TALES FROM THE LONE-LANDS

L E A D WRIT E R
Gareth Hanrahan

E D IT ORS
Francesco Nepitello, Lorenzo Perassi,
Tomas Härenstam, Nils Karlén

COV E R A RT
Antonio De Luca

OT H E R A RT
Antonio De Luca, Jan Pospíšil,
Federica Costantini

GR APH IC DESIGN PR OOFR EA D I NG B R A ND M A NA GER

Christian Granath, Brandon Bowling, Robert Hyde –

Niklas Brandt, Gabriele Quaglia Sophisticated Games
Dan Algstrand
LI NE M A NA GER EV ENT M A NA GER

LAYOUT Francesco Nepitello Anna Westerling

Dan Algstrand
PR OJ EC T M A NA GER PR M A NA GER

MAPS Tomas Härenstam Boel Bermann

Francesco Mattioli,
Niklas Brandt ST R EA M I NG

Doug Shute

ISBN PR I NT

978-91-89765-13-9 Standart Impressa UAB

The Lord of the Rings, The One Ring, Middle-earth, and the characters, items, events and
places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC and
are used under license by Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective licensees.
© 2023 Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC & Sophisticated Games Ltd

First published in 2023 by Fria Ligan AB

Text and illustrations © 2023 Fria Ligan AB
CONTENTS

1 2 3

A Troll-­
hole, Kings of
Introduction 4 if Ever There Was One 9 Messing About in Boats 25 Little Kingdoms 43

OVERVIEW 4 Jari the Wanderer 10 A Partial Tale of Years 26 The False Wizard 44
The Lone-­lands of Eriador 5
PART 1: BY THE SIGN PART 1: THE SEER AND THE SAILORS 27 PART 1: A MOTHER’S PLEA 45
The Hill of Fear 5
OF THE PRANCING PONY 11 The Queen’s Hall 28 The Mystery of Gandalf 45
A HEROIC LINEAGE 6 Sitting by the Fire 11 Meeting Aglaen 29
PART 2: FOLLOWING THE TRAIL 45
A Fellowship, The Laughing Sailor 29
PART 2: THE JOURNEY
Not a Backup Crew 6 TO THE TROLL-­VALE 13 The Queen’s Command 30 PART 3: THE HOUSE OF FARRELL 46
The Journey North 13 An Audience with Farrell 46
EXAMPLE ANCESTORS 6 PART 2: VOYAGE INTO THE SUNSET30
A Night at Farrell’s House 47
Tarandis, the Knight of Arnor 6 16
PART 3: THE HIDDEN VALLEY Merry Mariners 31
Farrell Awakes 48
Jack of Bree 7 Background16 Dreams32
Dvalin, Dwarf in Exile 7 Locations17 The Gulf of Lune 32 49
PART 4: THE RUINED TOWER
The Hill and the Ancestor 7 Schemes and Trouble 22 The Northern Seas 32 Background49
Himling and the Western Isles 32 Locations49
PART 4: HOMEWARD BOUND 23 The Unnatural Storm 33 Schemes and Trouble 54

33
PART 3: THE HAUNTED ISLE PART 5: HOMEWARD BOUND 55
Background33
Locations34
Schemes and Trouble 39

PART 4: HOMEWARD BOUND 41

Seeking Amon Guruthos 41
A Last Dream 41
 CONTENTS

4 5 6

Not To Strike Wonder of The Quest

Without Need 57 the Northern World 73 of Amon Guruthos 91 Index 113

The Outlaw and the Rangers 58 PART 1: FLOKI’S ERRAND 74 Planning the Expedition 93
The Shadow of the Past 75
PART 1: JON-­A-LEAPING 59 PART 1: COLD WELCOME 93
The Letter 75
The Prisoner 59 Meeting Jagat 93
PART 2: THE VALE OF GOLD 76 A Council with Egel 94
PART 2: JOURNEY TO THARBAD 60
Flonar’s Hall 76
Meeting Orothel 60 PART 2: THE WASTELAND 94
Flonar’s Body 76
Entering Tharbad 63 Across the Ice 94
The Goblins 76
PART 3: AN AUDIENCE WITH GURNOW 63 Reading the Riddle 77 PART 3: SENNAS GAER 96
Jon’s Fate 64 The Ruined Castle 98
PART 3: CHASING THE ORCS 78
Inside the Cottage 98
PART 4: THE FORTRESS The Orc-­host 78
The Evening Feast 99
OF GARTH TAURON 64 Hunting the Orcs 78
Opening the Way 101
Background65 Catching Up With Hultmar 79
Locations65 Rescuing the Dwarves 79 102
PART 4: AMON GURUTHOS
Schemes and Troubles 68 A Grisly Homecoming 79 Background102
Locations103
PART 5: THE RANGER SPY 68 PART 4: COUNCIL UNDER 
THE MOUNTAINS 80 Schemes and Trouble 109
Finding the Letter 68
Return to Orothel 69 Floki’s Grief 80 PART 5: HOMEWARD BOUND 112
The Halls of the Dwarves 80
PART 6: THE HUNT FOR DÉOR 70 The Council Begins 82
The Ambush 70
PART 5: RATH SEREG 84
PART 7: HOMEWARD BOUND 71 Background85
Locations85
Schemes and Trouble 88

PART 6: HOMEWARD BOUND 89

I ntroduction

INTRODUCTION
“The quest has failed, Sam. Even if we get out of here, we can’t escape.
Only Elves can escape. Away, away, out of Middle-­earth, far away
over the Sea. If even that is wide enough to keep the Shadow out.”

“No, not everything, Mr. Frodo. And it hasn’t failed, not yet.”

ales from the Lone-­lands contains six adventures set conform to the format of presentation outlined on page
in the Lone-­lands of north-­western Middle-­earth. 221 of The One Ring. As with any roleplaying game adventure,
This volume is intended for Lore­masters, who it’s entirely possible — even likely! — that the players will
can weave the material presented among these come up with some unexpected plan or take some action
pages into their current campaigns. Players should refrain that the text has not anticipated. The Lore­master should use
from reading to avoid spoiling their experience. the material in this volume as suggestions, guidelines and
Each adventure contains a number of sequential parts, inspiration, not a set script. The game always takes prece-
as well as a Landmark of some sort. These Landmarks dence over both the text as presented and the Tolkien canon.

Overview
All adventures presented in this volume can be played indi- While the adventures are presented in a suggested order
vidually, but are connected to a larger tale. of play, they can be shuffled around somewhat. Messing About
A Troll-­hole, if Ever There Was One and Kings of Little King- in Boats includes more enchantment and magical strangeness
doms are both relatively self-­contained, but still hint at the than most with its tale of ghosts, ancient heroes and prophe-
growing danger. cies. Depending on the tastes of the playing group, the Lore­
Messing About in Boats gives one of the Player-­heroes in master may choose to run this earlier in the campaign (to give
the Company an ancient lineage, a magical weapon — and the players a hint of Middle-­earth’s wonder and epic history)
a duty to fight the Shadow. or later (to mark a shift from relatively mundane tales of
Not to Strike Without Need and Wonder of the Northern World Outlaws and Trolls to those of magic and terror). Not to Strike
follow the slow infiltration of spies from Mordor. Without Need leads into Wonder of the Northern World, which in
Finally, The Quest of Amon Guruthos challenges the heroes turn leads into The Quest of Amon Guruthos, but there’s space
to battle an ancient evil, and face the Shadow of Death between these tales to intersperse other adventures if desired.
beneath the Hill of Fear. All adventures assume that the time frame is the same as
the one in The One Ring — the years around 2965.

4
 I ntroduction

The Lone-­
lands of Eriador into the living land of Middle-­earth, seeking to control all
The dark lord lifts his hand creation, and the Hill of Fear rose like a cancerous growth
Over dead sea and withered land. from the earth. The Elves of old called it Amon Guruthos,
“The Mountain of the Shadow of Death,” for in its presence
Wide are the lands of the old North-­kingdom, where the even some of the Firstborn felt the fear of mortality.
sea-­wind howls over stony hills and bends the grasses of the It is certainly not the only such malicious place in
empty plains. It plays amid the ruins of cities and the barrows Middle-­earth — there are other haunted regions like the
of kings, and whistles in the mountaintops of the east. Ask the vale of the Withywindle, or the haunted wood of Eryn Vorn,
wind for tidings, maybe, for you will seldom meet travellers or the Dead Marshes on the border of Mordor — but the
in the Lone-­lands of Eriador. Hill has a baleful influence over those who dwell nearby. It
But if you know where to look — under the hills and in haunts their dreams and draws them into the ruinous wor-
hidden valleys, along the old roads and the secret refuges, ship of the dark.
the guarded lands of Shire and Bree — then there are still Heroes have tried and failed to destroy the darkness
dwellers in the Lone-­lands west of the mountains, east of beneath Amon Guruthos. Many have entered those dark
the sea. They are few in number, for these are wounded halls; some fled, broken by the horrors below. Others never
lands, ravaged by forgotten wars and plague, beset by foes returned.
in days of old, but for the most part they are friendly folk. The power of the Hill of Fear waxes and wanes over time,
Ask them for tales, and they have tales aplenty — merry and it can be awoken with rites and sacrifices. The Hill’s
tales of foolery and misadventure, tales of ancient kings malign influence faded during the days of the Sea-­kings of
and heroes, tales of adventure in far-­off lands. A fire may old, until the Witch-­king of Angmar called up its power once
warm a traveller’s cold feet, but it’s story and song shared more. Soon, the folk of Rhudaur turned their faces from the
among friends that warms the heart. Find those who yet west and were corrupted by the Shadow.
dwell in the Lone-­lands, and you will hear tales to stave off After the defeat of Angmar, the Hill fell back into its sul-
the dread of night. len slumber. Monsters still lurked in the caves and tunnels
Wide are the lands, too, between Eriador and Mordor, beneath its dark slopes, but it no longer weighed so heavily
where the Shadows lie, and while vague rumour has come on the minds of those nearby — though few now dwell in the
up the Greenway of war in far-­off Gondor, the folk of Eri- wild lands beyond the North Downs. Now, stirred by agents of
ador still sleep untroubled, believing the Enemy pays no Mordor, the power of the Hill of Fear grows again…
heed to them.
They are wrong. Agents of Mordor are moving, creeping
north to stir up sleeping evils and prepare the land for the
war to come. A dark time is coming, a final war to put all the
realms of the Free Peoples under the Shadow and plunge
the land into everlasting despair. And these tales of Eriador,
too, are part of the one great tale of desperate hope: the tale DREAMING OF THE HILL
that began at the Beginning, the tale of Beren and Lúthien, The malign power of the Hill of Fear reaches far
of Turin and Eärendil, of Elendil and Gil-­Galad… the tale of across the land. If any of the heroes gain Shadow
Middle-­earth, the tale of Arda Marred. points through events connected to the Hill or
those it has touched, then they begin to dream

The Hill of Fear

of the Hill.
In the dreams, the Hill rises like a great dark
Few tales speak of the blighted place that is the Hill of Fear. It wave, looming over the land, rising above the
lies far in the north, beyond Carn Dûm, and there the Witch-­ lights of Bree or the Shire or Lond Daer or Lin-
king of Angmar oversaw terrible rites to worship the darkness don, threatening to snuff them out with its shadow.
— but the Witch-­king did not raise it. It is older than him; it Such dreams haunt the unlucky character, making
was cursed before the fathers of the fathers of Men came to their nights restless and bitter, until the power of
this part of the world. Long long ago, Morgoth put his evil the Hill is broken.

5
I ntroduction

A Heroic Lineage

A Fellowship,
These adventures give one of the Player-­heroes in the Com-

Not a Backup Crew

pany a possible heroic lineage, an ancestry harkening back to
a line of heroes and champions. This character is referred to
as the Heir, and must be selected by the Lore­master. The Lore­master should avoid centring the whole campaign
The adventure Messing Around in Boats gives the chosen around the Heir. The real tale is how the Company explores
Heir a chance to discover their lineage and find an ancestral the Lone-­lands, discovers the creeping influence of the
weapon of great power; in The Quest of Amon Guruthos, the char- Enemy, and eventually defeats the malign Hill of Fear, depriv-
acter must finish a quest undertaken long ago by their ancestor. ing Sauron of a weapon he might otherwise turn against the
The Lore­master must determine the characteristics of Free People of Middle-­earth. While the tale of the Heir does
the ancestor and a tale to fit the chosen Player-­hero. The give the Player-­heroes insight and a weapon against the Hill,
best candidate for the Heir is a Man of Bree or a Ranger; a do not elevate the Heir above the other characters. Indeed,
Barding or other adventurer from Wilderland is also possi- the best approach is to pick a character who is ill-­suited for
ble. An Elf is unlikely; a Dwarf can work, while a Hobbit is a the task, and who must rely on their companions for guid-
stretch, so to speak. ance and aid.
If the Player-­hero is a Ranger, then the ancestor might Alternatively, one of the Player-­heroes could be descended
be a Númenórean or a warrior of the lost kingdom of Arnor. not from the hero, but from a companion of theirs who also
If the Player-­hero is a Breelander, then the ancestor might perished on the Isle of the Mother — giving them a connec-
equally be a warrior of Arnor, or a champion of the folk who tion to the Hero of old, but not an unquestionable claim.
dwelt in Eriador before the kings came out of the sea. If you prefer a more egalitarian (one might say Hobbitish)
The ancestor might have lived any time during the late approach, you can drop the subplot of the Heir completely
Second Age or up until the year 1974 of the Third Age, at any by adjusting the events of Messing About In Boats (see the box
point during the long struggle against the Shadow. on page 26) without affecting the rest of the adventures.

Example Ancestors

Tarandis, the Knight of Arnor

The following descriptions of ancestors can be adapted to
conform to the characteristics of the Player-­hero that has
been chosen as the Heir, or as examples of how an ancestor
could be built from scratch. RUMOUR
Their presentation conforms to the format outlined on “Oh, once there was a king who lived in a golden palace by a lake,
page 221 of The One Ring for Landmarks: and many knights served him, and the greatest of these knights was
♦ A Rumour is the piece of information that the Player-­ Tarandis. Elven-­fair she was, maiden of polished steel, and with her
heroes may pick up while adventuring or during the companions she went on errantry across the lands, fighting Trolls
Fellowship Phase. It might contain a mix of true and and Dragons and such things. Then the king of Angmar arose, and
false information, filtered through local prejudices, all the land fell under shadow. In those days, Tarandis was like a
superstitions, etc. blazing beacon all along the hills; wherever the day was darkest
♦ Further information available to Player-­heroes who and the foes thickest, she was there. Her star fell in the north, the
research the ancestor is presented as Old Lore, and stories say, but I’ve heard that she’ll come back when she’s needed.”
can be gained while adventuring or during the Fellow-
ship Phase. Generally, Old Lore has more precise and OLD LORE
truthful information than what is contained under the “Tarandis was a knight of Arthedain, in the waning days of the
Rumour heading. North-­kingdom during the wars against Angmar. She was in the
service of King Aravel, whose grandson Arvedui was the last ruler
of the North-­kingdom.”

6
 I ntroduction

Jack of Bree Dvalin, Dwarf in Exile

RUMOUR RUMOUR
“Once upon a time, there were three evil giants, and they lived in a “Know this: in Khazad-­Dûm the honoured dead sleep soundly in
castle beyond the north wind. Now, being giants, the castle wasn’t their stone houses, in the quiet street of the tombs. But one of those
big enough for all of them, so they made a wager, and the wager tombs is empty, for the bones of great Dvalin never came home. Now
was this; whichever giant did the most evil would inherit the castle. Dvalin was accounted mighty among the Dwarves; Durin’s Shield,
The first giant was as tall as a tree, and he went down to Bree, they named him, for he was ever at the king’s right hand. One day,
and stood astride the Road. And whenever anyone came by, he’d when Khazad-­Dûm is ours once more, then his bones will be found
reach down and gobble them up. And he attracted many outlaws and laid in their proper place of honour. Until then, Dvalin sleeps
and thieves to his side, for they also attacked travellers on the road, lightly, a sentry in the valley of death.”
and they were glad to have a giant with them.
Now, in Bree-­land there lived a lad called Jack, and he was the OLD LORE
pot-­boy at the Pony (don’t you know the Pony’s older than Bree-­ “The annals of the kings speak of Dvalin. He was among the coun-
hill?), and when he heard of this giant he took up his axe and he sellors of King Burin I, and he argued for a closer friendship with
went a-­hunting. When he met the giant, the giant bent down to the kingdoms of Eriador. The king disagreed, saying ‘let the Dwarves
eat him, and Jack said, “don’t kill me! I’ll be one of your outlaws, keep to their own affairs; let us not become enmeshed in the quarrels
too. In fact, I’ve the keenest eyes of anyone you’ll ever meet, so if of Men’. But Dvalin did not relent, arguing that even though the
you pick me up and put me on your shoulder, I’ll be your lookout Great Enemy was defeated, the Shadow might rise again in another
and find more people to rob.” Excited by the prospect of doing even form, and that it would be wise to forge strong alliances. In time,
more mischief, the giant agreed. He picked Jack up and put the boy the king grew wrathful, and exiled Dvalin from the city, and he
on his shoulder, right next to his neck — and then out came Jack’s never returned. It is said that when Arthedain fell, King Burin II
axe, right quick, and chop chop chop!” wept, and cursed the folly of his father.”
(The tale goes on to describe how Jack became king of

The Hill and the Ancestor

the outlaws, and led them in battle against the armies of the
second giant, who’d become a warlord of the mountains and
rallied Orcs and Goblins to his side. The third giant, who The ancestor of the chosen Player-­hero once swore to defeat
was ‘as tall as a dark hill, and taller than a stormcloud’ claimed the evil of the Hill of Fear. Alas, the hero’s courage was not
the castle beyond the north wind, and sent ‘a breath of malice’ equal to the task, and they had to flee before they could van-
down to trouble Bree-­land. And so Jack set off to slay this quish the darkness beneath the hill. Seeking to strengthen
third giant, but never returned.) their will with the inspiration of ancient tales, they travelled
to the Isle of the Mother (page 33), where heroes of old
OLD LORE lie buried, but they never returned from that place, and their
“Stories often have a grain of truth in them. In the dark years, when oath was left unfulfilled…
war and plague beset Eriador, Bree was often left unprotected, and But now, as the Shadow rises in the east and old powers
unlikely heroes arose to defend it. The ‘three giants’ of the tale are awaken, there must be a reckoning before the world ends.
symbolic of perils that troubled the north — anarchy, the threat of
Orcs, and the natural disasters of plague and bad weather.”

7
 CHAPTER 1

A TROLL-­HOLE,
IF EVER THERE
WAS ONE
They searched about, and soon found the marks of Trolls’ stony boots
going away through the trees. They followed the tracks up the hill, until
hidden by bushes they came on a big door of stone leading to a cave.
CHAPTER 1

n a hole in the ground there lives a Troll. THE FIRST VICTIMS

Not a nice cosy Hobbit-­hole, full of comforts and a Just as the Trolls came south, the family of Diarmoc came
well-­stocked pantry. No, this is a Troll-­hole, awash in noi- north. They are of a people descended partially from Dun-
some things and bones crunching underfoot wherever lendings and partially from the subjects of Gondor who dwelt
you step. If there is a pantry in this Troll-­hole, it is a prison cell. along the banks of the river Isen. Trouble with the Horse-­lords
And it is not just one Troll. It is a whole family of them. of Rohan drove them out, into the unknown lands beyond
They came down from the Trollshaws, on the edges of the Tharbad. Diarmoc sold what he could, turning his flocks of
old kingdom of Angmar, and encamped near the Cross-­ livestock into a few silver pennies, and then he and his family
roads of Bree. Trolls are not unknown in these parts — Bilbo — his wife, his sons and daughters, his servants — loaded all
Baggins met no fewer than three of them on the Road, and they possessed into two caravans and set off in search of a safer
another made trouble in the graveyard in Bree a genera- place to dwell. As they came up the Greenway, they chanced
tion ago — but a whole family is a danger to Bree and the to meet Jari the Dwarf. Feigning kindness, Jari warned them
lands around. to avoid Bree (“it’s worse than Tharbad, full of thieves and mur-
Now, Bree is defended in secret by the Rangers of the derers”) and told them of a pleasant vale where they would
North. Most Bree-­folk do not know this, but the Trolls — oh,
they know it. The stones of the Ettenmoors are stained black
with Troll-­blood spilled by Rangers. This family of Stone-­trolls
may have crept past the Rangers, but they know that they will
be attacked if they just stomp into Bree and start chomping. OTHER ROADS TO ADVENTURE
The head of the family is a clever old Troll-­matriarch named Instead of the default opening scene, there are
Nelly Longarms, and she came up with a plan. Instead of the other ways to get your Player-­heroes involved in
Trolls going to the meat, they would lure the meat to them… the tale of the Troll-­hole.
♦ Any Patron could tell the heroes of rumours

Jari the Wanderer

of a marauding band of Trolls that mysteri-
ously vanished. Rangers found the signs of
Many Dwarves travel the Road through Bree, on their way the monsters’ passage, but they have not
over the Misty Mountains to Erebor and the Iron Hills. Jari’s been seen outside Bree or the Shire. Where
often seen on the Road, too, but never with a destination have these Trolls gone?
in mind. He is an exile, banished from the Blue Mountains ♦ Heroes searching the barrows and ruins of
for an unspeakable crime. He survives by his wits — a little the Lost Kingdom might run into Jari and
thievery, a little smith-­work, a little treasure-­hunting. While Diarmoc on the road.
the Dwarves who know of his crimes shun him, Jari’s practised ♦ Maybe Diarmoc isn’t the first victim of the
smile and talent with a blacksmith’s hammer have won him Trolls, only the most recent. Other friends
some casual friends in Bree and other towns along the Road. or kinfolk of the heroes may have vanished,
Now, a few weeks ago, Jari was poking around some old and the heroes were sent to find some
ruins when he had the misfortune to come face to face with trace of their fate.
Nelly Longarms. Instead of eating him, the Troll bargained ♦ If Tom Bombadil is the Company’s Patron,
with him — if Jari lured more victims into the clutches of the then Tom might take pity on Diarmoc and
Trolls, she would spare him. Jari agreed, in exchange for his ‘arrange’ for the characters to cross his path
life and the pick of the belongings of the victims. so they can rescue him.

10
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

be assured of a warm welcome. He lured Diarmoc’s company TO BREE!

into the long arms of Nelly and her kinfolk. Now, Diarmoc and Jari are on their way to Bree, in search of
The Trolls have eaten most of Diarmoc’s servants, but his more meat for the Trolls’ pot. Jari is full of glee, for he has
wife Elda and his children Tecca and Sulain are now prisoners already taken Diarmoc’s silver for himself and looks forward
in the Trolls’ larder. Diarmoc too they spared, for Jari sug- to more treasure. Diarmoc is full of guilt and woe, but what
gested that two liars would work better than one. Nelly made can he do? If he reveals the truth, the Trolls will surely devour
Diarmoc swear that he would help the treacherous Dwarf lure their hostages…
more victims into the clutches of the Trolls. The longer he
keeps the Trolls fed, the longer his children survive…

Part
1: By the Sign
of the Prancing Pony
The fire is warm, the beer frothy, and the worthies of Bree way back from a journey into the lonely lands north of
have gathered in the common room of the Pony to sing songs Bree, and that they are glad of the firelight and stout hedge
and make merry. This night, there are two (or three) groups around Bree — they saw eerie things in the wilderness, and
of strangers as well as the locals — a pair of Dwarves, a trio though they encountered no perils, they felt there were
of strangers from over the mountains, and (if they are not eyes watching them in the night. (Floki plays only a minor
known in Bree) the Player-­heroes. role in this adventure, but is an important character in a
later part of the campaign, Wonder of the Northern World,

Sitting by the Fire

page 73. Consider having the Company encounter Floki
again a few times between these two adventures, so that the
Arna, Harald and Leif are young merchants from distant Lake-­ Player-­heroes will be willing to entertain his request in Won-
town, who came west in search of new trading opportunities; der of the Northern World. They might run into him during
they bring wine from Dorwinion and clever trinkets from Dale. a Fellowship Phase, or meet him again on the Road or in
They are bound for the Blue Mountains, and know little of the Blue Mountains.)
the geography of the lands west of the High Pass, so they
are eager to talk to local travellers who might know more of MEANWHILE, OUTSIDE…
Eriador. If prompted, they tell a little of recent news from The gates of Bree close at nightfall. Just as the gatekeeper
Wilderland. There is a strong King in Dale, Bard the Bow- is locking up, two travellers approach and ask for entrance.
man, but the good years are passing and there are rumours They are a mismatched pair — a Dwarf who is all grin and
of evil in Mirkwood again. beard, and a dark-­haired Man who seems bereft of all humour.
The Dwarves — Floki and his friend Hornbori — by The Dwarf bursts into the Pony first, throwing open the
contrast, do not discuss their business except with other door and loudly demanding a drink. The Man skulks in like
Dwarves, and then only in secret. If convinced (with a roll a shadow a few minutes later.
of PERSUADE, for example), they admit they are on their
If the Player-­heroes later question the gatekeeper, he
reveals that Jari and Diarmoc arrived at Bree together,
but they entered the inn separately.

ENTER JARI
Shortly after his grand entrance, Jari the Dwarf demands to
WE MET IN AN INN know if there are “any brave souls in the inn who’d like to earn
If this is the first session of your The One Ring cam- their fair share of a great treasure.” He avoids the Dwarves in the
paign, then you could have your fellowship meet corner, and instead focuses on the three travellers from Lake-­
for the first time here in the Pony. town and the Player-­heroes.

11
CHAPTER 1

Jari explains: ENTER DIARMOC

♦ As everyone in Bree knows, he is a noted explorer and While Jari is talking, Diarmoc slouches into the inn, entering
treasure-­finder. Dwarves have a nose for gold, and he’s quietly and joining the Company like a shadow. The Player-­
on the trail of buried treasure. One of his distant uncles, heroes may make an AWARENESS roll to notice when he joins
Great-­uncle Bori, buried it long ago to hide it from ban- the crowd; otherwise, they assume he was always there. Diar-
dits, and Jari is the only one who knows the secret. moc’s role is to convince any hesitating characters to join
♦ The treasure-­cache is hidden in a valley to the north of Jari’s scheme. He might:
Bree, said to be the haunt of Wolves and worse things. ♦ Mutter that this sounds like easy money
Jari’s not a fighter — he needs some doughty sword-­ ♦ Vouch that he, too, has heard tell of the Dwarf’s uncle
wielding types to guard him while he searches the valley. and his fabled treasure
♦ He offers the heroes a share of the treasure as payment ♦ If any of the Player-­heroes are suspicious-­looking or
if it’s found; he has a little money to pay in advance. untrustworthy types like a Ranger, then Diarmoc mut-
ters that they could waylay the Dwarf after finding the
The three Men from Lake-­town are not adventurers; they were treasure and steal it all.
warned not to leave the Road, and so they regretfully turn
down Jari’s offer, though not without many wistful glances Observing Diarmoc carefully (and passing an INSIGHT roll)
and dreams of an easy fortune. The Dwarves in the corner lets the hero guess that Diarmoc is acting strangely; he speaks
glare at Jari, but say nothing. as if half-­strangled, forcing the words out past his lips.

Jari the Wanderer Diarmoc the Traveller

A knavish Dwarf, Jari lacks the courage and determination In his distant homeland, Diarmoc was a respected Man of
of most of his kinfolk, but makes up for it by being loud means, master of a great farmstead. Now he has lost almost
and ebullient, larger than life. He presents everything as everything — home, wealth, family — and must strangle what
a grand adventure, an opportunity too good to be missed. remains of his honour in order to salvage anything from this
He is your best friend until he stabs you in the back. disaster. He is quiet-­spoken and grim, and a poor liar.

OCCUPATION: Rogue and accessory to murder OCCUPATION: Unwilling henchman

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Flamboyant, Cunning DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Secretive, Outlander

12
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

ACCEPTING THE QUEST while no-­one can prove that he robbed anyone, there
Diarmoc and Jari adjust their approach to suit the Player-­heroes. are whispers of valuables gone missing after Jari passed
If there is a Dwarf in the Company, then Jari might declare through town.
how woeful it is that the gold of the Dwarves is lost to them. ♦ The taciturn Dwarves, if pressed, admit that Jari is known
If there are Hobbits, then he compares them to “that Hobbit to them; he was exiled from the Blue Mountains for theft
who went east and stole a Dragon’s hoard”. Breelanders might be and fraud. Floki urges the Player-­heroes not to trust the
encouraged to help defend their homeland by slaying whatever wretch. The Dwarves do not speak further of Jari’s crimes
monsters live in the valley before they threaten Bree. to outsiders, but if asked by a Dwarf, they reveal that
If the heroes agree to Jari’s plan, he proposes they leave Jari was accused of tomb-­robbing and dealing in relics
tomorrow morning; “it’s a week’s travel” to the valley where his from lost Moria — a crime in the eyes of the Longbeard
uncle’s treasure is buried. He gives the Player-­heroes a hand- Dwarves. Floki admits that associating with Jari tarnished
ful of silver pennies to buy supplies and other needed things the good name of Floki’s own brother Flonar (A tale fully
for the journey. He tells them that he will meet them outside told in Wonder of the Northern World), and he warns that
Bree — he’s got some ponies tied up in the woods outside town. Jari brings ill-­luck to those who travel with him.
♦ A close examination of the silver pennies that Jari gave
NOSING AROUND IN BREE as part payment for the quest notes that the coins are
Wise or suspicious Player-­heroes may wish to do a little inves- strange — they were minted in far-­off Rohan, and bear
tigating before they depart. the image of the King of that land.
♦ Jari is well known in Bree; he has passed through sev- ♦ If the door warden of Bree is questioned, he recalls
eral times. Few people have a bad word to say about that Jari the Dwarf entered just as the gate was closing,
him, although a successful RIDDLE roll discovers that in the company of a strange Man. The pair seemed to
he has failed to pay for his drinks a few times — and be travelling together.

Part 2: The Journey

to the Troll-­vale
Jari the Dwarf waits for the Company a short distance out- Of course, the travellers only rarely glimpse such a view —
side Bree, in a sheltered dell north of Bree-­hill. The Com- if they are lucky, then soft grey mists cloak the whole land in
pany finds him crouched over a campfire, merrily frying up a a damp shroud, and they can see little more than the grassy
breakfast of bacon, sausage and egg. Nearby, four fine ponies terrain ahead of them. If they’re unlucky, then rain clouds
crop the long grass. Jari jumps up and greets the adventur- roll in from the north-­west and drench them in miserable
ers. “Friends! Eat, eat. We have a long journey ahead of us before prolonged downpours that turn all the land into sucking mud.
we find my great-­uncle’s treasure, so let us put a little food in our Jari makes for a valley in the Weather Hills — the hidden
bellies ‘ere we march.” vale of Morglynd.

The Journey North

Jari leads the Company north at first, along the edge of the
Chetwood. Once clear of the forest eaves, they turn north-­
east. Off to the travellers’ right, the low hillocks and wild
pastures of Bree-­country slope down towards the bowl of the VISITING WEATHERTOP
Midgewater, and little streams flow eagerly towards the marsh, On the off-­chance that the Company turns aside to
unaware of the doleful realm that awaits them. Ahead, on visit the landmark of Weathertop (Ruins of the Lost
the distant horizon, the line of the Weather Hills stands like Realm, page 90), note that the cache there currently
a dozen watchful sentinels, with mighty Weathertop furthest holds a note from Orothel (page 23), asking for
to the south, set off a little from the rest like a lonely captain. aid from her fellow Rangers in the Vale of Morglynd.

13
CHAPTER 1

JARI’S TALE north, but were waylaid by Trolls on the way. Only Diarmoc
As the Company travels north, Jari engages the Player-­heroes escaped, and he does not know what became of his family.
in conversation, ingratiating himself with them as best he can. He hopes, one day, to find a way to rescue them — if they
He might ask about where the characters come from, why have not already been eaten.
they have gone wandering, or what they will do with the vast ♦ Left unchecked, Diarmoc descends into despairing
treasure they are sure to find in the hidden valley. imaginings about what might have happened to his
Along the way, Jari tells the tale of his great-­uncle Bori. family, speculating grimly that they’ve been devoured.
Again, the Lore­master should tailor his tale to the personali- A successful ENHEARTEN roll rallies his spirits; other-
ties of the Player-­heroes — if they are the sort to be enchanted wise, everyone listening to his woes gains 1 point of
by tales of magic, then Jari might claim that his uncle laid Shadow (Dread).
magical spells of concealment on the hoard, and that only ♦ If the Player-­heroes suggest that they could help Diar-
Bori’s rightful heir can open the cave — and it has to be at moc rescue his family, he realises that he’s said too
sunset on Durin’s day, and you need the right magic key, much, and hastily says that the quest at hand is to
and a magic map that can only be read in moonlight. If the find Bori’s buried treasure in the hidden valley, and
heroes are cynical swords for hire, then Jari might emphasise has nothing to do with Trolls. An INSIGHT roll con-
the threat of Goblins and urge the Company to hurry before firms he is lying — and likely leads into Challenging
someone else finds the treasure. Diarmoc.
The bones of the tale are always the same: Jari claims that
his family has always been unjustly mistreated by the jealous ON THE ROAD WITH DIARMOC
Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, and that his uncle was a trav- If the Player-­heroes leave Bree in the company of Diarmoc,
eller and treasure-­seeker of renown. Why, he entered into sooner or later they may choose to confront him about his
lost Dwarven cities in the Grey Mountains, and who knows relationship with Jari and the Dwarf’s true intention.
what fabulous gems and jewels he found there? Anyway, the But discovering the truth about the situation is not so
Dwarf-­lords of the Blue Mountains threatened to take Bori’s easy — Diarmoc’s goal is to safeguard his family. To do this,
hard-­earned gold with fines and taxes, and rather than yield he must bring victims to the Troll-­vale, and he must ensure
up his treasure to them, Bori buried it. that Jari has no reason to think that he has strayed from this
If the Player-­heroes ask troublesome questions, then Jari task. If the Dwarf suspects that Diarmoc is plotting against
says that he has to scout ahead, and leaves the Company for the Trolls, or that Diarmoc has given warning to the victims,
the evening. The Dwarf is remarkably stealthy when he wishes then the children’s lives are forfeit.
to be; following Jari requires a HUNTING roll — losing (1d), as Diarmoc hates Jari and the Trolls for forcing him to do
Jari is Cunning. If a Player-­hero manages to follow Jari, they this, to sacrifice the lives of innocents to save his children —
see that the Dwarf does not scout ahead; instead, he circles but if he must choose between the Player-­heroes’ lives and
back and spies on the Company as they travel or encamp for those of his children, there is no question which he will pick.
the night. Alternatively, if the Company has nearly reached He would like to believe that the heroes can destroy the Trolls
the hidden valley, then Jari sneaks off to tell the Trolls that and free his children, but he has lost all hope, and with it,
their next meal is coming by signalling to Nelly Longarms — all courage.
he climbs a tree and imitates the cry of a curlew. Therefore, the truth is revealed slowly, peeled like the
layers of an onion. The Lore­master may use the information
DIARMOC’S TALE presented in the nearby box to manage the slow unravelling
Well-­travelled Player-­heroes may (with a successful TRAVEL or of Diarmoc’s conscience.
LORE roll) guess from Diarmoc’s garb and mode of speech
that he comes from the near south beyond Dunland, from THE LAST NIGHT
the border of Gondor’s western marches. Travellers from As the travellers approach the Weather Hills, Jari leads the
that region are not unheard-­of lately, as rumours of trouble Company to a sheltered spot. The trail winds its way up a
and shadow in the south drive them to safer lands, but they steep-sided hillock, one of the westernmost of the hills. At the
are still unusual. top are a few tumbled stones that mark the watchtower that
If questioned, Diarmoc reluctantly gives a version of the once stood here — long ago, there was a beacon fire here,
truth (leaving out how his family are the prisoners of Nelly signalling along the line of hills from the Road to Fornost
Longarms and her Trolls, and how he’s bound to serve Jari). Erain. He points east, and tells the characters that yonder lies
He says that he and his kinfolk left the South and travelled the hidden valley of Morglynd.

14
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

THE FIRST REVELATION quickly assures the adventurers that the Trolls probably
TRIGGERED BY: Challenging Diarmoc have a fortune worth taking, and there’s more to this
If confronted, Diarmoc “admits” that he met the quest than mere revenge.
Dwarf on the road outside Bree, and that Jari paid him
to bolster the Dwarf’s attempts to recruit adventurers. A successful INSIGHT or RIDDLE roll confirms
Diarmoc claims that Jari fears there may be dangers in that Diarmoc’s being mostly truthful, but he still
the hidden valley, and so he had Diarmoc enter Bree seems weighted down by guilt, suggesting there
separately as a ruse to ensure that the Dwarf would be is more to the tale.
able to recruit a goodly number of adventurers.
THE THIRD REVELATION
A successful INSIGHT or RIDDLE roll reveals that TRIGGERED BY: A successful ENHEARTEN roll when Jari is
Diarmoc is still hiding something; the Southern- not listening
er’s mood continues to grow ever darker and Diarmoc finally breaks down and tells the truth — his
more troubled as they travel north. family is being held hostage by Trolls. If he does not
bring them victims to eat — or Jari warns the Trolls that
THE SECOND REVELATION Diarmoc has failed — then the Trolls will kill his children.
TRIGGERED BY: Either continuing to press Diarmoc after He does not know how Jari will signal to the Trolls, but
Diarmoc’s Tale (page 14) is told, or if the Player-­heroes if the Trolls do not receive a message from the Dwarf,
accuse Jari of treachery. then all is lost.
Diarmoc admits that there is more to this quest than The fault is Diarmoc’s — he brought his family to this
was said at Bree. The hidden valley contains little treasure desolate land, he led them into the clutches of the Trolls.
— “it’s home to a band of foul Trolls who capture and eat His conscience will no longer permit him to continue —
people.” They waylaid Diarmoc’s family and devoured he is already lost, but he will not damn others. He urges
them. He met Jari as he wandered, bereft and lost, and the Player-­heroes to flee south before the Trolls come for
Jari came up with the tale of the lost treasure in order them too, and warns them that Jari the Dwarf is in league
to recruit some stalwart adventurers. Their real goal is with the Trolls, and tells the Heroes that they should slip
slaying the Trolls, not finding Dwarf-­gold — although Jari away when Jari is not watching them.

