A Possible Chronicle-Length Fan Module (long txt)

[scofflaw]

Or at least outlines for one. I've mulled this thing over for months now, but have had no time to really put it together. Hopefully I'll be able to do it over the summer, as career pressures are slack for the moment. I had in mind, ultimately and hopefully, to be able to put this together as a chronicle length fan module, like those old AD&D campaign super modules that I loved so well in junior high, and find a good site with potential longevity where I could post this.
What I would like from this community: any suggestions you may have to shore up plot holes or contradictions, potential encounters, transitions from one chapter to another, or any other ideas you may have. In this post I have an overview of the chronicle's background and a prologue of sorts. Later, I hope to add summaries of each of the chapters for you to comment on if you like. Hope it interests you...

OUTLINE & BACKGROUND OF THE PROPOSED CHRONICLE

This chronicle will begin in Bree, then move through the adjacent lands of Eriador, to the Trollshaws. Then to Rivendell, into the old land of Angmar, and finally to the ruins of Carn Dum.

Sauron's master plan

The year this chronicle begins is 3010 of the Third Age. At this time, Sauron is completing his fortifications, and calling forth his subject peoples, awakening his creatures, and sending forth his agents and spies. His overall strategy for the coming war, when he is ready, is to strike first at Gondor and the lands east of the Misty Mountains. Ultimately, it is his plan to rule the lands east of the Anduin, and to commit the lands west of it up to the Misty Mountains to his Lieutenant in Isengard. Once this is consolidated, he will send the Witch-king to take up again his throne in Angmar, and make war against what remains of the Free People there, especially to drive the Elves of Lindon into the Sea. In preparation for this, he has sent agents into the North to maintain its scattered and wild state, and to encourage fear in its peoples by rousing the Orcs of the Misty Mountains and the Trolls of the Ettenmoors. Further, his minions in Dol Guldur have made stealthy advance into Angmar, to prepare it for the eventual coming of the Lord of Morgul.

He has sent two of his Nazgul, Uvatha the Horseman and Adunaphel the Quiet, to oversee his tripart purpose in Eriador: 1) To prepare Angmar for the Witch-king's coming: to organize Orc tribes into hosts, scout out the lands, and to rebuild Carn-dum and other fortresses. 2) To stir up, multiply, and arm the Trolls, Orcs and fell beasts of Eriador, to commit them to harass and plunder the peoples, make the roads unsafe, and to maintain the weakened and wild state of the North while Sauron wars east of the Mountains. 3) To seek news of any Heir of Isildur that may be alive, and if found to be so, to slay or enslave him to Sauron's will. Of course, Sauron's desire to find the Ring pervades all of his many plans and councils, but he has not yet learned of Baggins or The Shire.

It is in this year that Sauron ensnared Saruman through the palantir. In reading Saruman's thought, he has learned much, but not all. Saruman is strong enough that what Sauron perceives in his mind is not made plain, but is half-hidden, forcing the Dark Lord to make guesses. Being of the White Council, Saruman knows of the Rangers of the North, but the truth about them he has masked from Sauron. This plays into Saruman's hands, for it troubles the Dark Lord, and Saruman may make much mischief thereby for Mordor's agents in the region, and divert him from hunting for the Ring, buying Saruman more time, and giving trouble also to the Dunedain. Having learned through Saruman of shadowy wanderers who hunt his creatures and guard the peoples of Eriador, he seeks to know who they are and what their business is. Remembering Arnor, he wishes to know if these people are a remnant of the Dunedain, and what they may know of Isildur's line. To this purpose he sends two Black Numenorean slayers, disguised as Knights of Gondor seeking news or lore of the North kingdom that may aid Gondor in its coming struggle. They carry with them a rare poison distilled of the vines of Far Harad. With this they are to wound one of these Rangers, and if they be in service to any heir of Isildur, it may be that he will come to his liegeman's aid. For Sauron also knows the lore of old: "The hands of the King are the hands of a healer." So rare a poison could not be known to any conventional healer in Eriador. The man who heals his servant is suspect, and the Black Numenoreans are to waylay, question, then kill him. If this fails, or if news is gathered of more worth, these killers are to report to Uvatha, who hides in the Trollshaws, mustering Trolls. The Nazgul has been given a lethal weapon: three Morgul arrows. If an heir of Isildur is found, or even a captain of these Rangers, Uvatha will seek to shoot him with one of these arrows, and bind his victim to the will and use of Sauron.

