[Tale of Years] The Fellowship of the Free (Spoilers)

[Rich H]

Thought I'd get around to creating a thread and writing up my various game notes for the campaign I've been running for a number of years (sometimes intermitently; as we stop for breaks and to play other games) for my RPGing pals.

I started this campaing when only the slipcase edition and TfW was released so we've slowly developed the campaign alongside the release schedule. I'll present each post as an adventure summary along with any accompanying Fellowship Phase and also add any LM notes that may spring to mind as I type this all up. Sorry, I'm not one for blow-by-blow 'fan fic' write ups - it just doesn't appeal!

There will likely be SPOILERS in this thread for anyone playing through Tales from Wilderland and Darkening of Mirkwood so be warned!

Anyway, lets introduce the player-characters [along with their portraits which I got commissioned from Jon Hodgson]...

Brand
A Barding Scholar and emissary of the King of Dale. Brand is the heir to a noble house of Dale that has always been loyal to the line of Girion and his father, Bern, is currently head of this house and serves as an advisor to Bard. Brand isn't just learned in Old Lore and Rhymes of Lore but is also handy with a Longsword and Greatbow.



LM Notes
I often play pretty fast and loose with character background and resources so don't have a problem with giving characters a status beyond what the RAW would allow. In this case, Brand has a Standing of 3 to represent his diplomatic status. I also decided at an early stage of the campaign to play very loose with the Standing rules as a whole and gradually developed my own Renown system to support it. I also wanted to introduce a bit of fun for the player - not being a Tolkien fan (I know, sacrilege) the player doesn't know that Bard's grandchild will be called Brand by Bain; I'd like the reason for this to be because of the actions and loyalty of Bain's old family friend.

Thogrim Stonehammer
A Dwarf warrior from the Lonely Mountain, Thogrim and his older brother (Thogrund) fought side-by-side with their father Thogrum at the Battle of Five Armies. The brothers survived but their father was slain by an Orc berserker, Ghor the Despoiler. Taking his father's Axe, Ghor would have slain Thogrim with his family's heirloom if not for the intervention of a band of Elves of Mirkwood led by Gilbrannon who drove the Orc berserker away, slaying most of his warband in the process. Thogrim has felt honour bound and endebted to the quiet elf ever since.



LM Notes
Some nice foreshadowing for Thogrim's background and also a nice example of two players building a Fellowship Focus for one of their characters. Thogrim's player really wanted to have Gilbrannon as his focus in order to gel the taciturn Elf to ther group. I quite liked the idea they came up with of both fighting in the Battle of Five Armies. We worked together on making Thogrim second born, so that he could have a bit more freedom, and we tied the death of his father at the hands of Ghor to his Slayer Calling and desire to avenge his father and reclaim his family heirloom, an Axe of Azanulbizar. We also had a bit of fun introducing Thogrim's family to the line of Durin, giving his family a bit of status and also potential to develop the campaign in such a direction if we so desired:



Gilbrannon of Mirkwood
An Elf Warden from Mirkwood, Gilbrannon is one of The Watchers; charged by their King Thranduil to travel beyond the current borders of his realm to gather news and offer aide where possible to the free peoples' of Wilderland.



LM Notes
Gilbrannon is played by a bit of a Tolkien scholar. He decided he wanted to play a somewhat quiet and withdrawn personality and we felt an Elf would be ideal to portray this and explain his behaviour. I came up with the idea of The Watchers to further add to this idea and to give it a bit of a stronger narrative and explanation as to why one of the immortal folk would join such a fellowship.




The campaign began with the above three characters however I do have four players - the last created a Woodman character, Iwgar, but he was on holiday when I started the game. I would normally have delayed beginning but his absence fitted with the start of the game due to it beginning in Laketown. I decided we'd introduce his character at an appropriate time during the first adventure so I'll provide more detail on him in a later post.