Jari insists that it is a good place to camp, and suggests damp, and tries to sneak off to signal the Trolls by imitating
lighting a fire there, claiming that no-­one will be able to see the cry of a curlew.
it from below. (“Trust a Dwarf to know a sheltered spot amid the The next morning, Jari delays breaking camp as long as
rocks,” he says.) In truth, Jari intends to signal to the Trolls possible, so the Player-­heroes reach the hidden valley with
that dinner is coming tomorrow. If the Player-­heroes protest, only a few hours of daylight. The goal is to stall the Company
Jari sits down in a huff and complains about the cold and so they are easy prey for the nocturnal Trolls.

15
CHAPTER 1

WAYLAYING JARI ♦ A successful ENHEARTEN or PERSUADE roll can con-

Player-­heroes who become suspicious of Jari may think vince Jari that the Player-­heroes can defeat the
of confronting or capturing the Dwarf. The danger of Trolls, and that he’s better off joining the winning
this tactic is that Jari has arranged a signal with Nelly side. A converted Jari becomes a snivelling, des-
Longarms, and if the Trolls do not get this signal when perate sycophant, eager to buy forgiveness by
strangers arrive in their hidden valley, then the Trolls will telling the Player-­heroes all he knows about the
murder Diarmoc’s family. So, capturing Jari is tantamount hidden valley.
to killing Diarmoc’s kinfolk — and Diarmoc knows this, so ♦ Following and eavesdropping on Jari on the edge
he will either plead for the heroes to free Jari or attempt of the hidden valley can let a Player-­hero learn his
to do so himself. system of signals. If all is well, he makes the cry of
If questioned, Jari initially snarls and threatens the a curlew three times, signalling to the Trolls that
Player-­heroes, shouting that he has ‘powerful friends’ who they should make ready to ambush the travellers.
will bring ruin down on his enemies. He admits that he’s His other signal is to cry like a fox three times.
in league with the Trolls and that he intended to lure the
Player-­heroes into a trap — and now that they’ve escaped FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED
his snare, the Trolls will eat Diarmoc’s family instead! If Jari successfully warns the Trolls of the approach of the
Possible ways to resolve this dilemma: Company, see The Trolls In Wait, page 22.

Part 3: The Hidden Valley

Up the hill they went; but there was no proper path to be seen, such as might lead to a house or a farm…

RUMOUR lower hills dotted with small thickets. A stream runs through
There are haunted places away up in the Weather Hills, valleys the valley, quick and cold. It flows around an earthen mound
where the shadows lie deep and the sun never reaches. I heard a tale called the Wart of Morglynd, forming a little mountain lake
that there’s old buried treasure in one such valley. Now, some say it before it finds the path down west. The Wart was raised by
was the Dwarves who buried it, and some say it was the Kings of old, Men of Arnor, long ago.
and I don’t know who has the right to it. But I’ll tell you this — you
wouldn’t catch me going treasure hunting in those hills. Too easy to
fall and break your neck… or have something there break it for you.

OLD LORE
In the last years of the old kingdom of Arthedain, when there was
war with the dark land of Angmar, the King’s soldiers built many
hidden fortresses and watch-­towers along the Weather Hills as a HOW MANY TROLLS?
bulwark against invasion. Secret paths and stairs, too, they cut Assume Nelly has one son for every two Player-­
into the earth so they could move unseen. They never left themselves heroes (rounding up). So, if you have a Company of
without a hidden way out. five Player-­heroes, then there are three Trolls, plus
Nelly herself. Use the Stone-­troll Robber statistics

Background
from page 152 of The One Ring for Nelly’s sons.
Clever heroes will avoid getting ambushed
The valley of Morglynd is one of many in the wrinkled old and facing all the Trolls at once!
skin of the Weather Hills. To the north, south and east of
the valley rise tall grey hills, stony and barren; to the west are

16
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

ON SUNLIGHT TOOK-­B ELLOWS’ TROLL-­PARASOLS

As is well known, Stone-­trolls cannot tolerate the light of No discussion of Troll-­shawls is complete, of course, with-
the sun, for its touch turns them to stone. To avoid this out mentioning ill-­fated Hobbit entrepreneur Montgom-
calamity, Trolls take refuge in caves or in the deepest ery Took-­Bellows, whose creativity was matched only by
woods where no sunshine penetrates the forest canopy. his greed. Took-­Bellows was a great collector of umbrel-
Here in the valley, there are no thick woods to provide las, and had the idea of commissioning a gigantic para-
cover, but the Weather Hills to the east do give the Trolls sol with the intent of selling it to Trolls. Apparently, the
a few hours of safety in the morning before the rising sun fellow was convinced that Trolls were violent and dan-
touches the shaded valley. Most of the Trolls shelter in gerous only because of their unsociable hours, and that
the tunnels of the Wart during the hated day, while Nelly sheltering them from sunlight would be enough to mor-
herself prefers to submerge in the cold waters of the lit- ally redeem them.
tle lake. Nelly has the knack of slowing her breath like a Took-­B ellows set off for the Trollshaws in Year 1352
crocodile, so she can wait out the daylight under the water. of the Shire Reckoning, a bundle of oversized parasols
The Trolls also use what are called Troll-­shawls or Troll-­ in hand. What became of him is a mystery, although
hides, large heavy blankets made of cow-­hide or woven the remains of a parasol were discovered by some con-
reeds, weighed down with mud and moss. If a Troll is fused Dwarves a day’s travel east of the Forsaken Inn,
caught out in the open by the rising sun, it can — if it is fast who initially mistook it — the parasol, not the inn — for
enough — unfold a Troll-­shawl and crawl beneath it, hoping some species of wraith. It is generally assumed that
that every inch of its hoary skin is hidden from the daylight Montgomery was eaten by his prospective customers,
and that no enemy finds the shawl and cuts a hole in it. who doubtless put a parasol to use as a spit. How-
While Trolls must hide from the touch of the sun, and ever, the surviving Took-­B ellows have a family tradi-
find daylight painful, they can still see during the day, tion that a gust of wind caught an open parasol and
and can watch intruders in the valley from their hiding carried Montgomery away into the clouds, and that he
places. Anyone moving in the hidden valley may be spot- will return one day with a fortune or at least less of an
ted by the Trolls, and come nightfall, the hunt begins… obsession with umbrellas.

Other than the landmark of the Wart, the rest of the L ocations
valley is a landscape of moss-­hung rocks, shadowy clefts, and
piles of scree. 1. THE SOUTHERN APPROACH
Mortal Men dwelt here in the old days. Middle Men, first, This path runs along the bank of the little stream. It was obvi-
then Men of the West. There was a time when great herds of ously cleared at some point in the last few years; rocks have
sheep and cattle grazed here before being brought to market been rolled aside and brambles cut to make the going easier.
at Bree — or other towns and castles that are now forgotten The path was made by Tolgarth Heather’s family. A successful
and lost under the grass. War and plague emptied out the HUNTING roll determines that the path was restored about
valley and the lands around. fifteen or twenty years ago, but has not been used regularly
In recent years, Morglynd was home to Tolgarth Heather in the last year. With a Great or Extraordinary Success, the
and his family, a fellow of Archet who so disliked his neigh- hunter finds a Troll footprint in the mud beside the river.
bours that he set off into the wild to build a new farmstead, There are no other Troll-­tracks — which suggests the Troll
despite their dire warnings. Tolgarth Heather and his family deliberately brushed away other signs of its presence. Cun-
were the first victims of Nelly Longarms — she crept into ning work, for a Troll.
the valley by night, and hid from the sun beneath the waters
of the little lake. When the Heathers’ sheep came down to 2. TROLL LOOK-­O UT
drink, Nelly Longarms snatched them and drowned them and One of Nelly’s sons may be stationed on this ridge if the Trolls
ate them — and when the Heathers came to investigate, she expect trouble, equipped with a Troll-­shawl to hide from the
took them too. Now, the valley is hers… and her sons have daylight. If the Trolls are not forewarned, then a successful
eaten every wild goat and sheep within miles, so they must SCAN roll of the ridge discovers evidence of Trolling behaviour
look elsewhere for prey. here, like gnawed bones and tree-­roots used as toothpicks.

17
CHAPTER 1

3. AMBUSH GULLEY
This narrow gulley near the Wart is the Trolls’ preferred place
to ambush intruders. The gulley is so narrow that a Troll can
scramble over the rocks and block off any line of retreat, while
the other Trolls emerge from hiding and seize their victims.
The advantageous terrain gains (1d) to the Trolls’ attacks, in
addition to the usual benefits of Ambush if they take the
heroes by surprise.
As the goal of the Trolls is to add food to their larder,
they attempt to grab intruders instead of killing them. In
this encounter, a Troll may choose to inflict no damage with
an attack, but instead automatically activate the Seize special
damage option. If the Trolls find themselves losing, they with-
draw to the Wart (and anyone following them risks running
into Nelly Longarms).
If Diarmoc is on the side of the Player-­heroes, he warns
them of the gulley and its perils.

4. THE HIDDEN TRACK

A partially concealed trail that runs parallel to the south bank
of the stream. Bracken, reeds and earthen banks hide an
unexpectedly deep-­set trench. The soldiers of Arthedain dug family. She hid and waited until they left the farmhouse
this track many centuries ago, and though it has mostly been before returning to the ruins of her home. She knew all
filled in by river-­mud and stones that roll down from the the stories about Trolls, and how they could not bear
hills, it is still the best way to move through the valley unseen. the touch of sunlight, and thought she would be
Characters moving along the hidden track gain (1d) to any safe if she waited until dawn.
STEALTH rolls to pass undetected. Then came that terrible moment when
the night air filled with the smell of roast-
5. RUINED FARMSTEAD ing meat.
This structure was home to Tolgarth Heather and his family, Since then, Scylda’s survived by keep-
until the Trolls came for them. The farmstead was well-­built, ing clear of the Trolls, scavenging food
with sturdy stone walls and thatched roofs, but offered no pro- from the trampled ruins of her family’s
tection against Nelly Longarms. The Trolls smashed in the doors winter stocks and living off berries and
and tore through the thatch, and devoured all the Heathers. roots. She debated setting off for
Except one. A daughter of the Heather family, Scylda Bree — in her mind, a place as won-
Heather escaped the Troll attack that claimed her family (see drous and mythical as Annúminas
box). or drowned Gondolin — but
The cellars and outbuildings of the farmstead offer a place does not know the way, so
to take shelter, although it’s obvious that they offer no pro- she stayed in the valley she
1
tection from the strong arms of Trolls. Some of the stones knows. When Diarmoc and
used to build the farmstead were taken from the ancient his kin arrived, she thought
ruins atop the Wart. they might help her, but
then to her horror they too
were captured by the Trolls,
Scylda Heather and she dared not try to res-
Only eight years old, and Scylda has seen more tragedy cue them.
than most folk ten times her age. She was out gathering Scylda knows about the
firewood when the long fingers of the shadows of the Hidden Boat (12) and the secret
hills touched the farmstead, and out of the shadows came way into the Troll-­hall.
the Trolls. She hid and watched the monsters capture her

18
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

6. THE WART claimed the largest of these as their hall, and shelter here
In days of old, the followers of the king of Arthedain wrought during the day. Side tunnels look from the flanks of the Wart
fortifications of earth and stone in this valley; they dug out over the valley, although the Trolls cover the mouths of
trenches and tunnels, and piled up the earth from them to these tunnels with curtains of woven reeds and cloth.
make the Wart. A tower once stood atop it; built in the last The Wart’s covered with scraggly grass and furze; if the
years of the kingdom, it was crudely made in comparison to weather is rainy, the hillside turns into a muddy morass. There
other castles raised by the Men of Westernesse. That tower is is a trail up to the top of the hill that was partially paved long
long gone, but its wells and cellars remain. The Trolls have ago, and is still the best way up.

13
11
14

10

7 12

8 9

6 5

THE HIDDEN VALLEY

19
CHAPTER 1

7. RUINS were once images of King Elendil and

These are the remains of the ancient his son Isildur.
watchtower that once guarded the val- A staircase leads down to the
ley. Trolls lurk amid the weathered Troll-­ h all under the hill. The
stones by night. Worn bas-­reliefs once Trolls keep watch over this stair-
depicted kings and heroes of the case during the day if they suspect
North-­kingdom, but are now little intruders have come to their valley.
more than vague shapes in stone. However, the Trolls do not know
It takes a keen eye and an active about the other way down into their
imagination to see that one carv- Troll-­hall. A narrow shaft, once used
ing shows King Argeleb II, his left for bringing supplies up from the
hand offering shelter to a Hobbit cellars, is mostly hidden by fallen
while his right hand is outstretched stones. However, the children
in admonition towards the east. of Tolgarth Heather found this
Another pair of carvings, facing west, shaft, and Scylda (page 18) still
remembers where it is.

FIGHTING IN THE LAKE

Characters wading in thick mud or water are
moderately hindered on all Combat rolls and
Strength-­related skill rolls (Dwarves and Hobbits
are severely hindered instead, as are Man-­sized
characters fighting while swimming). Characters
fighting from a boat suffer no penalty — but if
they roll an , the boat capsizes.

20
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

8. THE TROLL-­H ALL

This was once the cellars of the watch-­tower; now, it is a foetid Nelly Longarms
and foul Troll-­hole — a veritable Troll-­hall, even! The sons There are many kinds of Troll, with many strange traits.
of Nelly Longarms have taken the cellar as their main strong- Some have two heads; some have only one head, and
hold, and it is here they shelter from the hated sun. The ceil- only one eye to boot. Some are hairless, with knobbly
ing of the hall is low, and bulges alarmingly in several places. hides like the fabled rhinoceros of the far south; others
The floor is a mess of broken bones and other filth. There are positively hair-­ful, clad in fur so thick none of their
is always at least one Troll here; during the day, all the sons other features can be discerned. Some are only a little
may be gathered here, bar any look-­outs on the Ridge (2). bigger than a man; others are veritable giants. Some are
cunning; some are as stupid as the rocks they become if
BRINGING DOWN THE ROOF: A hero could, with a prodigious the sun touches them. About the only thing that unites
effort, collapse the ceiling of the Troll-­hall and bury everyone Trolls is their toothy hunger.
in the chamber beneath many tons of earth and stone. An Nelly is no exception in that respect, even though she
ATHLETICS roll with a Magical success could certainly bring is an unusual Troll in many other ways. Green her hide is,
down the ceiling; clever characters might be able to trick or and green her teeth. She has the knack of holding her
lure the Trolls into smashing their own shelter. breath for hours at a time, and hides from the sun by sub-
merging herself in the marsh and slumbering there like a
9. THE LARDER crocodile. She’s an excellent swimmer, and likes to grab
The Trolls keep victims destined to be eaten in this side cham- foes and drag them into the water. (Also, she cannot stand
ber. The Trolls seal the entrance with a huge rock. the prattling of her sons, and so leaves the Troll-­hall to
them in favour of the quiet solitude of the marsh).
10. MARSH AND LAKE She has a talent for mimicry, and can make her usu-
Mountain streams feed this boggy upland at the ally croaky voice sound like, say, the cry of a bird, or a
foot of the Wart. The outer portion of the area call for help, or the voice of a companion. Nelly also
is a sucking marsh similar to the Midgewater, knows a few magic spells, learned in the hills of Ang-
but a traveller can still slog through the mud mar in her distant youth, although she only uses these
without too much difficulty. However, the spells in dire need.
waters quickly deepen, becoming a bitterly
cold lake. The reeds and other plants make NELLY LONGARMS ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
it hard to tell what is muddy bog and what Cruel, Cunning
is water, and one wrong step can submerge 9
a traveller up to their neck.
The fearsome Troll-­matriarch Nelly Longarms claims ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR
the marsh as her lair.
70 2 9 — 3
11. THE PRISONER’S RAFT
Nelly keeps Diarmoc’s surviving family as prisoners here COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Crush 3 (6/12, Seize)
on a small wooden platform in the middle of the lake.
Diarmoc’s wife, his two sons and one of his household FELL ABILITIES: Sudden Strike. Nelly’s attack rolls in the
servants are still alive, all trapped on the little raft. They first round of any combat are Favoured.
could swim to the shore, if they were not all exhausted Horrible Strength. If Nelly scores a Piercing Blow,
by exposure and hunger, and if it were not for the Troll spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll
lurking in the waters. Twice, they have tried to escape this Ill-­favoured.
open-­air prison, and twice, Nelly grabbed and ate one of Mother Knows Best. Spend 1 Hate to make a nearby
their number, and the rest were caught as they tried to flee Troll’s attack Favoured.
the valley. Nelly torments them by whispering about how her Dreadful Spells. Spend 1 Hate to cause a thick mist
sons will soon eat them. Sometimes, she even mimics Diar- to rise from her lake, shielding her and other Trolls from
moc’s voice, claiming that he has abandoned his family, or the sun and making all attacks made inside the mist Ill-­
saying that he is going to become a worse monster than any favoured for one combat round.
Troll by willingly luring more victims to the valley.

21
CHAPTER 1

12. HIDDEN BOAT have not been seized may delay the capture of their allies
Hidden amid the reeds here is a little boat of hide, stretched by staying engaged with the trolls, but this may prove to be
over a frame of woven branches, made by Scylda Heather’s a very difficult battle against multiple Trolls — make sure
older brothers before they were eaten. It’s simple but ser- the players realise this.
viceable, and can be used to paddle out to the raft to rescue Each Troll will only seize one Player-hero. Their goal is
the prisoners. The boat can carry up to four people safely. to capture the tastiest victims, not to immediately kill the
intruders. If the Trolls are losing, they try to flee back to the
13. PERILOUS CLIMB stronghold of the Wart (6).
For those who wish to avoid the treacherous waters of the lake,
a steep climb down this cliff is a drier alternative. Descend- PRISONERS OF THE TROLLS
ing the cliff requires an ATHLETICS roll; failure means the Captured victims face one of three possible fates — hostage,
climber either falls or gets stuck in place — and Nelly has lure, or lunch. If the Trolls think that a particular traveller
such very long arms to snatch victims from their perches on would make a good replacement for Diarmoc, then that trav-
her doorstep… eller is forced to lure more victims to the valley. Another victim
(likely the lure’s fellowship focus) is kept as a hostage, just like
14. NELLY’S TREASURE Diarmoc’s family. Victims designated as food are destined for
Concealed in Nelly’s den in the shallows of the lake is a cache the cooking pot, although Nelly’s sons always offer their fear-
of treasure. Some of these coins she brought down from the some mother the final say on how the meal should be prepared.
Trollshaws, and others her sons found in the Wart. The rest Characters captured by the Trolls are stripped of their
she stole along the way from the Heathers or from Diarmoc’s weapons and stuffed in the larder (9) to await Nelly’s
kinfolk or from other victims. This is a Lesser Hoard. delectation.

BROAD DAYLIGHT WITH A BRIGHT SUN

Schemes and Trouble Stone-­trolls turn to stone if touched by sunlight. If there’s a
question as to whether a Troll blunders into sunlight during
THE TROLLS IN WAIT the day, roll the Feat die; on a 6 or less (2 or less around
If the Trolls have advance warning of victims approaching noon), the Troll manages to avoid a sunbeam. Roll every
the valley, then they conceal themselves along the narrow time the Troll risks sunlight.
Ambush Gulley (3). Ideally, Jari stalls the Company until twi-
light so the Trolls can move freely, but if it is daylight, then AID UNLOOKED-­F OR
the Trolls can use Troll-­shawls and the shadows of the gully Optionally, if the heroes are in difficulty, bring in Orothel — a
to avoid direct sunlight. Ranger of the North who’s been tracking the Trolls for some
In the ambush, the Trolls attack from either end of the weeks, and is now considering the best way to deal with such
gully, blocking escape. This means no Player-heroes can flee a dangerous group of enemies. She is encamped high in the
the fight as long as at least two trolls remain. The Trolls start hills on the eastern side of the hidden valley, watching the
grabbing victims and stuffing them into sacks. To capture a Trolls move about at dusk. She knows that most of the Trolls
victim, a Troll must first make a successful Seize attack. On make their lair in the Wart, but has a bad feeling about the
its next turn, if the victim is still held, the Troll may spend waters of the lake.
its action stuffing the victim into a sack. Once stuffed into Orothel has left a message in the Ranger-­cache at Weath-
a sack, the victim can no longer free itself. On the turn ertop, calling for aid, and is now waiting for reinforcements
after that, if the Troll is not engaged with any other foes, from her fellows. However, if she sees good folk in trouble,
it will flee the battle with its prisoner. Player-heroes who she may intervene.

22
 A T roll - hole , if E ver T here Was O ne

Orothel
‘For I was talking aloud to myself. A habit of the old: they
choose the wisest person present to speak to; the long
explanations needed by the young are wearying.’

Orothel looks like a Woman in her sixties, gaunt and care-­

worn, with a lined face like old leather, and thinning grey
hair she hides beneath a dark hood. She is older than she
looks, and of late she feels old in her bones. Still, there is
too much to be done for her to retire to the relative safety
of the Ranger-­haven — she can smell a change in the east-­
wind, and these younger Rangers are too soft and green
to be trusted with the duty of watching over the old king-
dom. Orothel is an adept hunter and tracker, relentlessly
practical and determined. She has a sharp tongue and little
patience for fools of any sort.
She dresses in the simple, travel-­worn garb of the
Rangers, without any distinguishing marks or sigils save
one — she carries an especially fine dagger with a hilt in the
form of a coiling dragon with rubies for eyes. This blade is
a heirloom of her family, and it is called Dragon-­tooth. She
intends to pass it on to her daughter when the time is right.

OCCUPATION: Ranger

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Stern, Wise

Part 4: H omeward Bound

Having survived the ordeal of the Hidden Valley, the Player-­ ♦ What becomes of young Scylda Heather? Does she stay
heroes may travel back to the welcoming lights of Bree. Key with Diarmoc, or do the Player-­heroes bring her to her
questions to be answered: distant kinfolk in Bree? Might one of the heroes adopt
♦ What becomes of Diarmoc and his kinfolk? If the the resilient child?
Trolls are all defeated, they might settle in the Hidden ♦ What of Jari? Do the characters bring the Dwarf to
Valley, taking over the homestead of Tolgarth Heather. justice in Bree, or deal with him themselves? Might
In time, the valley might become a sanctuary for the the Dwarf redeem himself a little by fighting against
Player-­heroes to rest. Alternatively, if the Trolls are still the Trolls? Or does he escape to become an outlaw
a threat, then the survivors might flee south under the in the wild, perhaps blaming the Player-­heroes for his
protection of the Company. disgrace?

23
 CHAPTER 2

MESSING ABOUT
IN BOATS
Indeed, few Hobbits had ever seen or sailed upon the Sea,
and fewer still had ever returned to report it.
CHAPTER 2

his is the Third Age of Middle-­earth. out of the distant past. They also face the question: what is
Long ago, before all the world was changed, the price of heroism? What does it mean to be the ones who
there were other lands. Their names have passed stand against the Shadow?
into legend — Beleriand and Doriath, Gondolin

A Partial Tale of Years

and Nargothrond, the dread fortress of Thangorodrim. There
great deeds were done, great battles fought, and terrible losses
endured. There the Elves fought Morgoth for possession of
the enchanted Silmarils, there walked Beren and Lúthien, IN THE FIRST AGE…
Tuor and Turin, all the heroes of old. All those lands were ♦ A great hero of Men perishes here, and a mound is
drowned in the breaking of the world at the end of the First raised over his grave, and a stone placed there. It is
Age. All drowned, and so much was lost. prophesied that this grave shall never be defiled or dis-
But not all. turbed, not even if all the world changes.
In this adventure, an astrologer’s divination leads to the ♦ The voyage of Eärendil and the ensuing conflict brings the
Player-­heroes taking a ship from Lond Daer and sailing to the First Age to an end. The powers come out of the West and
Western Isles, one of the last outcrops of the drowned Beleri- cast down Morgoth, and the world is remade. The mound
and. There, they face the shades of the dead and other perils is surrounded by rising seas and becomes an island.

OTHER ROADS TO ADVENTURE ♦ Aglaen’s vision on the shore was of a tall warrior
Instead of having Falmir Fairbairns drop the adventure of ancient Arnor, not any of the Player-­heroes.
in the Company’s lap, some other introductions: There is no obvious connection to any of the
♦ A scholar might find references to a mysterious Company.
island in the Western Seas that the heroes of the ♦ Instead of having the investigation of the mys-
old Kingdom visited — and there are those in the terious vision be the main driver of the voyage
House of Elrond who bore witness to the deeds north, have Eagre talk of his missing daughter;
of ancient heroes. he asks the heroes to sail with him. Alternatively,
♦ Círdan the Shipwright might tell the Player-­heroes give the characters another reason to take ship —
of strange things seen by Elven mariners, and maybe they are sent to explore the coasts north
send them on one of his ships to the Isle of the of Lindon by Queen Nimue, or looking to trade
Mother. with the Lossoth of the far north. They might be
♦ A character who looks into a palantír might searching for rumours of spies from the south
glimpse the shore of the Isle of the Mother. (see Ruins of the Lost Realm) or even searching for
poor Falmir Fairbairns after he was lost at sea…
REMOVING THE ANCIENT HERO ♦ The Ghost does not single out any of the Com-
If the Lore­master prefers to do without the Ancient Hero pany or speak of their ancestors (page 6).
subplot, then make the following changes:

26
 M essing A bout in B oats

IN THE SECOND AGE… ♦ The Hero flees across the sea and returns to the Isle,
♦ Ancestors of the Lossoth-­folk of the north visit the Isle, pursued by evil spirits from the hill.
and hunt the fabled Fastitocalon.
♦ Mariners from Númenór find the Isle and rediscover RECENTLY…
the mound of the hero. It becomes a place of pilgrim- ♦ Eagre, a mariner of Lond Daer, is blown off course by
age. A fortress is built on the shore. a storm and visits the Isle. Sailing home, he retells the
story of his adventure many times.
IN THE THIRD AGE… ♦ Years later, his daughter Elwing sets out to retrace her
♦ The ancestor of one of the Player-­heroes, a great Hero, father’s course.
comes to the island in their youth and is inspired to ♦ Elwing does not find the Isle at first, but reaches the Ice-­
battle the Enemy. bay of Forochel. There, she befriends the Lossoth and
♦ The Hero swears to defeat the evil that lurks under the from their ancient tales learns more of the Isle. She and
Hill of Fear. a Lossoth hunter, Jagat, mount an expedition to the Isle.
♦ Seeking to bolster their courage, the Hero returns ♦ The shade of the Hero draws Elwing to discover the
to the Isle many years later, and forges a sword in the Hero’s sword. Finding the sword draws the attention of
ruins of the Númenórean fortress. the evil spirits, who assail the island with storms, trap-
♦ The Hero returns to Eriador and again attempts to ping the travellers. Elwing is wounded and forced to
defeat the Hill of Fear. Again, they fail. take shelter in a cave…

Part 1: The Seer and the Sailors

This adventure begins in the town of Lond Daer, at the mouth innocent Shire-hobbit, but an aspiring adventurer. He also
of the Greyflood. The town is described in the Ruins of the knows Gandalf, so if the heroes have the Grey Wizard as a
Lost Realm supplement; for those without that supplement, Patron, Gandalf might introduce them to this valiant Hobbit.
know that Lord Daer is a small fishing village at the mouth Falmir is certainly an unusual sight, being a Hobbit wear-
of the Greyflood, built atop the ruins of an ancient town that ing a bright blue cloak and a knightly tabard, and armed with
was already old when the kingdoms of the North were young. a dwarf-forged knife.
Today, Lond Daer is ruled by Nimue, a brave young woman For his part, Falmir stares curiously at one of the Heroes
who delivered the town from a sea serpent and was acclaimed in particular — whichever Hero you’ve designated as being
queen of this little kingdom for her effort. Lond Daer is also Heir to a heroic lineage (page 6). When there’s a gap in
known for the old towers that rise above the town, towers the conversation, Falmir approaches the designated hero.
built by seers and astrologers in days of old in imitation of “Begging your pardon, but can I ask your name?” When the
the Elf-­tower of Elostirion, where they could look back West hero answers, Falmir squeaks in amazement, then grabs them
in hopes of glimpsing the vanished glory of Numenor. by the hand and drags them towards the Queen’s Hall. Falmir
If your player-heroes wander near Lond Daer of their own explains that there is an astrologer in Lond Daer by the name
accord, excellent; alternatively, after the events of A Troll-­hole, of Aglaen, a stargazer who claims to be able to tell the future
the heroes might be asked to escort Diarmoc and his family by staring at the stars in the western sky. There are many tales
or Scylda Heather to Lond Daer; Scylda might have relatives of such mystics, and Aglaen’s a funny old fellow — but a few
there, or Diarmoc may have heard tales of the welcoming weeks ago he came into the Queen’s Hall raving about how
down on the road. Another option is to have their Patron he’d seen… well, the Heir. Now, these astrologers do spend
point them towards the town, for Queen Nimue seeks heroes most of their time staring into bowls of steaming mercury or
and champions for her fragile little realm. peering at the heavens, and they’re doubtless cracked as a
Among those champions is Falmir Fairbairns. He’s a Baggins, but it strikes Falmir as a singular marvel that Aglaen
young Hobbit who was swept away by enthusiasm and a rush- was able to foresee the Player-hero’s arrival. Why, they must
ing river, and has ended up as one of the knights of Lond meet Aglaen!
Daer. He’s brave and reckless, but has seen enough of the wide As Falmir drags the hero, he mutters that Aglaen saw
world to toughen him up a little — he’s no longer a sheltered, dark visions too.

27
CHAPTER 2

STARTING IN THE HAVENS The Queen’s Hall

Alternatively, if Cirdan the Shipwright is the Patron The hall at the heart of the town is small and smoky, but it’s a
of the characters, then you could begin this adven- welcome shelter from the cold sea-wind. On entering the hall,
ture in his halls. Eagre the Sailor is one of the few there’s an audible collective gasp and a chorus of muttering
mortals who visits the Havens; he might encoun- from the assembled worthies. The astrologer Aglaen is not
ter the heroes there, and recognise the Heir from present, but one of the village children happily runs to fetch
Aglaen’s prophecy. The characters could either sail him — it is clear that Falmir is not the only one who heard
south to Lond Daer to consult with Aglaen — or just Aglaen’s prophecy, and that everyone in the village wants to
skip the whole visit to Lond Daer and take up the know how this story will turn out.
quest from Part 2. Queen Nimue welcomes the heroes if they are of good
character, or if Falmir or Gandalf vouches for them. Gandalf is
an infrequent visitor to Lond Daer, and Queen Nimue’s coun-
sellor and honorary court wizard. The Company should make
a suitable Introduction, but this is not a formal Council unless

28
 M essing A bout in B oats

the Player-­heroes have a request for the young queen. Nimue Aglaen’s jaw drops when he sees the Heir. He walks over and
may become a Patron for the Company if they return to Lond probes the Heir’s face with a bony finger, and examines whatever
Daer later. She has heard of Aglaen’s vision of the Heir — and weapon they bear. “I saw you…” he says, “I saw you on the shore.”
Aglaen has also spoken of darker portents. She hopes that At the Queen’s prompting, he tells the tale. The hall falls
one vision coming true does not imply that Aglaen’s other silent, the assembled worthies enthralled by the story unfold-
foretellings will also come to pass. ing before them.
Aglaen explains that after a long night staring at the stars,

Meeting Aglaen
he went for a walk, listening to the sighing of the sea on the
shore of Middle-earth. There, he thought he heard a voice
Aglaen the Seer is a nervous, grey-haired fellow, thin and always whispering to him, whispering the name of the Heir, and a
shivering in the chilly sea-wind. He stammers when he speaks, vision entered his mind. He saw the Heir standing in the surf
which makes his pronouncements and prognostications worry- on the shore of a lonely island, a great sword in hand. The
ingly unclear. He came to the business of prophecy and foresight sword seemed odd to his sight — the blade was blackened,
late in life, having heard tales of the ancient seers of Lond Daer. as if covered in mud or soot, or marred by some impurity in
the metal. There was a ruined fortress behind him, an ancient
structure like the towers of the stargazers. Then shadows blew
in like a storm, and the vision was lost.
As Aglaen speaks, there’s a snort and a laugh from the
back of the hall, coming from a bearded sailor.
Since then, he has had three other visions — or rather, the
same dream three times. In this darker vision, he sees a great
dark hill looming over him, rising like a wave about to crash
down on him. Howling spirits whirl around this hill, things of
such terror that each time Aglaen saw them he awoke screaming.
Aglaen has no idea what these visions mean, or why they
came to him. He knows — or at least believes –that a foresight
was on him, but what it portends for the Heir, he cannot say.
The bearded sailor interrupts at this point, if the charac-
ters have not already spoken to him.

The Laughing Sailor

He introduces himself as Eagre. He explains that he rec-
ognised the island from Aglaen’s vision when the seer told
the tale to the assembled company — a small, steep-sided
isle all alone in the Western Sea. Old charts name it the Isle
of the Mother. It’s as far from Lond Daer as any man has
sailed, but Eagre has seen it before. When he was a young
boy, sailing with his father, they were caught in a storm and
blown far out to sea. They found their way back to the shore
of Middle-earth by following along the coast of the western
isles and hence to the lands of Forlindon beyond the Gulf of
Lhun — but Eagre remembers that island. And he will sail
there again with the Player-­heroes, if they desire.
While Eagre laughs and makes light of the voyage and the
quest for the Isle, observant characters may (with a successful
Insight test) perceive a gloom that hangs over him; his bois-
terous attitude is an attempt to ward off sorrow. Asking about
Eagre in Lond Daer, or speaking to him during the voyage,
allows the characters to learn Eagre’s tale.

29
CHAPTER 2

EAGRE’S TALE
As he mentioned when first introduced, when
Eagre was a boy, he and his father were blown
out to sea by a storm, and he visited the Isle of
the Mother on the long journey home. No-one
else from Lond Daer has ever made such a long
voyage, and for all his life Eagre boasted of his
masterful seamanship. He proclaimed himself the
greatest of mariners.
Now, Eagre had a daughter named Elwing,
and he taught her to sail. She listened to his boasts,
and aspired to be an even greater sailor than her
father. Two years ago, Elwing set off on a voyage
of her own — and never returned.
Eagre insists that she will sail back to Lond Daer
one day, but he blames himself for filling her head
with wild tales of the sea — and he knows that his
own claim to fame is founded on an accident. He
would never have dared sail as far as he did, if not
for that fateful storm.

The Queen’s Command random mischance from intentional design. She asks the
Queen Nimue says that she guesses it is no co-incidence that heroes to take Aglaen’s visions seriously, and to visit the Isle
Eagre happened to be there in the hall when Aglaen’s tale and see what they might find there. She shall hire Eagre and
was retold - sometimes, the powers of the world do their work his fishing ship to take them there, and outfit them with such
so subtly and secretly that it takes one of the Wise to discern arms and provisions that her realm can provide.

Part 2: Voyage into the Sunset

Eagre’s fishing ship is named the Seawing, and she is as fine Optionally, if you have only a small number of heroes,
a ship as one might find in Lond Daer. Eagre has visited the then other travellers like Falmir Fairbairns might go on the
Grey Havens at times, and learned a little from watching Cír- adventure.
dan the Shipwright at work. Swift of sail and fleet upon the The first part of the journey is largely uneventful. The
wave is the Seawing, and she is well provisioned for a long weather is fair and the winds steady as the Seawing swallows
voyage. The sailors of vanished Númenor could navigate by up the miles. They pass the haunted cape of Eryn Vorn, where
the stars far from the sight of land, but Eagre is not so skilled branches that fell from the cliffs above float in the water,
— he proposes to sail north along the coast, recreating his bumping alarmingly against the hull, and Eagre warns the
return journey from the lost isle in reverse “To go back again heroes that the woods there are perilous. Soon, though, the
having been there, so to speak!”. Therefore, the heroes have a haunted forest is left far behind, and the Seawing comes to
long voyage ahead of them. Eagre can handle the sailing of the long and mostly empty coast of Harlindon.
the ship by himself, although there is always plenty to do on
deck for ready hands.

