Clearing the Path

[Aeglosdir]

This was really prompted by a post by Falenthal, but I'm making a new thread so as not to derail that one (viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2543)

I found that 'Abriendo el sendero' by funs_athal fits my campaign better than 'To Journey's End' (basically because I plan to run 'The Marsh-bell' as is). Both cover the journey across Mirkwood along the Old Forest Road in 2946 to invite someone to the Gathering of Five Armies.

In 'Abriendo', the invitation is for Beorn, not for the Eagles. While I agree with the author that the Eagles do not really work as one of the Free Peoples, I decided to keep the Eagles' Eyrie as the final destination anyway: in the spirit of the 'last good years', with its general optimism and gold-mining attitude, some Barding came up with the bright idea to invite the eagles basically as an attraction at the party. This slipped past Bard somehow. In any case, the true reason why they're invited may be more or less obvious to the Lord of the Eagles (with his piercing eye), thus explaining why he might turn down the invitation depending on the behaviour of the messengers.

My main objection to both 'Abriendo' and 'To Journey's End', though, has to do with the condition of the Old Forest Road itself. Both adventures were written before Darkening of Mirkwood was published. In DoM, we learn that clearing the road will take years, which says something about the condition of the road. Actually, in HotW as well it says that while there are 'long stretches' where the road is 'still intact', 'for most of the roadway, though, the forest has triumped'. So, it's mostly gone. I imagine that parts of the road may have been covered by landslides (in the Mountains of Mirkwood), flooding (some stretch of the road running beside a former lake or brook), forest fires (road covered by ashes and gone completely), and even vandalised by orcs/goblins (the Necromancer wanting the road destroyed), apart from just being overgrown. Thus, parts of the road would be near impossible even to find.

I have assumed that the standard journey rules should not really apply: this is not a road, it is an ex-road, it has ceased to be, it's gone to its Dwarven makers, it's only on the map because it's been nailed there! (In 'Abriendo', there is a shortcut [tunnels] that could be used to explain the PC's quick progress.)

In my view, then, Balin's plan in the Marsh-bell was optimistic to say the least (and he didn't get very far after all) -- actually yet another sign of the times (with the dragon slain and the necromancer driven away anything seemed possible). While Bofri, being more rational, intends to spend several years to make this venture work. Still, he would need to scout out the parts of the Road that are more or less gone at some time or other.

Basically I decided that while actually clearing the path would be quite tedious and not very exciting (thus, suitable for a Fellowship undertaking), *scouting* parts of it might be fun -- but, that scouting the road *in its entirety* in its current state would be a heroic task. So, I plan to use 'Abriendo' and parts of 'To Journey's End' for partial missions.

What do others think of my take on the Old Forest Road as outlined above?

(Edit: The translator of the most recent Swedish translation of LR has pointed to the rather different connotations of forests to Swedish vs. English readers... I guess the above was partly prompted by hiking in so-called primeval forests. Also when I was reading 'Abriendo', smoke from a forest fire covering some 60 square miles not too far away rolled in: surely forest fires happened in Mirkwood over the millennia, and a brook or two may change its course, causing some new mire.)

[zedturtle]

I like it. I think I've mentioned before my idea for the old forest road: the heroes are hired by a dwarves expedition... The dwarves start rebuilding the Easternmost watchtower. The heroes are to start at the Western end of the road, and make their way east. Of course, when they finally reach the dwarves watchtower they will find it abandoned and overrun.

[Falenthal]

My idea about the adventure is also that it represents the first approach by dwarves to opening the Old Forest Road. It will take years to be fully reopened, but someone has to do the first exploring. That's why Bifur will stay among the Woodmen for some years. Dwarves are stubborn and patient, after all!
As the southern parts of Mirwood become increasingly dangerous with the coming of Khamûl to Dol Guldur, the Woodmen and specially Ceawin will have interests of their own in the Old Road being reopened.

But it should be an interesting new option for Fellowship Undertakings.
In fact, my group includes a dwarf, a woodman and a Lake-town trader (always interested in opening new trading routes). They might share a Holding consisting of a trading caravan connecting Woodmen Hall, Lake-town and Erebor.

[Aeglosdir]

My idea about the adventure is also that it represents the first approach by dwarves to opening the Old Forest Road.

Absolutely – I didn't mean to suggest that finishing 'Abriendo' means that the path has been cleared. Rather that it should be harder (take longer) to cross the forest, given (what I take to be) the condition of the road. (Longer than suggested in the adventures – unless I misread 'En pocos lugares, el camino ha desaparecido o ha destruido por completo, y su travesía es cómoda').

But it should be an interesting new option for Fellowship Undertakings.

I've been thinking about an undertaking to open the route through the Long Marshes as well (similar to those for restoring the Old Forest Road, DoM 30). Haven't had the time to write anything yet though. (Suggestions are welcome!)

Actually this is to accomodate another adventure written in Spanish (which needs trade along the Celduin to be a bit more lively to work)