Confrontation in the Gloom - Round 9

[Eclecticon]

Situation: The Fellowship has followed the servants of the Shadow to their lair beneath Lake-Town.

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

Situation Modifiers:
• The companions have the initiative. 

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The platform is slippery, but broad enough that characters are not in danger of falling.

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

STATUS

Arbogast Esgalwen Hathcyn Laeral

• 6 ( +3) • 6 • 7 • 8

• 2d ( +3) • 1d ( n/a) • 2d ( n/a) • 3d ( n/a)

• 10/16 • 10/14 • 8/13 • 9/12

• 0/26 • 27/27 • 11/29 • 20/28

Defensive Rearward Defensive Rearward

unconscious normal unconscious normal

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
The Haunter of the Lakeshore Bowman 1 Bowman 2 Bowman 3 Knifeman 1 Knifeman 2 Knifeman 3 Knifeman 4 Knifeman 5 Knifeman 6 Beorning Guard Beorning Warrior Wulfdan Broken-jaw Lake-Beast		• 6 • 4 • 4 • 4 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 4 • 4 • 5 • 4		• 2d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 2d • 2d • 3d • 2d		• 1/10 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 4/4 • 5/6		• 0/50 • 1/14 • 1/14 • 1/14 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 12/12 • 14/14 • 14/14 • 13/24 • 0/32		?? ?? ?? Dead Dead Dead Dead Dead Fleeing Dead

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry Defensive Maneuvers

Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat TN 12+ parry Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat; May not use if outnumbered 2:1 Rearward 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

[Eclecticon]

"You may as well know," calls the treacherous thegn, "that we found the woman Solveig working in the household of the Master of this town."  As his two warriors bend to lift the strongbox, he adds "she should be serving them their wine by now." 

[Eclecticon]

I should point out, in case it isn't clear, that Esgalwen sailed right through the roll to resist the Haunter's sorcery, and her will is entirely her own.

[tomcat]

TRAITOR!

Esgalwen screamed the word as anger took her. She cast off the chilling vision of the wraith, but it was the man's words that caused rage to consume her. She was tired of the fear she held in her heart since the battle of Stoneyford. She was tired of the specter of Orophin haunting her soul. She was tired of the treachery of Men that seemed to be malignant within the Vale.

Her hand moved as a blur as she snatched another arrow from her quiver and let it fly. If her friends were slain this day; if the King of Dale, whom she took oath to serve, died this day, there would be no place on this Middle-earth that the treacherous Beorning thegn could hide.

Arrow at Wuldan
TN 17 great bow 3d

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

7   edge: 10  injury: 16

[tomcat]

THOK!

The arrow embedded itself in a piling causing Esgalwen to look in surprise. Wulfdan gave a mocking grin as he watched his fellows haul at the strongbox.

Esgalwen reached once more to her quiver in hopes that the man would not get away.

[GandalfOfBorg]

The rage of the elf lessened not with the appearance of the Wulfdan.  In succession, she loosed her arrow in his direction.

 

Bow -  1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 4, 1, total 11

[GandalfOfBorg]

"Naught will your treasure be but a necklace of hemp about a traitor's neck!" Laeral spat.

[Eclecticon]

That's another good hit - good enough in fact that Wulfdan needs to roll to avoid being knocked off his part of the planks:
Athletics (TN 16)

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

[Eclecticon]

Though neither harms him overmuch, the sudden impact of an arrow near to his head and another square in his stomach is almost too much for Wulfdan, who teeters, arms all a-flail, for a second before collapsing back on to the tiny platform beneath the trap door, still slick with the blood of the man he slew there moments before.  Cursing, he rises, all mirth gone from his mien.  Pausing only to throw his sword up into the chamber above, he takes the rungs in hand and begins heaving himself up.  Behind him, his two hearth-men heave and grunt their way after him, the weight of the strongbox bowing the thick planks beneath them. 

No thought of pursuit can Esgalwen and Laeral entertain, however, while the Haunter still bars their way.  Once again, it turns the power of its black magic upon Esgalwen.  This time, she sees the pale, naked forms of the folk of Gondor herded into reeking holes by whip-wielding orcs, battened and grown huge on the flesh of the last Elves.  There, they languish in misery until one by one they are drawn forth and fed to the chosen people of Sauron, who bay and revel across the broken landscape of what once was Ithilien. 

Again, the command of the Haunter sounds in her mind like the slamming of the doors of tombs.  SERVE THE EYE.  SLAY THE ELF.


As before, Esgalwen needs to make a Corruption roll:

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 5d6 : 4, 5, 4, 4, 6, total 23

Also, I'm going to make Wulfdan roll his Athletics again to see whether he can get away before either Esgalwen or Laeral can get another shot at him:

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 6, 3, total 14

   

[Eclecticon]

Swift as a rat into its hole climbs Wulfdan, the heel of his boot vanishing just as the two women nock arrows to bowstrings. 


Esgalwen is shrugging off the Haunter's spell again without any apparent effort.  Doug, do you want to give us her reaction to it?

[tomcat]

I will give you a post in about an hour.

[tomcat]

The icy grip of fear reaches out to grab her once more, but again she dismisses the gloom that tries to veil her eyes. Whether it be the presence of Laeral that emboldened her or the noble blood that ran through her veins, she scoffed the Nazgûl.

"Begone foul dwimmerlaik! The blood of Westernesse and the courage of kings keeps me! And I will defy you to my end."