#starforged is great

[darchildre]

I started a new Starforged game this evening - my character is on an island and, for flavor, I decided to roll to create a cool alien creature that could live there. I didn't have any plans to necessarily include it in the plot, but I like to have animals and stuff for worldbuilding.

And then I rolled a luminescent crystalline whale. So obviously there now have to be crystal whale adventures of some kind.

There are many aspects of Starforged that make it my favorite rpg, but the ease with which you can swap back and forth between fairly grim scifi adventure and a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper cover is definitely in the top 10.

[iona-xiv]

Quiz: Villain Type - Iona Edelweiss

For the Greater Good Perhaps you do not believe what you are doing can truly be classified as evil. Perhaps some people will be hurt from the immediate consequences of your actions, but what the masses fail to see is the immense good that will come of your plans. Maybe you act in the name of science, or for your people who have fallen on great tragedy. Maybe you see cracks in a failing system and want to uproot it through chaotic, destructive means to avoid greater tragedy down the line. Maybe you're just in with a bad crowd, but you can't leave them, no matter how unsavory their intentions, because they're your only ticket to your ultimate goals. No matter what, your goals are noble, and you take no joy in wreaking havoc or hurting those in your way, but the evils you partake in are necessary. If you need to play the bad guy to ensure a better future, then you are willing to play that part. Find the Quiz here

Thank you for the tag and mention @avampyone and @jujuna-ffxiv Tag you're it!: @catboy-cursi, @arbiterofthedead,@nullifiedvoidcast, @sparto, @sie-sharp,@kassael, @deep--dive, @shibaikyatto, @khione-venatrix, @ilbers,@armordos,@hazelkjt, @notarchonzachlol, @zylphiacrowley,@cindernet-explorer,@tivaphoenix,@elfie-kitten, @voidwife, @madalyn-maeve,@witchofthedirt, @finalrespite, @eviloblivion, @starforger,@roxy-von-martitz, @thebrumeknight-ffxiv

of course and always please ignore this if you don't want to do it/have already done so, and please do it if you would like to share!

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Ironsworn/Starforged Hacks

This week’s recommendations are all inspired by Ironsworn, by Shawn Tomkin, or Starforged, its science-fantasy successor.

Inspired by PbtA games, Ironsworn stands out because it can be played solo, GM-less, or as a traditional roleplaying game - and the PDF of the rulebook, a work of stellar quality, is free. It uses unique mechanics such as Vows, Momentum, and Supply to support play - Vows being personal goals that drive the character’s story and generate progression, Momentum being an asset that can be used to track your character’s general level level of success, and Supply being a representation of how prepared or energetic your characters are.

While Ironsworn is a game of fantasy adventuring, Starforged takes cues from space fiction and science fantasy, and comes with unique character pieces and a planet generator.

Let’s take a look at some of the hacks created out of these games!

Iron Valley, by M. Kirin.

Iron Valley is a cozy solo ttrpg hack for Ironsworn and Starforged.

In this game you take the role of someone moving into a small community and starting their life anew. Maybe you’ll restore your family’s farm. Maybe you’ll explore the mysterious forest just beyond town. Maybe you’ll fall in love and get married! This is a game about living a cozy life with good company, one day at a time.

As a farming simulation, this is a great example of a cozy game. Follow the course of a year, making a new home for yourself using a simplified version of Ironsworn. Fundamentally, the game revolves around the promises you make to your friends, losing track of time instead of hit points. 

This is a chunky game that takes some set-up, that a single can play over many days or weeks. It’s something that requires a bit of work to put together, but you can pick it up a little bit at a time if you’re looking for sustained play, and you don’t have to work with a group to try and schedule game time.

Stonebound, by S0ra.

The Dawnlands are filled with various groups of palaeolithic humans, all trying their best to survive in this prehistoric world, where they are far from the top of the food chain.

You are not like them.

You will venture forth from your home, rise up and challenge the monstrous creatures who roam this land, discover secrets better left forgotten, protect your people from the feral horrors that rise in the night, bind your will and your word to the sacred stone of this land and become Stonebound.

