Wedding adventure ideas (DoM Spoilers)

[zedturtle]

"There is power, too, of another kind in the Shire."

Yep, Hope and happiness are powerful tools against the Shadow. There is great tragedy in Middle-earth, but also great joy... made sharper by the contrast between the two. Tragedy (and joy) should arise from the choices made by the free-willed, which is why I think bluejay's final idea is so strong.

That doesn't mean that a tragic outcome of a wedding is impossible, nor does it mean that a Woodmen wedding would fit into a Hobbit's social outlook (and calendar-book).

— • —

As to fighting against impossible odds (what Corey Olsen calls 'northern courage'), I think that's more about the stories that Tolkien's emulating than any particular coming from his faith (although Men, faced with impossible odds, might remind themselves that their ultimate fate is not bound with Arda and is not known by even the Wise). As always, I thing it ultimately comes down to free will... Men are able to choose to flee, but those who stand steadfast in the face of the Shadow will be part of its downfall, even though they die against the hordes of the Enemy. But everyone who says 'You shall not pass!' to the Enemy weakens his power by just a little bit, and of that choice, ultimately good shall flow.

[bluejay]

Fantastic thoughts here from everyone.

I've really been trying to avoid spoilers from DoM but the ending to my campaign felt like pure Tolkien.

Spoiler

The characters had survived for thirty years and largely been successful as the shadow grew. They were ready to retire and perhaps head west with the lamp to Rivendell but ... They simply couldn't leave the woodmen to their fate. They had earned a respite after their many, many successful quests (destroying the werewolf, saving Black Tarn, etc) but they decided to fight alongside the woodmen and attack Dol Guldur. I clearly explained that this was a hopeless venture and they would certainly be going to their deaths. Solemnly they accepted their fate ... Only to fight like they were ancient heroes reborn! Their luck, courage and fellowship held out that day when they faced The Lieutenant of Dol Guldur himself and drove him from the battlefield. They achieved the maximum possible successful outcome and every single one of them returned home! The perfect end to a truly epic campaign!

Spoiler ends

Did I mention I'm a huge fan of this game?

[Finrod Felagund]

What does "important" mean here? Sounds like the idea of agency is really important to you--that the players get to roam around setting rights to wrongs wherever they go. I'm not sure that Tolkien's viewpoint is only personal--it's also historical. He's writing about a world and a time where not many really enjoyed the kind of agency you are talking about.

What a wonderful post (and following replies) so thanks!

I can't disagree with any of that. I wish I could write a reply half as intelligent, but all I can say is that where Tolkien's life and views helped shape his ideas, so mine does the same for me. I'm very happy in my life, positive in outlook, and have been lucky enough to live in a peaceful era that is full of opportunity. To me tragedy occurs and has a place, but it's not an underlying philosophy. It's a very personal thing I guess, and no doubt a little self-centred, but it is what it is. As a result I do prefer games where there is some hope. None of that though invalidates anything you've said!

I used the words "mardy old codgers" in my previous post, and shouldn't have done really. I've seen BBC documentaries of Tolkien, and actually he comes across as a rather convivial chap with a sense of humour. Apparently he created the Black Speech "Ash Nazg durbatuluk...etc" in the bath!

[Finrod Felagund]

Fantastic thoughts here from everyone. I've really been trying to avoid spoilers from DoM but the ending to my campaign felt like pure Tolkien. Did I mention I'm a huge fan of this game?

That sounds fab!

[bluejay]

So ... he returned with a flower from the northernmost Vales of Anduin ... in the shadow of Gundabad. The wedding is on!

[zedturtle]

So ... he returned with a flower from the northernmost Vales of Anduin ... in the shadow of Gundabad. The wedding is on!

Awesome!

[bluejay]

One thing I'm doing is organically dropping hints in so they can pay off later.

For instance one character is a woodman and Ingomer treats him as the son he lost. He has mentioned about losing a son at one point.

After Eberulf returned with the flower, Avina's father told him about the fact that she is happy now. When she was a young girl a marriage had been arranged with a young man from a village to the South but the village was destroyed by forces from Dol Guldur.

So ... I've dropped these hints without making them feel like I'm setting things up. Also they've now encountered folks from Tyrant's Hill so pieces are falling into place. I think we have about 2-3 sessions before the big pay off in 2948.

[bluejay]

So ... the wedding went ahead and even Gandalf was present due to travelling across Wilderland at the time (2948 TA).

Literally next adventure was the folk moot and I brought in Mogdred!

At the moment they have accepted Mogdred and the men of Tyrant's Hill into the general Woodmen community but wow things are very tense. They are paying great attention to Mogdred and trying to work out his motives.

Exciting times!

[bluejay]

A quick update! I moved forward with this campaign. Mogdred has established himself and his men have been apparently protecting the Woodmen from attacks coming from the South. Mogdred and his men have not endeared themselves to the other woodmen settlements but there is a begrudging sense of needing them.

In the meantime Mogdred is looking for a wife for himself (and wives for his men). He has travelled around the various settlements looking for suitable candidates. Already he has propositioned/threatened Amaleoda. Also he has discovered that the girl to whom he was promised as a child still lives in Stoneyford and is now married (to the Beorning PC).

The heroes have been away for a while and now return to this situation. The next time the men of Tyrant's Hill (without Mogdred) approach Stoneyford the situation becomes tense. The Beorning is angered by the men and eventually they insult him and his 'unlawful marriage' to Avina. The tension becomes violence and the Beorning slays 2 men. The others leave but with threats. They return to Mogdred who is furious but sees an opportunity here. The general woodman community is angry at the rash actions of the fellowship in antagonising a useful ally.

The next year (2951) Khamul Lord of Dol Guldur approaches Tyrant's Hill and finds Mogdred willing to listen to his dark offers. An uneasy alliance is formed. Mogdred offers an opportunity for orcs to launch an attack into the Vales of Anduin and upon Stoneyford itself.

Mogdred then subtly leaks the plans of the orc attack allowing the Fellowship to hear of it. They find that the orcs have waylaid one of the houseboats of the river folk to use to cross the river under cover. The fellowship (with the help of the other warriors from Stoneyford) attack the orcs and defeat them. Unfortunately they return to Stoneyford to find it burning. There are orc arrows everywhere and the women and children are gone. They find Hartwulf (the village elder) dying and he tells them that it was Mogdred and his men.

So ... now the (somewhat angry) fellowship are heading to Tyrant's Hill...

My feeling is that while this feels very blatant to the group, there are no living witnesses. Anyone coming across the wreckage will feel that it was definitely the work of orcs and there have been rumours of an orc attack for weeks now. Mogdred will say that he came across the village and tried to save any he could and took them to safety. Very difficult situation now but he is deliberately playing brinksmanship. He knows the woodmen community at large will be exceptionally reluctant to get involved and directly oppose him so he wants to divide the groups against each other. He will also specifically try to highlight any Beorning aggression in Mirkwood against him as a move against the Woodmen community as a whole.

Exciting times ahead!

[Mim]

One observation: having the girl to whom he was promised as a child still in Stoneyford but married to the Beorning hero is inspired. I may plagiarize, er, borrow that idea.