The One Ring: The King's Own: Difference between revisions

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|'''Huntsman (Hunt)'''
|'''Huntsman (Hunt)'''
Primrose
Primrose, Laramie
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|'''Look-out Man (Awareness)'''
|'''Look-out Man (Awareness)'''
Thor
Thor, Gilithion
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|'''Fellowship Focus'''
|'''Fellowship Focus'''
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'''Concerning Blighted Places - a Clarification'''
'''Concerning Blighted Places - a Clarification'''


The rules found at page 57 of the Loremaster’s Book detail what happens when a company of adventurers enters an area qualifying as a blighted place. From the way the rules have been presented in that chapter, it seems that players are required to make Corruption tests every time they cross areas rated as Wild lands, Shadow lands and Dark lands, making for a rather unforgiving rule.  
The rules found on page 57 of the Loremaster’s Book detail what happens when a company of adventurers enters an area qualifying as a blighted place. From the way the rules have been presented in that chapter, it seems that players are required to make Corruption tests every time they cross areas rated as Wildlands, Shadowlands and Dark lands, making for a rather unforgiving rule.  


The original intent of the rule was that it is always left to the discretion of the Loremaster to determine whether a place must be considered blighted or not. The Blighted Lands table must be used when the Loremaster has decided that an area is indeed blighted, to determine the frequency of the required Corruption tests.  
The original intent of the rule was that it is always left to the discretion of the Loremaster to determine whether a place must be considered blighted or not. The Blighted Lands table must be used when the Loremaster has decided that an area is indeed blighted, to determine the frequency of the required Corruption tests.  
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''For example, the text for the Marsh-bell adventure applies the rule as intended, when at page 130, under the Entering Mirkwood paragraph, the bulleted text states that “The part of the Long Marshes that is inside Mirkwood qualifies as a blighted place.”''  
''For example, the text for the Marsh-bell adventure applies the rule as intended, when at page 130, under the Entering Mirkwood paragraph, the bulleted text states that “The part of the Long Marshes that is inside Mirkwood qualifies as a blighted place.”''  


Under this interpretation, it is entirely possible for an area found within a region classified as Wild, Shadow or even Dark not to require any Corruption test to traverse. As far as the accumulation of Shadow is concerned, the various region types as classified in the Loremaster map serve as guidelines for the Loremaster to decide whether the region currently traversed by company is blighted or not, with Free lands being rarely blighted, and Dark lands being mostly so.
Under this interpretation, it is entirely possible for an area found within a region classified as Wild, Shadow or even Dark not to require any Corruption test to traverse. As far as the accumulation of Shadow is concerned, the various region types as classified in the Loremaster map serve as guidelines for the Loremaster to decide whether the region currently traversed by the company is blighted or not, with Free lands being rarely blighted, and Dark lands being mostly so.




'''The Cultural Blessing of the Elves of Mirkwood should be:'''
'''The Cultural Blessing of the Elves of Mirkwood should be:'''


FOLK OF THE DUSK: When an Elf of Mirkwood is inside a forest or under the earth, or it is night, his Attribute bonuses are based on his favoured rating in all rolls involving the use of a Common skill.
FOLK OF THE DUSK: When an Elf of Mirkwood is inside a forest or under the earth, or it is night, his Attribute bonuses are based on his favored rating in all rolls involving the use of a Common skill.




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'''Page 75, Spider-poison.'''  
'''Page 75, Spider-poison.'''  


The sentence, “... is paralysed and falls to the ground after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”, should be read as, “... falls to the ground paralysed after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”.
The sentence, “... is paralyzed and falls to the ground after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”, should be read as “... falls to the ground paralyzed after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”.


