Chapter 5: Nameless Things

[Inferno]

The Lost Halls of the First ElvenKing, The Mountains of Mirkwood, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
March 23, Year One of the Fourth Age
Day Five. Morning. Cloudy, damp, cold



"The Uruks are coming! We must flee further within. Let them fall prey to these mad apparitions," urges Vindoboduoc and the Company plunges deeper into the lost halls of the First ElvenKing!

Echoes of old memories that are not their own haunt Gilwennen, Naruthirdor, Therone and Tinuwen. The spirits that possessed them, three females and one male, had died in battle far from here and rejected the call to the afterlife. Long had they wandered Middle Earth in darkness and in doubt until they were drawn to this stronghold of shadow. The phantoms knew each year more elves ignored the summons to leave this world. Sauron's title "the Necromancer" might acknowledge his practice of mastering these Houseless and using them to do his dark bidding. The ghosts believe they can avoid that terrible fate by claiming new life... new elvish bodies.

Folco Boffin lingers behind and peers around the corner to the south. The wily hobbit sees the blazing torchlight grow brighter and brighter and then a fearsome band of Uruk-hai boldly enters the hall! (near K)



There might be a dozen and they hunt the Company, not without some trepidation at their dread surroundings.

Folco scampers to catch up to his companions who have ventured some hundred feet deeper before coming to a crossroads. The choice before them is right or left, north or south?


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 20 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.



PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 25/30
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedain Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 25/30, Lantern
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 11/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 26/41, Torch
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 20/34
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 13/13, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 7/8, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/12, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 16/31
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 12/12, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl
  Vindoboduoc: Male Man Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/19
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 9/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• None currently.

Player Resources:

• In Darkness and In Doubt (the story so far)
  Before The Fall (realms and maps of Middle Earth)
  The Fear and The Shadow (the story so far in images)
  History Became Legend. Legend Became Myth (clues and player notes)

[ChubbyPixie]

“It seems to me that the northward path is the most likely to lead further into the halls and thus to our goal,” says Gilwennen.

[wolfpack]

As good a way as any
Elbenwin goes north

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

Rumil heads to the north, deeper in.

[SocraticLawyer]

Tinuwen follows along, as quietly as she is able.

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

The dwarf follows along. North. South. As long as it's somewhere the Uruks are not.

[ravenn4544]

Elbenarin follows as quietly as he can - sword ready for what's to come.

[rredmond]

"Be wary of any more phantoms or their ilk," Naruthirdor whispers unnecessarily, as he follows along.

[Urson]

Therone
North- quietly.

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco whispers his findings to the others as he swiftly follows the group.

He tries to keep his hearing in tune to the pursuers, hoping to determine if they are still following, and how quickly they move to apprehend them.

[Starbeard]

Vindo falls to the back of the party, sling in hand. He listens with Folco for pursuers, and keeps to the right wall to more easily meld into the shadows if necessary.

[hedgeknight]

Gilda Ironfoot

Gilly grits her teeth at the report that the Uruks have entered the hall. She sheathes the Elven blade and hefts her pick, making sure her throwing axe is ready as well. Following the others, she continues to bring up the rear with Red.

[Inferno]

The Lost Halls of the First ElvenKing, The Mountains of Mirkwood, Rhovanion, Middle Earth
March 23, Year One of the Fourth Age
Day Five. Morning. Cloudy, damp, cold



Hunted by a fierce band of Uruk-hai, the Company rush deeper into the vast lost realm, once a legendary bastion of Elvendom in Middle Earth.

Its inconceivable scale and majesty, even in this sorrowful fallen state, humbles them anew.

Beyond their own loud footfalls, Folco's keen hobbit ears hear distant echoes of the ironshod footfalls of the menacing Uruks that lurk somewhere behind them in the dark.

The Company discover two more shut doors bearing identical elvish runes that grieve for the dead. The towering pathway turns slightly and continues on into the ancient shadows.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 20 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.



PC Status:

• Elbenarin: Male Dunedan Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 25/30
  Elbenwin: Male Dunedan Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 25/30, Lantern
  Folco Boffin: Male Hobbit Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 11/21
  Gilda 'Gilly' Ironfoot: Female Dwarvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 26/41, Torch
  Glasik Ironfoot: Male Dwarvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 20/34
  Gilwennen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 13/13, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Naruthirdor Nowe: Male Elvish Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 7/8, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl
  Rumil: Male Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/12, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl
  Therone: Female Elvish Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 16/31
  Tinuwen: Female Elvish Fighter/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: -1, HP: 12/12, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl
  Vindoboduoc: Male Man Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/19
  Red: Guard Dog: Move: 12", AC: 6, HD: 2+2, HP: 9/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4, THAC0: 16

PC Magic:

• None currently.

Player Resources:

• In Darkness and In Doubt (the story so far)
  Before The Fall (realms and maps of Middle Earth)
  The Fear and The Shadow (the story so far in images)
  History Became Legend. Legend Became Myth (clues and player notes)

[hedgeknight]

Gilda Ironfoot

Gilly eyeballs the runes, squinting as she tries to read them and finally giving up with a shake of her head. She admires the craftsmanship of this place and is somewhat at peace surrounded by tons of stone.
"Red," she whispers to her dog, "if this wernt a tomb for pointy ears it might not be a half-bad place to die. We Ironfoots have been in worse. Ain't that right, boy?"

[Scott308]

Glasik Ironfoot

How about if we open one of those doors, maybe it'll slow the Uruks? I don't want to be disrespectful of your ancestors, so I'll let you make that decision.

[Rex]

Rumil of Mirkwood

"Respect must be put aside, our ancestors understand the importance of our need. What I fear is more of the Houseless may be behind the doors."

[wolfpack]

it could at least serve to slow them down.

Elbenwin will open the door

[OGRE MAGE]

Folco continues listening to their pursuers, trying to count about how many there might be by their bootfalls.

As soon as he sees anyone moving to open one of the doors, he moves himself as far away from said door as possible, not willing to be possessed by anything......unnatural.

He will continue to move along up the hall with any others still fleeing the advancing uruks.

[rredmond]

Naruthirdor tries to see if the runes can tell him anything other than the grievings. He also prepares for an attack once they open.

[Starbeard]

Vindo also avoids the door, maintaining his same activities as before but against the opposite wall.