Getting Started

Let's get you set up and playing.

Prerequisites

• Obsidian — Download here
• GitHub account — Sign up here (free)
• Repository access — contact @nickarrow on the Ironsworn Discord to be added as a collaborator

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Create an Empty Vault

1. Open Obsidian
2. Click "Create new vault"
3. Name it whatever you like ("The Foundry" works)
4. Pick a location to save it

Important: Keep this vault empty for now. Don't add files or install other plugins yet.

Step 2: Create a GitHub Personal Access Token

1. Go to GitHub Personal Access Tokens
2. Click "Generate new token" → "Generate new token (classic)"
3. Name it something like "The Foundry - FIT Plugin"
4. Set expiration (90 days or 1 year recommended)
5. Select the repo scope (Full control of private repositories)
6. Click "Generate token"
7. Copy the token immediately — you won't see it again

Step 3: Install and Configure FIT Plugin

FIT (Minimalist File giT) handles syncing your vault with GitHub.

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins
2. Browse and install FIT
3. Enable the plugin
4. Open FIT settings
5. Paste your personal access token
6. Click "Authenticate" — your username and repositories will auto-populate
7. Select "the-foundry" from the repository dropdown
8. Select "main" from the branch dropdown
9. Set Auto sync to "Remind Only" <-- IMPORTANT to avoid syncing conflicts

Step 4: Initial Sync

Once FIT is configured, trigger the initial sync. FIT will automatically pull everyone's campaigns, characters, journals, and other content into your vault. This is normal - you're now part of a shared storytelling universe!

Step 5: Install Iron Vault Plugin

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins
2. Browse and install Iron Vault
3. Enable the plugin
4. Configure for your preferred game system (Ironsworn, Starforged, or Sundered Isles)

Start Playing

You have two paths:

Option A: Start Your Own Campaign

Use Iron Vault to create a new campaign. You'll end up with something like:

My-Campaign/
├── Characters/
│   └── My-Hero.md
├── Journals/
│   └── Session-1.md
└── Campaign-Index.md

FIT syncs your files to GitHub, and The Foundry marks you as the owner.

Option B: Join an Existing Campaign

This is where The Foundry shines:

1. Browse the the existing campaigns of others in your vault
2. Create a character in their folder, for example: The Starforged/Characters/YourCharacter.md
3. Write journal entries: The Starforged/Journals/YourJournal.md
4. Start playing

You own your files. They own theirs. The world grows organically.

What Happens Behind the Scenes

When you sync:

• New files get added to The Foundry's ownership registry with you as the owner
• You can freely edit your own files
• If you accidentally edit or delete someone else's file, it gets silently restored on your next sync

You don't need to think about any of this — it just works.

Next Steps

• Check out Tips and Best Practices
• Explore existing campaigns to see what others are creating
• Visit Ironvault.Quest for Iron Vault tutorials

Troubleshooting

My edits disappeared! You edited a file you don't own. The Foundry restored it. Create your own file instead.

FIT isn't syncing Check your FIT configuration and GitHub credentials. Make sure you have Write access to the repository.

Sync conflicts Pull the latest changes first, then make your edits and push. The enforcement system handles the rest.