Interlude 2: Fall 2947 T.A. - Winter 2947 T.A.

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Day in Combe - LOTRO

Bree-land - Fall 2947 T.A.

Now that the Company has returned to Bree, and Tomas Heatherton is taking time to rebury his Uncle Tim and prepare for your expedition into the Midgewater Marshes, each of you takes time to yourselves and your own preparations. Life returns to normal, albeit with the promise of adventure to sweep you off your feet at a moment's notice! As such, the role of narrator turns now to you all. Please, describe for us what your character gets up to in the last days of autumn this year, and what significant Undertaking they either seek or seeks them in this time.

---

@codexgigas @Grendel @Papa Bear @grimlock

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

Orn makes his way to the Inn of the Prancing Pony.  He thought he ought to perhaps ask the Shield Maiden of Rohan what the heck a 'Prancing Pony' was.  He was pretty sure a 'pony' was a little horse but he didn't know what 'prancing' was.  He figured it must be some kind of horse armor or something.  Whatever it was, he'd always gotten a decent meal and good drink for a fair price at 'the Pony' and that's where he turned his feet once they got back to Bree.  And, uh... of course a warm bed for the night.  Orn fully intended to make it to his own, paid for room by night's end.

The Pony was hopping on this night, as it usually was.  The Breefolk like to drink and enjoy themselves.  Music was playing and folks were singing old hymns and epics about long dead heroes of yore... though, the ones that featured elves... well, those elves might still be alive if the song didn't put an end to 'em.  For his part, Orn stood on a table (so people could actually see him) and regaled the tavern-dwellers of a few of his own stories.  All told, he'd had a good night... or at least he thought he did.  

His head was aching the way it does when you wake up in the morning having had far too much to drink.  Orn pulled a pillow over his face.  There was just way too much sunlight for his tastes.  Wait... how did he get in the bed?  And how much did he pay for the room? "Must o' been a good one." The dwarf muttered to himself.  And it usually was whenever the burly dwarf had a flagon of ale in his hand.  Either way, his stomach was rumbling.  There was food to be eaten.

Orn's room was at a second floor corner.  He made his way downstairs, following the smell of fresh baked bread.  A stew was bubbling in the pot at the hearth and he took a large bowl full and got one of the employees to fetch him a tankard and a fresh loaf.  "It needs a be nice an' hot so tha butter melts in nice an' deep." He said.  He'd been craving bacon but apparently breakfast was hours ago and he'd slept in well past the noon day hour.  He didn't mind.  He didn't really have anything that needed doing but more of the same.  Orn looked around and took in the people who came and went.

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

For the most part, the Prancing Pony was slow at this time of day. Most patrons were out working, and with the coming of winter, most travelers from outside of Bree had already begun the journey back home. But there was one figure Orn recognized: a dwarf, rough in appearance as if worn from long travels. This was the dwarf who had looked sullen, quietly drinking by himself on the same night that Tomas broke into the Common-room blabbering about a ghost. Now, he seemed more upbeat, and after noticing Orn, spoke a few words to Barnabas Butterbur, who hurried off at once.

"Mind if I join ye, storyteller?" the dwarf asked Orn in Khuzdul, approaching the table. "It has been some time since I've spoken in our tongue to a fellow kinsman, and you made quite the impression last night! Either you are a masterful collector of tales, or you truly are as fine a warrior as you look."

@Papa Bear

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

"HA!" Orn blurts out.  Then speaks in their native language, "And almost as good as I say I am!"

Edited May 13, 2023 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[rogueblade0729]

 Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

The dwarf offered a toothy smile to Orn. "So it seems, so it seems! Grór, son of Gar, at your service," he said, bowing low in traditional dwarven fashion. As if perfectly timed, Barnabas returned with two large pints of ale, placing one before each of them. "How's an ale for another tale, friend? Starting with: what got into you to run off into the blue with those Big Folk some nights ago? That boy came in here blabbering about something queer in the graveyard, and without hesitating, you grabbed your hammer and ran after him, along with those Mannish folk!"

@Papa Bear

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

"That?" Orn says as he accepts the tankard and takes a big drink. "My mallet gets to itching for cracking a skull every now and again." He replies, still speaking in Khuzdul.  "Turns out there was a troll responsible for all of that and that boy was loopy as an elf that has been hit too many times in the head."  He explains, though he left out quite a lot of information and certainly downplayed the old troll and the finding of Rukhs-barzûl and the map.

[rogueblade0729]

  Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

Grór raised a curious eyebrow. "That so? A Troll, this close to Bree?" he asked, as if not entirely convinced. "Must have been quite the Troll, then! Rumor has spread that you lot came back laden with gold and other curious treasures. Any truth to that?"

