Friends in Need...

[tomcat]

Nain and Galudir squabbled for a few minutes more, but both realized they needed to get an idea of what was going on in the settlement below. The day was passing but they had at least another two hours before sunset. Man and dwarf quietly scouted the ridgeline to find an ample position to observe the people below.



OOC: More to follow in the morning, but feel free to add any dialogue or narrative. If you are good for now and you have nothing more to add for your character, just let me know and I will move the game on to the night time scene.

[Stefan]

OOC: Just one question before we proceed.  Is that blue in the lower left water?

[tomcat]

OOC: Just one question before we proceed.  Is that blue in the lower left water?

OOC: Yes, it is a lake that sits in the vale between the high, mountainous terrain that surrounds. It is long and wide and seemingly deep, as well as being pretty cold. The photograph from the previous thread should give you an idea of the Dunmen settlement's surrounding country.

[Nikitas]

OOC: I'm OK. I think Galudir should bring up the issue of payment, but it might be more fun to do it later on, like when they are in the middle of the settlement or somesuch.

[tomcat]

OOC: I'm OK. I think Galudir should bring up the issue of payment, but it might be more fun to do it later on, like when they are in the middle of the settlement or somesuch.

OOC:  :D I am enjoying these pseudo-heroic characters! Great RPG'ing guys!

[tomcat]

The day faded into dusk and then into night and still the Company was left to sit within the stockade. Dirnhael had eyed the wood-line as the hours passed hoping to see some clue of Nain's presence. Certainly it was the Dwarf who had caused some sort of ruckus, causing the Dunmen warriors to run off into the woods... wasn't it? But then they had returned, and nothing seemed amiss to the warriors as they sat back down around the settlement's central fire. Now it was dark and the village was settling in for the night, all except the spearmen that kept a vigilant watch over the prisoners.

Their stomachs grumbled and their throats were parched. None of the company had had any desire to eat the scraps that had been thrown them, but now each was beginning to feel the effects. The uncomfortable feeling of hunger was causing them to have short tempers and quiet arguments, and spiteful comments were passed back and forth between the companions. Durgil had sat on the ground for the better part of the day, not feeling well. Now the Dunadan was prone, trying to get some rest, but the wracking coughs that persisted kept the warrior from falling to sleep. Edrahil sat and looked at his charge with a concerned face, but unable to do nothing about it. Without his supplies from his horse, or the warmth of a fire, he could offer little assist.

Eventually, sleep did come to them and Fengel, the last to remain awake, closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off. It seemed the Eothraim had just closed his eyes when the mumbling sound of talking brought him back to wakefulness. He sat up and looked about, seeing Dirnhael and Durgil also awake - the Elves who never seemed to need sleep were standing at the stockade fence - all of them looked off at a distant hut, the one the elder had said housed the sick.

Torchlight flickered near the entrance as shadowy figures moved in and out. Others stood near by and the faint sound of weeping could be heard. In the darkness, it appeared as if two large men exited the structure with a burden held in their arms. They walked from the torchlight and disappeared in the dark to the north of the village.

The companions watched as the sounds slowly faded and the torchlights flickered out. Nothing was said to them by their captors, and soon the village was quiet once more. With nothing else to do, the Company laid back down to try and get what rest they could.

OOC: I need the captured company members to make a Stamina test to resist weariness. Even though you guys are trying to rest, hunger and discomfort are making it very difficult... here are the modifiers to your test:

Stamina test at TN 5, plus modifiers for the following conditions: sleeping on the ground without bedding (+3), insufficient or interrupted sleep (+3), insufficient food or water (+2), sleeping in leather armor (+3) or in mail armor (+5).

So as an example, Durgil's Stamina test would be: TN 5 + 3 (ground) +3 (interrupted sleep) +2 (insufficient f/w) +5 (armor) +1* (dazed - wound) + 2* (tired - weariness) = TN 21

* These two modifiers are current health and weariness conditions and are actually applied against the dice roll, but you all know that.

On any success, the character does not suffer additional Weariness; on a failure the character suffers 1 level of Weariness, 2 levels on a complete failure, and 3 on a disastrous failure (these effects will stack on current wound and weariness conditions); Weariness effects will be in effect until the next time the characters get an opportunity to sleep (and hopefully more comfortably).

Off in the woods, in an advantageous postion to see the Dunmen settlement, Nain and Galudir traded turns watching and sleeping. The torchlight in the midst of the night caught Galudir's attention but it proved to be no threat to the two companions. He continued his vigil until it was time to wake Nain.

OOC: All players may add any narrative as to reactions of the activity around the hut, or anything else, as you like. If you guys do not have any narrative to add so far, I will continue with another post this afternoon.

Note: please see the thread under General Discussion regarding the new Character profiler. I need you guys to register on the character sheet site and once done give me your user names. You can enter your characters from the html pages here, or I will do it for you - let me know what you plan on doing so I can expedite this... THANKS !! 

[GandalfOfBorg]

TN 21 Stamina - (6+6+3)+3-2+3 Courage=19  FAILURE
OOC: YAY!! It could have been so much worse!

Inspire - (5+2)+5=12

Even with the rest he was allowed, Durgil was not even able to maintain the poor health he had as he felt as though he were succumbing further to whatever malady ailed him.  "I have to say the accomodations, while stiff and unyielding, aren't really better than we had on the road.  The food though is something I think even an orc would turn its nose up at.  Can't say I could recommend it to Fornost's betters... on the other hand..." he said with a smile.  He had to keep his comrades in better spirits otherwise it wouldn't be just him that would be dragged out of here.

