DICE PACKS BUNDLE
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  1. #21
    In the spring, at Hob's new hobbit hole in North Bree, the Companions pick up rumors of ghosts getting active all about Bree: apparently the wights in the Barrows aren't staying up in the hills, but ranging further. A hobbit lass was rescued by Rangers after being stuck in the barrow hills all night when a fog caught her unawares and she was lost. Fenwick has nightmares of icy towers to the north and children wailing. They agree to investigate and some street urchins (Ben & Fen's Irregulars) paid with a few coin do indeed locate a ghost inside the walls of Bree!--a man in armor with a sword at his side.



    Investigation to be continued next time!

  2. #22
    Raz_Kabooz's Avatar
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    The Fellowship of the Pony/grave robbers continue their investigation into the mysterious figure sighted in the south side of Bree-town. Robin, Fen, Jari and Hob camp out at the foreboding alley near a tomb that brings a shiver to their spins. Jari thinks the stonework and engravings are old indeed as sinister onlookers watch the fellowship from the shadows. Hob hides in a corner keeping an eye out for ill-doers as the fellowship continues their search.

    Thugs watching the group from nearby are confused by the odd and somewhat nutty north Bree-towners mucking about the alley. They soon embolden themselves for a bit of thievery. Out of their element challenging the fellowship they are easily discouraged and threatened off by Fen. One of the thugs exclaims before fleeing “you don’t want to be in this place at dawn”. Of course, with this warning the fellowship remains at the tomb to the frustration of the hobbit Hob, “all night without sleep and a comfy bed, we could have slept in a bit”.

    As dawn rises an eerie figure is sighted, a ghost in ancient elven style armor (as Jari points out with his keen smithy eye) walks the alley. The fellowship braves on, however, Robin is deeply taken by the figure and feels deep sorrow for it, somehow feeling a great loss. As the ghost reaches the tomb it fades away.



    That morning the fellowship gets breakfast and questions who might know more about the tale of the tomb and spirit. Fen has heard that the Bree-town schoolmarm is known to have a bit of knowledge of such things and the fellowship pays her a visit. After pleasantries by Jari and Fen she begins to tell them of tales of old, lost love and tragedy with a rumored elven sword and treasure hidden away in the Burrow Downs.

    The fellowship thanks the schoolmarm for her time and decides to head out to the Burrow Downs but not before paying respect to the tomb in Bree-town for the next day's dawn. Hob feeling this isn’t at all a sensible proposal, decides to forego the visit in favor of a good night’s sleep at his Bree-town house.

    Again the following dawn the ghost appears, this time Fen and Jari are compelled by the ghost's sorrow and Robin is filled with fear. They lay flowers at the tomb’s base, however, the ghost pays no heed to their offering. Fatigue and wariness heavy on the three, they decide to spend the day resting before heading to the Burrow Downs. Hob wakes up, well rested from sleeping in his hobbit bed and makes a grand breakfast of eggs, bacon with fresh scallions and tatters from his garden for himself as he reminisces over simpler days while living in The Shire.



    Last edited by Raz_Kabooz; February 1st, 2020 at 16:08. Reason: minor edits; and confusion over elvish or elven ;)

  3. #23
    Good report, thanks for chronicling. I missed that the ghost was wearing Elven armor. Mysterious indeed. Would Bree town folk know whether elves can have ghosts? ?!!??

  4. #24
    Raz_Kabooz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hector Trelane View Post
    I missed that the ghost was wearing Elven armor. Mysterious indeed. Would Bree town folk know whether elves can have ghosts? ?!!??
    It was in "elven style" but more likely made by men with skill from the old days by Jari's smithy eyes. Hob might be embellishing his account of events a bit.
    Last edited by Raz_Kabooz; February 1st, 2020 at 16:12.

  5. #25
    Raz_Kabooz's Avatar
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    The adventure of The Fellowship of the Pony/grave robbers/ghost busters continues…

    The next morning, refreshed from their night’s rest, Robin, Ben, Jari and Hob start the day and pack Jari's little pony for the journey south to the Barrow Downs. Fen being absent, Ben goes to retrieve him knocking on his door to no response. The Fellowship feels that all this business with ghosts and graves has been too much for poor Fenwick and decide to journey on without him. They exit Bree-town from the West Gate and travel south along the Greenway.

    That afternoon the Fellowship encounters a caravan of traders, men and dwarves, traveling north with their wares. After greetings and pleasantries offered by Hob and Jari the caravan master tells the group of rumored troubles along the East Road and recent hauntings on the road near the Barrow Downs. The leader fears that if this trouble continues all trade will cease in these parts. The mood is dourer until Ben speaks out proclaiming that the Fellowship is on a mission to investigate these rumors and to end the hauntings. Everyone is inspired by Ben’s words as Robin lightly sings to herself “who you gonna call…” The caravan and Fellowship soon after bid each other good travels setting their paths apart as the Fellowship heads into the hills towards the Barrow Downs.



