The One Ring: Trouble in Bree

[Hector Trelane]

The Companions make their way to Fornost, where they stumble into a long-sealed armory containing very old, but still sound weapons:




... and then find an ancient throne room. After one of their number foolishly sits on the throne (ahem, Robin), wraiths appear and lay gazes of cold hatred upon the living, swarming forward to attack.

[Hector Trelane]

The Companions continue their exploration of Fornost, passing through debris, halls, a spiral staircase, and tunnels to discover ancient battlefields and many bones of the fallen.

Rushing past the noise of orcs to the surface and green fields, they discover more bones--those of hobbits--and meet the ghostly captain of the "Green Company", roused and pledged to fight "foulness stirring once again from Mount Gram". Just then, an orc warband emerges from the tunnels (with Hill-men aiding them), and a battle ensues, the Companions aided by the ghostly Green Company of hobbit archers.

After a close battle, the orcs are driven off (but not defeated), and the Companions discover the lost bow of the Green Company's captain, who had commanded them, or at least Hob Boffin, to remember and tell their tale back in the Shire. The Companions return, weary and wounded--but safe--to Bree.

[Hector Trelane]

The Companions meet an old patron, Hwalda, the Hill folk guide, who leads them far north to Forochel, where a tribe of unrelated Hill-men report kidnappings that match the haunting dreams several have had. The Companions help beat back a wolf attack and are alert enough to foil a goblin kidnapping attempt, earning the thanks of the tribe leaders.

[Hector Trelane]

The Companions journey on to search for the source of the nightmare visions where captured children might be kept, and reach Angmar. Hiding from orc warbands, they see a squad of goblins dump a man-sized bundle into a cave. The hobbit sneaks up and cuts it open to reveal a dazed man, just as a horror emerges from the recesses. The Companions rush to their aid, forming a shield wall and managing an organized retreat, but the beast remains alive despite a mighty blow from Robin and a shot from Hwalda:




Proceeding on, unable to find shelter, the Companions reach, as dusk approaches, a bridge over a chasm and ancient towers rising above: Carn Dum. They prepare to descend stairs in the cliff, eager to remain unseen.

[Hector Trelane]

The Companions find a tunnel leading into the mountain, with a false at the rear they manage to open, leading to a maze of passages and chambers.

A long dangerous slog through the catacombs follows, with the alarm being raised by the goblins, so the Companions fight their way from room to room, trying not to get lost and to find their way out besides. Some skirmishes go well while others bog down into protracted battles as more patrols of goblins join in a fray that started small. It's dangerous business.




Eventually, the Companions reach a large chamber with a dozen or more barred cells and cages where children and Hillmen are kept. Larger orc guards stand leering over them. The Companions move to free the prisoners and another battle follows, resulting in the defeat of the orcs and a brief moment of rest. The prisoners may be freed, but then what?

[Hector Trelane]

Back in the saddle in Bree! After a fearful caper involving the disappearance of three potatoes from Hob Boffin's garden, the Companions struck out east on the East Road to salvage the lost wagon caravan of refugee dwarves, who claimed to be the sole survivors of some attack. Fenwick Fishmonger didn't like to looks of these travelling ragamuffins and was reluctant to venture out until one of the dwarves agreed to tend to his fishmonger stand. Others tended to Hob's garden. "This is working out great!" he thought to himself. "We've got retainers!"

On the road the Companions travelled past the Forsaken Inn, detoured to inspect the top of Weathertop, and at last approached the Last Bridge.

[Raz_Kabooz]

After some exploring and much disagreement on how to handle the captured bandits, The Fellowship of the Pony continues their raid upon the bandit cave lair in the Trollshaws. Robin Brairwood, Jari Son of Dvalin, Ben Wormroot, Fen Fishmonger of Bree and Hob Boffin face off with the leader of the bandits, the troll named Amos. At the start Jari effectively strikes at Amos breaking his armour and affording a tender spot for his fellows to aim for, however, the troll’s hatred for Jari is clear as he focuses his complete rage on the noble dwarf.

Ben rallies the fellowship keeping his companions spirits high, as Fen tosses taunts at the troll insulting his fighting prowess and parentage. Robin successfully strikes at the beast effectively, however, Hob's attempts to hit with his bow at that tender spot in the troll's armour misses and go astray.

As the fight peaks Jari begins feel the full might of Amos' hatred as the troll continues to club at him blow after blow. Fortunately Ben's rally calls maintain Jari's resolve as the dwarf reaches the limits of his endurance. As the fight becomes dire for Jari, Robin and Fen focus on the troll's weak spot bringing Amos to his threshold of endurance as Hob finally hits that tender spot in the troll’s armour, finally taking the monster down.

If it were not for the fortitude of Jari Son of Dvalin keeping the troll's focus on himself, its most likely that at least a few of his companions may have fallen in the fight.

Now the Fellowship must attend to those imprisoned in Amos' den as well as deal with the remaining bandits.

[Hector Trelane]

Nice post. Fun tactical battle. Sorry to miss the action this morning.

[Poppyseed]

After the company defeating the troll, they found that there was not only one, but two prisoners in the troll's cages. A dwarf named Hannar was one of them, who Jari spoke with and found out that he had been among the dwarves that Anar and Vidar had been travelling with when they were attacked. As for the other dwarves, however, the only thing that remained of them was now a part of the bone pile in the corner. Robin opened the cage for the other prisoner - a man who introduced himself as "Footsore" when Robin gave her name and stuck her hand out in greeting. As the companions were busy talking, Footsore slowly edged his way to his weapons and armour, which had been cast in a pile on the other side of the room, and put them on. Both he and Hannar weren't in the best shape, from a lack of food and water, and bad conditions, but that wasn't the companions' only problem. From the passageway leading on, there were sounds of the bandits stirring and gathering their weapons. Jari, by the bone pile, mourned his lost kinsmen and Robin stood at his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. The companions then went down the passageway to fight.

