Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

It is the year 2946 of the Third Age, and the lands east of the Misty Mountains are astir. From the cloud-shrouded peaks above the High Pass to the spider-infested gloom of the forest of Mirkwood, paths long-deserted are trodden once again. Busy merchants carry their wares to new markets, messengers bring tidings from foreign realms, and kings send forth armed men to extend their influence and the rule of law. Some say that a new age of freedom has begun, a time for adventure and great deeds to reclaim glories lost in long centuries of oppression and decline.

But adventures are not really things that people go out and look for. They are dangerous and rarely end well. While it is true that a handful of valiant individuals set out to make their mark on the world, for others it seems that adventure chooses them, as though it is the path they are fated to tread. They are restless warriors, curious scholars and wanderers, always eager to seek what was lost or explore what was forgotten. Ordinary people call them adventurers, and when they return successful, they call them heroes. But if they fail, no one will even remember their names...

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Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Vardaen » Thu Nov 21, 2013 11:48 pm

"Stick to the forest-track, keep your spirits up, hope for the best,
and with a tremendous slice of luck you may come out one day
and see the Long Marshes lying below you, and beyond them,
high in the East, the Lonely Mountain where dear old Smaug lives,
though I hope he is not expecting you." - Gandalf
On the fifth night through Mirkwood the fellowship camped near a small stream at an old Elvenking open air feast-hall. In the middle of the night Baldor woke and half awake took a drink from the moonlit waters. It did something to him, his mind was addled, he failed to recongize anyone and ran off shouting about the fires of Lake-town and the Dragon Smaug.

Three of the heroes ran after him, Aerth, Wren and Varuthil. They left Pipkin and Borir behind with the ponies, supplies and young Belgo. In the deep of night we find these three hunters moving through the dark of Mirkwood
At first Baldor's trail is easy to follow, Baldor made deep indents in the banks of the stream and left muddy footprints tracking at high speed into the woods. The trio of Aerth, Wren and Varuthil are able to follow the tracks or a time but the trees overhead eventually block out the moonlight and they are forced to stop and light a few torches. Now with a reliable source of light in hand the group scours the ground and the low branches for signs of Baldor's flight. It is time consuming, searching in the dark with the torch for signs, following them for a bit, then having to search again. It takes the trio several hours, and dawn is starting to near when the trail goes cold. The tracks just stop as if vanishing into thin air.
This thread arrives from: Book 1: Act 1 - Don't Leave The Path
https://brennor.dyndns.org/rpg/Forums/v ... tml#265396

It is for Eilandor, TetNak and Muskrat
Last edited by Vardaen on Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Muskrat » Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:22 am

Varuthil stares at the ground, empty of Baldor's footprints. "This bodes ill," she says. She then looks up in the trees, "I'm worried one of the giant spiders whose webs we saw earlier may have snatched Baldor. That would explain why his trail has disappeared. Perhaps there is some trace of them in the trees." She looks up, searching for large strands of spider webs, broken branches or other signs that the spawn of Ungoliant may have passed through here.
I'm guessing this could be either a Search or Hunting roll (the rules say Hunting can be used for tracking), both of which Varuthil has a 1 in.

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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Vardaen » Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:32 am

Varuthil looks up and starts searching for signs of spiders, she locates just what she feared rather quickly. Several large strands sway in the wind on nearby branches. They appear to have been recently snapped.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Eilandor » Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:34 am

Wren looks up into the trees as despair sets in. "It seems you may be right Varuthil. What should we do now?"
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Muskrat » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:05 am

"Try to track them through the trees," she says, "then hope that by force, ruse or both we can free Baldor before the spiders make a meal of him." She looks at Wren and Aerth and says, "I know a little of tracking, but I suspect one of you may be better at it than I--and tracking something through the trees will be no mean trick."

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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by TetNak » Fri Nov 22, 2013 6:18 am

Aerth frowns, "Yes," he agrees, looking at any sign of where the spiders might have gone. "From what I know, the spiders will not feed on him here." It is a morbid thing to say, but true. "So we have time, but not that much time."
Hunting 2
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Re: Book 1: Act 1 - We Left The Path

Post by Eilandor » Fri Nov 22, 2013 5:50 pm

"I believe Aerth is right, we have but a small window of opportunity." Wren waits for Aerth's lead and as he does so searches the trees with his eyes.
Hunting 1, Search 1, Keen Eyed
Number Two: "You are number six."
Number Six: "I am not a number, I am a free man!"
Number Two: "Muh ha ha ha ha!"

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The Spider's Castle

Post by Vardaen » Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:27 am

The three discover signs of the spider webs being present here at one point and that worries them. The search begins for signs of Baldor being taking through the trees or otherwise having been drug off. Aerth points, "There." Its an almost instant detection of it. On the ground are signs are something begin dragged away, just the right size of a body. Varuthil spots it and the trail and confirms this must have been Baldor, wrapped in a spider web, drug away down through the forest.
Search Check
You all have 1 Rank

Aerith: Gandalf Rune = Auto Success
Varuthil 14 Success
Wren 7 Fail
Back on the hunt the three go. The trail leads on, not too long toward a clearing in the woods. As you near the edge of the clearing the group stops and peeks out from the cover of the trees.

A castle stands on a low hill amid the sea of green trees. Who knows if it was Elves or Men who built this castle, but it has fallen into ruin. No trace remains of the defensive walls or outbuildings; all that remains is a single round tower and part of what must have once been the keep. The keep has crumbled and collapsed in on itself, leaving only one corner still standing as an L-shaped wall. Both tower and wall are covered in a dense shroud of cobwebs, and web-strands run between tower and wall.

Hanging from the very top of the wall is a wriggling bundle of webbing. It must be Baldor.

There is no sign of any spiders at first glance, but there are any number of places where they could be hiding. The only sound is the occasional thump as Baldor wrestles and struggles against his bonds.

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"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: The Spider's Castle

Post by TetNak » Sat Nov 23, 2013 2:10 am

"We need to cut him down," Aerth says, but is weary. His bow is out, and an arrow is already in his hands. "I can do it, but I suspect the spiders are lurking, waiting for the right time to leap on us." He shakes his head, "This is likely a trick."
"Kings have no friends, only subjects and enemies."

- King Stannis Baratheon, First of His Name

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Re: The Spider's Castle

Post by Muskrat » Sat Nov 23, 2013 3:08 am

"I'll probably be the least help in combat. I can climb up and cut him down, while you try to hold off whatever spiders attack," Varuthil offers. As always her tone is cold, but she also seems indifferent to her own safety, as if her only real concern is making sure the others are safe.
I do have Bow 2, Sword 1, Dagger 1, so I'm not bad in combat, but I didn't really invest any points in combat skills, where I suspect you two may have. And, being an elf, I have Athletics 3, so climbing shouldn't be a problem for me.

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