Otanu of Eos: 5 – The Great Temple of Torgana

A continuation of my previous mini-campaign about Heliana the Priestess. I am using Ironsworn, PocketLands 1.1 and Scarlet Heroes for hex-crawling and further inspiration. I have created a D100 hex-based version of the PocketLands Discovery Table: D100Lands.

Previously: Otanu is the son of Avella, queen of the island of Eos. The priestess Heliana has forced Avella to embrace the True Cult; Otanu refuses to do the same and sails to the East, vowing to bring back to Eos the cult of the Old Gods. Otanu is a devotee of the war goddess Torgana; when he lands across the sea, he swears to offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess. Otanu and his companions travel East to the city of Lavinia, where they free the son of Duke Darvus who had been kidnapped by rebels. Two of Otanu’s companions decide to stay in Lavinia. Otanu and the wizard Arakna leave Lavinia towards the temple of Torgana in the North. They find a dying priestess of the moon goddess Darna who was attacked by trolls; they find the liar of the trolls and recover the sacred ring of the priestess. They reach the ancient fortress built by the dwarf king Bigral. Inside the fortress, they are unable to stop an orcish priest from sacrificing a dwarf prisoner.

All episodes.

_____

Main character: Otanu, prince of Eos

Edge:2; Heart:3; Iron:4; Shadow:2; Wits:3.

Assets:
• Companion : “Kindred” (Arakna the Wizard) – Your friend stands by you. Skilled: When you make a move outside of combat (not a progress move) aided by your companion’s expertise, add +1.
• Path: “Herbalist” – When you attempt to Heal using herbal remedies, and you have at least +1 supply, you may choose one (decide before rolling). * Add +2. * On a hit, take or give an additional +1 health
• Combat Talent “Thunder-Bringer” – If you wield a mighty hammer… When you Face Danger, Secure an Advantage, or Compel by hitting or breaking an inanimate object, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

Health:3; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:1. Gold pieces: 730.

Arakna’s Health: 4/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0.5).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 6).

NPCs: Avella (Bond) :queen of the island of Eos, Otanu’s mother. Heliana: a priestess of the True Cult who forced Avella to return to the Cult; opponent of Otanu. Deshin the Dwarf and Willa the Warrior (Bonds): left Eos with Otanu and stopped in Lavinia. Duke Darvus of Lavinia (Bond): a pragmatic ruler who faces a conflict between his human subjects and dwarves he hired. Darvus Junior: Duke Darvus’ son, taken prisoner by rebels and rescued by Otanu. Tukun the wizard: a rebel vassal of Darvus captured by Otanu.

(I start this session with a little world-building about the religions I have met so far).

The Old Gods form a large pantheon with a god for each of the important aspects of life and the natural world. The gods we know of so far are Torgana (war), Darna (moon), Etaura (earth). The Old Gods are in an eternal struggle against Chaos; similarly, their worshippers fight worshippers of Chaos.

Chaos: wizards and chaos lords mess with demons and monsters. Their aim is overthrowing the existing kingdoms and gain power upon the whole world.

The True Cult is a newer religion coming from the West, across the sea. They claim that man and magic are the only truly divine entities. The Old Gods are not better than demons: they should all be destroyed and forgotten. The world should be ruled by the Cult as a single planetary organization.

Back to Otanu and Arakna’s journey towards the temple of Torgana:

Journey North-West from Bigral: C:8,8; A:4+3wits-1Woods. MISS + MATCH. (-2 supply = 3).
They follow a river; the woods give place to a barren region with a malignant feel.

Journey West; C:8,3; A:6+3wits-1wasteland; WEAK HIT. (-1 supply=2). Progress +1=7.
They are still in the wasteland, but they find a road leading North-West.

Journey C:3,9; A:4+3Wits(-1wasteland+1road). WEAK HIT. (-1 supply=1). Progress +1=8.
Following the road, they reach a more hospitable plain.

Resupply. C.7,10. A:4+3wits. MISS. (-1 Supply=0, UNPREPARED).
They cannot find anything to eat. They follow the road to the West.

(I arbitrarily decide to let them find a settlement: Elema). Size: 1-3 small, 4-5 medium, 6 larger than Lavinia: SMALL.

Sojourn: C.8,5; A:6+3heart. STRONG HIT. Unprepared cleared, supply=3. Otanu’s recovers his health (5).
They still need to collect about 300 gold pieces for the offering to Torgana. They ask to the villagers for places where there is hope to find treasure.

Scarlet Heroes dungeon oracle: Nonhuman settlement.
I roll a random Basic Fantasy monster: giants.
This will be a Formidable Infested Ruin delve.

The villagers say that there are rumours that treasure is hidden there, but the place is now inhabited again, some say.

DELVE Jaran, ruins of the palace of the giants

Can they enter from the main entrance? 50/50; YES.

Delve WEAK HIT (Progresss:1). They enter directly into a large hall dominated by a huge sculpture. They trigger a bolt trap. Face danger MISS. Otanu takes 2 harm (Health:3).
Delve STRONG HIT (Progress:2). They reach a mausoleum where they find a hidden chest (1d3x100-50=250 gp).
Delve WEAK HIT (Progress:3). A giant bedroom that appears to have been recently looted.
Delve STRONG HIT + MATCH. In a semi-collapsed angular tower, they find a prisoner. 1-3 human; 4-5 dwarf; 6 other: dwarf. Male/Female? Male. His name is Dotan. (progress:5).
Was he captured by a giant? (unlikely) YES.
Dotan says that dwarves are being captured and sacrificed: someone is probably trying to evoke a particularly powerful demon.
Delve STRONG HIT. In a corridor, they find Dotan’s battle axe. (Progress:6)
Delve WEAK HIT. Progress:7. In a pillared hall, they stumble upon 3 orcs (a Dangerous enemy). Battle: MISS. Otanu is wounded again (-2 Health=1).
Delve STRONG HIT (Progress:7). A preserved vault.
Locate objective: WEAK HIT. They find a huge chest that appears to be intact. Before they can open it, they hear the steps of the giant entering the ruins.

Escape: STRONG HIT + MATCH. While hastily making their way out of the place, Otanu spots a precious gem in the dirt. It is worth 100 gp, now they have a total of 1080 gp, enough for the offering!
I mark progress on the dangerous vow about the Torgana offering: Progress now 8.

