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Situation: The companions have entered the barrows with Ceawin. The Master of Sunstead has been waylaid and the companions now face those that inhabit hallows...

BARROW-WIGHTS (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/barrow_wight.jpg)

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast, Bandy, Esgalwen, Grimbeorn, Idunn, Rorin - all have 1 Success die to use on ANY check while in the barrow.
• Bandy 2 Success dice to use against Corruption or Fear; may extend these dice to other players, through inspiration of their own.
• Grimbeorn 2 Success dice to use against Corruption or Fear; may extend these dice to other players, through inspiration of their own.

Situation Modifiers:
• Company has initiative

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• none

Tactical Situation
• Arbogast - currently engaged with the Barrow King

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR	HOPE [HATE]	ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Idunn Rorin	6/9 [woodcrafty] (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [great strength] (shield +4) 6/9 [woodcrafty] 4 (shield n/a)	1d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 2d (headgear n/a) 5d (headgear n/a)	9/16 15/18 10/11 6/12 12/15 8/10	5/26 [WEARY] [Wounded] 22/22 25/25 21/31 25/25 34/34
Wight-King Wight 1 Wight 2	7 4 4	2d+10 2d+8 2d+8	6/9 5/6 4/6	43/70 54/54 54/54

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LMC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	Arbogast, Esgalwen	Forward Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/forward.jpg)
Open - action order 2 Close combat	TN 9+	tbd	Open Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/open.jpg)
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	Grimbeorn	Defensive Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/defense.jpg)
Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat May not use if outnumbered 2:1	TN 12+	Bandy	Rearward Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/rear.jpg)
Any Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents		none	May safely flee from the scene of combat

Grimbeorn drops his torch down the hole and jumps in after it, readying himself for an attack.  He stands guard, waiting for the rest of his party to follow.

Bandy let's the man pass and then proceeds behind him.

Arbogast lets the others pass him, somewhat awkwardly in the cramped confines of the tunnel.  He has seen how stealthily the wights move, and they surely know the passages of this black warren.  It would not do to be ambushed from behind while they push forward to effect a rescue.  He realises with a sudden start that Idunn is not among them, but none of the others seem concerned, and there is no time in any case to ask about it. 

The tunnel seemed interminable, but at last the feel of air moving before them spoke of an exit. The sound of chanting also greeted the companions.

Esgalwen felt the ground begin to grade up and suddenly her head was above the tunnel and she could see into another barrow. Her torch revealed the room as round with three alcoves and they were exiting one of them - through another broken sarcophagus. She quickly moved the remaining paces into the chamber to allow her friends to follow. What they saw chilled their hearts.

The three barrow-wights stood over the form of Ceawin, who lay atop another, unopened, sarcophagus. The Wight-king had the Helm of Peace above his head and slowly was bringing it down, as if to crown the man. All the while, the three chanted a horrible cant in the black tongue.

Behind them lay Rorin! He, too, was atop a tomb but the Dwarf seemed unable to move.

---

:ooc: I will provide a map shortly. I have to go to a party, right now.

 :ooc: are we still able to attack this round or do we wait until the next?

 :ooc: you guys are able to attack this round and you all have initiative.

Bandy quickly set his torch down on the ground making sure it didnt go out. Then reached into his cloak to grab on of the clay pots he had liberated from the cairn. Touching the wick to the flame he waited for it to catch and then hurled it at the Wight who already bore the char marks of his last attack.

 

Any chance the oil will give me an area of effect even if Bandy misses?

In the half-light, in the terror of the moment, Arbogast spares only the space of a heartbeat to examine the scene.  There is now so little between them and disaster, for whatever purpose the wights have in thus crowning Ceawin can bode only ill for the enemies of the Shadow. 

Wordlessly, he launches himself at the wight king. 



:ooc:  I'm attacking two-handed again.  Any special success will go towards ripping the helm out of the thing's hands. 

:ooc: I didn't say before, but I'm in forward stance.  I'm pretty sure that means I act before Bandy.

Arbogast charges into the alcove, leaping up on top of the sarcophagus as he did. He straddled over the listless form of Ceawin and swung his axe at the Wight-king, the weapon striking the hands of the shadow along with the helm itself. There was a clangor of metal and the precious treasure flew out of the barrow-wight's hands to clatter on the floor.

Running up to stand next to her friend, Esgalwen held Nimronyn above her head - the blade catching the light of the torches that now lay about the barrow. "HARM NOT OUR COMPANION, FELL-CREATURES! The blood of Númenor is before you and by its strength I shall see you cast down!"

