Wild Adventure - Songs in the Wild

[Wbweather]

Alright. Here is another submission. It is quite long, but as I started thinking about it I got caught up in creating the back story and couldn't help myself.




Songs in the Wild

This is an adventure created with the rules for Wild Adventures by jamesrbrown using the Eastern Eriador tables by poosticks7

The theme for the adventure was explore.
The Skill Focus for the adventure was Custom
The Attribute Focus for the adventure was Body.
There is a special focus therefore on a test of Song
Tolkien Theme: Defending the innocent, holding back the Shadow.

Part 1. Journey to the Weather Hills
Part 2. Encounter with a band of Minstrels (favourable meeting)
Part 3. Journey to Castle Hill ( Decreased TN)
Part 4 Combat with hounds of Sauron (full of hate)
Part 5. Journey to the Orc Pits (Swift travel)
Part 6. Combat with the Dark Sorcerer of Rhudaur



Part One: Journey to Weather Hills

While traveling along or near the East Road, the company is approached by a grey cloaked figure. He introduces himself as Hirgon of the Dúnedain. He asks if the heroes have perhaps come across a group of minstrels? These would not be ordinary minstrels, mind you. They would seem mere children at first glance. In fact it was a troupe of hobbits from the Shire.

A successful Insight test will show the company that he seems a bit distressed. He is in fact quite desperate and is more than willing to ask for assistance if the company shows any inclination to help him.

This should be run as an encounter. Tolerance is set at the highest wisdom or valour in the group. Increase tolerance by one for any hobbit or Dúnedain in the group.

Encounter Evaluation
Use the following to determine how much information the players will be given by Hirgon.

0-1 Success: Hirgon is not impressed, but he is desperate. He explains that a group of hobbit musicians has gone missing. If the company would care to assist the rangers in finding them, then they should head toward Amon Sûl and look for the Warden there, a fellow by the name of Arbarad.
2 Successes: The hobbits were traveling home from Rivendell when they went missing.
3 Successes: The hobbits were carrying a famous artifact with them when they disappeared.
4 Successes: The hobbits were last seen some 20 miles west of the Last Bridge. Tracks show that they headed west, then disappeared north of the road after several miles.
5 Successes: The hobbits have been lost for 2 days now. There were signs of a struggle at the last known camp of the minstrels
6 Successes: The hobbits disappeared while under Hirgon’s protection.
7+ Successes: Hirgon was escorting the hobbits across the Lone Lands from the Trollshaws to Bree. He had left them for a little more than a day when he went to hunt down some meat. When he returned, the hobbits were gone. There were signs a struggle but no blood shed. One group of tracks lead east. These appeared to be mix of orcs and men. Another set of tracks led west, these appeared to be hobbit tracks. They disappeared into the grass north of the road some 10 miles to the west.

The ranger is obviously very upset about the loss of the hobbits on his watch. He meant nothing ill toward them, but was careless and put them in danger. He holds himself completely responsible for whatever has happened to them.

Hirgon asks the company to follow the road west to Amon Sûl, looking for signs of the hobbits along the way. Arbarad the ranger, Warden of Amon Sûl, should be able to assist the company. Little makes it into the area around Weathertop without catching his attention. If the minstrels made it that far, he would likely know it. He bids the company farewell as he head north to look for any sign of where they might have gone.

The company now must plot a course to Amon Sûl. Along the way they may search for signs of the hobbits. The hobbits traveled north of the road to avoid being followed. If the heroes search north of the road, they may find evidence that the hobbits came through the area several days before. Searching along the road will reveal nothing. Reward successful rolls with little signs that the hobbits are still alive and headed west (A small campsite, a dropped handkerchief, etc). The hobbits’ trail leads into the hills of the North Downs.

Part Two: Encounter with a band of minstrels

As the company approaches Amon Sûl, The notice smoke from a campfire rising in the morning air. As the approach, they see a strange but welcome sight. In a circle around the fire sits a grim looking ranger and four disheveled hobbits wrapped in grey blankets. The group should approach the ranger and introduce themselves. A successful introduction should earn the heroes enough trust to have a seat at the fire. Using Hirgon’s name will ease the ranger’s mind considerably, but one might notice the hobbits slight agitation at mention of the other ranger’s name.

