Goldsworn 1 – Captain Moriensen

After a long break in my solo games, I have thought to start something new using Ironsworn. I want to play a pirate-alchemist, something midway between Francis Drake and Prospero from the Tempest. I also want to use George Wither’s 1634 Emblem book as an oracle.

With this idea in mind, I followed the semi-random Character creation procedure that Shawn Tomkin, the creator of Ironsworn, described here.

ASSETS

I extracted 5 random Assets from both Book 1 and Book 2:
Ritual: Divination
Path: Veteran
Path: Slayer
Path: Waterborn
Companion: Hawk

For my pirate, I chose (1) Divination and (obviously) (2) Waterborn. Divination also fits well with my plans: I will use the Emblem book as a form of in-game bibliomancy.
While reading the description for the Hawk Companion, I noticed that the nearby Horse companion can easily be re-skinned as a (3) Battleship asset:

Battleship Name: Rebis
Your battleship is your home and your sailing fortress:
[ ] Swift: When you Face Danger +edge using your ship’s speed, or when you Undertake a Journey, add +1.
[ ] Well armed: When you Enter the Fray or Secure an Advantage +heart by attacking or boarding another ship, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.
[X] Mighty: When you Strike or Clash with another ship, add +1 and inflict +1 harm on a hit.

I than rolled a 50-50 die for the sex of the Character: male.
His nationality, I wrote a simple D6 table
1.Spanish 2.English 3.French 4.Dutch 5.Portuguese 6.other
I rolled a 6 so I added 6 more:
1.Italian 2.German 3.Danish 4.Sweden 5.Polish 6.African
3: Danish

I could then use the Ironlander oracle for my hero: Captain Haf Moriensen

Age: 22+d20=31

STATS

I rolled for the +3 stat: Shadow

And assigned the others:

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

BACKGROUND VOW

I used the goal oracle: Seize Power
Given that my hero is some kind of alchemist, I asked if the power he is after is mundane or occult (50/50): occult.

The Rebis has sailed from Europe to the Islas Nuevas archipelago. Haf is sure that these islands at the other side of the world must be the remains of Atlantis. In one of these islands, an immense source of power is hidden: the first initiate that will find it will be the most powerful man in the world.

Background Vow (epic): find the Atlantean source of occult power

BONDS

1) NPC role and qualities: a Dangerous and Artistic Hunter
Ithela is the quartermaster of the Rebis. Originally an African warrior, she was captured by slavers, together with several of her companions. Haf’s father freed them during one of his journeys along the shores of Africa. Now, Ithela’s companions form about half of the crew of the Rebis. Ithela carves disturbing objects out of the bones of the animals and people she kills.

2) NPC role and qualities: a Kind and Young ~~Bandit~~ Pirate
Miranda is Haf’s sister. She is 17 and this is her first long journey.

3) I decide that the journey of the Rebis was financed and organized by the father of Haf and Miranda: Morien Davidsen. A mystic (I decide). Qualities: Confident and Adventurous. He is now too old to take part in this expedition, but he hopes to stay in touch with Haf by magical means.

haf5.jpgOUT
INCITING INCIDENT
Oracle: Someone is captured
Is it Miranda? (likely) YES

After the long journey from Danmark, the Rebis has arrived at the island of Roca Larga. Haf, Ithela and most of the crew disembark. Haf wants Miranda to stay on board, under the protection of about ten trusted sailors, until it is clear that the town is safe. But when Haf returns to the Rebis, Miranda’s cabin is empty.
Is any sailor missing? (50/50) YES
Are all ten missing? (unlikely) YES

….to be continued

Chasing Superlizard

I have played a new game with a modified version of the Simple Super Hero rules by Jones and Moore.
Some of the things I have changed:

attacks are a single opposed roll Damage vs Block – if the attack is not blocked, the target loses 1 HP
I have drastically reduced the number of HP (3 for Super Heroes, 1 for Humans)
ranged attacks are a distinct ability (by default, they are not possible for a Super Hero)
the number of actions per round is fixed (2 for Super Heroes, 1 for Humans)
when I roll doubles, I treat them as “critical success” granting some bonus, but not as extreme as adding the two values in the original rules

The game was fun, but I will have to run a more combat-oriented scenario.

