FELLOWSHIP PHASE - YEAR END 2955

[tomcat]

Really great stuff, guys!!

Christmas has me running around crazy. I will have the new game threads up by tomorrow.

[Eclecticon]

It is early evening, Arbogast feels, when he approaches Grimbeorn's fire, though deep as they are in Mirkwood it could just as easily be noon or midnight.  The son of Beorn sits alone in a wordless reverie.  Not that many would have desired to share his company.  The tale of Gemma's slaying has spread far and wide, the infamy of the deed matched only by the meting out of vengeance upon the thralls of the Enemy, of which even those close to Grimbeorn speak only in hushed voices.  Arbogast, however, knows better than to be daunted by his friend's wrath, for well does he know the cries of those wounded in the heart.  The prince of the Bear-folk has yet his wounds to lick. 

And yet, such a man is Grimbeorn that a direct question will, the Fire-watcher knows, elicit nothing more than gruff dismissal, for he has yet his pride.  So it is that Arbogast arrives, uninvited and unannounced, to seat himself within the ring of dancing fire-light.  He holds out a skin of mead to his companion in silent offer, and cocks an eyebrow when the two Men's eyes briefly meet.  No word does he speak, however.  It is for Grimbeorn to break the silence. 


Further vignettes will be posted until my demands are met. 

Also, both Grimbeorn and Hathcyn have an additional Undertaking to choose before we move on to the next chapter. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn will spend his points to improve his weapon skill.

Holding roll was a six as noted above. I mistakenly referred to it as a Weal and Woe roll. I'll make an actual weal and Woe roll here.

Undertakings:
Improve the Forest Road
Guard the Old Ford

Weal roll

Rolled 1d12 : 8, total 8

Guard the Old Ford Roll

Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5

[Telcontar]

Gain 5 treasure for Hathcyn

I confused AP and XP, I don't have enough to raise my weapon skill. I will take Valour 2 though and take Protection Mastery (+1D) to his armor type.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn's other Undertaking is to change Distinctive Feature from "Honorable" to "Hardened".

[tomcat]

Okay - are we all done here?

Are your PC sheets updated with the end of this year for all new picks and effects from Year-End phase?

Please make sure.

Paul - with your Undertaking towards the road, what do we have left to finish? I have lost the thread where I was keeping track of the re-build.

I am writing out the new intro for our new chapter, but I need some answers from each:

Do your PC's return home before the year's end and the new beginning? Or will they be living among the laborers of the Road when the call to the north is answered? Paul, did Lindwine and the kids accompany you to the Road work, and are they coming with Arbogast to the north?

Once you all reply, I will tweak the new intro and make the new chapter post.

[GandalfOfBorg]

I believe Grimbeorn is updated.
Grimbeorn is living on the Road.

[tomcat]

Hey Tom, I have a lot of confusion with Hathcyn's build to date.

This Fellowship Phase you are buying Valour, but Valour does not give Masteries - you need to buy Wisdom. Also, the Mastery extends you a Mastery die on the roll, which means you roll three success dice and keep the best two.

Let me know what you are going to do.

[tomcat]

Never mind, Paul, I found my notes on the road:

FELLOWSHIP SUMMATION

Arbogast
• Increased Explore to 4
• Holding roll was a 3 - earned base Standard of Living; narrative gave the details
• Weal and Woe roll was a 4  Quiet of the World - narrative gave the details
• Undertakings - 1) Song to reduce corruption but had no result 2) Restored the road (4 of 5)

Hathcyn
• Purchased Valour 2 and gains TBD
• Holding roll was a 6 - earned base Standard of Living; narrative gave the details
• Weal and Woe roll was an 8 Blessings - narrative gave the details
• Undertakings - 1) Guard the Old Ford 2) Act as messenger to drum up trade for the road (1 of #)

Grimbeorn
• Purchased Valour 5 and gained Cunning Armor (-2 enc)
• Weal and Woe was an for a life-changing Ill Fortune - he is married and his new-bride is slain before the ceremony is finished
• Undertakings 1) Change distinctive feature from Honorable to Hardened 2) Restored the road (5 of 5 COMPLETED)

[Eclecticon]

Okay - are we all done here?

<SNIP>

Do your PC's return home before the year's end and the new beginning? Or will they be living among the laborers of the Road when the call to the north is answered? Paul, did Lindwine and the kids accompany you to the Road work, and are they coming with Arbogast to the north?

Standard practice has been for Arbogast's family to accompany him north while he's been working on the Road.  They would have finished the eastern end of that (the Road ends in the Long Marshes, right near the Celduin river, so there's probably a pier or two for merchants to bring their cargo to before loading it on to wains or pack animals for the overland leg of the journey) and pressed on to Esgaroth, like a lot of MotL workers returning to their homes. 

EDIT: What time of year is the new chapter beginning?  I wouldn't mind doing a little bit of narration about how these dirt-poor Woodmen find their first experience of Lake-Town.

[tomcat]

The book has the chapter adventure starting in November, at the festival of the Dragon fall, so since you guys have your families and worked on the road for so long, I am going to go ahead and start the new chapter in Fall of 2966 - as I have a few things I want to add to the primary DOM story.

So this will all work out nicely.

Keep in mind when you add your narrations, with you on the eastern end of the road, to include the transit of merchants from Sunstead to Laketown, to Dale, to Esgaroth and back, along with those that are now daring the Dwarf road. Also include the strange sights you all see of the Dorwinions and the Easterlings that also caravan through the region. The trade is opening even though the world is getting darker, so people might be more insular to their own kind - doing business with others, but not trusting everyone.