30
 M essing A bout in B oats

Merry Mariners OPTIONAL ENCOUNTER:

Describe the wild beauty of the sea, and the novelty of life on FORESHADOWING KATHUPHAZGÂN
board a ship. Ask each Player-­hero to describe how their char- If you intend to use the Black Númenórean spies
acter passes the time aboard the Seawing. Eagre’s ship has no plot element from Ruins of the Lost Realm (page
crew other than the mariner himself and the Player-­heroes, so 33), then you could foreshadow the presence of
they must deal with any troubles encountered on the voyage. the mighty sea-­fortress Kathu­phaz­gân by having
The travellers encounter Voyage Events as follows. one of the Player-­heroes glimpse the massive ves-
♦ FROM LOND DAER TO HARLINDON: 1–2 events, each a sel looming out of the fog one night. Kathu­phaz­
Favoured Feat die roll on the Voyage Events table. gân vanishes into the mists before anyone is sure
♦ FROM FORLINDON TO THE NORTHERN SEAS: 1–2 of what they have seen.
events, each an unmodified Feat die roll on the
­Voyage Events table.
♦ FROM THE NORTHERN SEAS TO THE ISLE OF THE
MOTHER: 1–2 events, each an Ill-­favoured Feat die roll
on the Voyage Events table.

VOYAGE EVENTS TABLE

FATIGUE POINTS
FEAT DIE EVENT CONSEQUENCES GAINED

Terrible Accident If the roll fails, the target is Wounded. 3

1 Attacked If the roll fails, everyone in the Company must make a Protection roll 2
(TN 12) to avoid being Wounded.

2–3 Bad Weather If the roll fails, everyone in the Company gains 1 Fatigue. 2

4–7 Becalmed If the roll fails, the target gains 1 Shadow Point (Dread). 1

8–9 Fair Weather If the roll succeeds, no Fatigue is gained. 1

10 Favourable If the roll succeeds, no Fatigue is gained and the next Feat die roll on 1
Circumstances this table is Favoured.

Joyful Sight If the roll succeeds, everyone in the Company regains 1 Hope. —

Voyage Events are resolved just like Journey Events. BECALMED: No wind, so the Company must keep each oth-
er’s spirits up in the face of an unchanging horizon; spoiled
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT: A traveller is knocked overboard or falls or scanty provisions make for hungry bellies; bad dreams
from the mast; a fire breaks out aboard ship; the Seawing risks fray nerves.
running aground.
FAIR WEATHER: Warm winds, good fishing, calm seas.
ATTACKED: By a sea monster (perhaps even dread Fastito-
calon!), foes on the shore like the Wild Men of Eryn Vorn, FAVOURABLE CIRCUMSTANCES: A fine tail-­wind, a glimpse of
pirates on the southern coast. a distant land, a dream of the open sea.

BAD WEATHER: A storm, foul winds, a maelstrom, grinding JOYFUL SIGHT: Another ship; a glorious sunset or sunrise;
ice in the Northern Sea. Elven-­ships sailing West forever.

31
CHAPTER 2

Dreams
As the Seawing travels along Harlindon, each of the Player-­
heroes (except Elves) start to experience oddly similar EAGRE’S TALE
dreams. In these dreams, the hero meets with someone During this phase of the Journey, the characters
from their past — a close family member like a parent, notice Eagre scanning the coastline intently, as if
an old friend, a mentor — who asks the hero why they searching for signs of a shipwreck. He is looking
have wandered so far from home, and where they think for some trace of his daughter Elwing. If he has
they are going. Not why are they on the Seawing, going to come to trust the Player-­heroes, he relates Eagre’s
some lost island, but why have they forsaken the comfort Tale (page 30) at this point.
and safety of home in favour of the perilous Road that has
taken them so far away? Did something drive them away?
Were words left unsaid, or cruel words spoken? Are they

Himling and
following some foolish quest? In short, why has the hero

the Western Isles
gone adventuring?
As each dream fades, the figure changes, taking on the
appearance of an old, old Woman, haggard and careworn, In time, the island of Himling rises above the horizon, a great
sitting hunched in the shadow of a great stone. She reaches hump-­backed mound, wide-­shouldered and with a flattened
out withered hands and asks “Tell me, what will become of you? top. Snow lies heavily on the treeless isle, and there is little
Where does thy road end, except in death and sorrow?” Those who worth hunting there. On the shoreline, keen-­eyed heroes spot
experience the dream gain 1 point of Shadow (Dread). a few huts of seal-­skin stretched over timber frames. This was
This vision is the result of forces stirred up by the lingering an encampment of the Lossoth, the Snowmen of Forochel to
ghost of the Heir’s heroic ancestor, who will be encountered the north, but there is no-­one here now, and the camp has
in Part 3: The Haunted Isle. not been used in years.
Eagre presses on. The next in the chain is a dark isle, thickly

The Gulf of une

wooded in parts, with steep hills and shadowed vales. It has an
L evil look to it, and from afar the heroes see winged shapes cir-
The Seawing crosses into the Gulf of Lune. If there are any cling the hills like tremendous bats. When the Seawing reaches
Elves or Elf-­friends in the Company, they may wish to land at the western cape, Eagre is relieved — they are nearly at the Isle
the Havens and take rest and resupply there, although Eagre of the Mother, and he knows the course from here.
urges the Company not to linger, but hurry onwards before
the weather turns.
Otherwise, their only contact with the Elves is a brief VAMPIRE BATS ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
glimpse of grey sails on the western horizon, and it seems to Fierce, Quick
them that the sails do not vanish, but continue on into the 2
sky like soaring gulls as the Elves take the old straight road
into the West. ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR

8 1 2 — 1
The Northern Seas
The coastline of Forlindon is a landscape of steep, forebod- COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Fangs 3 (2/14, Bitten — works like
ing cliffs and crashing waves. When the wind blows from the Seize, but the victim also loses 2 Endurance at the end of
west, it threatens to drive the Seawing into the many hidden each combat round in which they are Seized)
rocks and shoals, and Captain Eagre must fight the tiller
and call every hand on board to the lines and sails. But the FELL ABILITIES: Fear of Fire. The creature loses 1 Hate at the
west wind is still better than the north wind, which carries start of each round it is engaged in close combat with an
with it the bite of ice. adversary wielding a torch or other sort of burning item.
The odd dreams fade, but wild waves prevent most of the Ghastly Wings. The creature can attack any Player-­
Player-­heroes to sleep comfortably. hero, in any combat stance, including Rearward.
Snake-­like Speed. When targeted by an attack,
spend 1 Hate to make the attack roll Ill-­favoured.

32
 M e s s i n g A b o u t i n B o at s

The Unnatural Storm These spirits reserve their full strength and malice for
However, as the Seawing approaches the Isle of the Mother, ships trying to leave the Isle, as the characters will soon dis-
a sudden squall blows out of the north-­east, a chill wind cover, but they still torment approaching vessels, lashing them
out of Angmar. There are fell voices on the wind, and the with icy winds and clawing at the crew with spectral hands,
characters glimpse shadowy shapes riding the air — evil driving them into panic and despair. Eagre freezes in ter-
spirits, disembodied and terrible. The Witch-­king called ror when the spirits attack; the Player-­heroes must make a
these spirits out of the Void long ago, and sent them to VALOUR test to resist the evil of the spirits. If any of them
harry and torment the Hero. Now they have been stirred up pass the test, they can grab the tiller and steer the Seawing
again by the discovery of the Hero’s sword, and are bound through the storm; if everyone fails, then the Seawing crashes
to stop it leaving the Isle and prevent it from being used on the rocks and runs aground without a hand to guide her.
against the Shadow. Regardless of the fate of the Seawing, the horror of the spirits
forces all Player-­heroes to gain 2 points of Shadow (Sorcery).

Part 3: The Haunted Isle

The Númenóreans had now become great mariners, exploring all the seas eastward.

RUMOUR then, the Isle has become a place of honour and an inspira-
There’s a little island in the western seas, scarcely more than a spike of tion to heroes. Many have come here seeking the courage of
rock rising above the cold waters. They say some great hero of old was bur- Turin, who stood against the father of Dragons and defied
ied there, but who knows for sure? The stories may endure, but the details the curse of the Great Enemy Morgoth (but each of them
are washed away by the passing years, and only the Elves remember. prayed that they would not share Turin’s dreadful fate, for he
brought ruin on all those he loved, and bought victory at such
OLD LORE a high price he slew himself at the last). The Númenóreans
Of the great stories that come down to us from the Elder Days, the visited here in the days of their power, but for much of the
saddest is the tale of Turin, who struggled against the dreadful Third Age the Isle was left empty.
doom that stalked him, and slew the first of the Dragons after the Heroes and adventurers still came here, from time to time,
fall of Gondolin. Now Turin was laid to rest on a hilltop, and his for the legend of Turin the Dragon-­slayer shall be told until
mother wept over him, and it was prophesied that his grave would the world’s ending. Among those who made that pilgrimage
remain undespoiled until the world’s ending, when some say Turin was the ancestor of the Heir, a hero who fought against the
will return to battle the Enemy at the Last Battle. enemy in days of old, and here the ancestor swore an oath
In time, the world changed, and all Beleriand drowned beneath to destroy the Hill of Fear (page 7) in the far northern
the waves — save Turin’s grave, and a few other places in the east. wastes, a quest that was never fulfilled.
In time, the sailors of Númenor discovered the grave, and raised there In later years, the Lossoth of the north came to this place
a tower to guard the Isle, for Turin was a kinsman of the ancestors and encamped as they hunted the gigantic Fastitocalon, the
of the line of kings. The isle became a place of pilgrimage for the island-­beast, of the cold northern waters. And that is a strange
knights and heroes of Númenor, a place of oath-­swearing and the tale in itself, for it was to the Lossoth that Arvedui Last-­king
making of fellowships and covenants. entrusted the Ring of Barahir, and Turin’s mother was a
And yet, the world changed again. Númenor sank, and the Isle close kinswoman of Barahir long ago. Fate drew the bones
was lost once more. But Turin still slumbers there beneath the earth of Turin’s mother and the keepers of her uncle’s ring back
until the world’s ending. together after many thousands of years.
This season, the Lossoth have been troubled by ghosts

Background
and evil spirits. They do not know what brought this woe
to them, for the roots of this disturbance lie far to the
The Isle of the Mother is the smallest and westernmost of the east — but they are now trapped on the Isle, unable to
Western Isles, the last land east of the Blessed Realm now that sail for home.
Númenor is gone. Here of old perished ill-­fated Turin. Since

33
CHAPTER 2

L ocations

1. THE CAMP OF THE LOSSOTH

On the shore, here dwell a tribe of Lossoth, the Snowmen of
Forochel. Their leader is Jagat, a young hunter. The Lossoth
speak a few words of the Common Tongue, and while they
are unfriendly, they are not hostile to outsiders (if somewhat
surprised to see any other living mortals in this part of the
world). It’s clear to the Player-­heroes, though, that the Los-
soth are watchful, as if they feared some other foe. They are
gaunt and hollow-­eyed, worn by harsh conditions.
Eagre is suspicious of the Snowmen — he declares his intent
to remain on the Seawing while the Company goes ashore. 4

2. THE WRECK OF ELWING’S BOAT

Here on the shore is the wreck of the boat that brought Elwing
and the Lossoth to this island. While the wreck has partially
been plundered for firewood, it is still recognisable.
If Eagre sees the ship, he becomes convinced that the
Lossoth attacked his daughter — see Eagre’s Wrath, page 39.

3. STEEP SLOPES
Some ancient convulsion of the earth lifted the central por-
tion of the island up above the waters. Steep cliffs surround
the heart of the Isle; it’s almost impossible to climb, and
those attempting to do so lose (2d) on their ATHLETICS roll.

4. THE NÚMENÓREAN FORTRESS

Three thousand years of wild storms and raging waves mean that
little of this once-­mighty fortress remains. The great mariners
of Númenor built this stronghold partly as an outpost on their
northern approaches, but also as a place of pilgrimage for heroes
2
and scholars. The great sheltered anchorage with its sea-­walls
and shining jetties is gone now, and toppled are the towers that
once looked west over the endless ocean and drowned lands. But
a portion of the keep remains, partially lost beneath the dunes.
Exploring the accessible portion of the fortress, the ♦ Another curious chamber at the back of the fortress.
heroes find: A row of statues all point swords at the walkway in the
♦ A carving depicting a lineage of heroes of old of the middle of the room. The walkway leads to an archway,
line of Men. Unless the characters are skilled in LORE , and a path leads from that archway up into the hills at
many of those depicted will be mysteries to them — the centre of the island (the Grave of Heroes). It is as if
Barahir and Beren, Húrin and Turin, Tuor and Huor, the statues are threatening or challenging the observer
Eärendil and Elros. The furthest portion of the carving to prove themselves, and it takes a great act of courage
is lost beneath the sands that choke much of the for- to leave the fortress by that grim door.
tress. If excavated and exposed, the carving is found to
depict a great standing stone on a hilltop, and hints at 5. THE OVERGROWN TRACK
an eerie figure who sits in its shadow. This winding path, marked by more statues and Númenórean
♦ A room that once was clearly a forge. Oddly, this is in carvings, leads up to the upper portion of the Isle. Heroes
somewhat better repair than the rest of the fortress, as if trod this path of old, but now it is weed-­strewn and overgrown
someone repaired it in the intervening centuries. with brambles.

34
 M essing A bout in B oats

7
8

THE ISLE OF THE MOTHER

35
CHAPTER 2

A successful TRAVEL or INSIGHT roll notes an

inconsistency in Jagat’s tale — the recent win-
ters, while bitter, have not been especially bad.
The worst winter that might still be within living
memory was the Fell Winter of 2911, and in com-
parison to that, the recent cold season was pos-
itively balmy. There is no way the ice stretched
far enough south. The truth is that the Lossoth
were aided in sailing here by Elwing.

Jagat warns that the islands in the chain are perilous in

their own way — the Isle of Stone, the Isle of the Hungry,
and this, the Isle of the Mother. The stories of the Los-
soth describe how to avoid these dangers. The shore of
this island is safe, but it is dangerous to go inland. The
ghost of an old Woman dwells there. Old stories of the
Lossoth warn against entering the wood.
“The old fortress on the western shore is dangerous too,”
he says. “Leave the stone places to the Men of the Sea.”
In recent weeks, the ghosts have been especially
angry. The camp of the Snowmen has been attacked
JAGAT OF THE LOSSOTH by phantoms, and no boats can leave the island. The
The leader of the hunters is clearly skilful and hardy, but Lossoth know chants and spells to drive away some evil
it’s curious that so young a Man has been given charge of spirits, and have in the past made offerings to the Witch-­
such an expedition. Jagat speaks enough of the Common king who rules the ice, but their spells do not avail them
Tongue to communicate with the Player-­heroes. against this new crop of ghosts. Something has changed;
He explains that the Lossoth came to this island to the Witch-­king is angry with them. If they cannot find a
hunt the beast of the northern ocean. The fabled island-­ way to calm the ghosts, they will remain trapped here.
beasts swim in deep waters, but come to shore near the If the characters ask about Eagre’s daughter Elwing,
Isle of the Mother, so only here can they be hunted. then Jagat frowns. He knows her. She sailed all the way
to the Ice-­bay of Forochel, and dwelt amid the Lossoth-­
A successful LORE roll recalls tales of the Fastito- tribe for a time. She told them tales of the island her
calon, called Limlug by the Elves, a sea-­beast so father visited long ago, and the Lossoth recognised it as
large that it is often mistaken for an island, with this very isle, where they come to hunt the island-­beasts.
trees growing upon its mighty shell. Such crea- Between the old Lossoth stories and the stories Elwing’s
tures are generally held to be myths; certainly, father told her, they were able to find the way to the Isle,
they are not encountered anywhere in Eriador and Jagat and his followers sailed with Elwing.
or Rhovanion. Soon after they landed here, however, a strange
mood took her, and Elwing went up into the forest where
The Lossoth tribes do not sail on the open ocean, but it is not wise to go. The ghosts came soon after that. He
sometimes in very cold winters, the sea-­ice extends far does not wish to blame Elwing for rousing the ghosts, but
enough south to make it possible to travel or row in suspects there is a strong connection between the two.
small hide-­covered canoes along the island chain. Such
winters come only once a generation, so rarely do the THE WITCH-­K ING
Lossoth hunt the beasts, and successful hunts are even Scholars may note that the Witch-­king was defeated in
rarer. Young Jagat won his position by promising the T.A. 1975, and the realm of Angmar cast down, but the
other Lossoth an opportunity for such a hunt, regard- King of Angmar remains a figure of mythic terror to the
less of the weather. Lossoth, and they insist he still troubles the world.

36
 M essing A bout in B oats

6. THE STONE OF THE HAPLESS

Here, on the highest spot of the island, is a green burial-­
mound, and atop the mound is a carved grave-­marker, a
great square-­sided stone. Words are engraved on this ancient
stone by two different hands, but neither inscription can
be read for the stone is so worn by thousands of years of
wind and rain.

7. THE HAUNTED WOOD

Spirits — the same evil spirits who brought a storm down
on the characters as they arrived at the Isle — haunt this
wood. Most are bodiless, able only to affect the weather or to
strike fear into the hearts of mortals, but others have taken
on physical form, inhabiting the corpses of those who have
perished here. Some wear the bodies of Lossoth-­hunters who
came here in the Fell Winter of 2911; others are skeletons
garbed in leaf-­mould and bramble, crawling things of yellow
and rotten bone.
While these spirits can be found throughout the wood,
they cluster around the hollow (location 8) — except when
anyone tries to leave the Isle by sea, in which case the spirits
leap into the sky and whip up a storm.

MEETING THE MOURNER any came here. I dared think I might sleep, but now the
As the heroes explore the mound near the Stone of the Shadow is rising once again, and the stories are retold.
Hapless (location 6), they suddenly become aware that To you I say: Go home. Live and laugh. Turn aside from
there is an old, old Woman sitting in the shadow of the the quest. Only doom waits for you.”
stone. She is a ghost, or something like a ghost. If she Ask each of the Player-­heroes if they wish to follow
had a name, it is long lost. Now, she is closer to an arche- the ghost’s advice and give up adventuring. On the off-­
type; she is every mother who mourns her lost son, taken chance that a player decides to retire their hero, their
by war or questing; she is everyone left behind when a next one gains +5 points to their Previous Experience.
loved one goes down the Road to adventure. Call her That player continues to play their hero until the end of
the Mourner. the current Adventuring Phase, and may then create a
The characters likely recognise her as the figure from replacement Player-­hero with more of an appetite for
their dreams. peril.
“My son lies here,” she whispers, “and the waters took Once they have all declared their intention to con-
my daughter. They fought the Enemy, and all that was tinue, the ghost turns to the Heir.
left to me was sorrow and stories. They are gone. They “One of your kinsmen came here, many years ago.
are gone, and I weep.” She looks up at the characters, He should have heeded my words; instead, now he too
and her gaze is like a spear of ice. “Others have come is bound to this world of sorrow. I say to you a third time
here, so many others. Stories brought them, and sorrow — turn aside. Go home.”
follows them. To them I said, go home. Live and laugh. If the Heir continues to refuse, the ghost extends a
Turn aside from the quest.” She lowers her head again. bony finger, pointing deeper into the wood, and then
“They never listen. But it has been a long, long time since vanishes.

37
CHAPTER 2

Wights and Wraiths UNHOUSED WRAITHS ATTRIBUTE LEVEL

The spirits haunting the island come in two forms — Hungry, Fierce
embodied Wood-­w ights and disembodied Unhoused 1
Wraiths. The Wood-­wights lurk in the underbrush or bur-
ied in shallow graves, waiting for unwary victims. If a trav- ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR
eller perishes, a disembodied wight gains a new physical
shell to dwell in. The Unhoused Wraiths torment and bewil-
4 1 4 — 0
der travellers in the wood; they strike fear into their hearts,
cause their sight to darken, and make the terrain impos- COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: —
sibly confusing and scary. When a disembodied wraith is
nearby, the trees seem to move and whisper; tree-­roots FELL ABILITIES: Bodyless. The creature cancels all Endur-
and branches claw at the travellers, and a foul and freez- ance loss and Wounds that do not come from fire or
ing wind howls through the wood. weapons with a Bane of the Undead.
Fear of Fire. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of
WOOD-­W IGHTS ATTRIBUTE LEVEL each round it is engaged in close combat with an adver-
Dreadful, Rotten sary wielding a torch or other sort of burning item.
4 Heartless. This creature is unaffected by the Intim-
idate Foe combat task, unless a Magical success is
ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR obtained.
Invisible. This creature is invisible, and AWARENESS ,
16 1 4 — 2 HUNTING , SCAN , and attack rolls against it lose (2d) and
are Ill-­favoured. A Player-­hero who obtains a Magical
COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Claws (4/14, Seize) success on an AWARENESS or SCAN roll can see the crea-
ture normally and ignores all penalties for the rest of the
FELL ABILITIES: Denizen of the Dark. All attack rolls are fight.
Favoured while in darkness. Strike Fear. Spend 1 Hate to make all Player-­heroes
Fear of Fire. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of in sight gain 2 Shadow points (Dread). Those who fail
each round it is engaged in close combat with an adver- their Shadow test are daunted and cannot spend Hope
sary wielding a torch or other sort of burning item. for the rest of the fight.
Deathless. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound. Spend
1 Hate to reset to full Endurance when reduced to zero
Endurance. Ineffective against Player-­heroes wielding a
Bane weapon (Undead). Elwing daughter of Eagre is trapped within the cave —
Heartless. This creature is unaffected by the Intim- and, buried in the mud where she lies, is the hilt of an ancient
idate Foe combat task, unless a Magical success is sword. A skeletal hand still clutches the sword. (Optionally,
obtained. if you wish to gird other characters with magical items, there
Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of the might be other treasures in the grave too.)
battle all Player-­heroes in sight of one or more creatures When the Heir first sees the sword, take them aside and
with this ability gain 2 Shadow points (Dread). Those run The Heir’s Vision, page 39.
who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot If a character draws the sword from the mud, they find
spend Hope for the rest of the fight. that the blade is quite crudely made, as if forged in haste or
by one who had little smith-­craft. That said, veins of some curi-
ous black substance run through the steel, and have gathered
at the point and edges of the blade, which have remained
8. THE HOLLOW keen despite long centuries of neglect. See The Hero’s Sword,
In the heart of the eastern portion of the wood is a small, page 40.
shallow cave, a hole in the hillside. The wights lurk in the The Wood-­wights are bound to destroy the wielder of the
shadows of the trees here, but dare not enter the cave for fear blade, even though they fear its touch. See The Sword and the
of the sword that rests there. Wights, page 40.

38
 M essing A bout in B oats

ELWING The Lossoth do not immediately disobey Jagat or turn

Eagre’s daughter has been trapped in this cave by the on the Player-­heroes — but if it seems like the Player-­heroes
Wood-­wights for weeks. She is half-­mad with hunger offer no solution to the plight of the Lossoth, or if Eagre acts
and terror, and half-­dead from exposure, but still against them, then the Lossoth may rise up against Jagat and
she clings to life. If she were well, she could tell the attack the heroes. Assume two hunters per hero.
heroes how she came here — how she sailed north,
following her father’s example, and ended up living
with the Lossoth of the Ice-­bay. If she were well, she LOSSOTH HUNTER ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
could speak of the journey with Jagat to this isle, and Tough, Wary
the strange dreams that drew her to the Stone of the 4
Hapless. She could speak of how the old Woman’s
ghost showed her a vision of her father Eagre, drunk ENDURANCE MIGHT RESOLVE PARRY ARMOUR
and despairing in the shadows of the Queen’s Hall
in Lond Daer. She could proudly proclaim that she
16 1 4 +1 2
rejected the old ghost’s vision and pressed on into
the wood, to where she found this sword. COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Spear 3 (4/14, Pierce)
And if she had not found the sword, she
might still be well. Touching the sword roused the FELL ABILITIES: Thick Hide. Spend 1 Resolve to gain (2d)
Wood-­wights, and nearly drove her mad with the on a Protection roll.
memory of ancient fears. Now, all that Elwing can
do is moan and mutter about the ‘dreadful hill’
and the ‘oath’ and ‘the pursuing shadows.’ EAGRE’S WRATH
If the characters bring her down out of the If Eagre suspects that his daughter Elwing is lost forever
wood and get her back to safety, then she might through shipwreck or misadventure, then he blames the Los-
be healed at Rivendell or Mithlond, or restored by soth and calls on the Player-­heroes to support him in demand-
patient care in her father’s house. But right now, ing answers — and even then, he is loath to believe any answers
Elwing is unwell, and needs the characters’ help. he gets. A successful PERSUADE or ENHEARTEN roll can convince
Eagre to stay his hand, as can promising to search for Elwing.
However, if the characters ignore Eagre’s worries or fail to
calm him, then he may attack the Lossoth or attempt to leave

Schemes and Trouble

the Isle on board the Seawing, abandoning the Player-­heroes.

THE HEIR’S VISION

THE SUSPICION OF THE LOSSOTH If the Heir touches the sword, they have a strange waking
The Lossoth are not mariners, and do not sail on the open ocean. dream. They see someone crouched in the hollow, next to
Jagat’s followers were swayed by his promises of an unseasonable the blade — it is their ancestor, the Hero. The shade of the
hunt for the island-­beast, and convinced to sail with Elwing in ancient hero speaks to them, saying:
her boat to this island, but now they fear they have made a ter-
rible mistake. Elwing’s boat is wrecked, the Sea-­woman is gone, Three times I came to this grave, this sacred land.
and they are assailed by evil spirits. When the Player-­heroes and Once when I was young and brave, and sought adventure.
Eagre arrive, the Lossoth begin to grumble. “Should we not take Through adventure I won glory at the King’s right hand.
this second boat and sail home, no matter what Jagat says?” suggests Again when the King charged me with a great quest:
one. “All boats are bad luck,” observes another, “and bring ill-­fortune To break the darkness under Amon Guruthos.
to those who sail in them. We ruined our luck by sailing in Elwing’s ship, My courage failed me, and I fled into the west.
and taking this second boat would only make things worse.” I forged a sword and my courage anew.
And a third whispers, “the old stories say it is the Witch-­king I found brave companions and set out again.
who controls the winds and holds the fealty of ghosts. We must win But it was not enough. The darkness broke us.
his favour if we are to survive. Of old our ancestors knew spells and I alone survived. I fled, pursued by phantoms.
offerings that pleased him, and I still remember some of them. Let A third time I returned. A third time pays for all.
his enemies be our enemies.” A third time I came to the grave of heroes to die, and wait for thee.

39
CHAPTER 2

NEW FELLOWSHIP UNDERTAKING: HUNTING THE FASTITOCALON

JOURNEY TO THE STONE The great Fastitocalon, called Limlug by the Elves,
OF THE HAPLESS is a tremendous beast — not serpent, nor whale,
Great power and majesty they still wore, the silent nor turtle, but partaking of elements of all three.
wardens of a long-­vanished kingdom. The creatures grow a carapace or shell as armour,
but as they age so much dirt and debris catches on
By visiting the graves on the Isle of the Mother, and the upper plates of this armour that elder beasts
considering how those buried there struggled against have been mistaken for islands.
the enemy, a weary Hero may find new purpose. Should the Lore­master want to test the mettle
of the Company, they may be made to encounter
Choose this Undertaking to recover a num- the Fastitocalon while sailing in the northern seas,
ber of points of Hope equal to the number or while hunting with the Lossoth. Facing the great
of Shadow Scars you bear. sea-­beast is worthy of an adventure by itself.

NEW FELLOWSHIP UNDERTAKING:

HUNT WITH THE LOSSOTH
The counsel of the Lossoth was good, by chance
or foresight. FASTITOCALON ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
Fierce, Vengeful
A hero may contribute to the well-­being of the 10
Lossoth-­folk and win their trust by going hunting
with them along the shores of the Ice-­bay of Forochel. ENDURANCE MIGHT RESOLVE PARRY ARMOUR

Choose this Undertaking to count the Los-

120 3 10 — 4
soth summer camp on the southern coast
of the Ice-­bay as a safe haven for the dura- COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Bite 3 (6/20, Pierce), Thrash 3
tion of the next Adventuring Phase. (10/12, Break Shield)

FELL ABILITIES: Hideous Toughness. When an attack inflicts

damage to the Fastitocalon that would cause it to go to
zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then,
THE HERO’S SWORD if the creature is still alive, it returns to full Endurance.
The sword forged by the long-­dead hero is named Estelang, Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing
the Unyielding Hope. The sword is notable for the Blow, spend 1 Resolve to make the target’s Protection
strange black veins that run through the blade, roll Ill-­favoured.
traces of some other metal that adulterates the steel. Thick Hide. Spend 1 Resolve to gain (2d) on a Pro-
It is a blade of Númenórean Craftsmanship, and is tection roll.
made to be the Bane of Undead and Evil Men. It has the
Qualities of Superior Fell, Superior Grievous, and Keen.
It also has another magical property — when wielded The characters have two options.
against Undead, it removes their Heartless fell ability, and ♦ They could break the sword, or throw it into the ocean,
makes them Craven instead (when affected by the Intim- or otherwise render it beyond use. This does deal with
idate Foe combat task, that creature also loses 1 Hate). the threat of the Wood-­wights — with the sword gone,
the spirits’ task is done, and they can return to the
THE SWORD AND THE WIGHTS Hill of Fear.
If a Player-­hero — ideally, the Heir — claims the sword, ♦ The other, more perilous but more worthy, option is
then all the Wood-­wights converge on the hollow. No longer to hold against the tide of darkness. The characters
do they haunt the wood, no longer do they ride the winds must survive a battle with a host of Wood-­wights. The
and call up storms; they all rush towards the sword, seeking Wood-­wights all suffer from Fear of Fire, so between the
to destroy the new wielder and end the threat of the sword. magic of the sword and a bonfire, the characters have
A howling darkness gathers, shaking the trees and striking a chance of success. Assume there is one Wood-­wight
terror into the hearts of the heroes. On the shore below, per Player-­hero, plus countless Unhoused Wraiths —
the Lossoth hide, dismayed by this newest terrible omen. but if all the Wood-­wights are defeated, the spirits flee.

40
 M essing A bout in B oats

If the Player-­heroes are in dire need, then offer the Heir a for the rest of the combat. However, the oath now binds the
choice. If the Heir takes on the burden of their ancestor’s Heir, and they must dedicate themselves to destroying the
oath, then all the Player-­heroes gain (1d) on all attack rolls Hill of Fear — a task no hero has accomplished in all the
and Shadow tests, and enemies lose (1d) on all attack rolls Ages of the world.

Part 4: H omeward Bound

Once the spirits are defeated, travellers may once again depart Even if a character has sworn an oath to destroy the Hill,
from the Isle. charging off into the wilderness without any clue of where
Elwing’s ship can be repaired with wood from the forest, they are going or what they will do there is utter folly. A wiser
given time. Alternatively, the Lossoth may crowd onto the Sea- option is to seek out scholars and lore-­masters who might
wing alongside the Player-­heroes. If Eagre and the Lossoth are know something of the wars of old.
on good terms, he gives them passage as far as the edge of the ♦ A Patron like Círdan or Gandalf can warn the charac-
Ice Bay of Forochel; otherwise, he leaves them on the coast ter about the perils of the Hill; how it has long been
of Lindon, from where they must make their own way home. a stronghold of evil powers, and how even the bravest
If the characters part on good terms with the Lossoth, souls have fled the darkness beneath — but even they
then Jagat invites them to visit their cold homeland in Forod- do not know precisely where the Hill might be.
waith, and suggests they return to the Isle of the Mother in ♦ Elrond, the Lore­master of Rivendell, knows more
some future year to hunt the Fastitocalon. “Surely,” he says, specifically where the Hill is located — it lies beyond
“we will have better luck then.” the Mountains of Angmar, in the lonely land between
Shaken by his experience and the travails of his daughter, the last mountain and the Ice Bay of Forochel. How-
Eagre hastens to return to the safety of Lond Daer. No more ever, the Hill is said to be hard to find, and the paths
will he tell stories of wild voyages and heroic exploits; he now around it are treacherous.
intends to stay close to home, and to cherish what he has. He One member of Elrond’s household has been to
encourages Elwing, too, to give up her wandering. the Hill. Glor­findel went there in the days after the
In Lond Daer, the seer Aglaen is alarmed to discover that Battle of Fornost, and entered into the caves below. If
his vision proved mostly correct. He has spent years being asked, the Elf-­lord shakes his head. “I saw nothing. Bones
an unsuccessful astrologer; to have an accurate prediction and dust, but nothing more. Whatever power once resided there
shakes him to his bones. was gone — fled, I would guess, into the darkness beyond the
Gandalf, if he encouraged the heroes to set off on the circles of this world. But if it was not destroyed, then it could
quest, says nothing, but his gaze lingers on the sword recov- be called back by the malice of the Enemy.” Glorfindel recalls
ered from the Isle, and he draws on his pipe with quiet approaching the hill via an underground tunnel; he
satisfaction. hunted Orcs and Trolls in the dark places there.

Seeking Amon Guruthos A Last Dream

The location of Amon Guruthos, the Hill of Fear, is a mystery. Pick one of the Player-­heroes. That character has one last dream
Old tales suggest it lies somewhere in the trackless wastes some weeks after leaving the Isle of the Mother. They dream of
of the Forodwaith, beyond the mountains of Angmar. Other the day they left the Isle, and in the dream they look back to
accounts note that the Hill is ‘black as a burnt heath’, which does the shore, and there they see the figure of the ghostly Mourner
not fit at all with a location in the snowy lands of the far north. keening on the shore. The island beyond seems to change, the
waters somehow becoming the snowy plains of the north, the
Elwing, if questioned about her time with the Lossoth, mound becoming a dark and terrible hill — the Hill of Fear.
has no knowledge of such a Hill — but she does men- All the character hears is the weeping of the Mourner as
tion that the Lossoth were ill-­at-­ease, as if troubled by the shadow of that hill rises up and crushes the little boat car-
bad dreams, and there were rumours of Orcs moving rying the Company. They are all lost in the darkness.
in the far north. But it was only a dream.

41
 CHAPTER 3

KINGS OF
LITTLE KINGDOMS
That’s haunted land, they say.
None but a robber would go there.
CHAPTER 3

f you have heard a quarter of the tales about Gandalf, then impressionable Dwarf called Grungi, or even a visiting trader
you will know the sort of dangerous person he is. Off wan- from far-­off Dale. (Neither Elves nor Rangers are suitable, as
dering the road without so much as a by-­your-­leave, drift- should be plain.)
ing from town to town like some sort of vagabond. The

The False Wizard

things he does! Encouraging young lads and lasses to go off on
adventures of all sorts! And the worst thing is, no-­one has the
courage to put a stop to his meddling! Even formerly respect- In truth, this has nothing to do with Gandalf at all — the vil-
able sorts, Gentlehobbits like the Old Took or Baggins of Bag lain of this piece is an outlaw named Osmer. Everyone’s heard
End, or sober businessmen like Butterbur — they indulge the of Gandalf, and everyone knows what he looks like, so it was
old rogue, when they should be setting the Shirriffs on him! easy for Osmer to hide his features behind a big white beard,
No, Gandalf is bad news. some false eyebrows and a grey cloak and wide-­brimmed hat.
So when a mother pleads with the Player-­heroes to fetch her Now all of Osmer’s crimes will be attributed to Gandalf, and if
son Hamfast back from Gandalf’s company, what do they do? anyone comes looking for him, he can strip off his disguise in
This adventure is assumed to start in Bree, but it works a trice. Taking Gandalf’s identity also makes it easy for Osmer
best if the young lad is related to one of the Player-­heroes — to recruit new henchmen — poor simple Hamfast thinks he
so, instead of a Bree-­boy named Hamfast as the quarry of this is off on an adventure, while he has actually fallen in with a
quest, you could substitute a Hobbit-­lass named Daisy or an band of outlaws…

OTHER ROADS TO ADVENTURE ALTERNATE FOOLISH YOUTHS

The Lore­m aster may wish to move this adventure to FOOLISH TROUBLED
LOCATION YOUTH MOTHER
somewhere other than Bree; if that is the case, then the
descriptions and names presented in the text must be Bree Hamfast Lucinda Willow
adjusted accordingly.
Whitfurrows Daisy Bella Brockhouse
Other ways to involve the Player-­heroes include:
♦ A Ranger or Patron asks the Company to deal with Halls of the Dwarves Grungi Freri
thieves on the road east of Bree.
On the Road Sigfred Una
♦ While travelling, the Company is caught in bad
weather, and must take shelter in the House of
Farrell.
♦ If you played through A Troll-­hole, if Ever There
Was One (page 9), then Scylda might be the
impressionable youth lured away by “Gandalf”.

