Into Dol Guldur

[Telcontar]

Time passed along the Fenbridge. The song of the elf helped push back the dark thoughts and despair that was worming its way into the the hearts of the companions. None seemed to sleep deeply, and the mumbled words of Radagast seemed to be heard all night when any member of the party came to awareness to roll over or shift in their sleep. It was the elf and the brown wizard that shook the companions awake. None would have thought they had slept if not for the waking. To the companions the color of the sky and their ability to see seemed no greater or any different from when they had gone to bed.

They assembled quickly, rolling up their blankets and other gear. The fire had guttered out long ago, there was no warmth in it anyway and served only to heat their food from before they slept. One was hesitant to be so firm of conviction to call it yesterday.

The companions journeyed on and the time passed much as it had the day before. After a time the companions knew they were drawing closer to their objective. They felt it before they ever saw it. A dark presence that weighed them down, an almost physical barrier that retarded their progress and made it a supreme effort of will to continue on.

A dark shadow began to fill the path before them. A smudge of blackness started low and spanned their small visible horizon, and then a hulking squarish pronounced lump. In a few moments the mists swirled aside and the moat house was before them.

"This is the outer wall, and our destination lies within," said Radagast.

"The wall surrounds the hill and this is the first gate we are coming too. Speak softly and do not leave the path. DO NOT LEAVE THE PATH." The brown wizard emphasized the last comment.

"When we pass through the gate the marsh will look similar to the one we just traversed, this is a deception. The waters beyond are haunted by the dead who hunger for the heat and blood of the living. They may appear fair as well as foul, they may call for help,or lure you with lights. Do not go in the water for any reason and stay close to me."

The Brown Wizard took them all forward and the smudge and shape before them took the shape of a rising wall and gate house. The battlements were vacant and the party saw no lights or fires anywhere. The gates were cast open. Great wooden doors banded with iron and engraved with strange sigils and runes jagged broken teeth in a gaping maw. The brown wizard disappeared into the darkness of the moat house, and as the companions followed they saw that it resembled the one at Fenbridge Castle. However, this one seemed more ominous and oppressive than the last one.

As they passed through they first beheld the moat of Dol Guldur. While the marsh had stunted trees and mire the moat resembled more a bog, crossed with a causway from the open gate. The eye was drawn naturally across the bog and then traced the contour of the Hall of the Necromancer. The ever present fog outside the gate was gone. The mist seemed to rise from the very towers of the hill and formed a dark cloud that hung over the citadel, plunged down at the walls, and creeped over the land.

Beyond the moat was another wall and the slope of the hill revealed a large open area, a place to muster the armies as they spilled from the unknown depths of the pits beneath the citadel. Within the area low haphazard structures could be seen, but no fires or signs of occupation.
 
From their position at the gate they could see how darkly appealing and beautiful the high keep looked. Flowing arches and open arcades were visible in the distance. The high keep invoked the thought of a majestic bubble rising through the water, rippling and rolling as it rose, while the person who released it into the water marveled at its beauty and then drowned.

The Brown Wizard hurried across the causeway and up to the inner wall. The gate here stood open as well. This gate was not simple iron and wood, instead it was made of a black stone substance covered in sigils. Neither elf, dwarf, or man knew where the substance was mined, wrought, or grown from. At this gate Radagast paused.

"This gate is not broken like the last, the magic in it eluded our ability to destroy it. Saruman, the head of my order, alone had the skill and power to open it only. It is a good sign that it remains open, for only the dark enemy or his servants could close it again. We are close to our goal friends, remain stout of heart."

As the companions passed this gate it was easy to pick out among the unknown runes those which were known to each of the peoples and cultures of the companions to be foul and dark curses. Save only the Hobbit, who understood its intent but found no curses of his own folk carved upon the door.

The companions wound their way around the hill ever rising and drawing closer to the High Keep. The silence of the place was almost unbearable and only Radagast seemed to be able to speak freely and when he pleased. So in silence the party passed into the inner courtyard.

Orophin knew what it was at once, and the recognition slowly dawned on the other companions as well from the song the elf had sung the night before. They now stood in what remained of the elf king of olds garden. The open space possessed galleries and shaped fountains that were silent. The pale marble of the stone seemed glow on its own, or shone like polished bone. Garden beds were fallow and seemed as though the dead dirt was swept and raked, where skulls and other bones seemed to decorate them in the absence of flowers and other naturally growing things.

All of this appeared in the periphery. The conscious mind was drawn first to the mallorn trees. Twelve of them stood in a circle, their leafless skeletal arms outstretched from the trunks as if the trees had died by torture and the lifeless trunks left like criminals in a gibbet for all to see their punishment. Arranged around the circle of the trees were six statues in pairs of two. The large figures were roughly man-shaped, but had the heads of giant vultures and eyes that seemed to glitter and shine with an unnatural awareness. Two stood at the entrance to the garden, two before a stair that rose up to the great hall of the citadel, and two more stood at the entrance to the high keep, the objective of the companions.

OOC: I need each of the companions to make two rolls. The first a Fear test TN 16 to be able to proceed any further into Dol Guldur. The PCs have 1 skill die for each point of valour and may roll the feat die as normal. Using the heart attribute by spending hope if required. Those who fail can not proceed.
 I then need a second Fear test at TN 16 in order to enter into the hall. Dice are determined the same as above. A failure on this second roll means the character may not spend any points of Hope while within the Keep. They may however spend Hope in an attempt to pass the test.

[Eclecticon]

As the fellowship crosses the causeway, Arbogast keeps his axe hanging at his belt, leaving a hand free in case a friend needs to be pulled from the mire.  By the time they reach the black gate, however, he finds the axe in his hand despite having no memory of having drawn it.  His teeth are clenched so hard that his jaw aches. 

