The Lair - round 2

[tomcat]

Situation: The Company has come at last to the Lair of the Werewolf, and must combat their way in

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast 1/1
• Esgalwen 2/2

Lair score:
• 18/20

Situation Modifiers:
• The wargs have Initiative, as they are defending

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• none

PC/NPC		PARRY		ARMOUR		HOPE		END		STANCE
Arbogast Esgalwen Grimbeorn Morirúsë	• • • •	6 (shield +3) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [giant strength] (shield +4) 6 (shield +3)	• • • •	2d (helm +1) 1d (helm n/a) 2d (helm n/a) 2d (helm n/a)	• • • •	10/16 11/12 7/12 9/10	• • • •	26/26 27/27 23/31 15/28 WEARY	• • • •	Open Forward Defensive Open

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Warg 1 Warg 2 Warg 3 Wats 4	• • • •	6 6 6 6	• • • •	3d 3d 3d 3d	• • • •	2/3 2/3 2/3 3/3	• • • •	0/18 DEAD 8/18 0/18 DEAD 13/18	• • • •	tbd tbd tbd tbd

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Stance maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Stance maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry 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+ parry Rearward Stance maneuvers

From any Stance Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents Athletics roll. On success, may safely flee from the scene of combat

[tomcat]

A noticeable, though unheard order was given and two of the strongest wargs immediately maneuvered to break from combat. Their wounded, weaker companions positioned themselves to defend the cave entrance.
going to roll my two Escape combat checks first... the Athletics roll needed will be 10+ your PC's Body attribute. You may use a Hope point if you want to change the results, and make the roll against your Favoured attribute.

TNby PC movement 3d

against Arbogast TN 12 1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 6, 4, total 16

against Grimbeorn TN 16 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 1, 5, total 7

[tomcat]

Breaking from combat, the two wargs quickly moved into the darkness of the cave. The two that remained were to be sacrificed, but would attempt to draw blood before any of the heroes entered the lair.

They lunged forward to bite, even as they positioned themselves between the companions and their goal.
Wargs 2 and 4 escape from melee

I will roll randomly (with real dice) to determine who the wolves will attack in the party in this round:

Warg 3 attacks Grimbeorn
TN 25 bite 3d

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 3, 4, total 11

Warg 1 attacks Morirúsë
TN 18 bite 3d

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 2, 6, total 13

8   edge: 10   injury: 14

[tomcat]

RESULTS

Again an        Ouch!

• Warg 3 succeeds with an and does 8 loss to Grimbeorn, and requires a TN 14 protection test

• Warg 1 succeeds with a 21 and does 13 loss to Morirúsë

Grimbeorn protection test:
TN 14 armour 2d

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 3, total 4

[tomcat]

Grimbeorn succeeds with a

[tomcat]

From the lair came a rumbling laughter and once more the evil voice was heard...

ENTER THIS PLACE AT YOUR PERIL, BUT KNOW THAT I HAVE YOUR SCENT. I WILL HUNT YOU THROUGHOUT THE BOUNDS OF MIRKWOOD ALONG WITH YOUR KIN...NEVER WILL YOUR LINE KNOW PEACE FROM ME, AND I AM ETERNAL! YOU HAVE LOST YOUR ELVEN BAUBLE! I SMELL YOUR BLOODED WOUNDS! COME WITHIN IF YOU STILL HAVE THE HEART, BUT KNOW THAT I WILL CONSUME YOU IF YOU DO!
I am spending a Lair point to Strike Fear, the TN will be that of the Lair's current Hate score [20].

This is a mechanic I am drawing from D&D 5e, where legendary monsters have legendary actions. To use it in TOR, I am essentially making the lair a source for Hate. The lair starts with 20 hate points, and the Werewolf can use those points to perform certain functions above and beyond its own abilities. The tests to oppose any action will always be at the Hate scores starting level at the beginning of the round, not the score after the points are consumed. The following round, the TN will be reduced. Does that make sense? Let me know if there are questions.

To do a Lair strike fear, it costs 2 Hate points.

