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Unlike most other folks, I'm going to do a stream of consciousness post for my adventure. At this point, I don't know what it will be.

I think we're going to go for a moderate (4 rolls) adventure in Eastern Eriador. Let's see what we've got:
Encounter, Combat, Journey, Combat. Interesting.

Attribute Focus: Wits

Skill Focus: Movement

So that means Wits will play an important role, as will movement skills. The critical skill is Stealth. Very Interesting.

Modified TN: 16. Makes sense.

Company Challenge: Establish. Lots of combat in the above for Establishing something... maybe guilt/innocence or something else?

Encounter: Mad Ostley

Combat #1: Strength of Numbers, Fell Spirits

Journey: The Swanfleet

Combat #2: Full of Hate Brigands (Note I could have used my one result from my first roll, that would have produced Wicked Things, though I'm not sure exactly what's going on there... Also, I'm thinking of flip-flopping the two combats, although perhaps not.)

I'm going to have a think about this (plus possibly entertain guests) and I'll be back.

You coming back to this zed?

Yeah, interested in seeing what you come up with.

Absolutely. Letting it percolate; had a bit of an adventurous week.

Think I've got this figured out, it's going to be an adventure for "high level" characters. With a very tough end fight.

Okay, back from grocery shopping, cooking and what-not. Here's a first draft:

1. The heroes should be well-known in Eastern Eriador and hopefully have a Patron or other contact among the Wise of the region. Mithrandir, Elrond or a chief among the Dunedain would work well.

2. The wise person has heard tales told by (or about) Mad Ostley and his last trip to the barrows. Still as poor as ever, Ostley is convinced that he's learned secret knowledge and will spend the next hunting season looking for the rumoured treasure in the Swanfleet.

3. The heroes have an encounter with Ostley, with some unusual goals... the best outcome is to get Ostley's 'secret' information and convince him to stay behind in Bree. Lesser outcomes include Ostley coming with the heroes, which might create issues for them.

4. Just outside Bree, the heroes are assaulted by brigands... it would seem that Ostley's claim have reached more ears than just the Wise. They seek to capture Ostley, not to kill him (since they don't know the secret).

5. The journey to Swanfleet. I'm thinking that the 'secret' might actually be a group of secrets, probably riddles. Each successfully solved Riddle avoids a danger, usually by sneaking around something (Stealth coming into play).

6. When they find the secret cairn that is supposed to have the Treasure of a lifetime, they are in for a rude surprise. Seems that the whispers that Ostley heard in the Barrow-downs weren't well-intentioned advice at all. Instead, he's been tricked into releasing a group of Fell Wraiths (one for every two members of the party) and a Wraith Prince (special monster, more below). Guess the Wight-King was looking for a penpal.

7. If the heroes are able to defeat the Wraith Prince and his minions, they do indeed find a treasure. Probably somehthing like 60**, I'm thinking.

- - - - - - -

The Wraith Prince uses the same stats as Fell Wraith, except:

His Endurance is 40, and his Attribute Level is 7.

He does not have the Strike Fear ability, but the new Feed on Fear ability instead, in addition to two other new abilities: Undaunted Evil and Dreadful Spells - Summon Wraith.

Dreadful Spells - Summon Wraith

By paying a number of Hate points equal to the target's Attribute Level (4), the Wraith Prince can summon another Wraith to his cairn. The new Wraith arrives at the end of the next round, so it is able to attack two rounds after it was summoned.

Feed on Fear

Any time a Hero fails a Fear Test, the Wraith Prince gains a point of Hate.

Undaunted Evil

This creature is so malicious and powerful that the effect of Intimidate Foe is reduced by one step. Thus, a regular success drains no points, a great success drains two points and an extraordinary success drains three points.

- - - - - -

Again, still stream on consciousness stuff that I'll put together in more coherent form in a second draft. What do folks think of it, so far?

Sounds great so far! Looking forward to the next draft.

Very nice zedturtle! You've got almost all the ingredients. Now, I'm interested in seeing how you handle the series of riddles and incorporating Stealth.

jamesrbrown wrote:Very nice zedturtle! You've got almost all the ingredients. Now, I'm interested in seeing how you handle the series of riddles and incorporating Stealth.

Me too.

Of course, I can't resist making the next draft look nice, so here's a preview of a new template... still in progress (I'm definitely going to change the centre icon look).



If anyone particularly interested, this is done with Scribus, instead of my usual Adobe InDesign. Technological gremlins and a perverse interest in seeing if open-source software can do my regular level of work are to blame.