Traveler's Notebook (and Ironsworn games)

21 Sep, 2024

I bought my Traveler’s Notebook kit in 2018¹, which included the leather cover and some plain notebook inserts. I’ve tried using it several times but always ended up returning to either digital tools or another (wider) notebook for journaling² and a Field Notes for everything else.

The closest I came to using it consistently was right before the pandemic. That year, I bought the calendar notebook insert since we had several activities planned, and I thought it would be nice to finally use it properly. But then the pandemic hit, and the calendar pages remained as empty as the toilet paper shelves in supermarkets.

For a while, my Traveler’s Notebook sat at the bottom of a drawer. I kept buying some accessories for it (like the plastic sheets they release every year—I’ve collected all of them since 2018), but I never actually used it.

Then Colin Kloecker, a.k.a. Terribly Beautiful Games, released Traveler's Ironsworn and recently Traveler's Starforged for Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged, respectively. That's when everything changed.

Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged are role-playing games designed for solo players (though they can also be played in co-op or guided modes), and journaling is an essential part of the gameplay. Keeping a notebook or journal not only helps track the character’s journey and decisions but also aids in building the world around them. Locations, NPCs, goals, and connections all add layers to the narrative. In Ironsworn: Starforged, I like to keep maps of sectors and regions, star systems, and discoveries. Journaling enhances immersion, turning every game session into something truly personal.

Besides Colin Kloecker's tools, here is the complete list of accessories I use:

• TF TRAVELER'S notebook Cotton Zipper Case – Ironsworn and Ironsworn: Starforged use asset cards to complement the character sheet. The zipper case is perfect for carrying these cards and other smaller pieces of paper (usually index cards). I like to carry my character’s portrait and a photo of his spaceship as well.
• TF Charm Camera – It doesn’t add anything to the gaming experience, but I like it a lot.
• Plastic Sheet – I still use the 2018 one, which was the first I bought.
• 016 Pen Holder – I love fountain pens, but for gaming, I use a Tactile Turn Bolt Action Pen.
• 029 Three-fold File – Perfect for carrying/storing the character sheet.
• 030 BRASS Clip TRC Logo – Useful to hold the journal open and flat when writing.

I’m glad I found a good use for my Traveler’s Notebook. What began as an attempt to stay organized has turned into a way of enhancing my gaming experiences. With each new session of Ironsworn: Starforged, my journal becomes richer. And while I don’t use the Traveler’s Notebook for everything, it has become irreplaceable for these solo adventures.

#rpg