This isn’t much of a departure from the original Ironsworn: the author describes it as a re-skin, with new assets and foes to make the system fit in a stone-and-sorcery kind of setting. The game is still in development, so changes might continue being added, but the game is Pay What You Want for now! In Stonebound, stone replaces iron as the way by which you make vows, and as a result stone becomes a vital part of the landscape. If you really like the way Ironsworn plays but are interested to see how it looks in a new setting, you might want to check this game out.

Cybersworn, by Homebrewster, and Hyper City, by Thomas Manuel.

You’ll need to know how Ironsworn or Starforged works in order to play these hacks. Cybersworn is meant to fit a number of different flavours of cyberpunk; from high-magic settings, to low-magic settings, to settings with cyborgs or a virtual other space. It provides new pieces to slot into the basic ruleset to make the game neon and gritty. And just like Ironsworn, this game is free!

Hyper City is a specific corporate dystopia that you build based on a real city that you’re interested in. It uses Burning Questions rather than Iron Vows, it provides a mode of play that focuses on investigation and exploration, rather than action and adventure. Hyper City is also designed to be played “solo together,” as described by the designer. Each player is playing their own solo journey, but their characters can interact with each-other via messaging apps or something similar to trade information and give each-other updates. 

These games aren’t designed to necessarily be played together, but since they’re built for the same system, it’s likely easy to steal a little from one to place into the other. If you’re into cyberpunk and building your own city, these might be worth checking out!

Silversworn, by fyret.

This is a hack about being a werewolf (possibly in space). It is a hack about rage and trying your best to hide it. It is a hack about finding what lengths you'll go to keep the beast inside, and what carnage you'll bring when it is unleashed. 

This game specifically alters the rules of Ironsworn to allow you to play as a werewolf character. One of the basic moves, Face Desolation, is replaced by Face Rampage, which is meant to replicate your struggle to keep your human form. Apart from mechanical changes, this hack comes with some tips about playing as a werewolf, especially when you’ve transformed. The game also comes with a new series of Truths and Assets, to help you build the world you want, whether you want to tell a story within the fantasy world of Ironsworn, or the galaxy of Starforged.

--

If you want to see more genre hacks of these games, I’d recommend checking out the Starforged 2023 Jam on Itch.io. 

[wolfythewitch]

Rereading the Starforged stuff and had this image of Wil's dad being either deceased or not Present/Great so as Philza realizes that Wilbur doesn't have a father figure in any real or positive way, he's like ".... I'm Dad now." And Wilbur's like "that tracks".

Oh boy star forged Wil uhhh what did I have about him

He's born into a rich family, noblemen, but they've always been very distant. Long line of militants and generals and the like, so they're a bit put off that Wilbur shows no interest in combat whatsoever. When he was four and he picked up the bow(Phil), the first thing he did was try to strum it like a guitar. Needless to say, his parents were disappointed, but Phil was instantly endeared. After generations after generations of soldiers who only wanted to use him for his supposed magical abilities, here was this little boy who wanted only to create. And he speaks, for the first time in centuries.

Wilbur does take up archery lessons, something he somewhat enjoys, but not as a sport. Kinda like a hobby thing, not for battle like his parents wanted.

[cosmicharm]

How does your journey end?

You die saving someone you love - Odile

Your heart is noble but fragile. You could have been the one. You could have rid these lands of what plagues them. But they would have gone too and you knew you couldn't let the world feel their loss. So you took their place. I only hope your sacrifice will pay out.

You are hailed as a hero - Ombralie

Your weapon gave the delivering blow to that great evil and so you are celebrated and lauded as the people's hero. Any tavern you wander into falls into silence when you enter before erupting in cheers and thanks. Children run up to you in the street to hear the grizzly details of how you did it. Is this what you wanted? Or is this admiration all too much? Thank you @archaiclumina for the tag! Tagging: @vmbral, @captainqster, @avaritia-ffxiv, @starforger and @shroudkeeper! (sorry in advance if you've been already tagged hehe), and ofc anyone who feels like doing it!

[technicalgrimoire]

📚Today's book is "Starforged" by Shawn Tomkin.

