An improvised adventure.

Tools and supplements used:

  • Ironsworn
  • Ironsworn: Delve

9 minute read

Page 5 of Ironsworn Delve: woman with sword and round shield, light armour, knee deep in water, entering a sea cave. Let’s find out who she is and what she wants (randomly).

NAME: Emelyn
CHARACTER ROLE: Guard 
CHARACTER DESCRIPTOR: Angry 
CHARACTER GOAL: Cure an ill 
ACTION/THEME: Finish/Language

I gave her a sword because she has one in the picture. I gave her a dog because the random tables said she was a guard. And I gave her blade-bound because I thought the sword itself might be important to the tug-of-war between duty and adventure.

Assets: Swordmaster, Hound (Ghalen), Blade-bound (Thyri)
Edge: 2 
Heart: 1 
Iron: 3 
Shadow: 1 
Wits: 2

As the granddaughter of the chief she is expected to stay close and guard her grandmother, while being schooled in diplomacy and leadership. Meanwhile the spirit in her sword speaks to her wanderlust and stokes her desire to see the world.

Domain: Sea Cave 
Theme: Wild

These kind of speak for themselves, but I thought a little more about the why of her adventure was needed.

NAME: Elder Caves
ACTION/THEME: Reveal/Supply
SETTLEMENT TROUBLE: Important event threatened

The winter festival is built around the village Seer’s vision quest to the future — seeing potential troubles and fortunes alike. A chosen adventurer must delve into the Elder Caves to return with a small amount of the required hallucinogen, the venom of a Sea Wyvern.

Objective: Return with the venom of a Sea Wyvern
Challenge: Dangerous

Denizens of the Elder Caves, which I chose by looking for the water-related foes:

  • Eel (very common)
  • Shroud Crab (common)
  • Sodden (uncommon)
  • Rhaskar (rare)
  • Kraken (unforeseen)

Leaving the crowds behind. Passing Ghalen to my sister to take care of him and then stepping into the icy water. The shingle underfoot, but then soon my feet turn numb with cold. The noise of the crowd fades. I’m on my own.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +wits -> MISS
  REVEAL A DANGER: You encounter a hostile denizen
    DENIZEN: Sodden

Too busy thinking of the crowd, my loyal Ghalen, the pressures of doing this right — and I forgot to properly prepare. I reach for my protective amulet at the same moment I feel a clammy hand grasp my ankle. No amulet! I smash down hard with my shield rim.

FACE DANGER +iron -> STRONG
  Momentum: +3

The grip loosens and I leap quickly from its grasp and run into the dimness beyond.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +edge -> MISS with MATCH
  REVEAL A DANGER: A discovering undermines/complicates your quest

Deeper into the cliff the seas deepen and the darkness overwhelms. I stumble on something sticky and rank before my night vision comes. It is the body of a sea wyvern, half-eaten by something. I don’t know if sea wyverns normally live alone. Is this the remains of the animal I came to milk? I should have paid more attention to the Seer. I don’t know what eats them. There may something very dangerous here. I move carefully on.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +shadow -> WEAK
  Mark Progress: 2/10

Glow worms light the ceiling and provide a little beauty in this dark place.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +shadow -> MISS
  REVEAL A DANGER: Flooding / Environmental or architectural hazard

A wall. No, the entrance to a low tunnel filled with high water. Is this the right way?

GATHER INFORMATION -> WEAK
  Momentum: +4

There are scratch marks on the tunnel entrance here. Some are obviously made by a sea wyvern by some are … not. But this is the way. I take a deep breath and plunge into the flooded tunnel.

FACE DANGER +edge -> WEAK
  ENDURE HARM (1) +health -> STRONG
    Momentum: +5
      Health: +4

Face scratched, lungs bursting, caught in the darkness — I remember that this is how I will prove myself: a Ironsworn, not a village overseer.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +wits -> MISS with MATCH
  REVEAL A DANGER: Denizen strikes without warning
    DENIZEN: Shroud crab (several because of the match)

I burst into a wider cavern full of glittering rockpools and angular fingers of rock reaching up to the ever-present glow worms high above. Before I have even taken breath a shroud crab has leapt at me, with another close behind.

ENTER THE FRAY +wits -> STRONG with MATCH
  Challenge: Dangerous
  Momentum: +6

Every child who grew up on these coasts has been surprised by a shroud crab at some point, but no warrior should be truly surprised by them. I laugh a little and hear the thump as the first crab’s body hits the iron boss on my shield. My other hand is already drawing Thyri.

STRIKE +iron -> WEAK
  Harm: 2 (blade) + 2 (bladebound)
  Fight Progress: 8/10
  ENDURE STRESS (2) +spirit -> WEAK
    Spirit: +3

Too long in the scabbard of a guard, Thyri’s thirst for blood brings the handle to my hand unnaturally fast, and its spirit frightens me. A tail is sliced away, some spindly legs drop and two crabs are skewered. Finally only one remains, until I hear a clicking sound behind me. Not so easy. Surrounded, both ready to leap.

CLASH +iron -> MISS
  PAY THE PRICE: A surprising development complicates your quest
  PLOT TWIST: Someone returns unexpectedly.

I feint and dodge to break the stalemate, trusting my shield to guard my weak side. My misdirection is wasted and I’m the one caught by surprise. Ghalen pops through the tunnel and the crabs turn towards him.