Because his Nazgul are to remain low-key, the prime mover of Saruon's machinations in Eriador is his servant The Morrigan. She is a sword-master and sorceror. Born in Dunland 500 years ago, she eventually found service in Dol Guldur, and her life extended by dark arts. The Dunlendings fear her and have many legends about her. They call her The Morrigan (Du. "Scald-crow"), and attribute to her the power of speaking with ghosts, and lordship over the crebain. She has the ability to take the form of a white crow with black flecks, or that of an old crone who creates fear with whispered rumors and taunts. She has acted as her master's emissary to Isengard. She it is who compelled most of the Dunland clans to join with the White Hand. An elite remnant she has retained for Angmar's service, a fierce war band under the leadership of a Dunlending cheiftan, Durg-datha, who claims to be Ard-ri (Du. "High King") of the Dunnish clans. This band is marching to the Trollshaws, to gather to their fold the last remaining community of Hillmen there. These Hillmen are a sullen and unfriendly people, but they retain the memory of the curses that fell on their people for their service to the Witch-king, and will have no more truck with The Shadow. Also, they curse their more advanced cousins in Dunland, who have come to them at times to make demand of tribute in the form of slaves made of their own youths.

In Angmar, Adunaphel has reawakened the power that has before made Angmar an unclean land, fit for the sorceries of the Morgul lord. At the end of the First Age, when Angband was destroyed in the War of Wrath, the cataclysm created explosions of such great power that the land was ripped assunder, and the walls and spirits of Morgoth were sent flying over the wide world. An evil spirit became entrapped in a broken pillar of the Iron Fortress, and this pillar landed in great force in the side of a cliff in the Mountains of Angmar. It was there that Sauron, upon his reawakening, found this place-demon, and bound it to his will, to send and evil pall over that land. When the Witch-king founded his realm, to hold his evil men to servitude he made them take an oath with their blood upon this pillar, to never waver in servitude to the Dark Lord, even after death. These phantoms, the Men of Carn Dum, dwell there still, and Adunaphel is gathering them into a host.

To further strife in this land, The Morrigan gave to Snori, a Dwarf noble in the Blue Mountains, a lesser Ring of Power and instruction in sorcery, and encouraged him to gather a host to return to their old fastness that was where Carn Dum now stands. Upon success, one of the Seven has been promised him. This is a lie, of course, and Snori will be betrayed. Knowing that the Elves will not tolerate the possibility of the Dwarves awakening evil in Angmar, it is hoped that war may be stirred as members of the Wandering Companies discover that these Dwarves have already rebuilt a fortress on the borders of Angmar as a base from which to begin their expeditions to Carn Dum.

It is within these webs and this gathering strife, that the heroes will build their chronicle.

I. Bree & The Prancing Pony

"Orcs were multiplying again in the mountains. Trolls were abroad, no longer dull-witted, but cunning and armed with dreadful weapons. And there were murmured hints of creatures more terrible than all these, but they had no name." - The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"