(I gifted the book away, but still have the reference and cards)

Starforged is the closest I've come to loving a solo rpg. Beautiful book, tons of great tables, and it inspired great ideas!

But I still don't like solo rpgs :(

[archaiclumina]

The delightful ( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡) @tsupertsundere tagged me in 10 fandoms — 10 characters, let's see how I go c':

Neon Genesis Evangelion — Asuka Langley Soryu Sailor Moon — Minako Aino Goblin: The Great and Lonely Guardian — Wang Yeo Puella Magi Madoka Magica — Mami Tomoe Good Omens — Crowley Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind — Giorno Giovanna Fruits Basket — Ayame Sohma The Expanse — Amos Burton The Good Place — Jason Mendoza Final Fantasy VII — Vincent Valentine

These were in no particular order (except number 1, best girl always number 1, don't @ me) And now, ten tags from the list of beloved moots ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡: @airis-ray, @eris-vito, @riftdancing, @starforger, @cindernet-explorer, @cadrenebula, @zephyrfog, @domainofdragons and @cantspelldragoonwithoutgoon Only if you want to ofc! No pressure! ♡

[rosenfey]

⊱ tagged by @lavampira + @florbelles to make some ocs in this picrew, thank you so much! here have some bg3 versions of my babies

🍄🦋 faerene rosenhall — fey. noble. circle of spores druid. 🌿🦌 nyamwhe — half-elf. trapped inside an ancestor tree. faerene's spirit guardian. 🍷🔪odetta d'pavensei — albino drow. dark urge. great old one warlock. 🌻✨ dorothea lefebvre — human. acolyte. cleric of lathander.

⊱ tagging: @bg3, @leviiackrman, @baldurians, @theviridianbunny, @swanfey, @duskwulfs, @brujah, @sephiratales, @archdukegortash, @thenightsong, @fukiana, @shadowglens, @nocticulas, @elluvians, @feypacts, @feykiller, @moonmothers, @dameaylin, @ehlnofaey, @starforger + you!

[why-raven]

quiz: ancient greek deity — yiuno.

Athena — Goddess of Wisdom.

In one word—sharp! You take pride in your skills, wit, and ability to work well with others. (And if you don’t, you should!) Things don't tend to get past you—you’re happy to forgive, but never to forget. You’re responsible and worthy of trust, and those who earn yours are lucky indeed. Remember: not every situation can be evaluated and through through with your head alone. Sometimes, the only way to know what’s right is to follow your heart.

(take the quiz here)

Yiuno’s patron deity is Halone, the Fury.

In Eorzean mythology, Halone is the mover of glaciers and the goddess of war, who commands the element of ice and is associated with the First Astral Moon. According to legends, Halone has a bitter relationship with Nophica, the Matron, due to her ambitions turning into bloodlust as she traveled across the realm with Oschon, the Wanderer. In the Myths of the Realm quest story, Halone’s depicted form is very much influenced by the fervent prayers exhibited by Ishgardians, resulting in her imposing stature and stoic personality.

In Greek mythology, although Ares is commonly known as the god of war, Athena’s military prowess and strong moral compass are associated with the intellectual and civilized side of war; as for Ares, he represents the brutality and lust for blood in wars (Homer’s Iliad). In many verses, Athena has lent her aid to numerous epic heroes, such as Hercules, Perseus, and later Odysseus. However, she can be fairly cruel to those who have incurred her wrath: in Odyssey, Athena punished Odysseus’s rival, Ajax the Great, by driving him insane and compelling him to massacre the Achaeans’ cattle while he thought that he was killing the Achaeans themselves. Even after Odysseus had expressed pity for Ajax, Athena had no remorse for what she did, eventually pushing Ajax to commit suicide out of humiliation.

Halone shares many similarities with Athena: of their appearance, they are both often represented with a spear and shield. (Interestingly, in the Euphrosyne alliance raid, the raid-wide damage during the interlude in Halone’s battle is called “Aegis of Halone” in Japanese, which is a reference to the name of Athena’s magic shield, Aegis.) Halone and Athena are both stern and dignified warriors whom many believes to be a symbol of victory in war. They both have an entire city (Athens for Athena, and Ishgard for Halone) devoted to worship them.