Otanu SWEARS a formidable VOW to stop the evocation of the demon that causes the sacrifices of dwarves.

Challenge:8,9; Action;3+1Heart+1Dotan. MISS. (-2 momentum=1).
He realizes he knows too little about the situation. Hopefully, they fill find out more at the temple of Torgana.
This VOW comes with a thread: the actual evocation of the demon.

Otanu is badly wounded; they must return to Elema and TAKE A HIATUS. Health, spirit, supply=5. Momentum=2. The menace advances (+1=1).

When Otanu has recovered, Otanu and Arakna resume their journey North-East.

Journey C.5,8; A:1+3 Wits. MISS. They are attacked. Orcs? (50/50): YES.
Battle: C.8,2; A:6+4Irons. STRONG HIT.

Journey EAST, C:1,0; A:1+3wits. WEAK HIT. (-1 supply=4). Journey progress+1=9.
They find a road leading North-East.

Journey North-East, C:5,2; A:2+3wits+1road. STRONG HIT. Progress:10.

REACH DESTINATION: C:8,5 vs 10 STRONG HIT.
+1 momentum=3. Progress on the offering to Torgana dangerous vow: 10.

FULFILL YOUR VOW: C.6,7 vs 10. STRONG HIT. +2 Momentum=5.

The priests accept the offering of 1000 gold pieces.
Otanu can sleep in the most sacred room of the temple and Torgana appears in this dreams. Message from the goddess: Action / Theme oracle – OPPOSE PORTENT.

Torgana, as she appears in Otanu’s vision (Disco Diffusion AI)

The goddess is grateful for Otanu’s devotion. She says that they must deal with the menace of the demon, whose name is RALS. They must reach the Silver Mountains and return the moon-ring of the Darna priestess to the dwarves who originally made it. The dwarves can use the ring to stop Rals. In this way, Otanu will also be able to find new allies to take back Eos from the True Cult.
Background vow to take back Eos +0.5progress, now 1.
Formidable vow to stop Rals +1 progress, now 1.

_____

Current Situation:

Health:5; Spirit:5; Supply:4; Momentum:5. Gold pieces: 80.

Arakna’s Health: 4/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 1).

Formidable Vow: stop the sacrifices of dwarfs and prevent the evocation of the demon Rals (Progress:1). Threat: Rals appears in this plane of existence (Menace: 1).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Fulfilled).

Otanu of Eos: 4 – Bigral’s Fortress

Previously: Otanu is the son of Avella, queen of the island of Eos. The priestess Heliana has forced Avella to embrace the True Cult; Otanu refuses to do the same and sails to the East, hoping that one day he will bring back to Eos the cult of the Old Gods. Otanu is a devotee of the war goddess Torgana; when he lands across the sea, he swears to offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess. Otanu and his companions travel East to the city of Lavinia, where they free the son of Duke Darvus who had been kidnapped by rebels. Two of Otanu’s companions decide to stay in Lavinia. Otanu and the wizard Arakna get directions to reach the temple of Torgana. Along the way, they will find the ruins of the fortress of Bigral, ancient king of the Black Dwarves.

All episodes.

_____

Main character: Otanu, prince of Eos

Edge:2; Heart:3; Iron:4; Shadow:2; Wits:3. (4AD Level 2)

Assets:
• Companion : “Kindred” (Arakna the Wizard, 4AD Level 2) – Your friend stands by you. Skilled: When you make a move outside of combat (not a progress move) aided by your companion’s expertise, add +1.
• Path: “Herbalist” – When you attempt to Heal using herbal remedies, and you have at least +1 supply, you may choose one (decide before rolling). * Add +2. * On a hit, take or give an additional +1 health
• Combat Talent “Thunder-Bringer” – If you wield a mighty hammer… When you Face Danger, Secure an Advantage, or Compel by hitting or breaking an inanimate object, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

Health:5; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:5. Gold pieces: 640.

Arakna’s Health: 4/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0.5).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 6).

Bonds: Queen Avella, Deshin the Dwarf, Willa the Warrior, Duke Darvus of Lavinia

_____

Otanu and Arakna start a Dangerous journey to the temple of Torgana.

JOURNEY: Challenge: 9,9; Action:3+1(bond with Lavinia)+1road+3Wits; MISS and MATCH.

Pay the Price: a surprising event complicates your quest.
(I decide that this will be a side-quest and, because of the Match, the Journey is not Dangerous but Formidable.)

While following the road to the North-West, they find a smashed wagon. All the occupants are dead, but a woman who says she is a priestess of Darna, the Old Goddess of the Moon. She says they were attacked by Trolls, who also stole her sacred moon-ring. She asks for revenge and dies.

They follow westward the tracks of the trolls.

JOURNEY: Challenge: 3,4 Action:6+1(road)+3Wits. STRONG HIT. Journey progress: 1.

The road ends and they must cross a river in a forest.

JOURNEY: Challenge:8,2; Action:6+3wits-2(river, forest). WEAK HIT. -1 supply (now 4). Journey progress: 2.

They are at the foot of the mountains and find the lair of the trolls: an ancient mine.

(This will be a Dangerous Delve into an Infested Mine.)

The lair of the trolls: an infested mine

Briefly: at the entrance they fight the troll’s pet, a hyena. They go down a vertical shaft and meet a young troll, that they easily dispatch. After crossing an underground stream, they find two more trolls. Strong hit, on Locate Objective, therefore the Trolls are sleeping and only count as Dangerous. In the following battle, they kill the trolls but Arkana is lightly wounded. The only treasure they find is the moon-ring of the Darna priestess.

They resume their journey.

JOURNEY: Challenge:2,8; Action:5+3Wits-1(Mountains); WEAK HIT; Journey progress: 3. -1 supply, now 3.

They are still in the mountains, they must cross a river, but they also find a path to the North.

JOURNEY: Challenge:7,3; Action:2+3Wits-2(river, mountains)+1road; WEAK HIT; Journey progress: 4; -1 supply (now 2).

They are still in the mountains. They must abandon the path that turns westward.

JOURNEY: Challenge:6,4; Action:6+3Wits-1(mountains). STRONG HIT. Journey progress: 5.