The rest of the encounter will take place around the campfire.

Encounter Evaluation
Base tolerance on Valour. Add one for any hobbit in the group. Reduce tolerance by one if the group mentions Hirgon (the hobbit minstrels are still quite upset at the ranger). Increase tolerance by 2 if someone thinks to offer the hobbits a bowl of pipe-weed.

As this is a group of minstrels, the use of song is by far the most useful common skill in the encounter. Reduce the TN of any encounter roll with song by 2.

If the company earns the trust of the hobbits and Arbarad, they will be entrusted with the task of rescuing poor Rorimac Smallburrow (see below). Success in the encounter will determine what rewards the company gets after successfully completing the adventure.

0-1 Success: The hobbits’ mood is visibly dampened. They see little hope of ever seeing poor Rori or the King’s Clarinet again. If the heroes rescue the hobbit, they will find him very appreciative, but their welcome in the Shire will be cold at best.
2-4 Successes: The hobbits are impressed by the Heroes. They will write songs of the adventure and of the brave companions. For the next two years the company will see their tolerance increased by 3 when dealing with hobbits, or while in the Shire or Breeland.
5-6 Successes: The above plus the company will each receive 3 treasure worth of gold from the Shire hobbits along with the honorary title of Bounder. The Minstrels write a song about the company and teach it to them. The company can then add it to their song book and use it as if written in a Fellowship Undertaking. It is considered a Traditional song.
7-8 Successes: The songs written about the company spread far and wide throughout the hobbit lands earning the company the rare privilege of being adventurers of honor among the hobbits. (The minstrels are still looked upon as foolhardy to have gone off gallivanting in the east with the like of elves and rangers). Bilbo Baggins himself invites the group to Bag End for tea, where if they accept, he offers them 5 treasure each in gold and reads to them from his first draft of the book he is working on about his adventures. (All previous bonuses apply as well).

During and after the encounter, the hobbit minstrels relate the following tale of what befell them. It is up to the Loremaster to determine how much of this information is revealed to the players. It may be that the hobbits only have a vague understanding that this was a famous ancient instrument of some import and that they will be in trouble if it is not found and returned to the Mathom House. Rorimac Smallburrow might have more of this information once he has been rescued. The company may not learn the entire tale unless they meet with Bilbo or Elrond after the adventure.

The King’s Clarinet

After the return of Bilbo Baggins to the Shire the eccentric hobbit began spending much time up at the Mathom House in Michel Delving. He seemed fascinated by many of the items stored there and began cataloging and researching quite a few of them. Of course very generous donations to the Mathom Society helped gain him access and assistance. One of the items discovered turned out to be the King’s Clarinet (This actually would best be termed a chalumeau - a single reed predecessor of the modern clarinet. You can hear one played at this link.) Apparently Bilbo had asked around about the instrument among his elvish friends, and even a few rangers and had come to unravel the history of the artifact.

The King’s Clarinet was an ancient musical instrument of the most cunning make, said to have been brought from Westernesse. The story went that Marcho of the Fallowhides, after founding the Shire with his brother Blanco, settled down and began raising a prodigious family. One of his sons, Lindo, was exceptionally skilled in music and would often perform for the King in Norbury. It was said that on one occasion, King Argeleb was so moved by the hobbit’s song, he presented him with the ancient instrument. He bade Lindo take the instrument for a year and master it. If he could return in one year’s time and play the instrument in such a way as to stir the hearts of all in the King’s Court, the instrument would be given to the Shire as a sign of the peace between the peoples.

One year later, Lindo returned to King Argeleb and performed a song on the Clarinet that left the audience speechless for several minutes before suddenly breaking into a thunderous applause. One of the elves in attendance claimed it was as if he was hearing the music of the Valar. The Kings Clarinet thereafter belonged to the Shire. 1400 years later, most of this had been forgotten and the King’s Clarinet remained stored away in some chest until Bilbo found it and uncovered its secret.

