FELLOWSHIP PHASE -

[tomcat]

Fellowship Phase... each PC is awarded:

Each PC will earn the number of AP equal to what is checked off on their sheet plus 8

Each PC will earn 8 XP

Holdings roll may be made by those who have them.


• if the die roll result is equal to or less than the Holding's rating, you earned enough income to keep your PC's current standard of living.

• if the roll is greater than the rating, the PC gains his standard of living and treasure equal to the difference of the die roll and the rating.

• if the roll is , the PC earns his standard of living and the rating of the holding is reduced by 1 due to some good fortune.

• if the roll is , the holding suffers some disaster of misfortune. If the hero does not take action the next Fellowship Phase, the holding may be destroyed, or have its rating increase

[tomcat]

You guys can also determine what the Fellowship pool was and distribute as desired.

I will come up with a Fellowship Phase name later so you guys can reference it more easily.

• All Esgalwen could afford was to increase her Awe 

[Telcontar]

I'm in discussion with Paul about a PC, so no updates for me. The elf is going to go back into the pool of NPCs as I feel his narrative roll has been met and Doug hit all the major themes of the character concept. I feel confident the right place for him is in the wings, perhaps to resurface at a later date when fate again gives him a part to play. Personally I met the intent of the character being an arrogant ass so thank you everyone for tolerating that.  I too prefer that the group go back to being a more internally merry band. 

[tomcat]

to answer your previous question, Tom...

is the lamp recoverable

No.

Like Moriruse, it has served the story. The stones that were within it were reignited by the PC's, but they have been returned to Arda, via Ulmo. His waters will carry them back to Valinor where they will remain the treasures of the Noldor and the First Age.

That said, the cave will glow for a good long time as the light is carried into it by the waterfall. It will now be considered a sanctuary that will last until the end of the Third Age and then fade as all things Elven will.

[Telcontar]

MARK IT ON THE MAP! We may need that spot in the future because walking a lot sucks.

[tomcat]

Done

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast has managed to finish up the last Adventuring Phase with 30 AP.  I'll spend 12 to bring his Battle up to four, nine to bring his Inspire up to 3 and eight to bring Awe up to 2.  I'm banking his XP.  

Holding roll:

1d12 : 6, total 6

Weal and Woe roll:

1d12 : 12, total 12

Putting on my shiny new Loremaster hat, I'll let you all know for narrative purposes that this winter is an especially hard one - all Holding ratings are increased by one.  Arbogast's little clan, being beside the Black Tarn, increases its rating by 3.  

The next Adventuring phase won't get started until the early autumn of 2953, so there's plenty of time for two Fellowship phase undertakings.  Since the company helped Bofri retrieve the Staff of the Roadwarden, you can, if you wish, join in the effort to restore the Old Forest Road.  This will be a years-long effort, requiring the Fellowship as a whole to dedicate an undertaking to each of the following:
- clearing the road
- restoring the wayforts
- restoring the road
- patrolling the nearby woods, and
- acting as messengers to drum up trade.  

This doesn't produce any mechanical benefit until the road is complete.  

Feel free to discuss whether or not you want to do this.  I've been in favour of this for a while, but I'm a government bureaucrat and get easily excited by public works projects.  

[Posterboy]

I've been in favour of this for a while, but I'm a government bureaucrat and get easily excited by public works projects. 

This has made me smile a lot today!

[Eclecticon]

Okay, I'm going to go ahead and assume that all the likes piled up on that last post weren't just directed at my self-deprecation, and that recovery of the road is now a going concern.  That will account for most of the time between the spring of 2953 and the commencement of the Adventuring Phase (not to mention providing an excellent opportunity for the introduction of Tom's new character). 

There's still plenty of time for another undertaking each, though, so let's get those vignettes happening.  There's a lot of interesting things to hear about - the Men of Tyrant's Hill, who we last heard from in 2949, the slide of Kolbein toward the Shadow and the arrival of a new hero on the scene. 

Those who took part in the search for Ruthiel also have 20 points of Treasure apiece to play around with. 

[Telcontar]

Bandy makes it rain, and builds a pimp smial with tobacco as far as his hobbit eyes can see. with a sturdy fence...

[tomcat]

Esgalwen will probably use a Fellowship phase to visit Dale and meet King Bard.

More to come...

[Eclecticon]

A quick reminder for those of you looking for something to do - Doug has posted a pdf of all the (canonical) undertakings published so far here.

[Eclecticon]

The way home is hard, and the bitter cold makes the journey through Mirkwood into a trek through a dead land devoid of light and warmth.  Yet Arbogast persists, driven forward by a longing, greater than the need for rest, to see his family once more.  He finds his way south by memory, by half-heard snatches of the speech of night-birds and, where all else fails, by intuition and guesswork.  His intimate knowledge of Mirkwood does not fail him, nor does the vision from the Elven fountain leave him without hope. 

In this fashion, he arrives once more at Black Tarn Hall, still and silent beneath the snow.  Yet he smells wood smoke on the breeze and notes with approval that the palisade, damaged by the Blood Moon raiders, has been repaired.  He goes to knock on the gates, but as he does he spies a figure alone on the frozen lake, leaping and twirling on the ice in a way he cannot hope to emulate.  It is only the habit borne of many battles that causes him not to drop his war gear and travelling supplies and run to the shore. 

As it is, he makes his way down to stand where ice meets sand, noticing as he does the two smaller figures, tufts of blond hair escaping from their furry hoods, playing nearby.  Their tiny feet move with complete confidence across the ice, stopping here and there to crouch and examine some new and fascinating treasure of the wintry world. 

Warily, Arbogast makes his way across the ice towards them.  It is not long before the two children hear him.  One (Cyffa, he suspects, though he has no way of knowing for sure) waddles towards him, an ice-covered reed head in her hand, extended for his inspection and approval.  The other girl watches with deep, solemn eyes.  Transfixed, Arbogast takes the reed from the girl.  "Thank you," he says, through a grin of hopeless love. 

At the sound, the ice-dancer turns, her hand moving toward a dagger at her belt at the sight of an armed man.  But the Fire-watcher's face is familiar to her even across such a distance, and instead of screaming for help, Lindwine cries out with joy and rushes to embrace him.  "Lafwyne, Cyffa, this man is your father!  Husband, you have been gone so long!"  She fixes him with a level look.  "Your supper went cold." 

Arbogast's grin widens still further, and he embraces her back.  And so they stay for a time until Cyffa, unintentionally denied the return of her new plaything, begins to cry. 


A little more to follow.

[tomcat]

I am really glad nothing has happened to Arbogast's family and relationship.

I think about the show Vikings and how long stints away mean new men or women to the primary characters, and though probably sound in the reasoning, it takes from the characters.

Above is very much a positive for the setting. It is more Tolkien.

Love and friendships prevail no matter time and distance.

[Telcontar]

And just like that the outgoing Loremaster put the jinx on a whole community.