To fight the dead - round 2

[tomcat]

Situation: The companions have entered the barrows with Ceawin. The Master of Sunstead has been waylaid and the companions now face those that inhabit hallows...

BARROW-WIGHTS

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast, Bandy, Esgalwen, Grimbeorn, Idunn, Rorin - all have 1 Success die to use on ANY check while in the barrow.
• Bandy 2 Success dice to use against Corruption or Fear; may extend these dice to other players, through inspiration of their own.
• Grimbeorn 2 Success dice to use against Corruption or Fear; may extend these dice to other players, through inspiration of their own.

Situation Modifiers:
• Company has initiative

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• none

Tactical Situation
• Arbogast - currently engaged with the Barrow King

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR	HOPE [HATE]	ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Idunn Rorin	6/9 [woodcrafty] (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [great strength] (shield +4) 6/9 [woodcrafty] 4 (shield n/a)	1d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 2d (headgear n/a) 5d (headgear n/a)	9/16 15/18 10/11 7/12 12/15 8/10	16/26 22/22 25/25 31/31 25/25 34/34
Wight-King Wight 1 Wight 2	7 4 4	2d+10 2d+8 2d+8	6/9 6/6 5/6	50/70 54/54 54/54

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LMC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	tbd	Forward Stance maneuvers
Open - action order 2 Close combat	TN 9+	Arbogast	Open Stance maneuvers
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	tbd	Defensive Stance maneuvers
Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat May not use if outnumbered 2:1	TN 12+	Bandy	Rearward Stance maneuvers
Any Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents		none	May safely flee from the scene of combat

[tomcat]

Bandy ran into the new barrow, only to see Arbogast hurled against the far wall. The halfling felt a ball of ice grow in his belly when he saw the undead king standing in the center of the chamber.

Beyond both, Bandy could see the form of a man being dragged into the shadows of an alcove.
Tom, I will allow this round to be an Opening Volley for Bandy, but due to the number requirements, he must go into melee after that, until more people arrive. You make the call...

[GandalfOfBorg]

The sounds of battle got louder and the air in the tomb got much colder as the rest of the group approached the area where Arbogast and Ceawin were thought to be found.  Hustling along, Grimbeorn handed the sword he grabbed over to Esgalwen.  "Here, take this.  It might be of use against whatever we face.  I don't fair as well as you with a sword in my hand."

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast's breath comes to him ragged and painful, as if his throat has lined itself with frost.  In the dim light of his fading brand, he barely makes out Bandy's arrival.  There is no time to call out a warning of the danger he now faces - all must now be reckoned on hope, and on hard-won skill at arms.  The Fire-watcher clutches his axe in both hands as he closes once more with the wight-king.  This foe, he knows, is beyond him, but there is yet a chance that he may prevent death from claiming his friend. 


Sweet jumping Conan, this thing is going to be hard to put down!  I'm shifting into Open stance, for the little bit of difference that makes, and attacking again. 

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 4d6 : 5, 4, 5, 2, total 16

7 for two-handed use - I'm guessing that it'll take a round, maybe two, to get my shield off my back and on to my arm. 

[Telcontar]

The Hobbit noted his huffing breathes coming out as fog as he closed on the barrow chamber in which Abrogast battled the undead feinds. Bandy quickly observed the scene and acted quickly before fear could grip him. His arm reached back and he hurled the flaming clay pot at the wight King and his small Hobbit voice let cry as loud as he could the words that sprung unintended to his lips.

"ELBERETH!"

The name he had heard his lost friend Orophin call upon for aid and quickly following words he had more recently heard.

"The strength of Arnu you have forsaken, will cause your darkened spell to break!"

   I dont know my skill with throwing pots, but I'm guessing its like stones! As a ranged attack I will roll the feat die twice and burn my one sucesss die to throw the pot. Doug I'll leave it to you to determine any other skill dice I would have and add it to the roll.

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5

Rolled 1d12 : 12, total 12

Rolled 1d6 : 1, total 1

[Telcontar]

OOC: Bandy you are one crazzy hobbit. His story is practically telling itself...

[Eclecticon]

Plus, now we won't be fighting in the dark.  We'll just be fighting something that burns us if we touch it. 

  I dont know my skill with throwing pots, but I'm guessing its like stones! As a ranged attack I will roll the feat die twice and burn my one sucesss die to throw the pot. Doug I'll leave it to you to determine any other skill dice I would have and add it to the roll.

You'll find the relevant rules on p 176.  Basically you use the Dagger skill.  Ordinarily you'd do one point of damage plus great/extraordinary success bonuses, but I think throwing a burning oil lamp at a desiccated corpse might do something more interesting. 

[tomcat]

What a GREAT round of actions!

• Arbogast hits with a 19 for 7 END damage
• Bandy hits with a for Fire damage, which does the following: 8 END loss plus must make a TN 20 Protection test (due to the fact it is oil on a desiccated body), if failed, the target is on fire and will take 8 END per round and be considered wounded; if successful, no wound and the fire does not catch beyond the first round.

Wight-king Protection Test
TN 20 2d+10

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6+10 : 5, 6 + 10, total 21

[tomcat]

The barrow wight was struck by Arbogast's two-handed swing and the man felt the bearded blade bite deep, but still the dead thing stood before him. Hope was beginning to fade in the darkness of the tomb, but then Bandy ran in, crying the name of Elbereth.

The most beloved of the Elves, the power of Varda, along with that of Manwë - though the Hobbit did not know it was to Him he beseeched with each cry of Arnú - filled the hearts of both companions. Light also filled the chamber when the oil lamp, tossed by Bandy, struck the undead king. Unfortunately, the ceramic crock bounced off of the wight's old leather jerkin and exploded on the barrow floor. Still, fire leapt up and burned at the dead thing's desiccated form.

