Ruins of the North as a Campaign

[Lofar]

I'm a big fan of campaigns, even though I rarely get to play them. Hence, I really enjoyed the mini-campaign in "Tales from Wilderland". "Ruins of the North" doesn't offer this (with the exception of the last adventure, which is in itself a mini-campaign), but I think its adventures can be connected easily enough. So I'm posting some rough ideas, and am hoping that other people will pitch in!

THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOIlLERS!

Nightmares of Angmar
- On the journey to Carn Dûm, the adventurers could already stumble across the Valley of the Dead (Nan Gorthrim), which plays a prominent part in 'Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad'. This way, they will be able to provide the vital clue to Gandalf which sets off the final adventure.
- If the company fails to win Essylt (and thus the Hill-men) over, the final defeat of Heddwyn will only lead to an apparent remorse on her side. She will pretend to want to settle for a simpler life, away from both Angmar and her family
- On the way to Rivendell, the adventurers will meet the Company of the Wain for the first time, and Essylt will join them. It will be here that in the days to come will be the force of corruption in that group. One could either replace Uathach entirely, or make Essylt her trusted servant, who becames Saruman's agent and whispers poisoned words in Uathach's ears, whilst pretending to be a safe haven for the adventurers.
In this case, the Hill-men children should grow up to be embittered mercenaries - they can turn up as adversaries in the other adventures (e.g. as the human brigands in 'Harder than Stone)

Harder than Stone
- The dwarves Anar, Vidar and Ginar will turn up again in 'Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad' in the section The Hidden Vault at Fornost (also see 'my notes on Concerning Archers' for the placement of this segment). They are accompanying Lofar. If the company treated them well, they are only misguided and can be turned against Lofar. If they mistreated them, they will make dealing with Lofar even harder.
OR
- The ambushed caravan is the Company of the Wain, whom the adventurers need to rescue from Cyrnan and Amos. The section Investigating the Caravan from 'The Company of the Wain' will take place after they have been set free. If the adventurers fail to help Larry, Gandalf won't be able to light his bonfires in 'Shadow over Tyrn Gorthad'. If they set free the Wose, he will be of tremendous help when spying on the trolls later on.
- Depending on their dealings with Feredrûn, she can assist or hinder the adventurers in 'Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad'. A way to set her free might be finding the Elven-blade Dambeth Medui.
- Depending on what they do concerning Mormog and his trolls, he will join the Wight King in storming the hill where Gandalf performs his magic during the final adventure. The trolls will not be hindered by the protective magic, and can be used be the Wight King to destroy the Elf Lord's barrow. The number of trolls might be smaller, if the adventurers have intervened, or warned the right people.

Concerning Archers
- The section False Accusations from 'The Company of the Wain' takes place on the way to Fornost. Depending on their interaction with the villagers, they will be able to provide some clues for their search - or take measures against it.
- When exploring Fornost, the adventurers can already discover The Hidden Vault. Maybe they take the books whithout knowing what they are, or they have to return later once they know what they are looking for.
- If the Hobbit ghosts are set free, they will join the adventurers for their final fight on the Tyrn Gorthad.
- The Fell Wraiths will provide some first glimpses of the plans of the Wight King.
- Rufus Took is an ancestor's of Mirabella's (cf. section Mirabella's Song in 'Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad). News about him, and tokens like his bow will make her trust the company enough to tell them their tale.

What lies beneath
- She Sees, She Knows from 'The Company of the Wain' takes place on the way to Hiraval's family mansion. Uathach could manipulate Hiraval to increase his inner darkness.
- If the adventurers fail to defeat Húldrahir, if Hiraval descends into madness and is killed, or if Edrahil is sacrificed, they could turn into what will later be known as the Wight King, thus making the group directly responsible for their ultimate adversary.
- Elwin's group of adventurers could hinder or help the company during 'Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad', depending on how they were treated. If they were treated badly, they could get to some of the information before the adventurers, who now need to bargain/fight with them.
- The Elven blade Dambeth Medui can be discovered in the tomb. In addition to being able to set free Feredrûn, it will also be a potent weapon in the final confrontation with Mormog.

Shadows over Tyrn Gorthad
(A lot of suggestions are already included in the above)
- They will meet Uathach and her company again after their return from the Valley of the Dead. She will offer them hospitality, and will be most curious about their disoveries. She could offer to do some reserach of her own, etc. Further meetings happen during the various quests. If the adventurers trust her, she will finally sell out all the information to the Wight King (Saruman is keen to weaken Gandalf or even see him die). Each information they shared with her will no longer offer a bonus to the endeavours.