---

:ooc: Arbogast does 7 END damage and forgoes the extra damage from his Extraordinary Success, instead knocking the helm from the Wight-king's hands.

Esgalwen makes an Intimidation
TN 20 battle 2d, noble lineage [roll 2 feat, take best], 1d from Bandy

:ooc: Esgalwen causes them 2 Hate point loss.

Grimbeorn must go and then I will apply the affect of Bandy's attack.

Grimbeorn growls a challenge as he charges shield abreast and axe in hand against the fell creatures with Arbogast and Esgalwen.  Blade and haft come down against the greatest of the creatures as he moves to stand between the Shadow and his friends and Ceawin.

 :ooc:
Stance: Defensive
Action: Defend Other (Ceawin, if possible)

 :00:


 

:ooc: Get 'em, Bandy!

The crock flew from Bandy's hand towards the large wight behind the sarcophagus, but he lobbed it too far. The ceramic shattered in the back of the alcove and fire leapt out catching upon anything that was good fuel. Like a curtain, a thick layer of cobweb and dust began to flame up the wall, which quickly spread to old wooden, dried out crates that had once held (or still held) burial treasures.

The barrow was now aglow with fire and light and shadows flickered throughout. A hole in the top of the mound was the only access to the outside world, and the wind that whipped around and down into the barrow fueled the fire with air. An eerie whistle began to be heard, along with the sound of wood crackling, and the companions did not know if it was the wind or one of the creatures before them.

The Wight-king, whom Bandy had just missed, pushed out from the alcove - a new weapon in his hand. The other two wights also revealed ancient notched blades and the companions were engaged.

---

:ooc: The Barrow-wights attack:

The wight-king has a feral look and attacks Arbogast
TN 12 3d+10

:dmg: 6   edge: 10   injury: 14

Barrow-wight 2 attacks Grimbeorn
TN 18 3d

:dmg: 6   edge: 10   injury: 14

Barrow-wight 3 attacks Esgalwen
TN 15 3d

:dmg: 6   edge: 10   injury: 14

:ooc: Injury roll for Arbogast:

:ooc: Results... :SS

• Arbogast is hit with a Great success - for 11 END loss and he must make a TN 14 protection test  :csu:

• Grimbeorn is missed

• Esgalwen is hit, but Grimbeorn's Defensive stance blocks the attack on her. Grimbeorn takes 10 END loss, plus 1 Hope is used :csu:

:ooc: Going to assume that Arbogast will throw in the Hope to stay un-wounded.  :csu:

Tell me if that is not the case, Paul.

The barrow-king's blade appears in its hand in the blink of an eye, as if it coalesced out of the unwholesome shadows themselves.  There is barely a sound as it bites, Arbogast's well-worn leathers parting as if in fear of the iron edge. 

Arbogast sees his blood splattered across the face of unknowing Caewin.  For a moment he drops to one knee, trying to hold his gore-slick guts in with one hand, but it is futile.  The Fire-watcher tumbles from the sarcophagus to lie among dust and stones.   


:ooc: I would use Hope, but the damn thing's great success means that I'm out of the fight either way.  May as well make it dramatic! 

:ooc: Okay, thinking about it, I'm not sure whether you've ever applied bonus damage for an enemy's great/extraordinary successes before.  The rulebook seems to be silent on the issue.  What's your call, Doug?

Arbogast felt like he had just been gored by a boar. He lay panting on the ground as the dark shadow strode from out of the alcove towards him, its broken weapon raised in its terrible fist.

Grimbeorn had felt the same and the Beorning was certain that there was an unnatural coldness lacing the sword that struck him. He backed away, keeping his defensive position but giving room to his foe. They had met their enemy and thus far they had done little to harm them.

Behind them all, Bandy held the next oil crock over his torch. His hands shook with terror as he saw his strong companions being driven backwards. Ceawin now lay in an alcove that was aflame and the Hobbit did not know what to do. Across from them all, he could see his dwarven friend stirring, but Rorin did not answer to their calls. Bandy began to panic in his heart.

It was then that he saw it...the wight-king's black robes...they were on fire.

---

:ooc: Yea... I see it now. Your Body attribute is only a 2.

Okay, so Arbogast is Weary and Wounded.

No, on Page 231 it says to use the Attribute level as the damage bonus on great success, or doubled if extraordinary. The only thing I have been debating to myself is that when in the dark (Denizens of the Dark pg.232), the thing's Attribute Level is already supposed to be doubled for all rolls, so would it be doubled in this regard. I chose to say no on that.

:ooc: Idunn can show up any time she likes. 

Any time at all. 

Just sayin'.