44
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

Part 1: A Mother’s Plea

The heroes are stopped by Lucinda Willow of Bree. If she’s not merely prominent, but astounding. It sounds like some-
related to one of the Player-­heroes, then she approaches her one masquerading as the Wizard…
relative with a worried look on her face. Otherwise, she intro-
duces herself more violently, swatting one of the heroes with LOOKING FOR RUMOURS
her broom and accosting them. “You’re one of them adventur- If the Player-­heroes ask around the neighbourhood, they
ers, aren’t you? Well, what are you going to do about my Hamfast?” learn that Gandalf was seen in several other places nearby —
Between sobs (or whacks from the broom), Lucinda in taverns, on the road, and in the company of some rough-­
reveals: looking Men. None of these places are Gandalf’s usual haunts;
♦ Her son Hamfast left home two weeks ago and went for example, if the Company is in Bree, then Gandalf did not
off into the Wild. She knows he’s gone in the direction visit the Pony, but was instead observed extorting free drinks
of Deadman’s Dike (if you move the adventure west at the bar of the Lamplighter Inn in Staddle (see The One
to Ered Luin, then replace that with another location Ring, page 186).
connected with the old kingdom of Arthedain).
♦ She’s heard that ‘the old Wizard Gandalf’ was hanging INTRIGUE IN THE HILLS
around Bree at the same time, and that he was talking Osmer — the would-­be outlaw chief who’s disguising himself
to Hamfast. Clearly, the Wizard has bewitched her boy, as a Wizard — has a plan. On a previous journey, he discov-
or at least filled his head with all sorts of nonsense. ered the ruins of an old watchtower, close to the East road.
♦ Gandalf told Hamfast that there was treasure to be That, he thought to himself, would be a marvellous spot from
found up at the Dike, and that they needed a great which to rob travellers. There are two obstacles to this plan
warrior to help defend the expedition. — one known, and one unknown.
♦ “Ham’s no hero. He’s not the sort to go swinging swords or The known obstacle is the House of Farrell, a farmstead
fighting Trolls. He left the house without so much as a travel- located only a short distance from the ruined watchtower.
ling cloak, the big idiot! Please, please, go get him back.” Osmer intends to murder Farrell, or at least force the old
farmer to serve him, and claim the farmstead for his own.

The Mystery of Gandalf

Osmer’s first attack on Farrell’s farmhouse met with unex-
pected difficulties, but he intends to try again.
While Player-­heroes who have never met Gandalf may see The unknown obstacle is a misfortune that Osmer could
nothing untoward in this tale of a Wizard recruiting some not have predicted, even if he really was a Wizard. Far away in
farmboy for an epic quest, characters who have met him or the north, beyond the Mountains of Angmar, the Hill of Fear
have him as a Patron may have reason to be suspicious. Some- is stirring, woken by agents of the Enemy. Spirits and wraiths
thing about the tale just sounds off. If they press Lucinda for are abroad in the land once more, and one such shade has
a description of Gandalf, they spot inconsistencies — the inhabited the corpse of a long-­dead warrior.
Wizard’s hat is blue, not grey, and he wears a silver scarf. His A warrior who is interred in the crypt of the very tower
beard is long, but not especially bristly, and his eyebrows are Osmer intends to occupy…

Part 2: Following the Trail

According to Lucinda, Hamfast and “Gandalf” were heading The journey takes the Company away from the road, into
towards Deadman’s Dike (see The One Ring, page 196), so the the Lone-­lands. “Gandalf” takes a curious route, for the trail
heroes have some idea where to go. A successful HUNTING leads through thorny thickets and trudges through marshes
roll lets them pick up the trail without delay (a failed roll full of biting flies. Stranger still, the route no longer heads
means the Company takes the wrong route and must double towards Deadman’s Dike, but follows a long loop that arcs
back, adding a few days to their journey). east, then south until the Company find themselves heading
back towards the road.

45
CHAPTER 3

Finally, they come to a fold in the hills east of Weathertop but they scowl all the while as if meeting with anyone not
(If you’ve moved this adventure, then it’s near some other of their family is a great imposition. In years past, Farrell’s
point on the Road, or a river crossing — anywhere that would father gave grudging shelter to passing Rangers, but of late
make a good lair for outlaws!). Rangers are more likely to be told to stay off his land lest he
Ahead, on a hilltop, they see a fortified farmstead sur- set the dogs on them. Still, while rude and unpleasant, he’s
rounded by a sturdy wall. Smoke rises from its chimney — and not an Evil Man — he may dislike his fellow Men, but he’s
also from the smouldering remains of one of the outhouses. no friend of Orcs.
Some misfortune has recently befallen the place. If the heroes approach the house, run Part 3: The House
Bree-­folk or experienced travellers in these parts know of Farrell.
the House of Farrell. The farmer and his kin live on the edge The trail peters out amid the scree fallen from the heights;
of the wild, for Farrell has no great love of people. His sons an extraordinary HUNTING success could find more of a trail
bring their cart into the market at Archet every few months, leading to Part 4: The Ruined Tower (page 49).

Part 3: The House of Farrell

If the characters approach Farrell’s house after nightfall, or strangeness with them. With the next breath he grumbles that
with weapons drawn, then Farrell and his family loose arrows there are too few people on the Road lately, and that some-
and hurl stones at them, and shout at them to begone! Dogs thing should be done about all the outlaws. He complains that
bark loudly behind the walls of the compound, and it is clear there are all sorts of troublemakers about these days, Orcs
that the farmstead was expecting some attack. A COURTESY and Goblins and Bandits, and numbers Rangers among them.
roll convinces them to stop their counter-­assault. If asked about either Hamfast and “Gandalf”, Farrell says
If the characters approach in broad daylight and do not the only people he’s seen around lately are the outlaws who
appear threatening, then they’re hailed by Farrell as they tried to raid his farmstead last night. They came up the hill
climb the path towards his house. “What do you want?” he and tried to climb over the wall into the chicken coop, and
demands. If convinced that the Player-­heroes are not immedi- young Farweld here raised the alarm. The intruders had weap-
ately hostile, he coughs loudly, spits, and invites them into his ons, and struck at some of Farrell’s household, and he and his
compound (but not his house) to talk to them out of the wind. boys responded in kind. No one was slain, as far as he knows,
but he believes some of the outlaws were wounded.

An Audience with Farrell

♦ No one knows where the outlaws went, but some of
them were limping, having been struck in the legs with
Farrell shows the characters a spot sheltered from the constant arrows. They can’t have gone far. A successful INSIGHT
wailing wind by his high walls. There are two old benches there, or RIDDLE roll suggests Farrell knows more about the
and a firepit. He sits on one bench, a sword across his lap. His hiding place of the outlaws than he is willing to reveal
two sons (Farrell the younger and Farweld) stand behind him. at this point. (Farrell suspects the outlaws are hiding
His wife Ernalda, his daughters-­in-­law Poppy and Tulla, and a in the ruined tower, but cannot be sure — and would
few servants watch nervously from the house. His dogs prowl prefer to keep the adventurers guarding his farmstead
around, sniffing at the newcomers before lying down by the fire. instead of running off into the wild).
While there is no need for a full Council scene here, Far- ♦ If asked, Farrell the Younger volunteers that he thinks
rell is suspicious of strangers, and unwelcoming. Players may he saw a “tall, bearded old man with a pointy hat” direct-
try to win his favour by showing respect, or by telling a tale or ing the assault on the chicken coop. He has never met
singing a song (rolls of RIDDLE , COURTESY or SONG can help; Gandalf, but his father Farrell the Elder knows the
Farrell remains suspicious and rude towards any characters Wizard by reputation, and is convinced he is a fraud.
who fail). During the meeting, Farrell launches into a litany (“Fireworks and cheap tricks, feh!”)
of complaints, directed at whichever character seems to be ♦ A roll of SCAN notes that Farweld is oddly silent,
in charge. He complains that there are more people on the despite being the one who raised the alarm. If ques-
Road in recent years, more Dwarves and Bardings and other tioned, he admits that he was up at night because he
strange folk, coming over the mountains and bringing their thinks he saw something. His father grumbles that the

46
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

boy is soft-­headed and dream-­addled and there is no

point in listening to him, but if reassured (or asked Other Members of the Household
privately) Farweld says that he swears he saw a “giant ERNALDA, Farrell’s Wife is a quiet, calm contrast to her foul-­
walking down from the north, like a man made of snow and tempered husband. She is descended from wild folk who
darkness, only tall as a mountain”. once dwelled in the shadowy valleys of old Rhudaur, and
never speaks of her past. She is devoted to Farrell and will
Assuming the Player-­heroes have not offended him, Farrell never speak against him.
grudgingly suggests that they can stay the night “not as guests,
mind you!” They can earn their keep clearing out the remains FARRELL’S SONS: The elder boy, Farrell the Younger, is con-
of the burnt shed. And if the raiders return, why, it would be vinced that he is more than ready to take over as head of
good to have more eager hands to defend the House. the household, and that his father is fit for nothing but
drinking by the fire and telling stories of the good old
days. He is married to Poppy, a Woman of Bree, who
agrees that old Farrell should give the farmstead over to
her husband. She and Ernalda quarrel bitterly.
His younger brother Farweld is a day-­d reamer,
enchanted by stories of heroes and monsters, but he
neglects his chores. His father arranged a marriage for Far-
weld to Tulla, Poppy’s younger sister. Tulla hates living here
in the middle of nowhere and yearns to return to Bree.

A Night at Farrell’s H ouse

Several events happen during the night. The Lore­master
should consider having one event befall each member of
the Company, so one character overhears Farrell’s sons con-
spiring, another has bad dreams, a third spots the lurking
outlaws and so forth.

FARRELL DRINKS HEAVILY

After a meagre and grudging supper, Farrell the Elder pro-
duces a bottle of wine from the Southfarthing and proceeds
to drink it all himself. Half-­drunk, he wobbles over and ties
up his two dogs near the main gate so they can keep watch.
(“Better sentries than all of ye!” he mutters.) He grows angry if
Farrell the Elder anyone questions him, and barks out orders to keep watch for
One has to be tough to survive here on the edge of the a second attack until he finally falls asleep and snores loudly. If
Wild, and Farrell is certainly tough, like old leather. He woken, he leaps up, brandishing the empty bottle as a weapon.
is the petty tyrant of his little dominion, and tolerates no If any of the Player-­heroes are unlucky enough to cross his
dissent among his family or servants, but he is not delib- path, then he seizes upon some aspect of their personality
erately cruel — merely impatient and hot-­tempered. The or appearance that annoys him and berates them at length.
growing weakness of his ageing body frustrates him, as
he believes that neither of his sons are ready to take over THE SONS CONSPIRE
as head of the household. Farrell the younger and Farweld meet in secret in a shadowy
corner of the compound. Both are nervous — Farrell fears
OCCUPATION: Farmer that they won’t be able to protect the farmstead, and that once
the adventurers leave, they’ll be overrun. Farweld mutters
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Stern, Rustic about the giant he saw last night, and fears that it signifies
approaching danger.

47
CHAPTER 3

If an adventurer makes themself known, then Farrell the land near the main gate. Unless stopped, the dogs fall upon
Younger asks them for their counsel — what should Farrell the parcel eagerly and devour it. If intercepted, the parcel is
do about his stubborn father? The world is becoming darker found to contain a lump of raw meat.
and more dangerous with each passing year, and old Farrell The two intruders flee back down the hill; they can be
will not change. How long should a son wait for his father followed back to the ruined tower.
to see sense?
SICK DOGS
FIRE IN THE VALLEY If the dogs ate the parcel, then they both fall sick — Osmer
While looking out at the dark valley, and the moonlit rib- poisoned the meat. The dogs perish unless a Player-­hero suc-
bon of the Road, a keen-­eyed Player-­hero spots a flash of ceeds at a HEALING roll.
flame in the distance — a successful SCAN roll allows them

Farrell Awakes
to determine that someone has lit a torch with a flint. The
light vanishes a moment later, but the character now knows
the location of the old watchtower. The next morning, Farrell the Elder awakens, much the worse
for wear. He grumbles about how badly he slept — stupid
BAD DREAMS dreams about a dark tower, or a hill, or somesuch. Oh, the
A sleeping Player-­hero has a strange and disturbing dream of adventurers are still here? Well, if they want breakfast, they’ll
a great hill, black against a snowy landscape. Somehow, the have to pay again, given they were no help repelling attackers
character feels that the hill is getting closer, or larger, like it during the night…
is going to crash down on them or swallow them up, like a
wave of earth tumbling into a grave… the disturbing dream
is worth 1 Shadow point (Dread).
The character is not the only person in the farmstead to
have such a dream; some of the servants are troubled by the
same vision, as is Farweld. He interprets it as another vision
of the giant he’s dreamed of before, and wakes in terror, FARRELL’S MADNESS
screaming for help. His young wife Tulla comforts him, but The shadow of the Hill of Fear falls across Farrell
grumbles to anyone nearby that this sort of thing never hap- the Elder in this adventure. His dreams of the
pened back home in Bree, and curses the fate that brought dark hill — and the growing burden of despair
her to this desolate farmstead. that comes with those dreams — may not be
especially important to the events of Kings of Lit-
A SHAPE IN THE DARK tle Kingdoms, but if the Player-­heroes return to
One character (ideally, an Elf) senses an eerie presence that the farmstead in later years, they see the effects
troubles their rest. Looking out, they glimpse for a moment of the Hill on Farrell. He seems to age faster and
a shape moving in the valley, and hear a distant howling on faster, and is consumed with thoughts of death.
the cold north wind. A successful AWARENESS roll lets them He grows ever more jealous of the youth of his
spot the dark shape descending towards a tangled thicket sons, and quarrels with them, until eventually he
near the road (the location of the ruined tower.) strikes Farrell the Younger while in a drunken stu-
por, killing the young Man. Over time, the other
INTRUDERS! members of his household flee one by one, until
A Look-­out or other watchman spots movement about the only Farweld remains with his father. The two sit
lower slopes of the hill. A successful AWARENESS roll (lose up in the dark of the night, listening to whispers
(1d) due to the darkness) allows them to distinguish a pair of from the ruined tower…
outlaws climbing up. These outlaws do not attempt to enter
the compound, but instead throw a parcel over the wall to

48
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

Part 4: The Ruined Tower

Not far ahead were dreary hills, rising higher and higher, dark with trees. On some of them
were old castles with an evil look, as if they had been built by wicked people.

RUMOUR tomb, was a library where travellers could rest and peruse the
It’s dangerous to leave the Road. You might fall into some long-­ teachings of Gwendaith.
abandoned cellar or sunken path, and break a leg, and then where Now, many centuries later, long after the North-­kingdom
are you? Lost and alone and meat for Trolls, what’s where! Don’t was divided, the tomb was left unattended and it became over-
leave the path! grown. Mud filled the tomb, and the library was looted. Gwen-
daith’s name and deeds were forgotten. When war came, sol-
OLD LORE diers in the service of some petty king found the remains of
The borders of the former kingdoms are dotted with ruins of watch- the tomb and said ‘here is good stone and solid foundations,
towers and border forts. The heirs of Elendil grew to mistrust each built with craft we have forgotten; let us quarry it to make a
other, and built many castles on their borders as they squabbled over watchtower.’ They discovered the tomb of Gwendaith as they
territory. Then, war came from Angmar, and they built yet more did, but her spirit had gone to whatever fate awaits Mortals,
fortifications to defend against the dark hosts of the Witch-­king. and no ghost lingered there. The Men of Angmar overran the
Alas! Many of the secrets of building were lost over the centuries, north, and the tower was forgotten once more, and it too fell
and the Men of the later kingdoms were forced to loot the ancient into ruin. Ruin on ruin, that was the fate of the North-­kingdom.
monuments of Arnor for good stone. They tore down palaces and Some years ago, the outlaw Osmer found the overgrown
tombs to build their little castles, and who knows what things of remains of the tower, and saw that it was a good place to
beauty and worth were lost in those dark days? ambush travellers on the Road. However, he could not recruit
more cut-­throats to this plan, for it is a superstition among

Background
many in Eriador that the ruins of the old kingdoms are
haunted. Osmer’s solution was to masquerade as a Wizard,
In the days of Elendil there lived a spear-­maiden named Gwen- for surely a Wizard could drive away ghosts…
daith; she marched to war as part of the Last Alliance, and won

ocations
honour in the battle against the Enemy. She fought in the siege
of Barad-­dûr, and when Anárion was slain, she guarded his body L

so that Orcs and Trolls might not defile it. She returned to the
North-­kingdom after the war, and was one of the counsellors of 1. TO THE ROAD
Valandil for a time. She ruled her domain well, and when her The great East Road (or whatever thoroughfare you’ve sit-
daughter was of age she gave up her spear and spent her last uated the tower near) lies in this direction. From the top
years studying and writing. In time, when her work was done, of the watchtower, approaching travellers can be seen at a
she breathed out her last strength and was laid to rest in a tomb distance in either direction, but the immediate area around
built in the fashion of Númenor. This tomb was a monument the tower is hilly and overgrown, offering plenty of cover for
by the Road, a square building of marble that flashed in the stealth or ambush.
young sun. Inside, around the carven sarcophagus, were murals
depicting the deeds of Gwendaith, and travellers came from 2. TO FARRELL’S HOUSE
far away to see this wonder. Above, on the upper level of the Farrell’s farmstead lies in this direction.

49
CHAPTER 3

3. TANGLED BRACKEN AND UNDERGROWTH

Fox-­paths run through this bracken, so the outlaws can move
without impediment. Those who don’t know the paths must
trample through the thorn bushes — all attempts at STEALTH
lose (1d).

4. OLD WALLS
The walls of the fallen watchtower are made of stone salvaged
from the old tomb, so in places the stonework is excellent, in
others less good. Weathered carvings leer from beneath the
moss. The gaps in the walls are small enough that a single
fighter could block entry.

5. THE BANDIT CAMP

The bandits — or ‘adventurers’ — make their lair here. There
are more robbers than Player-­heroes (assume two robbers per
hero). About half the robbers are dark-­hearted rogues and
outlaws (use the stats for Highway Robbers); the others are
new recruits (use the stats for Footpads), fooled by Osmer into
running away on an adventure with ‘Gandalf’. Osmer has told
them that the House of Farrell is actually the fortress of an evil
Wizard, and that the chickens are actually innocent children
under a curse. He has also told them that the evil sorcerer can
enchant people at a distance; if any of the outlaws feel doubt or
think of leaving, then that’s definitely Farrell trying to ensor-
cel them — and if any of them actually try to leave, then they
must be under Farrell’s spell, and must be stopped! (So, if poor
Hamfast or any of the other outlaws tries to leave, they will be 3
denounced as thralls of Farrell and attacked!)

Outlaws
Notable outlaws among the Company include:
♦ HAMFAST, the young Breelander that the heroes
were sent to rescue. Impressionable and not that
bright, Hamfast is only slowly realising that he’s not
on a heroic quest orchestrated by a Wizard.
♦ BREGHEL, an ambitious Ruffian Chief who considers
himself Osmer’s right-­hand man (for now, at least
— he will switch sides and attempt to take over the
band if opportunity arises).
♦ TAM, an unlucky Man who suffered a blow to the
head years ago. His wits are addled, so he is utterly
convinced that Osmer is a genuine Wizard. He will
stay loyal to Osmer no matter what. Use the stats for
a Southerner Raider.

Hamfast

50
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

THE RUINED TOWER

2

9
3

1
3

51
CHAPTER 3

6. THE “WIZARD’S” TOWER

Osmer claimed this upper room as his personal domain. Up
here, he has stashed his ‘wizardly accoutrements’; some jars
filled with coloured water, a pile of old books that, on exam-
ination, turn out to be old ledgers from the Forsaken Inn
(The One Ring, page 190), some chalk for inscribing mystic
diagrams and runes, and a sack of fireworks from Dale, as
well as the proceeds of previous outlawry (a Lesser Hoard).

Osmer the “Wizard”

Osmer is cursed with intelligence without wisdom, ambi-
tion without determination. He prefers to trick and think
his way past problems, and believes everyone else is a fool
who can be tricked or convinced to serve his purposes.
He always blames others for his failures.

OSMER THE “WIZARD” ATTRIBUTE LEVEL

Charlatan, Cunning
4
ENDURANCE MIGHT RESOLVE PARRY ARMOUR

16 1 4 +1 1

COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Staff 3 (3/12), Sword 3 (4/16, Pierce)

FELL ABILITIES: Yell of Triumph. Spend 1 Resolve to restore

1 Resolve to all Evil Men in the fight.
Fireworks! Spend 1 Resolve to light and shoot Fire-
works. Fireworks cause a Severe Endurance loss from
fire to all Player-­heroes in Close Combat stance or Rear-
ward stance (Lore­master’s choice), as per the rules on
page 134 of The One Ring. Targets who lose at least 1
Endurance are also set on fire, suffering a Moderate
Endurance loss at the end of each combat round, unless
they put out the fire as their main action for the round.

52
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

7. THE SUNKEN STAIRS 8. CELLARS/LOWER TOMB

These stairs lead down to the cellars of the old watchtower. These cellars once contained the tomb of Gwendaith. The
To avoid detection by the ‘evil Wizard’, Osmer forbids the slow settling of the land filled the chamber with earth and
outlaws to light any fires in the open; if they want to cook mud, so the old floor is now buried beneath six feet of dirt,
or stay warm, they have to go down and build a fire in and what was once a high-­ceiling gallery is now cramped.
the cellar. The outlaws keep some provisions here, and there’s a fire
pit near the stairwell. The remains of carvings can be seen
on the walls, although it’s hard to make out details without
close examination. With time, it’s possible to remove some
of the filth and examine the carvings, which depict scenes
from Gwendaith’s long life.

53
CHAPTER 3

9. THE CASKET OF GWENDAITH Schemes and Trouble

The tomb of the Arnorian hero once stood on display here,
but is now buried beneath the accumulated dirt of nearly FEARS IN THE NIGHT
three thousand years. Her body was preserved using the arts The outlaws are afflicted by the same night-­terrors and
of the ancient Númenóreans, and her casket sealed so her dark dreams as the folk of Farrell’s House. They too dream
remains are still intact. of the Hill of Fear, and glimpse strange shapes moving in
An evil spirit from the Hill of Fear now inhabits those the dark — and, as if in answer, a scratching noise echoes
remains. This is a new Wight — not an old Barrow-­wight from the cellar, like long nails scraping against a buried
from the days of Arthedain, but a fresh horror called up by coffin lid…
the growing power of the Hill of Fear. For now, it’s still sealed Osmer — in his persona as “Gandalf” — tries to reas-
in the casket, but it’s digging its way out. Scratch by scratch, sure his followers. “Be not afraid, my good fellows. You’ve got a
inch by inch, it digs itself out of the grave to walk the night Wizard with you, and there’s no shade or bogeyman that’ll trouble
and bring despair to Mortals. the world while I’m around. It’s just bad dreams brought on by
If the Wight is defeated and the grave excavated, a Lesser too much cheese!”
Hoard of grave-­goods and ancient Arnorian treasures can be
found beneath the casket. ATTACK ON FARRELL’S HOUSE
The next night, Osmer orders another attack on the tower
of the evil Wizard Farrell. Two outlaws stay back to guard
LONG-­D EAD GWENDAITH ATTRIBUTE LEVEL the tower, while the rest head up the hill. It’s a cloudy night
Cunning, Vengeful with little moonlight. If the dogs were successfully poisoned
5 (see Intruders!, page 48), then the outlaws can sneak close
enough under the cover of darkness, they attack and wound
ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR young Farweld and terrify the servants. The outlaws aren’t
trying to kill everyone in the House — Osmer wants Farrell
20 1 5 — 2 to surrender and yield over the farmstead to him.

COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Chilling Touch 2 (5/12, Seize) A BARGAIN WITH FARRELL THE YOUNGER
If the adventurers only barely repelled the attack last night,
FELL ABILITIES: Denizen of the Dark. All attack rolls are then Farrell the Younger travels to the watchtower in secret
Favoured while in darkness. to strike a bargain with Osmer — if they spare the lives of
Dreadful Spells. Spend 1 Hate to make one Player-­ everyone at the household, then he’ll serve Osmer. Osmer
hero gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery). Targets who fail agrees — on condition that Farrell the Younger gives up the
their Shadow test or who are Miserable fall unconscious troublesome adventurers. Farrell the Younger agrees. In this
and may be roused only with a SONG roll. case, Hamfast becomes bait for the heroes: Osmer lets Ham-
Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start fast go, and Farrell tells the adventurers where to find the boy,
of each round it is exposed to the full light of the sun. knowing the Wight will ambush them as they go in search
Deathless. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound; spend of Hamfast.
1 Hate to reset to full Endurance if reduced to 0 Endur-
ance. Ineffective against Player-­heroes wielding a Bane THE WIGHT RISES
weapon (Undead). Also that night, while most of the outlaws are out attacking
Heartless. Unaffected by the Intimidate Foe combat Farrell’s farmstead, the Wight claws its way out of the grave in
action, unless a Magical success is obtained. the cellar and kills one of the two guards who stayed to watch
Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of the over the tower, and terrifies the other — he may be found
battle all Player-­heroes in sight of one or more creatures shivering in a corner, talking about the ‘ghost’ that came out
with this ability gain 2 Shadow points (Dread). Those of the cellar. The corpse of the second guard is found on the
who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot floor of the cellar, arranged with his spear clasped in his hand
spend Hope for the rest of the fight. like some fallen hero laid to rest. At the break of dawn, the
Wight returns to its lair under the earth.

54
 K ings of L ittle K ingdoms

HAMFAST TRIES TO LEAVE to strike Farrell’s house from the far side. As the sun sets, he
The next morning, a shaken Hamfast mutters that he wants to descends into the cellar and cuts the bonds around Hamfast’s
go back to his mother Lucinda. Osmer gives a speech, declar- feet so the boy can stand. He then cuts Hamfast’s still-­bound
ing that the boy has clearly fallen under the malign influence hand and squeezes his blood over the grave. The Wight wakes
of Farrell. He has two of his loyal henchmen tie Hamfast up and rises from Gwendaith’s grave.
and imprisons him in the cellar for the day. Osmer and his henchmen then make the terrifying climb
That afternoon, Osmer conceives a cruel plan. He has the up the hill, with the Wight stalking them, sniffing the air and
idea of using Hamfast as bait to lure the Wight out of the cellar tasting the trail of blood.
— and then up the hill to the House of Farrell. Osmer knows Unless the Player-­heroes intercede, then Osmer’s grisly
next to nothing about Wights, but he has heard tales of the plan works — the Wight catches and kills Hamfast, but then
Barrow-­downs, and believes that Wights hunger for the blood of turns on Farrell and his household. Farrell the Elder is slain,
the living. So, he will give the monster all the blood it can drink. and most of the household tries to flee, but they run right
into the arms of Osmer’s other robbers and are forced to sur-
THE THIRD ATTACK render. (Osmer abandons his plans to use the ruined watch-
In preparation for the third attack, Osmer sends all but two tower as a base for his banditry, but the House of Farrell
of his brigands off up the hill, ordering them to make ready works almost as well.)

Part 5: H omeward Bound

With Hamfast rescued, the Player-­heroes can travel back to Optionally, if the characters capture some of the other
Bree and return him to his family. Lucinda offers no reward bandits, they might bring them back too — some of them
other than her lifelong gratitude. She confesses that she has have prices on their heads (if one of these captured rogues
been worried sick for all the time the Player-­heroes have been is Jon-­a-Leaping, that can lead right into the adventure Not
gone. It is not that she thought they would be unable to find To Strike Without Need).
and rescue her son, but she’s been having such strange, ter-
rible dreams about a dark hill…

55
 CHAPTER 4

NOT TO STRIKE
WITHOUT NEED
Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life.
Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death
in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.
CHAPTER 4

he land has no king. Now, the Rangers have a spy in that town — her name
Without a king, without law, Men must make is Gwilleth, and she is one of Gurnow’s scouts (see Ruins of
their own justice, and all too often, it is made not the Lost Realm, page 16). She is closely watched by the other
with wisdom, but with brute force. In this adven- brigands and guards loyal to Gurnow, so Orothel forcibly
ture, the heroes are called upon to bring an outlaw to justice. recruited an agent who could move freely in and out of the
When their prisoner claims to have secret knowledge and a watchful town — Orothel captured Jon-­a-Leaping and put
higher purpose to his crimes, will the heroes listen? the fear of death in him, telling him that she would kill him
The adventure begins with the Player-­heroes escorting if he did not serve her. For some months now, Jon has car-
to Tharbad a captured criminal known by the name of Jon-­ ried messages back and forth between Gwilleth and Orothel.
a-Leaping. On the way, they discover that the criminal was However, Jon’s fear of being killed by Orothel or by
also an agent employed by Orothel, a Ranger, forcing the Gurnow’s men grew too great for him, and he tried to escape
heroes to choose between completing their original task by returning to his old habits of thievery. He stole money from
or aiding her cause. Depending on how events in Tharbad Gurnow’s house and fled the town…
unfold, the heroes may then aid Orothel in hunting an
emissary of the Enemy.
There are several ways this adventure might play out,
depending on the courage and cunning of the heroes.
OTHER ROADS TO ADVENTURE

The Outlaw and the Rangers

♦ Rangers might be sent to aid Orothel, and
meet her outside Tharbad.
Some necessary backstory, for context: Tharbad (see Ruins ♦ Travellers who visit Tharbad might be con-
of the Lost Realm), even in its present dilapidated state, is the tracted by Orothel herself.
crossroads of Southern Eriador. When strangers from the ♦ Instead of Borlas, have some friend of the
South or East travel to the North, they pass through the town. Company get detained by the thieves of
Some time ago, the Ranger Orothel (page 23) started to Tharbad; the characters must then hunt
suspect that minions of the resurgent Shadow crossed the down the outlaw Jon-­a-Leaping to trade for
Misty Mountains to make mischief in the land, and that some their friend’s freedom.
trace of them might be found in Tharbad. However, Rangers
are not welcome in Tharbad.

58
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Part 1: Jon-­a-Leaping
This scene can be set in any small community or homestead doubt Gurnow wants to force Borlas to stay in Tharbad, he
that might plausibly have contact with Tharbad. Bree or Lond collects talented craftsmen like a miser hoards coins.
Daer work equally well. The only way to free Borlas is to ransom him by exchang-
The Player-­heroes arrive to hear angry shouts and sounds ing him for Jon-­a-Leaping. So, will the heroes bring Jon to
of argument. A small crowd has gathered on the village green Tharbad as their prisoner? The leader has little treasure, but
(or in the hall, or on the shores — wherever the people gather). can offer the gratitude of the community and the promise
The crowd are angry, and their wrath is aimed at a Man who of fine new travelling boots when they bring Borlas home.
might look tough and dangerous under other circumstances,

The Prisoner
but here he is clearly a prisoner. Dried blood from a head
wound encrusts his face and hair. A leader of the community
(for example, the Reeve of Bree, or Queen Nimue in Lond Jon-­a-Leaping is sullen and uncooperative when handed
Daer) stands by the wounded Man, appealing for calm. into the heroes’ custody. He is bound and gagged when
“He should be killed for what he’s done!” Shouts someone in first given to them; the Player-­heroes must decide whether
the crowd. “He’s one of them Rangers!” Cries another. “Justice!” to unbind him or carry him all the way to Tharbad. If ques-
Shouts a third, and the crowd takes up the cry. “We want justice!” tioned, Jon claims innocence; he says that if he was ever an
The leader raises their hands again and calls for quiet. outlaw, it’s all behind him now, and that any suggestion
“Please! If you take this wretch’s head — and no doubt it is war- that he’s quarrelled with Gurnow is nonsense! He’s still
ranted — then what will become of our friend Borlas? Put aside fast friends with the Master of Tharbad, and anyone who
your anger and think!” The crowd seems unconvinced by these harms Jon will face punishment — If the Players-­heroes
appeals for calm. know what’s good for them, they’ll cut Jon’s bonds and set
Seeing the Player-­heroes, the leader seizes on them as him free right away!
a way to avoid an ugly confrontation. The leader takes the Unless the Player-­heroes are ready to believe Jon right
heroes aside and explains that the prisoner is a away, a roll of INSIGHT suggests that the bandit is not half
well-­known outlaw, a thief and bandit named so confident as he seems — his demeanour serves only to
Jon-­a-Leaping. In years past he preyed on hide that he is on the verge of panic.
the people of this area, jumping out of Last but not least, a successful SCAN roll notices
the hedgerow to waylay them on the a concealed knife strapped to the inside of Jon’s
road. He hasn’t been seen in this right shin pad (something that is also discov-
part of the world in a few years, but ered if the Player-­heroes search the bandit
people remember his crimes well. thoroughly).
He was captured by good fortune
— a girl gathering firewood found PLAYING JON-­A -LEAPING
him sleeping, and summoned help A year ago, Jon-­ a-Leaping was
before he woke. exactly the sort of Man he seems
Now, it’s known (not least at first glance — a cruel, uncouth
through Jon’s own protests and bandit who cares only for his own
threats) that Jon is a friend of interests, who sees himself as a
Captain Gurnow, the ruler of wolf among sheep. Since then,
Tharbad. And it happens that however, Jon has discovered that
one of the people of this village, while he may be a wolf, there are
a shoemaker named Borlas, is Wargs and Dragons in the world
languishing in the prisons of too — the Ranger Orothel terri-
that town — Borlas did noth- fied him so badly with threats and
ing wrong, insists the leader. He stories about the rising Shadow
was charged an absurd fee for that she nearly broke him, and
crossing the ford, just so Gurnow now he hides his fear under
could stop him from leaving. No bluster and threats.

59
CHAPTER 4

Part 2: Journey to Tharbad

Meeting Orothel
All roads in the north lead to the Crossings of Tharbad; there
is no better place to cross the rushing Greyflood. The trav-
ellers, therefore, can keep to frequently used paths if they A three day’s journey outside Tharbad (on whatever route the
choose — although that risks running into scouts or brig- Player-­heroes take) is a minor landmark called the Watchful
ands loyal to Gurnow. Alternatively, they can strike out cross-­ Stones. It’s a ring of thirteen standing stones on a low hill.
country to avoid encountering others on the road. Some tales claim they were Trolls caught while dancing in the
Jon’s demeanour changes as the characters draw closer to open; others say that they were raised by nameless kings of
Tharbad. At first, he was full of threats and wild claims about
how Gurnow will punish the adventurers. Now, he seems more
fearful and nervous, although he won’t willingly talk about
what troubles him.
Should a Player-­hero threaten him with a successful AWE
roll, Jon admits that his bluster about his friendship with
Gurnow was a lie. He stole from Gurnow in order to escape
the oppressive regime in Tharbad (“It’s awful — everyone’s
watching everyone else, and plotting, and scheming. A man can’t
breathe there!”). The captain does not tolerate betrayal, so if
the characters bring Jon back to Tharbad, they are condemn-
ing him to death! And there’s no guarantee that Gurnow will
honour any bargains made and release Borlas if the charac-
ters do hand Jon over!
If a Player-­hero establishes a friendly conversation with
Jon with a successful ENHEARTEN roll, or if Jon suspects any
of the Player-­heroes to be a Ranger, then Jon claims that he’s
working for a Ranger. He does not know her name, but she
forced him to carry messages in and out of Tharbad. If he
saw a bonfire or a candle-­flame in certain places, he’d know
there was a letter there for him to fetch. Why, if the characters
are also allied with the Rangers, then why not let him go? If
the characters ask him to describe the Ranger, he describes
her as a “cruel old hag with a strange dagger”. Any Ranger rec-
ognises Orothel from this description.

JON-­A -SCAPING
If the characters are not vigilant (or as an event
during the Journey), then Jon might slip his bonds
and escape, or take one of the Company hostage
with his hidden knife (if he still has it). If Jon does
flee, then the characters can follow his trail with
a HUNTING roll that leads them to the Watchful
Stones.

60
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Men in the Dark Years. Those with LORE know, however, that (If the characters ignore the beacon fire and continue on,
the ring was made by the Elves of Hollin long ago, and that then Orothel follows them the next day, and confronts them
Elf-­princes feasted under the stars in better times. on the road outside Tharbad.)
As the characters approach the stones, they see a campfire Waiting in the middle of the Watchful Stones is the ranger
burning on the hilltop. Jon-­a-Leaping is terrified by the sight Orothel. She’s angry that she’s camped here for five nights
— it’s the signal that the Rangers want to meet him there. He without any response from Jon, and even angrier that he
alternates between begging that the heroes take him there, hasn’t come alone. Her anger extends to the Player-­heroes,
and despairing that all his fates are dire and they should unless any of them are Elves or fellow Rangers, or unless they
bring him to Tharbad so he can throw himself at Gurnow’s already met her in another adventure.
feet and beg for mercy. Jon whimpers and refuses to look at Orothel while in
her presence.

61
CHAPTER 4

THE STORY OF OROTHEL other than her own daughter Gwilleth, who has infiltrated
Angrily, Orothel tells her story and explains her involve- Gurnow’s household as one of his scouts.
ment with Jon. She is a Ranger, a protector of travellers in Gwilleth’s position is precarious, and she cannot afford
the wild, and keeps watch for things of shadow. She cap- to give herself away, hence the ruse of using wretched Jon-­a-
tured that wretch Jon when he was an outlaw, and put him Leaping. If the Company offers to help Orothel and Gwilleth,
to better use as a messenger. But she hasn’t heard anything she instructs them on how to contact her daughter in Thar-
from Jon in some months, and came here to make con- bad (see Part 5: The Ranger Spy, on page 68).
tact with him — this is one of their pre-­arranged meeting
places. She has a friend in Tharbad who likely has news WHERE TO NOW?
for her — she needs Jon to return to the town and make How do the Player-­heroes proceed from here?
contact with her friend. ♦ The characters could hand Jon over to Orothel, and
Orothel becomes infuriated when she discovers that Jon see if the brigand returns with the message. However,
has ruined his use as a courier by stealing from Gurnow, this does mean abandoning their original purpose of
and grows angrier still as she learns that Jon fled Tharbad trading Jon for the imprisoned shoemaker Borlas —
and returned to his old life as a brigand. She draws Dragon-­ and it also means trusting Jon, who has already proven
tooth (her enchanted dagger) and threatens to end Jon on himself dishonourable.
the spot. (Orothel is tired and burdened by Shadow, but ♦ They could reject the Ranger’s plea out of hand, and
not so far gone that she would murder the wretch — she continue with their original plan of trading Jon for the
might, however, scare him so badly that he goes a-­leaping shoemaker.
and a-­yelping into the wild and is never seen again in this ♦ The characters could agree to enter Tharbad them-
part of the world.) selves and make contact with the Ranger spy. Again,
Orothel is reluctant to discuss her ally in Tharbad; the though, they must decide what to do with Jon — do
ally’s identity is known only to her, and not even Jon-­a-Leaping they take the brigand to the rough justice of Gurnow,
knows who the Ranger spy is — they communicate through or leave him to Orothel, or have him serve as a guide
signs and signals, and Jon knows where to look to find written to Tharbad?
letters left by the spy. If any of the Player-­heroes are Rangers ♦ They could try rescuing Borlas themselves. The shoe-
of good repute, or if they’ve convinced Orothel of their wor- maker is imprisoned in the dungeons of Garth Tauron,
thiness, then Orothel reveals that the spy in Tharbad is none the mostly-­abandoned castle in the heart of town.

