Departure and Homecoming: Additional Setting Material

[Eluadin]

Here is another piece of the campaign. I know I am skipping around to different sections with my posts, unfortunately I have yet to find the Straight-road! Comments and feedback are especially welcomed. The campaign is coming close to the end of 2949, so there is still a good deal to craft.

In the old forum I seem to recall some discussion about undertakings at the Easterly Inn. Robert "SirKicley" was searching for new Fellowship phase ideas. With that in mind I thought I would post some sections from the Additional Setting Material for Departure and Homecoming. (Sections that I am happy with at least!) But first, and introduction...

I. Introduction

The following entires provide additional narrative detail for the Loremaster created specifically for this campaign. First and fore-most are the many plots and counterplots, active and hidden that contend for the future of Wilderland. These are divided into two sections: The Will of the West, and The Shadow's Emissaries. The former presents the efforts of the Wise and chief Powers of the North. While the latter encompasses the machinations of the Enemy who though departed has not cast off Wilderland from its dark thoughts. The Loremaster should never forget that the Enemy's main weapons involve fear and coercion as well as blights and plagues. Shadow plots should unfold subtlety and at times violently throughout the course of the campaign. More insidious, though, not only does the Shadow spread through the violent conflicts and treacherous dealings of its Minions, it also looms on the interior horizon of every play-hero. Always there waiting to wear down, seduce or drive into the pits of misery, the Shadow presents an ever constant threat from within. At certain times, a player-hero's actions should strain the very foundation of their character. Each adventure offers the Loremaster seeds and hooks to draw out this internal struggle. Following these entries, a section provides detailed information on The Cultural Legacies of the North. The Legacies lie at the heart of the campaign's goal, and provide a prize of inestimable worth to both sides. A section that recounts the clan-memory of the Woodmen of Wilderland follows that of the Legacies. This mythic-history tells the story of Wood-folk of the Western Eaves as it might be culled from the Lore of the region and the imagination of it's clan-harperes. The clan-memory of the Woodmen ranks among the most important of the Legacies as do the Elven-glades, some dating back to the dawn of time. Concluding the supplemental material are an odd assortment of new undertakings, special tests and tasks unique to Departure; and a number of thematic sections meant to heighten and evoke the setting and theme of the campaign.

[Eluadin]

Oddly and quite surprisingly, pipe-weed and smoking has received a lot of stage time in Departure.

VI. New and Unique Undertakings

The reason for the Easterly Inn's founding needs to be slightly modified from that of Tales to support the undertaking Meet Patron described below. This allows 'Stewed Hobbits...' to be easily integrated into the campaign, and 'Those Who Tarry...' naturally fits into the Supplementary Chronology a few years later. Galion's patronage provides one more possibility for why a Fellowship would be called upon to escort Irime. Three years separate 'Stewed Hobbits...' and 'Those Who Tarry...' in the Tale of Years. If a Fellowship meets Galion at the Easterly Inn the tone and mood of the campaign should harken more to The Hobbit. But, by the time of 'Those Who Tarry...' the mood should have shifted towards that of The LotR. Mirkwood's darkening approaches...

The undertaking to establish a commercial market for pipe-weed over the Edge of the Wild presents a number of challenges that the Loremaster must navigate according it their own style: Among them is how to limit this venture from taking center stage. One way is to make the undertaking less about garnering wealth, and more about the rising Shadow. The outcome of any rolls can tell more about what transpires in Wilderland than otherwise might be imagined. Failed rolls could be explained not through a failing on the part of player-heroes, but sinister circumstances. Think of this as another source for the Shadow-lore trait to mine, or something similar.

MEET PATRON (Fellowship Undertaking at the Easterly Inn): Right after Bilbo's return to the Shire, correspondence arrived one fine summer morning from an old friend. The letter came out of the Wild. Delivered by dwarven travelers carrying trade between the West and the Kingdom Under the Mountain, it contained among other things a fine lamentation from Gandalf that pipe-weed was notoriously absent east of the Mountains. That's right, a lovely little letter from none other than Gandalf the Grey! Without divulging the contents of the correspondence, for even in the Twilight of the Third Age the Shire post was still respectable and could be counted on in a pinch! Gandalf's letter planted a seed that would only begin to flower once Bilbo and Doddy were to meet one fine evening and exchange grand (for Hobbits) tales over a pint of beer. Granted, everyone knows the Easterly Inn is where it is because of the protection afforded by Beorn. Yet, is it not also conveniently close to the Woodland Realm...?