However, they also have numerous differences: Athena does not share a bloodlust for war like Halone, and she has little to no emotional connections with any of the Olympian gods. While Halone’s bloodthirsty nature is perhaps a myth created by Eorzean mortals to explain the relationships between the Twelves, Halone has shown care and concern towards Menphina, the Lover, who is regarded as a little sister to most of the Twelve gods.

Yiuno, too, shares many common traits with Halone and Athena. His actions and decisions are often driven by cold logic, very much like Athena’s cruel rationality. (He might have borderline bloodlust at one point, but that’s venturing into Yiuno’s dark and secretive past.) He can be brutally sarcastic (Athena), though he isn’t completely remorseless and still retains some capability to feel emotions (Halone). Like Athena, it will take quite a while to have Yiuno’s trust, but when you do gain his favor, he will become one of the strongest and most dependable allies you can ever hope for.

Oh, you might even earn a reliable big brother (or sister?) you never thought you’d need… just like Halone to Menphina.

Seeing that @miqojak is bringing back these old quiz games on my dash, I thought I should re-post mine here as I re-organize my blogs after returning from a long hiatus.

Tagging @archaiclumina, @uldahstreetrat, @starforger, @wingedflame since these names have been appearing quite often in my notifs. (A big thank you to all for the kind support on my content!) Of course, anyone is free to join in the fun, and do tag me if you want me to see the results for your blorbos!

[alannah-corvaine]

[alannah] 14 associations

1. Animal: White-tailed Kite - unfettered, free, with only an open sky before them.

2. Color: White - the color of perfect despair, free of blemish or imperfection or stain, a sky drowning in sunlight, a contrast to all the world's darkness.

3. Song:

• how she sees herself: Lord Huron - Way Out There

• in hope: Thomas Bergersen - Cassandra

• in despair: Breaking Benjamin - The Great Divide

• in happiness: M83 feat. HAIM - Holes in the Sky

• in anger: Disturbed - Prayer

• in love: Taylor Swift - Daylight

• in sorrow: Aquilo - Silhouette

• in defiance: My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words

• in defeat: Demon Hunter - Carry Me Down

4. Number: 7 - the number of perfection, ambition, seeking truth and wisdom, enemy of the stagnant.

5. Day or Night: Day - sunlight brings warmth to the soul, a clarity of mind and purpose, joy like honey running through her veins, the sun a reflection of her heart on fire.

6. Plant: Peonies - delicate elegance, subtly fragrant, many-layered petals hiding a vulnerable center.

7. Smell: Burnt Parchment - acrid and dusty, the scent of failure, of anger, fears and desires kept close to the chest.

8. Gemstone: Opal - sun sparkling, multi-faceted, colors shining through a soft milky white, fragility, strength, and transformation.

9. Season: Summer - the blazing heat of fierce passion and untempered rage, sun's eye unblinking, the discomfort of facing uncomfortable truths, bare skin and naked soul, relentless storms that shake. foundations

10. Place: Thanalan - the greedy desert, swallowing the horizon, dry and unforgiving, bursting with life unbothered.

11. Food: Hearty stews and delicate pastries, the crispy crunch of a carrot.

12. Astrological Sign: Rhalgr - cleansing flame, destruction and rebirth, a beginning from the ashes of the end.

13. Element(s): Air, Earth - raging gales and gentle breezes, riding the wind beyond the horizon // quaking and breaking the bones of the world, toes buried in the sand.

14. Drink: Dandelion Tea - soothing, restorative, remedy, recollection.

tagged by: @miqomonkly

tagging: @ahollowgrave | @aethernoise | @starforger | @twelvesblades | @shroudkeeper | @nophicas-ward | @uldahstreetrat | @hydaelyns-bitch | @ahlis-xiv | @eris-vito | @sundered-souls | @unabashedrebel | @eorzeanflowers | @maeljade | @roguestly and literally everybody else.

