An Introduction to Co-Operative Storytelling featuring Holy Warriors Battling Evil Magick in a Dark Fantasy Setting
In the long forgotten Kingdom of Alduire, dark times loom always on the horizon. The Kingdom was forged in iron and blood as wicked beasts and foul spellcasters – witches and warlocks – tempted the weak-willed into undertaking pacts with the Devil for access to powerful magicks. Rising from the shadows, Alduire became a beacon of light and hope against the despair and savagery of the wild. Championing that cause was and always has been the holy crusaders known as the Ironbound, loyal warriors and scholars sworn to punish those who would turn to magick.
Using only their skills in the sword, arrow, and tome, the Ironbound are many. Scattered to the far corners of the Kingdom, they have been fundamental in establishing an expansive and dominant force across the land, making Alduire a haven for technology, education, and gospel. Fealty to the Almighty is mandatory and each of the Ironbound are holy warriors first, citizens second. The King’s command is taken as an order from the Almighty and all those who would use spells and rituals are considered damned, fit for termination by any means necessary.
The Ironbound is a brotherhood of outcasts. Assigned to platoons of no more than five, each brings their own speciality to the cause. Teamwork is of the essence to defeat those who can breathe fire, summon the undead, charm the weak-minded, even change forms. Every member studies their prey and are the few granted permission to comprehend magick’s power, though they are forbidden to use it. It is a harsh life devoid of family and a place to call home, yet their dedication and servitude bring them closer together in the bonds of battle. To serve in the Ironbound is to pledge one’s life to the pursuit of purity and the elimination of every last witch and warlock in Alduire.
DETAILS
Written and Directed by: Todd Crapper
Rating: PG-13 to R
Number of Sessions: At least six
System: ScreenPlay
Page Count: 64
Features: Complete rules, including character creation; blank character sheet, scene notes, table of contents, bookmarks, hyperlinks
BONUS DOWNLOADS
Help yourself to any of these bonus PDFs designed to assist your storytelling experience.
Form Fillable Character Notes & Scene Notes
If you think paper should only be used by the people of Alduire, go digital with these form fillable PDF editions.
The Blessed and the Damned
The struggle to resist the temptations of evil and its foulest manifestation, the Devil, have long plagued the Kingdom of Alduire. Obtaining the powers offered by dark magick was far too tempting for many to resist and there came a time when it looked as if it would all fall into darkness. Until the Ironbound were formed and took their sacred oaths. Cast as both saviours and outsiders, few are able to endure the hardships required to join their ranks. While their victories have been numerous, the casualties have been two-fold and there are only so many available to fight the cause.
With the impending doom rising in the events to unfold in your tale of the Ironbound, there are many possible allies, counterparts, villains, beasts, and magick-users your lead characters can encounter. That is what this bonus supplement is for: to provide quick and easy characters to import into your version of the legend.
Within these pages, you’ll find five pre-generated lead characters tested on the field of battle by Ironbound’s playtesters as well as a gallery of supporting characters and extras. Use these characters to fill in empty spaces and keep the story progressing quickly or as a guideline for creating your own. All completely free to help new Directors and Writers with their tale.
- A scout explores the haunted forest of a known witch. Artwork by Jack Holliday.
What Is Ironbound?
A dark fantasy story, Ironbound tells the tale of a single platoon of five holy warriors discovering a dark plot behind the throne of Alduire that threatens to bring everything the Ironbound fight for crashing to the ground. Our lead characters, each of them members of a single Ironbound unit, will struggle to overcome great obstacles and save Alduire from damnation.
Despite its fantasy setting and use of magick, the lead characters and those loyal to the throne are forbidden from actually casting spells or conducting magickal rituals. Anyone who prays to and reads scriptures of the Almighty is forbidden from the practises of the dark arts; those who do are considered to be followers of the Devil and labelled as witches and warlocks. To compensate for this limitation, the Ironbound have developed impressive medieval weaponry and detailed knowledge of the dark arts to combat evil… but how that all works will be up to you and your Writers.
Want to learn more? Check out The Oath of the Ironbound preview.
An Introduction to ScreenPlay
Not only does Ironbound introduce players to the dark world of magick fighters confronted with a setting altering secret, this stand-alone product contains everything you need to get a preview of Broken Ruler Games’ brand new storytelling game. Complete with introductory rules for ScreenPlay, guidelines for starting your own story, character options, scene & character notes, and pre-generated lead characters created by the game’s lead playtesters, Writers and Directors can begin to experience this co-operative storytelling game their own way.
Broken Ruler Games 