I’ve come up with a way to simulate running a domain (in preparation for trying a Great Pendragon Campaign using...
I’ve come up with a way to simulate running a domain (in preparation for trying a Great Pendragon Campaign using Ironsworn Solo). I haven’t playtested it yet but would welcome some feedback...
Ironsworn Domains
ASSET: DOMAIN
When you are a Thane, in command of a domain..
You gain a Domain with two attributes – Security & Prosperity (5 ranks to split between the two attributes). I suggest you use an Index card and put the tracks along two edges and mark them with paperclips.
The mechanical benefit for owning a Domain is that it becomes a community you can Sojourn in that automatically counts as though you have a Bond with it. Also, when you perform a Sojourn, on a strong hit you can add supply equal to the Domain’s Prosperity and on a weak hit you can restore your supply to the same level as the domain’s Prosperity
You may make one of the following Annual Moves at the end of Autumn as a Scene Challenge (Scene Challenges are an optional rule from the end of the Ironsworn rulebook), You are assumed to have been working on it for a significant portion of the previous year but it resolves at the end of Autumn…
• Increase the Security of your Domain. Envision an approach such as…
o Train or equip troops (+prosperity or +edge)
o Forge alliances (+prosperity or +heart)
o Weaken neighbours (+security or +iron or +shadow)
o Build a fortification (+prosperity or +wits)
• Increase the Prosperity of your Domain. Envision an approach such as…
o Train or equip hunters (+prosperity or +edge)
o Gain the loyalty of the folk (+prosperity or +heart)
o Raid other lands (+security or +iron or +shadow)
o Make Investments (+prosperity or +wits) eg. Mining, digging ditches, building granaries, mills etc.
Make a Scene Challenge Progress Track and a Countdown track for the chosen task. The rank of the scene challenge is dependent on the Domain’s current value for the attribute.
1 = Troublesome, 2 = Dangerous, 3 = Formidable, 4 = Extreme, 5 = Epic
You will use Face Danger or Secure an Advantage Moves to progress the Scene Challenge.
You can gain and burn momentum in these challenges.
Each Year (immediately after the Annual Move or at the end of Autumn) your Domain may face an unexpected Challenge to either its Security or Prosperity
Roll D100, 1-20 no threat, 21-80 the lowest, 81-99 the highest, 100 roll twice).
You can use your hero’s Momentum on this Challenge only if you have attempted an Annual Move.
Security Threats – Face Danger - on a Weak Hit, lose 1 security, on a Miss lose 1 Security and 1 Prosperity and the hero has to Pay the Price…
1. Raiders killing your troops or damaging your fortifications (+security)
2. Loss of Alliances (+prosperity or +heart)
3. Loss of Lord’s favour (+prosperity or +heart)
4. Bandits (+security)
Prosperity Threats - Face Danger: on a Weak Hit, lose 1 prosperity, on a Miss lose 1 Prosperity and 1 Security and the hero has to Pay the Price…
1. Raiders killing your folk or stealing your crops (+security)
2. Bad Harvest (+prosperity or +wits)
3. Fire (+security or +wits)
4. Plague (+prosperity)
As a Thane, Ealdorman/Earl or Duke, you may also be Called to Arms once per year by your Lord. If you are a King, you might be called to war by the High King. Called to Arms usually occurs at the start of Spring.
If you are following a known timeline, the GM or Timeline may indicate a major battle, if not
Roll D100, 1-40 = no call to war, 41-99 = call to war, 100 = roll twice.
Called to Arms is a Scene Challenge, so create a Progress Track and a Countdown track for it. The countdown track indicates you only have a limited amount of time/opportunity to gain glory and plunder. Normal threat rank for the Scene Challenge is one less than the Security rank of your Domain but you can choose to lower it by 1 rank or raise it by 1 or 2 ranks.
You can also usually choose to have the challenge attempted by the hero’s normal attributes, rather than by the Domain’s troops (+security).
If you choose to lower it or if you use your hero’s attributes instead of +security, you can gain no benefits from the event for your Domain (but at least you should survive it).
