Chapter 3: In the Deep Places of the World

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin will back out the exit passage so he still faces what approaches (but from the side). “We can’t fight what we can’t see!” He whispers.

I forgot we don’t have infravision

[Inferno]

The Lost Halls of the First ElvenKing, Mountains of Mirkwood, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
Night. March 22, Year One of the Fourth Age
Day Four. Damp, cold





Ready to spring their trap, Folco Boffin makes himself as small as possible, pressing against the cold wall of the frigid, stinking hole that was very far from the Shire! In a darkness that is absolute, images come to his mind unbidden!





His imagination conjures fearsome faces to match the all-too-human growls he hears so frighteningly close!





Suddenly, before the company can move, a volley of missiles flies from the darkness and riddles Elbenarin with cruel barbed arrows! (-11hp!)




Blinded by the pitch blackness, the company only hears the whistle of shafts and Elbenarin's cry of pain and surprise!

Deep guttural shouts follow from the direction of the wicked arrows! "BRIARK!!"
In the Black Speech of orcs it means "beware!" A cry of alarm!

Impaled and bleeding, Elbenarin staggers north to take cover.

Naruthirdor retreats outside as Tinuwen carefully places her torch on the ground and nocks an arrow.
Naruthirdor realizes the acoustics of the rock walls silence the black speech sounding the alarm inside the tunnels! But were the battle to spill out into the ravine, the sounds of battle would be heard at every cave mouth facing into the box canyon!



Gilwennen draws her elf blade and enters the dark tunnel! There, the company waits, gripping their weapons, eager to spring their trap. But the shouting creatures in the darkness have not advanced!


Actions?!



Map:

Green "?" is the approximate location of the shouting.
Lighter area is visible. All else is from memory.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Good: [1d6] = 2, Evil: [1d6] = 3 Evil wins.
Arrows at Elbenarin: [1d20] = 3, [1d20] = 20, [1d20] = 20, [1d20] = 15 Two hit. There are no critical hits or fumbles in this game.
Arrow damage: [1d6] = 4, [1d6] = 5 9hp damage.
More arrows at Elbenarin: [1d20] = 8, [1d20] = 5, [1d20] = 5, [1d20] = 20 One more hits.
Arrow damage: [1d6] = 2 2hp more damage.

PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/30
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 30/30
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 28/28
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/24
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 8/8, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 7/7, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 22/22
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 7/7, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 2-8, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• Bless (Naruthirdor): The Company receives +1 to hit on all attack rolls. Duration: 4 melee 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)

[rredmond]

Uncomfortable expending this much magical energy so early in the day, but realizing the party could be in trouble, Naruthirdor creates the illusion of a glowing man (cast Dancing Lights) to appear in the intersection, and walk toward the shouts of the orcish voices, stopping at the edge of the of it's range (about 30' down that passageway?) Hoping to waste some black feathered arrows and maybe even light up where the bad guys are so that we can target them better.

[wolfpack]

Elbenwin will make sure his brother gets behind him when he retreats around th corner so he can tend to his wounds and keeps his sword sheathed and remains hidden listening for the orcs to come after his brother.

[ChubbyPixie]

If she can using the now available light, Gilwennen will fire an arrow at their assailants, aiming for the source of the strange cry:
Attack with Long Bow (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20+4] = 3+4 = 7 Damage vs. s/m/L: [1d6] = 2 er...

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco risks a quick look at his new elven blade, pulling it from its scabbard a small crack to see if it lights up in a soft blue color that the group could use to see by.

He stays put for now, not wanting to give away his position. He keeps his eyes trained on the southern tunnel, trying to hear if anything is coming at them from that passage as well. Hear Noise

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Rumil holds his position, ready to strike once the orcs advance.

If Dancing Lights provides enough light to fight by he will prepare to cast his spell if needed.

[Urson]

Therone
Therone faces the sounds of combat, trying to keep her ears tuned behind her. She prepares to draw and fire, IF a target can be seen. Just show me a face... she mutters.

[hedgeknight]

I too forgot we don't have infravision...dammit!

Gilly tenses and changes her grip on her pick more than once.
"Maybe they need some bait to bring 'em out, eh?" she whispers to Glasik. "Besides, I can't see shit! Although I can smell the blood on the ranger. My guess is they can too. We can't fight what we can't see."
Growling in anger, Gilly pulls two torches off her back and digs out her tinder box to light both of them; she tries not to look at the pretty dancing lights conjured by Rumil.

If she is able to light them, she tosses both of them out into the hall where the arrows came from and yells (in Orcish): "Yer mother was an Elf lover!"

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin staggers back from the hits. He grunts in pain through clenched teeth as he pulls the arrows out of his chest which would distract him from the imminent threat approaching. He shakes his head to clear it and binds his wounds in the seconds that are available.

use first aid if time permits
First Aid (Wis 15) [1d20] = 18

[SocraticLawyer]

Tinuwen keeps an arrow knocked. Although her attention is mainly focused on the door in front of her, she also checks behind her every few seconds, making sure that no other denizens are approaching from the group's rear.

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

Torn between wanting to take action and playing it safe out of arrow range, the dwarf stands waiting. When the two sides finish exchanging arrow volleys, Glasik charges the orcs if he is able to see them. In Orcish, he yells Die, scum!

