The Dead Rest

[GandalfOfBorg]

  "On the contrary, Spock, gravity is foremost in my mind."

[tomcat]

Idunn makes a healing test TN 18

The difficulty has been increased from the standard healing test due to the source of the wound.

TN 18 healing 3d

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 4, 5, total 10

[tomcat]

The evening passed and Idunn spent most of it over Arbogast's wound, staunching the blood and knitting closed the flesh. While she worked hard at making sure the man would not bleed to death, the other healers worked at cooling his brow for he burned with fever. Medicines were provided and cool, damp clothes were applied to his body - behind his neck, across his brow, and even under his arms.

Arbogast moaned and fell into a deep haze of pain and nausea. There were times when he spoke to no one in the room - far off things that made the healing women shiver with fear.

Paul - leaving this here for you to fill in some things that you said you would like to do.

The healing test was a success - but not a great one or better - and due to this I am going to require Arbogast to make a series of tests over the next five nights, as he drifts between nightmares.

He must make a Valour test each night, TN 14. Each success counts as 1, Great as 2, and Extraordinary as 3. A failure counts as a -1. If at the end of the five rolls (five nights) Arbogast cumulative result is negative, he dies from unknown causes. His wound has been treated, yes, but the sickness that plagues him now is from the Shadow.

He will recover END each day at the normal rest rate of 2, but it only shows itself after the five nights and a positive result. Make sense?

You can make all the rolls now and RP the next five nights of turmoil as you see fit. Remember, he is Weary the first night, so he will be plagued by that on his first Valour roll. After the first night's sleep, though, the weariness will be abated.

Questions, let me know...

[Telcontar]

  we had +2d awarded to the encounter for fear and corruption tests. Can Paul use those for first weary night as part of the encounter?

[tomcat]

Finally having some downtime, Esgalwen toured the town of Sunstead.

She found many of their cultural practices familiar, for the people of Dorwinion and Rhovanion had often times visited the grand markets of Minas Tirith. She remembered hearing songs, tasting strange foods and liqueurs, and seeing strange dances from these far away entertainers and artisans. But that was many years past, and now she walked among them within their own town.

Esgalwen found the people very hospitable and gracious, and it was not just once that she and her other companions were invited to a strangers home to break bread. The Master of Sunstead was also a gracious host, but he had other businesses to attend to and thus the companions found themselves often at their own pleasures. They visited the Healing House each day to check on the well-being of Arbogast and sometimes spent the afternoon by his side applying cool clothes to his fever-ridden body. Many questions were asked as to why he still suffered, for clearly the wound had been mended and already showed signs that it was healing, but the medicine-women could not guess as to the reason.

Bandy persisted that the troupe should return to the barrows to collect the treasures that were scattered there - especially before some other, more unseemly folk went and robbed the wealth. To this the Dúnadan woman had to say, "Is this what we have become, Bandy? Grave robbers and ghouls? The treasures in the barrows belong to those that placed them there, not us. These were no troll-holes filled with items that had been taken by ill-deeds. These are the treasures laid with the dead in honor of who they were and what they did in their life. It seems to me that such actions would be tainted - and we need no more influence of the Shadow within our ranks."

[tomcat]

we had +2d awarded to the encounter for fear and corruption tests. Can Paul use those for first weary night as part of the encounter?

No - those points were awarded for use within the barrow encounter. They do not carryover to the post-situation.

[Telcontar]

The Hobbit took affront to the words of the ranger. "What good to the dead is hoarded wealth? I would be content if the dead but ignored us, but no. So far they have done nothing to aid us, hinder and plague us only. You yourself took up a blade that belonged to a dead friend. Did you put it in a hole and cast ash and dirt over it? No, you used it to fight. I have money enough in my own pocket at home as such things are reckoned in the shire, but the folk of Rhosgobel, of Black Tarn, of the Mountain Hall do not. What's more is this gold isn't buried and secured in the tomb of an honored king. It lies open to the world and joined to the very barrow that may have killed our friend. The Dead have reason enough already to haunt us, we might as well take what money they have and spend it on something good. Not sitting idle to sate long dead greed, we even offered them the helm but that was not enough. The scattered wealth we glimpsed would do much to ease the suffering of the folk of Black Tarn, put food in their stomachs and a wall around their homes. We could buy weapons from the folk in the Mountain, the dragons hoard did much to change the fate of the people of Dale. Or perhaps instead they can continue to rely on the good graces of your friends at Tyrant's Hill? How lordly and gracious you were when coming from the south laden with gear of war, which you then passed on to those peoples of dubious allegiance.When the wolves howl and hunger bites, little good will buried gold do then."

"I'll not be mistaken for a thief in the night, that's one vote for yea and one for nay; Rorin, Grimbeorn, Idunn what say you?"

[tomcat]

"The sword of my companion, Ardil, was returned by me to his father, Hardin, in Minas Tirith." Esgalwen's voice took on an edge of its own. "And yes, the supplies that came from my Steward were given to Tyrant's Hill upon my request - for like the Men of Gondor, those men know what it is to stand on the borders of the Shadow.

"You have my answer, Bandy." With that, Esgalwen strode from the room.
I am liking this!  

I had posted this earlier on my phone and the typing and language sucked, so I tweaked it.

[Eclecticon]

Yes, it's interesting seeing a less idealistic side of Bandy! 

I'll post in a little while - I'm still dealing with work from yesterday. 

[Eclecticon]

In the house of healing, Idunn carefully watches her charge.  He is weak - barely able to stir - but his moaning is dire, and broken only by snatches of barely coherent speech.  Beneath the herbs brought in to sweeten the air and purge foul humours, the scent of corrupted flesh lingers, and the young healer fears it will grow. 

"...his house is empty, but we are watched... why do you take that message?  ...the dark trees, they want... flies everywhere... fight me, damn you... it's all burning!  Where is she?  Oh, my child... don't give it to them, fool... don't go in the water!  Thieves in the forest... Father?  Mother?  The lamp..."

The mention of lamps seems to trigger some change in the man.  His eyes close, and his breathing settles.  Beneath his blankets, his form seems smaller, almost childlike.  In her own exhaustion, Idunn finds herself remembering others she has nursed through injury and illness.  Her thoughts drift like an unmoored boat for a time. 

Then, with an entirely unexpected swiftness, the Fire-watcher seizes her wrist with a movement so violent that a nearby woman screams.  His head lolls drunkenly, eyes all un-seeing, as he says to all and to nobody

The wine will be slain by the winter
The white lord will trouble the eye
The dishonoured will beg for his kinfolk
The princeling will bleed in the rye.

The Queen of the darkling mountains
Will awaken and take to the sky
The wolf will lie down by the hearth-fire
And the light of the lamp will die. 



First fever roll:

00 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 6, 3, total 14

[Eclecticon]

19, and a great success.  So far, so good...

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 3, total 12

[Eclecticon]

...and a failure.  Down to 1. 

This is what I get for being a spotlight-hog, isn't it?

:00 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 3, 6, total 14

[Eclecticon]

Another great success takes Arbogast back up to 3. 

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 2, 2, total 8

[Eclecticon]

...and another failure knocks him back down to 2.  Still, at least I can't die from a single roll (he said, holding a brand new sparkly fate-toy out and saying 'you want this, don't you?  Don't you?'). 

:00 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 2, 6, total 9

[Eclecticon]

And a final failure leaves him at 1.  So, not skin-of-his-teeth survival, but certainly not easy. 

Doug, does he gain any more Shadow points?  Not pushing for it, mind.