	Puck	Snowbird	Northstar	Superlizard
Body	Strong	Agile	Agile	Strong
Nature	Mutant	Mutant	Tech	Mutant

Movement	Low+1	High	High	Low+1
Melee Att.	High+1	Low	Low	High
Tech Block	Low	Low	High	Low
Mutant Block	Low+1	Low+1	Low	High
Ranged Att.	–	Low+1	Low	–

In this case, the two teams had to retrieve a target hidden in one of five locations (the pink cubes). Superlizard was accompanied by 2 squads of four humans each.
Puck, Northstar and Snowbird formed the other team.

Northstar and Snowbird easily reach two of the possible targets (they are both fast). Puck lags behind. Superlizard rolls a great double five on movement, so he is able to move 5+1(his bonus)+2(critical bonus)=8 twice in a single round: he also reaches a possible target cube.

Superlizard is the lucky one: he finds the target! The other team moves forward to intercept him before he leaves the board.

In the following chase, Puck is too slow to have a chance. Northstar and Snowbird have to fight Superlizard’s human minions and they are both wounded. One of the humans rolls a critical attack (Snowbird’s Tech Block is LOW: it’s 4 vs 1) and inflicts a 2 HP wound. Anyway, Superlizard is fast enough to reach the border before the others reach him.

Another Simple Super Hero skirmish…

I have played a new Super-Hero game with a modified (mostly simplified) version of the Simple Super Hero Tabletop Rules by Jones and Moore. Some of the changes are based on a GooglePlus discussion with neuzd.

The characters were:
Puck (Strong,Mutant)
Movement: L+1
Attack: H+1
Tech Block: L
Mutant Block: H-1

Northstar (Agile, Tech)
Movement: H+1
Attack: L
Tech Block: H
Mutant Block: L
vs
6 goons lead by Snowbird (Agile, Mutant)
Movement: H+1
Attack: L
Tech Block: L
Mutant Block: H

All Superheroes have 10 HPs. They perform two actions per turn.
Humans only have 1 HP and perform a single action per turn.

Updates with respect to the original moves:

The most relevant change is that I removed the Damage/Evade abilities: combat is resolved by a single opposed roll Attack vs Block
Strong heroes have 10 HP, like Agile heroes
Humans have 1 HP only
The number of available actions does not depend on the dice
I omitted the -1 modifier for ranged attacks
A Hero can have two +1 modifier and a -1 “fault”, or just a single +1 modifier

The scenario involved retrieving a target object hidden in one of six possible locations (the pink cubes). Checking a location requires a full action adjacent to it.

Northstar and Snowbird are quick in reaching the doors of the two buildings.

The buildings provide no result. Puck moves towards the ambulance (he is behind it in the photo), while the goons reach the cars in the foreground.

Puck and Northstar check the two vehicles on the left, with no luck. Things go well for the two goons in the foreground: target found!

Northstar rushes to stop the goons from taking the target out of the field. Snowbird wound him with a ranged attack. Puck slowly moves towards the centre of the board to join the action.

Puck puts two goons out of combat with ranged attacks. Northstar does the same with the two who had the objective: the heroes are also wounded in these fights. This gives the time to Snowbird to reach Northstar, and her first blow is lethal. A double 3 vs the Low block (1) does 5 HPs of damage is enough to put the already wounded Northstar out of combat.

Again, it was an interesting game. The changes seem to make things a little faster. I would like to find a way to make the goons slightly more effective…

Amara of Whitebridge 12 – Varena and Purena

Amara has lost all her companions. She resorts to her augur power and summons the crow that direct her to a safe way to the final destination of her journey.

