A little "Breaking and Entering" on a Thursday morning in Rooksbay
Chapter 22 of "The Redemption of Olvir the Forgotten
Previously on “The Redemption of Olvir the Forgotten: At last, Olvir gained the trust of the mysterious Confessor, Sindri and learned of a vital document that could be used as leverage to prevent the city authorities from building in the sacred site of Woadmark field.
NOTES:
During this session, I will be using several of my new Thief Moves as discussed in this article. You are welcome to download a free copy of those moves and use them in your Ironsworn campaigns (Feedback is welcome!]
Before this session, I noticed that I had accumulated three XP from Olvir’s most recent escapades and decided to spend them to acquire the “Infiltator” Asset, which will hopefully give me an edge in his upcoming nefarious activities!
Remember that everything Olvir-related, including all the previous instalments of his story, can be found on my curated contents page.
At long last, the veil had lifted. Olvir had wrung the truth from Sindri. The path ahead was no longer shrouded in riddles. It was dangerous, yes, but finally visible. He glanced at Gilford, who was busy rearranging logs in the hearth. The dwarf’s boots thudded against the floorboards with all the subtlety of a war drum. Olvir smirked. “Tell you what, Gilford,” he said, voice low and dry, “you stay here by the fire. The Broken Lantern suits you. I’ll need your particular brand of chaos soon enough.”
Gilford raised an eyebrow. “You’re leaving me behind?” “Temporarily,” Olvir replied, tugging his hood up. “Besides, someone’s got to keep an eye on Sindri and Ashencry.
Sindri, from her corner, didn’t even glance up. “I heard that.” Olvir winked at Gilford, “I was counting on it.” With that, he turned, slipping through the crowd of laughing patrons and clinking mugs. The inn was alive with noise, but Olvir moved like a shadow—quiet, deliberate, already half in the world beyond.
As Olvir silently glided through the rough-hewn cobbled streets of Rooksbay, he considered his next steps. A frontal assault was out of the question. Subterfuge was an option, stealthy entry a better one. But he felt his best option was an informant.
Taking up a position on the corner of a merchant alley, he carefully surveyed the Town Hall, a stone-built two-story building at the head of the town square. He watched the comings and goings for a full hour, noting clerks, jurors, aldermen, as well as domestic staff of many types. Olvir noted a surly looking man who appeared to be some kind of manual worker—probably a delivery man or porter. He decided this guy was as good as any for a little intimidation.
[MOVE: Steely Voice] + Trickster Asset: Strong Hit. Olvir bundles the surprised man into a dark alley, pulls him close and puts a finger to his lips to demand silence. The man is very clearly terrified.Olvir makes it clear the man is in no danger, provided he answers one question: Where in the Town Hall is the Office of Records? It’s quickly evident that the man values his personal safety over any potential consequences, and he answers without the need for further strong-arm tactics.
[ASK THE ORACLE: Does he know where the Office is? Likely: Yes][ASK THE ORACLE: Does Olvir sense that the man answers him truthfully? 50/50: Yes] The Office of Records on the 2nd Floor of the Building at the far end of the Western corridor. Olvir unhands the petrified townsperson, who scuttles off through the crowd, doubtless thankful to be unharmed. He has no reason to disbelieve the commoner and considers his next move. Perhaps some bluff to get inside?
[MOVE: Whispers and Lies] + Infiltrator Asset. MISS.] Take stress, lose one Spirit (which drops to three)Olvir crossed the square with the kind of confidence that made people step aside without knowing why. Ahead, a single constable stood guard—broad and bristling.
“Morning,” Olvir said, flashing a parchment and a smile. “I’m here on behalf of the Guild. Routine inspection. Something about irregular filings and a missing ledger.”
The constable didn’t even glance at the parchment. “Nice try,” he grunted. “Guild inspectors don’t wear hooded cloaks. Or smirks.” The constable gave him a long, slow look. “You’ve got five seconds to walk away before I arrest you for trespassing.”
“Try the library,” the constable muttered. “They’ve got books on delusions.”
With entry by the front door off the table, Olvir realised “breaking and entering” was his only viable option. Slipping around the side of the building and around the back, he surveyed the second-floor windows. The farthest on the western edge was firmly shuttered, but he noticed that the adjacent room window was slightly ajar.
[ASK THE ORACLE: Can Olvir scale the building to the second floor? [Likely] Yes.][ASK THE ORACLE: Can he do so without people on the ground spotting him? [Unlikely] Yes, he does. With barely a sound, Olvir hops atop a low-roofed building and across onto the ledge by the second-floor window.]Olvir runs his fingers along the inside of the open window and releases the catch.
[MOVE: Illegal Entry] Weak Hit. As Olvir prepares to enter, he notices a clerk entering the room. Quickly, he steps back and out of view.[ASK THE ORACLE: Does Olvir remain undetected? 50/50 Yes, he does. But the clerk is suspicious and keeps a beady eye on the window as he searches for some papers in the office. Olvir will need to be vigilant]With no way forward and no obvious way down without potentially attracting attention, Olvir blends into a small alcove built into the building and decides to wait out the errant clerk, who, thankfully, appears to have assuaged his suspicions.
Some time later, Olvir sees the man exit the room. This is his opportunity.
[MOVE: Illegal Entry + Infiltrator] Strong Hit. Olvir slips through the window and around into the Office of Records next door undetected. Once inside, Olvir looks around for files connected to building permits.
[MOVE: Light Fingers] Strong Hit. Olvir spots a document which describes how the city wall foundations in the section bordering Woadmark Field are unsafe. He carefully slips the papers inside his cloak] The documents are more valuable than he dared think. Take one momentum [7]Olvir climbs back onto the ledge and prepares to descend to street level.
[ASK THE ORACLE: Does Olvir remain undetected? [50/50] No. He is spotted by a passing Beadle who immediately blows a sharp blast on his whistle for assistance.]It’s time for Olvir to make himself scarce.
[MOVE: Vanishing Act: Weak Hit. Olvir must either lose an important item or lose one momentum. There’s no way he’s letting go of his papers, so he loses one momentum [6]Two duty constables rounded the corner, eyes sharp and boots pounding like war drums on cobblestone. Olvir didn’t wait for pleasantries. He pivoted hard and sprinted toward the alleys, cloak snapping behind him like a banner in retreat.
“Stop!” one shouted. Olvir didn’t. He ducked into the nearest alley, narrow and crooked, dodging crates, laundry lines, and a startled cat that hissed at him. The city was alive around him—vendors shouting, children darting, the scent of roasted chestnuts thick in the air. He zigzagged through the crowd until the constables were nothing but distant curses.
By the time he reached the Broken Lantern, his breath was steady and his stride casual. He entered through the back, circled the kitchen, and emerged into the common room like he’d never left. Gilford looked up from his mug. “You look like you’ve been chased by angry merchants” “Close,” Olvir said, dropping into the chair opposite him. “Constables. Two of them. Fast, but not fast enough.”
Gilford raised an eyebrow. “You get what you needed?” “Indeed, I did” Olvir replied, pulling a folded scrap of parchment from his cloak. The dwarf grinned. “Well, you’ve got me. Two out of three’s not bad.” Olvir leaned in, voice low. “Let’s plot.”
Really enjoying these... I need to dig Ironsworn off the shelf and give it a proper go one of these days.