Re-Taking the Carrock - Opening Volleys

[Eclecticon]

Situation: The Fellowship has announced its presence to the warriors of Viglund that are searching for them... and who have seized the Carrock for their chieftain. 

Combat Advantage dice:
• Esgalwen 0/0
• Gwaithlim 1/2
• Hathcyn 1/1
• Luindîs 0/0

Situation Modifiers:
• The Fellowship has the initiative.

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The western bank of the Anduin is lightly wooded and cover is easy to find.  All ranged attacks are made at +2 to the Target Number

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

STATUS

Esgalwen Gwaithlim Hathcyn Luindîs

• 6 ( n/a) • 7 ( n/a) • 7 ( n/a) • 5 ( n/a)

• 2d+1 ( n/a) • 3d ( n/a) • 3d ( +4) • 1d

• 14/15 • 10/13 • 10/14 • 9/12

• 23/27 • 30/30 • 29/29 • 22/27

Rearward Rearward Defensive Rearward

SHAKEN(?) SHAKEN

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
Bronze-helmed warrior White-haired man Large youth Braid-bearded warrior Savage man		• 5 • 5 • 5 • 5 • 5		• 2d+4 • 2d • 2d • 2d • 2d		• 2 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3		• 3 • 3 • 6 • 16 • 16

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]

As soon as Esgalwen breaks from her hiding spot, she sees them: five men picking their cautious way through the underbrush of the wooded bank, spread apart and clearly a hunting party.  A motley band they are: a broad-shouldered youth and an old warrior white of hair and long of beard, one calmly rustling the undergrowth with a spear and another clearly struggling to restrain a building battle-frenzy.  Each, however, bears a corselet of leather scales beneath enormous fur cloaks, and in their hands are small swords and spears ready to cast forth should their prey be found. 

To her practiced eye it is clear that these are, at best, distant kin of the Northmen, and she recalls briefly the tales told to her by the Ranger Dernhuin of the hill-men of the high vales beneath Mount Gundabad who took up arms in the service of the Witch-King half an age ago. 

But the moment for such thought passes swiftly as Luindîs sounds her war-cry and looses an arrow...


Everyone with a ranged weapon (which I think is everyone except Hathcyn?  Correct me if I'm wrong.) gets an opportunity to take a shot at one of the hunting foes.  It won't be an easy one (TN 19 to account for the trees so inconsiderately in the way) but it's an opportunity to soften them up before battle is joined in earnest.  Of course, they can throw spears back at you...

Heedless, Luindîs attacks the Large youth:

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 2, 6, 4, total 12

[Eclecticon]

She's going to drop a Hope point on that to turn it into a Great success (for 10 )

[tomcat]

Esgalwen draws the nocked arrow back to her cheek and lets loose.
TN 19 great bow 4d

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 4d6 : 1, 2, 5, 6, total 14

7   edge: 10  injury: 16

[tomcat]

That is a success for 13 loss.

I didn't declare a target, so let's go with the White-haired man.

[GandalfOfBorg]

The elder elf grits his teeth at the younger's impetuous recklessness.  In support of the fellowship, Gwaithlim readies Gurthglir and let's fly an arrow at the shiny warrior down the way to keep them honest.


  Stance: Rearward ... uses 1d bonus
 

Bow (Bronze-helmed warrior)-  1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 1, 6, total 10

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Burn 1 Hope for the great success

[Eclecticon]

Swift as thought, arrows are loosed and strike home.  The cries of shock and pain from the injured members of the hunting party are quickly replaced by warlike bellows as spears are hurled in response.  Only the bronze-helmed warrior, struck in the leg by Gwaithlim's shaft, makes no move to cast his spear.  Instead, he throws his head back and lets out a long, shuddersome howl that belongs to nothing that goes abroad on two legs. 


The warriors respond!
White-haired man (vs Esgalwen, TN 20)

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 5, total 11

Large youth (vs Luindîs, TN 19)

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 6, total 7

Braid-bearded warrior (vs Hathcyn, TN 21)

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 2, total 4

Savage man (vs Gwaithlim, TN 21)

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 5, total 9

[Eclecticon]

The spears go wide, fall short, or strike trunks and branches of trees.  The howl of the helmed warrior, though, pierces through to the hearts of the companions.  Hathcyn, especially, feels its chill as only one can who has known the terror of the prey. 


Everyone has to make a Fear test (TN 14, except for Hathcyn, for whom it's TN 16)

Esgalwen

1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 5d6 : 3, 3, 1, 4, 2, total 13

Gwaithlim

1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 5, total 6

Hathcyn

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 1, 6, 3, total 16

Luindîs

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

[Eclecticon]

The hearts of the Longspear and the Ranger of Gondor are stout and unshaken, for worse things than these Men have they faced and left spitted and dying.  Luindîs, however, is not made of such stern stuff and though she knows many songs of terrifying foes and the heroes who face them, it is plain that she is not ready to do so herself.  Her eyes widen and as she takes a step backwards she drops the arrow she was about to nock.  Gwaithlim is likewise taken aback, for he hears the whisper of sorcery twining around the howling, and feels the clutch of a power that stretches back to the darkest days of the wars against Angband.


Matt, Gwaithlim can still beat the test with a Hope spend.  Otherwise, he'll be shaken and unable to spend Hope until the end of the battle.  Let me know what you want to do and I'll adjust things as required.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Burn the Hope