CONFUSING KINDNESS AND BLINDNESS more treasure from Tharbad. Gurnow dispatches
If the characters choose to trust Jon, either as a guide some of his guards, commanded by his son Thar-
or by sending him alone into Tharbad, then roll the Feat now, to deal with the miscreants lurking in the
die to determine whether or not he betrays them. As a Watchful Stones. (And to ensure the intruders
baseline, assume that Jon-­a-Leaping stays true on a 8+, don’t escape, he sends his best tracker, Gwilleth,
and all other results mean he betrays the heroes and to lead the hunt…)
Orothel to Gurnow. For every good deed or kindness
the heroes showed Jon, add one to the roll. If this comes to pass, use the Southerner Raider sta-
♦ If Jon stays true, he returns to the Watchful Stones tistics (The One Ring, page 146) for Tharnow’s guards,
a few days later with a message from Gwilleth — while Tharnow himself counts as a Southerner Cham-
skip onto Part 6: The Hunt for Déor. pion. Assume there are three guards per Player-­hero,
♦ If Jon betrays the characters, then he claims that plus Tharnow. Clever heroes may sneak away rather than
the Player-­heroes and Orothel forced him to steal engage in a perilous battle.
from Gurnow, and that they sent him back to steal

62
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Entering Tharbad ♦ Otherwise, they still get invited to the Red Palace
Tharbad is a rotten, soggy town. A generation ago, floods if they seem like dangerous armed adventurers, or
washed out the heart of Tharbad, and what’s left shambles if they ask to see Gurnow. The characters only get
on, decaying ever faster now. There’s an undeniable feeling ignored if they seem like just a band of humble travel-
of desperation in the town, a sense that no-­one can be trusted lers, not worth the effort of robbing — and even then,
and everyone’s out to rob you. Only a fraction of the town’s they are still watched…
many ancient buildings are inhabited, but somehow the empty
windows seem as watchful as the ones from which suspicious RESCUING BORLAS
townsfolk glare at newcomers. Guards unsubtly direct new arriv- Alas, poor Borlas. The shoemaker travelled to the market
als towards the Bridge Inn (Ruins of the Lost Realm, page 13) in at Tharbad to buy fur and leather for his workshop and
the shadow of the fortress and the ruined bridge, and also draw ran afoul of a ‘rule’ that one of the guards invented on the
their attention to the copies of the Rules posted everywhere. spot, demanding a tax on any furs carried across the ford.
If the characters have visited Tharbad before, they know When Borlas could not pay, he was thrown in prison. He
their way around the town — and know that while Thar- could obtain his freedom by agreeing to live in Tharbad —
bad is unwelcoming and dangerous, it’s not a bastion of the but that would be exchanging one prison for another, as he
Enemy either. knows he’d be forced to dwell on the isolated Middle Island
However, if this is their first time in the town of thieves, in the river, and his movement would still be dictated by
then play up the paranoia. Tharbad is in the iron grip of a Gurnow’s guards.
gang of cut-­throats with a thin veneer of civility; scratch that So, for now, Borlas refuses to give in, and languishes in
surface, and they scratch back. prison.
♦ If the characters openly have Jon-­a-Leaping with them ♦ There are two likely ways for the heroes to rescue Bor-
(as opposed to concealing his identity with a hooded las; by convincing Gurnow to free the shoemaker (in
cloak or other disguise), then the guards recognise the Part 3: An Audience with Gurnow), or by breaking into
thief and demand that the characters proceed straight the dungeon of Garth Tauron (see Part 4: The Fortress
to Gurnow’s court at the Red Palace. of Garth Tauron).

Part 3: An Audience
With Gurnow
The Master of Tharbad takes a keen interest in everyone who ♦ LADY STOCK: Gurnow’s wife and mother of his children.
passes through his town — and an especially keen interest in A Noblewoman of the town who clings to the dream of
bands of armed strangers — so he invites the Player-­heroes bringing back Tharbad’s glory days when it was the last
to attend his court soon after they arrive. And if those armed remnant of the old kingdoms. Lady Stock hates Rang-
strangers have brought a prisoner for trade, well now! That ers, believing them to be meddling troublemakers.
warrants a place at Gurnow’s table at court! ♦ GURNOW’S LARGELY INTERCHANGEABLE SONS, the
Gurnow’s court is a rough affair. His wife, the aristocratic eldest of whom is the brutal Tharnow.
Lady Stock, tries to maintain some decorum, but her hus- ♦ Lurking in the shadows are more henchmen, includ-
band’s henchmen are mostly brigands and brutes, and it’s ing the secret ranger Gwilleth and ambitious watch
a rare night in the Red Palace that passes without a knifing. lieutenant Tom Brass, who’s always on the look-­out for
Gurnow’s court is described more fully in Ruins of the Lost ways to curry favour with the Master.
Realm, page 14, but the key characters present include: ♦ Other members of the court include a collection of
♦ CAPTAIN GURNOW, MASTER OF THARBAD: A former miserable artisans, scholars and assorted worthies that
bandit chief who took over the town. Gurnow’s a petty Gurnow has trapped in Tharbad by threatening their
warlord. He’s surprisingly insightful and cunning for families or imposing upon them punitive fees for leav-
someone who thrived on violence. ing the town.

63
CHAPTER 4

Jon’s Fate WATCHERS IN THARBAD

The meeting with Gurnow plays out as a Council. Set the The thieves of Tharbad are always watchful for
Resistance by determining what the Player-­heroes want from opportunities for profit. A traveller who passes
the Master of Tharbad. through the town may pay a few pennies to cross
♦ A reasonable request (Resistance 3) might be: ask- the ford or stay in the Bridge Inn, but a traveller who
ing for a reward for bringing back Jon, convincing trespasses in some way can be arrested and fined
Gurnow that they are just ordinary travellers of little — and Gurnow rewards those who report trouble.
interest or importance. So, if a character badly fails a skill roll while in
♦ A bold request (Resistance 6) might be: buying Borlas’ Tharbad, assume that the character has broken one
freedom in exchange for bringing back Jon. of Tharbad’s many laws and customs, and so the
♦ An outrageous request (Resistance 9) might be: asking many watchers have a reason to detain that char-
that Gurnow forgive Jon, asking that Gurnow release acter if they get the opportunity. A lone ‘criminal’
Borlas for free. is safe enough as long as they are with the rest
of the Player-­heroes, but if that character goes
Since the characters brought Jon-­a-Leaping back to Gurnow, off on their own, they may be waylaid by ambi-
the attitude of the Captain of the Haven towards the Company tious rogues. (Use the Footpad statistics found on
is set at Open (no modifier to all rolls during Interaction). page 147 of The One Ring.) If most of the Com-
If not convinced otherwise, Gurnow intends to publicly pany are troublemakers, then Gurnow’s guards are
execute Jon — Tharbad is a city of law, and the most import- dispatched to take them into custody (again, use
ant law is “don’t steal from the Master”. If Jon is given over to Footpad statistics led by a Ruffian Chief).
Gurnow, then he has him thrown in prison and announces If the characters are suspected of being
that he will be executed at dawn. (The traditional method of Ranger spies, then they do not even need to break
execution under Gurnow, by the by, is to be hung from the Gurnow’s Rules to be arrested. Captured charac-
ruined bridge and lowered into the running waters of the ters are thrown into the dungeons of Garth Tauron.
Greyflood to drown.)
If the Player-­heroes leave Jon to this fate, then he has
nothing left to lose — Jon can buy mercy by revealing to
Gurnow that there are Ranger spies operating under his
nose. He cannot identify Gwilleth, but he can point to the the characters bargain for Jon to be spared, then he is better
Player-­heroes and Orothel as “threats to Gurnow’s rule”. If disposed towards them and may not betray them.

Part 4: The Fortress

of Garth Tauron
But now their havens became fortresses, holding wide coastlands in submission…

RUMOUR OLD LORE

Why, that’s the king’s castle. Which king? I don’t rightly know. Garth Tauron — the Fortress of the Woods. Long ago, it is said
But it’s all rotted inside, and less than a tenth is usable. Why, there was a great forest from the mountains of Lune to the Gap of
half those grand towers will come toppling down next time there’s Rohan. Tree-­hungry were the Mariners of Númenor, and they felled
a storm. That’s why the Master uses it as a prison — if the tow- those woods for ship-­building. They built mighty Garth Tauron here
ers come down and squash a prisoner, then it saves on the cost at the river-­crossing to guard their foresters. An Age or more has
of burying him. passed since then, and the fortress endured — but here we are at
the end of its days, and most likely the end of all things.

64
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Background haunt the fortress, but mainly because of the danger of falling
Garth Tauron is an ancient fortress; the foundations of this masonry. Despite its decrepitude, the keep is still a magnif-
place were laid in the Second Age. Many kings have passed icent structure — the largest work of the ancients between
by since then, and it seemed like every one of them was eager Annúminas and Isengard. Much of the keep’s stone has been
to add some tower or bastion or parapet to the castle — until quarried, and a scaffolding supports the eastern wall. Smash-
the last king, and the castle is now slowly crumbling. Today, ing this scaffold could cause an extensive collapse.
only portions of the sprawling castle are usable. In other parts,
one unwary step could send an intruder crashing through a 2. THE NEW KEEP
rotten floorboard, or topple some precarious tower, its foun- Built in the failing days of the Kingdom, the New Keep was
dations gnawed away by floodwaters. intended as a replacement when maintaining the rotting Old
Part of the fortress stands on a rocky outcrop by the riv- Keep proved too expensive. Now, the New Keep too is a rot-
erbank, although later sections extend away from the waters ting relic of elder days, but parts are still used by Gurnow as a
to the north and west. The fortress has been many things in garrison and gaol. Guards stationed here patrol the northern
its long history — a watchtower, a military fortress, a counting part of town, while troublemakers in the market or drunken
house for tribute, and latterly a great palace, then a rotting one, oafs who disrupt Gurnow’s court are thrown into cells here.
and now at last a prison. The fortress walls are riddled with Long-­term prisoners (like Borlas, page 67) are kept in the
wounds and scars, and sagely locals insist that one particular dungeons of the Old Keep.
breach in the walls was made by Sauron himself, in the War of
the Elves and Sauron more than 4,000 years ago. (This is, of 3. FIVE TOWERS
course, nonsense — while Garth Tauron was attacked in that These towers, albeit similar in structure, were built at dif-
ancient war, nothing of the fortress of that era survives, bar ferent times over the centuries, and each one reflects the
some deep-­rooted foundations and a few stones. Most of the skills and resources available to the builders at the time. The
present fortress is of much newer construction, from either the Arnorian-­built towers are magnificent and steady; the ones
last years of the Second Age or the first half of the Third). Of built by the kings of Cardolan are still good, but look like a
late, though, the fortress suffers much more from neglect and pale imitation of their elders; the sole tower built since the
quarrying than the attacks of the Enemy. Half the houses in the fall of the North-­kingdom is best not talked about. Walkways
north quarter of Tharbad use cut stone taken from the fortress and perilous rope bridges connect the towers.
walls and towers, and most of the decorative stonework in the
‘new keep’ was removed to the Master’s Palace centuries ago. 4. MOAT
Today, less than a tenth of the sprawling fortress is in use. An ancient canal, green with scum and weeds, protects the
Gurnow uses the place as his grand prison, incarcerating his fortress. There are several culverts allowing boats to be rowed
enemies and debtors in rooms scattered throughout the land- into underground chambers beneath Garth Tauron; these
ward portion of Garth Tauron. Some of the cells are dank were used by smugglers in the past.
pits that flood when the river is high; others are once-­grand
chambers where lords and kings formerly gathered. 5. THE GIBBET WALK
Sneaking into Garth Tauron is not at all difficult — the This path atop the River-­gate was clearly visible from the old
fortress has many unguarded doors, and even more holes bridge, and can also be seen by any boats on the river or
in the walls. The tricky parts of any rescue attempt is find- travellers heading to the town market. Therefore, Gurnow
ing where in this massive hulk of rotting stone a particular uses the walk for executions and the display of prisoners.
prisoner is kept, navigating the few safe routes through the Troublemakers may be dragged up here and put in stocks
crumbling stonework, and avoiding the guards. for the entertainment of the mob; enemies of Gurnow may
be beheaded and their remains put on spikes.

L ocations 6. THE QUARRY-­YARD

This wide courtyard is where stones taken from the fortress are
1. THE OLD KEEP stored and cleaned before being put to use. The masons of
The oldest part of the fortress. The old keep is on the brink today can no longer cut stone as smoothly or as well as those
of collapse in many places, and the upper levels are especially of old, nor can the sculptors match the works of the ancients.
unstable. Gurnow’s henchmen stay well away from the old The quarry-­yard is always busy with sweating labourers by day;
keep — partly out of fear of the old ghosts that are said to by night, it resembles a graveyard for giants.

65
CHAPTER 4

7. THE GAOLER’S HOUSE Technically, the gaoler of Garth Tauron is also the master
The position of gaoler of Garth Tauron is a sinecure, an easy of the fortress — making Valandur the current holder of an
job granted to henchmen and allies of Gurnow. The current office more than four thousand years old. No-­one knows if
gaoler is an arrogant fellow named Valandur, a cousin of the jewelled rod of office held by the gaoler is the original
Gurnow’s highborn wife. The gaoler’s house is a fine house, symbol of authority granted to the first master of Garth
built of stone taken from the fortress. Previously, the gaoler Tauron in the days of Númenor, but it is certainly
was assigned rooms in the New Keep, but the roof there hundreds of years old.
leaks ever since the floods of 2912.

4
7

8
3
3 10

THE FORTRESS
OF GARTH TAURON

66
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Valandur
Valandur belongs to one of the old families of Tharbad,
who pride themselves on their descent from the Sea-­
kings of old. The blood of Númenor flows through these
veins, declares Valandur, even though he has only the haz-
iest idea what Númenor was. His appointment as Gaoler
(although he becomes infuriated whenever anyone calls
him a mere gaoler — he is Master of Garth Tauron, keeper
of the fortress of the crossings) was a sop to those aristo-
cratic families so they could continue to tolerate the pres-
ence of a bandit king as Captain. Valandur spends his days
preening and trying to convince his slovenly guards to
behave like Arnorian soldiers. He augments the small sti-
pend that comes with the title of gaoler by taking bribes
from prisoners and their families — a prisoner may not be
released without the permission of Captain Gurnow, but
a prisoner can be moved to more salubrious accommo-
dation, or given better food, or permitted the liberty of
the castle grounds.

OCCUPATION: Actually, a gaoler Borlas

Poor Borlas the cobbler never meant to be caught up in the
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Greedy, Proud intrigues of bandit kings and spies, of Rangers and ancient
spirits of fear. He is just an ordinary cobbler — a very good
cobbler, to be fair. He attends to his shoe-­making and
8. THE DUNGEONS OF GARTH TAURON leather-­working with an almost Dwarven devotion to the
The cellars and dungeons of the fortress are a labyrinth of craft, and strives to ignore the wider world except as it
tunnels, gnawing through the rocky foundations and off to relates to boots.
the north and west, following subterranean streams and cav- Ironically, this is not the first time Borlas has been
erns. Water is a constant presence here, as the river floods the caught up in strange events. As a young shoe-­maker’s
lowest chambers of the dungeons regularly. The low-­ceilinged apprentice, he was employed to repair the very fancy
cells are also drowned in complete darkness, adding to the walking boots of a Dwarf named Thorin Oakenshield, and
grim atmosphere of the place. while waiting for the boots to be finished, Thorin met by
Captain Gurnow orders his men to throw the most dan- chance a wandering Wizard. On another occasion, he was
gerous prisoners to rot in the lowest dungeons, with only a employed to carve wooden shoes for a poor maimed Hob-
lucky few finding their accommodation on the upper stories bit. And why, just as soon as he gets out of this prison cell,
above the waterline (of course, the Captain decides whether he has a curious commission to fulfil in Bree, for some
a prisoner is more dangerous than another…). eccentric fellow who wants a pair of bright yellow boots.
While happy to be rescued, Borlas gives a running
9. BORLAS’ CELL litany of complaints about the state of whatever footwear
Borlas’ cell is in the lower dungeons. He has promised to the Player-­heroes provide him with. Borlas is regrettably
make Valandur a fine pair of boots, in exchange for the gaoler slow and clumsy; if the characters have to flee or sneak
moving him to a cell on the upper levels. Valandur has not with him in tow, their rolls lose (1d).
moved the cobbler yet, but he has at least told the guards to
make sure that Borlas does not catch a chill or drown. There- OCCUPATION: Cobbler
fore, if the river waters start to flood the lower cells, or if it
starts to rain heavily, the guards move Borlas to one of the DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Meek, Meticulous
drier cells on the upper levels of the old keep.

67
CHAPTER 4

10. TREASURE-­R OOM RAISING THE ALARM

This secret vault is hidden deep in the dungeons, in a chamber Gurnow’s guards are often drunk and not especially watchful.
that is almost always flooded except in days of drought. Hid- (Yet again, use Footpad statistics). However, if they discover
den in the mud is a sealed chest. It is Gurnow’s secret trove; that a prisoner has escaped, they rouse the townsfolk by blow-
if events in Tharbad ever turn against him and all his better-­ ing loudly on horns — and every rogue in Tharbad is eager
known hoards are taken from him, he will drag this chest out to recapture an escaped prisoner.
of the mud and flee town. The chest contains a Lesser Hoard. Valandur himself and his most trusted guards are more
of a threat (again use the Southerner Raider statistics (The

Schemes and Troubles

One Ring, page 146) for the guards, while Valandur himself
counts as a Southerner Champion).

RESCUING A PRISONER GHOSTS OF GARTH TAURON

The dungeons of Garth Tauron are not especially secure. It is said that Garth Tauron has a hundred ghosts, but three
There are a dozen ways to move unseen through the old are of particular note.
ruin with STEALTH , and the only significant obstacles are the First, there is the Owl, a curious entity that lives among
recently repaired and sturdy doors (CRAFT or ATHLETICS the crumbling rooftops of the fortress. The guards believe
to force open) — and, of course, the sentries. However, the it to be a vampiric ghost; in truth, it is a prisoner who was
sheer size of the fortress does make it hard to find the right driven to madness during her long incarceration in the lower
prison cell. There are hundreds of rooms in the fortress that dungeons, and though she escaped her cell in a storm, she
might be used as cells, and they are scattered over the whole dares not leave. She has forgotten human speech, and scav-
Old Keep and its extensive cellars. Would-­be rescuers must enges from the castle and the streets nearby to survive. She
EXPLORE the ruin to find their quarry, or observe guards also descends to the river to fish on moonlit nights.
with HUNTING and watch their movements when they bring Second, there is the Singing Stone of Eregion. This was a gift
food to the prisoners. from the Noldorin Elves of Eregion to the ancient lord of Tharbad,
Borlas is held in the lower sections of the dungeon, but is and was stored and forgotten in the cellars of Garth Tauron centu-
moved to a higher cell if it rains. This may be advantageous ries ago. The stone holds the echoes of ancient Elven singers who
to the heroes (no need to break into the cell — just ambush passed away West long ago, and when starlight touches it through
the guards as they escort Borlas) or a regrettable complica- an air shaft, it awakens and sings. The singing stone is believed to
tion (Borlas’ cell is empty — he has been moved elsewhere! be the ghost of an Elf-­maiden by the superstitious guards.
And now this cell is flooding!) The third ghost is a genuine horror — many years ago, or
In addition to Borlas, the gaol currently houses a dozen so the tale goes, a slimy creature once crawled from the Ghost
prisoners. Most are just citizens of Tharbad who have crossed Pit (Ruins of the Lost Realm, page 11) and took refuge from the
Gurnow in some fashion, but there might be travellers from sunlight in the dungeons of the fortress. Prisoners are warned
afar or suspicious strangers of interest to the heroes. that if they try to escape, “the thing in the dark” will eat them.

Part 5: The Ranger Spy

Finding the etter

Orothel tells the Player-­heroes that her agent in Tharbad leaves
messages by means of candles. There are many empty buildings L

in the town; if the agent (Gwilleth) leaves a candle burning in If the Company is looking for the Ranger spy, A SCAN roll is
the window of a ruined house by night, then she has hidden required to spot the candle at night; the characters can try
a letter in that ruin for Jon (or another courier) to collect. again on subsequent nights. (If Jon-­a-Leaping is with them,
The superstitious folk of Tharbad believe that these eerie then there is no need to roll, as he knows just where to look.)
lights signify the presence of ghosts, and stay away from them. The longer the characters linger, the more likely circumstances
And they are wise to do so — Tharbad was besieged by the will turn against them and they’ll have to flee Gurnow’s min-
forces of the Enemy long ago, and the town’s spirit is still ions. Note that there’s a curfew in Tharbad, so it’s forbidden for
scarred. Strange things move in Tharbad by night... anyone to be out after dark without permission from the Master.

68
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

Gwilleth has been waiting for weeks to get a message out, Now, Déor returned alone some days later, burdened by a heavy
so a delay of another day or so is not a grave concern. Once sack. He spoke long with Captain Gurnow and Lady Stock; about
the characters identify the deserted house on the south side of what, I cannot say. Déor bought a boat and set off north along the
the river, they need to sneak there to recover the letter. Gwil- Greyflood, and I noted that his boat sat very low in the water.
leth concealed her letter inside an old chimney. The letter is It may be that Déor and the Dwarves found treasure in the
obviously unsigned (it is a poor spy who signs their secret mes- mountains, and nothing more. But I thought it strange they did
sages with their own name…), and was clearly written in haste. not return together, and what business he has in the Lone-­lands,
The letter describes a suspicious traveller from the south I cannot guess.
named Déor, who claimed to be a Man of Rohan. The spy

Return to Orothel
calls for the other Rangers to watch this stranger. The letter
is dated a month ago.
Orothel the Ranger waits at the Watchful Stones (although if
Brethren, the Player-­heroes need rescuing, she could enter the town to
aid their escape). When they return with the letter from her
Of note: a traveller on the Road named Déor, a stranger to these lands, spy, she snatches it from them and reads it swiftly, then gives
who claimed to hail from Rohan. He arrived in Tharbad with only it to the Player-­heroes to read before burning it.
scanty belongings, travelling on foot, and stayed at the Road-­house. He “An odd tale — but she would not have sent this message unless
spoke little, but I marked that he listened closely. After a week in town, she thought it important. Curse that wretch Jon! If he had not strayed
he departed up the river Glanduin, and returned a month later, much from his task, I would have had this information four weeks ago!
the worse for wear, and complaining muchly of the marshes at Swanfleet. Now this Déor is far gone into lands where even a Ranger would be
I saw him again in the company of some Dwarves, and they hard-­pressed to find the trail — but I must try. Several hunters may
departed together, following the valley of the river into Eregion. The have better luck than one alone — will you help me?”
Dwarves returned without Déor, and they seemed to me to be bur- If the Player-­heroes agree, the hunt for Déor begins.
dened with great sorrow. The Dwarves set off north along the Road. (Should they refuse, perhaps preferring to bring Borlas back
One was named Flonar; I do not know the name of his companion. home, then Orothel goes alone. See Orothel’s Fate, page 71).

DÉOR’S MISSION In Tharbad, he met some Dwarves who were heading

Gwilleth was right to be suspicious — Déor was a spy up into the mountains of Moria on their own quest, and he
from Mordor. accompanied them. In doing so, he doomed both himself
Sauron does not fear the Men of Eriador, for he broke and the Dwarves, for the Mordor Orcs are under orders to
their strength long ago, when he defeated Arnor and its hide their presence at all costs. At first, it seemed as though
successor kingdoms. All that remains are a few scattered all went well — Déor parted company with the Dwarves
settlements of little import. But even an irrelevant farmer and climbed up the Redhorn Pass, where he met the Orcs
or inn-­keeper in Bree might know something useful, and he sought and was given a sack of gold. He returned to
the Wild Men who dwell in the mountains of Angmar might Tharbad and met with Gurnow, giving him some gold as
be recruited as fodder for the wars — Déor’s task was to a gift — and the promise of more, in days to come.
use gold to corrupt the spirits of the people of Eriador. It was only later that the Orcs discovered that Déor had
But he doomed himself through carelessness. brought foes to their very doorstep — and worse, these
Déor was supposed to meet with Orcs from Mordor in Dwarves knew a secret way into Moria! If the Dwarves con-
the hills near Moria. Long ago, the Orcs looted the treasur- tinued to poke around, they might discover the presence
ies of the Dwarves — it was intended that Déor would take of the Mordor Orcs in the north. Infuriated, and fearful that
a portion of this stolen gold and put it to use in the service Déor might reveal their presence to more enemies like the
of the Enemy. However, while Déor was able to follow hated Elves, they hunted him down and murdered him,
the Road up from the Gap of Rohan and thence into the and set a trap for anyone who might come after him. (They
north, he stumbled when he left the path: the marshes of arranged too for the destruction of the Dwarves, as will be
Swanfleet defeated him, and he had to return to Tharbad. described in Wonder of the Northern World, page 73.)

69
CHAPTER 4

Part 6: The Hunt for Déor

Hoping to avoid watchers on the North-­South Road, and of them circle around the base of the hill, aiming to cut off
burdened by his sack of treasure, Déor took a small boat any line of retreat; others swarm up the slope to attack the
out of Tharbad, laboriously rowing against the current. The heroes. All these are mountain Orcs, Goblins from the Misty
Greyflood is a slow and lazy river for some of its length, but Mountains. “Don’t let them escape”, cries one in Orkish, “Kill
as it approaches the confluence with the Hoarwell, it runs the Elf-­lickers and the Tarks before they give us away!”
swifter. Any character with knowledge of the region can guess
that Déor would abandon his boat at some point south of BATTLING THE ORCS
the Angle. The Orc-­host consists of a mix of Goblin Archers and Orc
Indeed, in the shadow of a wooded area, the Company Soldiers — assume 2 Archers and 1 Soldier per hero, plus
finds Déor’s boat drawn up and hidden in the underbrush. an Orc-­chieftain in command. They all suffer from the Hate
The lands around the Angle are Ranger-­country, and if Déor Sunlight drawback, but the unnatural cloud cover overhead
has not been spotted by any of Orothel’s kinfolk, then he protects them.
must have turned aside.
The Lore­master should now call for a roll of HUNTING . A Magical success on an Intimidate Foe attempt using
Pass or fail, the Player-­heroes discover signs that a traveller the sword Estelang could banish the spirits and break
struck out north-­east, following the fast-­flowing Loudwater the clouds; Player-­heroes might accomplish a similar
through the wild and trackless foothills of the mountains. If feat using a fiery arrow or another magical item.
they succeed, however, they also find traces of Orcs following
the same path. They are not the only people hunting Déor. If Orothel is present, she strings her bow and looses a hail of
arrows at the Orcs, targeting the ones attempting to encir-

The Ambush
cle the base of the hill; Player-­heroes gain (1d) on all attack
rolls, and any attempt to withdraw from combat is Favoured.
After a few days’ journey, the characters spot something flut-
tering on a hilltop, like a black flag. Approaching, they dis- AFTER THE BATTLE
cover that it is a cloak, pinned to the ground with a broken Once the Orcs are defeated, the heroes may search the hill-
spear. Lying there is the corpse of Déor. He’s been dead for side and the surrounding area. Examining Déor’s body and
some days; flies and maggots infest his rotting flesh. the traces left on the hilltop suggest he was captured by the
When anyone touches the corpse of Déor, the corpse’s Orcs and questioned before he was killed — there are still
eyes flicker open and its dead hand flashes out to grab hold the marks left by ropes around his wrists, and his throat was
of the nearest Player-­hero, clutching with an iron grip. cut with a single knife-­wound suggesting an execution, not
a struggle. There’s no sign of his belongings on the hillside,
The horror of seeing a dead body awaken is worth 2 and it’s clear that his corpse was left out in the open as a lure.
points of Shadow (Dread); for the grabbed character, In a shallow cave nearby, the Player-­heroes find the rem-
it is a 3 points gain. nants of the Orc-­camp. The Orcs have not been here long,
for the cave is not fortified and does not have the Orc-­stink
As the dead Déor holds on, his lips move soundlessly, and about it. The Orcs have travelling-­gear and some little sup-
dark clouds suddenly gather over the hillside. Keen-­eared plies, but not much; at a guess, they left their lair in haste,
characters hear wailing on the wind — the same wailing they stalked Déor along the river, and ambushed him when they
heard on the Isle of the Mother. Spirits are abroad, called had the opportunity. Why the Orcs then waited in ambush
from the dark place under the Hill of Fear to trouble the wak- is not obvious, unless they expected someone to come look-
ing world once more. This time, the spirits do not conjure a ing for Déor.
storm, but weave a cloud so thick and dark it blocks out the Should the characters capture and question any of the
sun, plunging the hills into deep shadow. Orcs, they gain little for their efforts except threats and dis-
Then, as suddenly as it came to life, Déor’s body returns turbing hints. These are Moria-­Orcs, and know little of the
to its deathly stiffness, as Orcs emerge howling in counter- outside world. The prisoner says that “Dwarves have come sniff-
point to the spirits in the air. They crawl out of gullies and ing around our mountain, Azog’s place, and they came with Déor.
cave-­mouths, and come loping down from the heights. Some There’s no trespassing in Azog’s Place, that’s the rule.”

70
 N ot T o S trike W ithout N eed

♦ The Orcs say that Snava “is one of the Orc-­bosses. A that count as Blessings of COURTESY and PERSUADE ;
strange one. Up from the fire, I’ll wager. Snava will sort those using it counts as a Misdeed (incurring a gain of 1 or
trespassing Dwarves out. Snava’s got power. He’s got friends. 2 Shadow points, depending on the circumstances).
And he’s gone north to sort this matter out.” This talisman was forged in Mordor, and entrusted to
♦ If any of the heroes have dreamed of the Hill of Fear, Déor to aid in his mission.
the Orc prisoner senses this and snarls “You’ve seen it, ♦ The second is an amulet made of some sort of strange
ain’t you? I can smell the stink of it on you. All your fear is shell. This talisman has no magical properties, but it is
coming, and worse! Run west as far and as fast as you can if made from the carapace of the fabled Fastitocalon —
you want to live, because one night soon, everywhere west of the island-­beast of the northern seas.
the mountains will be ours.”

Searching the Orc-­camp, the characters find a heavy sack

(near the corpses of two Orcs who were knifed by their com-
rades in a squabble over the contents). Inside are gold and
silver coins comprising a Lesser Hoard. Curiously, all the coins
and treasures are of ancient Dwarven make, and the coins
bear the likeness of Durin V — these are coins from Moria.
At the top of the sack are some possessions of Déor that
were thrown in there by the Orcs — a comb, some pots and
pans, and other travelling gear. Notably, there’s a leather
pouch containing two items.
♦ The first is a small iron talisman, bearing the image of
the Lidless Eye on one side and a mouth on the other.
This is a sorcerous instrument, wound with spells

Part 7: H omeward Bound

The mysterious Déor is dead, and the Orcs who murdered Snowmen of Lossoth. It signifies friendship — or alle-
him are dead too. What Déor’s task was, why he was slain, giance, and a historian can warn that the Lossoth were
and what connection he has to the Hill of Fear is a mystery. forced to serve the Witch-­king of Angmar out of fear
Orothel vows to seek out these answers. in days of old.
♦ One possible clue — the shell amulet. With the ♦ A second clue — the Dwarves who travelled into the
Fellowship-­phase Undertaking Study Magical Items, the hills with Déor. What did they see? Where did they go?
characters can identify it as an amulet made by the

OROTHEL’S FATE ♦ She might retire to the Ranger-­haven east of

What becomes of Orothel the Ranger? Defeating the Rivendell, and pass on the burden of defending
Hill of Fear is a task for the Player-­heroes, not her, so she Eriador to the Player-­heroes.
must step back from the tale. Some options: ♦ The heroes might discover her shallow grave
♦ Orothel may be wounded in The Siege of Rath while travelling in the North; she successfully
Sereg (page 88) and be unable to continue on tracked the Orc Snava, but was defeated by him.
with The Quest of Amon Guruthos (page 91). A cruel Lore­master might even have Snava set the
same trap as used at Déor’s body.

71
 CHAPTER 5

WONDER OF THE
NORTHERN WORLD
When all was ready they assailed and sacked one by one
all the strongholds of the Orcs that they could find from Gundabad
to the Gladden. Both sides were pitiless, and there was
death and cruel deeds by dark and by light.
CHAPTER 5

he wounds of the war of the Dwarves and Orcs From Gundabad to the eaves of Fangorn, from the Blue
are still raw and bloody. Two hundred years ago, Mountains to the Iron Hills, the cry resounded: BARUK
the Orcs of Moria unjustly slew Thrór, who had KHAZÂD! KHAZÂD AI-­MÊNU!
been King Under The Mountain. In response, But, as the power of Mordor has grown, the Orcs have
the seven Houses of the Dwarves gathered together to exact returned to their lairs and fortresses in the Misty Mountains
vengeance in the name of Durin’s heir, and for six years they and in the ill-­omened reaches of Mirkwood. And they have
waged bloody war in the dark places under the mountains. not forgotten the injuries dealt to them by the Dwarves…

Part 1: Floki’s Errand

The opening scene of this adventure involves a request for In any case, Floki treats the Player-­heroes as old friends, bel-
the Player-­heroes to carry a message to a Dwarven settlement. lowing that they should come and visit him in his hall in the
The request comes from a Dwarf named Floki, who the heroes Blue Mountains, where they will feast like kings. Like kings!
likely met during A Troll-­hole, if Ever There Was One. If they There’s just one task Floki would ask of them first. He
failed to meet him there, or if the group didn’t participate in has a brother, Flonar, who dwells in the Hills of Evendim in
that adventure, then the Lore­master should consider intro- a small Dwarf-­hold with a handful of followers. Floki has a
ducing Floki before starting this scenario as an acquaintance message for Flonar, and asks the Player-­heroes to deliver it.
or relative of one of the heroes. He asks that they do it out of friendship, but if they quibble,
The Player-­heroes might meet him while travelling on the he shall pay them in gold. (They shall get the gold regardless,
Road or at the Prancing Pony; or perhaps he comes to their but Floki would prefer to give a kingly gift to a friend than
aid in a fight, for Floki is not slow to wield his axe in battle. pay a hired servant according to contract).

NO CLEAR PATH methodically build support for Floki’s quest for vengeance,
There is no ‘correct’ way to traverse this story. In some sce- and help raise an army out of the Blue Mountains. Maybe
narios, there’s a clear goal for the Player-­heroes — they’re they’ll reject Floki’s plea and counsel him to mourn his
trying to find the treasure, or slay the dragon, or destroy brother in other ways, or even decide that the brother was
the One Ring. In others, like this one, it’s up to the Player-­ a criminal who brought ruin on himself and his followers.
heroes to react to the circumstances and find a path forward Only circumstances and challenges are described
that they can accept. Maybe the heroes will go on a reck- here — it is for the Player-­heroes to decide what to do
less chase to rescue the Dwarven prisoners. Maybe they’ll with them.

74
 W onder of the N orthern W orld

The Shadow of the Past

Suspicious or insightful heroes may wonder why Floki does
not deliver this message himself, or may even have heard of
the disgrace of Floki’s brother Flonar. This matter is discussed
in Part 4: Council Under The Mountains, but in brief: it is for-
bidden to enter Moria or take relics from there, and Flonar
spoke against this prohibition. For this disobedience, he was
shunned by many, and so he chose to set off into the Lone-­
lands. Floki’s face flushes and his beard bristles with anger
when he speaks of the injustice done to his brother, but the
fact remains that Floki must be circumspect when communi-
cating with Flonar to avoid sharing in his disgrace.

