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  • Chapter Three: Skinchanging

Chapter Three: Skinchanging

Posted on April 12, 2023April 12, 2023 By admin No Comments on Chapter Three: Skinchanging
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Zahn stares up at the mountain, knowing that his prey lies somewhere in those peaks. He cannot simply assault her lair – he has to draw her out someway, and that way will involve killing her mate. A warrior in wolf’s clothing might stand a chance…

Create troublesome progress track: find mate
Slayer is great advantage here, as it fits perfectly with the fiction.

Slowly Zahn gathers his wits and moves through the undergrowth leading from the river to the rise of stone peaks. He knows what to look for – foot prints, tufts of fur, small dead animals and wolf shit.

Gather Information: Weak Hit, +1m and +1m for Slayer, the wolf is abroad, hunting me! PROGRESS 3/10

Zahn stops dead still as a flurry of birds rise into the air. Twigs break and undergrowth moves. The stench of underground decay hits his nostrils and then in the distance, a large beast, shaggy and panting, stands in his path. The mate is here already, no doubt sent out by the She Wolf to catch the intruder… Him!

Gather Information: Weak hit, +1m and +1m from Slayer, the beast is upon me. PROGRESS 6/10

Zahn continues his hunt, knowing that the beast is now on his trail too. His mind races, hunting for more clues, but trying to obfuscate his own trail. He knows he is near, but then again, so might be the wolf!

Face Danger: +raven +shadow, (Strong Hit, the hunter becomes the hunted becomes the hunter again) PROGRESS 9/10

Old One Eye circles overhead, watching the forest on the mountain. He is the advantage that Zahn has over the wolf. Zahn falls still and silent, as if dead, and let’s his bird search for him. There! In a rocky furrow below him, the creature emerges. Now is the time to strike!

PROGRESS Vs 9: strong hit. The wolf is now mine! Mark PROGRESS on ‘Defeat the Mother Wolf’
Immediate move Secure Advantage +1 for the progress SH +1 Slayer, Strong Hit Immediate move

Create a Dangerous Menace track for the wolf, Zahn does 2 progress per harm, the wolf does 2 Harm for a hit on me.

Enter the Fray, +1 from Secure Advantage: Strong Hit, Zahn has initiative

Zahn springs from his vantage point and falls upon his prey with a blood curdling scream. Too late the beast looks up, as death falls from the sky!

STRIKE!: Strong hit! +1 harm, mark 6 progress
STRIKE!: Weak hit, mark four progress
END THE FIGHT! Strong hit: the wolf is dead

The battle is over in a flash. In truth, the beast was mortally wounded by the first spear strike, and the second blow to the back of the neck was a coup de grace. Zahn wanted the death to be clean for what he has planned.

Secure the advantage: skin the beast, Weak Hit, burn momentum, Strong Hit, +2 momentum

Mark PROGRESS on ‘Defeat the Mother Wolf’

Zahn slices carefully with his hunting knife, removing the pelt from the carcass of the dead foe. Diligently he scrapes the skin, cleaning it as best he can, and then sets about removing the scent glands from the carcass.

He will trap Hhurn, not with force but with guile, pretending to be her wounded mate. That will work where direct assault failed?

CHARACTER NAME
Zahn the Scourge
EXPERIENCE: 0
MOMENTUM:4 (Max 10)
BONDS:

HEALTH: 5

SPIRIT: 5

SUPPLY: 3


EDGE: 1

HEART: 1

IRON: 3

SHADOW: 2

WITS: 2

DEBILITIES
Wounded:
Shaken:
Unprepared:
Encumbered:

BANES
Maimed:
Corrupted:

BURDENS
Cursed:
Tormented:

PATH

Slayer: When you Gather Information by tracking a beast or horror, or when you Secure an Advantage by readying yourself for a fight against them, add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

RITUAL

Augur: When you summon a flock of crows and ask a single question, roll+wits. On a strong hit, you interpret their calls as a helpful omen. Envision the response (Ask the Oracle if unsure) and take +2 momentum. On a weak hit, the crows ignore your question and offer a clue to an unrelated problem or opportunity in this area. Envision what you learn (Ask the Oracle if unsure), and take +1 momentum

COMPANION

Raven (Name: Old One Eye): When you Secure an Advantage or Face Danger +shadow using your raven to perform trickery (such as creating a distraction or stealing a small object) add +1 and take +1 momentum on a hit.

VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 0/10

VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 6/10

VOW
Rank: Dangerous
Progress: 2/10

To serve the people of Bleakfrost for a year and a day as their Scourge, in return for them opening their doors to a stranger on a winter’s night.

Defeat the Mother Wolf, Hhurn and return the remains of the Messenger

Protect Kayu, the desperate Mercenary, for the Crows

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❮ Previous Post: Chapter Two: Into the Mountain
Next Post: Chapter Four: The Lair of the Beast ❯

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Ironsworn

Ironsworn is a tabletop roleplaying game of perilous quests written by Shawn Tomkin. You can read more about the game at ironswornrpg.com

Recent Posts

  • Chapter Eight: Attack on Bleak Frost
  • Chapter Seven: The Blight Talon
  • Chapter Six: Duel in the Snow
  • Chapter Five: The Curse of Hhurn
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