Since Bilbo's magnificent stage-entrance in the Wild, pipe-weed has become something of a fashion. While the Elves of Mirkwood have not taken to it, and why would they? The newfound hospitable-ness in the Elven-king's halls brings many a guest, and important ones at that for whom pipe-weed exudes a certain charm, much like Hobbits. Given the exclusivity of the commodity, the arrangements necessary to stock the king's halls with pipe-weed has taken nothing short of the King's Butler and his (in-)famous attention to detail (new-found attention to detail?). The Easterly Inn has become a crossroads of sorts for trade entering the Wild from the West, and specifically pipe-weed! (Doddy often expounds on the audacity of HIS idea to bring pipe-weed with him over the Mountains. But, fill his gullet with enough drink and he might let slip that at times wonder overtakes him at this venture, as if some other will was using his small hands...) Galion has already made his initial visit to establish dealings with the Hobbits of the Easterly Inn; and, with some stuffiness, the dwarves that traffic goods from the West into the Wild and onto the Lonely Mountain. Now, the Elven King's Halls can boast of its stock of pipe-weed as well as good wine. Occasionally, Galion makes an unannounced visit most particularly when the dwarven traders arrive over the Mountains from the West. (Usually toward the end of spring.) This provides a rare opportunity to use the Easterly Inn as a place to meet Galion and, for him, to become a patron to the Fellowship. Knowing the King's Butler can be better than knowing the Elven-king some say!

CORRESPOND HOME (Fellowship Undertaking for Hobbit player-heroes at the Easterly Inn): The idea of fellowships constantly disbanding for Hobbits to return home to The Shire and (re-)establish their respectably, or repair (raise) their Standing might seem daunting at first. Enter the Easterly Inn and the Shire Post! However, there is a complication...a gift offered isn't always a gift received with generous spirit! The number of Treasure points that actually translates into Standing depends on the quality of success from a skill roll: any of the Custom skills suffice if used appropriately. For example, a letter sent with a grand tale of adventure (Song) and some of the Treasure won can translate into Standing points. Now, you may wonder how The Shire Post is able to carry a Goblin hoard with them over the Mountains. Even though Doddy likes to boast of the Easterly Inn as the western-most outpost of The Shire, sadly (or wisely!) the Shire Post has a different opinion. The same Dwarven traders carrying the trade between the West and the Wild, for the right price will deliver letters and packages. At least to The Shire that is: For Hobbits they will carry correspondence and that because of King Dain's great regard of Hobbits in general and Bilbo in particular. (Of course, Gandalf and Balin might have a hand in this, but whose to mince pies...?)

OPEN MARKET (Fellowship Undertaking for the Easterly Inn and Lake-town): So, pipe-weed is flowing east through limited channels. Dwarven traders carry traffic from the West to The Lonely Mountain. What's a Far Trader Dwarf and a Wordweaver Barding to do...? Dwarven traders carrying goods east and west happen to be kinsmen of many a Dwarven player-hero with Far Trader as a background. Couple that with a young Barding who wants to make their mark, especially when they have a way with words and you might just be able to start a commercial venture: Establishing a new market for pipe-weed over the Edge of the Wild. The way I wrote this Undertaking is that a Fellowship phase must first be spent at the Easterly Inn and a successful Undertaking accomplished to establish the entry point, warehousing, distribution side of the venture so to speak. A second Fellowship phase is required in Lake-town to successfully establish a market and a proxy to handle the business while our intrepid adventurers are away. This Undertaking produces...well, Treasure or Money!

After the successful Undertakings, it can be assumed that the venture is in operation. It's success for any given year is based on rolls made by the player-heroes: one at the end of spring, and another at the end of summer. In an abstract way, the first roll determines the success of the pipe-weed coming over the Mountains. The second roll determines how well it does at the market. The skills used for these rolls are Custom, usually Courtesy and Riddle respectively. If the Dwarven and/or Barding hero is in the location when the roll is being made, the roll should be easier. (This provides them a huge incentive to stay in tune with the seasons and location as their Adventuring phases unfold.)

[Rich H]

Here is another piece of the campaign. I know I am skipping around to different sections with my posts, unfortunately I have yet to find the Straight-road! Comments and feedback are especially welcomed.

... Your first post (Introduction) doesn't match your second post (New and Unique Undertakings) which isn't really making it a satisfying read. Just a suggestion but I think you'd be better getting things organised and then posting it all here in one thread rather than creating numerous threads of, by your own admittance, randomly unrelated posts. If you carry on this way we'll be drowning in threads for just this campaign which will be far from ideal! Even though it may all be interesting, it'll be disorganised and frustrating to read, digest, and piece together.

Just put it together like you would any adventure and organise it that way. Things like undertakings can be added as appendices to the adventure.