[Inferno]

The Lost Halls of the First ElvenKing, Mountains of Mirkwood, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
Night. March 22, Year One of the Fourth Age
Day Four. Damp, cold




In the lightless, frigid, reeking, dank cave, the heroes wait breathlessly and tensely for unseen things in the darkness to fall into their trap!

But all that emerges from the shadow are echoing guttural shouts that continue to sound the alarm!

"BRIARK!"

Hiding around a corner, Folco strains his pointed ears but detects no sound from the unlit tunnel to the south. Unable to stand the darkness, and what he imagines lurking within it, any longer... the little hobbit unsheathes his elvish short blade, illuminating the immediate vicinity, and betraying his location! In reaction, shouts and snarling erupt from the west!

In the blinding darkness, Elbenarin pulls insidious barbed arrows from his chest and staunches the bleeding. His brother desperately wishes he could reach him, but the pair are separated by the deadly sightlines of the archers in the darkness!

Naruthirdor reenters the cave and is assailed by the cacophony of inhuman roars that are shielded from the ravine by the thick living rock. Out of the embers of his smoke pipe, the elf conjures the illusory semblance of a burning apparition (DL), and sets it silently stalking west, toward the guttural roars!



Gilly the dwarf gets two torches alight and throws them after the fiery spectre to expose their enemies! She shouts in the Black Speech, "Yer mother was an Elf lover!"

"Yes," laughs a terrible black voice in the darkness. "She raped many of them."

The torchlight and the human inferno expose their foes at last and immediately, the company wishes it hadn't. From out of the melting shadows leer a half dozen disfigured, twisted, horrific visages borne of dread Morgoth himself! (G1-6)




In the First Age, Morgoth the first Dark Lord, the primordial source of evil since the dawn of Middle Earth...




...captured elves and tortured and twisted them into grotesque mutilated forms until their broken minds held only malice!

Orcs they are called by Men. Goblins they are called by Hobbits and sometimes by Dwarves. Yrchs they are called by Elves. Whatever the name, they are an abomination against all that is good in the world, a hideous mockery of the elves and the creator of the elves, Eru Iluvatar.

This breed of orcs, festered within the darkest depths of the Mountains of Mirkwood, are stunted, misshapen fiends, draped in chain, armed with bows and spears, and filled with sadism and malevolence.

Their vile enemy exposed, Gilwennen pushes forward and looses an arrow that breaks upon the cavern roof!

The things that had once been elves fire back at her, and at the walking conflagration before them, to no avail!

Then Therone hears distant growls and shouts behind her from the deep darkness of the eastern orc tunnel (at the green "?") The dread sounds grow louder! "BRIARK!"

Suddenly, having already evinced more patience that he is accustomed to, Glasik the dwarf lunges forth, bravely charging the orcs alone; ax in hand, a ruinous oath upon his lips!


Actions?!



Map:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Good: [1d6] = 4, Evil: [1d6] = 5 Evil wins.
Arrows fired at Gilwennen: [1d20] = 16, [1d20] = 13, damage: [1d6] = 2, [1d6] = 2 Both arrows miss.

PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/30
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 30/30
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 21/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 28/28
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/24
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 8/8, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 7/7, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 22/22
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 7/7, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 11/11, AT: 1, D: 2-8, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• Bless (Naruthirdor): The Company receives +1 to hit on all attack rolls. Duration: 3 rounds
  Dancing Lights (Naruthirdor): Duration: 3 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)

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Once Rumil sees/hears Glasik's charge he immediately follows suit, attacking the first enemy he encounters.

Long Sword [1d20+3] = 17+3 = 20 to hit [1d8+3] = 6+3 = 9 damage

[rredmond]

If Elbenarin doesn't rush off into battle, Naruthirdor attempts first aid:
First Aid (Wis 16) [1d20] = 15

[Urson]

Therone
Therone fires two quick shots at the pack of orcs. Ware behind! They attempt an ambush!

att [1d20+4] = 10+4 = 14 missile
att [1d20+4] = 6+4 = 10 missile

arrow[1d6+4] = 1+4 = 5
arrow[1d6+4] = 6+4 = 10

She'll sling her bow and draw her sword, turning to face the second wave.

[wolfpack]

Seeing the dwarf and elf move forward Elbenwin draws Gilimzor and rushes with them yellig in the black tounge
face the blade of a Dunedain you worthless filth


[1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19
[1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9 +2 for ranger = 11

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin graciously accepts the aide and will wait in the exit corridor to protect the party from the unknown thing advancing for the east.

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

As he charges his foes, Glasik thinks he may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew. Swinging his axe at the nearest Goblin, his arm wavers as he realizes he is greatly overmatched at the moment.

Battle Axe (17): [1d20] = 10; Damage: [1d8+4] = 7+4 = 11

[hedgeknight]

"Die ya pieces of filth!" Gilly yells, charging after her brother.
As soon as she can, she engages with a crushing overhead chop of her pick!

Footman's Pick: [1d20] = 19 Damage: [2d4+1] = 7+1 = 8

Red lunges in too, biting at one of the abominations.
Red Attacks: [1d20] = 9 Bite Dmg: [1d4] = 2