The Letter
Floki gives the characters a letter for his brother, as well as a
few silver pennies for travelling expenses. His brother’s hall,
he says, lies north-­west of Lake Evendim, far from the habi-
tations of any other living soul. There are tales that the ruins
around the Lake are haunted, and he warns the adventurers
to stay away from ghosts and wights.
Floki’s letter is sealed with wax. If the characters open
it, they find that it is written in the Common Tongue and
discusses Floki’s efforts to quietly plead Flonar’s case to the
Dwarven leaders, and asks Flonar for more money so that
Floki may hire advocates, scribes and lawyers. There is noth-
Floki ing especially strange or suspicious about the letter (opening
Floki is a minor Dwarven noble, a distant cousin of Thorin a sealed letter is a minor Misdeed worth 1 Shadow Point).
Oakenshield, although his elder brother Flonar is the head
of their branch of the family. Floki’s defining trait is his
sheer enthusiasm; he throws himself into any problem or
challenge with full force. He enjoys travelling more than
other Dwarves, and so is often found on the Road between
the Blue Mountains and distant Erebor.
Presently, although Floki dwells in the Blue Mountains, BY ANOTHER ROAD
like many Dwarves in this age of the world, he often talks Alternatively, if your Player-­h eroes happen to
loudly of the fabulous wealth of Erebor and how he might be adventuring in the hills around Lake Evendim
one day go there to seek his fortune. on some other quest, they might come upon the
disaster of the Vale of Gold by chance, and be
OCCUPATION: Messenger drawn into the adventure that way. They find the
bodies of the slaughtered Dwarves, and discover
DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Eager, Proud Floki’s letter to his brother among Flonar’s pos-
sessions, giving them the clue that leads to Part
4: Council Under The Mountains.

75
CHAPTER 5

Part 2: The Vale of Gold

After a long journey, the Company discovers a fresh trail that body bears many wounds and fresh brands, suggesting he was
leads up into the hills, west of the lake, and then along an old tormented with heated weapons. His beard has been shorn,
road that runs arrow-­straight towards the west, cleaving through his eyes torn out and thrown to the crows, and someone tried
the hills as if carved by a great sword-­stroke. Once it was wide and to cut his head from his shoulders judging by the gory ruin
paved with great flagstones, a ceremonial road for the Sea-­kings. of his neck. A notched axe bears testament to the stiffness of
Statues and monuments to vanished Númenor and heroes of Dwarven neck-­bones. Even in death, though, he remains a
old lined the path, but now there is naught but shattered stone mighty Dwarf, tall for his kind, and battle-­strong. He bears a
beneath the grass. What the defilement of Orcs could not accom- clear resemblance to his younger brother Floki. The corpses
plish, the lone centuries have managed. of a dozen Orcs lie nearby, hacked apart by Flonar’s axe.
And along that old straight track, the Company sees Examining the Dwarf’s body, the characters find some-
smoke rising. Wisps of black smoke, wraith-­smoke, the lin- thing curious — around his neck is a chain of silvery metal,
gering ghost of a great conflagration. held closed by a clasp of cunning make. Hanging from the
chain is a scrap of iron, suggesting that an iron object was

Flonar’s Hall
once attached to it, but was recently hacked off when the Orcs
could not open the chain — and little wonder! The chain is
Following the smoke leads to the Vale of Gold where Flonar forged of Mithril, and cannot be opened without the secret
and his followers settled. It was named for the blazing golden of the clasp or a suitable magical success. Clearly, Flonar had
gorse bushes that cover the slopes, but they are all ash now some treasured item hung on the chain, and would not yield
— as are most of the houses and pens built by the Dwarves. it over to the Orcs no matter how they tormented him. They
What lies in front of the heroes is a scene of devastation and tortured him, they tried to cut the chain, they tried to saw off
chaos — the buildings have been burnt down, and the corpses his head, and in the end they just tore away the iron object,
of a dozen Dwarves lie scattered and dismembered across the suggesting they were in great haste.
hillside. Great black crows peck and tear at their spilled guts, (If this is the first scene of the adventure, then there’s also
cawing and spitting as the Player-­heroes draw near. Notably, all a letter in Flonar’s pocket. Scrape away the blood, and it can
of the Dwarves have had their right hand hacked off, leaving be read. It is a letter from his brother Floki.)
only bloody stumps. The hands themselves are missing. There

The Goblins
are a few Orc-­carcasses too, left where they fell by their com-
rades, although they have been stripped of any useful gear.
A multitude of Orc footprints mar the churned-­up ground, The Lore­master calls for an AWARENESS roll as the characters
dozens of Orc-­arrows lie embedded in the corpses — there can search the site. If successful, the Player-­heroes hear the yelp-
be no doubt that a large Orc-­host was responsible for this attack. ing and cruel jests of Goblins close at hand, and can sneak up
The Dwarven settlement was quite small. There are a few on the foul creatures. If the heroes fail, then the Goblins are
little houses made of river-­mud, branches and piled stones, not taken by surprise, and have time to grab their weapons.
and a few ancient cellars that have been partially excavated These Goblins are stragglers that got separated from the
and repaired. The Dwarves had not dwelt here for long, and host that sacked the Vale of Gold. They lingered here to loot
were in the process of building better homes for themselves. the ruins, and were caught by the rising sun. They took shelter
Flonar and his followers only settled here two years ago, after in a cellar, and are whiling away the daylight hours digging
his exile. At a guess, there were at least three dozen Dwarves for hidden treasure.
living here — but counting the bodies, there are only twenty ♦ There are three Goblin Archers for each Player-­hero
or so Dwarven corpses, suggesting that some were taken as in the Company.
prisoners by the Orcs. ♦ The Goblins’ shields and helms are marked with a
symbol — the mark of a two-­headed Troll. A hero with

Flonar’s Body
ENEMY- L ­ ORE (Orcs) knows that this is the symbol of a
Goblin-­band that dwells in the Ettenmoors, far to the
The remains of the chieftain of the Vale of Gold are tied to east of the Vale of Gold, a tribe led by an Orc named
one of the ancient statues that dot the landscape around Lake Hultmar Manyhanded.
Evendim. It is clear that he was tortured before he died; his

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 W onder of the N orthern W orld

THE SPIES OF SAURON thwart his schemes if they learn of them too soon. At this
The War is coming. All across the East, the thralls and stage in his preparations, he must be like a great spider,
servants of Sauron the Terrible labour in preparation for patiently spinning a web to invisibly enmesh his ene-
the final assault. Ever since Sauron returned to Barad-­dûr mies, so that they do not realise they are trapped until it
and declared his presence in Mordor once again, the War is too late for a bright sword to cut them free. His spies
has been inevitable. The first stroke must fall on Gondor, must stay hidden.
on the sevenfold walls of Minas Tirith and the crossings Now, the Dwarf Flonar and one of his companions
of Osgiliath, but the defenders there are but mortals, secretly visited Moria, in defiance of the command of
and few mortals have ever troubled Sauron’s thought. King Dáin, who long ago warned that no Dwarf would
No, ever the Eye probes for those few he fears have the walk in Moria while Durin’s Bane yet waited for them
power to defy him. The Istari sent from the West, and there. Dáin made this prophecy as a stripling warrior
the remaining Elf-­lords, the bearers of the Three — these, at the Battle of Dimrill Dale, but now that he is King
Sauron believes, are the only forces left that might con- Under The Mountain, it has the force of a royal com-
test his dominion of Middle-­earth. mand, and woe betide anyone who breaks it. Flonar
A key element of Sauron’s plan, therefore, is the and his companion sought to enter Moria by a secret
assault on the remaining Elven strongholds. He intends path that he thought was known only to the Dwarves
to encircle Lothlórien, striking at the Golden Wood from and thus avoid the watchers at the Gates. He learned
east and west at once. He has sent his Nazgûl to reclaim from the thief Jari the Wanderer that the archives in
his old fortress in Dol Guldur to prepare the assault from the Blue Mountains contained the key to this secret
the east; from the west, he intends to send the Goblin-­ door, and stole it.
rabble of the Misty Mountains, and for that he needs Alas! This secret way was known to Thorin’s father
to command the strongholds of the mountains; Mount Thráin, and he yielded it up in the dungeons of Dol
Gram, Mount Gundabad, Goblin-­town — and, nearest Guldur after many torments. The door was the very
and greatest, Moria! one used by Sauron’s agents when they crept into
With Moria, he can command the Dimrill Stair and Moria, and when Flonar and his companions used the
the other passes of the mountains, and cut Riven- hidden door, they caused great alarm among those
dell and the Grey Havens off from Wilderland. And spies of Mordor.
should his other spies find the hidden valley, then All this long tale is a prologue: fearing discovery, one
from Moria he can send forth a host to despoil the of Sauron’s spies spied on Flonar’s company, following
Last Homely House. them back north to the Vale of Gold. The spy — another
Sauron has dispatched spies and agents to Moria, Orc, by the name of Snava, (see page 101) — then
to sway the Orcs who dwell there. Their mission must recruited Hultmar Manyhanded to destroy the Dwarves
be one of utmost secrecy — Sauron knows that there of the Vale of Gold, and thus ensure the secrecy of Sau-
are hunters and heroes in Elrond’s household that might ron’s emissaries in Moria…

Reading the Riddle that the Orcs have taken some Dwarves prisoner — but it’s
So — a large band of Orcs crossed hundreds of leagues of certain that the Orcs heavily outnumber the heroes.
the Lone-­lands to attack an isolated and obscure Dwarven set- The heroes could pursue them — or they could return
tlement. The Orcs are only a day or two ahead of the heroes, to Floki and the Blue Mountains, and learn more of Flonar
but are likely marching east with great haste. It’s also likely and what might have been taken from him….

77
CHAPTER 5

Part 3: Chasing the Orcs

The evidence found among the ruins of the Dwarven settlement The heroes must complete a HUNTING skill endeavour to
indicates that there was clearly a great host of Orcs at the Vale of follow the Orcs’ trail.
Gold, and that the Company would end up like the Warg that ♦ The endeavour is a Laborious one (Resistance 6) and
caught the Oliphaunt if they succeed in overtaking their quarry. the time limit is 6. Each Player-­hero is allowed to
They can still pursue if they wish, and maybe rescue any prison- attempt two rolls each day.
ers taken by the Orcs through stealth rather than force of arms ♦ If the endeavour fails, the iron sinews of the Orcs
— but it is their decision whether or not to pursue immediately. coupled with worsening weather proves too much for
If the Player-­heroes are bound on this course, then they the Company, and they lose the trail. Still, they can
can follow the Orc-­trail. find Rath Sereg by searching the Ettenmoors. Such a
search takes several weeks of wandering in the wastes

The Orc-­
host
though, and they lose all chances of rescuing the cap-
tives before the Orcs reach their stronghold.
The warband that sacked the Vale of Gold is led by a dread-
ful Orc-­captain of the north by the name of Hultmar, known The Lore­master can enliven the chase interspersing the nar-
among his kind as the Manyhanded, for it is his custom to take ration with the following events:
the sword-­hand of anyone who defies him, Man or Orc. Worse, ♦ THE DEAD DWARF: The heroes come across the
it’s whispered that he possesses some vile sorcery learned in corpse of one of the prisoners from the Vale of Gold,
the secret clefts of Angmar or Dol Guldur, and that he can dumped in a shallow pit. This unlucky Dwarf, Glodi,
breathe life and motion into his collection of rotten hands, so has had his throat slit and his right hand hacked off.
that they crawl like spiders around his lair and strangle the life While a grisly sight, at least it’s proof that the heroes
from his foes. When he was inspired to attack the Vale of Gold, are on the right track.
he gathered his best Orcs and set off from his stronghold in ♦ THE SHADOW OUT OF ANGMAR: Clouds — heavy, black,
the Ettenmoors, the place called Rath Sereg, the Fort of Blood. and full of icy sleet — blow down from the north-­
His host consists of some fifty fighting Orcs, and they are east. This bad weather impedes the heroes’ chase, and
accompanied by lesser Goblins who came chiefly for plunder, reduces the amount of daylight (Player-­heroes are now
not fighting. The Orcs travel only by night, though the gloomy allowed to make a maximum of one roll each day).
clouds of northern Eriador admit little sunlight, and so they ♦ THE DROPPED TOKEN: As the heroes hurry across
can march long at dusk. By day, they hide in whatever hole or the grey world beyond the North Downs, they spot a
sheltered glen they can find — Hultmar is well-­travelled, and flash of gold amid the murk — it is a sprig of gorse
knows the best places to hide from the sun. (Unlike Trolls, from the Vale of Gold, far from home. Someone —
the touch of the sun does not harm Orcs, though they do one of the Dwarven prisoners — took this flower and
find it unpleasant; if the Orcs are caught in the open, they dropped it as a sign.
can just hurl themselves to the ground and bury their faces ♦ THE CRAWLING HAND: One of the heroes spots a pale
in the mud until the searing light passes.) shape scuttling across the rocks nearby. Searching,
they discover a disembodied hand — it is the hand
THE PRISONERS of one of the Dwarves from the Vale of Gold, hacked
In addition to what little gold and iron they took from the off by Hultmar. The hand is now unmoving, and it
Vale of Gold, the Orcs also took nine Dwarves as prisoners. is possible that the grisly trophy was just dropped by
These unfortunates have had their hands bound and ropes the Orcs as they ran — but the hero who saw it would
tied to their beards or necks, to drag them along when the swear it was crawling.
Orcs run. Dwarves are not as swift as Orcs, and Hultmar has
given orders that any Dwarf who cannot keep up is to be killed. THE REAR-­G UARD
Hultmar fought at the Battle of Five Armies and survived the

unting the Orcs

bloody retreat from Erebor, so he knows well the value of a
H rear-­guard. He has a number of his sturdiest Orcs march well
At first, the trail followed by the Orc-­band is obvious — the behind the body of the host, so that they might warn him of
wet earth around Lake Evendim holds tracks well — but as any pursuers.
the Orcs march north-­east, it becomes harder to track them.

78
 W onder of the N orthern W orld

At a suitable juncture during the chase (for example, ♦ AIL, a wise old Dwarf sage
should the Player-­heroes all fail one round of rolls), ♦ BOFIN, clumsy but lucky
the heroes encounter this rear-­guard. There is one Orc ♦ HILVI, a talented weaponsmith
Guard for each Player-­hero in the Company. ♦ GLOMAR, a secretive and taciturn hunter
♦ DVARI, merry with his axe

Catching Up With Hultmar If Hultmar murders any of his captives, choose the victim
If the heroes manage to catch up with the Orcs, then they may at random.
attempt to rescue the captives. (Especially brave heroes might
even sneak into the Orc-­camp to question Hultmar Many- THE PRISONER’S TALE
handed). If the Orcs have a sheltered place to camp and wait If the Player-­heroes rescue one of the Dwarves, either now
out the sunlight, then they set guards to watch over the captives or later in the scenario, then the Dwarf tells them this tale.
during the day. Otherwise, the Orcs bind their captives’ feet Alternatively, if events go awry, the heroes may hear the tale as
and shackle them to an iron spike driven into the ground. The a last confession from the blood-­flecked lips of a dying Dwarf.
Orcs also have lookouts stationed around their camp. If multiple Dwarves are rescued (or are mortally wounded),
Hultmar Manyhanded takes his own precautions — he then Alvir, Ail, Hilvi or Glomar are the best candidates.
puts his collection of hands in a circle around him before The Dwarf says that he accompanied Flonar south to the dis-
spreading out on the ground to sleep. The Orcs whisper that tant city of Tharbad, and from there up into the mountains. For
the hands change position in the night, scuttling around Hul- a time, they travelled with a Man from the south, but they parted
tmar and warding off danger. ways before they reached the Redhorn Pass. Flonar and the Dwarf
climbed the pass — but they were not bound for Wilderland. No,
Player-­heroes sneaking into a secure camp or cave Flonar had a great secret — a hidden way into Khazad-­Dûm! A
must pass a STEALTH roll, losing (1d). Sneaking in way that led to an ancient watchpost overlooking the pass!
when the Orcs are caught in the open is easier, and How Flonar discovered this route, the Dwarf does not know,
the STEALTH roll suffers no penalties. In either case, but the Dwarf leader was hopeful that the Orcs did not know
if the roll fails, the alarm is raised and the Orcs rise of that entrance into the mountain fortress. Flonar even dared
up to slay the intruders. dream that the Dwarves could one day use this route to retake the
city in a surprise assault, just as Thorin Oakenshield’s companions
The captive Dwarves are too weak to fight, and cannot run planned to use the hidden door into Erebor to strike at Smaug.
quickly — the heroes must either find a hiding place or lure Alas! They entered Moria, and found that Orcs had tres-
any Orc hunters away once they escape, or Hultmar’s Orcs passed even into the hidden watchpost. The Orcs must have
may simply recapture the escaped prisoners once night falls. found their way there only recently, for those particular halls
The Orcs will not spend more than a single night searching were still mostly unspoiled and unlooted.
for escaped Dwarves.

A Grisly Homecoming
If the heroes get into a fight with the Orcs, assume there are
two Orc Soldiers for each Player-­hero at the start of the battle.
25 days after the sack of the Vale of Gold, the Orcs return to
At the end of each round of combat, roll a Feat die their lair in the Fort of Blood. This fortress lies in the west-
and divide the result by 2, rounding down, to deter- ern Ettenmoors. Long ago, it was an outpost of Angmar, built
mine how many more Orcs join the fray. On an , by Evil Men; now, the ruins are overgrown and inhabited by
Hultmar Manyhanded joins the fray. On a , some Orcs. The ghastly name of the place originally referred to
distraction gives the heroes a chance to flee. the reddish brambles that grow in great profusion there, but
now the title is earned by Hultmar’s practise of smearing the

Rescuing the Dwarves

entrails of his victims across the stones, to attract carrion birds.
While the walls of the fort have fallen, there are cellars
The nine Dwarves captured by Hultmar are: and caves beneath it that are infested with Orcs. Rath Sereg
♦ ALVIR, a doughty and resilient young Dwarf is described fully in Part 5: Rath Sereg.
♦ VIGNI, a dour and depressed smith If the Orcs bring home prisoners, they are dragged into
♦ BUR, a young Dwarf-­woman, apprentice to Vigni the caverns below and imprisoned. The iron gates of Rath
♦ THROR, a distant cousin of Thorin Oakenshield, and Sereg clang shut, like the tolling of some dreadful bell. There
proud of his royal connections can be no hope for them unless hope comes from outside.

79
CHAPTER 5

Part
4: Council
Under the Mountains
The Lore­master should present this scene if the heroes return than the one inhabiting it, the Dwarf-­hold is ancient and
to Floki or bring word of the sack of the Vale of Gold to the vast, and its draughty chambers and rune-­scored passages
Dwarf-­lords of the Ered Luin. are poorly lit.

Floki’s Grief
If the heroes have not already met Floki, then they may seek
him out after having discovered the corpse of his brother.
Wherever the heroes seek Floki — in Bree, in Ered Luin, or
on the Road — they find him, as if fate is eager to add to
his sorrows.
Floki is appalled to learn of his brother’s death at the Vale
of Gold. He tears at his beard, weeps, gnashes his teeth — and
then rashly swears an oath. If the heroes are his friends, he
invites them to join him. “I swear by Aulë the Maker and Durin
Deathless, by all the Powers of the West and those below in the dark,
that I shall have vengeance. Death to he who slew my brother, and
death to anyone who stands between me and my revenge!” Such an
oath is a perilous and ill-­chosen one, but Floki will not be
dissuaded. He urges the heroes to accompany him to the
halls of the Dwarves in the Blue Mountains to gather a force
to hunt down the Orcs.
If the heroes ask about the necklace carried by Flonar,
Floki does not recognise it. He guesses that it was a treasure
that his brother recovered from Moria (in truth, Flonar stole
it from the archives in the Blue Mountains).

The Halls of the Dwarves

Eventually, rumours and tidings of the assault on the Vale of
Gold reach the Dwarves dwelling in the Blue Mountains, and
a council is convened. Once ruled by Thorin Oakenshield, the
communities of the Ered Luin enjoyed a time of plenty and
prosperity, drawing wayward Dwarves from as far south as Dun-
land. When the Dragon was slain, many Dwarves chose to return
to Erebor, leaving only the oldest and most illustrious Dwarf-­
lords to preserve the traditions of the lost mountain-­cities of
the First Age, Nogrod and Belegost. Today, the Blue Mountains
are ruled by many chieftains and no kings, a land where proud
Dwarves labour and nurse the memory of lost glories.
The council is called in the Halls of the Dwarves, the
main Dwarf-­hold dug on the east side of the Blue Moun-
tains, to the north of the Gulf of Lune. The underground
city extends deep into the mountains, but its halls have seen
better days. Clearly built to house a much larger community

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 W onder of the N orthern W orld

ORDER OF EVENTS Step 2 (Introduction). So, the Player-­heroes arrive, intro-

This scene uses the Council rules, but changes the order duce themselves, there’s some intrigue, and then they
of events slightly — swap Step 1 (Set Resistance) and decide what they’re actually asking for from the Dwarves.

81
CHAPTER 5

The Council Begins THE STOLEN KEY

In the hall chosen for the council seven large braziers burn If the Player-­heroes mention the clasp bourne by
with tall flames, their light and heat struggling to chase away Flonar, or talk of a key that opens a secret entrance
the shadows and dampness from the tall-­ceilinged room. The to Moria, then Vilia hastily silences them. “That
gathering is overseen by a Dwarven elder with clouded eyes matter should only be spoken of privately.”
named Vilia, a veteran of the Battle of Azanulbizar. She was
struck by a poisoned Orc-­arrow in that battle, and the venom
ate away her nerves. She walks with difficulty, so she is car-
ried in on a palanquin by four stout Dwarves. Other Dwarves
file into the council chamber in the mountain’s heart, and INTRIGUE IN THE HALLS
when the chamber’s seats are full, Vilia thumps a staff onto Both Floki and Vilia approach the Player-­heroes. Depend-
the ground. ing on the playing group’s preferred playstyle, they might
“We are gathered,” she says, “at the request of Floki, second son speak to the whole group at once, or target individual
of Flokar. Dark tidings have come to us of the Vale of Gold. These characters — Floki might prefer to speak to more impul-
travellers came from the hill, and brought news.” sive, warlike characters while Vilia targets those who seem
slower to act.
Vilia asks the Player-­heroes to introduce themselves,
and to tell the tale of the Vale of Gold (this is the THE FURY OF FLOKI: Floki is so furious he can hardly talk —
Introduction step of the council; note the result of he is convinced that the council intends to ignore the death
the Company’s rolls, and any rolled, to set the time of his brother! They are going to say that Flonar brought
limit for the council). disaster on himself by leaving the safety of the Blue Moun-
tains and going to live in virtual exile at the Vale of Gold.
The Dwarves grumble and shout when the heroes describe the Cowards! When King Thrór was killed at the gates of Moria,
fate of the Dwarves at the Vale of Gold, and become especially all the Dwarves answered the call to war! They slaughtered
angered if the heroes mention how Flonar’s corpse was defiled all the Orcs in the Misty Mountains!
or that prisoners were taken. Vilia raises her hand for silence. And now — now that the Dwarves are stronger, and the
“There is more to this tale,” she says, “and that must be told to, Orcs weaker after the Battle of Five Armies — now they have
before Floki’s plea may be justly heard. Many of you know this story, grown so fat and lazy on Dragon-­gold that they will not lift a
but others may not, and it shall be spoken here again, that the stone finger to avenge poor Flonar!
may remember.” Floki begs the characters to help him convince the
Vilia explains that Flonar was one of several who defied Dwarves to go to war against the Orcs who killed Flonar. If
both custom and the word of King Dáin by seeking to enter he has not already sworn an oath in front of the heroes, he
the lost city of Moria. She does not know if it was foolish talk, does so now. If he has already sworn the oath, he reminds
or if Flonar ever put his plans into action, but it is forbid- the heroes of it — and if they swore too, he calls on them to
den either way. “I was there at Azanulbizar,” says Vilia, “when remember their words.
Frerin, son of Thráin, fell in battle. I fought alongside Thorin in the
oakwood, and I saw Azog slay Náin of the Iron Hills. I saw young THE COUNSEL OF VILIA: Vilia has her aides escort her into a
Dáin Ironfoot avenge his father — not slow was his axe that day! private room, then dismisses them so she can speak to the
I watched him spring up the steps of Durin’s Gate, and halt there Player-­heroes privately. She thanks them for bringing word
on the very threshold of the First Hall. He said then that a for​​esight of the attack on the Vale of Gold. If they tracked the Orcs
was on him, and that the Dwarves shall not return to Moria until a to Rath Sereg or rescued any of the prisoners, she rewards
greater power walks those halls.” She shakes her head, painfully. them with gold (5 points of Treasure for the location of Rath
“Who can gainsay a foresight bought at such cost? Only a fool. It was Sereg, 10 points for each saved prisoner).
for this folly that Flonar was shunned, and he left these mountains Then, she continues: Floki, she says, is overcome with grief
to dwell in the Vale of Gold. Treasure consumed his thoughts, and and anger. He calls for vengeance — but he is no king. Few
treasure brought ruin to him.” Dwarves will rally to his cause, and there are too many Orcs
Floki splutters with anger and starts to speak, but Vilia for him to defeat alone. If the heroes are truly Floki’s friends,
again silences him. “I mislike rashly spoken words — they lead to they will put an end to his folly, and make him see sense. It
sorrow. We shall convene again in one hour, so that we may choose may be bitter to speak against a friend, and Floki will not be
wisely with clear heads.” quick to forgive them, but it is for the best.

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Flonar was a fool; do not let Floki follow him down the heads she clove that day. So great was her renown that
same ruinous path. As for the Orcs who sacked the Vale of word of her prowess reached even the ears of Azog, and
Gold, there is little that can be done about them. They are he ordered his Goblin-­archers to target her in particular. A
far away, across the breadth of the Lone-­lands, and secure in poisoned dart felled Vilia by the shore of the Mirrormere.
their mountain fortresses. She should have perished, but she fought on, and
She asks if the characters know any reason why the Orcs clung to life. When she awoke, her limbs were as stone.
marched so far to attack the Vale of Gold. If the characters She set herself to a new path; if her limbs no longer obeyed
mention the Mithril-­chain, then she bows her head, and says her, then eye and tongue would have to do instead. She
that a key to a secret way into Moria was brought out of the became a historian and counsellor.
wreck of that city by King Thráin I. A copy of that key was held One bold young stripling of a Dwarf once asked if
in the archives in the Blue Mountains. She suspects Flonar she regretted joining the fray, and Vilia answered thusly:
stole it. She asks the characters to keep this quiet — if the “I wish I had not been injured, but I cannot change my deci-
other Dwarves knew that there was a secret way into Moria, it sion. And who knows — perhaps if I had not been there that
might inspire others to the same folly as Flonar. day, the battle would have gone worse for the Dwarves,
If the heroes do as Vilia suggests and ensure that Flo- and more would have perished. No, what I regret is that
ki’s plea is ignored by the council, she promises she will aid I joined the fray without consideration. I was young and
them in future. hot-­b looded, but taking up the axe is a decision that
should be made reluctantly, and with due consideration.
The axe-­blade comes hot and blazing from the forge, but
it must be tempered and cooled before it is of any use.”

OCCUPATION: Dwarven sage

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Honourable, Patient

THE CHOICE
When the council resumes, Floki stands and declares that this
insult to the Dwarves cannot go unanswered. His brother is
dead, and two dozen other Dwarves are dead or in shackles!
The Orcs must answer for this! He calls upon the Dwarves of the
Blue Mountains to muster an army and march to war against
the Orcs who did this. Vilia turns to the Player-­heroes (especially
any Dwarves in the Company) and asks what they would counsel.
♦ A reasonable request (Resistance 3) would be to follow
Vilia’s advice, and suggest that the Dwarves do noth-
ing rash. They might suggest investigating the Orcs, or
sending a small fellowship of heroes to rescue any pris-
oners. Suggesting this cautious course of action likely
enrages Floki.
♦ A bold request (Resistance 6) would be to ignore both
Vilia and Floki, and suggest a middle ground — mus-
Vilia tering a small raiding party of Dwarves to extract ven-
Some are gifted with wisdom; for others, it is hard-­won. In geance upon the Orcs. This would be a highly danger-
her youth, Vilia was an impetuous Dwarf-­woman, unwilling ous quest, as the Dwarves would be heavily outnum-
to be sheltered and kept hidden as is the custom for many bered and far from any allies. However, it would satisfy
of her sisters. She took up the axe, and when the call went Floki’s demand for vengeance while also ensuring that
out to the Seven Houses of the Dwarves to avenge the death the Dwarves do not go to war.
of Thror, she answered it eagerly. She was the first through ♦ An outrageous request (Resistance 9) would be to sup-
the gate of Mount Gram, and not little was the count of the port Floki’s call for all-­out war against the Orcs.

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THE DEBATE so clear now! There were no Orcs! It was you who attacked the Vale
The time limit of the council is set using the result of the of Gold and murdered Flonar, and then brought this nonsensical tale
characters’ Introduction rolls. All skill rolls can be modified of Orcs to cover up their misdeeds!” Floki snatches up his axe and
by the attitude of the assembled Dwarven dignitaries. attacks the heroes; he is quickly restrained by the Dwarves and
♦ If there are no Dwarves in the Company, then the atti- exiled from the Blue Mountains like his brother.
tude of the council is Reluctant — lose (1d). If the council elects to follow Vilia’s advice, then the
♦ If there is at least one Dwarf in the Company, or the Dwarves choose to do nothing. Depending on how events
heroes know the location of Rath Sereg, then the atti- played out, Floki may be bitterly resentful of the heroes, or
tude of the council is Open (no modifier). just blame Vilia for the decision. Either way, Floki declares
♦ If there’s a Dwarf and the characters have already found his intent to set out in search of vengeance. The heroes may
Rath Sereg, then the council is Friendly — gain (1d). accompany him if they wish.
If the council agrees to follow Floki’s call, then the
In the Interaction phase, the heroes may speak in support Dwarves lend support to the cause against Hultmar and the
of whatever course of action they suggested. Useful Skills Orcs of Rath Sereg. The degree of support depends on the
include: nature of the request.
♦ INSIGHT , to see that many of the Dwarves in the coun- ♦ A reasonable request (Resistance 3) could be asking
cil disliked Flonar and would be loath to go to war to the Dwarves to pay the Player-­heroes if they find Rath
avenge him — or to spot which Dwarves are unde- Sereg and rescue any Dwarven prisoners, and if they
cided and might be swayed to support Floki. manage to slay Hultmar. The heroes will be paid 5
♦ BATTLE , to suggest strategies, to tell of the Orcs’ Treasure each for this quest, plus 5 Treasure for each
stronghold, or to warn of the dangers of crossing all of prisoner rescued, plus another 5 each for Hultmar’s
the Lone-­lands on a fruitless quest for revenge. head (halve these values on a Success with Woe).
♦ ENHEARTEN, PERSUADE OR COURTESY to speak elo- ♦ A bold request (Resistance 6) could be as above, plus
quently in support of a course of action. the characters may each take two items (either wargear
♦ RIDDLE , to stall or speak empty words. or useful items) from the armouries of the Dwarves, or
♦ TRAVEL , to speak of the dangers of the Wild. a single item on a Success with Woe.
♦ An outrageous request (Resistance 9) could be asking
If the characters speak of the stolen key, it gives an auto- the Dwarves to march to war! On a Success, hundreds
matic success. of Dwarven warriors muster at the Blue Mountains
before marching on Rath Sereg. The Player-­heroes may
RESULT: If the council ends in Disaster, then Floki explodes accompany this host to battle, and if they do they will
in anger. He blames both the Dwarves for being cowards, and get all the rewards above. Optionally, a character (espe-
the heroes for betraying him. “Why?! By Durin’s beard, it’s all cially a Dwarf) might be awarded a ­Magical Weapon.

Part 5: Rath Sereg

From there the power was spreading far and wide, and away far east and south
there were wars and growing fear. Orcs were multiplying again in the mountains.

RUMOUR OLD LORE

The numbers of the Orcs in the Misty Mountains are growing again, Of old there was the realm of Angmar, where Evil Men dwelt. They
mark my words! They’re creeping down from the north once again, raised watchtowers and fortresses on their borders, and from these
and soon they’ll block all the passes into Wilderland. They’re com- forts they sent raiders to trouble the lands of the King. For many
ing west, too, down the Hoarwell and through the hills, making years, they had great success, and the strength of the north was bro-
lairs in all the old ruins and barrows. I wouldn’t sleep soundly, if ken. Yet, before Angmar could lay claim to all of Eriador, a fleet of
I were you. You never know when there’ll be an Orc at your door. ships stronger than any that had been seen in an Age of the world

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 W onder of the N orthern W orld

sailed from the south, and from that fleet came a great host, and L ocations
Angmar was destroyed. The city of Carn Dûm and all the border
forts were razed or fell into disrepair. 1. OUTER WALL
The walls of the fort are overgrown with red weeds and

Background
gorse bushes, and the long slow movement of the earth
has half-­buried them in places, but this is still a strong and
Rath Sereg was once a mighty fortress, guarding the southern easily-­defended place. The chief gaps in the defences are
approaches to the capital of the Witch-­king at Carn Dûm. At the breaches made long ago by the armies of Gondor; these
its height, thousands of soldiers — Men and Orcs — dwelt have been filled with stones, but it’s possible for a company
here, and stranger creatures bred by the Witch-­king’s sorcery of fighters to climb these piles of loose stone and gain the
lurked in the dungeons below. The fortress was virtually emp- top of the walls that way.
tied of troops before the Battle of Fornost in T.A. 1975, and
only a handful of sentries remained behind. They watched the 2. GATEHOUSE
horizon, expecting to see the banners of Angmar returning The Orcs have rebuilt the old gatehouse, although they
in triumph, their allies laden down with booty from the sack lack the skill to repair the gates. Instead of the gates of
of Arthedain. Instead, to their dismay, they saw the banners wood and steel that once hung here, these are gates of black
of the Lords of Gondor and the symbol of the White Tree. iron forged in Gundabad. The keeper of the gatehouse is
Had the defenders stayed at their posts, then Rath Sereg a Great Orc named Bataur, who uses his great ring of keys
might have held out for weeks, for back then its walls were as a knuckleduster (Bataur is a Great Orc Bodyguard, see
sturdy and tall, it was well-­provisioned, and even a small page 149 of The One Ring). He has keys to both the gate-
few guards could have defended its gates against the might house and the prison.
of Gondor. Had they stayed, then Rath Sereg might have
checked the advance of the enemy, and given the scattered 3. RUINS
armies of Angmar time to reform. But the courage of Evil Most of the buildings of the inner courtyard are just piles of
Men was lacking at the pinch, and they fled. weed-­choked rubble. Goblins lurk amid the debris, armed
Prince Eärnur of Gondor ordered that the fortress be put with wicked darts and bows.
beyond use. There was no time for even the skilled sappers
of Gondor to level Rath Sereg, but they collapsed much of 4. TOWER
the underground cellars and dungeons, breached the walls This tower, built atop the remains of the burnt-­out keep, is a
in a dozen places, and set such a blaze in the main keep that pallid imitation of the matchless Barad-­Dûr, at least in Hult-
the very stone melted. mar’s delusional mind. To most, it appears as a rough-­made
Rath Sereg laid in ruins for many centuries. At times, Orcs watchtower of black stone and steel, erected above a grisly
or Men dwelt here again, for even the wreck of a mighty for- hall where Hultmar holds court — but he has grand plans
tress is a strong place, but it was not until the Orc-­lord Hult- for expansion. Dwarven prisoners from the Vale of Gold are
mar came here after the Battle of Five Armies that any work put to work by day building the tower.
was done to rebuild the fortress. The Orcs could not rebuild
the central keep, but they have mended up the gaps in the 5. FORGE
walls with loose stones, and excavated enough of the tunnels A crude forge for the making of weapons and armour. Other
to house an army of Orcs. Hultmar dreams of rebuilding Dwarves are forced to work here.
Rath Sereg into a mighty fortress and establishing himself as
warlord of Angmar. 6. ORC-­WARREN
Tunnels and caves used by the Orcs. Some are the old
HULTMAR’S GUEST cellars of the fortress, cleared of debris; others are the
Also present at Rath Sereg is the key villain of the whole cam- worm-­like tunnellings of Goblins. There are hundreds of
paign — the Mordor Orc Snava. He travelled to Rath Sereg Goblins in these warrens, far too many for any hero to
after his secret lair in Moria was disturbed by Flonar, and defeat in battle.
convinced Hultmar to mount the raid on the Vale of Gold.
Now that the meddling Dwarves have been dealt with, Snava 7. PRISON
intends to continue on north to the Hill of Fear. However, Dwarven prisoners are kept chained up in this cave when not
he has yet to depart. working in the forge or on Hultmar’s tower.

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CHAPTER 5

8. CAVE OF CRAWLING HANDS

Hultmar’s sleeping quarters are guarded by this ghastly cham-
ber, where dozens of severed hands sit on shelves like watch-
ful spiders.

NO, SERIOUSLY,
DO THE HANDS MOVE OR NOT?
Ambiguity is often spookier than certainty. A giant
spider lurking in the dark tunnels of Cirith Ungol is
scary, but so too are three-­headed vulture statues
that never act, never move, but just stare. If you
describe Hultmar’s severed hands as moving, then
that’s almost to be expected in a fantasy game full
of ghosts and Goblins. If the hands are just there,
or drop to the ground from above in unexpected
places, and the Player-­heroes cannot tell if they are
actually alive and moving or if it is just a series of
coincidences and cruel Orc-­jests, it’s much more
disconcerting.

HULTMAR MANYHANDED ATTRIBUTE LEVEL

Bold, Cunning
7
ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR

56 2 7 +3 4

COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Heavy Scimitar 3 (5/18, Break 1

Shield), Broad-­headed Spear 3 (5/16, Pierce)
2

FELL ABILITIES: Hatred (Dwarves). All attacks against

Dwarves are Favoured.
Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing
Blow with a close combat attack, spend 1 Hate to make
the target’s Protection roll Ill-­favoured.
Snake-­like Speed. When targeted by an attack,
spend 1 Hate to make the attack roll Ill-­favoured.
Yell of Triumph. Spend 1 Hate to restore 1 Hate to all
other Orcs in the fight.
Horrible Hands. Spend 1 Hate to make all Player-­
heroes in sight gain 2 Shadow points (Dread). Those
who fail the Shadow test are daunted and cannot spend
Hope for the rest of the fight.

