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Situation: Holed up in the Millfort, the company plans to deal a wicked sting to the Spiders of Mirkwood!

Attercops (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/spiders.jpg)
Hunters (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/spider_hunter.jpg)
Tauler (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/tauler03.jpg)

Combat Advantage dice:
• Esgalwen 0 / 2
• Rorin 0 / 2


Situation Modifiers:
• The Company has initiative
• Front door is at 15/60
• Back door is at 18/60


Physical Modifiers (complications):
The Millfort is impregnable save for five locations.

A) Each door has been successfully repaired and has 60 END points each (FRONT 60/60; BACK 55/60). No spiders can get in them until they reduce the doors to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 3d armor rating.

B) Each window is a vantage point that allows an attack out (and in). Ranged weapons may be fired out and the defending archer gains the Rearward DEFENSE, but may use the Open ATTACK TN. Overwhelming numbers of enemies do not affect ranged combat while the defenses hold. Melee weapons may be used to attack out (and in) but the defenders gain the Defensive DEFENSE TN rating, but may use the Forward ATTACK TN. Attackers from the outside may return a melee attack through a window, but may NOT enter the fort.

C) The hatch has been successfully repaired and has 40 END points. No spiders can get through it until they reduce the hatch to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 2d armor rating.

D) The floor has been successfully repaired and has 20 END points. No spiders can get through it until they reduce the floor to 0 END and then roll a Piercing attack that overcomes a 1d armor rating.

E) The stone roof of the fort is compromised - there is a large hole here. The second floor offers little defense and any PC that decides to fight on the second floor will not be eligible for vantage defenses once spiders come through the hole in the roof. Ranged combat WILL be affected by overwhelming numbers, if the archer positions themselves here, instead of on the first floor.

IF the first floor defenses are compromised, vantage benefits are lost as the spiders enter the room. There will be NO opening volleys, as the things coming in the night are invisible in the trees.

PC/NPC	PARRY	ARMOUR		HOPE		ENDURANCE
Arbogast Bandy Esgalwen Grimbeorn Rorin Bofri	6 (shield +3) 9 (shield n/a) 6/9 [skirmisher] (shield n/a) 6/9 [giant strength] (shield +4) 4 (shield n/a) 4 (shield +2)	2d (headgear +1) 1d (headgear n/a) 1d (headgear n/a) none (headgear +1) 5d (headgear n/a) 3d (headgear n/a)	• • • • • •	10/16 16/18 9/12 8/12 6/10 n/a	• • • • • •	4/26 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 6/22 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 17/27 3/31 [Weary - no effect due to Furious trait] 8/34 [Weary - 1,2,3 on success dice are considered a 0] 0/21 [Unconscious]

COMBAT STATUS by PC

PC	ENEMY	PARRY	ARMOUR	END	HATE	NOTES
Bandy	Hunter 4	6	3d	20/25	2/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Esgalwen	Hunter 3	6	3d	5/25	3/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Arbogast	Hunter 6	6	3d	9/25	3/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Rorin	Hunter 1	6	3d	DEAD	2/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Bofri	none	--	--	--	--	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
Grimbeorn	Hunter 5	6	3d	25/25	2/3	• on first floor, spiders must match stance
None	Attercop 16 Tauler	4 8	2d 3d	8/12 41/60	2/2 5/8	• on second floor trying to get to the PC's

STANCE	TN (+parry)	PC / LMC	Options...
Forward - action order 1 Close combat	TN 6+	none	Forward Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/forward.jpg)
Open - action order 2 Close combat	TN 9+	none	Open Stance maneuvers (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52987685/open.jpg)
Defensive - action order 3 Close combat	TN 12+	Arbogast, Bandy Grimbeorn, Rorin, Esgalwen	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+	none	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 Athletics roll		none	May safely flee from the scene of combat

A tumble of wood planks and joists fell as Tauler smashed his clawed legs through the floor.

The massive spider's head pushed through and loomed over all of the Company! They were trapped and their bodies were weak.

The gigantic spider crashing through the hastily-repaired floorboards fills the air with flying shivers and the screams of panicked horses.  The torchlight gutters, but Bandy's gem shines, almost intolerably bright in the deep gloom of the fort.  The Fire-watcher is covered in sweat and grime, half blind, half mad, half dead. 

__________

Looking up from the coals, eyes full of trepidation, the young boy asks his uncle, "will I die too?"

The older man shifts the child from his crippled leg to a more comfortable position in his lap.  "Yes, little one, you will.  One day, like your grandfather," he points at the remains of the pyre, "you shall die.  So shall I, so shall your father and your brothers.  All Men who live will one day die, and it's easy to be fearful of that.  Nor is that a bad thing.  A man who dies leaves his family without hands to build, or shear, or protect, or hold in love.  Death is hardly a thing to be sought out." 

