The Lair - round 6

[tomcat]

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

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast 0/1
• Esgalwen 1/2

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 10/12 6/12 8/10 MISERABLE	• • • •	26/26 19/27 15/31 00/28 UNCONSCIOUS	• • • •	Forward Defensive Defensive Inactive

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Warg 1 Warg 2 Warg 3 Warg 4 Great Warg 1 Great Warg 2 Mornhûn [WoM]	• • • • • • •	6 6 6 6 8 8 9	• • • • • • •	3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 3d 4d	• • • • • • •	2/3 2/3 2/3 3/3 5/5 5/5 12/12	• • • • • • •	0/18 DEAD 0/18 DEAD 0/18 DEAD 0/18 DEAD 0/42 DEAD 35/42 58/75	• • • • • • •	n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a fighting party fighting party

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]

Esgalwen knelt by the unconscious Elf, looking to his wounds but holding Nimronyn at the ready.

In front of her, Grimbeorn and Arbogast were making fast work of the dire warg and beyond them the chamber now sparkled. The light from the fallen torches cast out and was striking something that caused it to grow in intensity and scintillate throughout the room. It had the affect of somewhat reducing the darkness of the den. Perhaps their hope lay within the chamber beyond, from which the sound of water was plainly heard.

Even as she held the Elf and kindled her spirit, two more shapes slinked from the the shadowy corridors. One was large like the other that her friends did fight - the other was monstrous and the darkness clung to it like a cloak. She could barely see its form, but knew that it hungered for her body and soul.

Esgalwen quickly brought her sword up, "Back, Cur of Shadows!"

FEEBLE! FEEBLE IS THE BLOOD OF MEN AND ELVES! came the sudden answer, crashing into all of their minds. YOU HAVEN'T THE METTLE TO ORDER ME!

The Ranger quickly rose to her feet to oppose the onslaught that came upon her.
You may all change your stances, if you'd like, even though the enemy get the first actions.

Esgalwen immediately goes Defensive

[tomcat]

The werewolf and wargs attack...

Mornhûn attacks Esgalwen
TN 21 bite 4d+8

1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 4d6+8 : 4, 2, 3, 4 + 8, total 21

8   edge: 10  injury: 16

Great Warg 1 attacks Grimbeorn
TN 27* bite 3d

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 4, 3, total 13

*Defensive bonus from die sacrifice in last round

8   edge: 10   injury: 14

Great Warg 2 will maneuver this round to attack the two men.

[tomcat]

The mighty Mornhûn slammed its mass into Esgalwen and the air was crushed from her lungs. The monster was huge and its maw was there to tear her in half. She screamed in terror, but allowed the fear to guide her hands and to stab her Elf-runed sword into its hulk.
RESULTS

• Esgalwen is hit for 8 loss

Esgalwen is in Defensive stance; she will use her remaining bonus die on this attack
TN 21 longsword 5d

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 5d6 : 2, 6, 4, 5, 3, total 20

11   edge: 8   injury: 18

[tomcat]

She hits!

• Mornhûn is hit with a 28 success and suffers 17 and needs to make a protection test TN 18

Protection test
TN 18 armour 4d

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 3, 2, 4, total 15

[tomcat]

"You are tired and fading from this world, but it is not yet your time. Soon you may rest in the House of Mandos, but it is not this day. Our sacrifices made for our sins has been great. Long have we watched the world fade around us, all the while striving with our power to maintain what once was. Soon Middle-earth will be left to the Second-born and they will carry forward the burdens of preserving it and keeping it."

Morirúsë opened his eyes to the voice and saw her standing brightly before him, her golden hair hanging long over her left shoulder. Galadriel had a pleasant, forgiving smile as she knelt to take his hand.

"Where...?"

Ghostly shapes moved around him. It was obvious that three were people - Men...and one of them a woman. They moved in a terrible dance of slow motion against monstrous black shapes. Distantly he heard a scream. They were dying.

"You are here, on the borders of leaving Middle-earth for the holy land of Aman," said the Elf princess. "I cannot make you stay, Morirúsë... you must decide." With her question left unanswered, Galadriel stood and walked across the chamber. It was a cave. It shone with a light of both Anor and Ithil that came from the farthest corner. The Elfess moved to where water tumbled down from above - a waterfall - and she gathered it quickly into a vase, which she carried. Moving back to him, Galadriel offered the carafe, which now shone brightly, too.

