The Watch on Dol Guldur

[delazar]

From "Words of the Wise":
Adventure soon followed when they were tasked with investigating rumours of a shadowy figure seen visiting the vicinity of Dol Guldur. The company bonded during the arduous trek to the fallen fortress, and during the long vigil that followed. Finally observing the figure they had sought, they disrupted its attempts to enter the keep, but did not get close enough to uncover the being’s identity. They did feel its dread power, which overcame them, forcing them to flee. Recovering their courage in the cold light of day, they steeled themselves to resume watch, but did not catch another glimpse of the figure.Unsure of how to proceed, and with winter closing in around them, the company travelled to Rhosgobel to consult Radagast the Brown and see out the cold weather.

I'm not sure why the premise of this adventure is that the character had some other adventure, but it doesn't sit well with my party to being told "that's what you already did", so I wanted to flesh out this little prequel in a way that can be played by the heroes. Some ideas follow.

Interaction:
The heroes need to be informed about this "shadowy figure", or maybe sent there by one of their patrons.

Journey:
From wherever the heroes are to the outskirts of Dol Guldur. I'll have to check Heart of the Wild, but I guess there's some kind of friendly place they can stop and regroup / interact with whomever else is participating in the watch (I'm supposing it takes more than 4/5 persons to keep an eye on Dol Guldur).

Combat:
Probably orcs preparing the way for this "shadowy figure", and the "shadowy figure" itself (the Messenger?).

[Hermes Serpent]

WotW was written as a convention scenario and the 'rules' are different as you want people to be engaged and gaming from the off. Having a lengthy drawn -out introduction doesn't sit well with someone who has just 3-4 hours to enjoy a game session especially as they are going to have to be taught the rules as well.

As such WotW does it's job which is not what you want for an ongoing campaign. I suggest doing a complete rewrite to suit your own game and either omit the thing about Dol Guldur altogether or write a scenario detailing the actions of the company that you can run your players through.

[delazar]

WotW was written as a convention scenario and the 'rules' are different as you want people to be engaged and gaming from the off. Having a lengthy drawn -out introduction doesn't sit well with someone who has just 3-4 hours to enjoy a game session especially as they are going to have to be taught the rules as well.

Didn't know that, but indeed it makes sense for a convention scenario.

As such WotW does it's job which is not what you want for an ongoing campaign. I suggest doing a complete rewrite to suit your own game and either omit the thing about Dol Guldur altogether or write a scenario detailing the actions of the company that you can run your players through.

Yes, that's the idea. If I can put together 4-5 scenes, together with the journey itself, it should be enough to narrate the events.

[DavetheLost]

I plan to omit the "watch on Dol Guldur" introduction when I integrate WotW into my campaign. It will (may) take place a couple of adventures in.

Events in the campaign will take the place of the watch on Dol Guldur. The watch may still be performed by NPCs who will report to the Brown Wizard, then the players will be dispatched to carry the message.

[Lifstan]

I plan to omit the "watch on Dol Guldur" introduction when I integrate WotW into my campaign. It will (may) take place a couple of adventures in. Events in the campaign will take the place of the watch on Dol Guldur. The watch may still be performed by NPCs who will report to the Brown Wizard, then the players will be dispatched to carry the message.

Make sense. I'm thinking of doing the same. I wonder how to put it in the timeline of the "Darkenning of Mirkwood" campain. It should be at least after the year 2951, since before that there is not much to wach in Dol Guldur. Anyway, the introduction doesn't seem necessary for the rest of the story, but it feels like those events shouldn't happen before 2951. The move would be too agressive during the last good years...

Did anyone use that scenario in the "Darkenning of Mirkwood" campain? If so, when in the timeline and how? Any changes made to the plot

[Valarian]

Words of the Wise is around 2946. At this time, the "shadowy figure" is Gollum. Having followed Bilbo, Gollum haunts Mirkwood for a while searching for the Ring. In 2951, Sauron declares himself in Mordor and begins to call evil creatures. Gollum hears this call and begins to make his way toward Mordor.

[Falenthal]

If you mix the adventures of Tales from Wilderland in your campaign, Words of the Wise can be played after Darkness in the Marshes. I think it fits perfectly, swapping DolGuldur for the Dwimmerhorn, but having Radagast already introduced to the players. Also, Darkness in the Marshes makes sense after the Folk-moot, that is attended by the Brown Wizard. There he may witness the heroes interventions and deem them fit for some missions against the Shadow.

[Lifstan]

Words of the Wise is around 2946. At this time, the "shadowy figure" is Gollum. Having followed Bilbo, Gollum haunts Mirkwood for a while searching for the Ring. In 2951, Sauron declares himself in Mordor and begins to call evil creatures. Gollum hears this call and begins to make his way toward Mordor.

Yeah, didn't think about Golum...

On the other hand, if we forgot that stuff about the "shadowy figure" (not important in the scenario), it seems to me like a good idea to move it way down the line, to 2967. At that time there is the plague starting. The scenario mentiond someone dying from a disease like a "wind coming from Dol Guldur". Sounds like 2967-2974. If we put it around 2967, that makes sense: the Ennemy moves to attack Woodmen-Town in the hope to gets his hands on the lamp, since the lamp protects from the plague. Protecting the lamp in Woodmen-Town seems something that should be introduce only at the end of the Darkenning of Mirkwood campain, not at the beginning. I think I'll put it in the spring of 2967, before the other events taking place in Thranduil's palace (while trying to make the connection between the 2 making sense)...

[cuthalion]

Agreed about the siege on Woodman Town (Woodloand Hall? can't rememeber) needing to come later in a campaign--again, this was substance for the convention adventure only.

Words of the Wise is around 2946. At this time, the "shadowy figure" is Gollum. Having followed Bilbo, Gollum haunts Mirkwood for a while searching for the Ring. In 2951, Sauron declares himself in Mordor and begins to call evil creatures. Gollum hears this call and begins to make his way toward Mordor.

Don't think this is Gollum:

They did feel its dread power, which overcame them, forcing them to flee.

. . . doesn't seem right for Gollum. Events later in DOM make it clear who/what the figure might be I think, but I don't remember the details exactly.

[Lifstan]

Don't think this is Gollum:

They did feel its dread power, which overcame them, forcing them to flee.

. . . doesn't seem right for Gollum. Events later in DOM make it clear who/what the figure might be I think, but I don't remember the details exactly.

Yeah, I think it's suppose to be a Nazgûl, not Gollum. That's why at first I thought it should be after 2951: in the "Darkening of Mirkwood" there is a Nazgûl in Dol Guldur only after that date. But I suppose it could be Gollum before that date, as a trick (the player think something very dangerous is in Dol Guldur, when it's only Gollum fooling around).

But the more I think about it, the more I would put it way later in "Darkening of Mirkwood", forgetting this intro and focusing more on the plague aspect...