They go across a flat wasteland, then they turn to the North-East.

JOURNEY: Challenge:5,7; Action:2+3Wits-1(mountains). MISS.
They can see Birgral’s fortress in the distance, but they must cross a dangerous river.

FACE DANGER. Challenge:1,5; Action:5+3Wits, STRONG HIT. They cross unharmed.

JOURNEY: Challenge:10,5; Action:2+3Wits. MISS. -1 supply=1.

The fortress was built on an island in the middle of a lake. They must find a way to cross the lake.
They are also short of supply and search the area for game or other food.

RESUPPLY: Challenge:5,7; Action:2+1Wits, MISS. They find nothing and waste time. -1 momentum (now 4).

They explore the Northern shore of the lake.

JOURNEY: Challenge:3,4; Action:6+3Wits. STRONG HIT. Journey Progress:6.
They are in a wooded area, where they manage to resupply and rest (Health and Supplies fully restored). There is wood that they can use to build a raft and reach the fortress.

DELVE into Bigral’s Fortress, a Formidable Ravaged Stronghold

They cannot enter from the main portal, which is closed by dwarven iron gates. They manage to enter through a window on the West side.

Delve: WEAK HIT (Progress: 1). They go through deserted dorms.
Delve: STRONG HIT + Match (Progress: 2). A corridor. They find a secret passage.
Delve: STRONG HIT. (Progress: 3) A hidden a storage room where they collect 100 gold pieces.
Delve: WEAK HIT. (Progress: 4) More dorms. Otanu is tricked by a crumbling wall and is wounded (-1 health=4).
Delve: STRONG HIT. (+1 momentum=6, Progress: 5). They drop upon some orcs and slaughter them.
Delve: MISS. In the courtyard, an orc priest is getting ready to sacrifice a black dwarf. The scene is overlooked by 3 orc warriors (Extreme enemies).
Battle: WEAK HIT. Arakna kills the priest with a lightning bolt spell, but the orc warriors kill the dwarf and seriously wound Otanu before he can kill all of them (Otanu’s health -3=1).
Delve, MISS+Match, burn momentum to turn it into STRONG HIT+Match (Progress: 6). A chapel devoted to Torgana. Otanu recovers some of his health (now 3).
Delve: WEAK HIT (Progress: 7). Path blocked by more collapsed walls.

They decide that it’s better to conclude their exploration before they meet more orcs.

Locate Objective: C:3,7 vs 7: WEAK HIT.

They are unable to find more treasure. I will not mark progress on the dangerous vow to offer 1000 gold pieces to Torgana.

ESCAPE THE DEPTHS: WEAK HIT (-1 momentum, now 1).

(Though the delve was not very rewarding, I am happy that I could get the distinctive flavour of this Infested Stronghold. I will experiment more with pure-Ironsworn dungeon-crawls).

_____

Current Situation:

Health:3; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:1. Gold pieces: 730.

Arakna’s Health: 4/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0.5).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 6).

Bonds: Queen Avella, Deshin the Dwarf, Willa the Warrior, Duke Darvus of Lavinia

Otanu of Eos: 3 – Darvus Junior is freed

A continuation of my previous mini-campaign about Heliana the Priestess. I am using Ironsworn, Four Against Darkness (mostly for dungeon crawls), PocketLands 1.1 and Scarlet Heroes for hex-crawling and further inspiration. I have created a D100 hex-based version of the PocketLands Discovery Table: D100Lands.

Previously: Otanu is the son of Avella, queen of the island of Eos. The priestess Heliana has forced Avella to return to the True Cult, which she had abandoned to follow the wizard Althus. Otanu refuses to join the True Cult and sails to the East with a few trusted companions, hoping that one day he will bring back to Eos the cult of the Old Gods. Otanu is a devotee of the war goddess Torgana; when he lands across the sea in the small village of Asona, he swears to offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess. Otanu and his companions travel East to the city of Lavinia, where they join the locals in the search for the son of Duke Darvus who was kidnapped by rebels. While exploring a nearby necropolis, the heroes defeat a group of rebels and capture one of them, but they are also wounded in the fight.

All episodes.

_____

Main character: Otanu, prince of Eos

Edge:2; Heart:3; Iron:4; Shadow:2; Wits:3. (4AD Level 2)

Heath:3; Spirit:5; Supply:2; Momentum:3. Gold pieces: 260.

Arakna’s Health: 2/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 2).

Four Against Darkness party members:
Otanu (4AD Cleric Level 2).
Arakna (4AD Wizard Level 3).
Deshin the Dwarf (4AD Level 1).
Willa the Warrior (4AD Level 1).

_____

I use the Ironsworn oracles to find something about the character of Duke Darvus.
What is his disposition towards the Old Gods? DEMANDING.
Towards the True Cult? INDIFFERENT.
Character description: AGGRESSIVE and KIND.

Darvus does not care about religion. He is a pragmatic and does whatever serves his goals.

What is his goal? RESOLVE A DISPUTE.

Darvus hired dwarves from the East to build a new stronghold, but the local humans did not welcome them. He tried to fix this trouble, but his efforts made things even worse and some of his subjects are now openly rebellious.

The party can rest in Lavinia and recover from their wounds.
SOJOURN: Challenge: 8,1; Action:1+3Heart (Weak Hit).
Health is fully recovered (Otanu now 5, Arakna 4).

Has Darvus Jr been freed by some other expedition? (50/50) NO.

Otanu offers to search another area of the necropolis. They are charged to capture the Chaos Lord Blarar.

They visit the dungeons again and, when they finally find Blarar, Arakna uses her Sleep spell to put him out of combat. They collect 280 gp (now 450). I mark progress on Otanu’s dangerous vow (Progress:4).

Has Darvus Jr been freed by others (50/50)? NO.

Again, they can rest in Lavinia.
SOJOURN, Challenge:3,9; Action:6+3Heart. WEAK HIT. They fully recover health.

Thanks to the capture of Blarar, the extension of the rebellion is getting clearer. The party will be sent to explore one of the newly discovered areas of interest.
(I use Mythic Magazine #3 to get an idea of the new dungeon). Type: palatial. The place is cursed. The place is home to a group or community of some kind.