    As twilight sets in, Jari having packed a good amount of wood in pony’s packs, finds a good place to camp for the night outside the Barrow Downs. He carves dwarven runes on various rocks and places them around the camp’s perimeter telling the Fellowship that “these will keep us safe” as the group makes dinner and sing songs to keep their spirts in check. Shortly before night a man is seen running towards the camp, it is Fenwick, a bit winded and annoyed that the party left Bree-town without him. The Fellowship laughs, now confident of their numbers, setting in for a night’s rest on the hill side.

    As dusk turns to night a chill fills the air as a thick fog sets upon the camp. Strange sounds can be heard in the distance as several cloaked figures, man size, move just within sight of the campfire’s light. Ben convinced that these are Rangers shouts out “who goes there” as if he were on a patrol in Bree-town. The figures turn facing the group, a feeling of dread sets upon the group, however, each has the resolve withstanding the fear, that is except for Hob who is certain he saw a horrific face. The figures appear to be some sort of specters and begin to approach the camp. Hob cowers under his blanket next to little pony, Fen and Jari take up their weapons and Robin calls out to Ben to light his watchman’s lantern, in which he does. The light of Ben’s lantern cuts through the fog and the shadowy figures shrink into the dark as Robin too lights her lantern to fend off the fiends. The rest of the night the Fellowship sleeps uneasily with lanterns close by in case the figures return.

    The night ends with no further sightings as dawn brings a new day. The Fellowship decides to make haste into the Barrow Downs to try to find the tomb of Andrath and the flowers seen by the young hobbit lass. Rushing into the Barrow Downs Robin, Ben and Jari become somewhat fatigued and must pack a portion of their gear on poor pony to alleviate their weariness. Fen and Hob, eager not to spend the night in the Barrow Downs, remain fresh and ready to go. They spend the entire day skirting from one barrow to another. Signs that the runes on the stone slabs of the entries of the tombs appear to have been worn off; some by weather and time, others by obvious clawing. Something is deliberately altering the markings of the runes. Before long Jari points out that dusk is drawing near and they must head back now or face the prospect of camping in the Barrow Downs for the night. With Jari as their guide, they make it back to their previous camp site shortly before dusk.



    Again, as in the previous evening, a figure is seen approaching the camp before nightfall, this time a strange fellow, muttering to himself about “dead kings and lords” with a wildly glare to his eyes. Hob calls out inviting the man to come forward, which he does but pays little attention to the group as a whole. He is obviously unbalanced and has an odd resemblance to Fenwick (*perhaps a distance relative yet we know little of Fen's father) and the Fellowship tries to make the man as comfortable as possible. The man seems able to answer questions between his mutterings and introduces himself as Ostley, a name Ben heard as the man rumored in Bree-town to have roamed these parts for some time. Ostley tells them that the tombs that were once sealed have now been reopened and warns of the fog muttering “always the mist and always the fog”. He then turns and starts to head back to the Barrow Downs but before he gets too far from the camp Fen asks of the yellow flowers and Ostley turns and tells him of a hill, a safe place here, that has many flowers where the mist never goes. Hob bids Ostley to stay the night with them and Jari asks if he can take them to the hill of flowers. Ostley accepts the Fellowship’s invitation and remains for the night.

    As night sets Ostley continues to answer questions and speaks about Andrath’s tomb located somewhere south in a long forgotten town and his bride’s tomb located in Bree in an old and forgotten section of the town. Fen attempts to piece all these stories together and asks further questions of the man but he has fallen asleep, snoring as he keeps some of the Fellowship awake throughout the night.


    *courtesy of Hector

    The next day the Fellowship, with Ostley as guide, return to the Barrow Downs and journey northwards. Fen having ponder over a pipe the evening before reflecting on the stories told by Ostley and now assessing the landscape of the Barrow Downs is certain he has a good idea where Andrath’s tomb may lay, however, the Fellowship decides to continue northward to find the hill of yellow flowers. Around midday Ostley takes them to a calmly hill filled with yellow flowers, a type of flora not seen elsewhere by the Fellowship. They each feel at ease here as Ostley explains that these flowers only grow here and nowhere else. Ostley also reveals that he was the one who rescued the young hobbit lass from off the hill, taking her back to a stream near the East Road. Hob presses some flowers for preservation and carefully takes a few cuttings for the journey back to Bree-town determined to replant these flowers in his home garden.

    As afternoon begins Jari decides this is a good place to make camp and his companions agree deciding to rest for the day. At nightfall, the mist never reaches the hill top and the chills felt the nights before isn’t as harsh. Stars can be seen overhead as a thick fog blankets the Barrow Downs below the hill’s base and sometime during the night Ostley wonders away without a word.

    The next morning the Fellowship questions what to do next? Fen is eager to return to the Barrow Downs to investigate Andrath’s tomb. He thinks maybe by returning the king’s body to the bride’s tomb in Bree-town will lift this haunting. The rest of the Fellowship disagrees while Robin, Jari and Hob consider rumors that they have heard. Robin believes the elves of Chetwood might know what is needed to end the haunting, however, the elves are difficult to find and more difficult to give a straight answer; Jari has heard that there are dwarf loremasters that may have the answers they seek but the journey to Thorin's Hall is far; and Hob has heard rumors of men who dwell south of Southfarthing of The Shire that may have the knowledge relevant to the task, however, he is not welcomed in The Shire as being the blame of his father's untimely passing.