If you use your Domain’s troops (rolling +security) …
• If you MISS when Resolving the Scene, Domain Security -1 (too many of your troops are lost
• At the default level, Rank = (Security-1), if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder and gifts from a grateful Lord).
• If you increased to Rank = Security, if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder & gifts from a grateful Lord) and also +1 momentum, +1 spirit & +1 supply for the hero and also +1 on either the next Annual Domain Move or Domain Challenge.
• If you increased to Rank = (Security+1), if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder & gifts from a grateful Lord) and also +2 on either the next Annual Domain Move or Domain Challenge plus +2 momentum and +2 spirit and +2 supply for the hero.
To prevent too much repetition of Moves, you can intersperse any other Moves (assuming you can envision a narrative justification for it – eg.Resupply by raiding the enemy’s stores, or Heal if you take time for emergency field medication or Undertake a Journey if you are fleeing or chasing) instead of always doing Face Danger or Secure an Advantage rolls for the Scene Challenges, but for any other type of Move, Weak Hits and Misses both tick a box of the Countdown track and only a Strong hit grants any actual progress.
Regardless of whether you use the hero’s attributes or +security, any Pay the Price affects the hero.
Unless the narrative is already suggesting the nature of the Called to Arms, Roll D10
1. Daring Raid – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls
2. Chasing Scouts – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls
3. Scouting – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Face Danger if you run out of time
4. Foraging – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Resupply if you succeed
5. Messenger – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls, Face Danger if you run out of time
6. Make Camp – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Make Camp if you succeed
7. Resupply – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Resupply if you succeed
8. Secure an Advantage – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Secure an Advantage if you succeed and Face Danger if you run out of time
9. Battle make a single Battle Move using +security of the Domain.
10. Two events, one after the other
Ironsworn Domains
ASSET: DOMAIN
When you are a Thane, in command of a domain..
You gain a Domain with two attributes – Security & Prosperity (5 ranks to split between the two attributes). I suggest you use an Index card and put the tracks along two edges and mark them with paperclips.
The mechanical benefit for owning a Domain is that it becomes a community you can Sojourn in that automatically counts as though you have a Bond with it. Also, when you perform a Sojourn, on a strong hit you can add supply equal to the Domain’s Prosperity and on a weak hit you can restore your supply to the same level as the domain’s Prosperity
You may make one of the following Annual Moves at the end of Autumn as a Scene Challenge (Scene Challenges are an optional rule from the end of the Ironsworn rulebook), You are assumed to have been working on it for a significant portion of the previous year but it resolves at the end of Autumn…
• Increase the Security of your Domain. Envision an approach such as…
o Train or equip troops (+prosperity or +edge)
o Forge alliances (+prosperity or +heart)
o Weaken neighbours (+security or +iron or +shadow)
o Build a fortification (+prosperity or +wits)
• Increase the Prosperity of your Domain. Envision an approach such as…
o Train or equip hunters (+prosperity or +edge)
o Gain the loyalty of the folk (+prosperity or +heart)
o Raid other lands (+security or +iron or +shadow)
o Make Investments (+prosperity or +wits) eg. Mining, digging ditches, building granaries, mills etc.
Make a Scene Challenge Progress Track and a Countdown track for the chosen task. The rank of the scene challenge is dependent on the Domain’s current value for the attribute.
1 = Troublesome, 2 = Dangerous, 3 = Formidable, 4 = Extreme, 5 = Epic
You will use Face Danger or Secure an Advantage Moves to progress the Scene Challenge.
You can gain and burn momentum in these challenges.
Each Year (immediately after the Annual Move or at the end of Autumn) your Domain may face an unexpected Challenge to either its Security or Prosperity
Roll D100, 1-20 no threat, 21-80 the lowest, 81-99 the highest, 100 roll twice).
You can use your hero’s Momentum on this Challenge only if you have attempted an Annual Move.