A paralysed character is considered to beunconscious, or otherwise defenceless
A paralyzed character is considered to be unconscious, or otherwise defenseless


== Resources ==
== Resources ==

Revision as of 22:51, 17 July 2018

The One Ring: The King's Own
TOR-web-header1.jpg
GM
Lisa
Starting Year
Fourth Age, 1 (3021 TA or 1421 SR)
Current Year
Fourth Age, 1 (3021 TA or 1421 SR)
The Fellowship
Laramie Twofoot
Déor, Horseman of Rohan
Vidar, Son of Veig
Gilithion
Thorondir
Theowulf
Former Fellowship Members
Primrose
Resources
Chapters Past

Still working on your character? Awesome! Here are some guidelines:

  • Read the bit of timeline lower on this page for context of when we are and what the world is like. It will be condensed later.
  • You should craft at least a valid-sounding reason why you are in Gondor now and put it on your page. Include where you were during the War of the Ring.
  • This background doesn't need to be fully fleshed yet, just a starting point to start us off with
  • Aim for variation and balance in the party. For example, aim for different cultures if choosing the same race (Man of Minas Tirith vs. Man of Bree) to have access to different blessings, virtues, and abilities that aid the Fellowship as a whole. Some redundancies are not stackable.
  • Let your GM know if you have a question, special request, secret information or need things like Wonderous Items.

The Fellowship

The Company

Traveling Roles

Guide (Travel)

Deor

Scout (Explore)

Vidar

Huntsman (Hunt)

Primrose, Laramie

Look-out Man (Awareness)

Thor, Gilithion

Fellowship Focus

Skill Chart

(This grid shows the highest for each skill in the group)

Awe ■■□□□□ Inspire ■■□□□□ Persuade ■■□□□□
Athletics ■■□□□□ Travel ■■■□□□ Stealth ■■■□□□
Awareness ■■■□□□ Insight ■□□□□□ Search ■■□□□□
Explore ■■■□□□ Healing ■■□□□□ Hunting ■■□□□□
Song ■■■□□□ Courtesy ■■■□□□ Riddle ■■■□□□
Craft ■■■□□□ Battle ■■□□□□ Lore ■■■□□□

The MacGuffin and Objectives

  • The Company will be embarking on a search for the Lost Palantiri of Arvedui. Aragorn sensed a presence "both saddened, cold, and yet hopeful," and hazy images, as though the palantir was quickly shrouded by the user after sensing another. He felt a pull was in a northerly direction, confirming the continued existence of at least one of the lost stones.
  • The Company knows the outlined history of the seeing stones, but not, for example, usage or apocryphal stories.
  • The Company will be granted access to the libraries of Minas Tirith, Orthanc, and Rivendell, though what aid or assistance the Company receives in these locations, and what they find - is up to their own endeavors.
  • The Company may accompany Éomer and the Riders of the Mark to Édoras and thence to Orthanc and further parts north, allowing them to attain mounts that suit their purposes.
  • The Company has been instructed to think of anything particular they may wish to requisition from Minas Tirith, as it has stronger trade networks than those in Rohan. Waypoints for more specialized supplies or items may be few and far between in Arnor. The Company may also expect an invitation to dine in the Hall with King Elessar and Queen Arwen at some point.
  • Each member of the Company was awarded 6 Treasure as their share of the Snow Troll Hoard.

Important Characters you have met

  • Aragorn, King Elessar Telcontar, High King of the Reunited Kingdom

Aragorn has a lot of titles and some were surprised to hear "Elessar" rather than "Aragorn" being used. The name Elessar, or Elfstone, was given to him somewhat prophetically by Galadriel and he was called such by the people of Minas Tirith for the stone he wore as they did not yet know his name. Telcontar is "Strider" in Quenya; he took it for the name of his house and line. These would be his formal names and were used in his coronation. Those with older habits may still call him how they knew him first, such as (King) Aragorn, Strider, The Chieftain, or even Estel, his boyhood name in Rivendell.

  • Arwen Undomiel, High Queen of the Reunited Kingdom

Arwen is made of hope. She is inspiring to all and emblematic of all that was good in Middle Earth, light, bright, and worth fighting for. Those who had yet to meet her gain an XP or point of Hope and those who have known her still take comfort from her very presence, graced with a feeling like all is right in the world and even the most impossible of tasks do not seem nearly as difficult.

