Chapter 1: At The End of All Things

[hedgeknight]

Gilly hisses at the warg's painful bite, adjusts her grip on her pick, and drives it home with a crushing blow! "Eat this, you bitch!"
Footman's Pick: [1d20] = 18 Damage: [2d4+1] = 6+1 = 7
Red Attacks: [1d20] = 12 Damage [2d4] = 3

OOC: If the warg falls before she can attack, she will attack the Orc rider instead.

[Urson]

Therone

Therone gasps in surprise and whirls to face the new threat, her bow drawn to fire.

[SocraticLawyer]

Tinuwen fires at the orc O7.

To hit with arrow [1d20+4] = 5+4 = 9

To hit with arrow [1d20+4] = 8+4 = 12

[rredmond]

Naruthirdor has the globes hover in front of Worg 3, and Snagrat and Molg hopefully continuing to obscure their vision somewhat. Worg 4's globe can head over toward the ? in the dark. At least to illuminate it to let us know what's coming. Naruthirdor also readies his daggers for throwing, if he gets an open opportunity - especially at the incoming ?

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco appears unable to do anything but whimper, though he makes certain he doesn’t squeal.

Attack w/ Shortsword [1d20] = 8 Damage s/m [1d6] = 3 L [1d8] = 1

[Inferno]

The Elven King's Halls, Mirkwood Forest, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
Night. March 19, Year One of the Fourth Age
Wet, rainy, cold




Within a raging forest fire, beset by evil orcs and wargs, the company of young heroes is tested and stands resolute!

His shortsword held before him, Pockets of the Shire defends the elven sisters, ready to shield them from harm!

From atop his fearsome black monster, Molg the orc (O6) laughs with hatred: "The elf-king is dead! And his daughters have been defiled b- !"
He never finishes the sentence. His foul voice is silenced by an arrow shot through his throat from Gilwennen's bow.

Molg's vicious mount shakes Molg's corpse free and readies to spring and rend!



Meeting the vile orcs' crass words measure for measure, Elbenwin joins his brother in smiting the last monstrous warg (W3) with merciless steel! The voracious beast falls to the ground beside his rider, lifeless.

From behind Pockets, Tinuwen fires at insidious Snagrat (O7) and impales his right arm with one elven arrow! Furious, the depraved orc readies to exact murderous revenge upon Folco! The little hobbit swings wild again; his aim perhaps affected by his nerves.

"Keep squirming, ratling," Snagrat chuckles darkly. "I can wait to hear your death screams!" The fiendish villain raises his orc blade overhead to murder Folco when suddenly, a dwarf pick bursts through Snagrat's chest! Gilly had wheeled around and come up behind him!

Her brother Glasik treads southeast in time to see Therone turn as one of the magical embers reveals another gigantic fearsome troll (T2) lumbering out from the roiling black smoke!




Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Circle of light marks 30' visibility in the smoke.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Good: [1d6] = 6, Evil: [1d6] = 1 Good triumphs... in initiative.
Tinuwen fires a missile into a melee. Snagrat is nearly twice the size of Folco...
Tinuwen hits Snagrat? (1,2) or Folco? (3) : [1d3] = 1 Snagrat. She hits with one arrow from this flank attack.
Tinuwen damage to Snagrat: [1d6] = 3 3 damage.

PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 27/30, played by ravenn4544
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/30, played by wolfpack
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 17/21, played by Ogre Mage
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarf Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 25/28, played by hedgeknight
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarf Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/24, played by Scott308
  Gilwennen: Female Elven Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl, played by ChubbyPixie
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elven Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 5/8, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl, played by rredmond
  Perrin 'Pockets' Hilltopple: Male Hobbit Fighter/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: 14/14, played by dmw71
  Therone: Female Elven Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 22/22, played by Urson
  Tinuwen: Female Elven Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 6/7, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, played SocraticLawyer

PC Magic:

• Dancing Lights (Naruthirdor): Duration: 2 rounds

Player Resources:

• In Darkness and In Doubt (the story so far)
  Before The Fall (realms and maps of Middle Earth)
  The Fear and The Shadow (the story so far in images)
  History Became Legend. Legend Became Myth (clues and player notes)

[ChubbyPixie]

Fearing to fire an arrow lest she strike one of her companions, Gilwennen will draw her long blade and move swiftly towards the new threat and its left flank.

Not sure she can attack after covering all that distance, but just in case:Attack with Long Sword (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3 Damage vs. s/m: [1d8] = 7, vs. Lg: [1d12] = 6

[wolfpack]

Come brother our work is yet done. If we accomplish nothing else this day we WILL soak this earth in the blood of our enemies.


Elbenwin rushes to face the oncoming troll

[1d20] = 15

[1d12] = 7 +2 for ranger bonus = 9

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco is elated that his friends came to his rescue before he was actually gutted. The tiny thief rushes back towards the rocks, and then to the dark ring to the east. There he tries to hide in the shadows so he can move around to come up behind the behemoth troll without it noticing him.

(movement this round to attempt a backstab next round)

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

I was wrong- not as ugly as the Orcs. But, soon to be just as dead! Eyes burning from the smoke, the dwarf's axe fails to find its target.

Battle Axe (17): [1d20] = 6; Damage: [1d8+4] = 3+4 = 7

[SocraticLawyer]

Quickly shouldering her bow, Tinuwen draws her sword and charges at the troll.

