Cool Things I've Found: Enhanced Ironsworn Maps by Sheridan Falkenberry
Whether you're questing in the Ironlands or want a fresh, evocative fantasy map, you owe it to yourself to check out these three options.
I cut my teeth on solo play using the Ironsworn game system during the COVID pandemic. I loved Ironsworn’s grimdark Viking setting, but found the game’s reliance of 30+ moves to be far too structured for my solo tastes. That being said, I learned a lot from Ironsworn’s mechanics, especially its worldbuilding process which has players move through several Truths and select one of three options (roughly comporting to low, medium, and high) as it relates to religion, magic, level of civilization, monsters, etc.
Using this same low, medium, and high setting options, Sheridan’s maps of the Ironslands are not only visually stunning, but they provide as much or as little thematic direction as you desire.
There’s a completely “wild” and unlabelled map that the only provides the typography of the Ironlands (or *insert fantasy realm name of your choice here*). This is a great option for a discover-as-you-go campaign.
Need a little more structure? There’s a map labelled with symbols but no labels, providing the locations of unnamed settlements, forts, and places of interest. This map provides some direction while still maintaining a high degree of creative input as your story unfolds.
And finally there’s a fully labelled map with symbols and labels, designed to spark imaginative momentum for quests and adventures.
“What creature stalks the Vale of Ruins?”
“What unique opportunity has presented itself to the settlement of Somberstrum?”
“Why do the faithful embark on an annual pilgrimage to the Erisian Sanctuary?”
My favorite map is this final, fully-labelled one. Not only does it capture Ironsworn’s setting perfectly, but even with its many details, the world doesn’t feel restrictive in any way. It feels like an established world with mysteries to uncover and dangers to overcome. It’s perfect.
Well done Sheridan!