Chapter 4: In Darkness and In Peril

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

Seeing the orc fall, Glasik realizes the Dunedain are still in danger from arrows fired from side passages. Fortunately, he has a plan to help with that. I'll need light out here in a moment, he calls softly to those in the troll cave. The dwarf then goes to the jumble of burnt corpses, pulling one from the pile. As he drags it toward the first ambush passage, he motions to the brothers, trying to convey his plan. He points at them, indicating they come quickly toward him. He then pantomimes throwing the orc corpse into the tunnel, then pretends to fire arrows into the corpse before motioning them to come to him again. He looks back at the brothers to see if they appear to understand his plan. He points at them then their corpse and the tunnel nearest them, as well.

[rredmond]

"Dont be so hasty, friends! Look what I found here. This thing could be filled to the cork with more healing juice! It was just sitting here, in this pile of......oh my."

If he has the time, Naruthirdor will carefully check the contents of the jug, and compare it to the potion that he's administered twice.

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Rumil waits for the brothers, seeing the torch go out he readies himself to close the door as they come through. Softly spoken "This way."

[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




Gazing out into the dark, briar-choked ravine, Gilwennen serenely informs the others that they are cut off. There will be no escape from here.

Folco completes his search of the stinking troll lair. Standing next to a gruesome mound of ravaged animal carcasses, he exclaims, "Don't be so hasty, friends! Look what I found here. This thing could be filled to the cork with more healing juice!"

Naruthirdor carefully uncorks the jug that Folco discovered and the elf sage is immediately attacked by the foul stench of orc grog.

At Glasik's request, Tinuwen brings her light through the secret door where Therone and Rumil watch tensely to the west. There, the Dunedain rangers are trapped, ambushed! None dare come to their rescue.

Suddenly, the western orc-tunnel is engulfed by darkness!



Glasik leaps into action! His hands protected from the smouldering heat by his dwarf-forged gauntlets, he seizes the smoking ruins of an incinerated orc carcass from the eastern intersection and drags it up, waiting to hurl it across the southern tunnel mouth as the brother rangers lunge past!

But neither emerges from the shadow.

Suddenly, a human cry echoes out of the darkness, and is suddenly cut short!


Actions?! (Elbenarin and Elbenwin please see PM)


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Ravine Map:




PC Status:

• Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 5/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/28
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 1/24
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl, Light spell
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 3/8, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/7, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/22
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 5/7, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 8/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• Light (Gilwennen): Duration: 40 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)

[Urson]

Therone
Therone hurries forward, stopping beside Glasik. Her eyes strain to see anything in the darkness. That wasn't one of ours!

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

Still holding the corpse, Glasik waits, hoping desperately that the Dunedain will burst forth from the darkness any moment. When they do, he will hurl the corpse into the southern tunnel at the orcs.

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Rumil scans for any sigh of the Rangers.

[rredmond]

Naruthirdor ensures both exits are being watched and checks to see if the grog is flammable at all. He doubts it, but it can't hurt to check.

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco looks up from his exhausted search, clearly annoyed. "Hey! Who doused the light over here?"

Moving back through the dark room towards the others, he tries to find Gilly and her smelly dog in all this darkness.

[SocraticLawyer]

Tinuwen heads towards the sound in the darkness, sword and torch in hand.

[hedgeknight]

With her wits finally about her, Gilly swallows her fear and pain, pats Red, and hurries out after her brother. When she sees Tinuwen heading into the darkness in search of the sound, she follows, sending Red on ahead...

[ChubbyPixie]

Noticing the commotion, and that not all party members have joined them in the troll cave, Gilwennen will move to the secret door to see what transpires in the passageway.

[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




At the Lost ElvenKing's Halls, long ago fallen into shadow, the western orc-tunnel is consumed by darkness and the Dunedain rangers fall from sight! A desperate voice cries out and is suddenly cut short!

"Light! The battle needs light!" one of the brothers shouts from the stygian pitch!

Gilwennen, Tinuwen and Gilly race through the secret door, plunging the putrid troll lair into a darkness pierced only by Folco's glowing blade. Naruthirdor experimentally touches a lit match to a splash of fetid orc grog, extinguishing its flame. The elf sage knows the cavemouth now stands unguarded.

Tinuwen joins the rest of the company and her torchlight unveils Elbenarin at the edge of the western dark! The valiant ranger is locked in a life and death battle and has not landed a blow! His brother is nowhere to be seen, and Elbenarin is nearly surrounded by squat, misshapen, inhuman fiends who stab at him without mercy! One nearly impales the solitary hero with a cruel rusty blade (5hp damage)!



The Dunedain ranger can barely stand. His life hangs by a thread!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:


Ravine Map:



Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Good: [1d6] = 2, Evil: [1d6] = 1 Good wins.
G24-26 attack Elbenarin with swords: [1d20] = 15, [1d20] = 12, [1d20] = 12 G24 hits.
G24 damage to Elbenarin: [1d6] = 5

PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 2/30
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: -2/30
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 5/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/28
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 1/24
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl, Light spell
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 3/8, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/7, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 8/22
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 5/7, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl, Torch
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 8/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• Light (Gilwennen): Duration: 39 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)

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin flails at the attacking orcs in desperation. He urges his companions to do what they must. "Fire your arrows! Spare us not! Better yet - flee to safety!"

Long Sword Attack [1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2 (THACO=19)


Looks like a closed casket for his funeral!

[rredmond]

Naruthirdor whispers "Folco, our rear is exposed... yet again." He will draw his magic dagger in his main hand, and his other dagger in his off hand - not so much to dual wield as to just have it ready. Then he will move next to the outcropping so that he can have a clear, and somewhat safe view of the cave entrance.

Picture1.png (260.53 KiB) Viewed 3148 times

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

Realizing the brothers are both soon to die if no help arrives, Glasik springs into action. Throwing the corpse down the hallway in an attempt to draw arrow fire, the dwarf pauses just a moment before rushing to help. Stay safe, Gilly! he implores his sister as he charges into danger.

[ChubbyPixie]

Though one serious blow away from death herself, Gilwennen cannot stand by without aiding her companion. She also times her run with the thrown corpse and charges one of the vile goblins down the hall:

Attack with Naringë - Long Sword +1 (THAC0:20): To Hit: [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13 Damage vs. s/m: [1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9, vs. Lg: [1d12+1] = 7+1 = 8 + something for charging, I can never remember.

[hedgeknight]

"I'll stay on yer arse, is whar I'm stayin'!" Gilly yells back, running after her brother. She sends Red on ahead as she yells,
"We're comin' ya frackin' gobbs!! Time ta die fer all o' ya and all o' us too!"

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Seeing the exodus down the hall Rumil decides its time once again to fight or die. He heads after the others, sword and shield at the ready.

[Urson]

Therone
Spewing a stream of furious profanity, Therone sprints to joing the Dunedain. IF she can get in a sword attack, she definitely will.

[1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10 sword
Longsword s/m [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8