He takes the boy's hand in his own, feeling the smoothness of the child's skin against his calluses.  "But I have come to understand, in my years of watching other Men fight and fall, that it comes to us each in turn, and when it does, little one, then you must remember that something better can yet be made of it.  Remember that you have a chance, even at the last, to make your doom mean something to those who will go on without you." 

As he wipes away a small child's tears, he says "I think, in the end, your grandfather came to know that too." 

__________

Though his breath is ragged and his limbs pained, Arbogast finds his voice is strong enough.  A grown man's tears in his eyes, he cries out in the ancient mode and meter of his people. 

"Our doom comes to claim us!
Light fails, the bale-shadows rise. 
But rise too shall we.

United shall we call,
'Be they many and malign,
Still no foes we fear.'

And soon shall it be asked,
'Will you make the sacrifice,
This wide world to ward?'

Hearts shall doubt, pain resound,
Heroes' blood will flood the earth.
And I shall cry 'Yes!'"


:ooc: I'm going to try to Enhearten the company (as per p 108 of the Adventurer's Companion) – shifting into Open stance to do it. 

Song roll:

:ooc: Close enough!  I'll spend another Hope point to turn that into a success.  :csu:

For those without the wherewithal to look up the AC, anyone who isn't Wounded can now ignore the Weariness penalty for three rounds.  I'm not sure we'll last that long, but at least we can give the spiders a decent pounding on the way out. 

:ooc: Awesome post, Paul!

Esgalwen moves to Defensive and will use the maneuver Protect Companion for Arbogast. At the same time, she will stab into the Hunter spider that is challenging her.

---

Seeing her companion step to the fore to challenge the heart of darkness and inspire his friends, Esgalwen felt her heart swell and she quickly jumped to Arbogast's side to defend him should anything befall.

With her courage flaming anew, she shouted to the horrid form of Tauler, "Know this foul creature! Should you continue your pursuit of this venture, none of your brood will leave this chamber alive! None! And you, Tauler the Hunter, shall yourself be pricked with wounds that ye will be wont to forget! Your shell may be hard but these are the weapons of glory and strong hands wield them!"

Nimronyn flashed from the light of Bandy's jewel and struck out at the hunter spider that pressed in on her, even as she challenged the monster above.

---

TN 18 long sword 3d

:ooc: Esgalwen will spend a hope to make her attack a 21 great success

Hunter 3 takes 13 END loss

Injured as he is, Grimbeorn is heartened by his friend and continues the defense of the Millfort with renewed vigour.

 :ooc:
 :00:

The Woodman's song was new to Rorin's ears, and yet it inspired him all the same. He felt the rekindling of hope spread through the company like a fire. His weary limbs protested, but he forced them to keep fighting. The end to this fight was near and he meant to remain standing at the end of it all.

 :ooc:

TN 18 Hammer vs Hunter 1

 :ooc:

Grrrr, one point off.

I'll burn a hope to get the kill.  :csu:

OOC: If I use Second Wind do I lose my attack?

 :ooc: Yes, you will lose your attack.

:ooc: What Matt said!  :tup:

Bandy held the gem aloft maintaining the light in the room sword pointed at the eyes of the spider and summoned up the last reserves of strength.

Atheletics TN 14

OOC: not even close.

The Hobbit failed to look intimidating or like anything else short of a snack to the hoary legged spider.

:ooc: Spiders attack (rolling random d5 to see who the Attercop and Tauler will pick from the group - Attercop on Rorin, Tauler on Grimbeorn)

Spider outside attacks the front door (basically leaping and smashing its mass against the doors):
TN 10 2d


Spider outside attacks the back door (basically leaping and smashing its mass against the doors):
TN 10 2d


Attercop 16 attacks Rorin
TN 16 sting 2d6+3

:dmg: 3   edge: 10   injury: 14

Tauler attacks Grimbeorn
TN 25 beak 5d6+7

:dmg: 7   edge: 8   injury: 18

Hunter 5 attacks Grimbeorn
TN 25 beak 2d6+4


Hunter 4 attacks Bandy
TN 21 beak 2d6+4


Hunter 3 attacks Esgalwen
TN 21 beak 2d6+4


Hunter 6 attacks Arbogast
TN 21 beak 2d6+4


:dmg: 6   edge:  :~~:   injury: 15

Poison dripped from his fangs as Tauler struck with lightning speed. Grimbeorn could do naught as the giant spider shoved through his defenses and impaled him once more. The Beorning reeled backwards while his companions looked on in horror.