[An Ironsworn adventure in the Ironlands. I play skirmishes with the Song of Blades and Heroes rule-set by Ganesha Games. Larger battles are played with the Ancient One Hour Wargames rules by Neil Thomas]

Previous events: Amara of Whitebridge, her cousin Quinn and the crossbowman Delos have a quarrel with the overseer Lestara. The heroes leave Whitebridge and reach Stoneford, where they meet the healer’s son Kaivan. Stoneford is occupied by the Makari, a mysterious invading army. The party joins a successful counter attack against the Makari: the leader is the friendly Lago of Redhall – it’s love at first sight with Amara. The heroes return to Whitebridge and free Lestara who had been imprisoned the Makari. Lago and Quinn fall in the fight. Amara reaches Redhall where the overseer Maya, mother of Lago, asks her to travel south in search of the twin sorceresses Varena and Purena: they are authorities among the Broken and their help is necessary to re-conquer Whitebridge. During the journey, Amara and Delos help a Broken girl, Kodra, who is leading the Makari prisoner Alith to her community: Kodra and Amara forge a bond and Kodra accepts to travel with Amara and Delos. The party is ambushed by trolls: Delos is killed, Kodra and Alith disappear while Amara is left unconscious on the battlefield.

Main character: Amara
Edge:+1 Heart:+3 Iron:+2 Shadow:+2 Wits:+1
Health:3 Spirit:4 Supply:3 Momentum:2

Place Whitebrige – a riverside village
NW Haven (near the center of the Ironlands)

ASSETS:
Martial Focus – BRAWLER Secure an Advantage by engaging in close-quarters brawling.
Ritual – AUGUR Summon a murder of crows and ask a single question.
Path – HERBALIST Heal people using herbal remedies.

BONDS:
Deshi (Amara’s father) [oracle: stingy and manipulative forager]
Lestara (Whitebridge overseer) [oracle: generous and powerful healer]
Quinn (Amara’s cousin) strong and dumb warrior
Lago – an attractive and friendly warrior from Redhall
Maya – Redhall overseer
Kodra – a Broken girl

Other NPCs:
Zura – a warrior from Whitebridge who wants to replace Lestara as overseer
Kaivan – the son of the Stoneford healer
Lona – Lago’s sister, another Redhall prominent warrior
Varena and Purena – twin sorceresses
Temir and Flint – Redhall allies killed by Harrow Beasts
Alith – Kodra’s Makari prisoner

VOWS
Background Vow: – Extreme. When Amara’s father Deshi was overseer, he started a feud with the nearby Stoneford community (another village on the same river, twenty miles NE of Whitebridge). Amara intends to mend the conflict started by her father. Progress: 0.5
Dangerous Vow (reconquer Whitebridge) Progress:2
Dangerous Vow. Let Lestara be overseer for the next seven years. Progress:4
Formidable Journey to find Varena and Purena: Progress 6

Amara summons the crows and asks them where Kodra is.
Challenge:5,1 Action:4+1(Wits) Weak Hit
[Location Oracle: Inaccessible Woods]
The response is difficult to interpret, maybe it means that Kodra is inside the wood where Amara and her allies were ambushed by trolls; most likely it just means that Amara cannot hope to make it through the woods alone. The Aida river should not be far West: Amara decides to head in that direction.

Undertake a Journey – Challenge:2,2 Action:2+1(Wits)=3 Strong Hit (Formidable journey progress: 7)
[Location Oracle: small ruin]
Amara finds the traces of an ancient road running along the Northern border of the forest. The road leads to a ruined bridge.
[I interpret the Matches as a particularly favourable progress in the journey] The river flows slow to the South. The next day, she builds a raft and proceeds down the river.

Undertake a Journey – Challenge:1,6 Action:1+1=2=3 Weak Hit (Journey progress:8; Supplies -1, now at 2)
Her attempts at fishing are profitless, she has to consume some of the small food she has with her. But moving along the water is fast and apparently safe.
[Oracle: Mountain Lair]
Amara can see in the distance a blue profile: the Broken Mountain were the sorceresses Varena and Purena are said to live. When the mountain is directly at her left, she directs the raft to the shore.

Early next morning she walks towards the mountain and starts climbing along a steep path.
Undertake a Journey – Challenge:3,1 Action:5+1 Strong Hit (+1 Momentum = 3) (Journey:9)
Amara meets a Broken girl: Nanda. Amara tells her that she is looking for the sorceresses and Nanda offers to lead her to their hut.

