Bright Days and Dark Words - the First Day

[Eclecticon]

Seeing that Esgalwen shares his suspicions, Arbogast raises his voice from the floor.  "For many years have we at the Black Tarn known the neighbourly fellowship of King Mogdred," he says.  "In all this time, he has sent no messenger but men-at-arms, to harry those who seek to build lives beneath the Wood.  He has shared not grain nor ale, and while he has demanded wives for his warriors he has not deigned to allow my folk to pay handgeld for the women he claims to protect."

Looking now directly at King Bard and ignoring the fury on Mogdred's face, he concludes "I tell you truly, Mogdred is no fit guardian of the road, for he seeks to keep and hold to himself all that he can grasp.  Why should such a one help folk move to the east, when he could have them fill his coffers and swell his host?  Should you place the road under his control, it will become a gateway that permits travel only in the one direction."


Arbogast will roll Persuade, since he has a particular target in mind.  You may feel free to do the same.

00 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 4d6 : 5, 5, 5, 1, total 16

[tomcat]

Great roll!
Esgalwen felt her breath clutch in her chest, as Arbogast spoke out to the hall. She did not expect him to confront Mogdred directly before his... peers?

Her hand reached out to grab her friend's arm and she gripped it tightly, not knowing why. Did she mean to restrain him from his directness? Did she not want this hornet's nest to be kicked? Was she now afraid for her friend?

The rush of questions that filled her mind also cleaved her tongue to the roof of her mouth, even as the ire of Mogdred became visible upon his face. The self-named king stared in their direction and her eyes met his and she saw the same cruelty that he had displayed in times past.

Releasing Arbogast's arm, Esgalwen resolved herself and the noble mien of her birth replaced her sudden panic. "The Fire-watcher speaks the truth and greatly should this matter of the road be addressed and debated. The Anduin Vale is nothing more than small independent fiefs. Should offerings of opportunity create an exodus from the vale, those that stay behind will be less likely to have a voice - or at least the strength to have a voice. And should the very passage that provides the accessibility to come and go be controlled by those that would gain by this exodus - then that passage becomes a gate that traps those inside and those without.

"These past years, the Woodmen and Beornings have toiled alongside the Dwarves of the Mountain to restore the Mirkwood road. Certainly the Dwarves have the say as to what shall be done with said road, but do not discount the labors given by Men. I ask, give them a voice, too, in this decision. Let Grimbeorn speak for his people, along with the chieftains of Woodland Hall and Woodmen Town, as well as Mountain Hall. Certainly their labors and the stability they provide both along the path and its western-end are something to be accounted."

Seeing that she must try to also give something back to Mogdred, Esgalwen continued, "And though we debate his placement as keeper of the road, we cannot discount the efforts of Mogdred and the Men of Tyrant's Hill. Long have they been the wall that stands between the Free-folk and the darkness. It is a hard task that asks for great sacrifice - a task we of Gondor know too well. Whatever be decided, make sure it is for the benefit of all so as to unify the people of Mountain, Lake, Wood, and Vale."

Esgalwen fell silent, though she prayed that her diplomatic skills learned these years as a voice for her Steward would help in the debate. That her words would help steer all of these leaders to wisdom.
I am going to make a Persuade roll, too, but pair it with her Fair trait which makes her appealing to all races - and thus they might not dismiss her as not one of their own.

TN ?? persuade 3d

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 2, 5, total 8

[tomcat]

Well that is a handy roll! 

Just an FYI - the fear that gripped her of a sudden at the start of my post is her Idle flaw that she has from her Bout of Madness back at the battle of Stoneyford.

Self-assuredness is now inconsistent with Esgalwen.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn smirks to imperceptibly to himself, bemused at his friends weighing in (and rightly) regarding these matters.  He watches around the dais to the reactions of the others before speaking, no need to pile on.

[Eclecticon]

Let's see what he can make out without opening his mouth. 

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 5, 5, total 11

[Eclecticon]

To Grimbeorn's right, Gailar of Woodland Hall is nodding slightly before Esgalwen even finishes speaking, clearly gratified by the recognition of the years of labour dedicated by her kinfolk to the restoration of the road.  To his right, King Bard regards Arbogast and Esgalwen neutrally, his expression unreadable.  Beneath his rich robe, however, his knee twitches ever so slightly, and he steals glances at Mogdred from the corners of his eyes.  If he is not fully convinced not to accept Mogdred's demands, then the seeds of doubt have at least been planted and their roots are spreading. 


Doug, I'm using Esgalwen's Fair trait to let her start talking without a successful introduction.   

Mechanically, things are pretty promising so far.  You have one Council member fully convinced to take your side of things (two, assuming Grimbeorn is so inclined  ) and another well on the way.  Only one failure. 

