In Don't Leave the Path, there's a special call-out for Belgo's Talisman. It notes that it "plays a key role in the final part of the adventure".

What role is that? I see it referenced as a way to awaken Belgo to the danger of the well, but that's all.

Am I missing something, or is the talisman call-out just overstating its importance?

Saving Belgos from the Thing in the Well is the heart of that chapter. So, having the talisman as awakening Belgos to its danger can be a pretty crucial part of resolving the chapter successfully.

Its not tied together very tightly, admittedly, and you could certainly make a little more of it.

The talisman is a symbol of Belgo's grief and loss after his mother's death. It's flagged as important to make sure the Loremaster gets the PCs to ask about the talisman during the journey, which lets Belgo explain his backstory, which sets up the final scene with the Thing in the Well's illusion.

(Also, in an earlier draft, the talisman was a jewel taken from the Long Lake that was once part of Smaug's diamond waistcoat, and it awoke the Thing in the Well with its aura of evil. That line about it having a key role survived from earlier incarnations of the chapter.

Heh. And now I feel like I'm writing a low-budget remake of The History of Middle-Earth books. "Here, in Manuscript A...")

Oooooo. That's awesome. I will use it!

Good stuff. Definitely want to use that.

LOL.

I had been wondering what to do if a player insisted on going down to Smaug's body and looting it for gems. With so much valuable treasure down there it would be hard to resist, but if people thought the stuff was cursed or carried bad luck or whatever, they would be more inclined to stay away from it.

If they think this guy's cousin lives down there, that would also deter the eager swimmer.

it would work for me LOL

It definitely seems more thematic to have it be clearly evil. I think I, too, will use that.

Started 'Don't Leave The Path' last night and there are spoilers, so be warned!











The encounter with the spiders is nasty.

Two of them managed to be stealthy and retrieved the captive, but one of the rescuers fell 30' and took a wound as a result.

And so to the spider! started ok, but soon got out of control. I held back the final wave of spiders as they were not having a good time of it.

Then the dice turned against them. A few bad rolls later, when even Hope couldn't save them, three of the party were down, one of which was dying!

That left a halfling treasure hunter standing against three spiders. He had been forced into close combat as the odds increased and decided to (sensibly) flee.

He failed his disengage roll, but had a 'tengwar', so spent a Hope point to run, then invoked the 'Art of Disappearing'.

And that's where we had to call it for the night!

They did manage to kill 12 spiders though, so it's not impossible and the prisoners are alive, for the time being... spiders like em fresh!

Sounds awesome, Garbar! In fact, very much like The Hobbit: one lone hobbit trying to rescue his friends from the spiders!

Hope your story has a similar happy conclusion.

That hobbit had Sting and a narrative to protect him.

This hobbit has a bow skill of 2, melee skill of 1 and bad luck with dice

And i made an error. One wasn't dying, he was dead. second wound and zero endurance at same time.

On the plus side, that means a new PC will be showing up to even the odds a little.

I know it's a bit forced to find an ally, 'team up' and have them join the Fellowship later, but we will work out something that's better than...
'You meet a man. He looks trustworthy. Let him join the party.'

P.S. When you choose a forum handle, you should take time picking it. I think mine sucks and hate seeing it!

I agree that the encounter with the spiders was nasty. Two of the three heroes in my group were wounded from falling off of the wall (I think that the tower is the smart way to climb up). I actually wasn't running the adventure as written, but stealing a lot of the material for a journey along the Old Forest Road (where the party was traveling with Balin, Dwalin, Ori, and Oin). Balin was the one initially captured, and during the battle Ori got paralyzed by spider poison and was being drug up the wall, with our Beorning player dying. After the others killed a few more spiders I had the remaining spiders retreat (I also cancelled the final wave), hissing "dinner isn't worth thisss" on their way back up the tower.

Unfortunately, the only reason I had the spiders give up was because if the heroes failed, Balin (and the others) would die, destroying the canon. That'll teach me to have major NPCs actually adventure with the company. They hadn't even made an attempt at rescuing Balin; I think they're still in the mindset that "the LM wouldn't put in more monsters than we can handle." If they don't start playing smarter that attitude is going to catch up with them (specifically, the Beorning who tends to play his "bold" trait as equal parts "reckless"). I don't like hand-holding my players when they make obviously poor decisions.

Maybe you can have the new pc in the zone because he's bent on infiltrating the spiders nest to save a friend of him. He spied the spiders and discovered there is an unguarded way to enter the nest: something like an hole in a wall*, but it's too small for a man to enter (the same reason the spiders overlooked it). When the fellowship moved in, he was away, catching some food in the woods, so he was unable to help (nor he know what happened).
Now the fleeing Hobbit happen to stumble on him, and they can join forces to save their friends.

Of course the new guy's friend is dead, like the Hobbit's companion, so maybe the danger of the adventure and the sorrow for their tragedy can bond them in a new fellowship.

Just my 2 cents


*Note: I don't have the book yet, so I'm guessing from your write-up.

Actually, not really my problem.

It's PC meeting PC, so they can do what they want. All i have to do is put them in the same place and let them sort it out

Sometimes it's good being in the audience as the drama plays out, rather than directing the action from behind the camera!

I was mislead by the "I know it's a bit forced to..." part, now I understand.

By the way, bonds among characters and party/fellowship creation is a part of the game where I'm far from a laissez-faire attitude: too many times frail parties caved-in under pressure.
Other than that, I favor having players driving the action.