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SUMMER JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER YEAR 2951 T.A.

I give you open forum to write up your characters' / the party's activities (undertakings) through the summer months of 2951. The journey home to Rhosgobel and the making of the helm will fall in this Fellowship phase.

THE PC'S MAY MAKE ONE FELLOWSHIP PHASE ACTIVITY - RORIN'S SHOULD BE ENTWINED WITH HIS MAKING OF THE HELM (maybe increase standing, or renown, or a business boon).

Each PC will earn the number of AP equal to what is checked off on their sheet plus 6

Each PC will earn 12 XP.

Also, I need Rorin and Arbogast to give me a roll of the Feat die for their Holdings:

• if the die roll result is equal to or less than the Holding's rating, you earned enough income to keep your PC's current standard of living.

• if the roll is greater than the rating, the PC gains his standard of living and treasure equal to the difference of the die roll and the rating.

• if the roll is :g:, the PC earns his standard of living and the rating of the holding is reduced by 1 due to some good fortune.

• if the roll is :~~:, the holding suffers some disaster of misfortune. If the hero does not take action the next Fellowship Phase, the holding may be destroyed, or have its rating increased.

 :ooc: Well I guess that would depend on if the advice for flooding the caves is taken up and if any of our group is set in charge of it.  Grimbeorn just needs to return for the Yule-tide feast.

:ooc: Hey Matt, I wasn't planning on having Mountain Hall's Orc issue a primary part of our story arc, but if you guys want to be part of it, I can change my plans.

 :ooc:

Rorin is obviously a little pre-occupied with getting the helm figured out, but as long as it didn't take up too much time and isn't too risky, he wouldn't be opposed to helping eradicate some goblins.


 :00: Holding roll



Also, for the undertakings, is there a unified list of the available options? They're so spread out across the books from what I've seen.

:ooc: Esgalwen is all updated for this Fellowship Phase and last - I forgot to update her sheet last year.

Rorin's undertaking, as stated above, must be entwined with the building of the helm (sorry), so pick something that would have to do with standing, or your holding, etc.)

Your holding roll earns you enough money to sustain your current standard of living. Also, this is actually only performed at year-end, so we will have to remember that when December 2951 rolls past.

I am not sure about a list - I will see if I can help you out with some ideas.

I imagine that the list you are looking for will be in the adventurers companion when it comes out.

 :ooc:

Oh, no worries, the restriction makes perfect sense, he'd be doing something like that anyways without a restriction.

And that sounds really useful for all kinds of stuff, I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

Anyways, Rorin's undertaking will be to secure Mountain Hall as a supplier of metals for his forge. But I'm not sure what official undertaking fits that best. You mentioned a "business boon" which sounds perfect, but I don't have the book in front of me right now. I'll try to look it up when I get home tonight.

Also, added XP totals to my sheet, haven't spent them yet. :csu:

:ooc: I will look, too, Steve. See what I can find and we'll compare notes.

Grimbeorn did what he could to lay low while recovering but news of the company and their exploits spread.  When he was up and about working out sore limbs and taking stock of the town, he couldn't help but take note of the stares and whispers; there were even those who called him The Bulwark or Troll's Folly.  No doubt this was spread in no small (pun intended) part due to the raucous and over-zealous storytelling by the Hobbit.  "His curse of gab will one day bite us off more than we can chew," thinks the Beorning.  "And yet, his keen eye and bow are largely as to why I am still alive."


 :ooc:  Athletics 2 ->  3 (9 AP, 0 AP remaining, Axes 3 -> 4 (10 XP, 6 XP remaining)

I was wondering what kind of undertaking would Grimbeorn be doing if say he spent his time discussing and negotiating with the folk regarding the tolls roads, the tolls themselves, services the Beornings provide, etc.

As Grimbeorn rests and heals in the Great House, the Men of Mountain Hall set to work smelting the ore for Rorin's forge.  Before Hartfast and the assembled elders of this branch of his people, Arbogast presents the brooches and lantern he has borne from the troll-hoard to his future kinsman. 

"Theodwin, son of Deorwin, I present to you the dowry of Arbodag, son of Scyldag, for his daughter Sunne." 


"These are fine and beautiful things," says the red-haired mountain man, closely examining the gems in the firelight.  "I thank you, and I thank your father," he finishes with a formal, if awkward, bow. 

