Gold, Blood, and Bonds: What Comes Next for Olvir the Forgotten?
The Redemption of Olvir, the Forgotten Chapter 16
Previously on Olvir the Forgotten: Olvir barely escaped death for the second time in a couple of days after his encounter with the Cave Trog.The salt-laced air burned in Olvir’s lungs as he lay sprawled across the cavern floor, his breath uneven, ragged. His chest ached—a deep, pulsing pain radiating through every fibre of his being. Blood seeped between his fingers, warm and insistent, a stark reminder of just how close the fight had come to claiming him.
Beside him, the Trog lay still, its grotesque form slumped in a dark pool of its own lifeblood. The treasure was his now—but at what cost?
Milo, ever untouched, stood nearby, inspecting the edge of his rapier with an easy flick of his wrist. “Not looking too great, friend,” he observed, eyes flicking down at Olvir with a smirk that didn’t quite hide the concern beneath it.
“You’re carrying the treasure,” Olvir muttered, voice barely more than a breath. He pushed himself to his knees, forcing himself to move despite the sharp agony lancing through him. “I’m—” He coughed. “I’m getting out of here before I bleed out on this cursed rock.” The cavern loomed ahead, the darkness stretching into uncertainty. One final push, and they’d be free.
Let’s start by asking whether the battered Olvir and the surprisingly uninjured Milo encounter any further trouble as they head for the surface?
[ESCAPE THE DEPTHS: Strong Hit] No, the journey, whilst painfully slow due to Olvir’s injuries, is without incident.[FATE MOVE: Is the journey back to Lostbrook peaceful? 50/50] Yes. The duo slowly and carefully make the short journey, as Olvir gradually catches his breath and stretches his aching limbs.
They arrive back in Lostbrook, where Olvir hands over a pack filled with gold coins, jewellery, trinkets and other valuables. The overseer, Tristan, gratefully hands a sizeable bounty to Olvir—and reluctantly hands some to Milo.
The weight of exhaustion settled over Olvir as he stood before Tristan, the treasure pack heavy in his grip. Gold coins, gleaming jewels, and timeworn trinkets spilt onto the crude wooden table, reflecting the flickering torchlight.
Tristan inhaled sharply, eyes widening as he ran a hand over the wealth before him. “You did it,” he murmured, reverence slipping into his voice.
Olvir nodded, swaying slightly but keeping himself upright. “The Salt Womb won’t trouble you anymore.” He pressed a hand to the wound at his chest, barely managing to suppress a wince. “I suggest you use this well.”
Tristan hesitated momentarily before pulling free a sizeable bounty, pressing it into Olvir’s hands with a firm nod. “This will go a long way toward securing the village.”
Then, begrudgingly, he turned to Milo, tossing a pouch into the traveller’s waiting palm.
Milo grinned, tossing the weight in his hand. “Didn’t think you’d be paying me at all.”
Tristan scowled. “Don’t expect an invitation to stay.”
Milo chuckled, tying the pouch to his belt. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Olvir exhaled, shaking his head. The village had what it needed. The Trog was dead. Milo had his bounty. For now, at least, Lostbrook was safe.
[FULFIL YOUR VOW: Strong Hit] Take +2 experience (His total is 5)Olvir now tries to [FORGE A BOND: Weak Hit]. The village willingly forges a bond with Olvir, but Milo has to leave. In truth, Milo—a wanderer by nature—is happy to be on his way, and leaves with a smile on his face and a pocket filled with gold.
Olvir will now [TAKE A HIATUS], This time is envisioned as him resting in Lostbrook, recovering from his injuries, taking on whatever work is offered by the villagers, and pondering his next steps in the Ironlands.
“Well, friend,” Milo said, rolling his shoulders, “it seems you’ve carved yourself a little spot here. Try not to get too comfortable.” Milo chuckled, offering a lazy salute before striding off into the dusk. He didn’t look back—he never did.
Lostbrook, for now, accepted Olvir. He took the work offered, sharpened his blade between tasks, and pondered what came next. The Ironlands were vast, and his path remained uncertain. But he wasn’t lost. Not yet.
NOTES
And just like that, it’s time for Olvir to have a well-earned break from the perils of the Ironlands!
I’ll be off on vacation with my wife for the next couple of weeks, and—brace yourself—I won’t be taking my Ironsworn books, folders, tables, or cards with me. Olvir needs some time to recover from his ordeals, and honestly? So do I.
Call it “the end of Season One”, if you wish…
Of course, that leaves me with some significant questions: What comes next? Where does Olvir’s story go from here? And, most importantly—how ought I to spend these five glorious experience points?
When I get back, we’ll dive straight into the Wasteland with Fallout 2d20. Then there’s the Star Trek: Captain’s Log game book I’m bringing along for the trip—because let’s be real, I can’t fully unplug from storytelling.
Oh, and I picked up Ironsworn: Starforged too, so expect some new character creation antics soon! Then there’s Ruthless Heavens, Boundless Fate. Ack, so many games and so little time…
Plenty of Rolling Alone content is on the horizon. Where does Olvir the Forgotten fit into the whole picture? That’s a mystery for another day.
In the meantime, if you need a recap or missed anything, everything I’ve written and created for Ironsworn is neatly collected in this permanent Substack post—links are included for easy catching up!
Thank you for reading, and thank you to my new subscribers as well. Welcome!