The Battle of Stánford

[Eclecticon]

The reply comes not for several seconds, but comes sure and pridefully when it does.  "And where ought I then go?  Back into the wild lands, to freeze in the coming winter?  Or into the wood, to vanish in the shadows?  I am no whipped dog, to slink away from that which I have taken!  For a king am I, as you will one day be, and war is our proving and our prerogative.  But you are wise to suggest that there need be no bloodshed this day.  Hear, then, my own offer: acclaim me as king of this place and I shall be your steadfast ally against the shadow that even now battens itself in the south - I, who know it as one who once served it!" 

His voice holds no quaver to suggest that he lies, and certainly when Grimbeorn meets his eyes he sees the memory of dark days reflected in them, as well as an understanding of things not willingly spoken of by most Men. 

Hathcyn, meanwhile, watches the shapes he can just make out through the gaps in the stockade.  Within, men shift uncertainly and huddle together.  Though Grimbeorn's bold words have not shaken the old king, they are without a doubt having an effect on his followers' morale. 


So, Matt, since you're rolling dice I'll treat this as an encounter.  The more successes you get, the easier any subsequent battle will go, and just maybe you can avoid having to fight at all. 

Tom, I like your plan for Esgalwen to infiltrate the village (though you're going to have to wait a bit for a map - I'll probably have to draw one by hand).  Bandy could certainly infiltrate with you, as well as about 10 Woodmen archers - experienced hunters all. 

Mike, give us a roll when you're ready and we'll see what Anar can see.  Alternatively, I can roll for him if you just want to speed things along. 

[Telcontar]

  i wasnt clear in Bandy's plan, but his goal was to do the very plan that Esgalwen suggested. He probably should have been more vocal about what he was doing.

His goal was to use art of disapearing to get in, check out the barn, see if he coukd get the folks out or shoot those who would set fire to it.

[tomcat]

The mechanics for any narrative you give, Paul, or for when I do.

When Esgalwen is given the green light, here is her stealth roll to move to the palisade.

If any accompany her, she will use her Noble Lineage trait to Inspire and maybe earn some advantage dice (or other benefit) for those that follow her.

Moving to the palisade
TN tbd stealth 2d, Armour of Rangers [roll 2 feat die and keep the better]

2d12 : 10, 6, total 16
Rolled 2d6 : 1, 2, total 3

Give a bolstering speech
TN tbd inspire 2d, Noble Lineage [roll 2 feat die and keep the better]

2d12 : 5, 11, total 16
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 2, total 8

[tomcat]

Wow! Well that fucking blows!

If it wasn't the success dice failing me, it was the feat dice.

Oh well...I have no Hope to offer on either of these tests and so it looks like they are both failed. Let me know if there is a change in that due to Target Number.

[Telcontar]

  hathcyn has an awareness roll out there for the parley and Bandy is using art of disappearing to make it to the barn.

[tomcat]

I still have my 'fingers' on the dice here - internal debate as to whether I want to give up one more Hope to see that Stealth test a success.

I will let you know in a few.

[GandalfOfBorg]

" You, sir, are no king for these lands are not your realm, these people not your vasaals, nor a barn make a castle. No king rules these lands for they are the domain of  Beornings and we suffer no crown or king under it.  Nor will I ever claim any right of that nor any of my people.  You speak of friendship and being allies and we could've been if you had come to us with a hand open instead if clenched about a hilt and haft.  We would've invited you in given you your space to make the land yours.  This strife could've been avoided.  And you I will offer you this one chance to take the offer that would've been given.  Take it."

 
 

Awe -  1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 1, 1, total 6

Hope if necessary

[tomcat]

I am spending the hope and taking the risk. Esgalwen is officially Miserable - 4 Hope / 4 Shadow.

Let's hope this battle is free from any results, and we Fellowship phase soon. I need to cash in some XP!!

She has reached the wall with no challenge, but her attempt to inspire others failed. The speech was not terrible (she rolled a 13 ), just not enough to hearten her allies.

[EDIT] Paul, can we hold off on the rolls and the point to see how Grimbeorn does? If he 'talks' them out of Stánford, then she would not need to make the stealthy movement towards the palisade.

[EDIT 2] Actually, I guess she would either way, as she is using the parley as her opportunity to move to the wall.

