How would you adapt the Ironsworn system for a more mercenary setting with actual cities and the like?
How would you adapt the Ironsworn system for a more mercenary setting with actual cities and the like?
Right now, my thought is that Iron Vows could be refluffed to "Contracts," and perhaps instead of trying to increase Bonds you pursue various ways of increasing Wealth. Thus, when you retire, you roll your Wealth vs. the challenge dice. But I'm not sure what all implications this would have, and what all changes I would have to make to ensure things still flow right.
How would you go about this?
Right now, my thought is that Iron Vows could be refluffed to "Contracts," and perhaps instead of trying to increase Bonds you pursue various ways of increasing Wealth. Thus, when you retire, you roll your Wealth vs. the challenge dice. But I'm not sure what all implications this would have, and what all changes I would have to make to ensure things still flow right.
How would you go about this?
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ReplyDeleteHey David Deleon. I believe we've had a few folks reframing quest moves as "Take a Job" and such. In fact, there's an in-progress Cyberpunk hack over on the subreddit that does just that. I think that's a pretty easy switch, since most of it can just be some label changes and reframing in the narrative.
ReplyDeleteWealth is a bit trickier, since tracking wealth implies you'll have moves and subsystems for managing that wealth. I'd probably see about building in a move or two for wealth, and treating wealth as a status track -- like health and spirit -- instead of a progress track. Or, instead of adding moves, perhaps you can choose to test wealth instead of a stat for some moves (such as Sojourn and Compel).
Perhaps bonds gets replaced by something like Influence, if you want more of a measure of wealth/connections/power.
All that said, you could have a mercenary-focused campaign in a more populous setting and retain the concept of Iron vows and bonds. You'd just weave it into the background of what drives mercenaries in your world (honor and glory, perhaps, instead of riches).
Try forming the goal of getting money into some sort of vow.
ReplyDelete"I will get the funds needed to buy my niece out of servitude."
Therefore whenever you 'get' money through other jobs you can send it or pay off your niece's captors, and mark progress. You can also make it more selfish.
"Make enough money to buy my own island."
Make it an epic vow, whenever you get a large sum of money that you can stash away, mark progress. Eventually go back and reclaim it when you roll fulfill a vow.
I think I like the "make wealth a resource" angle best of the options presented here, and using Influence to replace Bonds. I also like the idea of being able to use Wealth for specific moves. My one big concern here is that Wealth becomes a fourth pool to dip into for your needs, and you don't get penalized for not having it. Unless Wealth was required for something, it becomes a purely positive thing to have. Maybe Wealth is always spent whenever you Sojourn or resupply in civilization?
ReplyDeleteI'll need to think about this either way.
bonds can be easily renamed to "influence","reputation",or well,leave it as "bonds"."Ties",if you just don't like the word.Why bother fixing something that works?
ReplyDelete