    The Fellowship ponders where next to go as they eat breakfast. To Be Continued…


    *told in the perspective of Hob Boffin and subject to interpretation
    Last edited by Raz_Kabooz; February 1st, 2020 at 20:54. Reason: me no spell goodly

  6. #26
    Epic, indeed, Raz Kabooz!

  7. #27
    The Adventures of the Fellowship of the Pony continue as written by Ben Wormroot Guard of Bree-Town.

    After returning from The Old Forest and speaking with Tom Bombadil the Fellowship meet again with Halbarad and the Rangers. With them is Gandalf who they call the Grey Wanderer. Ben gets into a smoking contest with them, Gandalf chuckles as he sends a smoke arrow through Ben's Ring. The company prepare to return to the Barrowdowns, to the Elf Prince's Barrow. There Gandalf tells the company that the spells will last long into the night, and the Wights will surely try to attack. Giving each companion a small vial, he tells them that once smashed it will release a bright light to give them an edge. Fenwick is concerned and asks for something more, thinking that perhaps a rotten fish tied around his neck or an onion under his armpit might be a ward enough to keep the Wights away.

    Fortunately Robin talks him out of it, saying "That will only keep us away from you Fen!"

    As dusk falls, a grim fog appears on the Downs. Rolling in they hear whispers calling out their names and beckoning to come closer. Gandalf begins muttering his spells and conjuring his power to reseal the old wards. And it is there as darkness falls that The Wight King and seven Barrowwights appear out of the darkness. Hob Boffin lets out an opening volley, and the rest of the company charge down the hill as four Wights begin climbing up the hill. The battle is long as many blows are exchanged. One of the wights lunges forward towards Robin and grasps her with it's dead decaying and cold hands. She tenses as her arm takes a cold wound. Ben and Jari fiercely battle their wights, dealing heavy blows against them weakening them but the dead bodies still stand. Robin in a swift and powerful blow takes the wight down in front of her, and moves to the one fighting Ben. Due to the blows already dealt, the creature is easily defeated, (but it was my kill. It counts as mine!) Hob Boffin fires an arrow at the Wight facing Jari straight at it's eyes the creature crumbles intp the dirt.

    Now the The Wight King and three new creatures move into the fray. One of the wights manages to dislodge Hob from his defensive rear position, and Robin falls. The battle looks grim, but as it looks like the company will fall, Gandalf finishes his spell and a bright blue light cascades over the Downs, causing the wights to flee.
    Last edited by mrdabakkle; February 22nd, 2020 at 18:01.

  8. #28
    Welcome to the forums, mrdabbakle. Nice write up!

    Edit--Here is a screen shot of the bone-chilling action:

    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Hector Trelane; February 24th, 2020 at 14:04.

  9. #29
    Today's session was a Fellowship Phase in-between-adventures session in which the characters develop, choose their off-screen actions during the down time between adventures, and add to their Tale of Years. It's a great feature of the game that players do develop their characters' stories.

    A highlight was rolling on the Weal & Woe Table, which incorporates "the vagaries of life into their characters’ stories ... reflecting the uncertain events brought about by the Tale of Years." Ben and Hob (again!) rolled an Eye of Sauron which results in a life-changing tragedy while Jari continued his charmed existence, rolling a Gandalf rune to produce life-changing event of good fortune (a windfall of gold) to match his discovery of a Mithril shirt. (Some Dwarves have all the luck.) Fenwick likewise experienced a Grim Year in which his parents came down with the pox and require his support and funds, as Bree folk don't want to buy fish from a fishmonger's stand whose proprieters are diseased.

    The effect is to introduce an element of out-of-PC-control events upon the story, a surprising and positive influence. This mechanic borrows heavily from Pendragon, as does the structure of the campaign, The Darkening of Mirkwood.

    Optional rule we may want to use next time:

    Using Hobbit Tales
    If you own a copy of Hobbit Tales from the Green
    Dragon Inn, then its cards may be used to supplement
    the result of the Weal & Woe die roll. The Loremaster
    or the affected player may simply draw one or
    two cards, and seek inspiration from their titles,
    illustrations, quotes, or Effect icons.

  10. #30
    The Companions were back at it, walking the Greenway northward after a winter rest. They made it to Trestlebridge, asked the locals for guidance, and crossed the great timberframe bridge to step into the unknown of the North Downs:

    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Hector Trelane; April 11th, 2020 at 14:17.

    Running: The One Ring and GUMSHOE--Esoterrorists (on hold); intermittently Fiasco and DramaSystem/Hillfolk
    Want to play: Pendragon, City of Mist, Dresden Files RPG, Orpheus, Changeling, Apocalpse World and more PbtA, Bluebeards Bride, Shadows of Esteren; anything by Bully Pulpit Games

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