Sudden Silence to a Journeys End...

[tomcat]

The Shieldmaiden of Black Tarn waited as the giant spider made its way down to the field of battle. Though she felt dwarfed by the wretched creature's size, Bandy's arrow buried deep into its hide gave the woman hope. Boldly, she set herself before the advancing spider; grim was her voice as she called out her adversary, "Your days have been numbered and are coming to an end. Flee, or die here like your spawn."

Sindjarfr growled a little and began to pace around the giant beast, looking for an opening. Further back, Idunn's companions hurried in to aid her for the woman stood alone against the spider, save for her dog.

The great spider quickly adjusted her position when the hound raced in on its flank, its forward legs up and outstretched to grab anything that would get too close. Idunn knew it was the time. She planted the haft of her spear into the ground and brought the deadly point up and level to the monster's head. Again Sindjarfr charged in from its left flank and the Shieldmaiden cried out in challenge. Racing forward to avoid the large hound, the spider threw its weight onto the women and Idunn stabbed hard into its carapace. Her spear bit deep and was shoved back into the ground, the bulk of the spider sliding down its length. There was a great shudder and then the thing gave out a horrid hiss and Idunn knew that there were words in its final gasp.

Around the Men of Sunstead, the attercops began to move eraticaly about as if not knowing what now to do. She had been their will; she had been their voice and lead and she was now dead. The spiders began to hiss as they leapt from the ground back into the trees, climbing quickly out of the reach of the spears. Behind them, the men cried cheers and challenges as the fell-creatures retreated from the area. The fastest spiders laid down thick strands of silk as they went from tree to tree and the other spiders followed, using them like bridges.

Esgalwen reached Idunn and put a hand to her shoulder, a wan smile on her face. "You did it! Great are the warrior women of Mirkwood! Long will songs be sung about you who brought down the dark creature." Her excitement ebbed as the pain returned to her and the Dunadan went down to the ground and put her back to a tree. "Now, we must rest..." her eyes closed.

The rest of the caravan continued to shout their cheers and thanks to the faiths they held, while others sang battle hymns of victory. There were many dead spiders littering the forest floor, but it had come with a cost. Only the two scouts had been slain when the ambush had occurred, but many others had been hurt. Ceawin gave quick orders for the horses to be gathered - as many that could be found - and the wounded be mounted up so that they could make a departure from the area. The spiders were defeated but they might return. Worse still, the black flies were thick in the air and the sound of their buzzing made of the caravan members quail.

Unbeknownst to the company and the men of Sunstead, the spiders fled north back to their nests along the northern borders of the Narrows. But as they ran, some plucked on the thin strands of silk that draped the upper tree limbs in patterns that only they knew. These strands stretched north and south, east and west, as far as the reaches of the great spider colonies of Mirkwood. The vibrations ran the length of these strands communicating a defeat; communicating a death; and communicating a warning...there were warriors in the Narrows with terrible stings and they needed to be feared...they needed to be destroyed.

In the Heart of Mirkwood, deep in the forest's core where light seldom shone through the ancient canopy of leaves, the Parliament of Spiders existed. Dark thoughts of eating and death filled those that held rule here but also it was here that the spiders held congress. It was here that all of the silken strands of webbing conjoined - the center of a massive web. The messages of death of the brood, fear, and danger was heard by the three mightiest of Mirkwood's spiders - Sarquin, Tauler, and Tyulqin. The trio moved close to one another and they held council in their dark words and dark hearts and they gave long thought of these new heroes and all came to the same conclusion...death.

[tomcat]

It was a hard day and a half spent for the caravan, moving the wounded quickly away from where the battle had taken place, which also entailed not losing the others of the company who now needed to walk. They had lost seven horses and two men - though three were still sick from the illness spread by the flies. Four other men, like Bandy and Esgalwen, had been stabbed by the spiders and Idunn was hard-pressed to tend them all.

Ceawin pushed them. The man was urgent to get home and many wondered if it was the Helm of Peace that drove him, or fear...fear of being under the trees.

And so the caravan pushed on for another five days. Fortunately they were unmolested by any other creature of ill will within the forest- unfortunately the strain of travel took two more lives. After thirteen days crossing the Narrows, the Company walked out from under the canopy of leaves to a gray and cloudy day. A drizzle fell and saturated everyone, but still the caravan was relieved to be free. Everyone breathed in the fresh air and some doffed their boots to walk on the cool, damp grass that stretched off for miles. They were in the East Bight and the town of Sunstead was just a few short hours away.