Reach your destination – Challenge:3,5 Journey:9 Strong Hit (+2 Momentum=5)
The twins are much younger than Amara expected: or at least they look so. They welcome her and ask her to tell them of her journey in the most detailed way. They seem puzzled by the episode of Kodra and her Makari prisoner.
Nanda, who also attends the meeting, is a friend of Kodra. Nanda says she had a dream about Kodra, in which she asked to stop the invasion of Havens. They all agree that an alliance against the Makari is necessary. [I also mark +2 progress on the Dangerous vow to free Whitebridge from the Makari]

Sojourn – Challenge:2,7 Action:3+3(Heart)=6 Weak Hit (+2 Health=5)
Amara is welcome to stay with the twins. They help cure her wounds with herbs and she fully recovers.

Current situation:
Health:5 Spirit:4 Supply:2 Momentum:5
Extreme Background Vow: (alliance with Stoneford) Progress:0.5
Dangerous Vow (have Lestara oversee for the next years) Progress:4
Dangerous Vow (reconquer Whitebridge) Progress:4

Simple Super Hero Tabletop Rules

I have tried a minimalist rule-set for superhero miniature skirmishes: the Simple Super Hero Tabletop Rules by Peter Jones (v.1.1 2010).

These rules were inspired by Hi-Lo Heroes by Jeff Moore.

Each hero has 6 abilities (Move, Attack, Evade, Damage, Block “ordinary” damage, Block “fantastic/super” damage): he rolls 2d6 with advantage (i.e. picking the High roll) for three abilities, and with disadvantage (Low roll) for the other three. Characters with Damage advantage also have more hit points (15 vs 10 for the other characters).
Each hero also has two powers (additional +1 on one ability) and a single “fault” (-1 on one ability). Additionally, all heroes have +1 on Damage.

I defined stats for four Marvel heroes: Cyclone, Gypsy Moth, Moonstone and Rhino, for which I also drew some sketchy paper minis.

	Cyclone	Gypsy Moth	Moonstone	Rhino
Move	High+1	High	Low+1	Low
Attack	Low	Low+1	Low	High-1
Evade	High+1	High	High	Low
Damage	Low+1	Low	High	High+2
Block “ordinary” damage	High	Low+1	Low	High+1
Block “super” damage	Low-1	High	High+1	Low

HP	10	10	10	15

Scenario: a random superhero (I rolled Rhino) will help four soldier escort a personality (the red figure) diagonally across the board. The other three heroes will try to prevent the personality from exiting. The personality cannot be attacked until it is near an escorting figure and can never be the target of a ranged attack.

Ordinary soldiers roll all dice with disadvantage: since movement is the result of rolling the dice, they move considerably slower than the average superhero.

Cyclone is the first to eliminate a soldier with a “wind-burst” attack. Rhino and Gypsy Moth engage in hand-to-hand combat and soon are both wounded.

Moonstone puts a soldier out of combat with her light-rays and then move to the left of the board to meet the mission target. Cyclone is engaged in a brawl with one of the soldiers, while the fight between Rhino and Gypsy Moth continues.

Rhino puts the Moth out of combat and Cyclone does the same with his adversary. Moonstone is now very close to the target, escorted by the last soldier.

The soldier engages Moonstone in hand to hand combat.

The soldier is soon defeated. Now also Cyclone and the slower Rhino are getting near.

While Moonstone delays Rhino, Cyclone flies in front of the target personality and stops him: the scenario is won!

I liked the game (I am particularly happy with how dynamic the scenario turned out to be) but I guess that the rule-set could usefully be both extended and simplified. Some of the extensions might be derived from the rule-sets by Jeff Moore linked above. I am thinking of having separate abilities for ranged and hand-to-hand combat and a definition of being pinned-in-melee and how to disengage from such a situation.

Also, I feel that managing “to hit” and “damage” as two distinct abilities doesn’t add much to the game and could be simplified.

Amara of Whitebridge 11 – A trollish setback

Amara is travelling South with Delos, the Broken Kodra and her Makari prisoner Alith. The party has a disastrous encounter with three nasty trolls.

