CW: Brief descriptions of vacuum-related injury, corpse-like anatomy, and underwater vegetation.

"I'm not taking off my glove! We're in space! And we do not have time to argue about this," Adne shouts, pressing their visor against the escape pod's viewport. "The balefire will swing back this way in three and a half minutes! At most!"

"Well, I'm safe in here," the voice responds a little more softly, as if leading Adne through a thought exercise. "Far safer than I'd be out there if you did turn out to be one of them. And if you leave without me, I'm sure Ambly will send another in your place."

The executive inside the pod must realize they would die long before another rescue party could get here. Adne knows it's a bluff. But. They also know their stochastic projections did not account for an extended bargaining session.

Air hisses and internal suit alarms blare. Adne holds their rapidly reddening hand --- and the black iron cabling around their throbbing wrist --- centimeters away from the reinforced glass.

"I swear on my iron to help you finish your mission!"

Swear an Iron Vow: Miss with a Match!

Action Score 5 (rolled 2 + 3 Heart) versus Challenge Dice 5 and 5

I took a day off*, and now I'm ready to get started making my character for Ironsworn: Starforged.

^{*I still agonized over potential Paths for a bit.}

When I'm playing TTRPGs in groups I usually have an easy time making characters. But making a character for a solo game is so much more pressure! I'm basically flagging interests and setting the shape of this story all by myself! Ahh!

I'd better roll on the character inspiration table to calm me down.

Character Inspiration Roll: 70 - Prophet

OK yeah, this is the part where Starforged campaign prep can really start to feel like homework. I thought about skipping sector prep and jumping right into the first quest, but since Adne is a Navigator it would seem to be valuable to know where they will be navigating to. And I'm really trying to fully meet Starforged on its own terms, so... let's go!

Oh, this map was made with Stargazer, by the way! It's a really cool online character/campaign keeper for Ironsworn: Starforged.

Starting Region: Outlands

Scattered settlements surrounded by uncharted and perilous navigational paths.

All we need to do now is define what's going to send Adne and Buzzard into action. Let's use that idea about a corporate ship getting caught in a balefire (even though I ended up taking a Sidekick instead of a Grappler module). The ship's experimental black iron escape pod deployed successfully but is running low on life support.

Trip Ambly gave us the job, with promises that if we can deliver results he'll send a good word along to Selfra HQ. I think Selfra's legal research department is headed by a pioneer in the field of weaving contracts, so that would get Adne one step closer to their goal of finding out how to break NDA. Time to roll our first Move of One Move a Night!

Swear an Iron Vow: Strong Hit!

Action Score 9 (rolled 5 + 3 Heart + 1 for Connection) versus Challenge Dice 3 and 1.

Adne pokes their index finger at a blank spot in the local chart. "There," they say.

Buzzard tries to tug down the collar of her new EVA suit to look, then gives up and bends at the waist. "Keeps dropping out, but yeah. I guess that must be the point of origin."

"Mmhm. It's close to the edge. As long as we move at the right moment, getting to that pod will be like walking through an open door."

The balefire twists and lurches in space before them, scattering the sickly green rays of the nearby star.

Face Danger: Strong Hit!

Action Score 8 (rolled 6 + 2 Wits) versus Challenge Dice 1 and 3

Buzzard has been peering through a viewport on the starboard side for about 30 seconds. She finishes some internal math and shouts back toward the cockpit: "There's too much ship left to maneuver in with suit thrusters. We'll need to ride a tension line in then climb to the pod."

Adne's voice bounces hesitantly back: "Ride an attention line?"

"No, a tension --- nevermind, I'll find one," Buzzard shouts back. "This is a mistake. I'm making a mistake," she mutters.

Check Your Gear: Weak Hit!

Action Score 8 (Rolled 3 + 5 Supply) versus Challenge Dice 3 and 8

REJECT TRUTH

The words seem to shape themselves out of the negative space in the balefire's scintillating starlight, leaving a legible blind spot in Adne's vision. They screw their eyes shut and shake their head, clunking their EVA helmet against Buzzard's armored shoulder.

"You alright?" Buzzard says through contact comms, not removing their gaze from the hand-engraved sights of the tension line launcher.

"Yeah. Yeah, go ahead, I'm holding on."

Face Danger: Strong Hit!

Action Score 6 (rolled 5 + 1 Edge) versus Challenge Dice 3 and 4

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" Adne says, rapping their gloved knuckles on the escape pod's viewport. "We're here to rescue you, but we have to move fast! Please press and hold the launch release!" Adne leans back and gives a thumbs up to Buzzard, who is already perched on top of the pod with a pry bar at the ready.

A sharp voice responds over the contact circuit: "How do I know you aren't one of them? I keep hearing them banging around, through the metal... maybe you just remembered how to talk."

"One of..." Adne says, looking back down from the shifting void reflected in Buzzard's visor. "Ah. Well, you see---"

Compel: Weak Hit!

Action Score 8 (rolled 5 + 3 Heart) versus Challenge Dice 5 and 9