<SNIP>
Just an FYI - the fear that gripped her of a sudden at the start of my post is her Idle flaw that she has from her Bout of Madness back at the battle of Stoneyford.

Self-assuredness is now inconsistent with Esgalwen.

Arbogast is likewise speaking with more resentment of Mogdred than he otherwise might.  He really has no proof of any wrongdoing on the part of Tyrant's Hill. 

Drama drama drama drama drama!

[tomcat]

"We thank you, Lady Esgalwen and Master Arbogast of the Black Tarn, for your words and will take all under advisement as we continue. Two years now has this lady of Gondor served my court as both an emissary from the court of Ecthelion II in Minas Tirith and as warrior among the ranks of Dale-men - I hold her to be true of both word and heart, and would recommend others to do the same."

There were a few mumbled voices on the dais at Bard's statement, but it was Grimbeorn who gave a heartily voiced agreement. "As are the words of the Fire-watcher of the Tarn!"

The room erupted with clapping and cheers for those who knew them and had fought beside them, but the Master of Laketown quieted all with a raised hand. "We appreciate their offerings, but the council must maintain order so that we - as the chiefs of our clans - may discuss and debate."

The king of Dale quietly agreed and he rose, "Perhaps Lady Esgalwen, you might take my wife, the queen, to our apartment within the town and see she is safe?"

Esgalwen, not knowing if she was being dismissed for her words, nodded politely and looked to Queen Una who smiled. The room and dais returned to the matter of the council, as the Ranger gathered her items and her charge. She looked to her friend, "I will be in the Reed's Shallow - a pub off the market square - if you would like to meet me. I feel the need to wander the town quays. Gandalf's words have me on edge."

Arbogast knew the place. He gave a nod of understanding.

[tomcat]

The beer was rich and hoppy and it warmed her from the inside. She decided to slow down with her second, tearing at a small loaf of bread she had purchased and munching on its crust. Her eyes were forward, but she was watching the crowd within the Shallow Tavern. It was a well-visited locale by the fisher-folk and other residents of Laketown. Esgalwen knew if there were strange activities going on within the town, or on the lake and shores, it would be these people that told the stories.

Even with winter setting in and the ice forming across the great expanse of water, the fishermen were still busy. Some had small boats from which they cast their nets to bring in the bait fish, and others had their multiple poles that hung off their own boats, or leaned along the many pilings of the town. Some labored as ice breakers - strong men with heavy bars of metal, pointed at one end, who took on the dangerous task of walking the ice and cutting it away from the town and clearing passages for boats. The effect was to have quite a few large chunks of ice floating atop the water, which was dangerous for the boats, but necessary to keep commerce possible in the cold months. The draw of the southern falls on Long Lake assisted somewhat in keeping the flow-ice moving south.

"That took a while," she said not looking up at Arbogast who appeared from the crowd. Beside him was Hathcyn - the Beorning eyeing her bread and stout.

"I had some things to do. One being a stop to see the girls."

Esgalwen turned to smile at Arbogast at the mention of his wife and children. "They are well?"

He nodded a grateful reply as he swung a leg over a chair that sat empty. Hathcyn followed suit, breaking off a piece of the bread loaf. Esgalwen gave him a wink and pushed it towards him.

[tomcat]

I do not know what the story arc is leading to, but I thought I would add some fill for our PC's as we do things around the town. Esgalwen walked the docks for a while, looked out along the shores of the lake to the north and south - Gandalf's words of things gathering along the shores prompting this. Then she came back to the tavern to meet her friends if they came and to warm up.

I will continue these narratives and dialogues if nothing is happening for us at the moment, but please fill in with any notes on what we might find, hear, see, or other potential dangers (or blessings).

Here is an awareness test to see how attentive she is to the crowd - or if anything is revealing.

TN ?? awareness 2d

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 2, total 6

[tomcat]

Yikes! An

That could be either an absolute fail or maybe Paul will bring some dark dangers into our world.

And as usual, Esgalwen really brings out some great rolls when she is attempting to do ANYTHING to help move the story along. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn felt at home in any taverna nd this was one was no exception.

"Mogdred's in town, I better have a beer before his presence spoils that too. The dwarves weren't to keen on my idea of hiring guards for the road from the workers, but they will be less keen with the Lord of Tyrant Hill. I also doubt they will take kindly to any other than dwarves mailing any decisions about their road either. They will need someone though. I doubt they have the resources or the desire to guard the road with companies of dwarves." 

[Eclecticon]

The conversation in the small common room of the Shallow stills for a moment as the looming form of Grimbeorn fills the doorway, then warily resumes as he makes his way toward the table where his companions are gathered - one more foreigner in a town ever filled with them. 

