Ironsworn Session 20: A Shard of Cybela
Valryc's status: Momentum: 8; Health: 5; Spirit: 4; Supply:3
Delve the Elven Ruins to find the piece of the blade: Progress 6
Delve the Elven Ruins to find the piece of the blade: Progress 6
GM Note:
This feels like the scene of a deadly battle between two forces. The elves were doing all they could to defend the deeper rooms where the shard of the blade is kept. An assaulting force was trying to invade. The elves enacted a final magical trap, a last ditch effort to stop these invaders. The trap was a magical trap that killed every living creature that remained in the underkeep. The elves never left, they sacrificed themselves to the blade piece from this enemy's grasp.
This feels like the scene of a deadly battle between two forces. The elves were doing all they could to defend the deeper rooms where the shard of the blade is kept. An assaulting force was trying to invade. The elves enacted a final magical trap, a last ditch effort to stop these invaders. The trap was a magical trap that killed every living creature that remained in the underkeep. The elves never left, they sacrificed themselves to the blade piece from this enemy's grasp.
Valryc steps foot into the next chamber unprepared for what he sees.
Almost perfectly preserved, dozens of figures rest motionless in a never
ending struggle. Slender, tall figures similar in build to his ghostly guide,
bedecked in ornate armor stand in formation in front of the next doorway. In
opposition to these figures, almost appearing to be caught mid charge, are
large hulking figures set in rudimentary and bulky armor. These figures stand
about equal in height to the elves, but are bulky and muscular. Their roughly
constructed armor is adorned in bones, almost making the massive humanoid
creatures appear to be skeletal in nature, if it weren’t for the large mass
beneath the armor contradicting that assumption. Within the room, both sides
remain still, their flesh under their armor appearing to have been turned to
stone. Hesitantly Valryc steps towards one of the massive figures, holding his
hand out and placing it upon the figure's outstretched arm. “Stone… All turned
to stone. Yes I remember this.” Valryc’s guide speaks up from behind him,
sounding lost in thought as a memory suddenly comes back to him. “The orcs,
they wanted to bring back the beast we feared. They raided our cities in
search for the blade, only to come up empty handed. Until they found this
place. We knew we could not allow them to have it. And so we did what we had
to… To buy time. The last defense of the temple was activated. Petrified in
our final battle here, we would not have held them off, but here we lay in an
eternal battle doing just that.” The apparition quiets, moving through
the elves and studying their faces. Though he had a moment of clarity, the
moment has passed as he cannot recall who they were, only what they died
doing.
Valryc shudders hearing about the final moments of the elves and these creatures, the orcs, that his guide describes destroying their cities in search of the shards of the blade. The very shards he is after…
GM Note:
Valryc is confronted with the reality of what the people after this blade might do in their quest. He knew the gravity of the situation, but it now finally really sets into his mind how dangerous his task must be if the defenders were willing to go to such lengths in their defense. His mind is shaken and he’s going to have to endure stress as he takes this scene in.
Valryc is confronted with the reality of what the people after this blade might do in their quest. He knew the gravity of the situation, but it now finally really sets into his mind how dangerous his task must be if the defenders were willing to go to such lengths in their defense. His mind is shaken and he’s going to have to endure stress as he takes this scene in.
Endure Stress- Valryc faces the true lengths which the elves were
willing to go to in protecting the shards of these blades.
-1 spirit and Roll+spirit: Spirit 3+ Action die 3
Weak hit: Action score 6; Challenge die 3/10
Press on
-1 spirit and Roll+spirit: Spirit 3+ Action die 3
Weak hit: Action score 6; Challenge die 3/10
Press on
Valryc shakes himself out of his sudden
pause, looking past the figures. Behind the petrified elves stands a doorway
which leads deeper into the depths of the underkeep. “I finally understand the
seriousness of my task… I will not allow these shards of the blade to fall
into the hands of our enemies. I will not allow your sacrifices to be in vain
after all this time!” He steels his resolve and presses forward, weaving
through the figures in the midst of their eternal battle and continues deeper
into the cavernous labyrinth of the Elven temple.
Delve the Depths- Valryc doesn’t let the figures delay him any longer than they already
have. He presses deeper into the underkeep.
