My First Solo TTRPG: My World for Iron Valley
World truths and town creation for my Iron Valley campaign.
I’ve officially begun worldbuilding for my first solo TTRPG! I’m starting with the solo TTRPG Iron Valley, a gentle, introspective game that blends a cozy life-sim elements and storytelling. It’s inspired by games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing, both of which I’ve been obsessed with in the past. I’ll be taking it in a slightly different direction with the characters though, one rooted in myth.
When starting a game of Iron Valley, the first step is to craft your setting according to the rulebook. It offers a structure for this, encouraging players to shape the world through a series of choices called World Truths. These truths define the valley’s tone, history, and population, and they give you a framework for the stories to come.
Foundational Truths
Some truths are said to be universal in Iron Valley. No matter what other truths you choose, the following should always be in play:
The town is a small community far from any major settlement. The big city exists, but few bother with the journey.
The town is surrounded by incredible and diverse nature.
The soil is remarkably fertile. Crops grow faster, and fruit trees blossom in weeks instead of years.
Everyone is welcome. The town is diverse, and it thrives because of that.
It is a busy place. Life in the town is filled with birthdays, festivals, and people who can’t wait to loop you into whatever is going on.
And most importantly, the town is hopeful. It is a place where healing happens.
These truths spoke to me immediately, and I have no reason to change them.
The Setting
The next step is choosing where your town is and what kind of place it feels like. The rulebook gives you three options: medieval, rural-modern, or a far-future arcology. I ended up blending the first two into something of my own.
My town will be a small seaside village tucked far from the city. Electricity technically exists, but it is unreliable and extremely rare. Most townsfolk still use candlelight, cook with woodstoves, and deliver messages by hand or mail. Not because they have to, but because it is what they have always known.
I chose a seaside town because I have loved swimming my whole life. I never lived near the ocean growing up, but I spent so many vacations in the water that I basically became a mermaid. Honestly, I am still more than a little obsessed with mermaids, which both swimming and watching The Little Mermaid are responsible for.
As for the town’s name, I landed on Taleira, a completely made-up name that I think sounds like it belongs in a fairy tale.
Who Lives There
The book offers two oracles for villagers, not including humans: fantastical ancestries like vampires, elves and dwarves, or classic Animal Crossing-style animal townsfolk. I loved both, but I decided to make something of my own.
Instead of animal villagers or fantasy races, Taleira is home to mythological creatures. These include beings from folklore and legend, like selkies, dryads, jackalopes, and sirens.
To decide who lives in Taleira, I created a weighted random table with over 200 mythological creatures. Familiar beings like dragons, phoenixes, or fairies appear on the table more frequently, while rarer ones might only show up once or twice. I also made sure to add several rabbit-inspired creatures, like the Jackalope, Moon Rabbit, and Al-mi’raj, because I have a real soft spot for bunnies.
Every time I meet a new villager, I will roll to see who it is. I will also be rolling separately for their primary and secondary design colours, their personality, and their job, using custom tables that I will build after my own character is ready. That way, each villager is a surprise. I am not just building Taleira, I am discovering it!
Magic
The rulebook offers three perspectives on magic. In my version of the town, magic exists, but it is subtle and rare. It is most often found far from town, deep in the woods or by the sea. Still, every so often, it shows up in town too. Most villagers do not understand it, but that does not mean it is not there.
The Town’s Starting Promise
Each town of Iron Valley begins with a Starting Promise, a narrative seed for your story. I chose this one:
Learn about the town’s spirit.
To me, it feels perfect for a place full of mythical creatures. What is it? What makes it special? That’s something I’ll have to find out as I play!
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning of my journey. Next, I’ll be creating my own player character!
Have you ever created your own setting for a solo TTRPG like Iron Valley? What kinds of places, or people, do you find yourself drawn to when building a world just for you?
Looking forward to reading your adventures in Taleria. It sounds an amazing place.
I love that you created your own tables. Iron Valley has really great oracles, but making your own tables adds direction and theme to your valley, and I'm here for it!