Hathcyn is the first to greet him.  "Welcome, my kinsman and my lord!  We have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that the threat from the shadows does not manifest itself in the form of poisoned bread, nor spoiled ale."  Grimbeorn cannot help but grin at his fox-blooded friend. 

"The business of the Council is over, then?" Arbogast asks. 

"For the night," Grimbeorn replies around a mouthful of ale.  "I've sat through more speeches now than I thought it possible for Men to make, and all to end up where we started."  At the expectant looks of the fellowship, he elaborates.  "None of the Council, save Mogdred himself, thought it wise to place the protection of the road in the hands of Tyrant's Hill.  Erebor will honour the promise made by Bófri the Roadwarden that we would share in the tolls as a reward for our efforts in its restoration, and in its defence." 

"Good news indeed," exclaims Hathcyn "for the honour of Erebor and our purses both." 

Grimbeorn grunts in blunt agreement.  "Then the Dwarf Bifur got up and argued long and hard for more road-building!  It seems there was a road that stretched from the River Running to the gates of the Iron Hills." 

Arbogast raises an eyebrow.  "And?" 

The answer comes as a shrug.  "If it gets built, it won't be at the command of the Council.  I'd say the Dwarves don't need any help laying their stones across open country."  He sighs, the weariness of long hours of boredom evident in the slouch of his shoulders and the droop of his eyelids.  "Then the Council withdrew to a private room – the Justice Chamber, they called it – and talked about whether they should invite another to join them." 

Esgalwen, her interest piqued, says "Indeed!  Who did they have in mind?" 

"The chieftain of the horse-folk in the southern vales.  But nobody knew where to find him, so it came to naught."  His ire at last fading as his frustrations are told of, he looks to his friends.  "Tell me, at least, that you have discovered something worthwhile." 

Now it is the turn of the Dúnadan to scowl at memories.  "Pah!  Not a thing besides fishwives dumping guts in the lake and many a pair of closed lips.  Still," she adds, "I saw the Elf Laeral making her own patrol.  Perhaps she will turn up what I could not." 

"Perhaps indeed," agrees Arbogast.  "The Elves who dwell in this town are withdrawn and wary, but they may speak to her, and their eyes are ever open." 

"And they see better than those of Men in the moonlight." 

[Eclecticon]

As her companions greet each other in the Reed's Shallow, Laeral strides the narrow streets by the docks of Lake-Town, her feet falling soft as prayers on the well-weathered timbers.  If Men are doing the Shadow's bidding, she thinks, then it will be done beneath the cloak of darkness, when they suppose no other folk to be about. 

And indeed, all across the town the lights in windows are beginning to disappear as inhabitants and guests alike judge their remaining business not to be worth the cost of a candle.  Only in a few inns and alehouses, she guesses, will lights burn long into the night.  To the eyes of the Firstborn, however, there is still much to see, and still more signs reach her keen ears.  Well does she mark the passing of cats from rooftop to alleyway, and the muffled sounds of bed-borne seekers after slumber.  But by the bright light of the moon, something else is yet abroad: a boat, heralded by the creaking of strong oars and weary rowers alike, makes its way against the current toward the riverside tollhouse.   

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn took another long draw off a beer mug.
"Well i have learned spear fishing and if we are here much longer it looks like I'll be able to try ice fishing as well. Apparently they walk about on the frozen water and fish through chipped holes. These folk delight in walking above the water upon any platform, in any season."

Hathcyn left the table a moment and came back with smoked fish, a local dish he had taken a liking to. He passed the plate around and took no offense when Esgalwen and the Fire Watcher turned their noses up at the smoked dish.

"I'd like to see this Dale they speak of, the waterways, and the stone. People of mountain and lake making a city together. I am sure it is a thing to see. Esgalwen you have been to Dale?"

She rose to the question and regaled him with tales of fountains and waterways and comparing them to cities he never heard of in the south and he picked up from her discourse that some of the cities she compared to Dale no longer even existed. Though he listed politely eating smoked fish and then pickled turtle eggs....

"So. What are we to do? We never solved the mystery of the swamp trolls. Should we had out again against a known foe or do we sit and wait for the barmaids to reveal themselves as enemies of the people and cast dire spells agains the ale? I have not the skill or position to speak in council and I'm sure that day after day it will not be necessary for me to hold the banner of the bear in a stuffy hall. Fell deeds and action have always been the stock of the heroes of our folk. So shall we choose a direction and sally forth?" 

Hathcyn paused a moment in thought. "Grimbeorn, not all the Thanes here of like mind as you, and I am sure they all came for reasons of their own. Perhaps its worth seeing what factions are about. This may also be an opportunity for you to honor them by taking counsel of them, see who wants what."

[Eclecticon]

I'm putting Laeral on autopilot again so that we don't lose momentum. 

Stealth

1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 4, 5, total 10