Memorable characters you have met

Characters in Gondor

  • The Prefect of Osgiliath - Shrewd and insightful, the Prefect is the current political, civilian head of Osgiliath. The Prefect organized the needed posses to investigate the rumors of destroyed homesteads and murder in Anórien. After the Company's success, and hearing their entreaties to share the Troll hoard with the survivors and Imhar's Dunlendish hunting party, the Prefect both arranged an audience with the King for the Dunlendings and brought the company to the attention of the King and Queen.
  • Imhar, the Dunlending - A fine hunter, Imhar tracked the snow troll for over a month in winter to its last lair. Several members of his party were survivors of the snow troll's attacks. Although reticent, he was willing to journey to Osgiliath and Minas Tirith if their example could further positive relationships between his people and Gondor.
  • Léora of Lamedon - A woman of Gondor whose posse helped hunt the snow troll. She and her posse had been hunting Belfan, the Captain of the Gaurd in Osgiliath, as he is believed to have murdered Léora's brother, a minstrel.
  • Captain Belfan - Deceased. A former minstrel who joined the guard and rose through the ranks during the War. He was known for his capricious viciousness and killed another minstrel for having "stolen his song." He hated Dunlendings and was eaten by a snow troll.
  • Dwimler, son of Dwier - a dwarf formerly of Erebor, now of Aglarond, the Glittering Caves. Dwimler is head of the dwarf team reconstructing the roads in Minas Tirith.
  • Gûriel of Mirkwood - An elven lady overseeing planting in Minas Tirith. She has a small team from Mirkwood, however, she related that more will come to help recover Ithilien when it is safe to do so, as that was an express desire of Legolas.

Locations

These reflect the current conditions of notable places in our current year of play. Please refer to the Tolkein Gateway or the One Wiki to Rule Them All for further information or history.

  • Osgiliath - formerly the capital of Gondor, Osgiliath is a shade of what it was. Severely sieged by the Enemy, more than half of Osgiliath remains flooded or partially ruined. However, areas on the high ground, and along the main road through the city are bouncing back. Dwarven teams are working to rebuild the city's canal structure and halt the flooding. Laborers haul ruined stonework to be re-worked, the quays welcome merchants and travelers, and the inns are bustling. The company visited Serondo's Cellar located just off the Forum of Turambar.
  • Minas Tirith - Like Osgiliath, much of Minas Tirith also lay in ruins. It is told how the Men of Gondor quarried their own homes, many ruined in the siege, for stones to use as artillery against the Enemy. As the city is steeply vertical, damage to a high level would rain down on those below with deadly force, compounding the destruction. Thanks in part to the coronation of the King, the main switchback road from the Gate to the Citadel is in excellent condition. Many industries that were vital to rebuilding have their quarters cleaned up nicely, however, for many locations away from the main road conditions are a toss-up as to whether they are good or no more than rubble. Teams of dwarves and elves are working to redesign and beautify the city.
  • Anórien- the northernmost realm or fief of Gondor, it is an oblong fief bordered to the south by the crest of the White Mountains, and rounded to the north by the border with Rohan on the Mering Stream, Entwash, and Anduin. Anórien is known for fertile farmland and forests rich for hunting, such as the Druédan and Firien Wood. As the Mering Stream passes through the Firien Wood, a piece of the wood falls into Rohan. This parcel, the Everholt, is particularly well-renowned. There are no towns in cities in Anórien, only homesteaders scattered in the vales or on the plain and those hardy few manning the Beacons in the White Mountains. The Great North-South road runs East-West here, parallel to the White Mountains from Minas Tirith to the Everholt. As it has been in more continual use, this section of the Road is considered in good condition.

The Story So Far

Recent Events

The Year is now 3021, Two Years after the War of the Ring, but War is not over and Shadow still lingers in parts of Middle Earth. Much has been devastated, burned, and destroyed. Now the slow rebuilding and healing process is starting to show signs of flowering. Few lands were left unharmed by the Enemy; rebuilding efforts run from Dale to Osgiliath to Rohirric villages to the heart of the Shire.

In Arnor, the pragmatic see-it-to-believe-it Bree-landers still haven’t fully grasped that Strider’s a king and that the Rangers are nobility of old. 
Barliman Butterbur was shocked to learn that Strider was made a king - not a "mere ranger.
" For even some Rangers this has been breathtaking news; they were scattered at the time of Aragorn’s muster and not all got word of it or were able to journey South. Many are still keeping threats of Shadow and Corruption down in the North.

In these two years after the fall of Sauron:

3019

  • March 25- Fall of Sauron and the Destruction of the One Ring
  • May 1, 3019 - Aragorn is crowned King Elessar of the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor; Gandalf helps Aragorn to find the sapling of the new White Tree.