[Rich H]

Adventuring Phase: To Journey's End and the Eagles' Eyrie
Spring 2946
Brand, Thogrim, and Gilbrannon are tasked by Gloin to accompany Balin to the Eagles' Eyrie; delivering a gift and invitation to the Lord of the Eagles.

During their journey along the Old Forest Road they encounter an elven hunting party led by Galion, battle a troll, and are victorious against an orc war-band, although the battle was desperate. It is here, with the arrival of Iwgar, that the Fellowship of the Free is formed.

Battling an ancient Huorn, the company meet a wildman who gifts them the lost heirloom of the Woodmen, the axe-head of 'Wolfbiter'. Presenting the axe-head to Ingomer, clan leader of the woodmen of Woodland Hall, they also discover the hermit was Ingomer's lost eldest son, Ingold; thought to have died many years ago.

Visiting Beorn, Merovech, one of his kinsmen, accompanies them to the Eagles' Eyrie; the company now representative of most free cultures in Wilderland – Elf, Barding, Dwarf, Woodman and Beorning. Here at the eyrie they meet the great eagle Landroval and conduct themselves well; the eagles receive Balin and accept his invitation to the Gathering of Five Armies to be held later in the year.

LM Notes
This adventure was a combination of my own ideas and the published scenarios "The Marsh Bell" and "Don't Leave the Path". When reading the Marsh Bell I really felt that the more interesting story, delivery and meeting with the Eagles, was far more interesting than the actual adventure. I therefore decided to create my own with elements of that adventure along with bits of "Don't Leave the Path" in order to introduce an epic journey across Wilderland and the desire of Balin to reopen the Old Dwarf Road as well as some background for the Woodmen and the relic Wolfbiter.

I always try and foreshadow and introduce characters that the player-characters could get involved with in later adventures; Merovech is one such character here and also served to represent the Beornings when visiting the Eyrie - which fitted perfectly as my PCs were missing this culture.

Incidentally, the Hermit is not Ingold, Ingomer's lost son - he was simply one of the Woodmen party that went missing with him years ago. Ingold is introduced later in the Darkening of Mirkwood campaign so I had to engage in a bit of retrofitting to accommodate this idea!

Let's introduce the last of the player characters that make up the fellowship...

Iwgar
A Woodman Wanderer, Iwgar is a restless soul having lost his love Acwyn to spiders in Mirkwood years ago. During these troubled times he was befriended by Gilbrannon of the Woodland Realm but since his loss he has never felt at home with his own folk and as the years passed the time he spent apart from his people increased; his only constant companion his hound, Brom.



LM Notes
Somewhat estranged from his folk, Iwgar's going to often feel the pull to return as the events of the campaign unfold. Much of Darkening of Mirkwood is centered around the Woodman and the returning Shadow and it was complete fluke that his player created a character in this way. As his Renown grows it could be that the Woodmen look to him to lead them - which could be a really interesting dynamic for the player and character to explore considering his reluctance to be part of Woodmen society.

Fellowship Phase: Woodland Hall
Early Summer 2946
The company spend several weeks resting at Woodland Hall, having impressed Ingomer earlier in their quest to the Eagles’ Eyrie and returning part of Wolfbiter. They recover from their exertions, train, and heal their body and spirit.

LM Notes
Still very early stages here with the campaign; me and the players finding their feet with the system and the background.

The player characters gain a great deal of Renown with the Woodmen and also with the Dwarves and Dale for completing their mission (as Balin returns to the eastern lands and reports back on their success). They also receive Woodland Hall as a Sanctuary.

For those that had previously played MERP, I remember that we really enjoyed the change of location to Wilderland and the wiggle-room we felt that it gave us in addition to the way that the Woodmen were given detail and their relationship with Radagast.

[Rich H]

And a group picture...

The Fellowship of the Free


/play appropriately inspiring music!

[Rich H]

Adventuring Phase: Kinstrife and Dark Tidings
Summer 2946
Travelling north, the fellowship discovers the corpses of the new friend Merovech and one of his kinsman; apparently slain by orcs while escorting a captive north. Respectfully returning their bodies to Beorn, they are tasked by him to hunt down the missing captive.

