Easterly Inn during the Darkening of Mirkwood

[farinal]

I am trying to create a table for the Easterly Inn and how it will fare during the Darkening, year by year, and link it to the actions of the PCs. To be realistic I doubt this inn can be left standing after all the Vinglundings and the Orcs from Gundabad coming south. I want to set it in the early years of DoM. I want to link the fate of the inn and whether the hobbits simply left or were massacred and the inn burnt down to the actions in the campaign.

Which options in DoM the players effect particulary you think could have effected the fate of the inn?

[Glorelendil]

I don't have an answer for you, but your question has given me an idea for the next (free!) TOR application I'm going to write: a location-indexed middle-earth timeline. Pick a location (initially by typing, maybe eventually have a clickable map), enter a year, and see relevant (LM) information.

I could make it like a Wiki, so that everybody could add entries. Or maybe a modified wiki: you only see entries from people you select (so sort of like Google+).

I'll noodle on this and post a functional spec and see what everybody thinks.

[Láthspell]

Personally, I think you would do well as a Lore-master to elaborate on the conflict between the Viglundings and Beornings and get the Companions involved. As much as I loved the story of the Woodmen and how it progresses during the Darkening, I kept finding myself wondering about what was going on further north. In any case, if the Companions participate in the feud then they certainly can have a direct impact on the fate of the Easterly Inn. Without the Companions, however, I agree that the Inn likely won't survive the conflict. In any case, I don't know if this is exactly what you are looking for, but here is my year by year analysis.

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2952 The first troubles with Viglundings occur at the Forest Gate. The Hobbits of the Easterly Inn are concerned as this is a bit too close for comfort. There is increased traffic in the area due to the Woodman trade fair. If the Companions are trying to reopen the Old Forest Road, this may in the long run draw travelers away south, but for the short term it may benefit the Easterly Inn.

2953 Skirmishes and squabbles occur between the Viglundings and Beornings. The Brandybucks concern over this escalation would be growing, but who said starting an Inn out this far would be easy.

2954 The Hobbits of the Easterly Inn rest easier, and might have a decent year with an increasing number of travelers. At least until the bitter cold winter, which would have them dreaming of snug Hobbit-holes in the Shire.

2955 An unseen bowman triggers renewed conflict between the Viglundings and the Beornings. Alternating between bad winters and armed conflict in the area, the Hobbits start considering returning west over the Misty Mountains.

2956 Some Woodmen come north to aid the Beornings, and may stay at the Inn. If the Companions are among them, they might be able to address the Hobbits concerns over the conflict. However, the cold winter will have the Hobbits longing for the Shire once more.

2957-58 The Easterly Inn has a few good years, though there are troubling rumors away south. How bad these rumors are, would certainly depend on the actions of the Companions.

2959 A Rider in Black passes though the area in secret on its way to meet with the Viglundings. The Hobbits may be filled with an sense of dread. Perhaps one even catches a glimpse of a shadowy figure that fills the poor lad/lass with terror.

2960 The Viglundings start slave raids into Beorning territory. If it is not protected, the Inn may be raided and some of the Hobbits taken. Unless the Companions have acted to assist the Inn by this point, the Brandybucks will call it quits and the Inn is abandoned. With a war between the two factions looms on the horizon, it is clear that they'll be caught in the middle if they stay. The Companions will have their work cut out for them to convince the Hobbits to stay, which would certainly require them to take measures to ensure the safety of the Inn.

Assuming the Inn remains open...

2961 This is a good year for growing crops, but open conflict between the Beornings and Viglundings in the area may make it a moot point. If the Companions don't make good on pledge to protect the Inn it will almost certainly be destroyed. Even if it survives, the battles and increased troll activity in the area will scare away many travelers. The Companions would be hard pressed to convince the Brandybucks to stay. The trolls would certainly need to be dealt with.

2962 The Beornings take the fight to the Viglundings. While this means the Easterly Inn is no longer directly threatened, travelers are still likely to give the area a wide berth. If Elfsigil leads the outlaws of Mirkwood, they attack many would-be travelers on the road or even the Inn itself now that the Beorning warriors have moved further north, and this would likely be the final straw.

2963-66 If the Easterly Inn has somehow managed to survived up to this point, the next few years will see it prosper for a time, without fear of raids and with increased patronage as many Viglundings migrate south. Possibly, there is also an increase in dwarves travelers from and to the Greydelve.

[Corvo]

I was thinking about my group* and the Easterly Inn.
Knowing their way of thinking, they would try to protect the hobbits, yet they wouldn't persuade them to stay in that place. On the contrary, they can suggest them about relocating: back to the Shire, or in Dale, or maybe near the Old Ford (good place for an Inn, and near to Beorn's home).
How about relocating near the Old Ford? With the reopening of the Old Forest Road it makes sense.
My only doubt is about "theme": leaving home in the face of hardships is something that speaks of lack of hope

*the King's Men, some four bardings of knightly persuasion. Selfless, serious, but very concerned by the Anduin's Vales relative lawlessness.

[Mytholder]

My only doubt is about "theme": leaving home in the face of hardships is something that speaks of lack of hope

Relocating from one bit of Wilderland to another isn't quite the same as running home to the safety of the Shire. I don't think moving the inn would be too damaging to the feel of the campaign. (Of course, 'hey, let's go even closer to a resurgent Dol Guldur' may not be the best marketing slogan for the new inn.)

[Corvo]

My only doubt is about "theme": leaving home in the face of hardships is something that speaks of lack of hope

Relocating from one bit of Wilderland to another isn't quite the same as running home to the safety of the Shire. I don't think moving the inn would be too damaging to the feel of the campaign. (Of course, 'hey, let's go even closer to a resurgent Dol Guldur' may not be the best marketing slogan for the new inn.)

The last bit had me laugh a lot
Thank you for your insight.
By the way, my players surprised me when they managed to persuade Beorn to let Bard pay for the building of a tower on the High Pass (to be garrisoned by the beornings), so to protect travelers and stymie the orcish return.
Maybe they can manage some similar surprise for the inn, too

[Glorelendil]

(Of course, 'hey, let's go even closer to a resurgent Dol Guldur' may not be the best marketing slogan for the new inn.)

Adventure travel is all the rage. Figure out some way to include environmental volunteer work ("Help clean up Shadow taint while interacting with indigenous woodmen!"), add some college credits, and we'll rake in the Treasure points.