Theodwin comes to find Arbogast the following day.  On his left hand he wears a gauntlet of thick leather and bears aloft a mottle-feathered falcon.  "Come, my brother-to-be.  Let me show you the land in which your sister will abide."

The two Men go, half marching and half climbing, some way along the mountain trails, until they reach what the well-kept fire pit and cosy lean-to show to be a much-favoured spot of Theodwin's.  The mountain man looses his bird, and his whistle is answered by a screech that echoes between the snowy peaks.  Arbogast finds himself astonished by the sheer extent of the view.  Below them, Mirkwood spreads like a dark green sea across from the vales of Anduin, cast into patches of light and dark by the clouds drifting high above.  Beyond the forest looms a shape on the horizon that he can only suppose to be the Lonely Mountain, home until recent years of Rorin.  For a time, nothing but the wind disturbs the silence. 

"Your father's gifts are generous," begins Theodwin after a time. 

"My sister is precious to him," answers Arbogast with a shrug. 

"Justly so, I fancy.  And yet, I find myself puzzled." 

Arbogast spares him a glance, one eyebrow raised. 

"The lantern is hardly a gift of long tradition," Theodwin says.

"And yet, it is my father's gift to you."  Arbogast lets some time pass before continuing, and Theodwin does not interrupt.  "Perhaps my father intends for you to hang it above your bed, to cast light about your home and remind Sunne that she has not been forgotten among the trees." 

"Perhaps," says Theodwin, nodding carefully.  "Tell me, are the trees of Mirkwood truly as great and dark as I have heard tell?" 

"All that and more." 

"This I cannot imagine, for I would be lost without the endless sky above me," says Theodwin.  Above them, the falcon wheels, feeling the joy of wind beneath spread wings. 

Arbogast allows himself a slight smile.  "I believe that you and my sister will not see eye to eye on that score.  Until, perhaps, you bring her here." 



:ooc: Back in mechanics-land, I'm going to spend 9 AP to bring Battle up to 3 and another 4 AP to buy a point of Courtesy.  All that hanging around Bandy is rubbing off.  I'll spend 6 XP to buy a third rank if Valour - I'll work his reward into another post. 

My question for Doug is whether dropping some Treasure on a dowry, plus helping organise the defence of Black Tarn Hall back at the start of the Adventuring phase is worth a bump in his Standing.  If it is, then I'll make that my undertaking.  If not, I'll do something else (possibly while loudly saying things along the lines of 'nice hall you've got there.  Shame if it burned down because I wasn't sufficiently motivated to fight off another raid...'). 

 :ooc:
Rorin is spending 10XP to raise his Valor to 4 and add the Grievous quality to his hammer.
He is also spending all 24AP to raise both battle and insight skills to 3.

Rorin spent much of the next week speaking with the smiths and miners of Mountain Hall while trying to procure precisely the metals he desired for his craft. The gold that came from these mountains was not the purest he had seen, but it was quality gold, and was easily smelted in a valuable form. Of the other metals they had found, their copper was the most noteworthy, Rorin had never seen such pure and easily accessible copper in any mines, the stuff very nearly came out of the ground ready to be crafted!

As he gathered the materials he needed, Rorin also spent some time with the senior smiths in the settlement and added some bronze plated hand holds to his hammer and added a small steel spike on the bottom of the haft. He liked the new balance of the hammer better now and could tell that his swings would be more even so that he could bring the weapon to bare with greater strength now.

When he wasn't working with the many metals that Mountain hall had to offer, he started to get to know it's various taverns with his companions to taste manner of ales they each brewed.

So if we are planning on doing things are we still doing this Fellowship Phase?

If we are:
XP13 - 10 (Art of Disappearing) and you thought he was hard to find before...
AP 16 -4 Battle - 9 Lore (f)

I think all of these make sense in terms of what we just went through.

 :csu: Sheet updated (wow I haven't done that in a long time).

For the two weeks or so the companions were in Mountain-Hall the Hobbit developed a fast and close friendship with Beranald. Through most of the two weeks the two were inseparable as the Hobbit assisted him in his duties to better get to know the people of the hall and spent most of his free time with him as well. Through all the laughter that spilled from the doorwarden's home many thought that the two had set to drinking nightly, bit not so. Each day they were clear eyed and alert, though for sure a few ales had been consumed. Just as the carvings of Woodman-Hall had been informative to the Hobbit so too had been the stories that Beranald had shared with him. The Hobbit was well on his way on having a better understanding of the Woodman as a whole then perhaps the Woodmen themselves did.