The heroes are met at The Prancing Pony in Bree. In the common room are local men and hobbits. A few more outlanders than usual are gathered as well. A dwarf caravan is seated at a table, conversing with an old man in gray. Near them, but apart, sits a weatherbeaten man in cloak and travelling leathers scanning the room coolly but intently. A party of men from the hamlet at Sarn Ford are congratulating each other on a successful trade of wares in town with a bit too much stout. Barliman stands at the common bar talking to two men who appear to be travellers from the Dale lands. Eyeing the hobbits are an ugly squint-eyed man and a surly looking Eriadorian.
The locals are discussing the most recent news: a party of merchants came with a shipment of wine and furs from Dorwinion via Dale. On the East Road they had been trailed by brigands, and one night they attacked. In the midst of the attack Trolls came charging out of the rocky escarpments on both sides of the road, attacking merchants and brigands alike. Most of their guard were slain, and only two escaped with a gravely wounded Dorwinrim merchant as the Trolls pursued the fleeing brigands, or squated amongst the smashed wagons to pick through the loot or devour the horses. The trolls were armed with great spiked maces and glaives. If asked about this, some will nod toward Barliman and the two Northmen. They are the two caravan guards from Dale who survived. If they are approached, they may mention more of their encounter, particularly that they heard Troll calls in the hills for miles as they escaped. The Dorwinrim merchant is resting, gravely wounded, in the cottage of a local healer under her care.
The drunken men of Sarn Ford are speaking of a succesful trade of wheat to Bree. They speak of better lands immediately to their north that they could farm, which is held by an indolent folk, the Hobbits of the Shire: "There's plenty of land there they could be sharing with folk as has less. Acres and acres of land given only to farmin' leaves. And do they eat these crops? No! They smoke 'em! More and more folk are coming to us from the South lands past the river, and we could stand to have more land for the feeding of men, rather than to be burnt up as so much smoke by those as have less need." They eye the Bree hobbits angrily. The squint eyed man and his companion join the table after hearing about The Shire and pipe-weed and begin to ask questions. The squint-eyed man is a Half-Orc, Saruman's first spy in the Bree-land, and he is under orders to gather information about the Shire and establish contacts for the buying of pipe-weed. His companion is a local brigand of the Weather Hills, whom the Half-Orc is attempting to enlist to further Saruman's plots. One of the locals, Bill Ferny, goes over to join their talk.
On hearing the tale of the Northern merchants, the Dwarves shake their heads: "This news bodes ill, Tharkun. We have left our homes in the East, to seek our kin of the West. The men of Rhun are confederated, and they have no love of our folk. The Dark Tower is rebuilt, shadow lies over Mordor. War is coming, and we have left it. Now it seems that which we flee moves also in the night of the West." They grow silent. The man in gray speaks: "Come, my good Dwarves. These lands have long been wild, and no promise was given you that you should find here the safety you seek. Yet no shadow holds sway here yet. It is often evil in the wild to fare, yet there are those still who watch the paths, so that others may travel unhindered. So do not despair!" The man is Gandalf, and as he speaks, he casts a look and a half-smile at the heroes.
The locals grow tired of dark tidings "as don't touch us in Bree." One calls to the man in the corner: "Let's forget these trouble-tales! Come Master Longshanks! You've a rare tale to tell when you have a mind. Give us one now." A chorus of agreement rises. The man (Halbarad) looks up slowly: "And do you think that the tales of old have naught to do with the troubles of these times? But come, I will tell you of Ondoher, the last Prince of Cardolan that was of old, and of the flight and last stand of his sons in the Old Forest."
When Halbarad finishes his tale, the Half-orc speaks so the room can hear him: "Why you in this town allow these rough men, these Rangers, to wallow in your inns is far from me to understand. Like as not they are brigands as robs you in the night, only to hide out in your own towns, and lull your heads with fairy stories." Ferny chimes in: "Aye, and taking in Dwarves and such! Run to your hills, and eat your wretched tin, rather than eat us out of house an' home. Garn!" He spits on the floor. At this the Dwarves rise in anger, hands on their axe hafts. The brigand and the Sarn Ford men want some trouble, and will make some, if they aren't stopped. Suddenly the heroes hear Gandalf's voice speaking low from behind them: "Give poor Barley a hand, won't you, my good fellows? Before the peace of this pleasant inn is quite spoiled!" The heroes should stop any violence from occuring, rather than create some of their own. (The Pony is no place for D&D style bar brawls!). If things look bad, Halbarad will stare down the trouble makers: "Those who would speak against brigands should take care that brigand talk does not fall from their mouths!"
The heroes will find that Gandalf knows their names, even if they do not know him. He will say to them, "Think not that your coming here and all you have heard and all that has transpired is all coincidence. Much that seems strange works even stranger will, here in these lands of Middle-earth! But come, I have a proposition for you, one I think you will have a mind to, and it concerns also my friend here, Halbarad, a worthy man." At this the Ranger rises and bows.
He will give them to know only that he is a hunter of evil beasts, and that the news that was heard is of concern to himself and some of his friends, whose strength is taxed and scattered. He wishes to investigate the lands around for signs of these Trolls, and possibly worse. If the heroes agree (and they ought to, otherwise this chronicle won't begin!), Gandalf rises: "Halbarad, my friend, I leave you in good company. I must be off now, to settle our other business. Good luck to you, and all of you!" With that, he pays Barliman and leaves. (Unknown to the heroes, but known to Halbarad, Gandalf leaves to join Aragorn in resuming the hunt for Gollum).