Tukun’s Corrupted Manor (Disco Diffusion AI)

The wizard Tukun, one of Darvus’s most powerful vassals, is secretly supporting the rebellion. The party will Delve into a Corrupted Manor and will try to capture Tukun.

The building is isolated, in the middle of Tukun’s lands, South of Lavinia. Our heroes enter the building from a window on the West side. They are immediately confronted by 3 golems. They defeat the creatures and, through a terrace, reach the East of the building. Here they have to kill a minotaur. They find a secret door that leads to the inner part of the building. There are more fights with guards and another golem, but finally they find Tukun.

Is Darvus Junior with Tukun? (unlikely). YES.

They defeat the wizard and free the young duke. They also collect 200 gp in the process (now 640).
I mark progress on the Dangerous Vow (Progress:6).

Duke Darvus offers 400 gp as a reward for their help. He also proposes the party to stay in Lavinia as personal guards of Darvus Junior. Two of Otanu’s companions (Deshin the Dwarf and Willa the Warrior) accept to do so. Otanu gives them the 400 gp he just received. (I plan to abandon Four Against Darkness and try pure Ironsworn Delve instead, so the two red-jackets are not needed anymore).

I also mark progress on the Background Vow for having befriended a potential powerful ally (Progress:0.5). I consider this to be a new bond, without rolling the dice.

Tukun the Wizard and Darvus, Duke of Lavinia

SOJOURN: Challenge:2,1; Action:5+3Heart. Strong Hit. They fully recover their health and their supplies.

They receive additional information about Torgana’s temple.
Dangerous / Formidable Journey North? (50/50). Dangerous.

Where can they stop along the way to gather more gold for their offering to Torgana?

Scarlet Heroes oracles: Natural Fortress.
Built by humans or dwarves? (50/50): Dwarves.

The dwarves built the fortress of Bigral on an impregnable rock. It was destroyed by demons centuries ago. Now it is an Ancient Ruin, to be visited in the next episode…

_____

Current Situation:

Heath:5; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:5. Gold pieces: 640.

Arakna’s Health: 4/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0.5).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 6).

Bonds: Queen Avella, Deshin the Dwarf, Willa the Warrior, Duke Darvus of Lavinia

Otanu of Eos: 2 – Journey to Lavinia

Previously: Otanu is the son of Avella, queen of the island of Eos. The priestess Heliana has forced Avella to return to the True Cult, which she had abandoned to follow the wizard Althus. Otanu refuses to join the True Cult and sails to the East with a few trusted companions, hoping that one day he will bring back to Eos the cult of the Old Gods. Otanu is a devotee of the war goddess Torgana; when he lands across the sea in the small village of Asona, he swears to offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess. Together with his three companions, he delves into a dungeon and collects the first gold for the offering.

All episodes.

_____

Main character: Otanu, prince of Eos

Edge:2; Heart:3; Iron:4; Shadow:2; Wits:3. (4AD Level 2)

Heath:2; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:4. Gold pieces: 131.

Arakna’s Health: 2/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 2).

Four Against Darkness party members:
Otanu (4AD Cleric Level 2).
Arakna (4AD Wizard Level 3).
Deshin the Dwarf (4AD Level 1).
Willa the Warrior (4AD Level 1).

_____

All the members of the team were badly wounded fighting monsters in the dungeon. They take their time recovering in Asona.

Sojourn: Challenge:2,6; Action:2+3Heart; WEAK HIT.

They partially recover: still -1 Health (Otanu:4, Arakna:3) and -1 Life for 4AD.

Otanu asks the villagers about the location of the Great Temple of Torgana.

Gather Information: Challenge:4,10; Action:4+3Wits; WEAK HIT.
(+1 momentum, now 5).
He gets vague indications that the temple is far, somewhere to the North-East. The best route is first reaching a larger town to the East: Lavinia. The party leaves Asona for this Dangerous Journey.

(In the following, I also use the two Journey Challenge dice as a 100 to select an hex from D100Lands. I apply terrain modifiers to the Action die: +1 when on a road; -1 if crossing a river without a bridge / road or terrain other than Grassland or Hills).

Journey: Challenge: 2,4; Action: 4+3Wits+(1 road). STRONG HIT.
Hex 24, Mountains, with road continuing to the East and a new river.
Waypoint: the party reach a bridge across a river in a narrow mountain valley.
Journey progress: now 2.
(I like the idea of Asona being surrounded by mountains, and I add two more Mountain hexes to the North of the current hex).

Journey: Challenge: 9,1 ; Action: 4+3Wits(+1 road, -1 mountains). WEAK HIT.
(-1 supply, now 4).
Hex 91, Hills, road continuing South-East.
They leave the mountains behind and cross gentler hills. A second bridge (waypoint) takes them again across the river. Otanu decides to follow the road, though it is turning South-East.
Journey progress: now 4.

Journey: Challenge: 3,9; Action: 3+3Wits(+1 road). WEAK HIT.
(-1 supply, now 3).
Hex 39, Grassland, road to the South-West.
Waypoint (Ironsworn oracle): Peaceful Hill.
Journey progress: now 6.
The road takes them to a solitary green hill in the plain, then turns South and West. This looks like a perfect place to Make Camp and try to fully recover from their wounds.
Make Camp: Challenge: 8,7; Action: 4+3Supply. MISS.
(-1 Supply, now 2). At night there is a sudden storm. They cannot rest and some of their supplies are lost.

Again, I add an arbitrary hexagon: more hills, with the river flowing through them towards the sea.

Journey: Challenge: 8,2 ; Action: 2+3Wits. WEAK HIT.
(-1 Supply, now 1).
Hexagon 82, Grasslands.
Journey progress: now 8.

Otanu decides it is better to try and gather some food.
Resupply: Challenge: 1,7; Action:3+3Wits. WEAK HIT.
(+2 supply, now 3; -2 momentum, now 3).
It takes them more time then expected, but they can hunt something and gather some edible roots.

Journey: Challenge: 6,8; Action: 4+3Wits. WEAK HIT.
Journey progress: 10.
Reach your destination: Challenge: 6,10 vs 10. WEAK HIT.
They reach Lavinia. I mark progress on the “offering to the Great Temple” vow (now 2).
Hex 68: Grassland.
I add to the map the town of Lavinia and a road that follows the directions on Hex 68 (but I would have added an arbitrary road anyway, if it were not on the PocketLands hex).