Grimbeorn's wounds were fast healing and the Hobbit did not neglect his old friends as he made new ones. He was often seen checking up on Grimbeorn or following after Arbogast trying to clarify some point of Woodmen lore or etiquette.

Esgalwen was the first to notice how dramatically Bandy had changed.

"Why Master Bracegirdle, your girdle has run a surplus of bracing!"

Bandy looked down at his belt and laughed patting his belly. As the others looked they noticed that the Hobbit, apparently unnoticed to them, been punching new holes in his belt ever tightening the grip around his waist. At this point the Hobbit appeared to have more belt past the buckle than he had around it.
 
"Keeping up with you folks is no easy matter for a Hobbit! You big folk stride here and there, up and down, why I even have twice as far to go to climb up the chair to even make it to the table!"

Bandy looked at himself with greater detail. His pants had been patched in many places, he could read a book through the thinness of his shirt, and his jacket had one button that was made of horn, and another a piece of twig he had found somewhere along the way. In fact the only article of clothing that wasn't practically falling off the Hobbit was his new hat and the smoking vest he only took out on occasion.

"I've gone to ramshackle, my good friends! At this rate I'll be taken for a Took!" The companions were not sure of the reference exactly, but they knew from his stories that a Took was some relation of his so many or other times removed.

"This must be remedied, and quickly!"

A few days later Bandy was again with his companions. He was late for supper, which a Hobbit was not apt to do by choice. With a great heave of the curtain the Hobbit entered the room and solicited a whistle from Esgalwen at the Hobbit.

"BEHOLD, BANDOBRAS BRACEGIRDDLE, walker of the woods!"

Though still wearing the same hat the Hobbit had completely outfitted himself in new clothes in the style of a Woodman. To the keen eyes of his companions they could see that he had recycled the buttons from his clothes and had attempted in places to give them 'shireness' as he described it, but for the most part the Hobbit now looked like a frontier woodsman.

"The folks at home will think me a bumkin now!"

In place of the threadbare pants the Hobbit now had leather shorts that were extended into leggings with pieces of leather, 'the better to ford streams and dry quickly' said the Hobbit.

His shirt was made of doeskin, and a cloak of rough but serviceable Mountain-Hall wool clothed his back. Somewhere, apparently, in the village Bandy had been able to modify a child's clothes and some odds and ends to make himself a new set of clothes.
"Where is the fur muffler Master Bracegirdle?" asked Rorin.

"You mind your forge mister, I have a wizard's hat to keep my noggin warm, now stop staring and let's eat."

When the time came to leave Mountain-Hall it was a bittersweet parting for the Hobbit. He had grown fond of old Beranald, so much so that he gave him one of the pipes that he had been working on from the briar he got from the troll hole. The pipe was craggy and weathered, but from the side it looked like the profile of an old man's face jutting from the side of mountain, and the Hobbit knew that all along the briar was meant as a pipe for his new friend. In return the old door warden presented the Hobbit with a new blade.

"Bandy, when a man comes of age among our folk he gets a knife. Well I don't expect I'll have a son at this point but I want you to take this blade. It's but a small knife for our folk, I used it for skinning foxes and the like as a lad when I received it from my farther long ago, but it will serve you well as a sword or dagger. It's an old blade and my father found it down below on some travel of his own. Take it in good health my friend."

There were no words that the Hobbit could offer for such a gift, other than to bow and say thank you.

"Well comrades, on what adventure are you taking me now?"

:ooc: I just realised that I had four XP down on my sheet that I'd forgotten about.  Adding that to the six I had left over from this last adventure gives me just enough to bump Long Hafted Axe up to four. 

Mostly :csu: except for my total experience.  Doug, do you know how many have been awarded since the start of the game?  I've been very slack about keeping track. 

Quote from: Eclecticon on Mar 02, 2016, 11:41 PMDoug, do you know how many have been awarded since the start of the game?  I've been very slack about keeping track.

:ooc: All PC's should have 32 XP in their Total boxes - that is how many have been rewarded since we started.

So in reading the OOC thread - I know you guys want to stay in Mountain Hall a while longer, and then go to the Hobbit Inn to the north. I am getting mixed reads though - some are asking if the Fellowship Phase still occurs, and Paul even gave us a great new undertaking (which we can use).

My question to you all is - would you prefer the goblin and min fortification be part of the Fellowship Phase, or do you want to RP the goblin reavers? Once done, head north to the Hobbit Inn?

