Black Webs, Dark Heart

[Eclecticon]

When Arbogast turns to the lanky Beorning, his face is ashen beneath the grime of travel.  "Your suggestion has merit, but we must not tarry here where the Shadow lies thick and heavy."  He points in a direction roughly parralel to the course of the stream.  "Perhaps fifty paces in that direction stands a hollow tree that may be large enough to shelter us, and to hide us from the spiders if we are careful." 

[tomcat]

Sorry, Paul! I guess it would have been nice if I responded to your inquiry from this AM. I was slammed today, but you are fine with your narrative and dialogue. Feel free to elaborate a bit more on it - I trust you will fill in Mirkwood's details without interfering in what threats are about.

I will get a game response up tomorrow at some point.

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn did nor question how the woodman knew about this place. He simply nodded and motioned for him to lead the way.

"Anar, this is deeper and darker than where the road goes in the north. We should not assume that we know its ways or the depth of its evil."

[tomcat]

Following Arbogast's lead, the companions moved in the direction of the old hollowed tree. The Fire-watcher remembered it being not far, but it seemed the sun continued its path across the sky as they searched. The Elf-path was left behind and they wondered if it would be easy to find once more.

One thing was certain to Hathcyn, he could no longer hear the river. As the marched, Amaswinta asked, "Is there a weapon I might have? I will make good use of it!"

At last, the hollow stood out among the other trees, rising into the canopy above but without anymore branches - just a trunk colored-green with moss and lichen. Dark was the inside and it was large enough to allow two-men to stand abreast. They could not defend from within, but they could ascertain that any threats would have to come from one direction.
Tests again... no penalty on this one for failure, other than not being successful 

TN  wisdom by PC

Amaswinta 3d 1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 3, 5, total 14

Anar 2d 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 2, total 6

Arbogast 4d 1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 4d6 : 3, 2, 1, 1, total 7

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

Hathcyn 3d 1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6 : 2, 1, 4, total 7

[tomcat]

I will wait for you to tell me your next moves.

I will tell you guys that time seems to be weird now. You are no longer sure how far from the river you marched, or even from where you cut Amaswinta free. Fatigue is slowly mounting on those that have failed their previous travel rolls, and dark feelings are entering the hearts of those that failed their last few corruption tests.

The forest clicks and buzzes with the sounds of strange insects and frogs. It is thicker here than anything you ever remember and it is gloom. The air is heavy and it seems to muffle the ears.

[GandalfOfBorg]

"Here," the Beorning says, handing the woman his hunting knife, but to her the size of a dagger.  "It's not much, but it is a good blade."
-----
"You rest," says Grimbeorn.  "I will keep the watch.  I cannot abide this evil place and no rest comes easily to me here."

[Eclecticon]

"Build no fire," Arbogast says to his companions.  "Though Amaswinta's freeing has doubtless been marked, it is possible that the evil things of this place know not yet where we have gone." 

As Grimbeorn positions himself at the mouth of the hollow, the Fire-watcher settles down into a fitful half-sleep.  It seems to him as if days and leagues flow back and forth like unseen currents in a still pond, bringing visions of companions present and past, living and dead.  All that he may be certain of is that Tylquin will not deign to let prey go easily.

[tomcat]

I will get a post up later today

[Eclecticon]

Lies!  LIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!

[tomcat]

Lies!  LIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!

LOL! Tough crowd around here.

[tomcat]

Some tests...