  • Mid-year's Day (between June and July) 3019 - Aragorn marries Arwen Undómiel.

  • July 3019 - King Théoden is laid to rest beside other Kings of Rohan in Edoras. The announcement of Faramir's and Éowyn's betrothal.
 They are married later this year.
  • Peace is brokered with Harad: Harad is forfeiting South Gondor and Umbar in exchange for a pardon of fighters, POWs, etc, allowed to return home unmolested

  • Thorin III Stonehelm and Bard II, fast friends and allies, are rebuilding Erebor and Dale.

  • As a chief commander for King Elessar, Faramir has been tasked with clearing out Minas Morgul and the lost territories of Gondor and act as march-wardens. His and Eowyn's hands are full.

  • November 19, 3019 - Battle of Bywater; death of Saruman and Wormtongue; the end of the War of the Ring.


3020 - some events may not have happened depending on our start month. These may help for context purposes.

  • Elessar and Eomer rode out against remnants of Mordor

  • Spring 3020 - Samwise Gamgee marries Rosie Cotton and together they move to Bag End.

  • The Sea of Rhun is proving to be hotly contested vs. the Easterlings

  • Thranduil settles his borders at the Mountains of Mirkwood to help his own people thrive.

  • Legolas and Gimli share their travels through the Glittering Caves and Fangorn Forest. Legolas is now returning to Mirkwood to recruit elves to heal Ithilien while Gimli is setting out to recruit members of Durin’s Folk to go to the Glittering Caves.

  • Durin VII, a descendant of Thorin III, has expressed his wish to return to Moria soon.


3021

  • Fourth Age - March 25 3021
  • Spring 3020 - Samwise Gamgee marries Rosie Cotton and together they move to Bag End.

  • 3021 - Éomer marries Imrahil's daughter, Lothíriel of Dol Amroth in Gondor.
  • September 22, 3021 - Bilbo marks his 131st birthday, surpassing the Old Took.

  • September 29, 3021 - Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, Frodo and Bilbo depart from the Grey Havens and go to the Undying Lands.

  • Celeborn assumes full rulership of Lothlorien after Galadriel’s departure. He plans on extending domain to South Mirkwood and is currently holding both sides of the Anduin.

  • The twins Elladan and Elrohir assume a joint lordship of Rivendell in Elrond’s departure. Both expressed wishing to clean the land of Arnor and continue to work with the Rangers. They also expressed a project to translate the works of Rivendell’s library for the use of Men. Neither has stated whether he wishes to choose mortality like Arwen.

  • October 6, 3021 - Samwise returns to Bag End.

Chapter 1, The Fellowship Forms

  • Gondor: Blood on the Snow Our last game, recapped:

Rumors of attacked and destroyed farmsteads in Anórien come to the ears of the Company, though whether the cause is Dunlending raiders, Druédan sorcery, or fell beasts is not determined. As there are many regions to search for the truth of the matter, the Prefect of Osgiliath assigned the Company to be a posse together, as a full posse of Guardsmen led by Captain Belfan, and a civilian posse led by Léora of Lamedan have already mustered. Léora has a look of disdain or suspicion against Belfan. Laramie is declared the head of the posse as he is already sworn to service, and is given bone maps with carved ridges that line up with the beacon mountains to help find vales with homesteaders. Léora's posse departs immediately while Belfan's stays on for a hearty breakfast.

The Company is lent horses from Minas Tirith. Asking about Belfan, who appears quite the braggart and Dunlending-hater, reveals the rumor that he may have killed a man, back when he was a minstrel, for playing one of his songs. In Minas Tirith, the Company also meets dwarves and elves who are beautifying the city and engaging in planning work. Their current quarrel is solved by the suggestion of a roundabout, allowing for both navigatable streets and greenery.

Although winter still clings to the land and snow lays on the ground, the four-day journey through Anórien is pleasant and without event. The first homestead encountered was deserted and highly damaged, and at the second, an attack was clear, with bodies, blood, and ruin. A dying man described an unnaturally tough and foul creature that came from "the Morgelad" a word meaning dark path or pass. After burying the dead, the Company followed the tracks and drag marks left in the snow to the Morgelad, a particularly blighted vale where the shelves of shale and twisted tree branches block out the sunlight.