Master Ceawin seemed now in a brighter mood and he too dismounted to walk along with those people that had no horses. As they walked, he pointed to the south and the dark smear that was on the horizon, "That is the southern edge of the East Bight where the forest of Mirkwood grows thick. It is along those eaves that my ancestors laid the dead to rest. We will be returning here soon to deliver our gift, but first we must get to my home where all can rest, heal, and be made well again. Hurry! It is not far now."
You guys can add some narrative/dialogue as you please. Make any tests for healing or whatever might be necessary.

Finally, I want to add that I am so happy with that brutal kill - especially for the future chapter of our story! You guys just added some cool new options with your new found standing.     

[Eclecticon]

As soon as he is sure that the departing spiders are not regrouping for some new assault, Arbogast puts axe and shield aside in favour of wine for washing wounds, bandages to cover them and herbal mixtures - thankfully little touched by the omnipresent flies - to prevent bodily corruption.  Motioning Idunn to tend to Esgalwen as quickly as she may, he carries Bandy, despite the Hobbit's feeble protestations, to a patch of softer ground.  There he does what may be done to heal his friend. 


I'm not sure that either Esgalwen or Bandy were actually poisoned - Doug, can you clarify?  I assume it'll become obvious fairly quickly.  In the meantime, a Healing roll is in order:

DC 14 Healing 3

1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 3, total 12

[tomcat]

The spiders got three opportunities to poison and missed all three - so people were just stabbed by the stings.

[Posterboy]

  Removed my posts about the poison remedies... I'll use Idunn's Staunching Song virtue instead.

Rolled 1d12 : 2, total 2

Rolled 3d6 : 1, 3, 5, total 9

[Posterboy]

  Grrr... that rolls no good. Can I use Idunn's Rhymes of Lore trait to auto succeed? The description of the virtue is that Staunching Song uses a language that hints of elven origin and I figure Radagast taught the woodswoman the song. If yes, Idunn spends a point of hope and treats Esgalwen (meaning her wound is considered treated and she regains 4 END).

If no, no problem. The other option would be to spend a point of hope to add Idunn's favoured body score to the result (or 5), which would make it a success... but I also need to spend a point of hope so I can apply the healing to Esgalwen... so, not sure if I can spend 2 points of hope in such quick succession?

[Eclecticon]

I don't think there's any problem with spending Hope that quickly, apart from the fact that you're spending Hope quickly, if that makes any sense. 

Maybe Idunn starts singing the Staunching Song and quickly remembers Radaghast telling her that it can draw the attention of the Enemy, so she thinks better of it - in which case you can still make a regular Healing roll. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

The young Beorning, though surprised at the apparent easy kill of the great spider, charged after the remaining spawn into the forest bellowing challenges and epithets against all of their kind.  The rage in his heart and fire in his limbs fueled his pursuit for some distance until he'd run out of spiders to squash.  It was awhile before he returned to the group as he wanted to be sure there wasn't some other ambush or trick they would play.

"It will be a long while before their fear subsides and they return to this area, but return they shall.  These creatures have long memories; they won't soon forget their loss nor by whom," Grimbeorn said, looking intently at Idunn.

---

Grimbeorn was glad to leave the wood as much as anyone else.  The air about it was stifling and even a bit more menacing since the fight with the spiders.  Though they never saw anymore of them, it still felt like they were watched as they finished their journey through.  "I certainly hope this journey is worth what it cost him," he thought as Ceawin spoke of area where his people's barrows lay.

[tomcat]

Okay... results of Arbogast's and Idunn's healing:

• Bandy is successfully treated for his wound by Arbogast's Healing roll.
  - he will recover 2 END per day based if he can get good rest
  - I am going to only allow 3 days of qualifying rest for the five days it took to get out of Mirkwood
  - Bandy has recovered 6 END points when the party is marching out of the forest
  -

• Idunn's attempts will require the 2 Hope points
  - the good thing is you not only mark her wound as treated, but you award her additional END back equal to her Wisdom score
  - Esgalwen receives 4 END for Staunching Song and gains 6 END for the rest over the five night's march out of Mirkwood
  -

These were some great rolls guys! Esgalwen is now at 23 of 25 END and no longer Weary. She will remove the Wounded tag in one more day of rest. Bandy is now at 19 of 22 END and will remove his Wounded tag after two more days of rest. Grimbeorn recovers ALL of his END when they make their first rest. The rest of the PC's are fine.