[scofflaw]

Here's a prospectus for the first two chapters. It's interlaced with solicitations for advice/suggestions, so don't be shy, and be as critical as you like. It will all be appreciated.

From the initial meeting at the Pony, I'm a little stuck. I'd like to add some more Bree detail, but am not sure what may work. I'm wondering how to develop the connection between the Half-Orc spy, the brigand, and Bill Ferny into an actual set of encounters. Perhaps it's not really necessary. Suggestions are most welcome. The brigand is a member of a band hiding in the Weather Hills, and they've currently begun hiding in a dell on Weathertop. More about them below. The bit about the Half-Orc being interested in The Shire and Pipeweed is in more for the sake of creating atmosphere and placing the chronicle in the history of the War of the Ring, but perhaps more could be made of it?

The heroes should try to speak to the merchant from Dorwinion. The healer is an old woman whose husband died years ago. Besides mentioning that the Trolls had more sophisticated weapons than is usual for their kind, that some of them spoke clearly in Westron and that they attacked brigands as well as the caravan, I can't really think of anything of more interest to add to his narrative. Ideas?

That afternoon a hobbit comes to the Pony and speaks of something that broke into his stables in the late hours of night. It made a great deal of noise, and woke the community who rushed to see what it was. Something huge ran off, and the hobbits were too frightened to attempt pursuit. The heroes go to the hobbit's land by the Chetwood to investigate the signs.They find a broken fence and stable doors & signs of troll tracks. The trail should be lost some way so that it can't be pursued to its source. Rocky land, I suppose. The party hides in a barnyard that night. 2 Trolls return. The party must stop them from carrying off livestock. If they escape, they can be followed, or tracked the next day. Somehow or other, a better troll trail must be found that leads deeper into the Chetwood. A conversation between Trolls should be overheard, the gist of which is that the Trolls wanted to try Hobbit, having caught a glimpse of some one evening, that one of their number has gone missing, and that they came out of the Weather Hills recently. The players ought to try to rid the area of the trolls.

A wider search for troll activity in the area should commence. Signs should eventually trace a route in the direction of the Weather Hills. The heroes journey that way. Perhaps throw some wolves at them on the way?
Eventually, the party makes its way to Weathertop. The brigands are here. They have taken on a magician, who has managed to enslave a troll with a spell (the missing member of the troll's party). They hope to use it to improve their chances in brigandage. The magician is an angry and contemptuous young man who left his shepherd family in Minhiriath to find his way to Isengard. Saruman does not think much of him, but thinks he can do some mischief "in a small, mean way" and the Half Orc has been contacting these brigands through the man seen in Bree. Some way or another, I need to give compelling (but false) evidence that the troll depredations are to do with these bandits rather than with Sauron.

The party should camp on Weathertop, as a storm is brewing out of the north. That night, one or more of the characters has a dream in which glimpses of the history of Arnor and the wars with Angmar are mingled with foreshadowing of what is to come. I haven't begun to think out what the dream will consist of, so your suggestions are, again, welcome. That morning Halbarad will want to hasten back to Bree. He is to meet a fellow Ranger there in a week, and he must tell him what was discovered on Weathertop, as well as hear of news of the Rangers' efforts south of Bree.