Roll+wits+Elven guide: Wits 2+ Elven guide 1+ Action die 3
Strong hit: Action score 6 ; Challenge die 3/2
Mark progress and find an opportunity
Find an opportunity- 54; A clue offers insight or direction
Roll+wits+Elven guide: Wits 2+ Elven guide 1+ Action die 3
Strong hit: Action score 6 ; Challenge die 3/2
Mark progress and find an opportunity
Find an opportunity- 54; A clue offers insight or direction
GM Note:
With this opportunity, I’m going to lean into our chance encounter with the elven spirit. He will be able to quicken our way through the underkeep and give us an additional progress in our delve.
With this opportunity, I’m going to lean into our chance encounter with the elven spirit. He will be able to quicken our way through the underkeep and give us an additional progress in our delve.
Opportunity- The
elven spirit remembers a shortcut through the winding tunnels and moves Varlyc
closer to his goal. Mark progress
GM Note:
At this point we are at 8 progress through this delve. Let's see if we can finish it off and get ourselves out of here before the Shadiri closes in on us.
At this point we are at 8 progress through this delve. Let's see if we can finish it off and get ourselves out of here before the Shadiri closes in on us.
Locate your Objective- Progress move to find the shard deep within
the underkeep.
Roll against 8 progress
Strong hit: Progress 8; Challenge die 1/2
Locate your objective and the situation favors you, Make another move at +1
Roll against 8 progress
Strong hit: Progress 8; Challenge die 1/2
Locate your objective and the situation favors you, Make another move at +1
As Valryc moves through the doorway, his
elven guide follows along. The spirit's eyes linger on his petrified allies, a
sadness weighs heavy on his face as he tries and fails to recall even their
names. Turning his attention back to Valryc, he quickly takes the lead. His
sudden clarity returns to him as soon as they pass through the door. “Wait! I
remember these halls. We are not far from your goal. Quick, follow me this
way! It should be just a few short hallways away!” Valryc follows as
best as he can as the spirit darts down the halls, turning quickly down
another doorway. Valryc almost loses sight of the spectral glow around another
corner as the elven spirit darts around another quick turn. Fear grips Valryc
as he thinks he might lose his only ally in finding the final chambers of this
underkeep. He chases after him then suddenly stops as he almost runs right
through the back of his spectral guide. The spirit stands still in front of an
ornate doorway at the end of the last hallway. No lock is present, just two
heavy set doors. Familiar hieroglyphic images decorate this door, similar to
the ones Valryc found in the first temple. Though these hieroglyphs seem to
depict a slightly different scene. Two hooded figures approach the outside of
a temple in one frame. In the next they produce a piece of a blade,
reverently placing it upon a dais. The final image depicts a unit of warriors,
seeming to stand guard. “This is the place… The vault which holds the shard
of…”
GM Note:
The elf spirit speaks the name of the blade… But I haven’t figured out what its called yet! Lets roll on some tables to get the name of our mythical elven blade.
The elf spirit speaks the name of the blade… But I haven’t figured out what its called yet! Lets roll on some tables to get the name of our mythical elven blade.
Oracle: Action(33)/Theme(95)/Elven name(91)- Aid Warning Cybela
A warning and aid could be like a warning signal. I think Beacon fits that. And since this is a blade specifically used to seal away some shadow-like demon, we’re going to lean into the beacon as a light.
We also don’t know the creature's name that was sealed away using this blade. There's not great options for oracles for that in Ironsworn so I’ve found a demon name generator and come up with our enemies name. We finally have a name to put on our greatest of enemies!
After a moment of pause, the spirit finally finishes his
sentence. “This is the vault that holds a part of Cybela’s beacon of light!
The blade which pierced Azrogoth’s heart and sealed him to shadows!” The
spirit’s voice wavers as he thinks again about the fact that Valryc intends to
take the blade from its resting place. He quickly turns on Valryc. “You must
swear to me on your life! This blade is not only the key to that beast's
prison, but the only chance anyone has of ever truly defeating him! You must
take this and protect it! Keep it safe until someone might break the demon’s
chains and finally put an end to him once and for all!”
Forge a bond- Valryc will swear an oath to this spirit,
forming a deep bond with the plight of the elves
Roll+heart+success: Heart 2 + Success 1+ Action die 4
Strong hit: Action score 7; Challenge die 3/5
Mark bond and +1 on bond progress; +1 spirit
Roll+heart+success: Heart 2 + Success 1+ Action die 4
Strong hit: Action score 7; Challenge die 3/5
Mark bond and +1 on bond progress; +1 spirit
The spirit is going to bestow an elven name to Valryc to formalize his connection to the ancient elves
Oracle- Elf name (87); Kerihu
Valryc is stunned by the sudden outburst. So much information to take in. He pauses for
a moment before his eyes finally meet the spirit’s gaze on him. “I swear it!