Fear test
TN 20 valour by PC

Arbogast 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 4d6 : 3, 6, 3, 4, total 16

Esgalwen 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 4d6 : 1, 5, 5, 1, total 12

Grimbeorn 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 3, 2, 4, total 15

Morirúsë 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 5d6 : 3, 1, 5, 5, 1, total 15

[tomcat]

The power that emanated from the darkness was palpable, like icy hands that clutched at their hearts.

Each of the heroes girded themselves and drove out the terrible power, but each wondered at their fate. Were they ready to enter such a place and strive against such a foe?

Arbogast thought of his wife and children and the words spoken from within. A terrible choice was now before him...antagonize this monster further and risk all he loved, or flee now! Would they be safe even if he did run from this place? Would the fell-spirit keep such an oath? Could they slay the beast and free themselves from this curse?

The darkness of the cave seemed to move of its own accord, trying to reach out for them and snuff out the light of day.

[Telcontar]

"Listen not to the lies of the beast, no quarter will it offer. You fight now for you and your kin."

The elf was not immune to despair, he had the luxury of knowing that his death was not the end. Instead in his mind the gnawing doubt that he would fail and not triumph. This ancient foe seemed to retain all of its power from the eldar days, while he had grown frail and weak. First, this warg needed to die and he would face the nexy challenge when it came.

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5

Rolled 5d6 : 1, 6, 2, 4, 1, total 14

  Am I weary already? I thought the knew enc was 11 unless I miscounted.

[tomcat]

it is, but your gained fatigue is still at 17.

[Eclecticon]

The Fire-watcher knows in his heart that the elf speaks the truth.  Even were the beast inclined toward mercy, he knows that it regards all of Mirkwood as its domain, and that it has tasted the blood of his kin already and hungers still for more. 

With a cold determination, he lunges for the warg that Esgalwen has wounded. 


Arbogast is shifting into Forward stance (so as not to screw up the initiative order) and attacking. 

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 4d6 : 5, 4, 2, 6, total 17

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Waiting to see if I need to roll to finish off a warg.

[tomcat]

Axe and sword swung simultaneously and the remaining two wargs' heads were lopped from their bodies. The bloodied bodies fell to the ground and were now the only barrier to the entrance before them.

As the bodies hit the ground, the laughter from within was replaced by a long, low growl. Only the darkness of the cave was there now to stave off their entry.

[tomcat]

"If we are to do this, we must now craft torches," said Esgalwen with a hint of trepidation in her voice.

She tried not to show it, but she was afraid. This was not the Elven encampment under the stars, where they last faced their foe. The cave was its lair and it had every advantage, and theirs seemed to be dwindling.

Morirúsë was still tired and fey, and now Grimbeorn showed evidence of a wound, though it was minor. They would need every ounce of strength, and even hope, to see this through.

What's more, they had not discussed as to how they could even kill this thing. The fell-spirit had lived for as many ages of Middle-earth as Morirúsë. How did you slay such a thing?

[Telcontar]

Morirúsë spoke, "We left the other lamp further back in case we needed it to lure the beast way, alas it may be too fragile for the task at hand. Pine knots and fire will serve us better. Here in its lair it is strongest, but here in its lair we should be able to slay it for good."

The elf was loathe to do so, but in this hour there was little left but to conquer or die. He bent his mind to the dark days, the Eldar Days, he threw back all the blocks of time and distance and laid bare all that he knew in his minds eye. All the pain, all the suffering, all the victories and defeats untempered and crisp without the passage of time or Elven sanctuaries which had made them bearable. Each moment again Morirúsë exposed himself to. He dove head first into his memory, all he knew, all he heard, to find the clue that would let his companions defeat this beast. Deeply he delved into the ancient lore of his people.

  Lore Check: Elven Lore, Orc Lore, Enemy of Sauron, Lore Skill. Opening everything into some clue on defeating this beast. Come on dice tell the story.

Lore 3d6

Rolled 1d12 : 2, total 2

Rolled 3d6 : 5, 2, 5, total 12

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Are we still in rounds or what's going on now?  Will the next actions be in the same encounter?