Ironsworn Session 10: A Hero's Return

Valryc's status: Momentum: 4; Health: 5; Spirit: 5; Supply: 3
Undertake a Journey: Return to Wrennsfall: Progress:6
Vow: Find the ruins, discover what the Shadiri are seeking and return to Wrennsfall: Progress:5

 
By the time that Valryc begins his journey for the day, the sun blazes high in the sky. He won’t have as much light to travel by after slaying the shadow beast and celebrating with the villagers, though he is thankful that he is leaving with a full belly and a speedy steed to make his journey much easier. “The day has brought good fortune thus far. Now, let us make all haste and ride for Wrennsfall!” With that he spurs on the borrowed horse, traveling with all haste homeward.

Undertake a Journey- With his newly acquired steed, he charges onward towards Wrennsfall
Roll +1 For Strieg’s Far-seeing and +1 for bond with Rockmark
Strong hit: Action die 10; Challenge die 5/6
Reach a waypoint;+2 progress; +1 momentum; -1 Supply
Oracle (Location/descriptor): 16/40- Big Cairn
Oracle (Name): 24- Khinara

Valryc rides hard and fast throughout the remaining daylight. As he draws ever closer to Wrennsfall, the road becomes broader and more well traveled as it winds through the low foothills of the northern mountains. The steep peaks at his back, Valryc continues on through the long valleys and gentle hills that separate him from Wrennsfall. At this point he has abandoned all caution of being spotted by the Shadiri and embraces the haste that the horse allows him. He makes sure that the horse is well fed and watered to ensure the animal will carry him all the way to the gates of Wrennsfall without falling to exhaustion. He pulls out whatever food that remains in his dwindling supplies to feed the horse. “I know they needed their food stores more than I did, but a small bundle of food to get me through the rest of my journey would have been nice…”  He thinks to himself, though is firm in his decision not to take more than he needed from the villagers. They had gone through enough thanks to the Shadiri. He would not put more burden on those people. As day turned to evening and the sun began to set, Valryc spots a welcome sign. “Oh I’ve never been more happy to see a pile of rocks in all of my days!”  He exclaims aloud. Just coming into view was the Cairn of Khinara. The marker of the edge of Wrennsfall territory. The city would not be more than a few hours more of hard riding. Valryc smiles at the thought that he might have a warm meal and a soft bed this evening instead of the hard dirt and drafty tent that had been his home for nearly a month of traveling. He pats the horses neck, “What do you say my friend? Shall we feast in the halls of Wrennsfall this evening? We can make it, I am sure!” He urges the horse onward towards the cairn.

As they finally arrive at the cairn, Valryc slows the horse to a stop. He dismounts and stands before the marker, a sudden heaviness weighs on him as his journey finally comes to a close. He thinks of his men who fell in the sudden attack by the Shadiri. He pulls off his pack and rummages through it until he finds the small iron arrowheads that had marked his men as members of the Wrennsfall army. “The scouts always have the hardest tasks before them. You were my best men. I won’t let your deaths go forgotten. I will complete our mission for your honor. Know that your task is done and rest easy my friends.” He loops the leather cord of each of the necklaces of his fallen unit around the stones of the cairn and tucks the arrowheads into cracks in the structure so that no one would remove these markers. After a moment longer, he finally shoulders his pack, mounts the horse, and pushes on towards his final destination.

Reach your Destination- Valryc presses on to the conclusion of his journey
Progress 8; Challenge die 6/1
Strong hit: +1 momentum

Valryc feels his journey coming to a close. Every hoofbeat striking the road beneath his horse draws him ever nearer his home and the completion of his mission. A sense of elation and relief fill him simultaneously. The journey was a hard one, but it would finally end before the sun set on this day. The horse breathes heavily as Valryc continues to urge him forward. “You’ll have the finest stable a horse could dream of this evening, just keep up the pace my friend. You’re so very near the end!” And the horse does press on, continuing the hard ride bearing Valryc and the information nestled in his pack closer and closer to Wrennsfall. The road gently rises over a large ridge, a ridge that is all too familiar to Valryc. As he crests the ridge he looks down upon a welcome sight. Wrennsfall lay tucked up against the ridge made by the mountainous terrain alongside a large lake that is fed from the very mountains he had spent the last month traveling through. The road descends down from the ridge and curves around to the main road that leads towards the gates. Valryc presses the horse onward. As he races forward towards the gates he spots familiar guards that stand on the precipice of the city. As he draws closer and slows his horse he can hear voices calling out in recognition, “Captain Valryc! He has returned! Send a runner to the council!” Valryc smiles as exhaustion finally overcomes him. The horse closes the final distance to the gates at a slow walk, catching its breath from the long sprint from the cairn. Valryc musters all of his energy to dismount the horse, handing off the reigns to a guardsmen. “Find this horse the very best accommodations and finest feed that Wrennsfall can muster. It has made a heroic effort to return me to the city several days earlier than I would have been on my own two feet.” Valryc pats the horse along its neck as the guardsman salutes and guides the horse off towards the stables. Valryc’s spirit is lifted with the warm welcome from his fellow soldiers, though the long journey seems to have finally settled deep into his bones. He is weary and ready to see his mission completed.