To hit with sword [1d20+3] = 11+3 = 14

If that's a hit
Damage from sword [1d12] = 10

[dmw71]

Still believing his strategy to be a sound one, Pockets continues to stand guard in front of the elven archers. He remains steadfast in what he considers his duties, even after Tinuwen abandons her ranged efforts and rushes into the fray taking place somewhere ahead of their current position.

"No harm will come to you," he assures those still under his protection.

[Urson]

Therone

Therone recovers quickly, snapping off two shots at the troll.
att [1d20+4] = 7+4 = 11 missile
att [1d20+4] = 12+4 = 16 missile


arrow[1d6+4] = 3+4 = 7
arrow[1d6+4] = 5+4 = 9

[rredmond]

"How can members of an army be so undisciplined," Naruthirdor says in exasperation. He concentrates (as he moves forward enough to keep them in range), unnecessarily but he wants them to move fast as possible, to have the other three balls of light head to the troll, and all four hover as close to the trolls eyeballs as they can get. "It's like you are all happy there is a troll."

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin follows his brother once again into the fray to battle this new devilry

Long Sword Attack [1d20] = 14 (THACO=19)

Long Sword Damage = S/M: [1d8] = 4 / L: [1d12] = 2 (+2 additional hps of damage vs. giant-type)

[hedgeknight]

"It's like you are all happy there is a troll."

Gilly laughs, heedless of the orc blood spattered on her face, dripping from her pick. "Who doesn't like fighting trolls? Red! Go help me brother!"
She takes off at a sprint, as her dog, Red, runs faster and reaches the troll before her.

Red Attacks: [1d20] = 9 Damage [2d4] = 4
Footman's Pick: [1d20] = 6 Damage: [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6

[Inferno]

The Elven King's Halls, Mirkwood Forest, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
Night. March 19, Year One of the Fourth Age
Wet, rainy, cold




The colossal troll is larger than the last! His tremendous iron mace misses nimble Glasik by inches and then the company retaliates!

Enchanted embers dance before the black pits of its eyes as Therone's arrow, Tinuwen's blade, and the swords of Elbenarin and Elbenwin strike with surprising ferocity! The troll is slain in one shocking assault! No enemy remains to challenge them.

The wind changes and the smoke gives way to a tragic battlefield choked with the ghastly remains of countless wood-elves, violated in ways unimaginable.



The elves of the company of young heroes recognize their kin among the murdered.

A few orcs linger to complete the massacre but it is clear the main force had departed long before the heroes had arrived. These orc stragglers see dead trolls, orcs and wargs in the wake of the unharmed company and flee eastward.

The company give pursuit but are stopped in their tracks by what they see next. They reach the fabled magnificence of the Elven King's Halls. The elves among them had long heard tales of its unmatched grace and splendour.





All gone now, forever. The fire-blackened gates are ruptured and the elf king's halls are consumed by flames.
No normal fire could have done this. Only dragon flame could. It means one thing...

In addition to all their other woes, Smaug the dragon has awakened! He had been here, with the main force of the attack!

The company sees movement and a handful of surviving wood-elves slowly emerge from the waning conflagration of the trees, bent with grief and sorrow.

Suddenly, appearing near them is a tall figure the company recognizes only by reputation.



Could it be? The wizard, Gandalf the Grey!?


Actions?!


Map of Wilderland:

The dotted red line marks the heroes' path. The red X, their current position.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Good: [1d6] = 3, Evil: [1d6] = 4 Evil wins initiative.
Troll 2 attacks Glasik? (1) or Therone? (2): [1d2] = 1 Glasik.
Troll 2 attacks Glasik: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d10] = 9 Misses due to dwarf's -4 to be hit by giant class monsters.

PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 27/30, played by ravenn4544
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/30, played by wolfpack
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 17/21, played by Ogre Mage
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarf Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 25/28, played by hedgeknight
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarf Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/24, played by Scott308
  Gilwennen: Female Elven Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl, played by ChubbyPixie
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elven Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 5/8, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl, played by rredmond
  Perrin 'Pockets' Hilltopple: Male Hobbit Fighter/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: 14/14, played by dmw71
  Therone: Female Elven Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 22/22, played by Urson
  Tinuwen: Female Elven Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 6/7, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, played SocraticLawyer

PC Magic:

• None currently.

Player Resources:

• In Darkness and In Doubt (the story so far)
  Before The Fall (realms and maps of Middle Earth)
  The Fear and The Shadow (the story so far in images)
  History Became Legend. Legend Became Myth (clues and player notes)

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin weeps quietly at the sight of the Elven kingdom laid low. At the sight of the gray figure, his eyes glance back and forth to him then to his brother - seemingly confirming his brothers presence and that this isn't some dream - before gathering himself to speak. "The rumors. They said mighty Minas Tirith had fallen - and with it you and the Steward. If you are here... perhaps Minas Tirith still stands also.... what- what news?" he manages to stumble through as the death and destruction of the elves weigh on his heart.

[rredmond]

Naruthirdor eyes everything with suspicion and sees if any of his wood elf cousins need help, or have news. "Mithrandir," he acknowledges the power and knowledge of the Grey Wanderer with a nod of respect, "hopefully you have news that is not ill-met by moonlight, but brings some hope." Naruthirdor tries to sound hopeful, but his normal logic-above-all mien breaks through.

[wolfpack]

Elbenwin whispers a prayer for the dead and fights off his sadness when seeing the wizard.

If you are truly the wizard Gandolf tel us is it true that mighty Gondor and helms deep have fallen, and that the wizard Saruman has betrayed us all?