(ya'll don't have to do 10 songs, i'm just incapable of picking 1 and not being extra with purple prose.)

[zigmatism]

Some maintenance after the mission where Nomen's body aged 40 years.

It's not particularly devastating for a starforged but it still does a number on the chassis.

Luckily Feng (@offended-dragon) is great with armor repair.

[darchildre]

I picked up my Starforged game last night for the first time since last August, played for three hours, and now that's all I want to do today.

Today, capitalism is a problem for me specifically, because I have to go to work and do things other than continuing to play through the space adventures of the sad, neurotic nerd I've created and eir empathic Lisa Frank rainbow cat.

[18catsreading]

Ostentatia: I like the horse

Yelle: wow

Katja: okay, mark my words, end of the night you're gonna love the horse

Ostentatia: okay, listen, I don't want to force anything on her. How do you feel?

Starforge: my name is Starforge. I came from the heart of a dying star, born of a wish to be a horse. The star wishes to be a horse and became me, Starforge. My magic is centered around the magic of horseshoes.

Ostentatia: Great

Katja: Ostentatia, I bet you twenty dollars by the end of the night you will fucking love your horse.

Ostentatia: listen, don't threaten me with a good time.

Sam: would you like it better if we put a bunch of like, gemstones in it or something?

Ostentatia: let's go.

[arty-ffxiv]

What poisonous flowering plant are you?

DOLL'S EYES

This is the poison of unchecked vices. You slip into hallucinations. You are wracked with convulsions. The delirium threatens to overwhelm you. What are you running from? You look in every direction, wild-eyed at every turn, seeking some reprieve from what torments you. Each vice brings new consequences, and the price of escape seems too great, and yet you cannot seem to face things head on. If you aren't running from yourself, I hope you find a true way to freedom soon. And if you are running from yourself, perhaps you would do well to realize your pain is not something you can simply escape by avoidance. You deserve healing just as much as the ones you love. Someday, soon I hope, you will know this and feel it and reach inward to grant yourself all the kindnesses you offer others. That is the only true way to peace for ones like us. Oh, and if the pain of it seems too great? I hope that you realize you don't have to do it alone.

Take the quiz here

Tagged by: @zenmai--jikake--no--komoriuta

Tagging: @zylphiacrowley, @starforger, @hythlodaes, @fair-fae, @thefreelanceangel and YOU! ♥

[snakeswithttrpgs]

An incomplete list of games I've played

Meh - Neutral - Would play again anytime

Afterlife: Wandering Souls

Alice is missing

ADnD

Avatar Legends

Bladerunner

Brindlewood Bay

Call of Cthulhu

Cerebos the crystal city

City of Mist

Cyberpunk

Das Schwarze Auge (the dark eye)

Delta Green

DND 5e

Dungeon World

Eyes on the prize

Fabula Ultima

For the queen

For the spoils

Ghost Club

Honey heist

Knights of Underbed

Keepers of the cards

Lady Blackbird

Little Wizards

Magister Lor

Monsterhearts

My little pony

Nahual

One last job

Ryuutama

Shadowrun 5

Splittermond (no english version)

Trophy Gold

The last Caravan

The great american witch

The quiet year

This thing we started

Witch Fated Souls

Watching us

Solo

Last Teashop

Ironsworn

Starforged

1000 year old vampire

Protector bard seer

[dry-gold]

Once per year in early March, the Roll +Bond Discord community (which is a one-shot focused TTRPG community that kind of grew out of the Friends at the Table Discord community) runs a 72 hour charity live stream Marathon where community members play games, have fun and collect money for good things. I was fortunate enough to have been a part of these for every year they have been ran and it always was a great joy, not only to play games with incredibly creative and nice people, but to watch them as well.

The next marathon is right around the corner and will happen between March 3rd and March 5th. I'm going to be playing in Ironsworn: Starforged and Masks a New Generation.

So please mark your calendars for a weekend of Robots, Wrestling, Courtroom drama, more robots, Super Heroes, and so much more, while we're all trying to raise as much Money for Trans Lifeline as we can.

If you're curious about previous iterations of the event, you can watch them all on Youtube.