“Thank you for the warm welcome guardsmen. You know not how welcome it truly is. But there is still much I must do before the end of this day. I’m headed to the council chambers.” Valryc sighs heavily, though knows he is not done until the information he carries is laid safely in the hands of the council. A guard nods to Valryc, “Worry not captain, we sent a runner as we saw you making your return. The council has given us instructions to inform them immediately upon your return. They will be ready to receive you in the council chambers as soon as you make it there.”  Valryc pats the man’s shoulder and smiles with a laugh, “Well I suppose in that case, I best not keep them waiting.” Valryc looks to the sky and sees that Strieg flies above in wide slow circles, yet still keeping an eye on the surroundings. Valryc blows a sharp whistle and points off towards the city. “Home Strieg! Perch and find the rest that you deserve!”  At his words the hawk turns and with speed makes his way off into the city. And as the hawk flies inwards so too does Valryc cross the threshold and into the city of Wrennsfall.

Reach a Milestone- Valryc has completed his journey and returned to Wrennsfall with the information that he had gathered at the Elven Ruins. The safety of the city means that he is almost finished with his vow. +1 progress

Wrennsfall is one of the three large cities that act as the hubs of civilization in the Iron lands. The interior of the city is a large keep that was there long before the Ironlanders were pushed south and into these lands. The conclusion was that the elves had built thes grand keeps and had abandoned them when they abandoned the Ironlands, though no one truly knows any history of these places before they were settled by the Ironlanders. Wrennsfall was built up around this large keep. From the center of the city, the Ironlanders built out their own homes. A gradual shift in architecture can be seen the farther from the interior of the city you travel. By the time you would reach the wall, the buildings are entirely of Ironlander construction. Sturdy wooden structures replace the fine craftsmanship of the stone buildings that the elves had left. Wrennsfall was a large city in comparison to the many villages that surrounded it, though the town was by no means large in population. Too few of the Ironlanders had made it south when fleeing from the Shadiri and though that migration had taken place hundreds of years ago, their numbers had yet to replenish themselves. The Ironlands were hard and made for a difficult life. Valryc quickly strode through the outskirts of Wrennsfall, making his way directly towards the center of the city where the council chambers were located. Though finally feeling the wear of travel, he dared not slow his pace now that he was in the comfort of home. There would be time to relax soon, he hoped. But the completion of his mission was the most vital thing to him at the moment. He made his way towards the keep and up the stairs into the main entryway, finally finding the large oaken doors that lead into the council chambers open and the councilors sitting patiently waiting for his arrival.

Valryc steps into the room and closes the doors behind him before he turns around and kneels before the large round table that sat at the center of the room. “Councilors, I come to report the completion of my mission and give you most vital information regarding the Shadiri and their goals in coming south into the Ironlands.” Head councilor Amara stands, inclining her head to the captain before commanding him to rise and approach. “Step forth and give your report, captain. I have already informed the remaining councilors of the unfortunate fate of your soldiers. Their names will be held in the memory of Wrennsfall for all the time that we Ironlanders yet breathe life into our city.” With that Valryc retrieves his notes regarding the hieroglyphic images and the map with the locations marked across the Ironlands that he found inside the ruins. He explains in as much detail as possible all that he had learned from the Ruins, as well as the other incidents on his journey regarding the abandoned village with the Shadiri soldiers and Rockmark’s routing by the shadow beast. If the councilors are surprised or shocked by any of this information, it does not show on their faces. Valryc finishes his report in summary, “I believe that the Shadiri are seeking the pieces of this blade so that they can find the prison of this great beast and free him to wreak havoc across the Ironlands. They seek to bring shadow and darkness to the world and destroy our people once again.”

Reach a Milestone- Valryc has given forth all the information that he gathered from the ruins. The decisions are now in the hands of the councilors. He has reached his final milestone in this vow. +1 progress

Fulfill your Vow- Valryc has completed his mission to find the Elven ruins, discover what might be there that the Shadiri are after, and returned with it to Wrennsfall.
Weak hit:Progress 7; CD 7/6
Mark experience (2x for formidable vow); There is more to be done…

Councilor Amara speaks up after a moment of quiet thoughtfulness. “These are grave tidings that you bring us, Captain. We will take this information and discuss what our next plans of action will be. For now, you are dismissed. Go and rest. You have brought us vital information. We will summon you within the week if we need anything else from you.” With that Valryc bows, scooping up his pack and leaving the keep. He returns home, finding his sister excitedly waiting for him on the steps leading to his front door. She smiles brightly as she pets Striegs head gently. “This little thing came pecking at my window looking for food. I supposed that meant you were either dead or off making a report or another. Come I’ve fixed food. You can eat and wash and get some rest. Welcome back.” She embraces Valryc in a tight hug before the two make their way off. Valryc eats a hearty meal with his sister and her family before returning home to wash and change out of his travel worn clothing. He finally lays down to rest, feeling as if he could sleep for an entire week. But a small thought needles into his head as he tosses and turns throughout the night. Finding himself staring up at the ceiling in the pitch black dark of night he thinks to himself, “This is not the end of this for me. I have not finished my part in this…” He spends the restless evening dwelling on this thought. Theres more to be done in this mission, and he will not abandon it now.

Reach a Milestone- By completing his mission and reporting the information that he discovered in the ruins, Valryc has progressed his background vow of protecting the Ironlands from the Shadiri cult. +1 progress 
 
Valryc's status: Momentum: 6; Health: 5; Spirit: 5; Supply: 2
Undertake a journey to return to Wrennsfall: progress: Completed!
Vow: Find the ruins, discover what the Shadiri are seeking and return to Wrennsfall: Progress: Completed!
Vow: Protect the Ironlands from the Shadiri and Discover their purposes in driving the Ironlanders south: Progress:3/4ths 

Ironsworn Campaign 1: Session List 

Comments

Post a Comment