The statues in the barren garden are awful things, and Arbogast finds himself longing to lash out in atavistic hatred and fear.  But as awful as the silence is, the ringing of steel on stone would be worse.  Instead, he steps forward, trying to keep his breathing steady. 


First Fear test:

Rolled 2d6 : 6, 1, total 7
Rolled 1d12 : 4, total 4

[Eclecticon]

He cannot do it.  For a long moment, he stands still, his eyes tightly shut and his heart pounding like a war-drum beat by a madman.  When he opens his eyes, he sees Bandobras, bow in hand, hairy feet moving silently as a cat across the flagstones.  Arbogast finds himself hoping, absurdly, that he will not soil himself.  He is, after all, a warrior of his people - one of the steel-eyed sons of Mirkwood!  What dread can ancient stones have for him?  Shall a Woodman be foiled while a Hobbit, of gentler lands, goes on?  NO! 

Sweating, nearly weeping with fear, Arbogast pushes on. 


...by spending a point of Hope.  ()

Second Fear roll:

Rolled 2d6 : 4, 5, total 9
Rolled 1d12 : 9, total 9

[Eclecticon]

He finds himself surprised at the effect of this new-found resolution.  He is even able, briefly, to meet the baleful eyes of the second set of statues as he approaches the High Keep. 

Pausing just inside, he lets his heart slow and his breathing calm.  As his companions follow, he motions them to silence, for slight noises stir the air both inside the keep and out.  The minute sounds, the smells, the flicker of shadows at the corner of the eye, all may give valuable clues as to what awaits the fellowship. 


I'm using my Natural Watchfulness ability to get some additional information about the surroundings. 
DC 14 Explore 3

3d6 : 6, 5, 5, total 16
Rolled 1d12 : 10, total 10

[Bandobras]

Bandy, unable to look any longer at the wretched sight of the ruined trees, turned his eyes toward the hideous statues. Their almost sentient gaze held him transfixed.

First Fear check

Rolled 1d12 : 12, total 12

Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6

Second Fear check

Rolled 1d12 : 1, total 1

Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2

[Bandobras]

As the vulture-headed being bends its will toward Bandy, dark thoughts fill his mind. At that moment, he is utterly alone and exposed. Exerting every effort not to flee, he wrestles with the creature for control of his emotions. His head throbs and muscles tense with the effort. As Arbogast's shadowy form passes between him and the malevolent gaze, Bandy wrests free and stumbles forward toward the keep and the second set of watchers. The struggle has left him drained and forlorn. 

  No amount of Hope is going to salvage that second roll.

[Telcontar]

Arbogast, through a supreme effort of will was able to master his fear and enter the garden. In order to take his mind from the watchers he began to explore the area. While so far everything had appeared derelict and deserted through careful observation he noted that someone had come this way recently, possibly pursued or followed by orcs. Of their return however he could not decipher from the limited information he had at hand.

[Eclecticon]

"Go quietly," he tells the others.  "Orcs pursued some quarry this way not long ago, and we are likely not alone."

[tomcat]

Orophin's fear tests
TN 16 valour ♦♦

1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 5, total 10

TN 16 valour ♦♦

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 4, total 10

[Telcontar]

  doug, Orophin failed the Watchers Fear roll with the first roll and I am not sure spending Hope will get him to pass. Wecan either let the roll stand as it is, or let him use his Merry trait to pass the Fear test, but the sorrow of what he has seen will give him an automoatic Shadow Point to do so. Thoughts?

[disench4nted]

  Rolls for Rorin, I'll post RP in a couple hours.

Fear 1 TN16

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5

Rolled 2d6 : 2, 2, total 4

Fear 2 TN16

Rolled 1d12 : 8, total 8

Rolled 2d6 : 1, 2, total 3

[disench4nted]

  I'm not entirely clear on how Distinctive Features work, but Rorin is Bold [not easily daunted, willing to place yourself in danger - TOR p.97] and I imagine that should have some affect on his current predicament.

[Posterboy]

  Fear Tests (TN=16)

First Test

Valour 3d6 : 6, 6, 4, total 16

Feat Die 1d12 : 6, total 6

Second Test

Valour 3d6 : 3, 1, 2, total 6

Feat Die 1d12 : 10, total 10

[tomcat]

doug, Orophin failed the Watchers Fear roll with the first roll and I am not sure spending Hope will get him to pass. Wecan either let the roll stand as it is, or let him use his Merry trait to pass the Fear test, but the sorrow of what he has seen will give him an automoatic Shadow Point to do so. Thoughts?

Yea, Tom, I am good with that. Since Dol Guldur is formerly a Silvan Elf home, I could see him taking great sorrow from seeing what it is now compared to what it used to be in the songs and stories.

He also rolled an with his second Fear test - not sure if that falls under the sidebar for effects within Dol Guldur - so let me know how you want me to play that out.

Anyway, I marked off a point of Hope to make the first roll a 15. His Merry ability takes the test to TN 14 (my house ruling), so he passed and may enter the fortress. BUT, he gains the Shadow for your ruling above, and his failed second roll removes his ability to spend anymore Hope while in Dol Guldur.  

ALSO - the book sidebar allows us only a maximum of rolls of any type for each PC equal to their Valour score from this point forward. Any roll above the maximum count automatically causes a Shadow Point.

TO the players, what this means is there is a Dark Will within the fortress that is focusing on your party. The one that is most heroic and skillful will get more attention.  

[tomcat]

Esgalwen seems to be made of some pretty stern stuff! 

That's awesome!