The Weak Hit requires a complication (an opportunity for a 4AD Dungeon-crawl): Darvus Jr, the son of Duke Darvus, has been kidnapped by rebels. It is believed that they are hiding in the necropolis West of Lavinia. A huge man-hunt is taking place, and all the people capable to fight are ordered to help.

I roll for the hex West of Lavinia: 47, Hills, and I mark the Necropolis.

4AD Mission: after 7 encounters won against monsters, the party will fight d6+2 Lev4 Rebels, with a chance of finding Darvus Jr.

The party explores several rooms in the underground necropolis. They finally find and defeat a group of 3 rebels. They collect more gold (new total: 260 gp).
Do they find Darvus Jr? (Unlikely) NO.
Do they find any valuable hint? 50/50 NO.

They are even more wounded now (Otanu’s Health:3; Arakna’s:2).
They capture one of the rebels and deliver him to the duke’s guards.

Into the necropolis, in search of Darvus Junior.

_____

Current Situation:

Heath:3; Spirit:5; Supply:2; Momentum:3. Gold pieces: 260.

Arakna’s Health: 2/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 2).

Four Against Darkness party members:
Otanu (4AD Cleric Level 2).
Arakna (4AD Wizard Level 3).
Deshin the Dwarf (4AD Level 1).
Willa the Fighter (4AD Level 1).

Otanu of Eos: 1 – The caves of Asona

A continuation of my previous mini-campaign about Heliana the Priestess. I will use on Ironsworn, Four Against Darkness (mostly for dungeon crawls), PocketLands 1.1 and Scarlet Heroes for hex-crawling and further inspiration.

Main character: Prince Otanu of Eos, Cleric of Torgana the War Goddess.

Otanu is the son of Avella, queen of the island of Eos. The priestess Heliana has forced Avella to return to the True Cult, which she had abandoned to follow the wizard Althus. Otanu refuses to join the True Cult and sails to the East with a few trusted companions, swearing that one day he will bring back to Eos the cult of the Old Gods. Otanu is a devotant of the war goddess Torgana; he believes that carnage is pleasing to the goddess.

Edge:2; Heart:3; Iron:4; Shadow:2; Wits:3. (4AD Level 2)

Assets:
• Companion : “Kindred” (Arakna the Wizard, 4AD Level 2) – Your friend stands by you. Skilled: When you make a move outside of combat (not a progress move) aided by your companion’s expertise, add +1.
• Path: “Herbalist” – When you attempt to Heal using herbal remedies, and you have at least +1 supply, you may choose one (decide before rolling). * Add +2. * On a hit, take or give an additional +1 health
• Combat Talent “Thunder-Bringer” – If you wield a mighty hammer… When you Face Danger, Secure an Advantage, or Compel by hitting or breaking an inanimate object, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

Heath:5; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:2.

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0).

Four Against Darkness party members (I will focus on Otanu and maybe Arakna; the other two members basically are red jackets).
Otanu (4AD Cleric Level 2).
Arakna (4AD Wizard Level 2).
Deshin the Dwarf (4AD Level 1).
Willa the Fighter (4AD Level 1).

Otanu swears a dangerous vow to bring 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana in order to obtain guidance from the goddess.

Challenge:2,7; Action:5+3Heart. STRONG HIT (+2 momentum, now 4).

Otanu and his four loyal companions Arakna the Wizard, Deshin the Dwarf and Willa the Warrior sail East.
Do they land near a settlement? (likely) YES.
They reach a small fishing village called Asona.

They hear of nearby caves infested by monsters. Otanu decides to start looking for gold for his offer to Torgana. They visit the caves and meet two powerful monsters: a medusa in the deepest place of the caves and, while they have almost reached the exit, a chimera. Both encounters are resolved by Arakna’s sleep spells. They collect 131 gold pieces. Arakna levels up, she is now Level 3. All the party members have been wounded: I reduce Otanu’s Health (-3, now 2) and Arakna’s (-2, now 2).
I mark progress on the dangerous vow (now 2).

Current situation:

Heath:2; Spirit:5; Supply:5; Momentum:4. Gold pieces: 131.

Arakna’s Health: 2/4

Background Vow (Extreme): rise an army to conquer the Island of Eos and bring back the Old Gods (Progress: 0).

Dangerous Vow: Offer 1000 gold pieces to the Great Temple of Torgana to get guidance from the Goddess (Progress: 2).

Four Against Darkness party members:
Otanu (4AD Cleric Level 2).
Arakna (4AD Wizard Level 3).
Deshin the Dwarf (4AD Level 1).
Willa the Fighter (4AD Level 1).

Heliana the Priestess: 6 – Althus is defeated (Island of Eos finale)

This mini-campaign is based on Ironsworn, Scarlet Heroes hex-crawling and Dungeon Solitaire: Tomb of Four Kings with the addition of these narrative house-rules. This is the finale of the series focused on the island of Eos. I hope to resume Heliana’s adventures in the future.

Previously: Avella, queen of the island of Eos, has quit the True Cult to become a follower of Althus the wizard. Heliana is a priestess of the True Cult sent to Eos to bring Avella back to the Cult. She finds out that Althus is using goblins and orcs as his minions. In the city of Clara, she charms the warrior cultist Tallia as her companion. The two travel East and destroy the Black Fort, where Althus’s orc army was getting ready to overthrow Avella’s rule. Heliana and Tallia reach the capital city of Eos, where Tallia is killed while confronting the powerful demon Vrusk. Heliana charms a new companion, the military officer Widda, and finds a sceptre that grants her power upon Vrusk.

All episodes.

Main Character:
Heliana, [Character Descriptor Oracle:] old and hostile Priestess of the True Cult.

Assets:
Companion: Tallia (+1 when aided).
Scry: sacrifice a magical object and Gather Information +Wits. On a weak hit, 2 harm or -2 supply.
Charm (custom ritual asset): to find a new companion, roll +Shadow. On a Weak Hit, Face Danger.

Edge:3, Heart:2, Iron:2, Shadow:4, Wits:3.
Momentum:8, Health:5, Spirit:5, Supplies:1.
Companion: Widda (HP:10).
Valuable objects: two gems.
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0].
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:7].