Suddenly, the keep reverberated with the screech of a...hawk? Or an eagle?

There was a rush of air buffeting against the Millfort as if a tornado had formed immediately above it and then the building shook. Tauler hissed a cry of pain and quickly pulled his form up and out of the round confines of the fortress. The company could see the sky was light with the early dawn and two giants sat atop the crenelations.

"An eagle!" cried Esgalwen, and she pointed to the dark form that flapped its huge wings, all the while keeping purchase atop the Millfort with its great talons. Tauler had hunkered back holding on with its back four legs, while the rest were splayed out in front of it to fend off the eagle's beak.

And then the room was full of flapping and feathers!

Birds of prey of varied types and sizes flew through the windows that the companions had left open to allow for arrows. They were too small for the large spiders to pass, but not the hawks and peregrines that raced through like the wind. The birds fluttered about and harassed the spiders, striking at the grouping of eyes atop each ones head. The Hunter spiders were confused and the talons and beaks were creating vicious wounds.

Again there was a great screech of an eagle as Gwaihir flew straight into Tauler, his talons open to rend. The giant spider was struck and knocked from the top of the Millfort. The Windlord continued his attack and landed atop Tauler pecking and tearing with claw and beak. The company could no longer see the engagement, as the two giants were not visible through any window - still the sounds were terrible to hear.

The Hunter spiders raced away, up the walls, and out through the hole in the second floor and then quickly over the sides of the fortress. The birds of prey gave chase.

Both weary and stunned by the fast paced whirlwind of activity that had just saved their lives, the company was at last able to look to their friend.

"GRIMBEORN!" yelled Esgalwen, when she saw the young man laying on the floor in a pool of blood.

---

:ooc: Spider results...

• the back door took 5 more END loss

• Tauler hits with a 36 great success piercing (I will roll in a new post below).

• the attercop and hunters all missed

:ooc: Grimbeorn's protection test
TN 18 armour 0d helm +1


We need a  :g: really badly or Tolkien canon has to be re-written - either that or a really great roll to throw a Hope on!  :SS

I will say, Matt - if my roll sucks, I will oblige you with a roll of your own seeing as it is your PC.

 [<

:ooc: Well...that roll sucked.

Matt, I will give you a chance with the dice before we "call the ball."

The spiders are gone, pursued by the followers of the great eagles.  From being all a-din with battle, and then with the beating of wings, the fort is suddenly silent.  Arbogast lets his legs gently buckle beneath him, kneeling in the mold and spider-gore, scarcely believing that he lives still. 

Esgalwen's cry brings him out of his reverie, for there is leech-work to be done.  The Fire-watcher's heart falls once more as he beholds the wound left by Tauler upon the Beorning's body.  He wishes Idunn were here, to sing the Staunching Song and draw from him what poisons the great beast may have left as its parting gift.  But she is far from here, and no doubt with cares of her own.  With shaking hands, he begins his work. 

:ooc: To be positive, for once, Grimbeorn hasn't necessarily taken a fatal hit.  If he was already wounded when he got Tauler-mauled, then yeah - he'd be toast.  As it is, going by p 129 he's just unconscious and dying.  Bad, sure, but not 'stick-a-fork-in-him' bad. 

So a Healing roll seems to be called for.  I don't know whether the weariness penalty should apply - my reading of the Enhearten action is that it doesn't actually help the person lifting everyone else's spirits.  Hopefully it won't matter...

:ooc: Yeah, you want a spider bite treated right, get it done by someone who's been dealing with them since they knew which end of a spider to stay away from! 

Grimbeorn's wounds are deep indeed, and his complexion is already pale in the fading torchlight and the waxing sun.  Arbogast tears bandages as quick as he may, but there is scarcely a scrap of clothing on any of the fellowship not already soaked with blood or spattered with gore and grime.  That he is losing the race against his friend's own mighty heart is plain to see. 

Then, like cold water on a spring morning, it hits him - the spiders are gone, but they have left behind them a vast store of web.  Why, even Bofri is once again half-covered in the stuff - his legs encircled and his beard matted with the thick, white strands. 

He looks up at Esgalwen and Bandy, as they crowd around, already offering what help they can.  "The webs," he rasps.  "Cut as much as you can and bring it to me!" 

Once applied, the strands work like some magic of elder times.  Not only do they soak up the blood, but they are still sticky enough to hold closed the wounds about them.  Soon enough, the flow of blood slows to a trickle, then stops. 

In the quiet of morning, Arbogast lets out a sob of relief. 



:ooc: I think we've not made nearly enough use of the fact that we can tag distinctive features for AP if we can work them into the narration.  This is me using Cunning on a Healing roll.  Doug? 