Previous events: Amara of Whitebridge, her cousin Quinn and the crossbowman Delos attack a group of Broken near the village. Amara is defeated. The overseer Lestara harshly critiques Amara’s initiative, which ended in favouring Lestara’s rival Zura. The heroes leave Whitebridge and reach Stoneford, where they meet the healer’s son Kaivan. Stoneford is occupied by the Makari, a mysterious invading army. The party joins a successful counter attack against the Makari: the leader is the friendly Lago of Redhall – it’s love at first sight with Amara. The heroes return to Whitebridge and free Lestara from the Makari. Lago and Quinn fall in the fight. Amara reaches Redhall where the overseer Maya, mother of Lago and Lona, asks her to travel south in search of the twin sorceresses Varena and Purena: they are authorities among the Broken and their help is necessary to re-conquer Whitebridge. Two Whitebridge warriors who were travelling with Amara and Delos are killed by monsters. Amara and Delos help a Broken girl, Kodra, who is leading the Makari prisoner Alith to her community: Kodra and Amara forge a bond and Kodra accepts to travel with Amara and Delos.

Main character: Amara
Edge:+1 Heart:+3 Iron:+2 Shadow:+2 Wits:+1
Health:3 Spirit:4 Supply:2 Momentum:4

Place Whitebrige – a riverside village
NW Haven (near the center of the Ironlands)

Undertake a Journey – Challenge:1,9 Action:6+1(Wits)+1(Kodra)=8 WEAK HIT
Amara and the others proceed South, they finally exit the marshes, but supplies are always short (-1, now 1). Journey progress: 6.

Location Oracle: Peaceful Steading
They reach a large Steading belonging to a young woman, Saura, and her siblings.
Is Saura hostile towards the Broken? [50/50] NO
Saura has a deal with the Borken: she gives them some of her crops and they protect the area around the steading. Still, the surroundings are dangerous.

Sojourn – Challenge:4,2 Action:6+3(Heart)=9 STRONG HIT
Amara Recuperates completely from the wounds received during the previous fights (+2 Heath=5). Saura also provides generous food for the next days of travel (+2 Supplies=3).

Journey – Challenge:7,7 Action:4+1(Wits)+1(Kodra)=6 MISS
I interpret the Matches as someone trying to rescue or eliminate the Makari prisoner Alith: he will be the main target of the aggressors.
Are the attackers humans or trolls? [50/50] Trolls

While following a “lush trail” South, the party is faced by three large trolls.

Amara attacks one of the trolls, but it’s a hard fight and soon she is wounded. Delos manages to put one of the attackers out of combat.
The largest troll attacks Kodra: she fights bravely and with this blow she manages to make the attacker momentarily fall.

Delos and Kodra join forces and defeat the troll leader, but Amara is now out of combat.
Does the last troll retreat? [50/50] NO
He attacks Delos and puts him out of combat.

I stop the fight here, since the two main characters are unconscious.

When Amara regains her senses, does she see Kodra around? [50/50] NO
Is Alith the Makari there? [small chance] NO

What happened of Delos?
Companion Endure Harm – Challenge:9,9 Action:6+3(Heart)=9 MISS

The matches seem to me to require a “strong” interpretation of the miss: Amara finds the lifeless body of Delos (-2 momentum, now=2)

Amara has received 2 harms (Health now at 3).
Endure Harm – Challenge:1,8 Action:1+2(Iron)=3 Weak Hit

The death of Delos is a blow for Amara: it was the last of his Whitebridge companions. Also, Kodra was familiar with the region and she might have helped Amara interact with the Broken, when she reaches her destination. Yet she will have to go on by herself.

Current situation:
Health:3 Spirit:4 Supply:3 Momentum:2
Extreme Background Vow: (alliance with Stoneford) Progress:0.5
Dangerous Vow (have Lestara oversee for the next years) Progress:4
Dangerous Vow (reconquer Whitebridge) Progress:2
Formidable Journey to find Varena and Purena: Progress 6

Amara of Whitebridge 10 – Kodra the Broken

Amara is travelling South with Delos in search of the twin sorceresses Varena and Purena. They meet Kodra, a Broken who is escorting a Makari prisoner, and help her fight a Makari patrol.