Heliana finds that Althus is in his tower, North-East of the city. She plans to use the demon Vrusk against the wizard. Heliana and Widda prepare the expedition:

Sojourn: Challenge:1,8; Action:4+3(Heart). Weak Hit. (+2 Supply, now 3)

They leave the city directed to the tip of the peninsula North of the Eos:

Journey: Challenge:8,10; Action:6+3(Wits). Weak Hit. (-1 Supply, now 2). The peninsula is plain and does not offer any particular challenge.

Journey: Challenge:8,8; Action:6+3(Wits). Strong Hit + Match. (+1 Momentum, now 9). They move across a forest and get in sight of Althus’ tower.

Tomb of Four Kings: each King gathered allows moving to the upper level. Widda will find Althus in level 4, she must therefore collect 3 Kings.

Widda is first wounded by a trap. Finding the stairs to level 2 takes a long time, but on level two she readily dismisses an Ogre guard and finds the stairs to level 3. She is wounded by another trap, and only has 2 HP left, but she manages to find the stairs up and confront Althus in the highest room. She uses the sceptre to summon Vrusk, ordering the demon to help her fight the wizard.

Battle: Challenge:2,10; Action:5+4(Shadow). Weak Hit.

Pay the Price: Vrusk’s fury makes the whole tower collapse. The demon vanishes, while both Althus and Widda are killed. Formidable Vow Progress +1, now 8.

Heliana uses one of her gems to ask the spirits how she can best exploit her victory upon Althus.

Scry: Challenge:1,6; Action:1+3(Wits). Weak Hit. (I decide to burn Momentum, from 9 back to 2, and make this a Strong Hit instead).

Heliana sees that by wearing Althus’ medallion the citizens of the capital will look at her as their new spiritual leader. She searches the ruins of the tower and collects the medallion from Althus’ body. In the city, she is acclaimed as the liberator from the menace of Vrusk. She is finally received by Avella. Will the queen accept to re-join the True Cult?

Fulfil your vow: Challenge:6,8; Progress:8. Weak Hit. (Heliana gains 2 XP)

Complication: Avella reinstate the True Cult as the official religion in Eos. But her son Prince Otanu sails to the East; he leaves a message where he claims that he will come back with an army to eradicate the True Cult and bring back the faith in the Old Gods.

Heliana swears a vow to put an end to Prince Otanu’s threat to the True Cult.

Swear an Iron Vow (Formidable) : Challenge:1,5. Action:2+2(Heart). Weak Hit. (+1 Momentum, now 3)

Current Situation:
Edge:3, Heart:2, Iron:2, Shadow:4, Wits:3.
Momentum:3, Health:5, Spirit:5, Supplies:2.
Companion: none.
Valuable objects: one gem.
XP:2
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Progress:0.25].
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Fulfilled].
Formidable Vow: Put an end to Otanu’s threat to the True Cult [Progress:0]

Heliana the Priestess: 5 – Vrusk the Demon

This mini-campaign is based on Ironsworn, Scarlet Heroes hex-crawling and Dungeon Solitaire: Tomb of Four Kings with the addition of these narrative house-rules.

Previously: Avella, queen of the island of Eos, has quit the True Cult to become a follower of Althus the wizard. Heliana is a priestess of the True Cult sent to Eos to bring Avella back to the Cult. She finds out that Althus is using goblins and orcs as his minions. In the city of Clara, she charms the warrior cultist Tallia as her companion. The two travel to the Black Fort, where an orc army is getting ready to bring Althus to power. Tallia sets fire to the explosives stored below the fort and the orc army is destroyed.

All episodes.

Main Character:
Heliana, [Character Descriptor Oracle:] old and hostile Priestess of the True Cult

Assets:
Companion Tallia (+1 when aided)
Scry: sacrifice a magical object and Gather Information +Wits. On a weak hit, 2 harm or -2 supply
Charm (custom ritual asset): to find a new companion, roll +Shadow. On a Weak Hit, Face Danger

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:8 Health:5 Spirit:5 Supplies:2
Companion: Tallia (HP:12, Jack of Diamonds)
Valuable objects: Red Gem
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:5]

_____

Heliana uses the red gem collected by Tallia to cast her scry spell and find out the whereabouts of Queen Avella:

Scry Challenge:7,2 Action:1+3Wits WEAK HIT
The fire burns all their supplies (-2 supply, now 0, Unprepared)

Is Avella at court? (Likely) YES

Where is the court? D6 hexes, D3 direction: NW, NE, SW: 4 hexes NW

Heliana sees that Avella is at court in the capital city of Eos, North-West of the now ruined Black Fort.

Journey Challenge:2,9 Action:5+3Wits WEAK HIT (-1 momentum. now 7)

Heliana and Tallia go through the hills. They find a cave that appears to be the lair of a bear. Tallia goes inside to kill the beast and feed herself and Heliana.

Tomb of Four Kings: Tallia kills two bears and retrieves two ancient artefacts (Kings): a Talisman and a Dagger
+1 Supply, now 1, unprepared removed

Journey Challenge:3,7 Action:5+3Wits STRONG HIT
They go through more hills without any trouble

Journey Challenge:4,4 Action:6+3 STRONG HIT + MATCH
(+1 momentum, now 8; +1 vow progress, now 6)

They reach the capital city of Eos and find a comfortable tavern where to rest after their journey. The next day, Heliana hunts for rumours about how to get an audience with Avella.

Gather Information Challenge:7,7 Action:4+3 MISS+MATCH
(here I should probably have burnt momentum, but I did think of that option)

The queen is very reserved and it is almost impossible to talk with her. The city is plagued by the terrible double-headed demon Vrusk: they feed him a young person each week to avoid worse trouble and devastation. Whoever kills the demon will certainly be able to meet the queen who will want to thank their saver.

Tomb of Four Kings Multi-Level dungeon (each level is six rooms)
2 of spades represents the demon, immune to divine intervention (Queens)
Tallia goes through the dungeon, she kills an ogre and a goblin and she is wounded by a trap. She descends to the large hall where Vrusk is, but in that moment her torch goes off.