[Eclecticon]

Right, time to get something happening here!  Let's start with that Craft roll for Anar - we'll see what he can see:

:00 1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 4d6 : 1, 1, 3, 1, total 6

[Eclecticon]

Esgalwen leads a party of Woodmen towards the stockade.  Sweeping wide around the parley beneath the banner, they follow the barely-visible form of Bandy, who flits from one place of concealment to the next as silently and quickly as a moth.  Were it not for her long familiarity with the Hobbit and his ways, even she, born to guard the wild places, would fail to mark his passage.

Coming at last to the slight berm beneath the wooden stakes, she has just enough time to see Bandy wiggle through a slight gap, and she is struck by the dark look, visible even at a distance, in his eyes.  Clearly, he is ready to slay, and perhaps to be slain in turn.

What is become of you, she finds herself suddenly wondering, who once crossed rivers and mountains in search of nothing more than a tale?  What is become of me, who ventured north bright of heart and with lifelong companions at my side? 

Reaching the stockade herself, she realises that her hands are shaking.  Will the same come to Grimbeorn, to be crushed in spirit by the burdens of rule until he is no better than he who commands the thugs and murderers within this barrier?  So it must be, it seems, for the lords of Men

With a start, she realises that the archers have gathered beside her, awaiting her signal.  Dumbfounded by the emotion welling within her, she turns to them.  She knows that they expect some stirring words from her to fill them with wrath and courage for the battle to come, but the orations she recalls from her youth in Ilithien now seem hollow things, to fill children with fire to fight a war commanded by bitter old men, their own strength no more than a memory.

But it need not be so for me, she suddenly thinks.  I could vanish into the lone and desert places, where even the Shadow in the East could never find me.  I could live never seeing the corruption of those who wear crowns and rich things, nor the slow ruin of my friends...

Heart heavy with conflict between old duties and a newly roused desire to escape them, she says to those who follow her "go.  Be silent.  And when the time comes, shoot straight."

[Eclecticon]

"Yours is no offer at all," the old man bellows from behind the stockade, "for it would see us defenceless and starving in the coming winter!  Is this, then, the fabled generosity of the House of Beorn, to present an open hand and then take all that may keep a man alive?  If so, I spit upon it!  If you are strong enough to cast us out, come do it, else be silent and know that this land belongs now to Vidugalum, king and son of kings!"


Matt, you've pressed him as far as he'll go with Awe - the TN for further attempts is now 16.  Don't be afraid to try other skills - the higher TN doesn't apply, you haven't blown a roll yet and even though the base Tolerance was pretty low, your high Wisdom has given you a good buffer. 

Mike, you can spend a Hope point on Anar's roll to make it a success, if you so choose. 

hathcyn has an awareness roll out there for the parley...

Sorry - this was him noticing the effect that Beorn's words were having on the Toft-men.  There's not much more to notice here. 

I think I'm now caught up.  Sorry for the wait. 

[Telcontar]

"It is a base man indeed who would ask for genoristy when he has broken into a man's house."

He whispered to Grimbeorn, "perhaps we may entreat with this folk and not their leader. If we offer them a way out they will be less likely to fight to the death."

[Eclecticon]

The wind blows at Grimbeorn's back as he searches for the words that will turn a desperate folk against their leader and carry the day without bloodshed, but his tongue feels, all of a sudden, like a foreign thing in his own mouth, and the words do not come.  A great warrior am I, and many foul things have met their doom at by my hand.  But, he despairs, I am no great king of elder days to have poetry spill from my lips and nations erupt in cheers at my words! 

Next to him, Hathcyn looks on, almost imploringly.  Around them both, men tighten their grip on the tools of battle. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn turned from his lord to the palisade and gazed upon the Grim men behind it. The wind blew and tugged at the banner of the bear, neither towards or away from the settlement of Stanford.

"We are but skalds upon the stage today. The skien has been woven tight and it is left to us to be bleed today last and least."

Hatchyn gripped the ram horn of the dwarves in his free hand and blew a loud note and called out loudly one last time.

"You have imprisoned and seized property from the Folk of Beorn! Come forward and be judged now and in peace. Or when the bolts fly and the blades drink you will find judgement in iron."

Then to Grimbeorn, "should we wait a moment here or return to the line and begin the sword work?"

[GandalfOfBorg]

"Not exactly the manner I was going to take, but what's been said is plain enough.  We shall stay and meet them in the manner that they choose.  I am a man of my word for all to see."

  Sorry problems at work have kept me away.