Ironsworn Campaign #1

Author's Note: Hello it's me Tommy Lovett and I love the game Ironsworn, it's a Tabletop Roleplaying Game where you make iron vows and take perilous quests as a hero. its ruleset is super simple once learned. It's even able to fit other genres which are essential to me because I want to create my Kingdom Hearts-inspired mega-crossover Campaign. While I've already tried this storyline on the blog, I feel like I finally got a good story going and am posting it here as a reboot to my first Ironsworn campaign I've dropped. Basically what am going to do is recreate some key events from that scrapped campaign and apply what am actively learning as a writer to make a story that can at least entertain me for a while. I also needed to post more to the blog anyways so I figured why not? I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 0: The Blues

It's been days since the incident, the day I lost my old friend and became something more than human. I was a typical dork who loved watching superheroes fight bad guys for the sake of justice, it was an innocent dream to want to be a hero like those I saw on TV but now it seems fate has turned me into a superhero...it even came with a tragic origin story with the loss of my father Richard and the complete change of my body. It was at the hand of those Shadow bastards, they follow a dead madman's life philosophy of torturing the weak and enslaving the rest to a dark will. personally, I couldn't give half a crap about their motives, what matters is am going to stop them one day...my name is Ryan Roads, am a superhero geek whose dream became a nightmare...am a hero now and I have a job to do. My father had left me one last gift; a Flux Gem with the power to travel universes in the multiverse, I have no clue where am going but I can't stay in one place long with the Shadow cult still after me. My troubles are far from over, I lost my home and family to these cultists in a single night. Let them come get me...I'll break them down for what they did and are still doing. I wandered the multiverse for some time until I found a peaceful-looking village. I stuck out like a sore thumb but no one paid me any mind, they spoke Japanese...guess my father was right to give me language lessons, It helped me understand my favorite tokusatsu shows better but I could always rely on subtitles so the skill didn't really matter. Not that the people here were in the mood to talk as they kept avoiding me, do they sense that am not really human like them? That said I still have to eat and drink and maybe even sleep is still possible. I enter what looks like a restaurant...not that I have any money to buy anything with. I don't want to resort to stealing, the people already don't like me so I don't know what am going to do. I left the place without even looking the staff in the eye. but someone called out to me as I left. "Hey you wait up!" the voice sounded like a young woman's voice. "Are you a Traveler from another world?" I turned to face the figure speaking and I was shocked to see that a woman with long black hair and dog-no a wolf's ears on her head. I wasn't expecting to see such a sight. so I answered her question back "I am a traveler, is there something you need?" The woman's face looked worried but also hopeful. "My friend has gotten involved with a bad man and is currently being stalked." That was rather forward, not sure why she's telling me this but I was curious and maybe I could- no that's the dumb toku fan coming up with silly ideas again. "That sounds like some trouble your friend is in, but why are you telling me this?" The woman looked confused and spoke, "Are you not one of the Union's Travelers, The ones that fight bad people?" I never heard of these Union guys so I answered "Sorry am just a lone traveler looking for work...do you know of any work that can I do around these parts?" "Would you at least consider listening to my story if I bought you a meal?" I wasn't expecting this kind of hospitality. I was lucky and smile "I could at least hear you out about this stalker." I came back inside the building I just left with the wolf-eared woman and took a seat with her as I wait for the order to be ready. The woman ordered two bowls of ramen with chicken seasoning. after the chef took the order we had a chance to talk. I realized I didn't even know her name. she must have also realized it too and introduced herself. "My name is Kagerou Imaizumi and from the look on your face I can guess you never saw a Yokai before." "Yokai? you mean like demons?" I was a bit worried hearing that news but I recalled that Yokai's aren't all monsters from my own research on the topic...though I doubt the same rules apply to this world. "Relax." Said Kagerou "Am not a scary kind of Yokai, am more interested in your state...are you seriously traveling without any Yen to buy food?" "Well, I've been mostly getting by...using means I would rather not admit to doing." "Well I guess I should talk about what my friend is getting into." she pulls out a picture, it shows Kagerou and two other girls in the image. It seems like there was someone else taking the photo. "I didn't expect to see cameras in this place." I said. Kagerou continued her story "The blue girl mermaid is Wakasagihime, my best friend who has recently gotten into trouble with a local fisherman, he's lovestruck and won't leave her alone." "Where do I fit into this situation" "Simple, I want you to pose as her boyfriend." "What!?" "You'll pose as Hime's long-distance lover who sent gifts and love by letters!" "Wouldn't it be easier for me to just tell the guy to back off?" "To be honest with you...this guy is kind of a creep." Kagerou is seen toying with her fingers. "So if I can help resolve this stalking problem she'll be fine right? Let me talk to him am sure if someone is direct with him nothing bad should happen." "You what to reason with the stalker?" "If he refuses to leave Hime alone I'll be ready to get physical, don't worry." "Eh!? I didn't think you would actually fight this guy but okay...Oh, by the way, what's your name?" "Ryan Roads and if I can repay you for the meal by helping your friend out I'll gladly help." so I held out my hand and she shook it and the deal was made. after the meal which was fantastic by the way, I followed Kagerou to her friend's hangout, and there I see quite the scene. a redheaded girl was covered in a fishing net and Hime is nowhere in sight. Kagerou runs up to the trapped girl and rips open the fishing net. She picks up the girl just in time to hear the shocking news. "He took her away!" said the short girl. "Sekibanki, Where did they go!?" asked Kagerou. I quickly noticed what looks like a man pushing with a wheelbarrow holding something that was wiggling and screaming. Immediately I give chase with my runner's sprint after the man. our chase didn't last very long before he reaches a small clearing in the nearby forest Kagerou and Seki was following close by but I had a large lead ahead. The creepy fisherman is stopped in his tracks by a broken wheel putting his escape to a halt. he looks around nervously as I and the other two girls arrive at the scene. I speak to the man. "Stop what you're doing!" the fisherman replies with fury "Get back! am not leaving without my mermaid waifu!" I can see the mermaid is also caught in a fish net. I give a final warning. "I'll use force if you don't return the girl unharmed." The fisherman pulls out a dark purple gem and screams "Only, I can have her!" and jams the gem into his head to the point of it drawing blood. the man screams as he turns into a Spider-like monster similar to the ones seen on my favorite Toku shows. the now transformed man laughs. "Ha ha ha ha, with this power am unstoppable! Only I can make Hime happy, so die and get out of my way!" Kagerou is furious at this point. "Go die you spider creep!" she shouts and is about to get physical. I speak once more "I was hoping I wouldn't need to get rough to make you see reason...but you crossed the line by kidnapping." I strike a pose with one hand held high with the flux emerald in it and shout "Transform!" I channel its energy into my body and as I charge up with power my armor materializes from thin air until my entire body was covered head to toe. Kagerou and Sekibanki both looked confused by my transformation but the time to explain will have to come later as my fight to free the mermaid is a more pressing matter! I enter the fray against this foe but not before I say my oneliner. "I vow to fight evil, you are no different!" I rush at the spider bastard and strike him with my armored fists with enough force to knock him on his ass. as I do this Kagerou quickly carries Hime to safety as the fight continues. I jumped then kicked the Kaijin and knock him around some more he manages to grab me after the fact but I quickly reversed the grab and land some more punches, at this point the fight was pretty much won but the monster still stands. I charge up my electric energy into my leg and leap into the sky for a flying drop kick of lightning into the monster with enough force as to land a few feet back from the now defeated enemy I land just in time for the baddie to explode in typical toku show fashion. the remains of this monster are just dust in the wind now. After the fight, Kagerou gave me a fair amount of food and water as a reward as I requested it. I think I made some new friends from this job but I couldn't stay for long as the cultists are no doubt still on my tail and I would need to travel worlds again pretty soon. But Kagerou gave me one last word of advice and that was to join up with the Traveler's Union, she claims it's somewhere in a place called Domino City in one of the worlds I have on my map. I walk with the flux emerald in hand and open a portal to the world where Domino City is and enter it.