At the mouth of the Morgelad, the Company encounters Imhar the Dunlending and his party, survivors of the beast's attacks. They have been hunting it for a month and a half. As the company dealt well with Imhar, and Gilithion spoke straightforwardly and fairly with Imhar, he was willing to work together. The Company was joined by Léora and her posse, who mistook their tracks for that of Belfan, crossing them at some point. She agrees to help as well, though they were tracking Belfan, whom she claims murdered her brother.

As the Company caught sight of the beast, a particularly large snow troll, they were finally joined by Captain Belfan himself, who mistook the scenario for a trap sprung against the Dunlendings. He was promptly dragged off by the snow troll, meeting a certain demise. Although his hide was indeed tough and teeth fierce, the Company prevailed against the snow troll, taking his head and hoard as proof. The Ranger Thorondir took the beast's hide. The Company convinced Imhar to journey back with them as they could retell the tale and improve relations between Dunlendings and Gondorians. Lóra's posse and the guard were all witnesses to their valor.

Upon return, the Company presented the head of the troll and the Dunlendings to the Prefect. The Prefect agreed to negotiate an audience with King Elessar for the Dunlendings and the Company, who wished that much of the hoard would go to help the survivors of the troll's attacks. With some insight, the Prefect asked the Company to stay in Minas Tirith while this was negotiated. He presented the events to the King.

While the Dunlendings were granted a formal audience, the Company was not. Upon hearing both the makeup of the Company and their success from the Prefect, the King took note. Upon learning that two of the party members were indeed known to him since his childhood and kin, the King opted for an informal audience with himself and Queen Arwen Undomiel to meet their companions and offer them a grand undertaking that perhaps only a group such as theirs might accomplish, a mission to find the lost palantiri of Arvedui.

Rules Clarifications

House Rules

Archer rules:

When an archer rolls an EYE, they should then roll a d6: on a result of 1-3, the archer has just one last arrow in his quiver. Being “low on ammo” makes for dramatic choices. When an archer fumbles his shot (i.e., rolls an EYE and fails the attack roll), he has emptied his quiver and is out of arrows! Being “out of ammo” makes for very dramatic choices.

Rules Errata

Concerning Blighted Places - a Clarification

The rules found on page 57 of the Loremaster’s Book detail what happens when a company of adventurers enters an area qualifying as a blighted place. From the way the rules have been presented in that chapter, it seems that players are required to make Corruption tests every time they cross areas rated as Wildlands, Shadowlands and Dark lands, making for a rather unforgiving rule.

The original intent of the rule was that it is always left to the discretion of the Loremaster to determine whether a place must be considered blighted or not. The Blighted Lands table must be used when the Loremaster has decided that an area is indeed blighted, to determine the frequency of the required Corruption tests.

For example, the text for the Marsh-bell adventure applies the rule as intended, when at page 130, under the Entering Mirkwood paragraph, the bulleted text states that “The part of the Long Marshes that is inside Mirkwood qualifies as a blighted place.”

Under this interpretation, it is entirely possible for an area found within a region classified as Wild, Shadow or even Dark not to require any Corruption test to traverse. As far as the accumulation of Shadow is concerned, the various region types as classified in the Loremaster map serve as guidelines for the Loremaster to decide whether the region currently traversed by the company is blighted or not, with Free lands being rarely blighted, and Dark lands being mostly so.


The Cultural Blessing of the Elves of Mirkwood should be:

FOLK OF THE DUSK: When an Elf of Mirkwood is inside a forest or under the earth, or it is night, his Attribute bonuses are based on his favored rating in all rolls involving the use of a Common skill.


Starting Gear

Small-sized Heroes: The list of weapons available to Dwarf characters (AB, p.76) should include Sword.


Background (Woodman)

Woodmen (Fairy heritage) erroneously has Search as a Favoured skill: it should be Awareness instead.


Page 75, Spider-poison.

The sentence, “... is paralyzed and falls to the ground after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”, should be read as “... falls to the ground paralyzed after a number of rounds equal to his Body or Heart rating ...”.

A paralyzed character is considered to be unconscious, or otherwise defenseless

Resources