Jari, filled with rage, charged out of the tunnel, swinging wildly at the bandits but missing them and Robin followed close behind, taking down one of them with ruthless efficiency. Footsore joined the companions in the battle, fighting with his bow alongside Hob and once the battle was finished, they took as much as the the dwarves' stolen goods that remained in the cave as they could back out to the horses. Scouting ahead slightly north, they found an abandoned cart and decided that they should bring the goods back to Bree. Now all they needed to decide was what to do with the two bandits that still lived...

They eventually decided to leave them, free and unbound after getting information about the "Captain" - Mormog and the remaining bandits and troll, residing to the north. This was a threat the companions didn't want to leave unchecked. Still, many of them were wounded and weary and they had at least a little of what they originally came for. There really wasn't much further they could go as they were so they headed back to Bree together. Footsore decided to join them, saying that his home was far to the east and it would be a difficult trek back if he tried to go alone as he was. Over the journey, they told him about Bree and Robin talked about Archet. It seemed like he hadn't seen anywhere like Bree before. Footsore seemed unsettled by the crowded streets while he tried to take in everything and Robin put a hand on his shoulder, telling him Archet was better and much quieter too but that "you get used to Bree once you'd spend enough time here".

Hannar reunited with Anar and Vidar, who greeted him with glad arm-clasps and when the companions returned their goods and gold, they paid them handsomely - 12 gold per person, which was enough to make Footsore look a little lost at the sight of so much money. Robin suggested saving it and explained the vault system Bree had - something that she was surprised to find wasn't a concept he'd come across. Hob seemed to be very pleased with the money. There was no doubt that he could use it to help his ruined relationship with his family and restore the farm.

As the company set off to their own homes and Footsore journeyed to Archet with Robin to find a place to stay, Robin wondered what she would end up spending her money on. Nothing immediately came to mind. She wasn't doing this so much for the money, but to help people - make a change in their lives for the better - and with the friends she had now, and her family doing fine, what more could she possibly want?

[Poppyseed]

Robin was back home again. The familiar smell of carved wood hung in the air and Robin smiled as she looked around. Finding an empty spot on one of the shelves, Robin rooted around in her pack and dug out the carving she’d made on the journey back of a horse and added it to the collection of carvings that were already displayed.

Aunt Sophia called from the back of the shop “I’ll be with you in a minute!” and Robin turned, scanning the room. Empty. She was probably in the storeroom – the door to it was open.

“Don’t worry, Auntie, it’s just me,” she called back.

Aunt Sophia appeared from the doorway behind the counter looking slightly frazzled, with her hair pulled into a messy bun, and stopped abruptly. A soft smile grew over her features and she brought Robin in for a hug.

“Oh, you’re back,” she said warmly.

“Has everything been alright while I’ve been gone?” Robin broke from the hug ever so slightly to look at Aunt Sophia’s face. She didn’t look too tired – definitely not as tired as she had been over the winter, which was a good sign. Perhaps Uncle Matthew’s health had improved again. Aunt Sophia nodded in her usual way of nodding when the real answer was not everything but it’s nothing you need to worry about.

“Oh – yes, it’s been fine. Matthew’s been getting better by the day now the weather’s warming up and I’ve been managing the shop just fine. Your carvings sold well these past couple of weeks so Matthew’s been making new ones to replace them and Percy’s – well, he’s been helping out where he can but of course, he has to balance it around guard duty.”

Robin listened and nodded as Aunt Sophia rambled at an incredible pace about how they were doing just-fine-and-Robin-didn’t-need to-worry-about a-thing as they gradually migrated into the back room, where they could sit and Robin could put her bags. For a moment, Robin wondered whether she should press and ask “Are you sure everything’s alright” but she knew Aunt Sophia would vehemently deny anything being wrong unless it was very serious. Besides, Robin could already guess.

“Now I’m back, I can help out again around the shop,” Robin offered and watched as Aunt Sophia’s shoulders and face relaxed in relief.

“That’d be lovely, dear." Her voice was calmer but slowly grew faster as she explained what Robin needed to do until it was as frantic as before. "If you could organise the shelves in the morning and evening and make some more figurines and carvings – that would leave Matthew and Percy more time for the other duties. I've not been wanting to push Matthew too far. He nags and nags at me that he's better now but with this winter and last winter, I didn't want to push it when he's been recovering. I'm sure you want to see your friends though so I'll only need you in the mornings and evenings. I can manage the shop during the day.”

Robin grinned, fiddling with the strings of her pack. “I have just spent around a month with most of them, you know. They can handle some time without me.”

Aunt Sophia closed her eyes and nodded again, taking a deep breath before speaking again, much calmer this time. “I know, and I won’t claim to understand those adventuring types you travel with but I can see it’s done you some good.” She brushed aside Robin’s fringe and put a hand on her shoulder. “I look at you now and see a brave and capable young woman. A little more wise than before, perhaps, a little less reckless.”

Robin bit the inside of her cheek to stave off a laugh. She still hadn’t told her how far north she’d gone when they’d helped Hwalda and wasn’t sure she’d still say the same thing if she told her she’d snuck into Carn Dum and rescued captured hillfolk. Or if she told her after a rest at home, they were heading out again to an encampment of bandits potentially led by an ogre, with at least one troll there too. Shaking her head, Robin tapped her axe fondly. “Definitely more capable.”

Aunt Sophia sighed in a what-am-I-going-to-do-with-you sort of way and shooed her upstairs to put her bags away and settle back in as more sounds began to come from the front of the shop. “I’ll be right with you!” Aunt Sophia called.