Previous events: Amara of Whitebridge, Quinn and the crossbowman Delos attack a group of Broken near the village. Amara is defeated. The overseer Lestara harshly critiques Amara’s initiative, which ended in favouring Lestara’s rival Zura. The heroes leave Whitebridge and reach Stoneford, where they meet the healer’s son Kaivan. Stoneford is occupied by the Makari, a mysterious invading army. The party joins a successful counter attack against the Makari: the leader is the friendly Lago of Redhall – it’s love at first sight with Amara. The heroes free Lestara, who had been imprisoned by the Makari in Whitebridge. Lago and Quinn fall in the fight. Amara reaches Redhall where the overseer Maya, mother of Lago and Lona, asks her to travel south in search of the twin sorceresses Varena and Purena: they are authorities among the Broken and their help is necessary to re-conquer Whitebridge.Two Whitebridge warriors who were travelling with Amara and Delos are killed by monsters, Amara is wounded.

Main character: Amara
Edge:+1 Heart:+3 Iron:+2 Shadow:+2 Wits:+1
Health:1 Spirit:4 Supply:2 Momentum:1

Place Whitebrige – a riverside village
NW Haven (near the center of the Ironlands)

VOWS
Background Vow: – Extreme. When Amara’s father Deshi was overseer, he started a feud with the nearby Stoneford community (another village on the same river, twenty miles NE of Whitebridge). Amara intends to mend the conflict started by her father. Progress: 0.5
Dangerous Vow. Let Lestara be overseer for the next seven years. Progress:4
Dangerous Vow (reconquer Whitebridge) Progress:0
Formidable Journey to find Varena and Purena: Progress 5

Amara applies her Herbalist skill to Heal herself:
Challenge:2,2 Action:1+1(Wits)+2(Herbalist)=4 STRONG HIT
+2 Health (now 3)

Oracle suggestion for the matching dice: Escort Problem – Amara and Delos meet a Broken girl, Kodra, who is escorting a Makari prisoner. She tells them that the Makari (named Alith) has sworn an Iron Vow to help the Broken, but he will only speak in front of the council of the elders. All Kodra’s companions have been killed in a fight with Makari-led trolls.

Amara and Delos tell Kodra how they have been fighting the Makari in Stoneford and Whitebridge. Amara asks Kodra to travel together.
Compel – Challenge:2,1 Action:1+3(Heart)=4 STRONG HIT
Kodra gladly agrees. For the rest of the Journey, Kodra will provide a +1 on Journey rolls (she is familiar with the area).

Undertake a Journey – Challenge:5,7 Action:2+1(wits)+1(Kodra)=4 MISS

They have only travelled a couple of miles, still in the marshes, when they meet a Makari patrol!

Amara and Kodra attack the two Makari armed with spears. Amara quickly defeats her opponent and is then assaulted by the Makari leader. Delos stays at the rear shooting his bolts.

Kodra is put out of combat, but Delos kills the Makari archer and Amara the leader. Delos and Amara jointly attack the last Makari, who was approaching the prisoner, and easily prevail.

Is Kodra still alive? [Likely] YES

Amara applies again her Herbalist skill.
Heal – Challenge:4,3 Action:3+1(Wits)+2(Herbalist)=6 STRONG HIT
The Broken was only lightly injured and Amara’s herbs put her on her feet in only a few minutes.
This seems like a good time to
Forge a Bond with Kodra – Challenge:7,4 A:6+3(Heart)=9 STRONG HIT (+2 Momentum – Now 4)

I grant Amara some progress on the Dangerous vow to reconquer Whitebridge – the first step in an alliance with the Broken has been taken!

Current situation:
Health:3 Spirit:4 Supply:2 Momentum:4
Extreme Background Vow: (alliance with Stoneford) Progress:0.5
Dangerous Vow (reconquer Whitebridge) Progress:2
Dangerous Vow (have Lestara oversee for the next years) Progress:4
Formidable Journey to find Varena and Purena: Progress 5