A Cold Welcome

[Eclecticon]

Just as the sight of a warm fire and the scent of cooking supper may bring undone a traveller who has stoically endured many miles of hard journeying, so the mention of a place of shelter, it seems, is enough to break the resolve of many of those who followed the Fellowship of the Helm into battle.  The first to flee is the flaxen-haired youth who joined them at the hall of Gelvira, who turns his back on the half-seen foe and sprints for the safety of the nearby steading's wooden walls, his boots sliding and slipping in the muck.  More and more follow him, some no doubt with the same thought, others seeking to protect their kinfolk lest their headlong flight provoke a sudden pursuit.  Within seconds, the small company is on the verge of a rout. 

Then, just above the din of the rain, a young man's voice carries across the field: "The gate is shut!  The gate is shut against us!"

[tomcat]

"What's this?" said Esgalwen to no one in particular.

She held her sword at her side and turned from the enemy to look back upon the homestead. It was dark in the rain and offered little comfort. In fact, in her heart grew fear that this was all a trap. The wargs and orcs had pursued them, pushing them forward. Did they know that the Company would make for this fastness? Was it their plan to drive them here and have us stumble into their trap?

Esgalwen looked at Hathcyn, "Something is wrong here!"

"Everything is wrong here!" came his reply.

The ranger pointed to distant field where she knew the hounds of Sauron still slinked along with their orc companions, "Keep a watch to the field and I will check this gate."

She then sheathed Nimronyn and brought her bow to hand, nocking an arrow as she did. With that, she ran after the Woodmen that sought refuge.

[Telcontar]

"Break the gate if you must." Came his cold reply.

Hathcyn watched her go and with the stout men set a rear guard that slowly made their way to the gate while watching the wood and keeping good order.

[tomcat]

Esgalwen looked at the gates of the homestead shut tight to any that might approach. The young man at her side - the one who had called out - made to move forward, but the dúnadan laid her hand on his shoulder to cause him to pause.

"What is it?" he asked - his hair matted to his face by the constant rain.

"I don't know yet," answered the ranger.

"They will let us in, surely! These are our people."

"I am not sure," said Esgalwen, shaking her head.

"You think this a trap? Why?"

"It is what I would do."

Her stolid face caused the men to look at her and then to the gates before them. Esgalwen kept her bow armed and ready, as she lent a close eye to the gate and the defenses around the homestead.
Awareness roll. Also including a Battle roll for tactics... if not necessary, it can be ignored. I also am going to include my Enemy-lore (orc).

TN ?? awareness 3d

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 5, 1, total 9

TN ?? battle 2d

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

[tomcat]

If a 17 is a success, what she is looking for is who might be standing defense here, if anyone. Are the gates in normal fashion, or do they look previously broken and reset? Is there any firelight from within the compound? Do shadows move within or without?

[GandalfOfBorg]

In all his years, Gwaithlim has never felt so dejected, so without warmth within him.  This venture has been nothing but folly after folly for him.  Trial after trial in the past he'd always seen a way through, a light beyond, but this day there was none for him.  He fell in with the rest, just trying to keep them moving to give him the purpose to keep going himself.

  That many  don't do well for the soul.

[Telcontar]

  I shall temp fate.....


The Longspear would not go quietly, nor would he allow this company to be defeated in spirit if not in arms. Once more he raised the ram horn to his lips and let a challenging blast be heard. In his heart he hoped it would be heard somewhere by Grimbeorn, or at the least crack the resolve of those who barred the gates against them. He remembered too the siege of the Tarn and how even the glimmer of hope sometimes sustained men when there was no reason to believe it.

The ram horn sounded clear and bright despite the rain.

Inspire

Rolled 1d12 : 3, total 3

Rolled 3d6 : 2, 6, 3, total 11

[Telcontar]

  If this roll could be of help i'll drop a hope on it, Inspire is favoured for me.

[Eclecticon]

Drear and cold do the timbers of the gate look, their solid weight turning their former promise of shelter and safety into a cruel jest.  And yet, closely-set as they are, still there are gaps between them through which Esgalwen can see the movement of one behind them: a gate-keeper at his duty.  "Ho there!" she calls to him, hoping to rouse some fellow-feeling for those seeking shelter from shared foes, if not simply from the rain. 

No response comes, though, until the blast of Hathcyn's horn.  Esgalwen can plainly see the figure behind the gate start, and at last a reply comes through the gate in the Westron tongue.  "What's this?  Be you Men?  Be away!  Away with you!" 


We're now into an Encounter (or Council, as the new edition calls it, and which I rather prefer).  I'm going to skip Introduction rolls.  Or rather, given how well-known you are in these parts, they're going to count as normal interaction - i.e. 'let me in, you idiot, don't you know I'm...'. 

There is, of course, an element of time pressure here.     

[tomcat]

Esgalwen's Insight roll for advantage dice.

TN 14 insight 2d

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

[tomcat]

Son of a Nutcracker!

Okay... she begins this thing sans any advantage.

Going to start with an Awe roll to convey the urgency and the authority for whom she speaks.

TN 14 awe 3d

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 5, 4, total 13

[tomcat]

HAHAHHHAHAHHAHA! Fuck this...

Esgalwen shakes her head, stomps away and moves back to Minas Tirith.

Or she spends a Hope... what to do?

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Wheaton's Wardens, Fumbler's Fortunes, The Wil of the Dark Lord --- that's who we are today

[Eclecticon]

Astounded Esgalwen cannot find the words to compel obedience, and when she opens her mouth to speak regardless an errant gust fills it with rain, leaving her coughing and spluttering, wet through and wordless.  Behind the gate, the gate-keeper shrieks "Away with you!  Away!  AWAY!". 

Though the gatekeeper's world is shrouded in a haze of rain and misery, still the powerful note of Hathcyn's horn breaks through to reach his mind.  "But wait," he calls, his voice yet shrill, "what's this?  Have you come to our rescue?  Who are you?  WHO ARE YOU?"


That's your first failure, and two successes.  I'm not tracking Eye awareness at the moment (it's a little pointless with more than 20 of you running around together) but if I was...

[Telcontar]

  i'd get involved here but I am currently the rear guard.