Serene spoke first. “Thank you Joa, that would be delightful. We need a place to refill our waterskin. Do you know of such a place?”
“I do, in fact. There’s a forest pool fed by an underground spring not far from here.” They picked up their bow and swung it onto their shoulder, then turned and walked jauntily ahead.
“I do not trust this Joa,” Jaggar muttered to Serene as they followed behind the forester.
“You do not trust anyone.”
“For good reason. For a chieftain, you trust too easily.”
“I believe people are innately good, and I give them the benefit of the doubt before passing a negative judgment.”
“That’s a good way to get stabbed in the back,” Jaggar muttered. Serene socked him in the bicep. He looked down at her, feigning shock.
Dice Results
Dice Rolls
They followed Joa through the grove on what Jaggar quickly realized was a game trail. The forester truly did know their way around the forest, and Jaggar did feel a bit of remorse for thinking unkindly toward them. They soon arrived at a small, clear pool. The stone-covered bottom was clearly visible in the shallow pond, and Jaggar crouched beside it. He reached down with cupped hands and lifted a handful of water to his mouth. It was cold and refreshing after so long with nothing but the tepid water in the old, goat-leather waterskin. After taking another sip from his hands, he pulled out the skin and dunked it into the pool. Serene crouched beside him and followed his lead, drinking several handfuls.
“Thank you, Joa,” Serene said as she stood. “Might we pick some of these berries?”
Around them, Jaggar noticed, was a large thicket laden with plump blackberries. He had to admit, the berries would be a pleasant change to the dried meat, and approved of Serene’s request.
“The forest’s bounty is for all,” Joa replied, picking a berry and tossing it into their mouth. “Take enough for the journey home.”
They picked a few handfuls of berries, and Jaggar stored them in his satchel. After a few more sips from the pool, they were ready to continue their journey home.
“Thank you, Joa, for leading us to water and these berries. I appreciate your aid,” Jaggar said, bowing to the forester.
“My pleasure, friends. If you require it, I would be happy to guide you to the edge of the forest.”
Jaggar accepted their offer, and they soon reached the edge of the wood. After saying their goodbyes to Joa and thanking them again for their aid, he and Serene set off across the more familiar shrublands toward home.
Dice Results
Dice Rolls
The companions stopped at the ruined beacon tower for a short rest and to eat some of the dried meat and berries. Jaggar was now confident they would make it back to Olgar’s Stand with little trouble, and might even make it before sunfall.
“What do you think this tower was?” Serene asked, looking up at the crumbling stone edifice.
“I believe it was a beacon tower, I’ve seen others of similar make further south and along the coast.”
“Do you think there’s anything in there worth finding?”
“I have never considered it,” Jaggar said, a sudden unease washing over him.
“Nor have I, til just now. We know precious little about the people who were here before, but I know of no one who has delved into their ruins in search of more knowledge.”
“The legends of the draugr probably keep people out. That, and this tower looks as if a good stiff breeze could topple it completely.”
“The draugr aren’t real. No more than the werebeasts or dragons in the legends,” Serene said, surprised that Jaggar would even come close to admitting to superstition. “And the tower has been here for generations, longer than our people for sure. It is still standing, so I do not think even a strong ocean breeze would easily topple it.”
“Be that as it may, I’ve no inclination to find out. Let’s get going. We can make it before sundown if we hurry.”
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