[Eclecticon]

Point of order, Loremaster - all non-wounded characters recover Endurance equal to their basic Heart rating as soon as the fight ends and they can catch their breath (I don't have my books with me at the moment, but it's in there).  So I suspect Grimbeorn is fine.

[Eclecticon]

Once the wounded are safely loaded on such horses as may be found (and have not yet fallen prey to the myriad hazards of Mirkwood), Arbogast redoubles his efforts as the party's remaining scout.  The shame of having missed the spiders' nest weighs heavily on the Woodman and he becomes, if anything, more laconic than usual. 

Many times, he feels tantalising hints of a better way through the wood - one suitable for trade, and not just a score of footsore, fly-stricken travelers desperate to see sunlight once more.  Had he his leisure, or at least no wounded Men and Hobbits to think of, he would take the time to follow his intuition.  But such is not to be this time, and instead he forges as direct a path as may be found until the trees at last begin to thin, and to give way to the open lands of the East Bight. 

As the company approaches the Sunstead, Arbogast recalls the Dorwinion wine that first he tasted there, now years ago.  It brings back a memory of meeting the lady Verwyne, and he wonders how she fares wed to a deaf woodcarver far from the lands and folk she knew. 

Thinking of the heady aroma of Verwyne's wine then recalls its distinctive smell amidst the stink of the Fenbridge castle, and on the breath of its trollish gatekeeper.  Not for the first time does Arbogast find himself wondering how such goods arrived there.  Surely, they were not brought there by merchants from the land at the end of the river.  No, he thinks, there is one, at least, who brings such things to the servants of the Enemy.  And that one makes their home to the east of Mirkwood...

[Posterboy]

The young Beorning, though surprised at the apparent easy kill of the great spider, charged after the remaining spawn into the forest bellowing challenges and epithets against all of their kind.  The rage in his heart and fire in his limbs fueled his pursuit for some distance until he'd run out of spiders to squash.  It was awhile before he returned to the group as he wanted to be sure there wasn't some other ambush or trick they would play.

"It will be a long while before their fear subsides and they return to this area, but return they shall.  These creatures have long memories; they won't soon forget their loss nor by whom," Grimbeorn said, looking intently at Idunn.

---

Idunn returned the Beorning's gaze, her own blood still hot from the toil of battle. "Should that day come, then I hope you will be by my side..." she let her eyes wander over the whole company. "Each of you. I could ask for nothing better, for this battle won belongs to us. And I would dare to dream of the day when these foul spawn and their malice have been swept clean of our lands... a day when we need not worry of travelling from Carrock to Sunstead... a day when these lands know true peace that lasts longer than a season. I long to see those days, if not with our eyes, then by the eyes of our children."

Her eyes, fiery and impassioned, moved back to Grimbeorn, "What dream do you carry around in you, Lord Grimbeorn, for your people, even in these dark days?"

[GandalfOfBorg]

Her eyes, fiery and impassioned, moved back to Grimbeorn, "What dream do you carry around in you, Lord Grimbeorn, for your people, even in these dark days?"

Grimbeorn took a moment to think; he hadn't really considered that there would ever be peace.  "My people will always know peace and struggle for there is always darkness to stand against, be it shades of the night or orcs under mountain.  We have and shall continue our dance in the light of the pale full moon and, like my ancestors, me and my descendants will call out to it atop the Carrock awaiting the day we all return to the land whence we came."

[tomcat]

Point of order, Loremaster - all non-wounded characters recover Endurance equal to their basic Heart rating as soon as the fight ends and they can catch their breath (I don't have my books with me at the moment, but it's in there).  So I suspect Grimbeorn is fine.

Yea, I know - it had just been my intention to let Matt know that his PC, too, was healed when the company was walking across the sunlit fields of the East Bight.

But thanks for keeping the rules clarified - it helps.

[Telcontar]

Bandy did not complain while his wound was tended, in fact the Halfling had said very little and willingly went where he was led after the battle. He was remotely aware that he had in fact wounded the great spider and was not all surprised that much like Hobbits in general his part was not included in the songs the Woodmen sung of the event. He did not begrudge Idunn at all, merely the accademic curiosity that Hobbits may have been left out of the old tales because no one seemed to recall them, even when they were right under foot.
For the companions the silence of the Hobbit was probably the greatest signal that something troubled the Hobbit. He spent his days in a wagon, and spoke little if at all when they camped for the night. And though his wound healed the Halfling still was glum it was appaerent to all who knew him that the slim support Bandy had given to this quest had fadded away after the ambush of the spiiders.

So, here was Sunstead. Nestled in the East bight of the woods and far from the help off any other woodmen.