Elephant in the room: Moria

[bluejay]

I heard a suggestion from a C7 writer about how they would tackle Moria and loved it ... but then I'd have no problem with the doomed campaign if it was well done.

Of course there's nothing to say that characters couldn't survive if they left before the very end. To be honest, if the characters were hired (and particularly if they weren't Dwarves) perhaps they would be expected to leave once their scouting work was done. All Balin has to do is force them to swear an oath of secrecy and canon is maintained. Heck perhaps we could suggest that 'Dwarvish magic' could almost enforce this.

[Jon Hodgson]

We might have mentioned a Moria supplement at Gen Con. But I can't remember if we did or not...

[Curulon]

We might have mentioned a Moria supplement at Gen Con. But I can't remember if we did or not...

Jon, you tease!

[Rich H]

We might have mentioned a Moria supplement at Gen Con. But I can't remember if we did or not...

I'm sat here directing my strongest ever Paddington hard stare at you, Mr Hodgson.

[Earendil]

From LOTR, Appendix A:

"No," said Dáin. "You are the father of our Folk, and we have bled for you, and will again. But we will not enter Khazad-Dûm. You will not enter Khazad-Dûm. Only I have looked through the shadow of the Gate. Beyond the shadow it waits for you still: Durin's Bane. The world must change and some other power than ours must come before Durin's Folk walk again in Moria."

To me, it seems that Balin must at some point become convinced that this danger has gone away. (Assuming he doesn't just think Dáin is just mental!) I think a good way to justify that is for a scouting party to go have a look round Moria and return saying they didn't see anything a bunch of seasoned Dwarves couldn't handle. It's possible, of course, that they still have the impression that reclaiming Moria is a bad idea, but can't offer any solid reasons for that. "I have a bad feeling about this" is clearly not enough to put Balin off when Dáin says it, so having the heroes say it too is perfectly plausible.

This doesn't preclude the Balrog working behind the scenes, but that begs the question of why it would do so. Maybe it takes a lot to get its attention; a pitched battle outside its front gate, or noisy hobbits accompanied by an embodied Maia, will apparently do it, but a scouting party might not!

[Rich H]

This doesn't preclude the Balrog working behind the scenes, but that begs the question of why it would do so

Certainly possible, just ask Ryu and Ken!

[Earendil]

We might have mentioned a Moria supplement at Gen Con. But I can't remember if we did or not...

Actually, it has been hinted at on these forums more than once in the last year or two. To the point that I'm absolutely sure something is being worked on, but of course I have no real idea what shape it will take (although I'm sure the phrase "boxed set" was used by someone in the know long before Rich used it in this thread)...

[Earendil]

This doesn't preclude the Balrog working behind the scenes, but that begs the question of why it would do so

Certainly possible, just ask Ryu and Ken!

*whoosh*

That, I believe, was the sound of a reference flying over my head. And me failing to catch it.

[farinal]

We might have mentioned a Moria supplement at Gen Con. But I can't remember if we did or not...

The Teasemaster

[Rich H]

*whoosh*

That, I believe, was the sound of a reference flying over my head. And me failing to catch it.

Silly reference to a Streetfighter bad guy. Sorry.