 

OOC: Orn, please roll a Riddle or Deception check to avoid letting on more than you intend during this conversation.

@Papa Bear

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

"I am a dwarf of Erebor.  What do I care for the trinkets of other Peoples?" Orn replies telling the truth.  And though he'd found Rukhs-barzûl there among the troll's horde, it was still the truth for the mighty mallet wasn't from other peoples, it was dwarven made, perhaps even from Erebor's own forges.  

[rogueblade0729]

  Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

Grór looked at Orn with a keen eye as he spoke, the other covered with an eyepatch. Then, a smile crept across his face, and he nodded as if in acceptance of the warrior's answer. "Aye," he said. "No care at all. Well, I shan't disturb your morning any longer, kinsman." With that, he rose from the table and gathered his meager belongings.

"Before I go, I don't think I caught your name, kinsman. It will be good to hear of your deeds, for you seem the sort to leave legend and rumor in your wake!"

@Papa Bear

Edited May 14, 2023 by rogueblade0729 (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

"I am Orn, son of Thain.  And it has been good to speak in our mother tongue.  Half the time I only partly understand what these tall folk are saying." Orn replies.

[rogueblade0729]

   Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

Grór nodded in agreement. "Aye, so it is." He gave the dwarf one final grin. "Until we meet again, Orn son of Thain." With that, he turned on his heel and slipped out of the Pony, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head once outside. Barnabas Butterbur arrived at the table just then, passing Orn another drink filled to the brim with frothy ale.

"It seems you're quite popular with that one," he remarked. "Paid for two of your pints, and it's not even midday! Would you like some food to go with it, master dwarf?"

@Papa Bear

[Papa Bear]

Orn, Son of Thain

Weaponmaster

HP: 32 / 32          AC: 20 (16)           Second Wind: Yes          Action Surge: Yes          Character Sheet

---

Orn slips Butterbur a coin.  "What do ye know o' that one?" He says, indicating the dwarf that just left 'Teh Pony'.  "And aye, give me a shank o' sumethin' roasted an' dripping with juices." He says with a big smile on his face.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[codexgigas]

Amdiran, Son of Amdirgir | Dunédain Warden 3

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AC: 15/17 | HP: 22/22 | HD: 3/3d8 | Initiative: +4 | Passive Perception: 15 | Warden's Gift: 3/3 | Discourse 1/1 | Foresight: 1/1
Shadow Points: 2 | DM Inspiration: 1/1

---

Amdiran is always quieter than most of his companions, but he is even quieter than usual following Fallfyre's departure. He spends one night at the Prancing Pony with the others. He retreats into his 'Fletcher' persona as Orn takes center-stage with his dwarf-tales. Fletcher sits in a corner near the fire, smoking his pipe and saying little. Before he retires for the night, he addresses Orn, Prudence, and Leofwyn. "I will depart early in the morning, so I shall make my farewells now. I feel stretched after our last journey, and I must spend time with my own people. The Shadow gained a foothold in my heart, and I will not let it establish a bulkhead there to corrupt me further," he says softly and sadly. "I will return here once winter's chill is in the air. Until then, fare well, wherever you fare."

True to his word, the Ranger departs at first light the next morning, pushing himself to reach Girdley Island as swiftly as possible. There is still much to be done to establish the new sanctuary, but there is little that Amdiran will contribute at the present. He intends to spend the days in a safe haven, reflecting on the fell wind that beset the Company on their last adventure and made so many things go amiss. 

Girdley Island is a small haven of peace in the wilds of Eriador, just like the Shire it seeks to watch over. And yet, for Amdiran, it is not as peaceful as it was in the summer. The encampment seems haunted by Fallfyre's ghost. He finds himself lost in thought often, remembering the conversations he and the young woman had in this place. He smiles wistfully at times, responding to someone that none of his kinsmen can see. 

---

 

[grimlock]

 