The Hobbits can relate their story as follows to the heroes:
Apparently the elves in Rivendell caught word of the Clarinet’s discovery somehow, for Elrond himself sent word to the Shire that he should like to see this heirloom. And so a troupe of minstrels was sent forth to Rivendell to show this treasure to Elrond and to perform and sing for the elves some of the music of the Shire.

This group of hobbit minstrels was led by none other than Rorimac Smallburrow himself, perhaps the greatest bard the Shire had produced in two hundred years. They had received an elvish escort from the Shire to Imladris. Rori had mastered the instrument, if not as well as Lindo, at least well enough to impress the great elf lord, which was no small feat. After spending a month in Rivendell, they had been given gifts by Elrond (each hobbit was given a magnificent hobbit-sized harp). For their return trip, the ranger Hirgon was chosen to escort them back to Bree.

Four days west of Rivendell the group had made camp by the edge of the East road for the night. Hearts merry and still under the enchantment of the last Homely House, the hobbits commenced to singing and playing their instruments. Not long after this a dubious appearing stranger made his way up to the camp and asked if he might join the company for a bit to listen to their music and share in the singing and exchange of news. The hobbits welcomed him despite hesitancy on the part of Hirgon the ranger. The stranger was very interested in the hobbits and the ancient clarinet. He departed later that night into the darkness bidding them safe travels but revealing little about himself other than a name, Shamus.

It was several days later when Hirgon had left the hobbits alone for the day to go and fetch some meat for dinner that they encountered Shamus again, this time with a group of ruffians. They looted the hobbits and took their harps and demanded the King’s Clarinet. Rori Smallburrow refused to part with the treasure and so the men grabbed him saying something about him making a fine playmate for the Queen of Castle Hill. The rest of the hobbits were told to move west as fast as their furry feet would carry them or join their friend. Terrified, the hobbits fled. They continued west down the road, but soon decided to move north a bit to avoid any more encounters with bandits, staying off the main road but leaving signs of their passage in case Hirgon should be looking for them. They made their way into the Weather Hills and had become quite lost when they were fortunately found wandering by Arbarad. This is when the company came upon them.

Part Three: Journey to Castle Hill

Arbarad knows the location of Castle Hill in the Trollshaws. He points this out to the adventurers on a rough map he sketches in the dirt. He tells them the fastest way to get there and gives them advice about traveling through the lone lands. Decrease the TN of all travel rolls by 2.

The ranger will escort the remaining hobbits to Bree and then head east again to help search for the missing hobbit. There is a Dúnedain refuge not far from Castle Hill. Perhaps some of the rangers there have seen something. He should be about a week behind the group, but asks that they hurry as it has already been over a week since Rorimac was abducted and there is no telling what could be happening to the poor hobbit. He does warn the companions about the Queen of Castle Hill.

From the Rivendell supplement:
A solitary Stone-Troll named Rine haunts a tumble of
ruins on a hillside that overlooks the Great East Road on
the western end of the Trollshaws. She’s a huge creature
who proclaims herself Queen of the Trollshaws because
she lives in one of the few ruins that still offer enough
shelter to protect a Troll from the sun, and because she
gathered a number of old shields to cover herself with an
effective suit of armour.
Other Trolls ignore her, except when she stumbles across
them and robs them of whatever they’ve robbed from
someone else. Rine’s home would make a fine shelter for
travellers, if they didn’t mind the steep hike and if they
could contrive a way to force her out. But sooner or later
some other Troll would remember the Queen’s castle and
take it over himself.


Part Four: Combat with Hounds of Sauron

As the company nears Castle Hill they should search for evidence of the group of men who captured Rori. A prolonged action of three successful search or hunting rolls will lead them to a camp at the foot of the hill. They might find evidence of regularly used trails, some clearing of the trees, etc. This is one of several regularly used camps of the brigands. They have an uneasy pact with Rine. They leave her “gifts” and she, for the most part leaves them alone. Where this group of men hails from is unknown, but they are outlaws that survive in the wilds by taking advantage of travelers along the road. They have been known to have dealings with the orcs in the Misty Mountains from time to time. They also have some connection with a group of men descended from the hill-men of Rhudaur.

