The Cold Wells

[Eclecticon]

It is all Arbogast can do to repress a visible shudder at the sight of the wretch before him, and try as he might, he cannot muster the courage to meet the creature's eyes.  Without a word, he moves on to the next cell. 


Just as a matter of interest, how many cells can we see in this corridor? 

[tomcat]

Paul, I attached a pic below that envisions my mental image of the cold wells.

I think of them as once cold storage and an actual well source for water, back when the Dwarves built the keep. The cold wells were then turned into pens by the orcs, or maybe evil men of Mirkwood.

The pic illustrates the layout, if not how it actually appears in terms of lighting. There are a total of six actual pens - four on one side, two on the other.

I think you know, too, that your Insight was not enough. I will post again with more story in a moment - have to help my daughter.

[tomcat]

Esgalwen stepped back in horror at the sight of what had once been a man. The naked body had been mutilated in areas unclean and both wondered if they had been self-inflicted, in his madness.

They quickly moved to look in the next cell down and were once more greeted by an abomination. The skeletal figure within was sadly alive, and lay in a fetal position moaning in a deep, guttural way. Arbogast could see it was a woman and her left leg was gone at the knee. The wound was rancid with corruption - the flesh a blackish-green and smelling horribly, among the other horrible smells.

Again they moved to the next pen, only to find another scene like before. How these people were still alive was astounding, unless some dark power was at work here. How anyone could do what was done, to another human being, was beyond the pale.

Esgalwen wanted to wretch, but struggled to keep her wits and composure. There were three more cells and she was not sure she wished to see anymore. She turned to look behind her and the ghoulish facade of a skeletal man was before her. He stood at the bars of his pen and reached out towards her. What teeth he had were bared and he gnashed them hungrily.

"I smell your blood!" he hissed. "I smell your flesh. It is fresh and ripe...so much better than what rots down below."

The Dúnadan woman reeled backwards, bringing Nimronyn about to swipe at the terrible visage. It was then that she felt the floor under her feet give way...

Grimbeorn began to worry for his friends. They had been down there too long and he wanted to go down to see what was keeping them.

"Careful your step..." The sound of the old man making whispered japes, once more, brought both companions around to stare into his glee-filled eyes.

First, I need a Corruption test TN 18 from both Arbogast and Esgalwen, due to this most Blighted of places.

Second, I need a TN 18 Awareness roll from both Arbogast and Esgalwen, followed up by an Athletics roll for both. The TN for the Athletics roll will be determined by the degree of success for the Awareness roll.

The Awareness is for them to notice the trap door in the floor of the cold wells. If successful, the Athletics roll needed for both will be 18 (great success 16, extraordinary success or   will be 14).

The Athletics test will be for Esgalwen to either save herself from falling, or Arbogast catching her arm and keeping her from falling. A fail by both will mean she disappears into the hole.

Arbogast's weariness will play into all rolls.

I will make the rolls in a new post.

[tomcat]

TEST ROLLS

Corruption test
TN 18 Wisdom 4d for both PC's

Arbogast 1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 3, 4, 1, total 14

Esgalwen 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 1, 1, 4, total 12

Awareness test
TN 18 Awareness 2d for both PC's

Arbogast 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 6, total 10

Esgalwen 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 1, total 6

Athletics test
TN determined by Awareness success above Athletics 2d for both PC's

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

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

[tomcat]

Results

Wisdom test
• Arbogast crushes the Wisdom save with a 20 success

• Esgalwen fails the Wisdom save with a 15

Awareness
• Arbogast barely failed his roll with a 17; he could make that a success with a , but it will not benefit his Athletics roll by reducing that TN.

• Esgalwen fails her roll with a 9

Ahtletics
• Both PC's fail their rolls with an 11 and a 5, respectively.

[tomcat]

In a flurry of activity, Arbogast saw Esgalwen react in horror to the sickly man. The light from his torch flashed about, as he twisted and turned from each terrible scene.

The skeleton of a man grasping at his companion.

The sound of Esgalwen stumbling.

And she was gone.

A gurgled laugh emanated from the prisoner as Arbogast looked at the tilted floor where his friend had just stepped and then fallen through.

[tomcat]

I know this scene isn't very 'Tolkien', but I hope it is okay.

The books speak generally of the horrors of the Shadow, but never goes into great detail. Well, I like details and I think a little horror is good for every RPG.

Anyway, if this type of scene takes from your Middle-earth, let me know and I will either keep them limited, or not at all.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  No problem here, Morgoth did worse to the Elves to corrupt them into orc filth.  Sauron no doubt hasn't done any less, nor Saruman to create the Urukhai.

[Eclecticon]

Same here.  As a long-time Call of Cthulhu GM, I like a bit of The Creepy. 

[tomcat]

Now that is a game I have always wanted to try, but have never had the chance.

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast's wordless cry echoes up the ancient stairwell before emerging, broken and distorted, into the courtyard.  

In the darkness beneath the earth, Arbogast thrusts the torch at the skeletal figure, driving it back from the bars as it recoils from the flame.  Paying as much heed as he can to where the Dúnadan woman trod, he feels around until he finds the hinge of the trap door, then depresses it enough that he can fit the torch through the gap.  Below the lid, in a rough-hewn pit some twenty feet deep, lies Esgalwen, silent and still.  In the flickering torchlight, the Fire-watcher cannot mark whether she still breathes.  

Once more, his voice echoes from the darkness as if from the throat of some ancient and hoary beast.  "Ho!  Bring rope!  Bring the lamp!  And BRING THE WORM WHO WOULD BE THE NEXT NECROMANCER!"

[tomcat]

Grimbeorn and Morirúsë will need to roll Awareness rolls TN 18 to hear Arbogast's call.

I also want to poll the players - does the company carry rope? It has never been said what makes up your Traveling Gear, and I am fine if you have it with you. I just want each player to honestly answer the question for their PC, as to whether you believe he has rope on his person.

[tomcat]

Awareness

TN 18 Awareness by PC

Grimbeorn 3d 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 2, 5, total 10

Grimbeorn 4d 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 4d6 : 4, 3, 6, 3, total 16

[tomcat]

Arbogast sat in his own silence, although around him the shrieks of the insane filled the chamber.

He was unsure if they had heard. Should he return to the surface and leave her alone? Should he wait longer?

In the courtyard, the two companions watched their captive, oblivious to anything going on below.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Grimbeorn is of course deaf to anything but his own thoughts.  As for rope, nope for the Beorning.