IS GHALEN ATTACKED? Yes
COMPANION ENDURE HARM (1) +health -> STRONG
  Companion health: +4
  Regain Initiative
END THE FIGHT (8) -> WEAK
  ENDURE STRESS (2) +spirit +1 -> STRONG
    Momentum: +5
    Spirit: +2

I leap to his aid with sudden anger, skewering crabs and kicking savagely at bits of shell in the glow-worm gloom. He is alright and I feel a little better too.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +wits -> WEAK
  Mark Progress: 4/10
  REVEAL A DANGER: Hunting ground or watering hole / Denizen lurks below
  DENIZEN: New monstrosity (we'll define it when needed)

The cavern narrowed into a single long tunnel, dotted with deep pools. At last we came to one the spanned the width of the tunnel. The bodies of shroud crabs crunched underfoot. I held onto Ghalen anxiously. There was something dangerous here but could we sneak past?

FACE DANGER +shadow -> MISS
  PAY THE PRICE: Make worse: It forces you to go against your best intentions
  ACTION/THEME: Break/Hope

I can climb past but Ghalen cannot. I am in anguish. He is in danger here. He is in danger returning through the caves to the entrance. I hug him and nearly weep. “Go home” I say in the end, “please”.

ENDURE STRESS (1) +heart -> MISS
  Momentum: +4
  Spirit: +1

I close my eyes to stop the tears forming, then turn away. He will be safe, I am sure. I must go on — and quickly now, to hurry back to him.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +edge -> MISS
  REVEAL A DANGER: Claustrophobic squeeze

The tunnel narrows and pinches in the middle into an hourglass shape, like two crawlspaces one above the other. I could crawl on my belly on the floor or climb up to crawl through the darkness. There is a faint glow round the curve of the tunnels but no features. I must leave my shield here. It cannot fit through either gap.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +wits -> WEAK
  Mark Progress: 6/10
  FEATURES: Watery tunnels
I didn't actually decide how I got through these tunnels and now that they're
flooded that seems important. We'll let the oracle decide how I progressed.
  DID I CRAWL OR CLIMB? CLIMB

The sucking and splashing below makes me glad I chose to climb through the upper part of the tunnel. There must be more sea access near here. In fact, even that light ahead is sunlight not wormlight. Where am I? Is there a better way out?

GATHER INFORMATION -> MISS
  PAY THE PRICE: It is harmful
  ACTION/THEME: Deliver/Fellowship
  ENDURE HARM (1) +health -> STRONG
    Momentum: +5
    Health: +3

I try to crawl up through the dirt towards the light but the way gets narrower as I scratch and claw through the rock and dirt. A clear view remains just out of reach. I hear distant singing and music from the crowd at the beach. It calls to me but I cannot reach them. I return to my task.

DELVE THE DEPTHS +wits -> STRONG
  Mark Progress: 8/10
  Momentum: +6
  FIND AN OPPORTUNITY: The terrain favours you or you find a hidden path
  FEATURES: Remains or carrion
  ACTION/THEME: Find/Peace

The rock has changed to earth. I am further uphill and inland than I expected. I break through to earthen walls that have been worked, supported by wooden props and rough stone lintels. The path splits in two. In one direction, the noise of the sea and sunlight, and in the other darkness.

I take the path to the sea to feel the breeze again. It breaks through high on a cliff face, hidden behind some tough bushes. A discarded wyvern skin lies nearby. I am close.

LOCATE YOUR OBJECTIVE (8) -> STRONG
  FEATURES: Something unusual or unexpected
  ACTION/THEME: Breach/Ally

Deeper inside the man-made tunnels (smugglers? wreckers? spies?) the animal stench is strong. My lack of shield means I very exposed. I wield Thyri like a holy sceptre, like a light going into darkness. But I start to feel it quivering. I feel repulsion from the blade. It fears to go in.

COMPEL +heart +1 +1 -> WEAK
  There's a +1 for the bond with the sword but can't remember what the other is!
  Momentum: +7
  ACTION/THEME: Leave/Momentum

This task is bringing back old emotions in Thyri, but I do not know the story behind them. All I can do is promise a better future. “When we get back we’ll be heroes, but everyone will get drunk and forget us by nightfall. We’ll leave tonight, I promise. Take Ghalen and leave. We just have to get home safe.” The blade seems to relax in my hand. We go deeper and find a slumbering wyvern.

FACE DANGER +wits -> WEAK
  Burn Momentum -> STRONG
  Momentum: +3

I retreat and lay out my pack to start a small fire of smoke and special herbs, wafting them towards the den. The beast will fall deeper into a powerful sleep. It does not last long but I should not need long, because I will be quick.

FACE DANGER +edge -> MISS
  PAY THE PRICE: Your action has an unintended effect

I quickly creep to its side and uncork my small bottle. The venom on the spurs of a sea wyvern are used by skilled Seers to look into the future. It must be used fresh.

I was too quick to move in. The heady smoke fills the chamber and my lungs. If I fall asleep here then I will not wake in time to escape. I must get fresh air.

FACE DANGER +iron -> WEAK
  ENDURE STRESS (1) -> MISS
    Spirit: 0
      Momentum: +2
      Condition: Shaken

I crawl on my belly to where I lay my pack, away from the sleepy fumes. I took many deep breaths before returning for the venom bottle. How easy it was so slip and find yourself in mortal danger. Suddenly I imagine Ghalen alive and healthy, waiting on my return until the sun sinks and the fires go cold. The thought horrifies me but spurs me to complete my task.

ESCAPE THE DEPTHS +edge -> WEAK
  ENDURE HARM (1) +iron -> WEAK
    Health: +2
  DID GHALEN ESCAPE TOO? Yes

I stagger out of the cave mouth, battered and traumatised, into the arms of my family. Ghalen is there for me. In a quiet moment I pull Thyri from the scabbard and apologise. Tonight I will do nothing but sleep.