The wight fell backward from the flames and kicked and tramped at the old rags that burned. It's maw opened and it gave forth a horrific cry and then it turned towards the alcove in which its two companions had disappeared with the prone form of Ceawin.
the wight will spend a point of Hate to attempt to Strike Fear TN 16

Fear Test
TN 16 valour by PC

Arbogast 3d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 2, 4, total 7

Bandy 2d 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 5, total 7

[tomcat]

Both characters could win this struggle by using their awarded success dice and/or a Hope each. If you guys do NOT want to do this, chime in and I will forfeit the rolls made here. If you do, then we'll see if Elbereth can light your ways. 

• Arbogast spends a Hope making his roll a 13, plus his success dice roll of:

Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

Also, because Arbogast rolled an within a Blighted place, I am calling for him to make another Corruption test TN 16
TN 16 wisdon 3d

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 1, total 10

• Bandy spends a Hope making his roll a 11 a 17 success

[tomcat]

Okay, Arbogast overcomes the Fear, but he rolled a SECOND on his corruption test for rolling an in a Blighted Place...

Sorry Paul, but I think I am calling for a permanent Shadow point for this.

If you don't think that is fair, feel free to give me your challenge - I am happy to listen. 

[tomcat]

As the Wight-king disappeared into the shadows, the other companions burst into the chamber - Grimbeorn at the lead. Behind him came Esgalwen, the Dúnadan woman carried her sword before her but in her other hand was an ornate great sword.

"HAI!" yelled Esgalwen. "Thank the Valar, you fare well! But where is Ceawin?"

"There," said Arbogast, as he pointed to the alcove. "The things took him there."

Grimbeorn and the ranger moved together towards the darkened crypt, the Beorning holding a torch high above his head. Within the alcove they saw an old sarcophagus with its top off, laying broken and scattered on the floor. The two cautiously approached and could see that the base of the sarcophagus had also been opened - a tunnel was burrowed into the floor. Grimbeorn held his torch down into the hole and could see it dropped downward about thirteen feet.

The smell of burnt flesh still hung in the air above the hole.

[Telcontar]

The Hobbit held his torch high and scanned the room looking for other clay pots.

"We must press them, come now that we are together we need to find Rorin and save Ceawin from his foolishness and our own."

"Grab all the fire you can."

Bandy then made a hasty search of the room for pots or any of the dry flammable rags or shrouds in the crypt. Truly the Hobbit had spent a great deal of time among the woodmen for unkowingly the Hobbit began to absentmindedly hum the war songs of the Men of Mirkwood to keep his courage up. 

[Telcontar]

Using the dagger rules for thrown objects gives me one more skill die on that toss. I know I got the  but maybe I can add a tengwar.

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

[tomcat]

Heeding Bandy's words, Esgalwen began to look around for herself. She slipped Nimronyn back into its scabbard and then looked at the large sword that she held in her left. It was beautifully crafted and ornate, with a look from another age. The artisan who had forged this steel had loved his work and it showed in the craftsmanship, but it was not her style of weapon. It was a great sword - far heavier than her own longsword - and came with a different style of fighting.

The Dúnadan woman leaned the sword against the wall in the alcove and thought to herself, This is the weapon of one who lays within these tombs - a treasure or family heirloom that was important and thus left behind. It is not mine to take. She looked to the Beorning, "Master Grimbeorn, I thank you for this gift but I cannot take it...it belongs here."

She then moved off to search the barrow for like items that Bandy was scooping up - small ceramic pots that still contained oil. They found four.

Rorin's eyes opened. He drew in a raking breath of stale, distasteful air, as he tried to move his arms and legs.

It was like he was cleaved to the stone on which he lay. The muscles in his limbs worked, but they were so weak.

Where was he? It was dark, save for a glimpse of light that shone through a broken hole in the ceiling...moonlight? Or starlight? Certainly not daylight, thought the Dwarf.

What had happened?

He searched his memories and the images began to come back to him. He had been outside the barrow entrance building a fire. Then had come the fog and a sudden panicking of their beasts. Rorin had raced off after his pony...and then what? The voices. Voices called to him. He had thought they were familiar...that they were his friends. Then came the song in his mind! A terrible, dark song of words he wished not to recount. Then came the utter weariness and loss of strength. Then the shadows in the fog...

The dwarf mustered himself and hauled his torso up so as to lean on his elbows. He was laying on some kind of table, on his back and in the dark, in a foul smelling hole. Was he in a barrow?! Where were his friends? Rorin tried to push himself up more, but only managed to roll to one side. His keen-eyes, which were used to being in low-light under the ground, saw his items littered across the floor. His weapons and armor, boots and clothes. What? He felt the cloth that covered him and realized it was a tattered and musty robe of some sort - something out of the past.

Suddenly a scruffling sound came from a corner in the darkness. The dwarf watched as two shapes came up out of a hole, dragging a third. The shadows pulled the body along the floor until they came to a large, flat-topped sarcophagus. They hoisted the unconscious form atop it and began to disrobe whoever it was and redress them into a long robe. Rorin assumed it was something like how he had been dressed.

Were these the barrow-wights that the Sunstead-folk had spoken of, thought Rorin. Suddenly, one of the dark shapes produced from its form a glittering helm of ornate craftsmanship. Rorin knew it at once.

"Ceawin," he whispered.

The word escaped him and one of the shadows turned in his direction, but then returned to the task at hand. It was a few moments later that a third shadow grew from the floor, taller than the others, and the dwarf could swear that it smoked and smelled of fire.

Rorin watched as the Helm of Peace, his Helm of Peace, was lifted over the unconscious man's head and the trio of wraiths began to chant.
Steve, Rorin will be able to move his arms and legs normally in 3 more rounds (or round 5).