Travelling south they pass a farmstead where an old man, Gerral, informs them that a young man stayed overnight a few days ago – he called himself Oderic. The farmer mentions that he was “an odd sort” but he was polite and respectful. A couple of days later the companions arrive at the Beorning village of Stonyford and are met by the town leaders - Ava, Hartwulf, and Williferd. They are cordially greeted and allowed to stay but the village is still shamed from Oderic's actions. They spend the evening eating and drinking with the villagers. In the morning they speak with Oderic's sister, Brunhild, and discover that that he did return to Stonyford but left again to travel south and find his fortune. Picking up his trail on the western bank of the Anduin, the fellowship makes their way south into the Vales of the Anduin.

Encountering a force of men under the eaves of the woods north of the Gladden Fields, the companions discover that Oderic has fallen in with them - by choice or otherwise. Suspecting the men to be an invading force the companions leave and travel north in order report the news to Beorn, but not before they have warned the villagers of Stonyford. Journeying south with a force of Beorning men and women, the fellowship join in battle against the outlaw force just north of the, now burning, village of Stonyford. During the battle, Beorn arrives in bear form, and slays the leader of the outlaws.

Later, the fellowship discovers the beheaded corpse of Oderic, lying by the body of his stepfather, Helmgut; Oderic's head impaled on a spear above their bodies. Gilbrannon also reports to the rest of the fellowship that Brunhild is lost. He did give chase but she fled in grief and anguish and has apparently thrown herself into the great River Anduin, her body lost and likely drowned. The quiet elf appears to be even more introspective than usual, greatly affected by the tragic loss.

LM Notes
I don't pull punches with how I run The One Ring; Wilderland is a frontier place - often grim and unforgiving. Without care, it can be deadly and brutal. This adventure is a really good example of that; feeling betrayed, Valter exacted his vengeance upon Oderic. In addition, I often run fast and loose with how a pre-written adventure plays out; although I really liked 'Kinstrife' when I read through it I was pretty sure it wouldn't play out as written as such a force of men on the borders of Woodmen and Beorning lands would shift the priorities of the players and their characters. I really liked how this played out; the players really shaped events and it was a tragic end for many involved. In the future, the ruins of Stonyford would become a dark and blighted place, avoided by travellers and rumoured to be haunted.


Fellowship Phase: Beorn’s House
Late Summer 2946
Meeting with Beorn, the fellowship is praised for their valour in battle and for defending his people. It was likely that their quick thinking when discovering this force of men hidden on his borders saved the people of Stonyford, if not the village itself, and stopped even greater bloodshed and violence.

The company spend a number of weeks resting at Beorn's House where he agrees to support them where he may; among other boons, he declares that whenever the fellowship travel through his lands they may call upon, and use, his horses to ease their burden and speed their journey.

LM Notes
The player characters Renown with the Beornings increases and Beorn is taken as patron where use of his horses are bestowed upon the companions. They also receive his house as a Sanctuary. Discussing the next actions for the characters they agree they should return to Dale for the coming festivities.

[Rich H]

Adventuring Phase: A Return to Dale
Autumn 2946
With the leaves just beginning to turn to brown and orange, the company set out across Beorn's lands in order to return to Dale and to take part in the coming festivities celebrating the victory of the Battle of Five Armies.

Whilst journeying along the Elf Path, the companions save a trader, Baldor, and his son, Belgo, from outlaws who had posed as bodyguards when hired by him. Travelling with them, Baldor later drinks from an enchanted stream within the forest causing his memories of the last five years to vanish; and him reliving the attack of Smaug upon Lake Town. Fleeing in panic, Baldor runs off into the woods and the companions pursue him. They track him to a ruined tower, now the lair of many giant spiders where they release him from the webs but are then pursued by the arachnid wolves; barely escaping with their lives.

