The Stone Path

[tomcat]

I thought about shooting out a post to get travel rolls from you guys, for the next leg, but decided I'd do a quick roll to see how it works out and not hang up the game.

So starting with Lore tests, here they are:

Lore tests
Arbogast
DC 14 Lore ○○○○○○

1d12 : 1, total 1

Bandy
DC 14 Lore ••○○○

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 2, total 6

Esgalwen
DC 14 Lore •○○○○○

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

Grimbeorn
DC 14 Lore ○○○○○○

1d12 : 4, total 4

Rorin
DC 14 Lore •○○○○○

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

[tomcat]

So, no one merited any Advantage dice.

Journey's parameters:
• 140 miles (47 leagues) through both easy and moderate land (x1.5 modifier) making it equivalent to 175 miles
• the pace of horses, so 40 miles a day, or 4.5 days total travel
• I will need one Fatigue tests DC 14

Results of Lore tests for Journey

PC	Advantage	Position
Arbogast	0 die	scout
Esgalwen	0 dice	guide
Bandy Rorin	0 dice 0 dice	look-out
Grimbeorn	0 dice	hunter

[tomcat]

Now the actual travel tests:

Arbogast
DC 14 Travel ♦♦○○○○

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 6, total 11

Bandy
DC 14 Travel ♦♦○○○○

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 2, total 7

Esgalwen
DC 14 Travel ♦♦♦○○○

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 2, total 4

Grimbeorn
DC 14 Travel ♦♦♦○○○

1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 4, total 8

Rorin
DC 14 Travel ♦♦♦○○○

1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 3, total 4

[tomcat]

Okay, Bandy and Rorin both fail and suffer fatigue, plus Bandy rolled an    so we have a Hazard.

The Hazard target is: Roll(1d12)+0: 10,+0 Total:10  - or - ALL companions

The Hazard is: Roll(1d12)+0: 3,+0 Total:3 - or - Misery: Temporarily Miserable for the length of journey. Any PC could suffer a bout of madness on an    roll for any test (see page 225 of TOR core rules). The Misery will last until the companions arrive at Mountain Hall.

Paul - feel free to answer Matt's character's inquiry in the last thread, but I am moving on the game. If for some reason Grimbeorn does not like the answer about Verwyne's perspective groom, I will change this opening thread to accommodate anything that may come of it.
The morning broke gray and windy and the companions went about preparing their mounts. It was 47 leagues to the Mountain hall and they wanted to get started as quickly as possible, weather be damned.

Ceawin and his charge had been delivered safely to the Woodland Hall, and soon Verwyne would be wed to a man named Aodhan. She had graciously thanked the company for their assistance in getting her to the the forest town, but then she was gone and they did not see her again. Grimbeorn was sad at her departure, for it seemed colder than the wind that blew through the trees. The Master of Sunstead came to them, "Greatly appreciated is the aid you have given me and I look forward to seeing you all once more in Rhosgobel. I will be staying here until Verwyne has been wed and then my own company will depart south. I will assume you will be back to Rhosgobel with the first week in July and Rorin can commence the production of our treasure. It is my goal to be once more in Sunstead by the new moon of Fall." Ceawin quickly shook each of the companion's hands and was then off to his other needs.

The wind continued to blow and rain could be smelled in the air. Leading their horses by rein, the companions marched out of Woodland Hall and left the tale of Verwyne behind. Arbogast once more took up the forward scout position, though they would rely on Esgalwen's ranger skills to guide them. The other three companions kept pace and the journey began.

It was two days before the canopy of Mirkwood forest disappeared and the great rolling lands of the Anduin Vale appeared. Instead of green above, the fields roiled with the wind in shades of green, gold and yellow - the summer sun having dried out the tall grasses. Their pace picked up as the horses and riders were less cautious with each step. Esgalwen would spur her horse into a run, laughing as she did, and enjoying the freedom that the open air seemed to convey.

Their path led them to and past the Long Barrows. The Northmen of old had laid their kings to rest in the Long Barrows. The mounds were crowned in simbelmynë, the white Evermind flower, which grew over the honoured dead from the earliest days. It was said that the oldest mound was the tomb of a great lord who had led his people out of the north to settle along the Anduin and was counted among the Wise.

Atop the barrows was a complicated arrangement of earthworks and standing stones. Grimbeorn explained that it was said that those who could understand the movement of the heavens were able to use these stones like a calendar, and that the changes of the seasons and the turning of the years could be predicted by studying the stones and the shadows they cast upon the land. He also included that he and his clan held no allegiance to those buried here, nor paid attention to their earthworks.

Day three saw them across the Anduin and onto the low hills of the Misty Mountains and into day four of travel. It was then, too, that they gray skies opened up and began to rain in sheets of water. Travel slowed somewhat, as the companions fought to see the path before them. The rain and wind dropped the temperature, too, and traveling became miserable. Bandy cried out as their food stores were saturated and all of the dried rations - bread and cakes, along with sticky honey clusters of nuts - were ruined.