The enemies of my people are of the same mind as yours were. They wish to free
this beast and wreak havoc upon our lands! I will not let them take it. I will
do what I can to protect this blade and find someone who may wield it in that
final battle. We will put a stop to Azrogoth once and for all!” Before
registering everything that he has said, the spirit solemnly nods and turns
away from Valryc. With a wave of the spectre's hand, the door slides open to
reveal the ornate vault within. Upon a pedestal in the center of the room
rests a hilt with a small portion of jagged broken blade sticking from the
grip. The spirit turns back to Valryc. “My friend, though I’ve just met you,
something in my heart tells me that your words are true. I will entrust my
charge to you. Mine and my allies' life’s work in protecting this blade is now
yours. And that the demon might finally catch the end of this blade again and
fall upon it fills me with righteous joy. Though the weight is much to bear,
it is a burden that I can no longer carry.” He bows his head solemnly, “I name
you elf friend Kerihu, Guardian of the Blade of Cybela and the Beacon of
Light!”
Reach a Milestone- In finding this first shard of the
blade, Valryc has reached several milestones in both his background vow and
his current vow.
For Background vow- Find the first piece of the blade; Mark ¼ progress on the epic track
For Background vow- discovered the name of the demon that the Shadiri seek to release upon the Ironlands; Mark ¼ progress on the epic track
Current Vow- Find the first piece of the blade; Mark ½ progress on the extreme track
For Background vow- Find the first piece of the blade; Mark ¼ progress on the epic track
For Background vow- discovered the name of the demon that the Shadiri seek to release upon the Ironlands; Mark ¼ progress on the epic track
Current Vow- Find the first piece of the blade; Mark ½ progress on the extreme track
As the
spirit finishes his statement, he slowly fades away into nothingness. Valryc
stands in shock for a moment, now alone in the vault of the temple. Slowly he
steps up to the dais and stares down at the blade. The handle is ornate silver
decorated with strange runes that seem to be similar to the elven runes that
Valryc has seen in the past. As he places a hand upon the grip, it seems as if
for a brief moment the blade shines with a blue white light, but quickly
fades. After taking his moment to appreciate the beauty and weight of this
broken piece of the blade, Valryc quickly wraps it in the cloth that it sat
upon and carefully tucks the blade away in his pack. He turns to escape from
the ruin and make his way to Timbermount.
Escape the Depths-
Valryc turns to leave the depths of the underkeep with all haste, retracing
the pathway the spirit had lead him down.
Roll+wits: Wits 2+ Action die 4
Strong hit: Action score 6; Challenge die 2/3
Make your way safely out of the site; +1 momentum
Roll+wits: Wits 2+ Action die 4
Strong hit: Action score 6; Challenge die 2/3
Make your way safely out of the site; +1 momentum
Valryc is able to follow the route
that the spirit had lead him. He takes a quiet moment at the scene of the
petrified warriors defending the tomb, nodding his head to the elves that gave
their lives protecting the blade he now possesses. Returning to the circular
room with the stone golem, he quickly activates the defenses again before
making his way around the outskirts of the room. “Should the Shadiri come this
way still, I’d prefer the defenses take out a few of them yet.” He
finally finds his way to the first room, the large circular area with
spoke-like hallways leading every which way. Though he wishes for more time to
explore and possibly find something he could use down the other hallways, he
decides its better to get back on the road quickly. “Can’t take a chance that
might lead the Shadiri catching up to me…” He climbs up the stairway and
back out into the upper ruins.