During the journey, the companions attempt to relieve Baldor of his malady, but to no avail; and his continued rejection of Belgo and his descent into madness weigh heavily upon them all. Eventually they reach the borders of Thranduil's realm where they spend the evening with an elven patrol led by the elf, Nenledil, and in the morning are presented to the elf prince Legolas and Irime, a Noldorim maiden of great beauty and noble bearing. Here, they introduce themselves and explain the plight of Baldor and his son. The elves listen to their story and then the Lady Irime requests to speak with the boy Belgo, alone. Irime accepts the deteriorating Baldor into her care; Belgo will return to Dale with the companions, on the agreement that Irime may call on the services of the companions in the future. The company agree and, leaving Legolas and Irime, they are escorted to the border of the Woodland Realm where they continue to Dale and the festivities of the Gathering.

LM Notes
Whenever possible I do try to make journeys within/across Wilderland interesting and eventful. This adventuring phase was really just a journey back to Dale but I decided to introduce Baldor and Belgo from "Don't Leave the Path" as their story felt far more organic introduced here, as the player characters decided to actively make this trip. I brought them in as a side plot and adventure and rescuing Belgo from the spiders very nearly lead to the deaths of two of the player characters - if not for the keen bow of Gilbrannon they would likely have met an ignoble end to the marauding arachnids!

As previously mentioned, I also like to foreshadow the usage of other characters by introducing them earlier in the campaign. As with Merovech, Irime is an example of this.


Fellowship Phase: The Festival of Five Armies
Autumn 2946
The Fellowship spends time in Dale, visiting Brand's father, Bern, and family. Here, Belgo is accepted into Bern's household as a page and servant.

The Fellowship attends the Festival of Five Armies. Afterwards, they attend a council meeting in Dale where Balin requests that a quest should be undertaken in spring to investigate whether it is possible to re-open the Men-i-Naugrim by reclaiming the old Sunken City found to the east of the road within the Long Marshes. The companions volunteer to accompany Balin and his company of dwarves.

LM Notes
In reality, the players narrated Balin's request and their decision to volunteer - it was more of a mutual and collaborative discussion rather than me, as LM, requesting it of them.

Although it is likely Baldor will never recover, care for by the Elves in Mirkwood, Belgo may well feature later in the campaign as a possible future player character. In such campaigns that potentially span generations of play I do try and introduce NPCs which can be developed in more detail by the players and involved more in the resulting story and tales to come. I hope that Belgo is one such character. He formed a particular bond with Thogrim and Brand so there are a couple of avenues he can be introduced at a later stage.

[Rich H]

Adventuring Phase: Return to the Sunken City
Spring 2947
The Fellowship, along with Balin and his dwarves, travel south to the Village of Endaroth. Along the way, they arrive at Ravensfield and discover that it is being terrorised by a ghost demanding tribute from the frightened men and women who live there. Investigating further they encounter and slay a group of goblins masquerading as the evil spirit and an ancient burial site of a Wainrider chieftain. Gilbrannon discovers that the Goblins were using a ring in order to aid them – it helped to camouflage and shadow the appearance of the wearer. Fearing its power, the Elf decides to bury it within the ancient tomb of the Wainrider in the hopes it will remain lost and hidden to others.

Journeying north from Endaroth and into the Long Marshes the company are stalked by an ancient evil known as a Myrrhross (or Loborog). During the journey, the fell 'water spirit' kills two soldiers of Dale - Alwis and Hamar; dragging them beneath the dark waters of the marshes. The company eventually escape this terrible creature, of which Gilbrannon is particularly afraid, and arrive at the eastern edge of the old Dwarven Road. While gathering firewood a group of dwarves goes missing and the fellowship tracks them to, and discovers, the Sunken City. Investigating an old mansion cellar they find Gimli and the brothers Narlum and Rudlum holed up within a wine room. Shortly after, as they escape, they are beset by what must be Mewlips; creatures bent and disfigured by their time spent in the Long Marsh - corrupted and broken by its dark influence. Continuing the journey the Dwarves Narlum and Rudlum are lost in the marshes, Narlum chases after his brother as he succumbs to madness. The companions try in vain to search for them but with no success.