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 W onder of the N orthern W orld

9. HULTMAR’S LAIR
The Orc warlord’s chamber is filled with maps of Eriador —
mostly stolen from Dwarven travellers, although there are
some old parchments obtained from the thieves of Tharbad
too — and schemes for conquest. In a heavy iron-­bound chest,
he keeps most of the treasures taken from the Vale of Gold
and other raids, together with a great amount of Moria-­gold
given to him by Snava as payment for the attack on the Vale
of Gold. All in all, this is a Greater Hoard of Treasure.

RATH SEREG

6
7

10
8

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CHAPTER 5

10. SNAVA’S CHAMBER

The Orc spy dwells in this chamber. However, the Player-­
heroes will not be able to capture Snava in this adventure —
if they get close, have Snava vanish through a secret tunnel,
forewarned by the dreadful magic of the Hill of Fear.
Even abandoned, the Orc spy’s rooms contain some clues
to his recent activity; there’s a heavy fur-­lined coat, a shell
amulet similar to the one found on Déor’s corpse, and two
large and ornate knives. One was made in Minas Morgul, and
has the sheen of new-­forged steel. The other was made in SNAVA’S BLADES
Angmar more than a thousand years ago; it is weathered and These wicked blades are forged in the shape
rusted — but the two knives are otherwise identical, marked of knives, long enough to be considered Short
with the same dreadful symbols. One was wielded by the dark Swords. The one made in Minas Morgul has the
priests of Angmar; the other by the acolytes of Sauron in the Superior Fell, Grievous, and Keen Rewards (con-
Morgul Vale. Snava used these knives in blasphemous rites sider the effects as if it was of Elven craftsmanship),
to awaken the power of the Hill. while the one made in Angmar is only Fell and
Grievous, and possesses no Enchanted Rewards.

Schemes and Trouble

However, if an attack with either of these weap-
ons results in a Wound, the target is also poisoned
unless it is Undead (see page 134 of The One Ring),
RESCUING THE PRISONERS and if it dies while poisoned in this way, it will rise
Hultmar took nine Dwarves from the Vale of Gold, and now as a Fell Wraith the next night. Killing a creature
forces them to work at the forge or to build his tower. By in this way counts as a Misdeed worth 4 Shadow
night, the Dwarves labour under the watchful eye of Orcs; points, regardless of the circumstances.
by day, they are chained up in the prison cell. The blades are both cursed with the Curse
♦ Opening the iron door of the prison cell requires an of Weakness (Curse of Vengeance), and the one
ATHLETICS or CRAFT roll, or stealing the gaoler’s key. made in Minas Morgul also has the Shadow Taint
♦ The nine prisoners are all too weak and malnour- (see pages 168–169 of The One Ring).
ished to move quickly or to fight, although a success­
ful ENHEARTEN roll could stir them to one last
heroic effort.

If the Dwarves lay siege to Rath Sereg, then Hultmar threat-

ens to execute his hostages one by one unless the Dwarves
withdraw. This is a ruse; if Hultmar does convince the Dwarves SNAVA FLEES
to withdraw, then he sends messengers to Mount Gundabad If Rath Sereg is overrun or the heroes sneak into the fortress
to muster a larger Orc-­host. and attempt to attack him, Snava flees through a secret tun-
nel leading from his chamber (Location 10). Snava always
SNAVA’S SORCERY escapes (have him call upon evil spirits to cover his escape if
If the Orcs suspect that there are enemies lurking nearby necessary), but an especially tenacious character could wound
or trying to rescue the prisoners, then Snava can call on the Snava as the Orc flees, and the Orc will still bear this injury
same fell spirits the heroes encountered on the distant Isle when encountered again.
of the Mother (see Unhoused Wraiths, on page 38). It takes Tracking Snava across the north leads to The Quest of Amon
time even for houseless spirits to travel all the way from the Guruthos (see page 91).
Hill of Fear to Rath Sereg, as the horrors cannot endure the
light of the sun. THE SIEGE OF RATH SEREG
Snava might call the spirits one night (by lighting a bon- A handful of heroes cannot lay siege to the fortress, not even
fire and sacrificing one of the prisoners in a dark rite), and if they are aided by a band of stalwart Dwarves. The heroes
the ghosts appear the following night, howling around Rath must find a way to sneak past the sentries and climb the walls,
Sereg and revealing the hiding places of the intruders. or force the great iron doors.

88
 W onder of the N orthern W orld

However, if the Dwarves come in force with the heroes, Then… the wind shifts, blowing from the north with an icy
then there is a great battle between the Orcs and Dwarves. breath, and, once again, the heroes hear that same howling
Orc watchers see the approaching Dwarves from a distance, of evil spirits loosed from the Hill of Fear. Unnatural dark-
and at first it seems like the courage of the Orcs wavers, and ness swallows the fort, and the Dwarves are dismayed by the
that they might break and flee even before battle is joined. terror of the spectres. At the same time, more Orcs join the
Then Hultmar rushes up to the top of his tower, and blows fray. They march under the banner of Mount Gram. These
his horn. “To the walls, dogs! Stand and fight! Let them break upon fresh Orcs attack the rear of the Dwarven host.
us!” The Orcs scramble for the safety of the fort, scurrying up Outnumbered, overwhelmed by the howling spirits,
the half-­built walls and slamming the great iron gates behind exhausted by the day’s battle, the Dwarves have little hope
them. Goblin archers huddle atop the walls, bows at the ready. of escape. A few might break the encircling line of Orcs and
Mighty Orcs roar behind the gates. (If the Dwarves have the escape across the plains, to be hunted down by Orcs. Of
wit to attack when the sun is high in the sky, the Orcs must course, the actions of the Player-­heroes might affect this fate
cower in the shadows of the fort, and cannot guard the walls — if they drive the spirits away and rally the surviving Dwarves,
as much as they should.) they might be able to eke out a bitter, hard-­won victory, or
Now, Rath Sereg is well-­fortified, but not enough of it has at least ensure more of the Dwarves escape with their lives.
been repaired to withstand Dwarven siegecraft. When battle
is joined, the Dwarves quickly identify the weaker sections of
the walls, and hew at their foundations. Other Dwarves armed
with great shields guard the sappers. The Orcs make several
sallies, trying to stop the sappers; the Player-­heroes may be THE RANGERS ARRIVE!
instrumental in countering these assaults. If the heroes aided Orothel the Ranger, or if they
Near dusk, the Dwarves have dug enough to undermine are allies of Gilraen, then the Rangers of the North
one of the filled breaches in the wall, and with a great cry might arrive out of the grey mists in the nick of time,
of triumph they knock away the supports. There comes an stern-­faced warriors striking in the rear of the Orcs’
avalanche of stone as the wall gives way, and then amid the lines to give the Dwarves a chance to reform and
dust and debris, the Dwarves advance, a wedge of steel push- retreat. The Rangers are accompanied by the sons of
ing into the heart of Rath Sereg. Iron-­shod boots trample Elrond, their swords flashing as they drive back the
the red flowers, and it seems as though the Orcs are on the spirits and lift the hearts of their Company with song.
verge of defeat. Cowardly Goblins flee to take refuge in the Different Patrons might provide different aid
Orc-­warren, or scramble over the walls at the rear of the fort, to their allies — Balin might show up with Dwarves
away from the Dwarven advance. from the Blue Mountains, or Círdan might send Elves
It seems as though all is lost for the Orcs. If the Player-­ from the Havens. Gandalf might arrive in the nick of
heroes are in the thick of the fighting, they may encounter time, light blazing from his staff to dismay the Orcs.
Hultmar Manyhanded and his retinue as they make their last
stand in the ruins of the keep.

Part 6: H omeward Bound

How do the Player-­heroes return to the Dwarf-­halls of the Ered If the heroes did well — either in rescuing the pris-
Luin? Are they coming back in triumph, accompanying pris- oners or in battling Hultmar — then Vilia entrusts them
oners snatched from Orc-­bondage? Or are they bringing news with some Dwarf-­forged weapons. “Dark days are coming,”
of the defeat of the Dwarf-­host, or a tale of hard-­won victory? she whispers, “and it is best that good steel not sleep under the
Did Floki survive, or shall he be entombed along with mountains.”
his brother?

89
 CHAPTER 6

THE QUEST OF
AMON GURUTHOS
Get out you old Wight! Vanish in the sunlight!
Shrivel like the cold mist, like the winds go wailing,
Out into the barren lands, far beyond the mountains!
Come never here again! Leave your barrow empty!
Lost and forgotten be, darker than the darkness,
Where gates stand for ever shut, till the world is mended.
CHAPTER 6

he heroes set out on a journey to the far north, to the Forodwaith, around the Ice Bay of Forochel. So, one pos-
seek answers among the folk of that region. Long sible path would be to retrace the famous journey of Arvedui
is the journey, and perilous, but the characters Last-­king, and go north along the Ered Luin to the barren
may find friends amid the snow and ice — even lands of the Cape of Forochel. Another option is to take the
friends unlooked-­for. long road to Lond Daer (or the Grey Havens, if the charac-
The Forodwaith — the northern waste — is a land vir- ters are friendly with Círdan) and sail around the cape into
tually unknown to most people of Middle-­earth. In ancient the frozen waters.
times, it lay under the dominion of the Enemy, for the for- The bravest option is to follow the path that the unfor-
tress of Angband lay in that region. Elves crossing from the tunate Déor probably intended to tread, and follow the
West made their way through the icy wastes, but not even the line of the Misty Mountains past the dreadful haunted
great mariners of Númenor braved the crushing ice-­fields ruins of Carn Dûm, and come into the Forodwaith from
and treacherous bays. Mortals have long dwelt there, a hardy the south.
and secretive folk who learned to survive in the cold lands. If the Company approaches Forochel from the west, run
The heroes have met one such tribe in a previous adven- Part 1: Cold Welcome. If they approach from the south, skip
ture — the folk of Jagat, who dwelt in the western portion of straight onto Part 2: The Wasteland.

THE CHOICE OF PATHS For Player-­heroes who need a little more prompting:
There are several clues that might set the Company on ♦ Characters who undertake to Gather Rumours during
a path leading north. a Fellowship Phase hear stories of bad dreams and
♦ The Player-­heroes have found the shell amulet on ill-­omens among the few folk who dwell in the
the corpse of Déor — its possession implies a con- northern reaches of Eriador. The Elven travelling-­
nection to the Snowmen of Forochel. If Déor was companies speak of sinister voices on the wind.
a spy out of Mordor, why was he on his way to the ♦ A Patron might send the characters north to inves-
Lossoth? tigate the growing threat of the Hill of Fear. Gan-
♦ Similarly, if the heroes triumphed at the fort of dalf, Balin, Gilraen or Bilbo might recommend the
Rath Sereg, then clues found there in Snava’s landward route past the ruins of Carn Dûm; Cír-
chamber point north too. dan recommends travel by sea. Tom doesn’t care
♦ They might even set off into the North in search how the characters get there, as long as it rhymes.
of the Hill with no more guidance than the vague ♦ Elwing of Lond Daer might bring word of peril
rumour that the Hill of Fear lies somewhere from the North, carrying a message from Jagat of
beyond Carn Dûm, or follow their dreams or the the Lossoth. She tells the heroes that the peo-
guidance of their Patron. ple of the Uttermost North are troubled by foul
dreams and evil forces, much like they encoun-
tered on the Isle of the Mother.

92
 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

Planning the Expedition travelling; Journey Events targeting a Hunter may force
Reaching the far northern expanses of Forodwaith is such a the Company to delay for a short time, but do not force
long journey that the Company likely needs to carefully plan them to turn back.
their route. There is little good hunting north of Evendim,
so the Player-­heroes cannot rely on living off the land, and Foraging in the Northern Waste is so difficult that
would be wise to find a place to resupply en route. all HUNTING rolls are Ill-­favoured, and increase the
The regular Journey rules assume that the characters Fatigue penalty for a failed roll by 1.
are travelling in lands where they can find food while

Part 1: Cold Welcome

The Lossoth dwell primarily on the northern peninsula, far Jagat tells the heroes that since they parted, the curse that
from their enemies, but sometimes cross the gulf to hunt in troubled his expedition to the Isle of the Mother seems to
the lands around the Ice-­bay. Jagat’s tribe spends more of the have followed him home. The Lossoth hear strange voices in
season than most on its southern shores. Few folk of Eriador the air, and hunters in the woods report strange sights. Orcs
ever visit this land. The Player-­heroes find themselves blinking have come down from the mountains, too.
at the harsh sunlight reflected off the snow that cloaks the Bad dreams plague the Lossoth. Many have dreamed of
mountainsides even in the height of summer. The days here a dark hill in the east, and it is whispered that the Witch-­king
are strangely long; the nights short and bright. has returned from his kingdom in the hot south. The recur-
Like the other Snowmen, Jagat’s tribe are nomadic, fol- rent dreams can drive Men mad — or compel them to make
lowing the grazing of reindeer and the shifting seasons. They offerings to the Witch-­king.
make skates of bone to travel swiftly over frozen ice and snow, Some Lossoth tribes have gone across the water to the
and make skis from birch or climbing gear from bone to travel northern shore, even though it is late in the year and they will
in the mountains. They dwell in tents of reindeer-­hide that suffer terribly from hunger. But others, he whispers, have gone
can easily be taken down and moved. back to the bad old ways, and offer… tribute to the Witch-­king.
If the characters arrived here with Elwing of Lond Daer, Others, like Jagat’s kin, have retreated west, away from
then she knows where Jagat’s tribe makes its camp, and she the old borders of Angmar. His uncle Egel is chieftain, and
can sail the Company there directly. Otherwise, the charac- he has not yet decided what to do. Egel is cautious and mis-
ters must search for Jagat’s kinfolk. trusts outsiders (especially if the events of Messing About In
Boats went badly), and Jagat worries that Egel will fall back
On a successful EXPLORE roll, Jagat’s tribe finds on the old ways out of necessity.
them; it requires a great or extraordinary success for Jagat can present the Player-­heroes to his uncle Egel, so
a band of newcomers from the warm southlands to they can ask for aid — but he hopes they can also convince
track down Snowmen who do not want to be found. If the chieftain to turn his face from the East.
the roll fails, the Company fail to find Jagat’s kinfolk,
and must continue east into Part 2: The Wasteland.
Egel
Meeting Jagat
Egel is old and imperious, and puts the characters in mind
of some bird of prey, with his gaunt features, wrinkled
If the Player-­heroes have a good relationship with Jagat, he skin and piercing eyes. His face remains impassive and
welcomes them warmly and invites them to share his tent. unreadable when speaking with the heroes. As far as he
He gives them food and other supplies if they are running is concerned, the outside world can attend to itself, and
short. He promises to introduce them to the chieftain of the Lossoth should take no part in the affairs of the south.
his tribe, Egel. If the characters parted with him on poor
terms, then he is less welcoming, but the plight of the Los- OCCUPATION: Chieftain
soth in recent months is perilous enough for him to look
to outsiders for aid. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Stern, Wary

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CHAPTER 6

A Council with Egel set, who will aid the Lossoth? Is it not wiser for the Lossoth
Egel gathers the heroes around his campfire, but the leaping to do what they must to survive?
flames cannot drive away the chill of his glare. If convinced to aid the Company, then Egel warns the
The Lore­master can use the following guidelines to evaluate Player-­heroes about old tales. It is easy, he says, to find the Hill
what the Company asks of him, applying the rules for councils: of Fear. They will see it on the horizon if they go east; indeed,
♦ Reasonable requests (3 successes required) might be there is no avoiding it. It will find them even if they do not seek
asking for food and basic provisions for the crossing it out. But the hill has a nightmarish property — no matter
of the Ice Waste, or asking Egel to tell the characters how long you walk towards it, it recedes, always lurking out of
what he knows of the lands to the east. reach. And if you turn away from it, it pursues you until you
♦ Bold requests (6 successes required) might be urging can see nothing but that dark shape, until it drives you mad.
Egel to take his tribe across the Ice-­bay, or asking for There is only one way to reach the Hill, and it is a perilous
guides and other supplies such as Lossoth-­style cloth- one. The Player-­heroes must find a ruined castle of Angmar
ing in the journey across the Forochel. in the hills far to the east where an ageless sorcerer dwells.
♦ Outrageous requests (9 successes required) might be The tales say the place is called Sennas Gaer, and that the
telling Egel to fight against the darkness of the Hill of sorcerer holds the path to Amon Guruthos.
Fear, and to rally the Snowmen against the Enemy. If the characters show Egel (or Jagat) the shell amulet from
Déor’s corpse, they identify it as the sigil marking oaths taken
Egel is Reluctant, so the Player-­heroes lose (1d) by default. If by the Lossoth of that region to serve the lord of Sennas Gaer,
Jagat vouches for the heroes, Egel is Open (no modifier). and to lend assistance to any messenger who bore such a device.
They gain (1d) if the heroes are especially Friendly with Egel,
or if they undertook a Hunt with the Lossoth (see page 40). THE AID OF THE LOSSOTH
Skills like COURTESY and ENHEARTEN work best here; Should the Player-­heroes convince Egel to send guides with
attempts to browbeat proud Egel with AWE or confuse him them, then Egel sends Jagat and two of his warriors to escort
with RIDDLE are likely to backfire. the Company to the edge of Egel’s territory. Egel warns Jagat to
turn back before he sees the Hill of Fear with his waking eyes —
WISE WORDS it is one thing to dream of the Hill, and another thing to see it.
In conversation, Egel reveals that a darkness has returned to
this land; the Hill of Fear is awake once more. Ancient tales Being guided by the Lossoth allows the Player-­heroes
handed down from the dark days speak of the power of Ang- to gain (1d) on any AWARENESS , EXPLORE , HUNTING ,
mar and the Great King in the North, of whom the Witch-­king and TRAVEL rolls made while travelling in Forodwaith.
was but the shadow of a shadow.
Those tales speak, too, of Sea-­kings and Elf-­princes with Egel may also outfit the characters with snow-­shoes, Lossoth-­
bright swords who drove the Witch-­king away. Where are these style coats and furs, and other supplies for surviving in the
heroes now? If there is darkness even when the sun does not north (see Across the Ice, below).

Part 2: The Wasteland

Across the Ice

The portion of the Forodwaith north of the mountains was
part of the Kingdom of Angmar in the dreadful days when the
Witch-­king held dominion there. Few of the Lossoth served In terms of the rules for Journeys, traversing the icy waste
him — his subjects were mostly Men of Eriador, as well as Orcs is resolved as entering a Perilous Area in a Dark Land with
and other monsters. Now that Angmar is gone, the Lossoth a rating of 3. This means that the Player-­heroes must face 3
sometimes travel through this wasteland on the way to their Events before they arrive in sight of Sennas Gaer.
summer-­camps in the north, but they do not linger here. It ♦ To resolve the Events the Lore­master may roll on the
is not a good land to dwell in. Journey Events table on page 112 of The One Ring, or
on the Northern Waste Events Table below (if so, all Player-­
heroes suffer 2 points of Fatigue for each Event).

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 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

♦ The snowy wilderness of Forodwaith is a bitter, unfriendly RUINS OF CARN DÛM

land to those who do not know its way. The Player-­heroes Travellers approaching this region from the south
lose (1d) on all rolls while on the Journey, or (2d) if they must pass the ruins of the city of the Witch-­king.
do not have Lossoth-­style furs and equipment. The realm of Angmar was destroyed so utterly by
♦ At a suitably unwelcome point in the Journey, the char- the alliance of the Lindon Elves and the army of
acters hear shrieking on the wind. More spirits from the Gondor that neither “Man nor Orc remained west
Hill of Fear ride the air, dragging down more snow and of the mountains”, but while the capital city of Carn
storms from the Far North. For the rest of the Journey, Dûm was abandoned, it was not wholly destroyed,
all AWARENESS and EXPLORE rolls are Ill-­favoured. and has been re-­occupied by Orcs and evil Men in
the centuries since. Now, as the Hill of Fear awak-
When finally through, the characters glimpse what looks like ens, it shall draw more people to dwell in the city,
the remains of a castle on a hilltop. Smoke rises from the in anticipation of the Witch-­king’s return.
chimney, suggesting the place is still inhabited. A keen-­sighted For now, however, Carn Dûm is a sullen,
character might even spot a white figure standing in one of watchful evil. Adventures there are beyond the
the windows, watching them struggle against the driving snow scope of this supplement.
(go to Part 3: Sennas Gaer).

NORTHERN WASTE EVENTS TABLE

FEAT DIE EVENT DESCRIPTION

Snava’s Malice The heroes glimpse Snava the Orc in the distance. Spotting the Company, Snava might call down
Orcs from the mountains, or summon the spirits of the Hill of Fear to delay them while he heads
for Sennas Gaer.

1 Dreams of All the Player-­heroes are tormented by dreams of the Hill of Fear, rising like a dark wave.
the Hill All heroes gain 2 Shadow points (Dread).

2 Snowstorms Terrible snow storms make travel virtually impossible. This counts as Severe Cold, or Moderate for
all those who wear Lossoth-­style clothing and furs (The One Ring, page 134).

3 Not Welcome The Company comes upon an eerie icon of woven branches and animal bones — a warning from the
Here people of this land that they are not welcome here. All heroes gain 1 Shadow point (Dread).

4 Perilous Call for an EXPLORE roll; if the Company’s Scout fails, they fall into a hidden chasm — a Grievous
Crevasse Fall (The One Ring, page 134).

5 Fell Shades Wraiths from the Hill of Fear torment the player-­heroes (use the stats on page 109).
on the Wind

6 Hunter Ambush The hunters lie in wait for the heroes, lurking in the woods or concealed in the snow.

7 Ancient Ruins The travellers come upon an ancient ruined keep that dates back to the days of Angmar. It’s intact
of Angmar enough to offer shelter from the cold, but evil yet sleeps in those old stones.

8 Chance-­meeting In this empty land there are no other travellers — and yet the heroes spy someone moving in the
distance. Is it one of the Lossoth? A messenger? Aya of the Unwilling (page XX)? Or a shadow of
the past, a ghost against the snow.

9 Shadow of The heroes see a pack of hunters (see page 39) pursuing them. How do the characters deal with
the Hunters this threat? Hide? Turn and fight? Or press on and hope to outdistance their pursuers?

10 Wonder of A strange sight unknown in the southlands — a huge elk, perhaps, a glacier glittering in the sun-
the North light, or a river of churning ice. One character in the Company recovers 1 Hope.

A light in The clouds part for a brief moment, and a light shines from the far west — it is the light of Eärendil,
the North the Flammifer of Westernesse! The Valar have not turned their faces from Middle-­earth. All heroes
may reduce their Shadow by 2.

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CHAPTER 6

THE HUNTERS ORCS!

Evil folk — descendants of the Men of Angmar for the most If your group includes several doughty warriors and
part, but they have intermarried with some Lossoth — dwell sword-­wielding heroes who take particular delight
in the hills. For now, they permit the Lossoth to pass, but in head-­cleaving and orc-­chopping, then the vil-
attack other travellers. The Player-­heroes risk being attacked lainous Orc Snava might have sent word to the Orcs
on their journey unless they are dressed Snowman-­fashion, of Mount Gundabad to keep watch for intruders
or have the shell amulet once carried by Déor. These hunt- from the south. In this case, the hills are thronged
ers stalk the heroes, using their snowshoes and bone-­edged with watchful — and hungry — Orcs who need slay-
skates to stay out of reach and conserve their energy, waiting ing. These Orcs are led by an Orc-­chieftain named
until their prey runs into difficulty before striking. Gorgol, who wields a mighty axe taken from the
If the characters have the shell amulet, they may attempt tombs of the Dwarf-­kings in Gundabad.
to interact with the hunters, and convince them to guide them Alternatively, if Hultmar Manyhanded is still
to Sennas Gaer. The hunters have already been contacted alive, then he would gladly take revenge on the
by Snava, and believe that the Witch-­king is returning. If the thieves who robbed him of his Dwarven prisoners.
characters have the shell amulet, the hunters mistake them
for fellow servants of Sauron.
In case a fight should break out, use the Lossoth Hunt-
ers statistics on page 39. There are two Hunters for each
Player-­hero. The sight of the Hill becomes maddening. Everything is the
same, the snowy earth mirrored by the frozen white seas and the
BURNT OFFERINGS white clouds above, and that dark hill is the only solid shape, the
As they travel, the heroes find the remains of a bonfire. There only colour, the only real thing. The characters traipse across
are few trees in this part of the world, so clearly someone went the snow towards it until, exhausted, they must make camp.
to great trouble to drag these heavy logs down from the hills The next day, the Hill is no closer. It seems to move away
and build them into a pyre. Sifting through the ashes, the from the travellers. Sometimes it recedes into the distance, as
characters find fragments of burnt bone, including a human if it is moving away from them; at other times, the characters’
skull. This is all that remains of an offering to the Hill of Fear; path brings them into some dip in the terrain or there is a
some of the Lossoth have fallen back into the worship of the flurry of snow that blocks their view for a moment, and when
Dark Lord. The encounter is worth 2 points of Shadow (Dread). they can see clearly again, the Hill is now off to one side, as
Should the characters succumb to exhaustion on their if the characters have gone in the wrong direction. No mat-
journey, this is the fate that awaits them. ter how the characters struggle, they cannot reach the Hill.
There are two exceptions to this unnatural defence.
THE HILL OF FEAR ♦ A MAGICAL SUCCESS: If the characters have some way
At the halfway point of their trek across the ice, the heroes of obtaining a magical EXPLORE success, they can pen-
see the Hill of Fear in the distance. It is almost as they have etrate the defences of the Hill of Fear and find their
seen it in their dreams — a dark stain on the horizon, a fixed way to the Witch-­king’s Road (go to page 103).
point like an axel around which the world revolves. The one ♦ THROUGH SENNAS GAER: The house of Sennas Gaer
difference is that it is not quite so dark — in their dreams, conceals a secret route to the Hill. If the characters
the sides of the Hill are black as though scorched, but now have no other way to make progress, they must turn to
there is a dusting of snow on its flanks, brushing it with white- Sennas Gaer. If the heroes are unaware of its existence,
ness. It is as though some internal heat has diminished — or they happen upon the ruins of the house after an
maybe it is returning, awakening like the fires of Mount Doom. unsuccessful attempt to penetrate the Hill’s defences.

Part 3: Sennas Gaer

In the early part of the Third Age of the World, the Witch-­ powers, revealing to them that the Dark Lord was the one true
king founded the kingdom of Angmar, in the shadow of the god in Middle-­earth, that he had long ago claimed dominion
mountains. There, he taught his followers the worship of evil over all Mortal Men, and that he alone could grant eternal life.

96
 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

Now, there was one Man of Angmar who proved espe- hidden glades and caves, rarely encountering the other folk
cially worthy of the Witch-­king’s tutelage. He learned well, of Middle-­earth. They delight in shadow and twilight, and
and served loyally, and was in turn rewarded with wealth and see little point in speaking to others. While they took no
power and the secrets of sorcery. To him were given many part in the wars between the Dark Lord and the other Elves
things — dominion over the wide lands of the north, and care of old, still they were hated by Sauron and his followers, and
of the sacred Hill of Fear, and a magic ring that extended his so they have been hunted and tormented. Some, it is said,
life, so that he lived on and on even as his sons and his sons’ have even turned to worship of the dark, but such tales may
sons grew old and died. be lies spread by Sauron.
And yet, when the war came, the lord of the house rode Few of these curious Elves remain in the Third Age, and
away south with all his knights, and there he was mortally none west of the Misty Mountains. It is virtually certain that
wounded in battle. He fled the field and returned to Sennas none of the Player-­heroes have met an Elf of Aya’s kind before.
Gaer, and there — for all his power, for all the gifts of the
Witch-­king, for all his magic — he shared the same doom as
all mortals, and died. Aya of the Unwilling
Angmar fell, and the castle was abandoned. It fell into Aya may be among the last of her kind in Middle-­earth.
ruin; the Lossoth shunned the place, believing it to be Most of her kindred fell prey to misfortune, or were hunted
haunted. by the servants of Mordor, or have so faded away that
Then from the east came a stranger, and she took the they are quite invisible to the eyes of mortals. She has
ruins of the castle as her home for a few centuries. Her name been alone with only birds and beasts and the occasional
is Aya; she is an Elf, but not of any of the Elf-­kindreds com- mortal for company for many, many years; to her, all the
monly encountered in the west of Middle-­earth. She comes world is like a passing stream, and she is all that remains
from a branch of Elf-­kind who never saw the light of the timeless. The Elf-­havens of Rivendell, Lórien and Mithlond
Blessed Realm, and instead hid from the messengers of are preserved, frozen in time, but Aya has no such refuge.
the Valar. They are a secretive and strange folk, dwellers in She sees only the changing world.
She came to Sennas Gaer seven hundred years ago,
more than three centuries after the defeat of the Witch-­
king. Back then, the Hill of Fear was dormant, but the place
still fascinated her. As one of the Eldar, Aya does not share
in death, the Doom assigned to mortals when the world
was made. Amon Guruthos is the Hill of the Fear of Death,
and in its presence even the undying can taste the terror
reserved for mortals.
Aya is a strange, fey creature. In temperament she is
more like an Ent or child than some wise Elf-­prince like
Elrond; she is curious about the world, but in a detached,
almost alien manner. She considers herself neutral in the
great struggle between the Free Folk and the Shadow,
and would hide from the princes of the Noldor as swiftly
as she might from the forces of Sauron.
To Aya, the Player-­heroes are a novelty, an entertain-
ment. She is fascinated by these strangers; much as a bored
child might put a fallen fledgling bird back in a nest, she
desires to keep the characters away from the Hill. At times,
her mask slips, revealing her own loneliness and confusion
— she still does not know her place in the world.

OCCUPATION: Hermit

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Wary, Keen-eyed

97
CHAPTER 6

The Ruined Castle MEETING AYA

The wild Elf watches the approaching characters from a van- Aya emerges from hiding once she is assured that the Player-­
tage point in the rubble of the castle, hidden from sight. An heroes are not dangerous (if she fears they are dangerous,
AWARENESS roll warns the characters they are being watched, then she waits until they are asleep, then sneaks out to put a
but it takes an extraordinary success to spot the white-­clad knife to the throat of their Look-­out). Almost shyly, she wel-
figure of Aya. comes the characters to her home. She is fond of Mortal Men,
Exploring the ruined castle, the characters find three wary of Dwarves, fearful and nervous in the presence of Elves
things of note — first, there are some weathered statues of Lindon or Rivendell (Wood-­Elves of Mirkwood are more
and mosaics in the style of the Men of Westernesse; stern like her, and she is comfortable in their presence). Hobbits
lords staring out of stone, one hand upraised in a gesture amuse her, but she has not seen their kind in many years —
of blessing, the other laid upon sword or axe. One statue in she watched Hobbits when they dwelt in the Gladden Fields,
particular has endured better than the rest, but that is not many centuries ago.
a wholesome sight. The carven face is cruel and sneering, To the Player-­heroes, Aya might seem almost ghostly —
with a mocking smile twisting about the lips. Instead of a a pale Woman in a white gown, dark-­haired, with eyes like
gesture of blessing, the outstretched hand clutches into a fist, distant stars. In conversation, she is strange and hesitant, for
and he is depicted wearing a jewelled ring. On the plinth is she rarely converses with others, and she mixes in words from
the name GURGOLWEN; beneath, in much smaller letters, strange tongues or the speech of bird and beast, and makes
is another inscription, mostly illegible, but it seems to be a references to people and places from long ago and far away.
list of the names of the sons, grandsons and possibly great- If asked for her own story, Aya shrugs and says she has
and great-­great- grandsons of this Gurgolwen. Alternatively, wandered alone for a long time. She took no part in the
maybe ‘Gurgolwen’ is a title that was passed down through Wars of Elves in drowned Beleriand, and takes no part in
many generations. the Wars of Men in Eriador. No-­one is on her side, and she
Second, in the courtyard, there is a huge door in the is on no-­one’s side.
ground. A ramp — mostly choked with snow — leads down to She found this place centuries ago, when it was only ruins,
the door, which is wide enough for two horses to ride abreast and made her home here for a little while. There is a power
down into whatever underground chamber it guards. The in the Hill nearby that fascinates her. It is Death, and Death
door is bound in iron, and does not move no matter how is something the Elves cannot know. She has watched the
the characters push or hew at it. It cannot be opened, and world change and fade over and over; there is nothing that
must be sealed magically. This is the door to the Witch-­king’s is not marred, nothing that is not broken and dying, except
road (page 103). Aya laid a spell on it to keep it closed, and for Elven-­kind.
it only opens with her permission. She has little knowledge of present-­day Middle-­earth
Third, the characters find a curious structure amid the beyond the Forodwaith. She has heard of the ‘lands of the
ruins of the castle — a cottage made with salvaged stone sons of Eärendil’, but has no knowledge of any other mortal
from fallen buildings. Piled outside the front door are furs kingdoms, and believes that the other Elves have mostly fled
and other offerings from the Lossoth. This is the house of across the sea. She has never heard of newer lands like Rohan
the Elf Aya. or Dale, and is unaware of the fall of Arnor. Such matters
hold no interest for her.

Inside the Cottage

Aya asks the characters what they seek here, and why.
♦ If they say they’re here to destroy the Hill of Fear, she
Inside is a small but comfortable house of several rooms. laughs. Other heroes have tried and failed, and have
A fire burns merrily in the grate, stew bubbles in the pot, either fled in terror or perished in the dark. Of course
and the house inside is warm and cosy. It’s weirdly out of the characters can throw their lives away if they wish,
place, like finding a Hobbit-­hole in the middle of the Misty but it’s like trying to turn back the tide by throwing
Mountains. pebbles into the water. The quest is folly.
What do the characters do? Aya’s initial attitude to them ♦ If they say they’re trying to help the Lossoth, then
is determined by their actions. Do they make themselves at Aya shrugs. The Lossoth who make offerings and wor-
home? Loot the place for supplies? Assume that it’s some ship the dark do not fear the Hill. Let the other mor-
deceit of the Enemy? Make an offering, like the Lossoth? tals bow to Sauron and believe that he will save them
from death.

98
 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

If the characters continue to ask about the Hill of Fear, or

threaten to leave Aya’s home, then she asks them to stay the
night, promising to provide them with hot food and an eve- SOLACE FOR AYA
ning of rest and entertainment. She will open the way to the Player-­heroes who take pity on the troubled Elf
Hill of Fear in the morning. might wish for her to find a better fate than hiding
here until the world falls utterly under the shadow.
A successful INSIGHT roll can tell that Aya is not sim- Healing Aya’s wounded soul is beyond the power
ply lonely, but has been alone so long that she no of any of them, but they could direct her to those
longer sees others as thinking beings like her. It is who could help.
a form of solipsism; she sees the rest of the world as Some possibilities follow:
a single entity, all not-­Aya, and has lost the ability to ♦ THE HAVENS: Aya’s folk rejected the journey
connect with others. west to the Undying Lands, and hid from
the emissaries of the Valar when the world
was young. She does not know that ships
are still sailing from the Grey Havens, and
assumes that there is no place for her on
OUT OF THE WAY, ANNOYING ELF! such a ship — her fate is bound to Middle-­
Some Player-­heroes may grow impatient with Aya’s earth forever. However, if a Player-­hero
strange ways, or suspect her of being in league (especially an Elf of Lindon) speaks to Cír-
with their enemies. If they force the issue, then Aya dan on her behalf, then a place could be
scornfully tells them that she will open the way to found for her.
the Hill of Fear for them, so they may go to their ♦ GANDALF: The Grey Pilgrim has the Ring of
doom quickly, and carry her curse with them. If they Fire, and can kindle flames in the hearts of
attack, she flees, vanishing into the mountains of the hopeless. Gandalf could likely convince
Angmar, and the characters may force the trapdoor Aya to take a side in the struggle between
open. The door now opens easily. the Enemy and the Free Folk, giving her
new purpose — although joining the fight
against Sauron would likely result ultimately
in Aya’s destruction.
♦ TOM BOMBADIL: Tom’s attitude is quite like
Aya’s, although he is a much merrier and

The Evening Feast

more contented fellow. Aya knows Tom of
old as Iarwain Ben-­Adar, although she does
Aya closes the shutters over the windows, blocking out the light not know that he still walks the woods of
of the low winter sun. She serves the heroes a meal of venison Middle-­earth. If told of him and his house,
and vegetables, and from some unlikely cellar she produces she is astounded and fascinated. A few
wine and honey. As they eat, she sings songs in an archaic form years’ rest and healing in the company of
of Elvish that make the heroes feel like they sit beneath strange Tom and Lady Goldberry, and Aya might be
stars, and the world around them is young and fair. a changed and renewed Elf, and the char-
Aya asks the characters to return the favour by enter- acters might meet her laughing and danc-
taining her with a story or song. How do the Player-­heroes ing in the woods of the Shire in the spring.
respond, and which story or song does each one tell? If they
remain silent, that too is a choice — what do they say to their Aya rejects any suggestion of going to Rivendell
host to explain their silence? or Lórien — she will take no part in the wars of
the High Elves.
Aya is visibly entranced by whichever Player-­hero has
the best RIDDLE or SONG result, or if one of the char-
acters tells a tale that’s especially relevant (she makes
Aya’s Offer to that character during the night).