Does Vrusk kill Tallia? (50/50) YES

When Tallia does not come back from the dungeon, Heliana understands that she is alone again and must charm a new companion. She looks for someone who might help her get in touch with the court.
Scarlet Heroes Elite NPC: High Military Officer

Heliana is among the public of the exercises of the Queen’s Guard just outside the walls of the city. She manages to approach one of the commanders and tries her spell.

Charm Challenge:2,9 Action:6+4 STRONG HIT

Gender (50/50) Female
Ironsworn NPC trait: oppressed
Disposition towards the True Cult (Ironsworn disposition oracle): hostile

Widda is the commander of the Bitter End company of the Queen’s Guard. Being low-born, she feels her career is not going as she deserves. Her company took part in the purge against the True Cult ordered by Althus.

Heliana uses the Talisman that Tallia found in the lair of the bears to see if she can use the demon Vrusk against Althus.

Scry Challenge:5,2 Action:5+3Wits STRONG HIT

The spirits tell her that a sceptre hidden in the crypt of a shrine North of the capital will allow her to control Vrusk. She sends Widda in search of the magical object.

Tomb of Four Kings, Mission:4 – Monsters 4-8 are goblins; kill one and retrieve a king

Widda kills a goblin in the first room of the dungeon and then an ogre. She is badly wounded by traps and does seem to find the sceptre. While she is trying to reach an exit, she first finds the sceptre and then an ancient tomb where she collects two precious gems.

(she collects 45 points of treasure, yet she does not get an advancement)

Heliana now has the sceptre and she can take control of the demon!

Vow progress +1, now 7

_____

Current Situation:

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:8 Health:5 Spirit:5 Supplies:1
Companion: Widda (HP:10)
Valuable objects: Dagger
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:7]

Heliana the Priestess: 4 – The Fall of the Black Fort

This mini-campaign is based on Ironsworn, Scarlet Heroes hex-crawling and Dungeon Solitaire: Tomb of Four Kings with the addition of these narrative house-rules.

Previously: Avella, queen of the island of Eos, has quit the True Cult to become a follower of Althus the wizard. Heliana is a priestess of the True Cult sent to Eos to bring Avella back to the Cult. She reaches the village of Coldwater by ship and she magically charms the guard Kuno as a companion. Heliana finds out that Althus is using goblins and orcs as his minions. They reach the town of Clara and Kuno is killed in a dungeon. Heliana charms a new companion: the warrior cultist Tallia. The two leave Clara in search to the place where an orc army is gathering.

All episodes.

Main Character:
Heliana, [Character Descriptor Oracle:] old and hostile Priestess of the True Cult

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:5 Health:5 Spirit:5 Supplies:5
Companion: Tallia
Valuable objects: none
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:3]

_____

Heliana and Tallia travel East.
Journey – Challenge:1,2 Action:1+3Wits STRONG HIT

(+1 Momentum, now 6; -1 supplies, now 4)
They cross a forested area and reach a large river.
Can the river be crossed? [50/50] NO
Journey – Challenge:3,5 Action:2+3Wits WEAK HIT (-1 supplies, now 3)
They follow the river across a plain

Journey – Challenge:1,7 Action:2+3Wits WEAK HIT (-1 supplies, now 2)
Scarlet Heroes Wilderness Features: Bridge, Natural Fort
The ground rises first through hills, then mountains. They reach a bridge guarded by orcs. Across the bridge, a large fort looms at the top of a mountain.
Heliana relies on her dark powers to help Tallia ambush the guards
Battle Challenge: 2,9 A:6+4Shadows STRONG HIT (+2 Momentum, now 8)
I also mark +1 progress on Heliana’s vow (now 4)
After cross the bridge, many caves in the sides of the mountains can be seen. Heliana sends Tallia to explore one of them.
Tomb of Four Kings Mission 6: retrieve the Scroll of Light

Tallia takes damage from a couple of traps, defeats a lizardman and an orc and collects a magical scroll and a gem.
Heliana uses the gem to ask the spirit about the powers of the scroll:
Scry Challenge:5,8 Action:6+3Wits STRONG HIT
Ironsworn Action/Theme Oracle: Oppose Language
The scroll is a powerful confusion spell. If cast on Gnash the orc-king the orcs will be unable to communicate with one another and with Althus.
Tallia will enter the fort and search for Gnash.
Tomb of Four Kings Mission 7: kill 2 monsters and retrieve a Black King

Searching the fort takes a long time. Finally, Tallia’s burns her last torch and is unable to cast the spell. The mission fails, but Tallia manages to escape. The orcs hunt for Heliana and Tallia:
Face Danger Challenge:4,10 Action:1+4Shadows WEAK HIT (-1 Momentum=7)
The two women elude the orcs. They hide in one of the many caves, where Heliana finds a tunnel that goes deep into the mountain. Tallia explores this new dungeon.
Tomb of Four Kings: Kill three monsters and retrieve a Black King

The caves are infested by monsters: Tallia kills a hobgoblin, a goblin and an orc. She finds a ring with a black stone.
Heliana uses the jewel for her magic:
Scry Challenge:2,3 Action:6+3Wits STRONG HIT
Heliana sees that king Gnash has stacked a huge quantity of explosives in the dungeons below the fort. If Tallia can find were the explosives are, she can set a fuse and blow up the whole fort. Exiting the tunnels before the explosion will not be easy though.
Tomb Of Four Kings: find a Black King before retreating.

Tallia is lucky: she finds a red gem just after entering the dungeon; the explosives are not too deep in the dungeons. She lights the fuse and exits the caves before the explosion.
[She also gets a TOFK advancement: +1HP, now 12]
Heliana and Tallia see the black fort collapse.
+1 Vow Progress [now 5]
+1 Momentum [now 8]

_____

Current Situation:

Heliana the Priestess: 3 – The dungeons of Clara

This mini-campaign is based on Ironsworn, Scarlet Heroes hex-crawling and Dungeon Solitaire: Tomb of Four Kings with the addition of these narrative house-rules.

Previously: Avella, queen of the island of Eos, has quit the True Cult to become a follower of Althus the wizard. Heliana is a priestess of the True Cult sent to Eos to bring Avella back to the Cult. She reaches the village of Coldwater by ship and she magically charms the guard Kuno as a companion. Heliana finds out that Althus is using goblins and orcs as his minions. They reach the town of Clara and Kuno is killed in a dungeon. Heliana charms a new companion: the warrior cultist Tallia.