GM Note:
We know that the Shadiri know of this ruin and are making their way here, but are they able to locate this place as easily as Valryc was and are they close, or even here already? I think that the shadowy creature that had seen the map back in the first ruin and reported back to the Shadiri is not going to be the most intelligent creature. It would make sense that the Shadiri’s maps would be much less accurate than the map that Valryc produced first hand. So Because of this I’m going to say that it is very unlikely they have found the ruin yet. They would need to comb the forests thoroughly and that would have greatly slowed them down. But just in case, lets see if the oracle agrees…
We know that the Shadiri know of this ruin and are making their way here, but are they able to locate this place as easily as Valryc was and are they close, or even here already? I think that the shadowy creature that had seen the map back in the first ruin and reported back to the Shadiri is not going to be the most intelligent creature. It would make sense that the Shadiri’s maps would be much less accurate than the map that Valryc produced first hand. So Because of this I’m going to say that it is very unlikely they have found the ruin yet. They would need to comb the forests thoroughly and that would have greatly slowed them down. But just in case, lets see if the oracle agrees…
Oracle-
Have the Shadiri found the ruin as Valryc is leaving: Unlikely- 76 or greater;
58- No they have not
Valryc hesitantly swings the front door of the
ruin out and steps into the forest outside, his eyes scanning left and right
and left again seeking any sign that the Shadiri have caught up with him. He
breathes a sigh of relief as there is no sign of anyone coming to this place
after him. From a high tree, Strieg gives a Kee-aahh, confirming what
Valryc already suspects. He’s made it out and in good time. He shoulders his
pack and signals up to Strieg with a circle of his finger pointing to the sky.
“We’re on the move Strieg. Eyes open! We’re going to be travelling hard to
Timbermount!” He turns one last time to look at the structure, closing the
door behind him, trying to wedge it closed as best as he can. “Once the
Shadiri find this place they’re going to have quite the ordeal for nothing.”
He then turns and begins moving quickly back out into the forest and heading
southeast to Timbermount.
GM Note:
Because this is not a very long journey and Valryc is familiar enough with the forest from the last few days, I am going to just roll a face danger and see how successful his journey to Timbermount is. I’ll give him the +1 from Strieg, since this is an abbreviated Undertake a Journey.
Because this is not a very long journey and Valryc is familiar enough with the forest from the last few days, I am going to just roll a face danger and see how successful his journey to Timbermount is. I’ll give him the +1 from Strieg, since this is an abbreviated Undertake a Journey.
Face Danger- Valryc faces the
short journey from the ruins back out of the forest to Timbermount.
Roll+Wits+Strieg: Wits 2+ Strieg 1+ Action die 6
Strong hit: Action score 9; Challenge die 1/4
You are Successful; +1 momentum
Roll+Wits+Strieg: Wits 2+ Strieg 1+ Action die 6
Strong hit: Action score 9; Challenge die 1/4
You are Successful; +1 momentum
Valryc’s
journey is rather uneventful. The excitement and energy from completing a part
of his mission fuels him as he quickly travels back to Timbermount. He is able
to avoid the bog that slowed him down so much on his way and quickly finds the
trees thinning. Finally off in the distance, Valryc sees the large structure
of Timbermounts gates. Several merchants and travelers line up to enter the
city. Just a ways off from there, he spots a campsite. As Valryc approaches,
he sees three men sitting about a fire, warming their hands and preparing a
kettle for some afternoon tea. Aleko is the first to spot him coming towards
the camp, jumping to his feet and waving vigorously at Valryc. He slaps the
other two on the shoulders and points out to the distance as all three men
finally see him making his way out of the forest and down towards the gates.
Finally reaching the camp, Valryc smiles as he takes their hands one by one in a firm shake. “We’ll I’m glad I wasn’t left behind, I’m sure in my current state I would have been turned around at the gate well before making my way to the front of the line to enter!” Valryc settles in with the men, telling them all of what he saw in the temple. He discreetly pulls the piece of the blade out of his pack, showing them the ornate hilt and the pristine piece of blade that remains attached to it. “One step complete… Now to make our way into the city and present our case to the Timber mount Council.” The men settle in, finishing their tea before breaking down their campsite and making their way towards the gate.
Finally reaching the camp, Valryc smiles as he takes their hands one by one in a firm shake. “We’ll I’m glad I wasn’t left behind, I’m sure in my current state I would have been turned around at the gate well before making my way to the front of the line to enter!” Valryc settles in with the men, telling them all of what he saw in the temple. He discreetly pulls the piece of the blade out of his pack, showing them the ornate hilt and the pristine piece of blade that remains attached to it. “One step complete… Now to make our way into the city and present our case to the Timber mount Council.” The men settle in, finishing their tea before breaking down their campsite and making their way towards the gate.
Reach a
Milestone- Valryc has successfully reached Timbermount with the piece of
blade
+1 progress on his vow
+1 progress on his vow
Valryc's status: Momentum: 10; Health: 5; Spirit: 4; Supply:3
Delve the Elven Ruins to find the piece of the blade: Progress Complete!
Delve the Elven Ruins to find the piece of the blade: Progress Complete!
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