Security Threats – Face Danger - on a Weak Hit, lose 1 security, on a Miss lose 1 Security and 1 Prosperity and the hero has to Pay the Price…
1. Raiders killing your troops or damaging your fortifications (+security)
2. Loss of Alliances (+prosperity or +heart)
3. Loss of Lord’s favour (+prosperity or +heart)
4. Bandits (+security)
Prosperity Threats - Face Danger: on a Weak Hit, lose 1 prosperity, on a Miss lose 1 Prosperity and 1 Security and the hero has to Pay the Price…
1. Raiders killing your folk or stealing your crops (+security)
2. Bad Harvest (+prosperity or +wits)
3. Fire (+security or +wits)
4. Plague (+prosperity)
As a Thane, Ealdorman/Earl or Duke, you may also be Called to Arms once per year by your Lord. If you are a King, you might be called to war by the High King. Called to Arms usually occurs at the start of Spring.
If you are following a known timeline, the GM or Timeline may indicate a major battle, if not
Roll D100, 1-40 = no call to war, 41-99 = call to war, 100 = roll twice.
Called to Arms is a Scene Challenge, so create a Progress Track and a Countdown track for it. The countdown track indicates you only have a limited amount of time/opportunity to gain glory and plunder. Normal threat rank for the Scene Challenge is one less than the Security rank of your Domain but you can choose to lower it by 1 rank or raise it by 1 or 2 ranks.
You can also usually choose to have the challenge attempted by the hero’s normal attributes, rather than by the Domain’s troops (+security).
If you choose to lower it or if you use your hero’s attributes instead of +security, you can gain no benefits from the event for your Domain (but at least you should survive it).
If you use your Domain’s troops (rolling +security) …
• If you MISS when Resolving the Scene, Domain Security -1 (too many of your troops are lost
• At the default level, Rank = (Security-1), if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder and gifts from a grateful Lord).
• If you increased to Rank = Security, if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder & gifts from a grateful Lord) and also +1 momentum, +1 spirit & +1 supply for the hero and also +1 on either the next Annual Domain Move or Domain Challenge.
• If you increased to Rank = (Security+1), if you win you gain +1 Prosperity for the Domain (plunder & gifts from a grateful Lord) and also +2 on either the next Annual Domain Move or Domain Challenge plus +2 momentum and +2 spirit and +2 supply for the hero.
To prevent too much repetition of Moves, you can intersperse any other Moves (assuming you can envision a narrative justification for it – eg.Resupply by raiding the enemy’s stores, or Heal if you take time for emergency field medication or Undertake a Journey if you are fleeing or chasing) instead of always doing Face Danger or Secure an Advantage rolls for the Scene Challenges, but for any other type of Move, Weak Hits and Misses both tick a box of the Countdown track and only a Strong hit grants any actual progress.
Regardless of whether you use the hero’s attributes or +security, any Pay the Price affects the hero.
Unless the narrative is already suggesting the nature of the Called to Arms, Roll D10
1. Daring Raid – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls
2. Chasing Scouts – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls
3. Scouting – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Face Danger if you run out of time
4. Foraging – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Resupply if you succeed
5. Messenger – roll an Undertake a Journey Move (with waypoints counting towards the Scene’s progress track) then standard Scene challenge rolls, Face Danger if you run out of time
6. Make Camp – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Make Camp if you succeed
7. Resupply – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Resupply if you succeed
8. Secure an Advantage – standard Scene Challenge rolls but Secure an Advantage if you succeed and Face Danger if you run out of time
9. Battle make a single Battle Move using +security of the Domain.
10. Two events, one after the other
Skimmed, just bought the KAP Bundle of Holding last night, so PERFECT timing! Will give it a closer look ASAP and try to play through a couple year ends and call to arms scenes!!! Really looking forward to this!
ReplyDeleteAm also interested in seeing how this goes.
ReplyDeleteYeah, any chance of some play examples written up? I mean I could try them, but that is assuming I implement it all correctly... much better to see examples from the source IMHO. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs requested, John Risus I've added a worked example.