Fatigue**
TN 18 (or 13) by PC

Anar 2d 1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 3, total 6

Arbogast 3d 1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 5, total 14

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

Hathcyn 3d 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 4, 1, total 11

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

**The TN for this test can be reduced to 13 if Grimbeorn uses another of his stash of Honey-cakes

Corruption
TN 18 by PC

Anar 2d 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 4, total 9

Arbogast 4d 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 4d6 : 4, 3, 3, 5, total 15

Grimbeorn 5d 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 5d6 : 1, 6, 2, 5, 4, total 18

Hathcyn 2d 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5

Amaswinta 3d 1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 3, 3, total 11

[tomcat]

RESULTS

IF Grimbeorn uses a stash of his cakes this is the results, otherwise people will need to spend some Hope as listed:

• Anar will succeed with a 16 success (or will need to use a )
• Arbogast will succeed with a 16 success (or will need to use a )
• Grimbeorn rolled an and will have to spend a no matter what to save
• Hathcyn will succeed with a 15 success (or will need to use a )
• Amaswinta will succeed with a 16 success (or will need to use a )

• Anar fails and gains 2 Shadow (rolled an )
• Arbogast succeeds with a 23
• Grimbeorn succeeds with a 25
• Hathcyn fails and gains 1 Shadow (a will not help)
• Amaswinta succeeds with a 19

So - Matt, let me know if you use another Honey-cake option, and everyone else tell me if you are spending any if he does not. Matt, your PC is 1 away from becoming Miserable, you may want to take the Fatigue instead.

[tomcat]

The Company sat within the hollow of the tree, but rest was hard to achieve. The gloom of Mirkwood became thicker as the day passed until utter darkness replaced all.

Per Arbogast's instruction, no fire was set which made for a terrifying night filled with strange croaks and creaks, buzzing in ears that caused the watcher to jump and swat at some unseen thing, and an intense feeling that something watched them - a foul dark spirit that weaved terrible dark webs. It leeched into their spirits and they shivered under blankets due to more than just a chill.

If they whispered to one another, the sound of their voices seemed louder than intended, which caused them to clip off their words before the thought was complete. If they moved, the sound of crunching leaves and other detritus was horrible and surely signaled their location to anything that might be near.

Yet the only thing that bothered them through the night was the shadows and their own fears. Like a heavy blanket of despair laying over them all, each watcher sat in nervous silence as the night passed. But pass it did and slowly the darkness brightened into the gloom that was daytime under Mirkwood.

Grimbeorn reached into his pack and extended to each of the company one of his delicious twice-baked cakes, which quickly reduced the fatigue that weighed them down. Still the Beorning was moody and he seemed ready to snap on anyone that spoke. One of whom was the Dwarf, who also was having his fill of this journey.

"What do we wait for, Arbogast? You said that we should come here for safety and we have seen another night through in this dreadful forest, but what do we now wait for?

"Are we going to continue to seek the others of this foolish boat journey, or do we get this woman back to where she belongs? Can they possibly still be alive, those others that we have yet to find?"

Arbogast sat quietly as Anar grumbled. He looked around him. Where were they?

Yes, the old hollow was here, but how had he known that? Where were they within the forest?

The Fire-watcher looked left to where the river lay...no, it was that way, wasn't it? That is west, right?

Arbogast shook his head. It was getting to him! The forest was turning them around. The steps that they had taken under the boughs were longer than what he believed...or were they? Were they deeper within the Heart than he reckoned?

Outside of the hollowed tree, nothing looked familiar.

With a harrumph, Anar stood and walked from their camp to a discreet place where he relieved himself. "Should have gone back with the Rohirrim," he mumbled behind his tree.

[tomcat]

Tests again... no penalty on this one for failure, other than not being successful 

This is essentially a Wisdom test, but the only die that matters is the Feat die, so...

TN Wisdom by PC

Anar 1d12 : 11, total 11

Arbogast 1d12 : 7, total 7

Grimbeorn 1d12 : 1, total 1

Hathcyn 1d12 : 5, total 5

Amaswinta 1d12 : 10, total 10

[tomcat]

Yikes! Anar rolled an

I have to use that.

I will reply with more once I get some more dialogue. You guys are really starting to feel lost.

And let me nix any thoughts of maybe rolling an Explore or Lore test to try and sort out your positions. No PC can make an additional test beyond their normal Fatigue and Corruption while the spell affects are upon you all, and the only way to 'break' the spell affect is to roll a