All episodes.

Main Character:
Heliana, [Character Descriptor Oracle:] old and hostile Priestess of the True Cult

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:3 Health:3 Spirit:5 Supplies:1

Valuable objects: none
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:3]

_____

Heliana and Tallia stay at the Inn of the Purple Tree in Clara. Heliana needs money to pay the inn and valuable objects for her spell. In Clara there are the ruins of a huge ancient palace, whose dungeons are known to contain many riches. Tallia adventures into one of them.

Tomb Of Four Kings – Mission: 3: Retrieve treasure from a room with a locked door

Tallia kills an orc in the first room, she opens the door to the inner dungeon and finds some coins, a magical scroll and an ancient ring. [the mission is a success, but she does not roll an advancement]

Sojourn: Challenge:4,4 Action:1+2Heart MISS + MATCH

Heliana has received damage of a supernatural kind and she does not heal. Tallia knows a cleric of the Oniros who can probably help.

Ironsworn NPC: Gwanir, an experienced and resourceful cleric

Gwanir will cure Heliana: he asks as a reward the scroll she just found. He asks Tallia to return to the dungeons and retrieve two kinds of fungus that only grow there.

Tomb Of Four Kings – Mission: 8: Retrieve a black king (spades or clubs) and a red king (diamonds or hearts)

Heliana can only find one of the two fungi (the mission fails).
The next day she visits another dungeon, but this one is infested by undead skeletons!

Tomb Of Four Kings – Mission: 9: Kill two skeletons and retrieve a black king

She destroys three skeletons and retrieve the fungus. She rolls an advancement (+1 HP now 11)

Gwanir cures Heliana with the fungi and she fully recovers (Health=5). He takes the scroll as agreed.

Is he willing to further help Heliana’s cause? 50/50 NO

Sojourn: C:3,6 A:5+2Heart STRONG HIT
(+4 Supplies, now 5) They spend their remaining gold pieces to resupply.

Heliana uses the ring to find out more information about Althus’ plans:

Scry C:6,6 Action:2+3Wits … another MISS + MATCH

Pay the price: the current situation worsens

Heliana sees that Althus’ orcs are gathering: he plans to overthrow Avella and make himself king of Eos.
Heliana decides to immediately leave Clara in order to find the orcs and stop them.

______

Current situation:

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:3 Health:5 Spirit:5 Supplies:5
Companion: Tallia
Valuable objects: none
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:3]

Heliana the Priestess: 2 – Kuno dies

This mini-campaign is based on Ironsworn, Scarlet Heroes hex-crawling and Dungeon Solitaire: Tomb of Four Kings with the addition of these narrative house-rules.

Previously: Avella, queen of the island of Eos, has quit the True Cult to become a follower of Althus the wizard. Heliana is a priestess of the True Cult sent to Eos to bring Avella back to the Cult. She reaches the village of Coldwater by ship and she magically charms the guard Kuno as a companion. Together, they travel South to a community of exiled members of the True Cult and find out that Althus is using goblins and orcs as his minions.

All episodes.

Main Character:
Heliana, [Character Descriptor Oracle:] old and hostile Priestess of the True Cult

Assets:
Companion (+1 when aided)
Scry: sacrifice a magical object and Gather Informatin +Wits. On a weak hit, 2 harm or -2 supply
Charm (custom ritual asset): to find a new companion, roll +Shadow. On a Weak Hit, Face Danger

Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3

Momentum:3 Health:5 Spirit:5 Supplies:5

Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]

Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:2]

_____

Heliana still has one of the two valuable earrings found by Kuno. She uses it as sacrifice for her ritual:

Scry C:7,8 A:4+3Wits MISS

She is unable to gain further information. She decides to move East.
They cross a region of forested hills and reach a Villa in a Vineyard Estate.

Who own the villa? [Ironsworn NPC]
The Vengeful Priestess Padma. Disposition:suspicious

Is she a member of the True Cult? [unlikely] NO
She is devoted to Etaura, the Earth Goddess, the most ancient religion of Eos. Padma is resentful against both the True Cult and Althus.
Skeletons have recently infested her cellars and stolen one of her talismans. She will help Heliana if they recover the talisman (Tomb Of Four Kings Mission:9).

Kuno enters the cellar. He kills three skeletons and finds the talisman. But when his last torch goes off he loses it. He still manages to exit the cellars alive.

Padma orders her guards to take most of Heliana’s supplies (-3, now 2) and sends them away.

Journey C:2,10 A:5+3Wits WEAK HIT (-1 supply, now 1)

They head North and reach the town of Clara.
Is this the capital of Eos? [unlikely] NO

They hear rumours that Ilsit, a prominent priest of the True Cult, is kept prisoners in the dungeons below the city hall.

TOFK Mission:4 – Kill 2 guards (monsters 2-7) and retrieve a king (Ilsit)

Kuno is first wounded by a series of traps. He goes berserk and kills a centaur (monster 10). He then kills 3 guards and finds Ilsit, but he is finally killed by a fourth guard.

Heliana is alone again. She visits inns and market trying to get some insights about Althus.

Gather Information: C:4,5 A:5+3Wits STRONG HIT (+2 Momentum, now 5)
Ironsworn Action/Theme: Depart Momentum
A while ago, Althus was enthusiastically followed by many, but his popularity is now declining.
These are good news for Heliana: I mark progress on her vow (now 3)

Does Heliana find someone who volunteers as a new companion to help the True Cult? 50/50 NO

Scarlet Heroes / Ironsworn NPC: Armoured Dark Cultist

She meets Tallia, a fighter and a follower of the dark cult of Oniros, the dream god. The young woman is hostile to Althus who suppressed the cult of her god.
Heliana tries to Charm her to become her new companion:

Charm: C:2,6 A:1+4Shadow WEAK HIT
Mystic Backslash: a physical torment (2 harm, health=3)

_____

Current situation:
Edge:3 Heart:2 Iron:2 Shadow:4 Wits:3
Momentum:3 Health:3 Spirit:5 Supplies:1
Companion: Tallia
Valuable objects: none
Epic background vow: help make the True Cult the main religion in the world [Pr:0]
Formidable Vow: Win back the faith of Queen Avella [Pr:3]