Campaign 01 | Session 0A
Next Session
Name to be determined!
- System: Ironsworn
- Setting: Amiel (Galrok)
- Protagonist: To be determined!
Overview
Welcome to Session 0A of the first campaign documented on Dungeon Dialogue! In this session I will build the setting I will be playing in !
For this campaign I’ll be using an excellent system designed from the ground-up for solo play: Ironsworn RPG. This is a Powered by the Apocalypse (PbtA) system. The digital version of this game is available for free from the creator’s website or from other sources such as DriveThruRPG.
Formatting
Anywhere you see an indented text block like this, I am quoting directly from either the Ironsworn rulebook or another supplement. Reference information, including page numbers, will be provided. For example:
“In the Ironsworn tabletop roleplaying game, you are a hero sworn to undertake perilous quests in the dark fantasy setting of the Ironlands.” —Ironsworn Rules (p. 1).
Anywhere you see a code block, I am reporting the result of a dice roll. For example:
Roll +heart (1d6) = 3
Where appropriate, spoiler blocks will be used to prevent revealing information before you are ready to ready it. For example:
!spoiler Our Protagonist discovers that they are awesome!!<
Concept
This campaign will take place within my homebrew campaign setting, the planet Amiel. Amiel is a high fantasy setting I have been working on for the past four years and in which I have run two long-form campaigns for a group of friends. It began closely tied to the existing fiction of the “ampersand game,” but has since blossomed into something more system-agnostic.
On Amiel you can find all manner of typical fantasy peoples: humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, and others can be found scattered throughout the lands. 53 nation-states cover the continents of Traco, Galrok, Zemes, and Abaddon. Southern Zemes was the region of interest for my first long-form campaign which took place on Amiel and a zine-style overview of that area of the world is available here!
For my first documented solo campaign, we will be shifting focus to the continent of Galrok. This large but isolated continent is the ancestral homeland of the orcs, goliath, and other rarer peoples such as the turtle-folk. It is a natural fit for the Ironsworn RPG because of the various Norse and viking influences that inspired the region.
Galrok is also a land ravaged by war and post-colonial influences. The humans who live here came as “liberators” fighting off a different invading army during a prior global-scale war waged by the Dragonborn of the Uldraiss Empire. But these liberators never left, taking the lands and their spoils as reward for their efforts, much to the chagrin who have called the continent home for millennia.
But the best part about Galrok is, other than its basic history, it is a blank slate―I know next to nothing about it! I’ll be using Ironsworn and this adventure to create and learn about Galrok as I play. Let’s get started!
Building Galrok
“The Ironlands are a harsh, dangerous place. The winters are long and brutal. Harvests are uncertain. Depending on the choices you make as you create your version of the Ironlands, monstrous beasts and dreaded horrors may be a constant threat.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 111)
The Ironsworn RPG provides an excellent default setting in the Ironlands. I’ll be adapting this default setting for Galrok by taking inspiration from the existing regions and creating my own truths. The truths of the world are major elements that define the setting and shape the people who inhabit it. I will follow along in the Ironsworn rulebook to determine truths about the following:
- Iron, how the locals swear Iron Vows.
- Communities, what civilization is like here.
- Leaders, who guides the people here.
- Defense, how the people of Galrok defend themselves.
- Mysticism, how the locals view magic―divine, arcane, or otherwise.
- Religion, the gods of Galrok.
- Firstborn, those who came before.
- Beasts, the fauna who wander the land.
- Horrors, the unspeakable things.
Note that I will be omitting truths about The Old World and Legacies since they are not applicable for Amiel. The ancient history of this part of the world is already established. Perhaps one day I’ll share those details too!
Iron
“Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows their purpose. Some say they are as old as the world. Some, such as the Iron Priests, worship them and swear vows upon them. Most make the warding sign and hurry along their way when they happen across one. The pillars do not tarnish, and even the sharpest blade cannot mark them.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 124).
Communities
“We have forged Galrok into a home. Villages within the most populous regions are connected by well-trod roads. Trade caravans travel between settlements. Even so, much of this land is untamed.” Ironsworn Rules (p. 125).
Emphasis mine to distinguish where I have altered the quoted text.
Leaders
“Leadership is as varied as the people. Some communities are governed by the head of a powerful family. Or, they have a council of elders who make decisions and settle disputes. In others, the priests hold sway. For some, it is duels in the circle that decide.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 125).
Defense
“Our warbands are rallied to strike at our enemies or defend our holdings. Though not nearly as impressive as the armies that once marched across Galrok, these forces are as well-trained and equipped as their communities can manage. The banners of the warbands are adorned with depictions of their history and victories.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 126).
Emphasis mine to distinguish where I have altered the quoted text.
Mysticism
“Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it, and even the common folk often know a helpful ritual or two.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 127).
Religion
“A few locals still make signs or mumble prayers out of habit or tradition, but most believe the gods long ago abandoned us.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 127).
Emphasis mine to distinguish where I have altered the quoted text.
Firstborn
“The firstborn hold sway on Galrok. The orcs of the deep forests and the goliath of the hills tolerate us and even trade with us―for now. Locals fear the day they decide we are no longer welcome here.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 128).
Emphasis mine to distinguish where I have altered the quoted text.
Beasts
“Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of Galrok.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 129).
Emphasis mine to distinguish where I have altered the quoted text.
Horrors
“We are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.” — Ironsworn Rules (p. 129).
With the truths of Galrok established, I can progress onto character creation. Those details will be documented in the action report for Session 0B, coming your way soon!
If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts in the replies below. Until next time on Dungeon Dialogue!
Good luck in your campaign !
How do you balance the fact that you built the world on your own, and the potential lack of surprises because you’re already knowledgeable about it ?
Thank you! As I alluded to, I have a decent understanding of the ancient history of the region (what peoples live where and why, how humans first got there, etc.) but the more contemporary history is completely unknown to me, along with the names of major cities and landmarks. So I am excited to be surprised along the way! I actually think it will be rewarding to get to splice together the fiction that comes about in play with the fiction I have already established.