II. The Legacy of the Rangers

" 'The Enemy has set traps for me before now.' " - Aragorn, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Strider"

In Bree, strangers arrive. They are not Rangers, but Knights of Gondor. They say they have ridden north at Denethor's behest to find any lore, artifacts or news of the lost realm of Arnor that may aid Gondor in its coming struggle. They also say they seek any remains of the old cities of the north. A hobbit in the Pony will mention that if it's old tales they want news of, the Rangers will be the ones to ask. This leads them to Halbarad. The Knights' manner is courteous and curious. Halbarad will be polite but wary. These knights are actually Black Numenoreans from Umbar, in the service of Mordor as assassins. They seek to know more of the Rangers, and to find out what became of the Dunedain in the North. They tell the truth, though, when they say they seek artifacts here. They have knowledge of a hammer made long ago, said to have power against the sorcerous creations of the Shadow.

Now - concerning this hammer I'm a little wobbly. My conception is that it is actually only the head of the hammer, and a craftsman will have to make a new shaft and handle for it and attach the head to it. Ultimately, it is to be used to defeat and destroy the demon trapped in the pillar atop Carn Dum. The tentative history is that it was made by the Dwarves of Belegost for use in the wars against Morgoth, particularly against his demons. It was lost eventually. Somehow or other it came into the hands of the Dunedain of the North. When the last prince of Cardolan's sons fled into the Old Forest after Angmar destroyed the Dunedain of that land, they perished there, and the hammer they took with them was lost. I wonder if perhaps the hammer artifact is a bit cheesy? Would something better suit? Also, how would knowledge of the hammer's whereabouts be discovered, leading to the Old Forest? On the journey to the Old Forest, should the Knights accompany the players? Should Halbarad? I don't want to add too many NPC's to any gaming group.

In the Old Forest, it is late autumn. Bombadil is at his home, and will not stir about again until spring. The hammer is in the clutches of Mewlips and a minor demonic spirit that live in a warren of tunnels, whose entrance is found in a large, hollowed-out tree. The hammer ought to be given to the Knights who sought it.

On their return, another Ranger, Halbarad's contact, will arrive. Being of lesser rank than Halbarad, he will put his hand to his breast and bow slightly before him. The B.N.'s take note of this. The Numenorians plan to get the Half Orc to stab this new ranger, poisoning him with the rare poison they've brought. The B.N.'s know about Saruman's agent. They will make themselves known to him as agents of Sauron. I need to think of some way to have the Half Orc (who does have a name, I just can't find where I wrote it down) interfere with Sauron's men, without giving their whole game away. Whatever befalls, the new Ranger will get poisoned. Halbarad does have knowledge of this poison, thanks to Aragorn's journeys in the South. Knowing the Enemy had many servants there, Aragorn was keen to gain knowledge of all manner of arts in these lands that Sauron might make use of. Alternately, one of the heroes could heal the man, if he happens to have knowledge of poisons from Far Harad. Whoever heals the man is marked for death. I had thought to have the assassins waylay him in the Woods alone or with few companions. How would you all do this?

One of the Numenoreans, or perhaps an agent in their employ, must escape with the hammer. He is going north, toward Deadman's Dike. Halbarad will wish to pursue him, but all haste is needed. His contact's news was that the Rangers are occupied in earnest further south along the Greenway with Trolls. Also, there had long been rumors of unrest in Dunland, and a large host of Dunlending warriors had been sighted marching north. They are too large to engage, and a few Rangers are tracking them. It is thought they go to the Trollshaws, and an attempt is being made to muster a large enough force to meet them there. It is with these pressures that the heroes race to Deadman's Dike to retrieve the Hammer.

[scofflaw]

Never say die! Here are the outlines for chapters 3 and 4 of this chronicle-brainstorm- fan-module-in-waiting thing. Again, suggestions are requested. Thanks for reading.