Quote from: Eclecticon on Jan 06, 2017, 12:43 AM:ooc: I think we've not made nearly enough use of the fact that we can tag distinctive features for AP if we can work them into the narration.  This is me using Cunning on a Healing roll.  Doug?  

:ooc: Sure - sounds cool to me!

---

Even as Arbogast finishes his work on Grimbeorn's wounds, there is a stir once more of air and the Millfort seems to shiver. The companions moved from where the Fire-watcher knelt so that they might once more peer up through the floor. Above them sat an eagle, great and proud. It looked down upon them with its keen eyes, and then it spoke.

"You have no more to fear. Even now, Tauler flees deep into the wood where he will need many moons to heal from the hurt he has taken. How fares the son of Beorn? Is he well enough to travel?"

"Travel?" asked Esgalwen in reply, still in shock from the turn of events and that she was talking to an eagle the size of an oliphant.

"Yes, travel. You have been summoned and we have been requested to bring you. I do not care to burden myself, or my folk, with the weight of Men and Dwarves, but t'is Gandalf who requested it of me and so I shall abide. Long has the grey wizard been friend to the Eagles of the Eyrie."

All of the companions looked at one another - Gandalf?

Gwaihir's head flitted this way and that, as he looked out for any dangers that might return. "Is the man able to be moved?"

"Yes," was Arbogast's answer, "though I do not think it wise."

"We will leave wisdom in the hands of the Wise," answered Gwaihir. "Come each of you to the second landing. Do not be afraid. My folk will carry you with the utmost in care."

The Company worked quickly to gather their things and to move the two wounded folk to the second floor. It was then that Bofri awoke again with a start, seeing the great eagle above him. Grimbeorn, too, returned from unconsciousness, but it was only to moan in pain.

Once they were all ready, a giant eagle swooped down from the sky and picked up each companion. Grimbeorn was last and it was Gwaihir that raised him up. The Windlord spoke as they flew north, "Do not worry about your horses. I have sent more friends to assist. They will find their way home to Rhosgobel."

Through his pain hazed, foggy view, Grimbeorn could see the Millfort slowly fall away as he rose into the air, clutched within the talons of the Windlord. Odd, he thought, winter has fallen over the fortress. For the Millfort and its immediate surrounds were draped in white - the silk of the many spiders that had come to kill. From the air, it looked as if a blanket of snow had covered all.

Before he passed out once more, Grimbeorn's mind continued to try and understand - the sun is warm...the forest is green...yet snow lies thick...

:ooc: This will conclude this chapter.

More to come in the morning (evening for Paul).

 :ooc: Not sure if this still matters... I will spend a Hope to gain Body as a bonus.

 :ooc: Ummm it appears canon is intact with no lasting effects from that wound other than a royally perturbed Beorning when he regains his wits.

"Uhmm hey guys...i think I left the stove on back in the shire.... so uhmm, have a good one. "

:ooc: Well, I have to chime in with my own  $OO ...

Although it was a long combat (primarily due to the holidays), it was one of the best that we have done. It had the heroic-Tolkien feel to it like the one on the bridge of Dol Guldur. I am glad that Grimbeorn rocked the new roll, too!

Great playing! Great story-telling! Everyone!

I hope everyone is enjoying our story thus far. I can say that I miss CODA mechanics a little, but TOR is growing on me. Combat moves quicker due to the fact that parry is built into the defense, but as we have seen - mechanics can be vague in a few areas.

I will be starting a new Fellowship phase today and then our new chapter later this weekend, based on how much we get accomplished mechanically in the Fellowship phase.

As we have seen, I will be adding to the Darkening campaign based on how our story is moving forward, instead of railroading things along - so for those that may have read the book, don't worry if things may be off, out of order, or removed.

This is a great group of heroes!

 :ooc: doug, is this Fellowship phase a break in the action or the passing of the year?

 :ooc: Gotta say I was quite surprised with the  :g: popping up, I guess it was recompense for having about 10 or so really crappy rolls in a row (so much for Twin Strike and swatting spiders like, uh, flies).  Yes, I have to agree this has been fun.

Quote from: Telcontar on Jan 06, 2017, 10:44 AM:ooc: doug, is this Fellowship phase a break in the action or the passing of the year?

:ooc: I am doing the math and it has been 18 days since you guys left Rhosgobel. The book has this one encounter as the activity for the whole year. I have the next year's (2953) tied to where you guys are heading, but I can't see it taking 8 months to rest and decide on your course of action.

I guess to answer your question, no. It will be a half year FELLOWSHIP.

Matt,
 The dice have a story to tell.

Doug,
 We have time to heal up and ride to the aid of the Beornings as promised.