As the group approaches the camp, they hear a tense discussion going on. There are the voices of a couple of men and a third, deeper more sinister voice that almost sounds like a low growl. The men are arguing over payment, obviously feeling that they have been slighted.

“The instruments themselves should be worth twice that amount.”

“You’ll get a fair price if that halfing makes it to Radgul alive.”

“Yes, but now we are forced to trust in orcs and hill-men to keep him alive.”

“You say this to me when you planned on giving him to “Her Majesty"?

“What does your Sorcerer want with an old whistle anyhow?”

If the group scouts out the camp, they will see two men standing near the fire arguing with a large black warg. This is a Hound of Sauron. The warg will stop speaking once seen. It immediately looks around and then growls, “Fools, we are being watched. Draw your swords and prepare to fight.”

If the company attempts to talk, the warg attacks. If they hold back, the warg begins sniffing them out and then will come crashing into the trees to attack. The men will fight once they see the Hound of Sauron engaged in combat.

Once the hound is dead either man still standing will drop their weapons and surrender to the company. If they have been knocked unconscious, then the company will need to revive them to learn more about the fate of Rorimac and the King’s Clarinet.

Shamus (or the other man if Shamus should meet his demise) will, if pressed, explain that they intended to give the hobbit to Rine as a gift. He was quite entertaining with his music and she might enjoy some entertainment. What she did when she got tired of his music was not their concern. However when they got to Castle Hill, it turned out that Rine was away. They had planned to see what they could get selling the fancy elven harps. The hobbit had gone on about how special his little flute thing was and so they thought they might be able to get quite a bit for that somewhere. While they were deciding what to do, the Hound of Sauron had come to them. He was a servant of a hill-man from up north who called himself the Dark Sorcerer of Rhudaur. Apparently news of the hobbits had reached him somehow and he wanted the hobbits for himself. A group of hill-men and orcs showed up a bit later and took the hobbit and the instruments for themselves by force and headed off to the north toward the Ettenmoors. The Sorcerer dwells near Mount Gram in a place known as the Orc Pits. Here he lords over a few surviving descendents of the hill-men who once dwelt there along with some orcs who he uses to do his manual labor and other darker deeds. What he wants a hobbit for, Shamus doesn’t know. He does feels he has been swindled out of a nice share of gold and wants some revenge.

The company needs to decide what to do with Shamus and the other brigand. While at Castle Hill, they could scout out Rine’s lair, but they are in a bit of a hurry, and who know when the troll queen might return?

Shamus will give them the location of the Orc Pits and the Sorcerer if for no other reason than out of spite and to see him pay for taking what wasn’t rightfully his.

The Orc Pits are located some 20 miles west of Golfimbul’s Gully. The company will have to backtrack to the Last Bridge in order to cross the Hoarwell. Alternately, they can risk a crossing through the Burial Bog. This would be a faster route, but it might lead to a surprise should they stumble across a Bog Soldier or two. (How fun would that be?!)

The Company must make haste. The Sorcerer wanted the hobbit alive, but what purpose he has in mind for the poor fellow once he has him is hard to say. Increase the distance the company can travel each day by 5 miles, but each failed travel test adds an additional point of fatigue.

Concerning the Dark Sorcerer of Rhudaur:

Most of the Hill-men of Rhudaur were wiped out with the defeat of the armies of Angmar. Some however survived. For centuries a group of men have lived on in the hills near Mount Gram. These men practice the dark sorcery taught to their ancestors by the servants of the Witch King. Fearchar is their leader. He learned dark magic from his father who learned it from his father before him. He holds powerful sway over the men and orcs that dwell near him. He has the ability to travel abroad in spirit form as a warg and through this maintains a watch over the area between Mount Gram and the East road. This is how he became aware of the hobbits traveling through the Trollshaws. He has a loose alliance with the orcs of Mount Gram and their leader Radgul. Long has he heard of Radgul speak of his hatred of hobbits. He intends to offer the hobbit Rorimac to the orc leader to use for information about the Shire and whatever other evil purposes he can devise. The King’s Clarinet he intends to keep for himself, for he collects relics of lost Arnor to use in some evil sorcery aimed at raising the Hill-men into a powerful people again. He has sent his chief servant, a hound of sauron fled from Dul Goldor, along with a group of men and orcs to seek out and return with the hobbit.

