So. I was thrown a solo RPG called Ironsworn and challenged to write a character and a world. Then Alex got his tentacles all in a tiff when I asked what the article should look like. Ah well. This is what I’m giving you.

I don’t always do writing challenges. I call myself “picky” because I want to pick and choose what I want to do, not what someone else has asked me to do. Nevermind that I tire of a sword and sorcery setting. But that pickiness also leads to “choice paralysis,” of which I am supremely good at not choosing something.

There’s a “real” feeling you get when someone else asks you to do something, yeah? You want to get it done for them as soon and as best you can. Well, that last part didn’t happen — I’m far too distractible.

But here it is.

As much as I don’t care for the setting, I’m also tired of not feeling like I do anything creative — because a lot of times, I don’t.

This project is to get me moving again. Get me thinking about creating stories again. Get me thinking about CREATING again.

— -

The concept of Ironsworn is that you live in a fictionalized version of the Middle Ages (villages not kingdoms, although I’m sure there’ll be a supplement for that at some point if necessary.) So, definitely, a sword and sorcery type thing.

The default setting as described in the core rulebook:

“It is a rugged peninsula of isolated communities and untracked wilds on the frontier of the known world.”

Yeah, sword and sorcery, The Witcher and Geralt-land, something much akin to most Dungeons & Dragons settings.

So, New Zealand!

HOWEVER, somewhere in the book it states that it could be used for other settings as well. So, let’s be more intrigued.

“You are a hero, sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands.”

Vows are sacred. You bind your honor to your vow. “Abandoning or recanting an oath is the worst sort of failure.” Yes, worse than THAT, even.

I could play with this.

— — — –

To help you create your world, there is a whole workbook(!!) of questions to fill out which, I suppose, if you were wanting to get on with things, you go ahead and answer a couple relevant questions, but because I’m me — and Alex is Alex — sure, I’m answering, well, most of the questions.

You state your Truths, or the Truths of your World. Here, you were given three different answers to each question.

The Old World:

The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path. Thousands fled aboard ships. However the plague could not be outrun. On many ships, the disease was contained through ruthless measures — — tossing overboard any who exhibited the slightest symptom. Other ships were forever lost. In the end, those who survived found the Ironlands and made it their new home. Some say we will forever be cursed by those we left behind.

This sounds very, very “The Stand”-ish.

Iron:

Inscrutable metal pillars are found thoughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.

So, I like the idea of there being objects of unknown origin placed sporadically around the land. This plays into my vision of the setting, but I really don’t want to know what their true meaning is. I like the fact there are those who worship the pillars, but I don’t want to determine whether that’s a “true” thing or not.” I like the whole mystery of it all.

Legacies:

Before the Ironlanders, before even the firstborn, another people lived here. Their ancient ruins are found throughout the Ironlands.

Love this idea — love the idea of going into the ruins and exploring the origins of the land.

Communities:

We have forged the ironlands into a home. Villages within the Havens are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements in the Havens and those in outlying regions. Even so, much of this land is untamed.

So there are towns with business areas and living areas.

When I squint to see this, I see huts and houses made of wood and brick. No running water. Obviously no electricity.

I need to do some research and consider more about where this community is.

Leaders:

Each of our communities has its own leader, called an overseer. Every seventh spring, the people affirm their current overseer or choose a new one. Some overseers wear the iron circlet reluctantly, while other thirst for power and gain it through schemes or threats.

I like the idea of the people being able to determine their leader. It also absolutely comes with some fantastic political stories, I’m sure.

Defense:

The wardens are our soliders, guards, and militia. They serve their communities by standing sentry, patrolling surrounding lands, and organizing defenses in times of crisis. Most have strong ties to their community. Others, called free wardens, are wandering mercenaries who hire on to serve a community or protect caravans.

So, I like the shadowy guards and soldiers. But they carry a dark secret.

One that I don’t have to determine until the story requires it.

Mysticism:

Magic is rare and dangerous, but those few who wield the power are truly gifted.

So, I liked magic being real, but I didn’t want people to be able to do anything they want with it. I can limit magic — because it is rare, and because it is dangerous — to one spell per character per five levels (or however many levels sounds good to you, depending on level progression).

So, at high levels, people in this world may have magic, but at some of the highest levels, maybe they have like five spells? Or they have a detriment that gets worse every time they use their magic?

Religion:

The people honor old gods and new. In this harsh land a prayer is a simple but powerful comfort.

There is always a fight between the old gods and the new gods regardless of where you are. This could be a fun story a la American Gods.

Firstborn:

The firstborn live in isolation and are fiercely protective of their own lands.

I haven’t determined the intelligence level of the firstborn yet, but I didn’t state how well the people actually know the firstborn either.

Beasts:

Beasts of all sorts roam the ironlands. They dwell primarily in the reaches but range into the settled lands to hunt. There, they often prey on cattle but attacks on travelers, caravans, or even settlements are not uncommon.

This is good.

Horrors:

We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.

And, of course, it’s always scary at night, right?

— — — -

These questions were given after different foes and encounters were listed. Was I supposed to answer these as well? I answered some of them below… but I think all of this is too much world to be building to not get started :)

Your Truth:

A large raider clan is known and feared throughout the Ironlands. What is it called? Who leads it?

The Outsetters. Othos Zhan. Othos Zhan is no more than a whisper on the wind.