ReplyDeletedb4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net - db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/campaigns/112704/assets/900312/Ironsworn_Domains.pdf
I've slightly re-written the Domain Asset in the PDF to give some more mechanical benefit to the domain, making it a community in which you can perform a Sojourn move with additional benefits.
SESSION NOTES…
There can be a lot of rolling in Scene Challenges and not much opportunity for variety of Moves or variety of Attributes or use of Assets if you want to use your domain's +security in order to get domain benefits out of it.
It’s definitely necessary to keep the fiction strongly in mind (what you are trying to achieve and how) BEFORE making the roll to find out. I think Beorn was unlucky at the end and ALMOST got additional Prosperity, Momentum, Spirit & Supply out of it. He might have succeeded if I hadn’t decided to push the difficulty to try and gain additional benefits.
Bear in mind that these three things (Domain Improvement, Domain Threat & Called to Arms) should only happen once per game year and the rest of the game should be “normal” adventuring, so the number of rolls required should not be as big an issue as it first appears.
Mick Hand Wow, I really like this! Especially since it tells an appropriately KAP story and having just bought that book/rule-set, oh how my old eyes squint at 267 pgs of Pedragon! Not to mention I am already familiar with Ironsworn. So it's a Win / Win.
ReplyDeleteI did have a couple question resulting from reading your AP/Example; do you have any mechanical way of progressing time other than what seems narratively appropriate, and why did you not mark a Count Down at this stage of the Saxon Raids...
"As that worked so well, he sends more troops to blockade a road.
Move: Secure an Advantage - Action Dice 5 +3 security = 8 vs (5 & 8) WEAK HIT no progress, but, +1
Momentum (now +5)"
Wow, this is going to take a little while to digest, but it looks like a very cool option. Thank you for putting the time and effort into this. Also, I second John Risus, the examples are very helpful.
ReplyDeleteJohn Risus HiJohn, the bit you asked about was a “Secure an Advantage” so it doesn’t give any Progress, just lets you try to build momentum or get a + 1 on the next roll. I tend to handle the passage of time just as narrative. I’ve just started playing the Great Pendragon Campaign and intend to attempt one Vow per year inbetween the annual Domain events. Where there is a specific Pendragon Adventure for the year, I’ll try playing through that instead of (or as well as) a Vow eg. In 486 there is some Patrolling and an adventure helping Merlin retreive a sword from a lake. I’ll probably post the first session on my website later today, but want to continue with my Valgrym story-line too. So many stories, so little time :)
ReplyDeleteMick Hand I would love to read a Ironsworn play-through of the GPC using your domain rules! I am still nugging away at reading the KAP rules. It's going very slowly. Probably doesn't help that I have a YouTube AP video of the system going on on another screen.. LOL I am curious though to see how you will do wounds and healing. Will you play like Ironsworn or maybe make recovery some form of scene challenge or something? Wounds in KAP seem to be 'a thing', more so than other RPGs.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the question of advancing the scene count down on a miss or weak hit, I thought it always advanced (I'll have to open back up the rules when I have a chance) it and that was part of the risk of taking a Secure an Advantage to get a bonus as well. My bad. I guess I could have just went and looked it up myself, sorry.
Crazy thought, If you ever have the desire to run a Asyncronis Play by Post of Ironsworn GPC, I'd volunteer to be your huckleberry!! I'm not the greatest writer in the world, you can find some of my own APs of Ironsworn on here as examples, but I try. ;)
John Risus not keen on the Asynch Play-by-Post thing - hectic schedule and when I can find time, don’t want to wait for others to post. Would probably be upo for a Roll20 gm-less game with 2-3 players.
ReplyDeleteJohn Risus not keen on the Asynch Play-by-Post thing - hectic schedule and when I can find time, don’t want to wait for others to post. Would probably be upo for a Roll20 gm-less game with 2-3 players.
ReplyDeleteJohn Risus the post I just made in the Tools section about how to run The Great Pendragon Campaign might be of some interest to you. You could use it like the Asynch Play-by-Post that you suggested, but all the GM prompts for it are done in advance.
ReplyDelete