Chapter 1: Traveler's Union

My name is Ryan Roads and I have a problem, I was kidnapped by these guys called the shadow cultists and was turned into a superhuman for the purpose of being their weapon of terrorism. I've gained the ability to transform into an armored superhero when I use my Flux Emerald to charge my bionic body. I managed to escape for now but the cultists are always after me. I decided to take the advice of a woman named Kagerou to join up with the Traveler's Union. I may be a walking weapon but the fact is I can't fight or flee forever and I desperately need some allies if I am to survive for long in the multiverse because am sure it's only a matter of time before the cult sends some goons my way. The Traveler's Union from what I was able to gather from Kagerou is a group of protectors whose goal was to keep the peace across the multiverse in order to prevent another crisis like the Alter Marik Incident. what was the Alter Marik incident? well to put it simply a very bad man got the means to multiverse travel and started causing trouble across universes. he was also a mind-controlling sadist with the power of dark magic so this guy was actually quite a threat for a while. thankfully the Great Heroes of the multiverse stopped his rampage and restored peace to the multiverse. (or at least a small corner of it.) The Great Heroes were the ones that stood against Marik during his rampage. I wrapped to Domino City to find the Traveler's Union HQ as Kagerou said but she couldn't tell me where I should go to find the place so I started asking around for directions. I was lucky to have gotten directions from a helpful stranger and I now knew where to go to find the Union. The city was full of skyscrapers and people going from one place to another. If not for the directions I would have been totally lost in the masses. I finally saw the sign the says Traveler's Union and knew I was in the right place. The large tower of a building is where the Union resides. I walked through the doors and found them barren and devoid of people staff or otherwise. I began to doubt I was in the right place but investigated the place more closely as I walked up to the desk where I would expect a receptionist to be but there wasn't one. The place was clean so I don't understand why no one was to be seen. there was another door that looks like it could lead somewhere so I walked towards the door and let myself into the next room only to find yet another empty room, this time it looked like a meeting room. at this point, I gave up and made my way towards the exit only to find a crowd in the lobby of the building. I couldn't believe my eyes! it was one of the great heroes! and immediately am looking like a bad guy snooping around a place he shouldn't. I could only say one thing in this situation. "H-Hi!" The crowd was silent, I continue to ask "Would any one of you know how to join the Traveler's Union?" While I was similar to the great heroes visually but I didn't research into their names...so awkward. The silence was finally broken by a young man who I recognized as the Great Hero of Domino City only he looks a lot smaller in person. He walked up and then spoke, "You want to be a Traveler?" I replied, "Y-Yeah, am sorry for snooping around but I have an urgent situation...am being hunted down by bad people who can travel worlds and I was hoping to join up with the Traveler's Union in order to get some help." The young man exclaims "Oh, that would make sense...who are the ones chasing you?" "Guys called the Shadow Cult" as soon as I said that the room filled with chatter and whispers. I could make out what some of them were saying. "I told you those guys were a problem." "Can we trust this guy?, those cultists take no prisoners." "You think those cultists would use sane tactics like spies?" "They can mind control people so yeah I think it's a possibility." The young man speaks up to try and calm the crowd "I don't think he's a spy, they wouldn't have anything to gain from this barely used building." He holds out his hand to shake mine. "My name is Yugi Muto!" he took me and the others into the meeting room to discuss my situation.