99
CHAPTER 6

AN UNEXPECTED GUEST He’s done with them, He’ll come for you, and oh, won’t that be a glo-
In the midst of this strange feast, there is the sound of foot- rious day. We’ll finish what Angmar started, mark my words, and
steps, with one foot dragging, then comes a knock at the smash your little towns. Drive the Elves into the Sea and burn all
door. Aya frowns and says, “Ah, the wretch has returned. Heed their pretty ships. All the mountains are teeming with our lot — the
me — there shall be no violence under my roof, or my curse shall fall mountain-­maggots ain’t much good, but we’ve got a hundred of ‘em
upon thee! I take no side; I have no enemy.” She bids one of the for every one of you.”
characters to open the door. “And there are other things, too, older things, that we’ll whip up.
Waiting on the doorstep is a figure wrapped in a heavy Yon hill for one — He made it in the first war, and I woke it up. Fed it,
cloak, encrusted with snow, one hand raised against the wan too — it likes a bit of meat, and there are plenty of hungry ones below
sunlight, the other grasping a strangely-­carved staff. The fig- who smelled the blood. There are things not even the Elves know, and
ure is neither Man nor Elf, but an Orc. This is Snava, the spy oh, they’ll be ready when the big push comes. They’ll be ready, my friends
who ordained the attack on Flonar’s camp, who commanded — and you’ll all be dead. The last war is coming, and you’re going
Déor’s death, and who woke the Hill of Fear. He is a spy from to lose. Want my advice? Bow to Him. Bow before the Dark Throne,
Minas Morgul, an Orc-­messenger steeped in sorcery and evil bow before Lugbúrz, and maybe the Eye will look upon you with pity.
cunning. He snarls in alarm at the sight of the Player-­heroes. Elseways…” He draws his finger across his throat and laughs.
What do the characters do? Strike him down or welcome If asked about the Hill of Fear, then Snava laughs. “No
him in? harm in telling you. No harm in telling. It’s your ending, that’s what’s
♦ ATTACKING SNAVA: The Orc is a dangerous foe, even down there. The end of everything. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it with my
when fatigued from a long journey, and he knows how own eyes, my friends. I came back to do the rites and open more of
to call on the evil spirits of the Hill of Fear. If attacked, the gates, but killing me won’t stop it. It can’t be stopped now. His
Snava turns and flees, running into the wilderness power is rising, and your time is over.”
towards the Hill of Fear where the characters cannot The one thing that can give Snava pause is the sight of the
follow. Aya is infuriated by the characters’ abuse of her sword Estelang. The Orc flinches, then laughs. “So you’ve dug
hospitality, and curses the character who struck the up some old ironmongery. I’ve heard tell of that blade. Doesn’t matter.
first blow. Aya’s curse has power — for the rest of the Know what happened to the last Man who brought that sword here?
character’s life, any Company they are part of loses (1d) He went mad and ran away. And everyone who came with him died.
in all Councils. He abandoned them to die down in the dark, or so the story goes.”
♦ INVITING THE ORC IN: Snava limps into the cottage
and takes a seat in the corner, glaring suspiciously at EVENTS IN THE NIGHT
the heroes around him. “Telling tales, are we? Stories by A night spent with such a diverse group of guests under the
the firelight? Well, I’ve a tale for you, and it’s the only one same roof isn’t likely to be uneventful — in particular, two
that’s true. But I’ll wait my turn. You get your stories, and things may come to pass.
mine comes last.”
SNAVA STEALS THE SWORD: If the Orc Snava sees that a Player-­
If asked why an Orc is welcome under her roof, Aya explains hero carries the sword Estelang, he could creep into the bed-
that Snava has been here before. “He first passed this way a few room of the swordbearer and try to steal it. The character (or
years ago, looking for Amon Guruthos. I put an arrow in his leg when I the Look-­out, if the heroes set a watch) gets an AWARENESS
saw him — Orcs have hunted me in the past. But he begged me to spare roll to spot the sneaky Orc; if spotted, Snava makes a lunge for
him, and I did. I have no enemies. I do not judge.” Still, she remains the sword. If he gets away with the blade, he intends to throw
wary of Snava, and does not get within reach of his knife. it into the bottomless well atop the Hill of Fear (page 106).
If any of the Player-­heroes mention the sword Estelang, If Snava has no opportunity to steal the sword, then he
then Snava’s eyes glitter with interest. stalks the Player-­heroes as they travel the Witch-­king’s Road
(page 103). Optionally, he might call upon the Evil Men who
THE ORC’S TALE dwell nearby, invoking their old loyalty to Angmar so they aid
Once all the characters have spoken, Snava clears his throat him in pursuing the heroes.
with a foul noise. He grins, clearly enjoying this rare oppor-
tunity to torment the heroes. AYA’S OFFER: If any of the mortal Player-­heroes have attracted
“I don’t have pretty words like you, and my story ain’t about long-­ Aya’s attention, and the characters have not suggested a way
agos and never-­wases. Listen well — the Great Eye is looking north for her to find solace (see page 99), then the Elf approaches
across the River. He’s got the filthy Tarks to deal with first, but when them in private, almost shyly. “The Orc is right. I fear there can

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be no escape from the Shadow, and all efforts to fight it are in vain.
But neither will I give in. I will find what joy I may, in the time that
is left to me, however long or short that is. You could come with me.
I have this.” She holds up a jewelled ring — the same ring the
characters saw on the statue outside, the ring of Gurgolwen.
“This will not let you escape the doom of mortals, but it will delay it a
little while. Take it, and we shall flee together, and hide until the end.”
Aya’s offer is genuine — she no longer wishes to reside
here, and believes that struggling against the Shadow is futile. THE RING OF GURGOLWEN
The ring, too, is a genuine magical item. While this ring has been sullied by the hand of Sau-
Accepting Aya’s offer immediately means the chosen char- ron, who took it from the workshops of the Jewel-­
acter leaves the campaign. However, a character could prom- smiths in Hollin of old, it is still a potent item. It has
ise to return to Aya after the Quest of Amon Guruthos, or the Blessings of AWE and CRAFT , and also prolongs
suggest one of the options under Solace for Aya (page 99). the wearer’s life indefinitely, though the joy of life
fades — while the ring is in their possession, the

Opening the Way

wearer cannot pick the Heal Scars undertaking
during Yule (see The One Ring, page 137).
The next morning, if the heroes are still set on this path, then
Aya will open the door in the heart of the ruin of Sennas Gaer.
This, she explains, is the Witch-­king’s Road, a ceremonial path
that runs underground part of the way to the Hill of Fear. Down
this road in days of old rode the Witch-­king of Angmar and his characters must light torches and bring their own light with
dark priests and sorcerers; down this road came the doom of the them as they walk in dark places.
North Kingdom. This is the only road that can reach the Hill. If Snava is still alive, then the Orc waits until the Company
This is a road she cannot follow. have entered the dark tunnel, then he silently pads after them,
Aya gestures, and the great iron-­bound doors grind open. bent on turning the magic of Amon Guruthos against them…
The pale sun does not illuminate the darkness beyond. The

SNAVA THE ORC ATTRIBUTE LEVEL

Cunning, Wary
6
ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR

48 2 6 +4 4

COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Great Spear 3 (5/16, Pierce)

FELL ABILITIES: Dreadful Spells. Spend 1 Hate to make

one Player-­hero gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery). Tar-
gets who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable
are assaulted by a bodiless wight, and for the rest of the
fight they lose (1d) on all rolls.
Snake-­like Speed. When targeted by an attack,
spend 1 Hate to make the attack roll Ill-­favoured.
Yell of Triumph. Spend 1 Hate to restore 1 Hate to all
other Orcs and Undead in the fight.

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CHAPTER 6

SNAVA’S KEYS key is the original, and was captured by the

Around Snava’s neck is a strip of leather, and Orcs long ago and brought by secret ways to
strung on it are two keys. One is made of Mithril, Barad-­Dûr, where it was entrusted to Snava many
the other of iron, and the end of the iron key is centuries later for the furtherance of his evil mission.
damaged, as if hacked free in haste. The two keys The iron key is a copy made by Dwarves in the last
are plainly identical, made to fit the same lock, days of Moria when the city was under assault by
and both have runes in the mode of Daeron Durin’s Bane; refugees fleeing Khazad-­Dûm
carved into the barrel. took it with them as they escaped across
The runes differ between the keys. Carved Eriador (this key was held in the archives
into the barrel of the iron key, the runes say of the Blue Mountains, and was carried by
in the Common Tongue “17TH PILLAR DIMRILL Flonar — see page 76).
STAIR”; the Mithril key also bears runes, but these are in Now, should the Player-­h eroes come
the secret tongue of the Dwarves, and only a Dwarf can into possession of any of the two keys, they would
read the message “CURSED BE HE WHO MISUSES ME”. command a secret route into the forbidden city… If the
These keys both fit a secret lock hidden in the Dimrill heroes capture Snava, he might trade the keys for his life
Pass, which opens a secret door into Moria. The Mithril — and then try to turn the power of the Hill against them.

Part 4: Amon Guruthos

When the black breath blows
and death’s shadow grows
and all lights pass…

RUMOUR Heroes tried to put an end to the malice of the Hill of Fear, but
“I’ve dreamed of this dark hill for a while now. Maybe I dreamed none succeeded. At times, its power faded and the Hill withdrew
of it when I was young, once or twice, but these last few years, it’s from the minds of Men; but that was temporary, the shadow returned
haunted my dreams every night. It’s strange to be scared of a hill, and the Hill troubled the world once more.
isn’t it? A hill can’t hurt you. Hills are just… there. In later years, the Hill of Fear was a stronghold of Angmar, and
I think that’s why it scares me, somehow. It’s there, and it’s the Witch-­king presided over the rites. From the hilltop, he called up
always been there, and it will always be there. And I won’t. It gets evil spirits, and sent them to trouble the sleep of the North Kingdoms.
into your head and reminds you that you’re… fleeting. The child After the defeat of the Witch-­king, it is said that warriors from the
who dreamed of that hill is gone like the winds of spring, and the House of Elrond entered the hill and found it deserted, and so it
Man who dreams of it now grows old and tired, and the hill’s must be hoped that an end has come to this malice of Morgoth.”
unchanged. It’s like it’s… no, that’s a foolish thought.

Background
Hills don’t eat people.”

OLD LORE The Hill of Fear was made as a tool of domination, a way for
“Of old, the Great Enemy Morgoth raised his fortress in the uttermost Morgoth — and, in latter years, his acolytes and followers
north, and declared that all Middle-­earth was his dominion. He — to rule over the minds of mortals. The Elves are wise, for
put forth his power to claim the land. The Hill of Amon Guruthos in their tongue this place is Amon Guruthos, the Hill of the
rose like a dark wave, a bastion of his malice, and there of old the Shadow of Death. It is a monument to remind mortals that
fathers of the fathers of Men held dark rites in worship of the Enemy. they shall inevitably die. Once this horror was impressed on

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 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

mortals, it was easy for Morgoth to deceive them with prom- spiked pit each time (a Grievous Fall, as per The One Ring page
ises of eternal life and woo them to his service. 134). This was a defence against intruders, for only those who
Morgoth conjured this utter terror by means of a magic had been initiated into the secret of the Road would know
mirror that reflects only the unknowable, eternal void beyond when to turn aside.
Creation, the infinite darkness untouched by the light of the With torches, the characters could easily avoid this sim-
One. From this void, the Witch-­king would later call forth the ple trap. However, they are in a place of great malice; as they
spirits now known as the Barrow-­wights, and other evils beside. make their way along the road, there’s a sudden gust of icy
wind that threatens to extinguish all the Company’s torches.

L ocations All characters bearing a torch must make a CRAFT or

AWARENESS roll to react in time to protect their gut-
1. SENNAS GAER tering flames. If all torchbearers fail, the Company are
The ruins of Sennas Gaer. This fortress never saw battle, and plunged into darkness and must make EXPLORE rolls
its once-­formidable defences were never tested by any foe to find their way safely along the road.
except the harsh weather. Sennas Gaer had a dozen great
hearths and a host of chimneys to ward off the bitter cold, 3. PRISON
but still the wind found its way in. A side passageway leads to a small complex of cells. Of old,
The Elf Aya dwells in her little cottage amid the ruins. A this was a dungeon where condemned prisoners were held
dark door in the cellars leads to the Witch-king’s Road; Aya before they were sacrificed in blasphemous rites atop Amon
laid a spell on it to keep it closed, and it can only be opened Guruthos. Today, it’s the lair of a pair of Cave-­trolls. Player-­
with her permission — although there are powers in this land heroes sneaking down the Witch-­king’s Road can smell the
that could overcome Aya’s spell, if they put their strength stench of the lurking Trolls with an AWARENESS roll, and
behind the counter-­magic. creep past with a STEALTH roll. The Stealth roll is made los-
ing (1d) if the characters are in darkness.
2. THE WITCH-­K ING’S ROAD The Trolls, Gnaw and Grasp, have dwelt here for countless
A ceremonial passage underground. The corridor is wide years, preying on the Lossoth and the animals of the Forod-
enough for two horses to ride abreast, and tall enough waith. Being creatures of evil, the Trolls aren’t affected by the
even for a tall Númenórean to ride without fear. There magic of the Hill of Fear, and they are free to roam the area,
are no light sources in the tunnel. When the sorcerers catching their prey by night in the wilds.
and princes of Angmar rode this path to attend rites at
the Hill of Fear, it was part of the ritual that they would Gnaw and Grasp are two Cave-­troll Slinkers (see
ride through utter darkness, giving them a glimpse of The One Ring, page 152). Gnaw has an instinc-
oblivion. Even though many years have passed, something tive connection to the Hill of Fear, and can draw
of their fear remains: strength from it — the Troll’s attacks against mor-
tals are Favoured.
Player-­heroes travelling the Road gain 2 points of
Shadow (Dread). 4. THE SILENT WATCHERS
Two statues flank the exit from the Witch-­k ing’s road.
While the Road is mostly straight, it turns sharply twice. The These statues depict eerie vulture-­headed figures, each
passage continues a short distance in each case, ending in a with three heads facing in different directions. There is
power in these statues, and it takes a great effort of will
to push through their dark gaze. Pushing past the stat-
ues causes all Player-­heroes to gain 3 points of Shadow
(Dread). If a character fails the Shadow test, they can
SNAVA’S MEDDLING still crawl across the threshold, agonisingly forcing their
If Snava is stalking the Player-­h eroes, then he leaden limbs forward, inch by inch, dragging their reluc-
might ambush them in the dark — or alert the Trolls tant frames until they’re past the dreadful gaze. All that
in the prison to their presence. costs several long minutes of effort — more than enough
time for the Trolls to scent the intruders, or for Snava to
find the heroes while they’re helpless.

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5. IMPASSABLE REGION
This line marks the closest that the Player-­heroes can approach
the Hill of Fear without taking the Witch-­king’s road. The
magic of the Hill is almost impossible to overcome — a Wiz-
ard or an Elf-­lord in full wrath might be able to break through
the sorcerous barrier and open the way, as can a Player-­hero
with a suitable Magical Success. The magic also only works
on those who have never set foot on the Hill; after the Player-­
heroes reach the Hill via the Witch-­king’s Road, they can return
freely (not that they are likely to have any reason to come back,
one way or another, once the quest is done).
110), and leads down to the Worm-­lair
6. THE DESOLATION (13). The tunnel widens in places and
The empty region around the Hill of Fear. There is no shelter, narrows in others; a Hobbit or small
no cover, nothing between the Player-­heroes and that awful Dwarf could easily sneak down, but a
dark tor. As they approach, it seems to grow taller, towering over large Man would be hard pressed to
them like a dark wave. Ask each Player-­hero to describe what squeeze through without getting stuck
their character secretly fears will be found beneath the Hill. or causing a cave-­in.

9. THE TEMPLE RUINS

Like the houses of the priests below, this temple
has fallen into ruin — and that is a blessing, for
THE WORM-­W IGHT even these shattered remains have a lingering
Call for an AWARENESS roll. Those who succeed feel sense of malice that chills the blood. Broken
the earth shake, as if something huge was moving carvings and fallen statues hint at dread-
just beneath the frozen ground — for something ful images; the remains of the temple
huge is moving beneath the frozen ground. The are like the hand of a skeletal giant,
Worm-­wight is abroad (see page 110). reaching out of the grave.
All characters entering the
temple precinct gain 3 Shadow
Points (Sorcery).
Worse, at the heart of the tem-
7. THE SPIRAL PATH ple is an altar, wrought of some reddish
This narrow path leads from the Witch-­king’s Road to the top stone and unmarked by the passing ages. Carvings on its
of the Hill of Fear. The sides of the hill are steep and hard to side depict a dark lord on a dark throne; on his head is a
climb (requiring an ATHLETICS roll to avoid slipping back), heavy crown of iron studded with gemstones, and his hand
so this road is the only safe way up. More statues like the Silent reaches out to seize the world.
Watchers line the path, although these lesser statues do not
have the same awful power as the ones at the Witch-­king’s Road. Any character who gained any Shadow points on enter-
ing the temple cannot help but cry out ‘Hail, Dark
8. HOUSES OF THE PRIESTS King, Master of Life and Death’.
In the days of Angmar, priests dwelt in these houses. Little
remains save a few walls with hollow windows, and if the char-
acters sometimes glimpse pale, hateful faces staring at them
from those empty windows, then it is surely their imagination,
for there is nothing here but ruins.
Amidst those fallen stones is a hole in the ground, a bore-­
hole about two feet wide. It might be a well, but it slants at COMMANDING THE SPIRITS
an angle into the hillside, and a foul reek rises from it. This Snava can call upon the power of the Hill of Fear
hole was caused by the passage of the Worm-­wight (page from this altar, calling bodiless spirits out of the well.

104
 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

2 AMON GURUTHOS

11
10 9

7 8

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CHAPTER 6

10. THE DARK WELL dreadful days of Angmar. The Silent Watchers cry out in tri-
In front of the altar is a stone-­lined well, a pit that descends umph with voices like brass trumpets, and the doors of the
right into the heart of the Hill of Fear. The characters cannot Witch-­king’s Road open. The characters see a procession of
see anything at the bottom of the well; it vanishes into the horsemen approaching the Hill; stern knights and lords of
consuming dark. The sides of the well are carved from solid Angmar, flanked by armoured Trolls, and at their head is a
rock, without visible joints or mortar, as if the stone melted fearsome horseman wearing a fiery crown. To the character
and flowed. It is possible to climb down the well, but it’s dif- who did not gain Shadow, it appears that their companions
ficult — all rolls lose (1d). have frozen in place, eyes fixed open.
A character who falls into the well almost certainly per-
ishes (a Grievous Fall that proves fatal if it results in the char- This is a memory or vision of the Witch-­king of Ang-
acter becoming Wounded or Dying — see page 134 of The mar. To break free, the characters must succeed at a
One Ring), although they might be lucky enough to catch Skill Endeavour with a Resistance equal to the total
themselves on the lip of location 16 as they plummet. number of Shadow Points accrued in the temple. Char-
Any characters who gain 2 or more Shadow points when acters in the vision can only use WISDOM to resist; char-
entering the temple experience a strange and incapacitat- acters who escaped the spell might use ENHEARTEN or
ing vision. They perceive that any companions who did not HEALING to aid their companions, or LORE to under-
gain Shadow points here have vanished. The world seems stand their plight, or ATHLETICS to drag them away
to whirl around the Hill of Fear, the heavens pinwheeling. from the temple. The time limit for this endeavour is
Stones drag themselves across the earth and pile themselves equal to the Resistance, so time is short.
up, the temple springing back into existence as it was in the

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 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

If the Skill Endeavour fails, then in the vision the Witch-­ 12. BARROW CORRIDOR
king reaches the temple, and speaks a word of command. This passageway winds around the inside of the hill. For
The afflicted characters then hurl themselves into the well the most part, it’s tall and wide enough for the explorers to
to their deaths. move without impediment, but in places the ceiling bulges
or drops down, forcing the characters to crawl. Bags of bones
11. DOOR OF NIGHT — corpses laid here wrapped in reindeer-­skins — lie along
A heavy stone blocks this passageway that leads into the heart the floor, the entombed remnants of generations of priests.
of the Hill of Fear. The stone is almost flush with the surround- In some sections, the corpses are so thickly packed that they
ing arch, but it can be levered out from where it rests and then pave the corridor, and the characters must trample the dead
dragged away. There are ancient scrapes and marks on the to proceed.
stone that precisely match the blade of Estelang — the magic All these corpses are Hill-­wights, the remains inhabited by
sword was used to prise the entrance open many centuries ago. spirits, but they do not stir. Not yet. Not until called.
The air inside the Hill stinks of rotten stale air, mixed with
a strange smell of ash. It’s the smell of death.

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13. WORM-­L AIR 14. ANCIENT RUINS

A side tunnel, bored into the earth of the hill, leads up to a The innermost tunnels within the Hill are strange indeed — it
larger hollow. This is the lair of the Worm-­wight (page 110), is as though the stone has been twisted or forced into shape
a wingless Dragon that once guarded the hill. It perished a rather than sculpted or built. No hand of Orc or Man or Elf
thousand years ago, but its corpse is inhabited by a malign built these passageways. More dead priests lie here entombed
spirit that animates it. The lair of the worm is dust-­dry, caked in niches along the corridor, but they are nothing more than
in dried ash like some ancient hearth. The chamber is roughly empty black shrouds. No flesh nor bone are left in all but a
circular, with smaller bores leading off in different directions. few of these graves, and those remains that are present are
Before it died, the worm gathered the offerings and other not good to look upon. All intruders feel a crushing pres-
treasures of the temple, and slept atop a bed of gold. This sure as they draw closer to the heart of the Hill, as if the full
treasure is a Marvellous Hoard, but any items found there weight of all the many tons of earth and stone above bears
are doubtless cursed. down on them. It seems that at any moment the tunnel might
collapse and the heroes would join the long-­dead in their
graves, entombed alive in the dark places beneath the earth.
Ask each Player-­hero individually if they wish to flee.

BEWARE! If you haven’t already, run one of the Perils of the

Hill as the Player-­heroes enter this area (see Schemes and
Trouble, page 109). No intruder can walk into the Hill of
Fear without passing a gauntlet of horrors.

RISK OF CAVE-­IN! If a Player-­hero rolls anon any roll while

in this part of the Hill, the ceiling collapses, blocking the
tunnel behind the Company. The victim suffers a Grievous
Endurance loss (The One Ring, page 134).

15. INNER BARROW CORRIDOR

This corridor is similar to the outer corridor, but the corpses
16 laid to slumber here are not those of the corrupted Lossoth
— they are ancient knights and princes of Angmar,
and beyond them, priests and cultists
of Morgoth. Their mummi-
15 fied features leer across the
Ages, and dead lips whis-
per that the Shadow is
returning and all hope
THE HEART 14 shall fail.
OF THE HILL OF FEAR

12

11
13

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 T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

16. THE PLACE BENEATH THE HILL Schemes and Trouble

In the ceiling of this chamber is a circular opening — this is
the bottom of the shaft that runs from the Temple (9). WAKING THE DEAD
At the heart of the Hill of Fear is a nothing. How the Here, long ago, the Witch-­king of Angmar stood as he called
characters perceive it depends on who the characters are. up the evil spirits and sent them to inhabit the barrows and
Most Elves see only an empty chasm, a black pit that falls graves of Tyrn Gorthad. From here, the Orc Snava called up
away into the depths. Those mighty Elves who have the light the spirits that later brought disaster to the Dwarf assault
of Aman in their face (WISDOM 4+, or the Virtue Against the on Rath Sereg (page 88). And from here, again, Snava
Unseen) have the keenness of otherworldly sight to see a can wake the wights that slumber beneath the Hill. If Snava
wound in the world down there in the pit, a gap in Creation. is able to reach the temple atop the Hill, he can stir up all
This is a Gate, conjured by the Enemy in the elder days, a the dead laid in the Barrow Corridor (location 12). There
door through which evil spirits may enter the created world are hundreds of wights down there in the dark, far more
from the void beyond. than the Player-­heroes could hope to defeat. If the wights
Mortals, though — Men, Hobbits, Dwarves — there, they are roused, then the only chance for the characters is to
see the shadow of death. break the power of the Hill before they are overcome by
The sight of this dark place conjures terribly grim visions. the host of the dead.
All mortals see not only what they most fear for themselves,
but for their home and kinfolk. A Hobbit might see their own
death here in the desolate wilds of the far north, perishing HILL-­W IGHT ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
alone beneath the Hill, but also see horrible things happening Hungry, Vengeful
to their family back in the Shire. They might glimpse Orcs 5
despoiling the Shire like the Orcs attacked Flonar’s camp
in Wonder of the Northern World, or see the Hobbit being ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR
imprisoned by Evil Men from Tharbad like the prisoners in
Not To Strike Without Need. A Dwarf might see their kinfolk in
20 1 6 — 2
the Blue Mountains being slaughtered, and then time grind-
ing down all the works of their hands and mind; rust and rot COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Ancient Sword 3 (5/16, Pierce)
consuming all the beauty of metal and stone.
FELL ABILITIES: Denizen of the Dark. All attack rolls are
In game terms, this causes 6 points of Shadow (Dread) Favoured while in darkness.
gain in all mortals! Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start
of each round it is exposed to the full light of the sun.
BOUTS OF MADNESS: Characters suffering a Bout of Madness Deathless. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound; spend
here suddenly perceive their companions as enemies, and 1 Hate to reset to full Endurance when reduced to 0
immediately attack them. This was the horrible fate that befell Endurance. Ineffective against Player-­heroes wielding a
the companions of the Hero of old — unable to endure the Bane weapon (Undead).
despair, that company tore itself apart. The madness ends if Heartless. Unaffected by the Intimidate Foe combat
the hero leaves (or is dragged away from) the Hill of Fear. task, unless a Magical success is obtained.
Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of the
battle all Player-­heroes in sight of one or more creatures
with this ability gain 3 Shadow points (Dread). Those
who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot
DEFEATING THE DARKNESS spend Hope for the rest of the fight.
How can the heroes overcome the Hill of Fear? Fell Presence. Spend 1 Hate when an opponent
Death is not a giant to be slain, nor a talisman to be attempts a Combat Task to give that opponent a (−1d)
broken. To break the magic of the Hill, they must penalty.
find a way to overcome this fear. See Destroying
the Hill of Fear, page 112.

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CHAPTER 6

THE WORM-­W IGHT

When the world was young and the Hill of Fear was first WORM-­W IGHT ATTRIBUTE LEVEL
raised by the hand of the Enemy, a Dragon was sent forth Fierce, Vengeful
from the dungeons of Angband to guard it. This worm came 10
from one of the first broods of Dragons, a wingless serpent
that slithered across the earth, poisoning it with its passage. ENDURANCE MIGHT HATE PARRY ARMOUR
Flames blazed in its belly. It grew and grew, wrapping itself
around the Hill three times, and the heat of its body kept
120 3 10 — 5
the slopes free of snow.
Centuries passed, then whole Ages, and still the worm COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Bite 3 (6/204, Pierce), Tail 2
maintained its vigil. Its master had commanded it to guard (10/12, Break Shield)
the Hill, and so it remained a sentry. It roused itself to devour
the occasional treasure-­hunter or would-­be hero. At times, it FELL ABILITIES: Deathless. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a
slunk down to the Ice-­bay and — melting a hole in the pack Wound; spend 1 Hate to reset to full Endurance when
ice — swam in the cold waters to hunt seals and whales. Over reduced to 0 Endurance. Ineffective against Player-­
time, the worm’s fires grew dim. Snow cloaked the Hill of heroes wielding a Bane weapon (Undead).
Fear, and the worm’s bright scales turned grey and rotten. Its Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start
eyes no longer blazed, and it slept longer and longer until it of each round it is exposed to the full light of the sun.
died, silent and alone. Heartless. Unaffected by the Intimidate Foe combat
But there is a dark power in the Hill, and the worm kept task, unless a Magical success is obtained.
faithful to its command even beyond death. The vile spirit Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing
that inhabited its living flesh now animated its rotting remains, Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll
and though it no longer had fire in its belly, its hatred of the Ill-­favoured.
living grew ever keener. Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of the
This thing, now, is the Worm-­wight. battle all Player-­heroes in sight of one or more creatures
It has riddled the Hill with its tunnels, and can bur- with this ability gain 4 Shadow points (Dread). Those
row anywhere in the landmark within a few heartbeats. If who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot
it senses intruders, the Worm-­wight stalks them, waiting for spend Hope for the rest of the fight.
the moment to strike. The Worm-­wight prefers to wait until Weak Spot. Player-­heroes can attempt a special
its prey are already trapped (by lesser wights, or by causing combat task against the creature while in any stance.
a small cave-­in) then burrows in to attack them when they The acting player makes a LORE or SCAN roll as the main
have no way to flee. If the heroes get close to the heart of the action for the round: on a success, the Worm-­wight loses
Hill, then the worm crawls down the central well to defend (1d) on the next Protection roll, plus another (1d) for
its charge. each Success icon ( ) rolled.

PERILS OF THE HILL

As the heroes travel through the hill, unbalance them with
moments of horror and disorientation. Some suggested perils: ♦ The hero with the heaviest burden of Shadow hears a
♦ The ground shifts beneath one of the Player-­heroes, voice from within the hill, promising that they’ll find
the frozen earth suddenly becoming as yielding as rot- whatever they most desire — wealth, power, ancient
ten flesh. The hero slips and falls — dropping what- lore, safety — if only they betray their companions and
ever item or weapon they’re carrying. protect the Hill.
♦ Howling spirits emerge from the darkness and assail ♦ The heroes all feel the sudden presence of an Eye. It’s
the Company. These immaterial spirits cannot injure far away in the south, but it’s searching for them, prob-
the living — but draw the attention of any nearby foes, ing the darkness — and they know instinctively that if
and make any rolls ill-­favoured until driven away by fire they were atop the Hill, it would see them instantly. All
or magic. heroes must make a Shadow (Dread) test; those who
♦ The ceiling of the tunnel partially caves in, inflicting fail gain 2 points of Shadow and are frozen in terror
a Grievous Endurance loss on one of the heroes (The until the Eye passes on (or an enemy finds them and
One Ring, page 134). attacks, or a companion rallies them with Enhearten).

110
T he Q uest of A mon G uruthos

111
CHAPTER 6

DESTROYING THE HILL OF FEAR WRESTLING THE WORM-­WIGHT: The dead Dragon is the stron-
To defeat the magic of the Hill of Fear, the Company must gest of the Barrow-­wights that troubled the North — could
overcome the fear of death as embodied by the dark Gate. It’s hurling it into the pit that spawned it destroy the Gate?
up to the Player-­heroes to conceive of a way to do this, and to
the Lore­master to judge it fitting or otherwise. THE AID OF A PATRON: Perhaps it was the purpose of the
Some suggestions follow: heroes to open the way to the heart of the Hill, to trample a
path for another to follow. When all seems lost, then Gandalf
COLLECTIVE DEFIANCE: The Hill’s magic relies on division could arrive in the nick of time, or the voice of Tom Bomba-
and fear; it conjures images of despair, and seeks to turn the dil might somehow be heard on the wind, singing up a fair
heroes against one another by filling them with doubt and tune that blows away the darkness.
mistrust. Other fellowships of heroes failed and broke under
the shadow of the Hill — but the Player-­heroes are different! PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE: Gilthoniel, a Elbereth! Aiya elenion
If they all hold together, supporting one another, they can ancalima! Ultimately, the Shadow cannot be defeated by
drive away the darkness. heroes, no matter how courageous they may be. All they can
do is resist to the limits of their strength, and put their trust
STRIKE IT WITH THE SWORD: The sword Estelang was made in the Valar. Maybe slaying the Worm-­wight and holding out
for this purpose — does it have enough magic to shatter the against the other wights will be rewarded by a single star —
spells of the Enemy, if wielded with valour? the light of Eärendil! — shining through the gloom…

BRING DOWN THE HILL: The Hill of Fear is an unnatural HEROIC SELF-­SACRIFICE: A Player-­hero might willingly hurl
place, a twisted aberration. That is not natural stonework back themselves into the pit, accepting that it is the hero’s destiny
there. A cunning Dwarf could hew away the foundations and to lay down their life for the benefit of others. That sacri-
collapse the hill, choking the pit with the earth and rubble fice ends the character’s tale — but also closes the Gate and
of the temple above. destroys the power of the Hill.

Part 5: H omeward Bound

Yet things might have gone far otherwise and far worse… think about what might have been.
Dragonfire and savage swords in Eriador, night in Rivendell.

Their quest done, the surviving heroes may return to their at Flonar’s camp in order to safeguard his secret door into
respective homelands to rest and heal, while news of their Moria. The loss of the Hill of Fear will not stop Sauron’s mal-
demise in battle is brought to the kinfolk of the fallen. ice. His war on the Free Peoples of Middle-­earth is inevitable,
Have each Player-­hero describe their reception when they and brings death with it.
return home — what do their respective peoples make of But for now, be of good cheer! There is but one way for
the tale? How are the heroes honoured — or do their deeds a mortal to escape the clutches of Amon Guruthos, and it is
go unspoken? not with any magic ring or ritual. The great tales shall live
What becomes of the sword Estelang? Does the Heir on forever, told and retold, and with their deeds in the quest,
return it to the grave on the western isle? the heroes have earned their place in the story. Their names
And, most worrying of all — what of Sauron’s other plans? shall never die, not so long as tales are told by the fire in the
The Orc Snava was but one of the Enemy’s spies abroad in Lone-­lands of Eriador.
Eriador, and he arranged for the slaughter of the Dwarves

112
 Index
A H Q
Aglaen the Seer 29 Hamfast 50 Queen Nimue 28
Amon Guruthos 5, 41, 102–112 Haunted Isle, The 33–39 Queen’s Hall, The 28
Ancestors 6–7 Heroic Lineage 6–7
Aya of the Unwilling 97 Hero’s Sword, The. R
See Estelang Rath Sereg 84–89
B Hidden Valley, The 16–22 Ring of Gurgolwen, The 101
Black Númenórean spies 31 Hill of Fear, The. Ruined Tower, The 49–54
Borlas 67 See Amon Guruthos
Breghel 50 Hill-wight 109 S
Hultmar Manyhanded 78, 86 Scylda Heather 18
D Sennas Gaer 96–98, 103
Déor 69–70 I Shell Amulet, The 71
Diarmoc the Traveller 12 Iron Talisman, The 71 Snava’s Blades 88
Dvalin, Dwarf in Exile 7 Isle of the Mother, The. Snava’s Keys 102
See Haunted Isle, The Snava the Orc 88, 101
E
Eagre 29–30 J T
Egel 93–94 Jack of Bree 7 Tam 50
Elwing 39 Jagat of the Lossoth 36, 93 Tarandis, the Knight of Arnor 6
Ernalda 47 Jari the Wanderer 10, 12 Troll-parasols 17
Estelang 40 Jon-a-Leaping 59 Troll-shawls 17

F K U
Falmir Fairbairns 27 Kathuphazgân, The 31 Unhoused Wraiths 38
Farrell the Elder 47
Farrell the Younger 47 L V
Farweld 47 Lone-lands of Eriador, The 5 Valandur 67
Fastitocalon 40 Lossoth 34 Vale of Gold, The 76–77
Floki 75 Lossoth Hunter 39 Valley of Morglynd, The.
Flonar 76 Lucinda Willow 45 See Hidden Valley, The
Vampire Bats 32
G M Vilia 83
Garth Tauron 64–68 Mourner, The 37
Gwendaith, Long-dead 54 W
Gwilleth 68–69 N Wart, The 19
Nelly Longarms 21 Weathertop 13
Wood-wights 38
O Worm-wight, The 104, 110–111
Orothel 23, 60, 69, 71
Osmer the “Wizard” 52
 4

LANDMARKS
1. Bree
2. The Hidden Valley
3. Lond Daer
4. The Isle of the Mother
5. Farrell’s House/
The Watchtower
6. Tharbad
7. Deor’s Grave
8. The Hill of Gold
9. Rath Sereg
10. Camp of the Lossoth
The Hill of Fear

Border Lands

Wild Lands

Dark Lands

Impassable Terrain

Perilous Area

1 hex = 20 miles
 10

5
1

3
 Now they had gone on far into the Lone-lands,
where there were no people left, no inns,
and the roads grew steadily worse.
Not far ahead were dreary hills,
rising higher and higher, dark with trees.
On some of them were old castles with an evil look,
as if they had been built by wicked people.

ales from the Lone-lands contains six adventures for

The One Ring™,
Ring™, the official tabletop roleplaying game
based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. All set in the
lone-lands of north-western Middle-earth around the
year 1965 of the Third Age, the adventures can be
played individually, or as part of a larger tale.
Ancient evils wake as the Dark Lord stretches forth his hand. Over
the course of these adventures, the heroes may thwart the spies and
stratagems of the Enemy, explore long-lost wonders of the north,
and travel far from hearth and home. Preserve the spark of hope,
and one day these empty, wounded lands shall be healed! Fail, and
all will be destroyed…

ISBN 978-91-89765-13-9
FLFTOR012

The War of the Ring,

Ring, Middle-earth
Middle-earth,, The Lord of the Rings,
Rings, The One Ring
and the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks or
registered trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC and are used
under license by Sophisticated Games Ltd and their respective licensees.
© 2023 Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC & Sophisticated Games Ltd.
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