The advancement and experience rewards are still happening. The Fellowship Phase is still in affect, but your undertakings will be part of our RPG'ing - so pick it out what you are doing. Matt chose Meet Patron, so we will continue to play but his dialogue will emphasize on this relation building. Make sense how we'll handle this?

Rorin, we'll go ahead with your making of the helm in Mountain Hall, while you help with the goblins. The helm is part of the story so you will be successful, but you can use an undertaking to gain some benefits for you or the helm. I am looking at generating one, but I need to wait until tomorrow to do it...very tired.

 :ooc: Undertaking: Meet Patron

Now that Grimbeorn was seen out in the markets and around town, merchants came calling to talk with him regarding the roads over the Misty Mountains, the roads north, his father's lands, and the roads and prospects in the east with the Woodland Realm, Esgaroth, Dale, and beyond.  Though the people with whom he spoke varied, Grimbeorn found himself repeating himself over the same topics.  "No wonder Father kept to himself for all those years," he thought.  The days wore on like this until a knock came to his door from an emissary of the chieftain of Mountain Hall, requesting, as formally as this folk would muster for a Beorning, that he attend a meeting in the great hall.  Eager to get the meeting over with as he had been worn down by the repeated interruptions by the townsfolk, Grimbeorn gathered himself and headed to the hall.

The hall here was not unlike other halls of great import he'd seen or heard of but that this one was most notably hewn of stone instead of the wooden halls of the other Woodmen clans or of his folk save the Munderic's Tomb as it is called, a cave that Munderic of the Mountains had crafted into a serviceable stronghold north of Eagle's Eyrie.  A couple of large fires on either side of the hall warmed with a number of oil braziers for light, even though there were window slits that faced the rising sun on the east side and those that caught the daytime sun on the south.  When he was introduced, Hartfast's face belied his, shall we say, misgivings about entertaining a Beorning, even though he was the son of Beorn himself.

"I see you've healed well from your recent battles, Grimbeorn," said Hartfast managing a look of genuine concern. "Your father would be proud that you stood down three trolls and lived to tell the tale.  Be sure to have your halfling friend there tell the tale though, I've heard quite a few tall ones come have from him."

"Yes, I am fit enough again to travel and fight if need be.  Bandy has been known to entertain during a meal or two if he hasn't eaten them both.  But you didn't ask me here about my condition or the stories that have been floating about town, have you?"  queried Grimbeorn.

"Right to point, are we?  Good.  At least your time with the foreigners haven't dulled your sensibilities too much.  Sit, we'll have food brought and drink, and we can talk of roads, far off lands, and *ahem* tolls."

Long into the day the two talked of all the same things that Grimbeorn had discussed with the others.  Yes, there are tolls for travelling the Old Forest Road from the forest to the High Pass.  No, the goblins that were at the High Gate a few years ago haven't returned (yet). Yes, our clans can help provide guides over the mountains for a fee, of course.  Yes, there is a toll to use the bridge at the Old Ford because its maintenance doesn't come cheap especially after the spring floods.   No, he can't provide discounts for tolls as Beorn has set those. Yes, both sides of the bridge of the Old Ford both have martketplaces that are open all year except for Yule-tide.

Finally, the Hartfast was satisfied or maybe it he was drowsy from his draught and the three chickens he ate.  Grimbeorn gave his leave at least saying his peace and not further instigating any ill-will between the peoples -- a good day.

I like the idea of the undertaking for the Goblins issue and making the helm here. Then we can travel with it done when we go.

 :ooc:

Yeah, I like the idea of making the helm here and transporting it back when we're done. That saves me some time and also keeps me from having to travel with the raw materials. For the undertaking, you saw my intention, and I'll wait for you (no hurry) before picking it. I think RPing the goblins would be fun.

 :ooc: sounds good to me.

:ooc: I think it's best to do a training montage as a Fellowship phase, though I'm certainly not averse to starting the adventure off with a goblin attack. 

Forging the helm here probably puts us ahead of schedule as far as getting it to Ceawin is concerned.  That makes it easier to justify a side trip, right?

:ooc: Okay, here I go helping to prepare for battle with the goblins. 

DC 14 Battle 3

:ooc: Nice!  Looks like Arbogast is finally coming into his own as a sword-day counsellor. 