Eventually returning to the city of Dale via Esgaroth, the companions discover there that goblins had been driven away from Smaug's corpse which lies within the lake. The companions conclude that these are the goblins that they encountered at Ravensfield.

LM Notes
With thanks to 'Halbarad' on these forums - whose Loborog creature I used in this adventure; a terrifying adversary akin to a Kelpie of sorts. This really worried the players as it stalked their characters and raised the tension and atmosphere of the Long Marshes. It was also the first obviously supernatural creature I had introducted, with the exception of the strange Huorn. In addition, I also informed Gilbrannon's player that legend had it these creatures particularly hungered for elves and that should one be slain by the Loborog their spririts would be forever trapped and tormented by the creature.

Write up of the Loborog, below. He's also in my Dale Supplement - which I'm working on a new version of to better compliment the writeup within the Erebor book.

This adventure is a bit of a 'slow burn' introduction of mine to reclaiming the Old Dwarven Road; a particular interest goal of Balin. Any success here also foreshadows his eventual desire and quest to Moria, and ultimately his doom. In a few year Dwarves investigating the western edge of the road will also be introduced in the campaign so this helps to involve the players early, should they wish to support future endeavours, and also give the impression of a world shaped by non-player character events and motivations as well as their own.


Fellowship Phase: Resting in Dale
Late Spring 2947
The companions rest and recuperate in Dale, Balin leaving to discuss his findings with Dain.

LM Notes
A deliberately short Fellowship Phase rather than a year end one. No Undertakings here, I just allowed the players to spend any XP or AP if they wished to.

[Finrod Felagund]

Thanks Rich - very enjoyable. I particularly liked this line: "I don't pull punches with how I run The One Ring; Wilderland is a frontier place - often grim and unforgiving. Without care, it can be deadly and brutal."

Please do keep on publishing your stories.

FF

[kdresser]

Awesome! Looking forward to reading it in detail in the near future. Where did you get the art for the characters? It definitely looks like John Hodgson's work.

[Rich H]

Thanks Rich - very enjoyable. I particularly liked this line: "I don't pull punches with how I run The One Ring; Wilderland is a frontier place - often grim and unforgiving. Without care, it can be deadly and brutal."

Thank you.

My campaign is certainly on the darker side of things; I'll sometimes gloss over the descriptions for the sake of taste but won't underplay things. Scenarios such as the adventure "Those Who Tarry..." are incredibly dark and rightly so, in my opinion. And afterwards, when the characters discovered the nature of Mansbane they found it really upsetting - they genuinely felt down in the dumps afterwards; but more on that in later posts.

Please do keep on publishing your stories.

I'll certainly try!

Awesome! Looking forward to reading it in detail in the near future. Where did you get the art for the characters? It definitely looks like John Hodgson's work.

Those were commission by Jon Hodgson.

[Rich H]

Adventuring Phase: Journey to Rhosgobel
Summer 2947
Meeting Gandalf in Dale, the fellowship is tasked by the wizard with delivering a letter to Radagast on his behalf.

Journeying with a company of elves out of Mirkwood, Gilbrannon departs with them when they reach Ravensfield in order to explore the Wainrider tomb within the local woods. The rest of the company travel south out of the Dalelands and beyond the Celduin following the Men Romen ('East Way') that was once used by Gondor to trade with the peoples of Rhovanion but has now fallen to ruin.

The company travel west to the East Bight where they meet the new lord of the land, Caewin the Generous. They accept Caewin's request to travel west through the Narrows of Mirkwood in order to ascertain whether a route can be found and to deliver a message from Caewin to the Woodmen of the western eaves; a request of alliance.