Léofwyn (Rohirrim Knight level 3)   AC: 17/18* | HP: 29/29 | Initiative: +2 | Passive Perception: 15 | Insight: 11 | Speed: 30 ft Inspiration: 0 | Shadow: 2 |Action SurgeStarting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Alternatively, if you spend Inspiration, you may give your Action Surge to a nearby ally as a reaction. The ally must use the Action Surge immediately. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again: 1 | Second WindYou have a limited well of stamina that you can draw on to protect yourself from harm. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your Warrior level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.: 1 | Mark of HonorInspiration: You may draw Inspiration from your Charge. Once you have gained Inspiration from your Charge, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.: 1 | Sworn DefenderUpon choosing this archetype at 3rd level you gain the ability to nominate a Charge. At the end of a long rest, you can name a person or place and swear mighty oaths to protect and defend it. This Charge remains until either it is killed, or you change your Charge following a long rest. While near your Charge, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom bonus plus your Warrior levels. Alternatively, your liege lord may assign you a task, in which case the completion of that quest becomes your Charge, and you lose the temporary hit points if, in the judgement of the Loremaster, you tarry or stray from your quest. If your Charge is a place, it becomes a Sanctuary for you as long as it remains your Charge (see the Fellowship Phase chapter for more information on Sanctuaries).: -  Broad Sword+4, 1D8+2 Piercing, Finesse | Spear+3, 1D6+1 Piercing, (+4) Thrown Range 20/60, Versatile (1D8+1) | Short Bow+4, 1D6 Piercing, Ammunition, Range 80/320, Two-handed | Dagger+4, 1D4+2 Piercing, Finesse, Light, Thrown, Range 20/60  Aelfric (Horse, Large) | AC: 12 | HP: 29 | Speed: 60ft | Passive Perception: 10 | Hooves+4, 2D4+2, Charge | Trained Mount

Léofwyn enjoyed the return to Bree. An evening of food, ale, and tales at the Prancing Pony was a delight after the latest journey. She sat beside Bregil at the table as the tale was told. He seemed much more relaxed back in Bree, the adventure had certainly not gone the way he intended. Léofwyn gently mocked his lack of direction in the fog. Surely one so learned in ancient lore and cultures could navigate a simple misty path. But the merriment and jest faded after a time as each member of the party departed for the evening, some for far off places whether it be many leagues away or in thoughts of distant lands. She made her farewells and bid the others to seek her in Bree should they return.

Even though she remained in Bree for the time, her heart was set upon Rohan. She spent much of the next day thinking of her brothers and the loss of their father. She still held the letter from her brother, Elfthain, now lord of Fowlmere in their father's stead. No doubt he would prove a worthy heir. She then set about writing a letter to home. Within it she laid out all that had happened in her travels back to Bree, including the Old Troll, and even a bit of tell about Bregil. Though she had no strong romantic feelings for the man one way or the other, she knew it would please her mother to know that her only daughter was not so consumed by business and war to forsake the possibility of a husband. Finally she ended the letter with a detailed accounting of all the peoples of Rohan that had traveled to Bree and their business. A small ledger of trade was attached concerning goods available and desired in Bree. Her letter was given to a small caravan of travelers heading towards Meduseld. She hoped to get a reply before winter fully set in.

Over the following weeks she crossed paths with Tomas, the boy's excitement for the upcoming treasure hunt was apparent. She had to remind him of the peril before them. It seemed his brush with the Old Troll had made him a minor celebrity among the gossipers of Bree. She made a point to speak with his father about the idea, perhaps it would be best when the others returned. The occasional pint in the evening with Bregil, Orn, or many of the other locals kept her up to date on the local news. Yet she turned her thoughts towards the upcoming adventure often.

As the days wore down a chill began to creep into the evening air. The occasional morning ride with Aelfric along the East Road seemed to lighten her heart despite the need for a riding cloak. Autumn closed in as the leaves began to ignite in fall colors. It was sight she seldom experienced in her youth. There were trees in Rohan of course, but something about the forests in the North seemed to hold a unique beauty, ancient in its nature. These short rides among the forested fields cleared her mind. By the time the first flurries of winter appeared she began to feel a peace that she had not felt since before the fateful encounter in the Barrow Downs. It was the way she felt when a new adventure lay on the road ahead.

OOC

Healing Corruption, PASS -2 shadow

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by grimlock (see edit history)

[rogueblade0729]

Music: Inn - LOTRO

The Prancing Pony - Fall 2947 T.A.

Barnabas quietly accepted the coin, slipping it into one of his belt pouches. "If truth be told, master Longbeard, not much," he answered. "He's not been in Bree long, no longer than a week. He mostly keeps to himself, which makes finding him to make room payments a bit troubling! Only a day or two behind, that one, but I've written up a note for 'im and slid it under his door." Barnabas went quiet then for a moment, then snapped his fingers as if recalling something.

"Right! Begging your pardon, master Longbeard, but I've just recalled something. One thing drives out the other, as the saying goes. I've heard he's been recently spotted in the company of one Ham Granger, a troublemaker around town, and others of his cloth. It could just be a misunderstanding, mind you. Still, I would be wary of 'im if I was you. If he's causing you any more trouble, come find me, and my lads will sort 'im out, after he pays for his room, of course!"

@Papa Bear