Rolling on the table:

The vale of Mountain Hall echoes with the ringing of iron on iron.  Alone in a soot-darkened forge, Rorin smites and shapes the steel that will become the helm so desired of Caewin.  Without, the Men of Mountain Hall practice their weapon-craft, trading blows of axe and spear on shields.  Before the Great House, Hartfast holds counsel with Grimbeorn and Arbogast. 

"It must be so," the younger Woodman says.  "The goblins, when they come, will be many.  And though our kinsmen will fight hard for their homes, they are few, and they will mislike battle in the dark and cramped tunnels.  Had we but a score of Dwarves of Erebor, I would counsel otherwise, but we have one only, and though he be valorous after the way of his folk, he is not alone enough to turn the tide." 

Hartfast frowns, but nods.  "It is to be battle upon the surface then.  Where the enemy might set fire to our homes." 

"There will be no fire, of that I am certain.  The goblins who tunnel beneath your minds are a craven kind who hate the light as much as they hate those who dwell in it.  They will carry no torches with them when they break through." 

"And you counsel deception?"

"I do, at least at first.  They must think that they have taken your folk by surprise.  Have a few men - brave, and fleet of foot! - in the mines.  When the goblins break through, they must fight until the goblins' numbers begin to wax and then flee.  And yet they must not flee too quickly!  If they escape their pursuers, the goblins will slink back to their lairs to gather a greater force, and the invasion will be so much the harder to defeat.  Our hope lies in drawing the enemy forward to where the field is more suited to the warfare of Men." 

"In the open." 

"Indeed.  Let us hope that fortune smiles upon us, and the invasion comes in the daylight!  But a watch must be posted on the mines at all hours against the possibility that it may not.  When the sentries in the mines flee past them, those waiting outside must press the goblins hard.  In the confusion of bright light and battle, their spirit will be broken and they will come to understand that Mountain Hall and its people will not be readily defeated." 

Hartfast looks to Grimbeorn. 

"What say you?"

"Hmm my experience with the goblins of these mountains has come from their raiding parties much further north.  But as they are tunneling through, what about creating some traps?  You must have some sort of stone-cunning that may aid these people.  Or what happened to the thoughts of flooding the tunnels?  Or is there some way where they might be encouraged to tunnel out to a certain location where they may be surprised?"

 :ooc:

To this, Arbogast can only shrug.  "Men are at work as we speak, but I cannot attest to the details."

It is evening in the Great House when Arbogast next sees Theodwin.  "Fire-watcher, your axe is blunt," the red-haired falconer says. 

"It is?"  Arbogast responds with a quizzical look. 

"Indeed.  Your wandering life leaves you little time to care for the tools on which you rely, I fear." 

Arbogast opens his mouth to retort, but is interrupted.  "Please, kinsman, do not take my words harshly.  I have seen how you and your friends have laboured to safeguard our mines, and I am loath to draw you from such a task.  Please, allow me to sharpen it for you." 

Eyebrow still raised, Arbogast replies "My axe is in the house of Beran the Doorwarden.  I am in no small wise surprised that you have even seen it." 

Theodwin dismisses the comment with a wave.  "We are few, here in the mountains.  All men speak to all others, as the days pass on." 

A shrug comes from Arbogast in response.  "Then I thank you for your pains on my behalf, though they have yet to come to pass, and commend you to your task, self-appointed though it be.  A sharp axe will serve me well when the time comes to leave this place." 

"So I would think!  And yet, an axe so misused as yours has been may take many days to bring right.  Perhaps in the meantime you would accept mine in exchange?" 

Arbogast nods, somewhat hesitantly, and Theodwin smiles and withdraws. 

The Fire-watcher soon finds that he has no more stomach for meat and ale, and is drawn by ever-growing curiosity to the house of Beran.  There he finds the Doorwarden waiting. 

"Ah, yes, I was given to wonder when you would appear.  You'll be wanting this, I warrant!"  The old man hands over a heavy bundle wrapped in deer-hide.  "So many gifts to give out in these recent days!  Though my hall be a small one, and my warriors be strange folk, yet well can I fathom why men might seek to be lords, that all might marvel at their generosity!" 

As the old man laughs to himself, Arbogast unwraps the bundle to find a well-polished axe, long-hafted and long-bearded.  On its head are graven knotwork and runes that in the firelight are a wonder to behold. 

Unheeded by Beran, Arbogast whispers to himself: "This is a fine and beautiful thing." 



:ooc: Alright, I'm done.  Enough spotlight hogging from me.