Travelling with Treomod, a pathfinder and kinsman of Caewin, the journey west through the forest is strangely uneventful until the final leg when they encounter a wandering man; poisoned and feverish. Aiding the Woodman, Beran, the company are assailed by a group of brigands, led by the woman Dagmar, who boasts that these lands belong to her lord Mogdred and that Beran stole something and should be handed over to her. Refusing, the company fight and defeat Dagmar; capturing her and one of her folk while the others flee. They arrive with the captives, and Beran, in Rhosgobel where they stay for a short while with Radagast after delivering Gandalf's letter.

LM Notes
In this adventure the player of Gilbrannon could no longer commit to the game due to real life getting in the way; fortunately, someone had actually gotten in touch with me here who lived locally and wanted to play. I therefore decided to quietly send Gilbrannon elsewhere, although what he encounters will still be important to the campaign, and introduce the new player as Treomod the Pathfinder. The player is a relatively inexperienced RPer so I wanted to let him try the game out before deciding on a permanent character; Treomod therefore made the perfect character for this.

Oh, and Gandalf's Letter; a bit of fun:




Second Adventuring Phase: The Missing Boy
Late Summer 2947
After travelling with Treomod to Woodland Hall and Woodman Town, in order to deliver Caewin's request for an alliance. The company then journey to Amaleoda's settlement on the banks of the Black Tarn where Treomod and a number of woodmen are due to venture back across the Narrows to the East Bight.

In the early hours of the morning they help a local man, Egwin, search for his son Edor who hasn't returned from fishing for eels along the south-western bank. Following a trail they discover broken eel traps and, tragically, the boy who appears to have been beaten and strangled to death. Following a difficult trail of small bare-footed prints to a weeping willow that hangs over the south-eastern bank of the lake they encounter the eldest of the River Maidens, Duskwater. Mourning the loss of the child, Duskwater informs the company that she spied a skulking, gangrel creature by the water's edge shortly before sunrise. It hissed to itself and had an ill-favoured look about it. The wily creature must have spotted Duskwater for it fled into the fog and disappeared in the trees to the east of the Black Tarn.

Iwgar, Having ingratiated himself to the maiden, Duskwater looks upon him with favour and before he leaves she informs the Woodman that she has heard rumours upon the water from the North and the Mountains of Mirkwood. Within the currents of the Black Tarn, she has heard whispers that a great evil has stirred once more; something known to the wise as the "Devourer of Light", and she fears that a great darkness is about to descend upon the Woodmen folk.

LM Notes
Based on a fan scenario, but altering the location to the eaves of Mirkwood, in this adventure I introduced Gollum and the River Maidens. I also wanted to foreshadow a 'growing evil' to suitably forewarn the players and their characters. The 'Devourer of Light' is the Werewolf of Mirkwood but it really could be any creature of darkness - the important thing to take from this was a growing sense of foreboding rather than any specifics.


Fellowship Phase: Rhosgobel
Autumn 2947
The companions spend autumn and winter at Rhosgobel healing from the trials of the previous year and gathering news for Radagast. Wolves are harassing the people of the Anduin Vales and the Brown Wizard is concerned and troubled by word from the borders, sending out many of his watchmen. It is during this hour that he returns with a wanderer from out of the wild; Argalad, a tall and grim man from Bree who is searching for a friend and companion. The company suspect there is more to this 'man out of the west' than first meets the eye.

By spring there is still no sign of Gilbrannon, who had said he would meet them at Rhosgobel, and the fellowship begin to grow concerned for his well-being just as Radagast calls them together once again...

LM Notes
I introduce Argalad as a potential subplot and possible player character. His friend, another Ranger of the North, has fallen to the Shadow and he is searching for him but with no success. This information is all undisclosed so I can easily alter or retrofit it to suit how the campaign evolves.

During this Fellowship Phase the character's make Rhosgobel as Sanctuary and Radagast becomes their Patron.

The new player, having played Treomod in the last couple of adventures, has decided to play a Beorning so this new character is set to be introduced in the next adventure!