Warriors’ shields are often emblazoned with meaningful symbols. What are they?

Your clan colors and patron saint.

Elves conceal their faces behind ornate wooden masks. What do these masks signify?

Dramatis Personae — they slip on masks like one slips on shows. They take on the persona of the mask rather than fit the mask to who they are. Every elf creates their collection themselves.

Every fifth spring, the giant clans meet for a gathering. There, the memory-keepers sing of a great giant hero, revered by all. Who is this hero?

Galliant the Giant, who kept the village alive during the Deep Dark. There are songs about him.

A young varou receives their keth — a curved dagger — before undergoing a rite of passage. What must they do to take their place among the adults of the clan?

The varou’s first true bloodcall. Usually takes place around puberty.

Some gaunts live in wild herds. They once roamed the wilds in countless numbers, but few now remain. What has happened to thin herd so dramatically?

Illegal hunting and climate change has been less preferable to its main food source.

Some piece of a basilisk anatomy is prized by the Ironlanders. What is it? How is it used?

Basilisk teeth are prized by the ironlanders and used as totems for necklaces or pouches carried around the neck. Basilisks are fairly rare — these totems provide protection from poison and potions, both. Potions do not work on the holder — even ones that should have a good effect will not work. It’s like drinking water. However, any poison you may come across doesn’t work either.

What people of the Ironlands revere and protect the Elder beast? What group hunts them and why?

The Lostbarrow people. With the seasons and the phases of the moon, they have a celebration of the four Elder beasts (wolf, cougar, bear, eagle) four times a year during the equinoxes and the solstices.

Elder beasts are rarely seen anymore. It is speculated that there is an Elder Wolf and an Elder Cougar, one at either end of the world (one for equinoxes and one for solstices). No one knows whether there are more.

The Whitewood people hunt the Elder beasts. The best warrior goes out once a year to hunt for his Elder beast. Occasionally the Elder beasts show up and give the warrior a boon. Rarely are the Elder beasts killed like the Bear and the Eagle were.

Some coastal people believe leviathans are a manifestation of an ancient spirit. What is it?

“The Dragon at the End of the World,” they would call it. When the fight at the end of the world began, the leviathan would be released from its watery prison.

Rumors persist of a wyvern graveyard where wyverns instinctively go when their death is near. Where is this supposedly located? In what way do Ironlanders make use of wyvern bones?

There’s a secret location in the Shadowed Wastes where wyverns go to die. It’s quite the hike in. Wyvern bones are used in clothing and jewelry. A knife made of the bone of a wyvern was an exceptional knife that never went dull.

Can creatures other than Ironlanders become frostbound? If so, undeath gives them uncanny strength. Make them use one rank higher than their living form.

Yes, definitely — think the bear scene in Annihilation (the movie). When they breathe, they make human-like sounds. The longer they “survive,” the longer they have to practice these sounds as bait to bring the humans in closer.

When someone dies a violent death , or at the hand of another, they are often laid to rest using a specific, ceremonial rite. This, it is belived, prevents them from returning as a haunt. What is this ritual? What rare material is required?

Ok, I honestly don’t know.

How do elven communities view a risen hollow? Are they seen as spirits or righteous vengeance or as dangerous aberrations?

A bit as spirits. A bit as righteous vengeance.

Many Ironlanders habitually practice a quick ritual when near a body of water, believing it keeps any lurking sodden at bay. What do they do? Is there any truth to this custom?

They take a handful of water in their right hand and sprinkle it over the left shoulder.

—

ENOUGH! ARGH! Character-time!

My character’s name is Mai Nadira.

Mai is a young woman in her twenties with long straight black hair, brown skin.

She’s an animal trainer. A Beasthunter if she needs the money.

Her underlying motivation is that she wants better than what she currently has.

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

Background: Mai arrived in her home village in the winter when she was about 8 years old. She was alone except for the young hawk that kept close.

No one knows who abandoned her. She was loosely dressed in a rudimentary animal hide shirt and pants. She was adopted by a childless couple who raised her as their own.

Her background vow: To protect her adopted tribe.

Inciting Incident: A Mystic returns home and is different. Something has changed about him — he seems crazy, off his rocker, spitting out cliches and weird phrases as a tic. But people say he’s clairvoyant — he knows the future.

Mai is surprisingly ambivalent on this — maybe he does, and maybe he doesn’t. When she talks to him, she asks him for a piece of information that she can use to prove he’s telling the truth.

He tells her that her parents are going to die. But will not say where or when or what kills them because it’s an event that has to occur.

The Mystic kills Mai’s parents — “It was foreseen.”

Vow after Inciting Incident: She is searching for the Mystic who killed her parents.

Background Bond: She is bonded to her bird, Bubo. (Of course that’s the bird’s name!)

Background Bond: She is bonded to the people in the village where she grew up.

Background Bond: Can there be some secretive bond where she had “bonded” to a person or a place before she came to the village she grew up in? If so, that’s exactly what I want.

Assets:
Mai has a Hawk companion.

She is an Archer.

She is a Wildblood. Whatever that means. Something to do with being in and of Nature. There’s a little bit of magic in her makeup.

— —
So, I actually like this character. She’s beginning to take shape and I think I could push her in many different directions.

This was surprisingly fun. Surprisingly only because I really hate — I mean, I despise the setting. And this… is okay :)

Now how do I take what I’ve got and translate it into a world that I _want_ to live in…?