[Majestic]

Nice work, Lofar. I haven't picked up Ruins yet (am just about to order it), but I love connecting things into a larger campaign, so this idea is awesome!

[Rôg]

I think I'll just leave this here...

Dambeth Medui

An Elven long sword crafted in Eregion just a few years before its fall. The runic marks on the blade name it “Dambeth Medui” which roughly translates to “Last Answer” and though it lacks a maker’s mark, it is likely the final blade that Celebrimbor himself forged. It is made of shining mithril, somehow blended with an unidentifiable black metal that runs through the center of the blade from hilt to tip.

Banes: The Shadow
Qualities: Foe-slaying, Superior Grievous, Warding-spell*

*Typically associated with armour.

[Majestic]

That's an awesome weapon, Rôg. Makes me think we should compile a community Magical Treasure Index for folks to use (what do you think, Jon? Sound like a good idea for another sticky that appears at the top of the forum?)

I especially would love help with finding Elvish and Númeonórean names.

[Lofar]

I'd be interested in further ideas on how to integrate 'The Company of the Wain'. Especially Saruman's involvement doesn't connected directly with the final adventure and its adversaries.
One idea I had with regard to the adventure was that if Uathach plays a role in corrupting Hiraval, he could become Saruman's spy amongst the Rangers. Who knows, maybe he or his descendants are responsible for drawing away the Guard of the Shire to enable the Ruffians to take over during the War of the Ring?

[Gilrohir Arncelevon]

Hi Rog

I am guessing the mysterious black metal in the blade Dambeth Medui is intended to be "galvorn" the metal developed by the dark elf Eol in the First Age. Would that be correct?

In running the campaign, I took a different route to freeing Feredrun. Celebrimbor was the estranged son of Curufin (son of Feanor) who received the knife "Angrist" from the greatest dwarven smith of the First Age, Telchar of Nogrod. Beren took Angrist from Curufin and used it to cut the Silmiril from Morgoth's iron crown. I concluded from this that Telchar's weapons were capable of cutting iron woven with sorcerous spells.

In my campaign, the company learned that Telchar gave a second blade to Curufin - "Maegrist" the twin of Angrist - which Curufin gave to his son, Celebrimbor, before they became estranged. I ran a side adventure involving Damron (the master smith of Rivendell) and Aiwiel (the Noldor lady who wanders Eregion). They directed the company to the Whispering Halls, where they succeeded in finding Maegrist in a hidden armory of the Gwaith i Mirdain. The company used the knife to cut through Feredrun's sorcerous collar, but the knife shattered in the process, just as Angrist broke when Beren tried to cut a second Silmiril from Morgoth's crown.

Anyway, thought others might find that approaach interesting/useful.

[Gilrohir Arncelevon]

I especially would love help with finding Elvish and Númeonórean names.

Hi Majestic

If you are looking for Elven names, there is a good Sindar/English - English/Sindar dictionary online at: http://www.ambar-eldaron.com/english/do ... nglish.pdf. Most of the Elven names and words used in Tolkiens works are Sindar (which was the language of the Elves who did not journey to Aman and was adopted by the Noldor when they returned to Middle Earth as exiles). You can use this to make lots of Elven names. Hope that helps.

[Majestic]

That's great. Thanks, Gilrohir!

[Ernst-Jan]

I've given some thought to this as well, even though it'll be a year or so before we finish Darkening. I've been working on a first adventure that isn't Nightmares of Angmar, no because it's not a fine adventure, but because I want a clean slate-ish introductory adventure for new Eriador characters, and I want to use the ending provided in Darkening.

I was thinking about having the whole Hobbit-girl in the Barrow-Downs debacle happening first, and having her entranced totally by Wight-Song, in need of medicine the people of Bree are not able to provide. The players start out in Bree, in the Prancing Pony (because tavern), and are to find the legendary Last Homely House to help the girl. This makes the players witnesses to the first of many wight stirrings in the region, and makes it even more of a logical move on Gandalf's part to recruit them for the final adventure.

Just a thought.

[Lifstan]

I'm looking for ideas for the wose that appears in "Company of the Wain". We played recently the first part of the scenario and my group saved the wose. So he is with them for a year. What can I do with him to give him flavor? The supplement doesn't explain very well what woses are (and I don't have the Rohan supplement yet). I found this page about them:

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Dr%C3%BAedain

In "Company of the Wain", the wose is presented to be a little bit like Golum, I think. So, my question is: any ideas to include him in fellowship phase or travelling phase to give him stuff to do, to make him more "real" for the players? Thanks!