Dark Sorcerer of Rhudaur
Attribute level: 4
Endurance: 22
Hate: 5
Parry: 4
Armor: 2d
Skills
Personality - 2, Survival - 2
Movement - 2, Custom - 2
Perception - 2, Vocation - 3
Weapon Skills
Jagged knife -2:Damage 3, Edge C, Injury 14, CS -
Bent sword- 3:Damage 4, Edge 10, Injury 12, CS disarm
Special Abilities
Bewilder,Dreadful Spells

The Sorcerer of Rhudaur is accompanied by a group of Hill-Men of Rhudaur (adjust based on the group)

The company will arrive not long after the Rorimac has been led into a cave and locked in a wooden cage. If they can gain a vantage point, this is what they will see:

The Sorcerer and a group of Hill-men are seated in the cave discussing the fate of the hobbit. They men are examining the elvish harps and the King’s Clarinet. They pluck at the strings of the harp, generally making racket. Fearchar holds the clarinet and examines it closely by firelight. He smiles a sinister smile. he tries to play a note, but achieves only a jarring screech that causes the others to curse and put their hands over their ears. The poor little hobbit is dismayed, caring almost more for the ancient relic than himself. “With this ancient trinket of Arnor, I will be able to work great magic and harness some of the might of the Old Kings for my people. I have a friend who would very much like to see your kind pay for your past transgressions against one of his ancestors, Golfimbul. I will make a gift to him of you. I’m certain he will have many questions for you about your precious Shire. Tomorrow I shall send you to him. It will be quite an enjoyable surprise for him I’m sure. But tonight I have another use for you. I have heard that you can play this thing with some skill. Play us a tune. Prove your skill and perhaps you will have one last pleasant meal to fill your belly with before we send you away. If the boys here do not like your song, then I may let them have a little fun with you.” He hands the King’s Clarinet to the shaking hobbit, who nervously begins to play. At first the notes come out feeble and awkward. The hill-men begin taunting him. But closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the hobbit lets out a beautiful melody that fills the cave and transfixes his captors.

The company must rescue the Master Smallburrow and escort him back to a safe location, be it Bree, Rivendell, or perhaps they might find Hirgon or Arbarad, along the East road. If successful, they will be rewarded as described in the Encounter Evaluation. Once rescued, Rori can relate more of the tale of the King's Clarinet to the player characters.

[Blubbo Baggins]

Wow. I wish our LM could run this one for us. Too bad we both know all the details!
Well written, I like this and the one about the Sorceress of Mirkwood (ring) a lot and will file them away if I get a chance to run a game.

[poosticks7]

Good stuff again Wb - I was intrigued as to how your were going to fit the different parts together and you did it admirably.

Perhaps give the Dark Sorcerer some unique spells to cast.

I like the fact that they are go so tantalizing close to the Queen's Lair - I wonder if Companies will be tempted to have a peek inside. - I reckon an increase in foes - perhaps some orcs from Mt Gram - should certainly be a consequence if they leave poor Rori longer with the Dark Sorcerer. Though I do imagine a good scene of trying to sneak past the Queen to escape her lair once she returns.

I think I'd be tempted to let the Dark Sorcerer escape - would make a good recurring baddy.

[Wbweather]

Yeah. I wanted to play around with the sorcerer and give him some special abilities. I think it would be a shame to kill him off. He could be a nice recurring adversary. I felt like I spent so much time on the back story since a lot of the elements aren't in the official material. I was really trying to make everything fit within the canon, while building in some history in the spirit of Tolkien. There is certainly a lot more embellishment possible. I toyed with having the characters use the King's Clarinet with a test of song to put the hill-men in a trance or something along those lines. I would be happy to further adjust according to peoples recommendations.