Still, they must push on and thus continued their climb from the lowlands, to the foothills, and into the mountain heights. The rain did not relent and great clouds flashed along the eastern peaks and it seemed as if the gods of earth and air were warring for the right to the sky. Esgalwen picked her way along a foot trail that led up a long green swath of grass with great pines and stone on either side. This was the road that would take them to Mountain Hall, at last, and if the weather would ease, the companions knew they could be there with the new day.

It was Arbogast who saw the great stone come hurling out of the trees at them, only to be followed by the great girth of a troll, and then another. The sun was on the western side of the mountains and the shadows would have covered all, if it were not for the terrible weather. But either way, the trolls had no fear of its cruel light and so sought out their meal.

Esgalwen's horse reared and whinnied as the large boulder crashed down in her path. The Dúnadan fell backwards and landed hard on the muddy ground. The others heard a troll bellow, "LOOK, DIM! WE'S GOTS OURSELVES SUMTIN TO EATS!"

The trolls raced in to attack...

[GandalfOfBorg]

  FYI Doug, you rolled only 2 dice for Grimbeorn's Fatigue test, but he at least succeeded.

[Eclecticon]

"BEWARE!" Arbogast calls to his friends as he performs an ungainly dismount.  Then his shield and his axe are settled in his hands.  He tries to keep his breathing steady as the great beasts close in, though he feels as if he might vanish in their shadows.  As the two sides close, he picks his moment and strikes.


Though I'm tempted to fight defensively, I'm going to stick with Open stance for now. 

Rolled 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 4, 4, total 9

5, Edge , Injury 18

[disench4nted]

Rorin growled as he flung himself from his pony and yelled, "Curse you bloated oafs, I believe you'll find this meal to be a mite unsatifactory! Come on!"

  Rorin makes his way to Bandy and fights defensively, he attacks the first troll to approach.

 

Rolled 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 6, 2, 6, total 20

  8, Edge 9, Injury 18

[disench4nted]

 

Rorin has a damage rating of 6, but I'm not certain on the rules here. Can you get successes greater than an Extraordinary Success? If yes then Rorin inflicts 26 Endurance loss, if no then he inflicts 20.

[tomcat]

excellent posts, guys and I am letting you keep these fantastic rolls for when the engagement begins, but first:

We have to roll for combat advantages and perform opening volleys.

I need to determine initiative, as well.

I guess I was making sure you guys really wanted to engage these things before I opened a combat segment.

Seems you do!  

Give me about 30 minutes to get things set up.

[EDIT] gonna need more time, have to go up to the school for a meeting.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn reined in his horse just in time to avoid being bowled over by the rock flung into their midst.  Axe in hand ever since they left Woodland Hall, he didn't flinch at the challenge.

Before I provide further description, what would it take to perform a mounted charge on one of the trolls?

[Telcontar]

Bandy knew it was not the weather that made his indsides go cold or the sick feeling to well up in his stomach at the sight of the giant beasts. The rain streaked his face as he quickly attempted to string his bow in the foul weather.

Battle Roll

Rolled 1d12 : 8, total 8

[tomcat]

Grimbeorn reined in his horse just in time to avoid being bowled over by the rock flung into their midst.  Axe in hand ever since they left Woodland Hall, he didn't flinch at the challenge.

Before I provide further description, what would it take to perform a mounted charge on one of the trolls?

Matt - I am going to a Player Generated House Rule on this, as mounts have not been mechanically defined. I have attached it below (but reading it, looks like it still needs tweaked).

Anyway, unless you are trained in mounted combat, you will take a -4 disadvantage to any skills while atop a horse. Also remember from the books, the Beornings did not appear to be great horsemen - more that they were berserker fighters.

Rorin has a damage rating of 6, but I'm not certain on the rules here. Can you get successes greater than an Extraordinary Success? If yes then Rorin inflicts 26 Endurance loss, if no then he inflicts 20.

Unfortunately, the maximum you can do is the damage rating of the weapon plus the damage rating of the hero times 2 (TOR p.177). Maybe we will investigate greater successes later as skills continue to grow. I mean, I have no problem with an amazingly cool scene where the dwarf splits open a trolls skull with a single blow because he rolled 3 or more 6's on the Success dice.

[tomcat]

Battle rolls:

Bandy already rolled his and failed

Arbogast
DC 14 battle ♦♦○○○○

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 5, total 8

Esgalwen
DC 14 battle ♦♦○○○○

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 5, total 8

Grimbeorn
DC 14 battle ♦♦○○○○

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

Rorin
DC 14 battle ♦♦○○○○

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

[Telcontar]

Are we surprised? Or can I get a volley or two off?

[tomcat]

I started the combat threads for opening volleys.