Ironsworn (and it’s sci-fi successor, Starforged) are products of the recent surge in solo gaming. I really like how they tie several simple moves and mechanics together to create unexpected storylines and exciting campaigns. However, it’s not a particularly crunchy system. GURPS, of course, can be; but has no real system of its own for less GM-centric play (the closest I’ve seen is The Collaborative Gamer’s work, which doesn’t really stretch beyond individual adventures). So, I thought I’d try wrapping the crunchy GURPS ruleset inside a nice Starforged move system!

My approach has been to keep most of the Ironsworn/Starforged moves intact; but resolve the move rolls using GURPS rules based on a full-fledged GURPS character. I’ve detailed the changes I’ve made to the Starforged system here.

I documented a brief playthrough using this system, a bit of which will be posted in the comments as an example of this system in use. The world I’m using is based on GURPS: After the End, with elements from GURPS: Lands Out of Time and GURPS: Reign of Steel. Think Mad Max with dinosaurs and robots! I’m using mostly the Starforged versions of the moves, with Ironsworn and other oracles to better fit the setting.

  • @5tooOPEnglish
    1•1 year ago

    The next morning, I resume my trek, (Undertake an Expedition, (Navigation-14), 12 - weak hit, and I've got an idea for an obstacle) moving towards what looks like an Edge on my route - one of the places where the world was stitched back together after it shattered. Overnight I was able to see the stars shift as they crossed it near the horizon, and now the occasional cloud vanishes or appears as it crosses an invisible line in the sky.

    When the world was stitched back together, whoever did the stitching made a token effort to keep the ground close to the same height at the joins, but you can still see the seams. The sky is cracked, for one thing. Some places have old roads that suddenly end at an Edge, others have expanses of flat rock or sand that run up into deep forest. And in some places, like this, the ground below the Edge on one side or the other has collapsed, leaving a deep ravine miles long.

    I peeked over the edge of the ravine, and saw mud mixed with dirt going down several dozen feet. Not easily climbed, especially without any gear… But, looking across, I was pretty sure I could see a village on the horizon, about where I expected Highwick to be. (Face Danger, Navigation (14), 7 - Strong Hit, I'm up to 9 boxes on the progress track) With a few extra hours, I’m able to follow the ravine to it’s end and safely cross the Edge. (Finish an Expedition, 9 Progress, I roll 1 & 6 - Strong hit, journey is done! +1 tick on the Discoveries track, and finding civilization lets me mark 2 boxes on the "Replace My Ride and Gear" vow) And with a few more hours’ walking, I made it to the village.

    (I've rolled TL 3 on a custom oracle for this town's general tech level, and rolled that it's populated primarily by Neanderthals - likely relatively civil ones to be at TL 3 already; borne out by the initial reaction roll for the town: 12 - neutral) The village appears to be built mostly out of local stone or sod, but most of the villagers are distinctly 'Thal; with tall, broad builds and distinctive faces. Still, they don’t seem alarmed or overly interested in me, and let me enter their village without challenge when they see I’m alone. A polite question gets me directions to the home of Caldas, the local trader I had been planning to deliver my herbs to, before my ill-fated hard-back encounter.