PROLOGUE: PART 3 - THE GARDEN (SIMULATION 1)
Welcome to the first debrief from The G.A.R.D.E.N. (Gold's Augmented Reality for Diligence and Efficiency Neuro-training). Before the main story of Iron Rising officially begins, we're running our characters through a series of training simulations. This is our chance to get a feel for the Ironsworn: Starforged system, find our characters' voices, and build our collaborative storytelling muscles.
This post is a breakdown of what happened in our first practice run and what we learned about our characters and the game itself.
Mission Summary
- Objective: The siblings were tasked by the ARC (Augmented Reality Caretaker) to retrieve stolen schematics for a personal stealth generator, codenamed "Nightshade," from the tech company Umbra Ignition. The mission rank was set to Dangerous.
- Complications: The investigation started rocky. A critical failure on an information-gathering roll led to their cover being blown and Dorian being captured by the thieves.
- Resolution: After a daring escape by Dorian and a high-speed parkour chase across the district's floating transport platforms, the siblings managed to corner the culprits. A final, successful interrogation led to the recovery of the schematics. They completed the simulation and were awarded second place in the rankings, just behind their ambitious cousins.
Character Discoveries
This was our first time truly inhabiting Selene and Dorian, and we learned a lot about their dynamic under pressure.
- Selene: We saw Selene's indoctrinated, competitive nature come out immediately. Her focus was on being "number one," and she reacted to setbacks with a hot-headed frustration that reflects the immense pressure she's under. Her "bull in a china shop" approach was on full display—she was physically intimidating, aggressive in her questioning, and used her kinetic powers as a blunt instrument. However, we also saw a crucial crack in her armor at the very end, when she knelt to comfort Dorian, showing that beneath the enforcer is a fiercely protective older sister.
- Dorian: Dorian immediately fell into the role of the thinker and the de-escalator. When Selene’s directness caused friction, he was the one to smooth things over and focus on the logical next step. We also discovered a core vulnerability: his sensitivity to the word "malfunction," a trigger rooted in his childhood bullying. His capture showcased his reactive problem-solving, and the final scene revealed his tendency to carry the weight of any perceived failure, blaming himself for their second-place finish.
Mechanical Insights
This session was a fantastic crash course in the core mechanics, and we had a few key takeaways.
- The Power of Failing Forward: The most exciting part of the session came directly from a critical failure. Selene's missed Gather Information roll didn't just end the scene; it escalated it dramatically, leading to Dorian's capture and the subsequent chase. It was a perfect example of how in Starforged, a miss often makes the story more interesting, not less.
- Understanding Reach a Milestone: We had a brief moment of confusion about when to mark progress on our quest. We correctly determined that it's a narrative trigger. We marked a milestone after gaining a key piece of intelligence (the thieves' destination) and again after overcoming a major obstacle (cornering the thieves). It's not about physical distance, but about significant steps forward in the story.
- The Satisfaction of Stacking Bonuses: Dorian's vehicle hack was a highlight. By stacking the +1 from his Augmented asset, the +1 from his Tech path, and a +1 from a previous move, he turned a difficult roll into a decisive success. It was a great example of how a character's build can and should make them feel like an expert in their chosen field.
Click here to watch Learning Phase 1 on Youtube or head to the Listen page if you prefer audio only.
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