[Stefan]

As the day passed into night there was very little conversation at the spot that the two had decided to use to observe the camp.  One or the other was sleeping most of the time to prepare for what they expected to be a late night excursion.  Once the night was full dark and the movements around the village had ceased Nain woke the Human.

""It's time"

[sdrotar]

Stamina test at TN 5, plus modifiers for the following conditions: sleeping on the ground without bedding (+3), insufficient or interrupted sleep (+3), insufficient food or water (+2), sleeping in leather armor (+3) or in mail armor (+5).

Stamina test (TN 18) Stamina +3, Tireless +4 = +7
Roll(2d6)+7:3,6,+7 Total:16 - FAIL

OOC: I'll spend a Courage point to pass - because I think we're about to get out of here.

***

Dirnhael stood next to Fengel in silence, watching quietly as the faint flicker of the distant torchlight played across their faces.

"They are dying. They have lost hope," he whispered.

At that moment, Dirnhael knew they could not just slay their captors and run across the plains to escape - things were not so simple anymore. The villagers were still Men, who had no love for Orcs and had not yet fallen under the sway of the growing Shadow.

And they were grieving, dying from something they could not understand - was it so different than the plague that swept across the West less than a year ago?

As the cold, pale moonlight shone down on the village while the Dunmen took another of their own to the grave, Dirnhael knew that leaving them to their fate would be no different than serving the darkness itself.

[tomcat]

OOC: I need all characters to give me an Observe (Spot) TN 15 and/or an Observe (Listen) TN 18 - remember to take into account the following physical test modifiers that would apply to a given test:

Darkness -5 to dice roll
Obstructed Terrain (woods) -5 to dice rolls

Weary and potentially sleeping -2 to dice rolls

Also include any physical impairment modifiers (i.e. wounds and weariness) to both tests.

[sdrotar]

Observe (Spot) Test (TN 15), +5 Darkness, +5 Terrain = +25
OOC: Dirnhael passed his Weariness test and was described as awake, so I didn't count the +2 penalty - is that right?

Roll(2d6)+3: 6,6 (3),+3 Total:18 - FAIL
OOC: What a roll! If I spent my three remaining Courage Points, Dirnhael could make the roll, right? If that's the case, and if no one else makes the roll, I'll do it.

[Nikitas]

Observe (Spot) Test TN 25:
2d6=4,6
Perception (+1), Skill Ranks (+3), Speciality (+2)
10+1+3+2=15

Observe (Listen) Test TN 18:
2d6=1,1
Perception (+1), Skill Ranks (+3)
2+1+3=6
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"Yes, yes, time." Galudir muttered before he sat up from his sleep. Once awake, Galudir prepared himself for an entrance into the town. He decided to take his sword, surely it could not be more an impediment than the dwarf, and attempted to conceal his dagger under his clothing as best he could.

"Very well master dwarf, I'm ready. Though before we continue, I suddenly remembered that we have neglected a discussion critical to the success of this rescue. Specifically, my payment. Now, I am very generous to offer one gold per head, considering the great danger involved here."

[tomcat]

Observe (Spot) Test (TN 15), +5 Darkness, +5 Terrain = +25
OOC: Dirnhael passed his Weariness test and was described as awake, so I didn't count the +2 penalty - is that right?

Roll(2d6)+3: 6,6 (3),+3 Total:18 - FAIL
OOC: What a roll! If I spent my three remaining Courage Points, Dirnhael could make the roll, right? If that's the case, and if no one else makes the roll, I'll do it.

OOC: Hey Shawn, I hate to be a harbinger of bad news, but Dirnhael came into the stockade with 2 Courage used. So, if you use one to pass the weariness test, that will only leave one to spend on the above Observe test.

Synopsis

• Character's needed to make a Stamina test in the Chapter 8: Home fires burning thread; this represented the hard march on the wounded characters from the site of the battle with the orc to the stockade. Even though you guys had a night's rest on the way, that test factored in the discomfort and thus made the weariness test harder.
• Dirnhael spent 2 courage to avoid the sickness that potentially came with weariness.
• So as it stands, the day in the stockade has passed into night and Dirnhael is at a -2 weariness (from the previous test - until you guys get proper rest, this penalty will stay and stack on any new weariness results), and -2 in Courage.
• I have no problem restoring 1 Courage as our rules state that each game day you get back 1 used courage point, and it is officially past midnight in game time
• So Dirnhael has 3 Courage to spend, and would be -2 in weariness before you even roll your tests above.

Let me know what you would like to do.

[Stefan]

Observe (Spot) TN 15
Roll (2d6)+8; 4,1 +8 -13 =0

Observe (Listen) TN 18
Roll (2d6)+6; 5,6+6 -8 =9

Darkness -5 to dice roll
Obstructed Terrain (woods) -5 to dice rolls
Weary and potentially sleeping -2 to dice rolls
Wariness level -1 to dice rolls
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Nain was startled by the abruptness of the human's request and the surreal out of place feeling that it gave him.   He had been a craftsman all his life he'd learned to deal with humans and vendors alike, but it was still a moment before he could bring himself to respond. Thinking quickly about his standing in this negotiation he knew that he didnt have much on his side.  He carefully stroked his beard and eyed the Mercenary as if he were a piece of meat.

"Aye ye deserve to be payed for your time and troubles, but the Captain has the gold and he's in the village so ye'll not get paid till he's free."

[GandalfOfBorg]

OOC: LOL my rolls didn't even come close to what I need unless I get many, many 6's (which I didn't)

Durgil isn't paying attention to the woods, but to the villagers before laying back down to rest some more.