III. The Fell Hunters

On the trail to Deadman's Dike, the party comes to a hidden cottage in which one Dunadan family dwells. A distraught woman sits at the door. Her husband is away south with the Rangers. Her children have gone missing in the woods, and she has not been able to find them. She is nearly mad with grief. Her heart tells her they have met an evil fate. Though in haste, the party, or at least Halbarad, will not leave her without attempting a search. The bodies of her two children will be found, the blood drained from their bodies, and their hearts torn from their chests. A difficult search will reveal traces of a trail, though the tracks are strange. A day or two will be spent losing and picking up again the trail of the killer(s). On the way, a goup of foresters or bargemen, travellers through the wilderness, will be found burying comrades who had been lost in the night, and found dead, hearts also torn from their chests. Finally a more discernable trail will be found, what appear to be tracks of a troll in iron shod shoes. But it ends at the corpse of the troll, its body mangled and ripped open.

In the course of following the trail, the pursuers (that is, the heroes) have become the pursued. The killers noted the party and, doubling back, began tracking them as they followed their trails (the beasts have traversed back and forth over the region in the last week or so, therefore, the heroes will probably end up following older trails and zig-zagging through the Wild). These killers are fell beasts of Darkness - the Fell Hunters. They are bipedal, but their features are more beastlike than humanoid. They stand as tall as trolls, but are far stronger and quicker. They are covered in shaggy black hair, their muzzles possess large fangs and they have long arms with abnormally large clawed hands. They are stealthy and possessed of a powerful sense of smell and cunning. They are beasts twisted by Morgoth in the First Age, to haunt the wilds at night and strike fear in people, and to kill their hopes and joys, for these beasts above all love to waylay and slay children. They have been reawakened and sent to Eriador. Two will come on the heroes at night.

At some point in this chapter, the party should come upon the site where Glorfindel drove off the Witch King. It is blessed ground, and the power of the land will allow for increased recovery from weariness and wounds.

More of these beasts will follow the heroes to the ruins of Fornost. They will probably waylay them occaisonally. At dawn, as they look upon the walls of the ruins, they see crebain flocking thick over the old city. Those the heroes have pursued took advantage of the delay caused by the Fell Hunters and arrived at Deadman's Dike with the ancient hammer well before the party. But they have not left. They met The Morrigan there, and they are now searching the ruins for lore that is said to have been hidden away there before the Witch King destroyed the city in T.A. 1974. The Morrigan has brought with her Wargs, Crebain and a band of mercenaries recruited from Northmen and Balchoth. The heroes must retrieve the Hammer, and this will involve discovering which of their enemies has it. They must also find out why the Enemy is searching Fornost Erain, and attempt to beat them to the trove of lore. Stalking through the ruins, hit and run attacks, painstaking searching and a final showdown with the Morrigan and the other Black Numenorean will ensue. The scrolls of lore were hidden in a cubby-hole built into the floor of a building as far from the great library as possible using the utmost skill, that had been made in times before Angmar's attack, in case vital books and scrolls must be hidden quickly, hopefully to be retrieved later (though it had not been thought that retrieval would have to wait another 1,050 years!). Amidst the scrolls will be found lore concerning the hammer (made by Telcrist of Nargothrond, perhaps?), a narrative taken by a scribe of a report made by a Dwarf who escaped his enslavement in Carn Dum. He reports that he saw the oath taken by the evil men at the pillar of Angband lodged in the Iron Mountain of Angmar. Other information pertaining to the land of Angmar will be found collected from reports of rangers and scouts of Arnor, as well as words written down by Malbeth the seer that contain hints of what is to come in this chronicle, some of which players should recognize from the dream they had on Weathertop. Whatever befalls, The Morrigan should escape by changing into her crow shape and flying away, but not before chanting dire words of threat and prophecy at the heroes.

IV. Battle in the Trollshaws

The heroes enter from the northwest. Pausing at a stream they are attacked by a pale creature, something part serpent, part salamander, with sharp teeth and covered in hard spines. Upon defeating it, more will jump out of the stream. If the heroes dispatch the beasts, they will win the gratitude of the otters who inhabit the Trollshaws, who have been preyed upon by the creatures. Characters who can speak with animals will be able to win the otters over as messengers and scouts, and should be utilized throughout this chapter for reconaisance and intelligence gathering. They may also catch fish and crayfish for the party if they are low on food. They will say the evil things entered the streams of the area a month ago, and there have been other evil things afoot, trolls drinking in the streams, and a chill shadow pervades the land, though what it is, the otters cannot say, as when they feel its approach, they hide in their dens, and do not come out until it has passed. So the otters will not be able to warn the heroes of the presence of Uvatha the Ringwraith.