"Sorry for the sudden entry, we're still trying to figure things out about the Union." Yugi explained, "So you're saying you're being hunted by a group of multiverse hopping cultists?" I nod my head, and I think to myself "This kid runs the place?" he continues his side of the discussion. "Lately people have been reporting similar cultists in this city, in fact, this cult may have spawned from this world you are currently in." "So they here too?"

"Afraid so, see ever since the rampage of the Alternate Marik three months back a group calling themselves the shadow cult has started to cause trouble."

"Yeah, they kidnapped me and turned me into a living weapon that was going to be used in their terrorist acts...my late father died giving me back my freedom."

"Am sorry to hear that...I lost both of my parents."

"I guess we're kindred spirits...so your one of the heroes from that incident, right?"

"Hero is a bit much but I did take part in stopping Marik but only because he stuck to using the game duel monsters to fight rather than try and capitalize on using the Chaos Emeralds to actually fight."

"I think I've heard about the Chaos Emeralds, the ads for Flux Emeralds claim their perfect replicas of Chaos Emeralds."

"I figured he would market them like that."

"You know the guy who makes these things?"

"I would say that he's an ally...but not a very consistent one. Seto Kaiba saved us from being trapped in the middle of nowhere when Alter Marik left with all seven Chaos Emeralds in possession. Kaiba thought ahead and had his team of engineers create a fake emerald that retains the power of original emeralds. Oh sorry, am rambling on about something unrelated to your problem."

"I didn't mind, I've been locked by that cult for 3 months so I could use a bit of catching up on the world or I guess worlds at large. I was told by a woman that the Union could help me and that I could join as a job."

"Oh yes, we'd be glad to have you join. I didn't think word would travel that fast, I owe my friends for that. You see the Union is still very much a work in progress, we're trying to settle on a key location to house the actual HQ. Am not sure how your friend heard of us already when we don't even have an HQ."

"So basically you're a group only in name."

"Afraid so, but I can try and help you anyways. I may not be much in a fight but I can let you stay here to hide from the cult."

"Okay I can make use of that but I have a personal question to ask, Will this Union helps me track down these cultists? Am not planning on running from them forever and I fully intend to pay them back for what they did to my father and turning me into a weapon."

"While I don't like the idea of revenge-seeking, I can see no problem with helping you track down the leader of these thugs at least. They're a threat to the whole multiverse after all."

"Thanks, I promise not to let my revenge-seeking come at the cost of justice."

"So you say you're a living weapon, you look pretty normal to me."

"I had most of my...' parts' replaced with bionics."

"I see, that must have been traumatic."

"So now that am one of the travelers can I start working, I get paid for working right?"

"Of course, am guessing you left your old home to escape the cultists. Don't worry we may be small but there are jobs to take on if you think it's safe enough to work in the field."

Yugi explained the basics of being a Traveler in the Union to me, you take on jobs from across the multiverse and dish out justice to anyone that means harm to the peace. while this group was made primarily to stop multiverse threats people have kept contacting them for local jobs long enough that Union is seen as a secondary group outside the normal laws like a private investigator that takes cases the police refuse or can't do. I've also talked with Yugi about my past experiences up to this point, like how I fought off a spider monster that came from a Flux Gem, and while I told him the story he had some of the staff look up one of the requests that I can start working on to start making a living again, I guess being a hero pays after all. after a few minutes, the staff presents to me with a request similar to my story about the spider monster.

Yugi handed me the documents relating to the case "This job should be familiar to you, seems there is a humanoid bat monster causing trouble in Mobius. Normally Sonic would be on top of this job but ever since Kaiba's engineers created the Flux Emeralds Sonic has gone out of his way to find and destroy these gems and now he's too busy to help his home world."

"So there is some internal conflict amongst the great heroes."

"Yes, but could you please stop calling us or I guess me that, just call me Yugi."

"Fair enough, so I have to go to this Mobius and fight off this monster? well, that sounds up my alley."

"Great to hear that, maybe by the time you finish this task we can offer a better location to house the HQ of the Union."