Yes, it's been over a month since I last updated this blog. I was waylaid by inspiration.
I was browsing the Ironsworn Discord when I encountered the Elsewhere setting jam. I'm a game designer whose been blogging my Ironsworn game for over a year, so I thought I'd try my hand at writing a setting.
It got a little out of hand. 21 assets, 7 locations, and 55 NPCs later, and I've released: Wizards of the Jumble.
Let me tell you about it and then I'll get back to my regularly scheduled Troika writing and Dream Chaser playing.
The Setting
Wizards of the Jumble in the same setting as my first solo game, Near Hollow Gods.
The universe was nearly destroyed by an evil or carless wizard. Before everything to could end, the Gods' gathered everything and threw it back out, spending all their essence, sacrificing themselves so that creation could continue, leading to what is known as the Jumbled Cosmos.
The Jumble is a place of endless night with an ever-shifting bizarre landscape. It holds cities in trees, flowers with faces, a living train that roar across the land like an angry ghost, and many more odd things. Furthermore, everything shifts. Overtime a mountain range can vanish only to show up elsewhere, a sea could dry up only to flood back to life a hundred miles away.
A place of dreams and nightmare.
Fun right?
Wizards and Guilds
I like wizards, a lot. There's also a specific show that I've fallen in love with that involves the wacky adventures of a wizards' guild. That's on full display with what I've in Wizards of the Jumble.
In the Jumble, the Gods' old power is just floating around. Those with enough focus and drive can tap into it, to cast spells. Wizards abound.
A very powerful wizards' guild, aptly named Gods' Might, set up a guild system to regulate both the world and magic. Every guild is different, some are outright rivals but, at the end of the day, they work together to make life in the Jumble easier.
You're one of these guild wizards. You roam the Jumble, taking on jobs to help people out.
Of course, in true Ironsworn fashion, there's some bigger issues happening which you may or may not get involved with.
How It's Different
Despite my actual play blog, the Ironlands are low magic fantasy. Those with power can only channel it in very specific ways and with great difficulty.
It's different in the Jumble, magic permeates everything. When you run a game there, every Move can be flavored with spellcraft.
For instance, if you use ice magic:
Face Danger - Wits: Could mean sensing a foe in the snow.
Secure Advantage - Edge: Might mean you make the ground slick and slide with speed.
Strike - Iron: Could be swinging a sword of ice.
In the Jumble, spell casting isn't limited to wits. As shown above, every stat can use magic.
Beyond such, the spell assets allow you throw around even more powerful sorcery. For example:
Blasting
You use your magic to cause significant, ranged, destruction…
O Bolt
When you Strike add +1 and, on a hit, inflict 3 Harm.
O Overcharge
Once per fight, when you Strike or Clash, you may draw on your components and suffer -1 Supply (decide before rolling). When you do, reroll any dice. On a hit, inflict 4 harm and take +1 momentum.
O Final Attack (Prerequisite: Must Have the Two Above and Three Other Magic Options)
If your momentum is max, when you Turn the Tide to Strike or Clash you can set your momentum to 0 and reroll any dice. On a hit, you inflict 6 harm.
When you do this, your character calls out something cool, like “Armageddon Nexus!”
Finally, your guild is all important in this game. As such, when you form a bond with a guild mate, they become a companion that can travel with you on your adventures, no extra XP needed.
Each guild mate archetype has a special ability to call upon in times of need. For instance, you could take these two with you.
The Darkness - 4 Health
Used: O
Mark used and unleash terrible magic that automatically causes 4 harm to a foe. Then roll +heart.
On a strong hit, the magic is contained. Gain +1 momentum and initiative. On a weak hit, the magic causes you to Suffer 1 Stress or Harm. Gain initiative. On a miss, the magic damages the foe AND runs amok, Pay the Price.
Clear Used after you successfully Fulfill any Magic Vow.
The Royalty - 4 Health
Used: O
When in a community, snap your fingers and marked Used. Numerous servants go shopping for you, set your Supply to 5.
Clear Used after you successfully Fulfill any Magic Vow.
And That's My Rundown
I hope you've enjoyed it.
If you're interested you can purchase the setting here for like 3 bucks Canadian.
Note: It was written with Ironsworn in mind. You need such to play.
As for what I'm doing next? Well I'm going to continue writing Dream Chaser, and Orboboros the Brick Kingdom. I don't plan to have as long a hiatus again, at least not in the near future.
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