Halbarad will want to move to the southern border of the Trollshaws to look for evidence of the Dunlending troop, and if it has not arrived yet (it hasn't), to wait near the border to watch for it. Also, he will want to search for signs of the Trolls to determine their number, organization, and lairs. He fears a combined assualt of Trolls and Men, and the heroes should surmise that only a captain of Sauron could hold these two antagonistic peoples together. Halbarad will find Ranger runes. They were left only the day before. The Dunlendings will arrive in three days. The Ranger leaving the mark has moved north into the Trollshaws, to find the remnant of the Hillmen.

These Hillmen are the last remnant of the Hillmen of Rhudaur, distantly akin to the Dunlendings and who fell under the sway of Angmar of old. They have survived mostly by having sworn off the influence of the Shadow, and to remain wary and secretive, so that even the Rangers only know of them as a rumor. They have captured the Ranger who sought them, fearing that he is an emissary of the Dunlendings. They know of their impending arrival, because "the Crow Witch" came to them days ago, and commanded that their allegiance to the Dark Lord be remembered, and that they are to join and serve the soldiers from Dunland when they come. The chieftan and his councilors are hard put to decide what to do. They do not wish to join the Shadow, and they hate their Dunland cousins, who have in the past come to them with demands of tribute and slaves. They had hoped to use their Ranger hostage as a bargaining chip, but it is slowly beginning to dawn on them that, however much the Hillmen distrust and fear the Men of the West, the Rangers are not servants of evil.

Hillmen warriors will come upon the heroes. Either by force or free will, the heroes will come to the village of the Hillmen, hidden in a deep, tree-covered vale. They will encounter the hostage Ranger. The heroes must win over the Hillmen, convince them to fight the Dunlendings, and organize their warriors (numbering 40 - 60, there are no more than 200 Hillmen left in all of Eriador) for the coming battle. To do this, they will have to win the respect of these people before they can win their trust. The tribal champions will engage in three contests: the wrestling contest, the singing duel, and the riddle-chant. If these champions are bested, the way will be paved for the heroes to convince the tribe that they have a common enemy in The Morrigan. The best strategy will be to prepare temporary fortifications, utilize terrain to delay the Dunlendings, and prepare to attack from ambush to weaken them.

Scouts will report the arrival of a host 150 men strong, armed with spears, swords and bows, all on foot but their war-chief, Durg-datha. Whatever befalls this host on their way to the tribe's village, they will assemble in the large meadow that lies before the vale, and in Dunlending tradition, shout their challenges, then prepare their war frenzy, blowing on their pipes, beating their bodhran, and chanting. In the ensuing battle, should they lose over half their number and their chieftan, they will break and run. Should the heroes prevail, it will remain to determine what is to be done for the remainder of the Hillmen. For the Trolls are still here.

Uvatha had not forseen that there would be resistance to the Dunlendings, and has had his picked lieutenants (one of which is an Olog-hai) arm and organize the Trolls while he awaits Durg-datha's force. Once done, he had planned to reconnoitre with the Dunlendings and prepare them for cooperation with the Trolls. When he learns of the battle with the heroes, he will order that they be hunted, and the Hillmen exterminated. There are a total of 20 - 25 Hill Trolls, ten Men and one Olog in the service of Uvatha, plus whatever Dunlendings escaped the battle at the Hillmen's vale.

