Path to Baldur's Gate, solo actual play using Ironsworn system, part 1

July 6, 2025 ◇ 5 min read

Path to Baldur's Gate is my attempt to adapt a series of video games into a TTRPG solo campaign using Ironsworn RPG. I'll go from Baldur's Gate 1 to Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal, possibly adding other Baldur's Gate-related modules and adventures (like Murder in Baldur's Gate). The Baldur's Gate trilogy has been on my PC since its release, and I often go back to it every other year, not necessarily to complete it again, but just to have a bit of fun. Recently, I thought that adapting it into a TTRPG might be another way to enjoy the franchise and relive the story with some possible surprises and twists.

At the beginning of each blog post, you'll find an adventure setup for the current chapter and all the preparations I made to play the scenario. To play the game, I'll be using Sundered Isles and the Pocketforge app to manage the campaign. I also use Spellforge: Magic for Ironsworn to help me envision interesting spells on the go.

Adventure setup

I'll be using a single character for the campaign, and all other companions will be Connections. In Ironsworn, a Connection is an NPC with an established, meaningful relationship with the hero and an ongoing presence in the story. Connections also provide mechanical bonuses when making moves closely associated with their role, which is a great way to simulate a group working together.

Here's the main character basic info.

Rennan, Gorion's Ward
Description: Vengeful, Faithful
First look: Guarded, Poised
Role: Outcast
Role detail: Orphan
Backstory: Orphan raised in Candlekeep by Gorion
Goal: Avenge a death
Inciting incident: Marked by assassins
Background Vow: Discover your heritage (Epic)

I have a specific vision for this character, I want to mainly focus on Iron, with Heart and Wits as secondary attributes:

Edge: 1, Heart: 2, Iron: 3, Shadow: 1, Wits: 2

For the assets, I have a few I'd like to acquire later in the story when it's at least somewhat justified, so I'm starting with a set that I think fits the beginning of the story:

• Fugitive (Starforged)
  
• Haunted (Starforged)
  
• Jinx (Sundered Isles)

The character is on the run from someone trying to assassinate him (Fugitive), will soon be haunted by someone (Haunted), and with everything going on, is just generally unlucky (Jinx).

Prologue

Nestled atop the cliffs that rise from the Sword Coast, the citadel of Candlekeep houses the finest and most comprehensive collection of writings on the face of Faerûn. [...] It is secluded, highly regimented, and it is home. [...]

You have spent most of your twenty years of life within this keep's austere walls, under the tutelage of the sage Gorion. Acting as your father, he has raised you on a thousand tales of heroes and monsters, lovers and infidels, battles and tragedies. However, one story was always left untold: that of your true heritage. You have been told that you are an orphan, but your past is largely unknown.

Today, Gorion has appeared more agitated than ever, and now he has uncharacteristically interrupted your chores in the middle of the day. Imparting hurried instructions for you to equip yourself for travel, he has handed you what gold he can spare but given no clue as to why. Nevertheless, you now stand before the Candlekeep Inn, ready to purchase what you need for an unplanned and unexpected journey.

Let's begin our story with the first move.

Begin a Session
Key location is made unsafe or becomes mired in conflict. +1 momentum.

Seems about right, Gorion warned him about the danger and the upcoming journey. Let's swear a vow to reach Friendly Arm Inn now, Rennan's very first objective.

Swear an Iron Vow
Vow: Reach Friendly Arm Inn (dangerous).
Challenge: 4, 7. Action: 7 (+heart, +1 connection), weak hit. +1 momentum.

Time to prepare for the journey. In Ironsworn, it is assumed we are armed, armored, and equipped as appropriate to our vision of the character. Some assets can make specific equipment more relevant, but it's usually more important for the story than for any mechanics. This character is still very much an unknown, so I rolled d10 on Simple Melee Weapons table and d4 on Simple Ranged Weapons table to determine what exactly Rennan decided to equip himself with, and I've got a greatclub and shortbow, which is really cool, I can't remember when was the last time I've seen someone using greatclub as a weapon. Since Rennan is preparing for the journey, Secure an Advantage move sounds like a good idea.

Secure an Advantage
Challenge: 10, 5. Action: 5 (+wits), miss.

Or maybe not. But this is a great opportunity to use Fugitive asset.

Fugitive: "When you make a move, you may improve the result to a strong hit. If you do, fill one segment of a four-segment clock to represent hunters closing in."
Secure an Advantage: strong hit. +2 momentum. Fugitive clock: 1/4.

The assassins are close, but this time he slipped by. Gorion alerted some people in Candlekeep, plenty of guards are walking around, and the sun is high on the sky, an extremely challenging environment for an assassin.

Equipped with everything needed for the road, Gorion instructed Rennan to seek Khalid and Jaheira in Friendly Arm Inn in case something went horribly wrong. They began their journey just a few hours before sunset, and when it got darker...

"Wait! There is something wrong. We are in an ambush. Prepare yourself!"

A mysterious "Armored Figure" approached, that Rennan be handed over. After a short exchange of threats, a fight broke out. Rennan, urged by Gorion, tried to flee. This is a quick and chaotic, so I'll use his Edge to roll and see how well he did.

Face Danger
Challenge: 10, 1. Action: 3 (+edge), weak hit. -1 spirit.
Endure Stress
Challenge: 10, 10. Action: 5 (+spirit), miss. -1 spirit. Match event: Weaken Opinion.
Impact: Jinx.

A miss with a match! With a hit on his Spirit, watching Gorion try to fight off the ambushers was definitely a traumatic experience that will stay with him for a long time. And that's also why I picked the Haunted asset. I could use the Fugitive asset again to turn it into a strong hit, but since it's a match, I think it's more interesting to leave it and trigger the Jinx asset.

Jinx: If you score a miss with a match, this asset counts as an impact for you and your allies. You may undo this only by scoring a strong hit with a match; if you do, you and your allies each clear the impact and mark 1 tick on your bonds legacy track.

A perfect moment to wrap up the session and start preparing for the next one.

End a Session
Next time, he'll have to try his best and safely reach Friendly Arm Inn, seeking Khalid and Jaheira. +1 momentum.
Reach a Milestone: Discover your heritage. Milestone: Escape from the Armored Figure's ambush.
Progress: 1 tick.