"Blessed by Ulmo in the light of the moon and sun - but only you can drink it. Will you?"

Morirúsë looked at the water dripping from the lip of the vase. He looked at the hell that was around him in shadow. In the corner was the light - within it was freedom of the burdens of everything.

[tomcat]

Also - I do need everyone to make a Corruption test TN 20 for being inside this blighted hole in the mountain.

Esgalwen
TN 20 wisdom by PC

Arbogast 4d 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 4d6 : 1, 2, 4, 6, total 13

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

Grimbeorn 5d 1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 5d6 : 4, 2, 4, 4, 6, total 20

Morirúsë 2d 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 6, total 10

[tomcat]

RESULTS

• Arbogast passes with a 21

• Esgalwen will spend 1 to pass with a 27    

• Grimbeorn passes with a 21

• What will Morirúsë do?

[Posterboy]

  Is Arbogast allowed to make a Sweeping Blow against the two great wargs? And if yes, would that mean he would roll the feat die plus 2d6 or 3d6 for his attack?

[Telcontar]

  I'll have a post up later, this was a development I had not expected.

[Telcontar]

Morirúsë looked at the light and the path. He knew it meant waiting, for perhaps an age or more of the world, but in it also were his friends and comrades. He saw there gathered many he once knew and he saw upon their brow the peace of the west, their closeness with Arda. The shadows danced in the cave and he saw them only dimly. They meant too a path of waiting, a longer road of pain, war and death. That second road that led back into the cave led also back to the wonder of Middle-earth. A broad land of many things that were and would yet be. There too in the cave he heard the sound of the water, and though he missed it at first now in his present state he heard clearly the echo of Ulmo in it. This place in which his friends fought was not wholly lost from the late and hope. Hope there was even there in the dark cave inhabited by the fell beasts of old.

The Noldo elf looked at the lady and focused on her.

"I will not go into the west as Morirúsë. Though long I have walked that path if the choice is before me I will not go as the sword arm of Caranthir. I will return to aid the Aftercomers, and give them what strength and wisdom remain to me. Morirúsë must pass, I shall be Arakánion, as I was once of old, before the wars changed us all. But tell me lady, I rushed foolhardy into this fight seeking my death and have brought others with me. How are we to kill this beast so that he remains dead? Tell me this so that I may save my friends and the whisper of Ulmo be proven true to me. For here near the water I lay, and here again I hear his voice and remember the words of his messenger to not despair in the end."

[tomcat]

"The object of its undoing lies before you," answered the Golden Lady. "Foolishly the beast, in its vanity, has thought it could undo the creations of our master smiths. Yes, it is marred, but the power of the Noldor still resides within and it can be drawn forth. Hope is the key - and it will depend upon all of you."

Arakánion drank from the offered carafe and he felt the power of Ulmo flow through him. Strength and endurance kindled that he had not felt since before the breaking of Arda.

"Do not fritter away this gift that is given, for my strength ebbs here and I can help no more."

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn sees the fallen elf.  As if far away, he hears the cry of Esgalwen in her struggle with the great beast of darkness.  Arbogast pits himself against the remaining two wargs.  The situation appeared dire, hopeless even, but he wouldn't let the fey feeling fall over him for there was too much anger, too much of the beast within him to even acknowledge the loss of hope.  It was not in his nature to despair and so he pressed forth.  The light just won't die with him.  Where pragmatism should've been, a more primal force was unleashed and he threw himself, more bear than man into the fray.  It was a side of him that his friends had only seen glimpses of but had been growing more and more over these years.

  Stance Defensive, Action Defensive Fighting 1d
 

Greater Warg 1 Axes -  1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 1, 6, total 12

[Telcontar]

  ok story guy where is my guy at?

[tomcat]

Is Arbogast allowed to make a Sweeping Blow against the two great wargs? And if yes, would that mean he would roll the feat die plus 2d6 or 3d6 for his attack?

Hey Paul, he can, but I will negate his weapon's Cleaving ability for this turn if you use that maneuver. Cool?

ok story guy where is my guy at?

Hey Tom, going to give you that information now.