The Rangers will want to make for the remains of an old Dunadan fortress, Cameth Brin, in the central Trollshaws. (NOTE: while I have borrowed the name, this is really the only similarity between my fortress and the Rhudaurim city invented by ICE for MERP). When the soldiers of Gondor and Lindon came here in the last war with Angmar, they purified this fortress from the taint of evil that had descended on the lost kingdom of Rhudaur. Rangers have used it as a rest stop, and it is stocked with some supply and its crumbling halted and somewhat reinforced. Here the heroes will place the remaining Hillpeople for their protection and establish a base for their maraudings against the trolls. What is not known, is that Uvatha had planned to raze the hated reminder of the Dunadan kings to the ground before sending his trolls south, and taking his Dunlendings north.

The heroes will come upon a Troll-moot at night. They are gathered to be whipped in line by their new Olog commander, and the plan for the assault on the fortress is discussed. If the enemy has not discovered that the heroes are sheltering in Cameth Brin, the troll-band will be primarily prepared for demolition, and not so much for battle (still, trolls armed with sledges and pick-axes are no trifle in combat!). The heroes should do their best to prepare the ancient fortress against the coming assault. If not prepared for battle, only the Trolls and the Olog will approach the fortress, and with minimal caution, while Uvatha and his men will be a mile behind, approaching leisurely with the expectation of arriving to see only ruins where the fortress once stood. The battle to defend the fortress will begin. Under whatever barrage the heroes unleash on them, the Trolls will rush to organize, and the Olog commander will blow his horn, so that Uvatha and the Men (armed with bows) will make haste. Whatever occurs, the coming of Uvatha in wrath should cause a setback for the heroes. Uvatha will come on horseback, drawing his great long bow and seeking the heroes. He will recognize them and Halbarad from the reports he received from the Black Numenoreans, and seeking to fell a possible heir of Elendil, or one in league with him, will prepare his Morgul arrows (note: Uvatha has only three and will use them strategically. He is more interested in taking down Halbarad at this point, than destroying Cameth Brin).

Either Halbarad or his Ranger comrade should be hit by the arrow. Uvatha will ride forward, putting forth all his power and terror to drive any defenders away, and snatch up his victim, and ride away north with him. The heroes must pursue him, and rescue his victim before he fades. Ultimately, the heroes should catch him up at a cliff overlooking the river Hoarwell, giving them a chance to save Halbarad (or whomever Uvatha captured) as well as their own skins by forcing the Nazgul over the edge into the rushing waters below, as it is unlikely that they will manage to defeat Uvatha in combat! Snatching his victim from off his horse will be task enough. Following this, the heroes must race to Rivendell in time to get their charge to Elrond for healing. At Imladris, they will find rest, as well as news of events that will send them forward in their chronicle.

I'm considering embellishing the role of Saruman by having the spies in Bree pursue the heroes to Fornost (back in ch. 3), possibly taking with them a squad of soldiers of the White Hand, to battle test the first batch of Saruman's improved Uruk-hai. Not sure though, just a thought...this thing is tangled and complicated as it is.

[Lord Kjeran]

Chello!

Nice work and ideas. Enjoy reading them and thinking up some ways to use them in my game.

For the dream sequence atop Weathertop, what if the PC sees the forging of the hammer; the hammer being used by a mighty dwarf against agents of the Shadow, but falling to their blades, the hammer falling from his lifeless hands; the scene switches to a black pillar swirling with dark eneregies that suddenly shatters; cut to scene of the Nazgul-Lord being crowned in a dark ceremony; cut to either blackness or an image of a lidless eye ringed in fire.

Just a thought....

Tony

[scofflaw]

For the dream sequence atop Weathertop, what if the PC sees the forging of the hammer; the hammer being used by a mighty dwarf against agents of the Shadow, but falling to their blades, the hammer falling from his lifeless hands; the scene switches to a black pillar swirling with dark eneregies that suddenly shatters; cut to scene of the Nazgul-Lord being crowned in a dark ceremony; cut to either blackness or an image of a lidless eye ringed in fire.

Say, I like that a lot! I was planning to show visions of the battle at Amon Sul, and the evil men taking their blood oath at the pillar on the mountain of Angmar. With your ideas, I'll end it with noble looking Dunedain burying their prince in a barrow, and then fleeing with a bundle wrapped in rags into some dark woods....

Thanks for the suggestions!