Before settling on my character's bonds and vows, I'm supposed to create my world. In Ironsworn much of this is done for you, there's even a rough map, but there are some fundamental truths about the Ironlands that players must determine for themselves.
Although contained in the main rulebook, the author has also produced a separate
world workbook.
Each truth involves choosing one of three options or a fourth; make your own. And each has a
Quest Starter, an idea for your Ironvows. I have 1d6 handy so decide to roll randomly for each.
The Old World
2. "The sickness moved like a horrible wave across the Old World, killing all in its path." So in my game, the Old World suffered a devastating plague, prompting many people to flee by sea to the fabled north. They discovered the Ironlands and settled. Would a zombie plague be more interesting than a Black Death-like plague? I don't know, I'm reminded of Paul Verhoeven's
Flesh+Blood, a medieval fantasy that succeeded in making the Black Death far more grosteque than mere zombies. Interesting question though!
Iron
3. "Inscrutable metal pillars are found throughout the land. They are iron gray, and smooth as river stone. No one knows
their purpose." OK, weird, I didn't expect that. I assumed the Ironlands were named after iron ore and that is the first option but in my game it looks like the Ironlands are named after a dark alien metal. Cripes, that's so much to ponder on its own I don't think I will unless absolutely necessary. It could be a long rabbit-hole!
Legacies
1. "We are the first humans to walk these lands." Phew, that's the first and simplest option.
Communities
1. "We are few in number in this accursed land. Most rarely have contact with anyone outside our own small steading." Bleak but OK, sets a tone.
Leaders
1. "Leadership is as varied as the people." That gives me broad scope. Settlements can be organised very differently to Haf's own.
Defense
3. "Our warbands are rallied to strike at our enemies or defend our holdings." I rolled this but it doesn't really gel with what I rolled for Communities. If contact between settlements is rare, why do we have such organised warbands? Maybe it's like the Cimmerian clans in
Conan the Valorous.
Mysticism
3. "Magic courses through this land as the rivers flow through the hills. The power is there for those who choose to harness it." Bugger, I was imagining a very low magic setting. Still, this just add colour. Magic is pedestrian, maybe it's tied to...
Religion
3. "Our gods are many. They make themselves known through manifestations and miracles." Yeah, that fits!
Firstborn (aka, fairies and giants)
1. "The firstborn have passed into legend." Oh so even though magic is commonplace the firstborn are pretty much extinct. Interesting.
Beasts
2. "Monstrous beasts stalk the wild areas of the Ironlands." So the firstborn are extinct but the wildnerness is still populated by monsters!? Well, if humans wiped themselves out I'm sure megafauna would do very nicely so maybe it makes sense.
Horrors (the undead)
3. "The dead do not rest in the Ironlands." OK, zombies are definitely greenlit but it feels like a characteristic of the Ironlands and its abundant magic, so I don't think the Old World was devastated by a zombie plague. Answers that question, but might this be connected to the alien monoliths?
[By now I've hit a low point; I'm ready to quit. With a companion and oaths still to create, plus any supporting characters, I cannot see the appeal. Ultimately my character is never going to have a conversation or have to engage with the world. This feels like wasted creativity!]