Book 4: Act 1 - Travel Information

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Cool, hope things get better for him.

(I vote for visiting Radagast before a Fellowship phase, since we have a lot of options for that phase.)

[Muskrat]

I think it makes the most sense to visit Radagast as part of the adventuring phase, then we can decide what to do during the fellowship phase.

We can split up during the fellowship phase, right? So Finn could go home while the rest of us hang out at the Easterly Inn and try to sabotage their business by telling customers horror stories of what we've seen or spend our time badgering Beorn to be our patron.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

I may have Finn wait to go home until the next Fellowship phase. But I agree, we should visit Radagast now, then take our "rest".

[Blubbo_Baggins]

@Muskrat Treasure: Mainly used for buying Standing in one's home culture. Standing raises your Status in your home culture, and therefore your importance in the eyes of everyone. Wisom/Valour is a measure of how you are seen by the Wise (or folk like Beorn who value Valour), but Standing measures your importance in everyone else's eyes. 0 is like homeless vagrants/wandering conjurors/unknown adventurers, 1 Ranger, 2 Respectable citizens, 3 Officers/Shirriffs, 4 Counsellors/Deputies/Marshals/Prominent personalities, 5 Alderman/Chieftain/Master/Mayor/Thain/Steward, 6 King.

With the amount of time spent adventuring thus far, and the amount of treasure likely earned, some of you (or most of us) could probably buy up to a Standing of 1-2.

It costs 6T to get to Standing 1. To go from 1 to 2, it costs 12T. To go from 2 to 3 it costs 18. 3 to 4 24T. 4 to 5 30T. 5 to 6 36T.

Standing grants you a Static benefit (equal to your level) when having a Formal Encounter with anyone from your culture.

Here is a little more of the benefits of Standing:

Players with a Standing score are allowed to elaborate on the year’s end narration, to testify how their heroes may have affected events taking place in their home settlement or region. When the Loremaster has finished describing the changes occurring in their homeland for the current
year’s end, one or more players may intervene to let their characters participate in the events taking place (all players belonging to the same Culture may take part in the narration together).

Player-heroes may affect the course of events either directly or indirectly, depending on whether they can plausibly be present or possess the resources or abilities to make a difference.
A player argues his case to intervene, describing how his character might have affected the current course of events; if the Loremaster accepts, then the player can propose a task roll summarising his intervention. Upon a successful roll, he briefly describes an alternative course of events
describing the presence of his character or the effects of his influence.

The intervention of a player must be proportionate to his current Standing score. An ordinary intervention, like being present when an important personality happens to pay a visit to a character’s home town, requires a Standing of at least 1 (and probably a successful Courtesy roll).
More dramatic or less plausible interventions require a higher Standing. For instance, being invited to speak at an exclusive gathering of the Wise is unlikely for heroes with a rating of less than 4.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

There are also other goods you can buy with Treasure that can help with your skill rolls. For example, Finn has a Fine Musical Instrument that grants +2 to Song when using it outside of combat.

[Shurijo]

Yeah, I'm all for visiting the brown wizard. Do all of us need to go? or just one?

[TetNak]

I feel we should visit Radagast now. Afterward, Aerth will likely go to Woodland hall or back to the Beornings for the winter.

[Muskrat]

It looks like I only have Treasure 1, which isn't enough to increase Standing with.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Hmm. Didn't we store most of our treasure at the Easterly Inn? It should be on your sheet as in your possession, but not carried. You should probably have 10 - 15 T

[Muskrat]

Oh, yes, I see, but it looks like I only have 4 Treasure at the Easterly Inn for a grand total of 5.