SPEAKER_05 0:05

This is the Fellowship of the North, an actual play of the one ring from Stories with Dice. If you're enjoying our actual plays, please subscribe to Stories with Dice so you never miss an episode. Don't forget to rate and review us. It really helps others discover the podcast. Follow us on social media to stay updated. You'll find the relevant links in the description of each episode. Welcome to Stories with Dice. We're playing the one ring from Free League, and this is episode 9, Journey to the North Downs. In our last episode, the company departed Rivendell and took the East Road West, only to be drawn into a brutal fight with a hungry stone troll. A band of rangers soon arrived and together they brought the creature down. And now our tale resumes. The leader of these rangers gives his name as Hiroval, and he says, We heard the sounds of your struggle and came at once to lend aid. We are glad to stand beside fellow rangers and their companions. Perhaps when your errand is complete, the favor shall be returned in kind. There is a manor in the Weather Hills, north of Weather Top, where my family dwelt of old. I long to reclaim my family's estate, but our numbers are too few. Were you to lend your aid, I am confident of our success.

SPEAKER_03 1:39

Here of all, sir, I am more than happy to offer our aid once we have done our deed we are trying to accomplish currently. If you give me the details of where your uh estate may be, we can arrange to uh see what we can do to help you. That is very kind of you.

SPEAKER_05 1:59

And your name is My name is Halbaran. Others call me Ashclok. Ashcloak? Ah, I have heard that name in my travels. He he asks to see your guide's map and marks on it where in the Weather Hills his family's estate is.

SPEAKER_03 2:21

Well, we will more than happily help you. We will probably be coming back this way, so we will probably do it then. We are off to the North Downs. That is a long journey, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

While we're all here, should we all chip in and try and get these logs moved off the road so no other travelers have to be inconvenienced?

SPEAKER_05 2:42

Yes, yes, of course, my lady. So the rangers lend their strength to yours, helping drag the toppled trees from the road. As you work, they mention that their company is known as the wardens of the Weather Hills. Now, during the break, Pete mentioned examining the ruined pushkart and scattered belongings, so why don't you go ahead and give me that scan roll now, Pete? It's not my best skill. That's a failure. You find a crusted patch of dried blood on the torn cloak lying in the dirt, but little else, only scattered pots and pans, and the splintered wreckage of the broken push cart. The poor dwarf, one of the rangers, murmurs. He must have run afoul of the troll and become a swift meal.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

I'll hand the uh scrappy cloak to Baranwin. How old do you reckon this is? Do you reckon the victim might still be nearby?

SPEAKER_01 3:45

Let's take a look. Like, how dried is the blood on there?

SPEAKER_05 3:48

Probably at least half a day.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Yeah, this it's not fresh by my reckoning. I couldn't even begin to say whether he lived or not. But I'm curious about the toys that are also in this. Like, did he have children with them?

SPEAKER_05 4:05

More than likely he was a merchant, and and they were just these are toys that uh they're actually all of Dwarvin make, and you know, Branwin that the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain are famous for for making children's toys. So he was most likely on his way to Brie to sell his wares.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Most unfortunate. I'm going to take one of the toys that's still in good condition and put it with my horse. Okay. It's a little hobby horse, carved out of wood. Maybe if we come across the storse family, we can give it to them and they can have some memento or peace.

SPEAKER_05 4:43

Would you mind if we if we shared your camp for the evening? We have provisions, we're happy to share them with you. By all means. You make a camp a little way off the road over a shared meal. Herebal speaks at length about his dream of reclaiming his family's estate. After a time he catches himself and laughs quietly, realizing he's gone on too long about his own hopes and plans. Turning to Halbrin, he asks, And you, friend, what is it that matters most to you in life?

SPEAKER_03 5:21

That is a big question. I guess the most important thing for me in life is to make sure that those that can't protect themselves are protected. Well spoken. And what of your companions? I look at I look at Assel, as he is also a ranger.

SPEAKER_02 5:41

Easy. That's to fulfill my duty. And a month ago, I could have told you what that was very easily. But currently I'm not so sure.

SPEAKER_05 5:54

Well, a month ago, what was it?

SPEAKER_02 5:56

It was to support the Rangers in their fight to defend the whole of Middle Earth.

SPEAKER_04 6:04

And now what is what has changed that has made you question this? I I'm sorry if I am prying.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

I I I I do not mean It's it's purely uh what has changed as my view of what my role might be in that struggle. But you are still in the struggle.

SPEAKER_05 6:21

Of course. And you, Elf, tell us. I have yet to I have yet to know your name. My name is Hedanian of Lindon. Long have I wished to see those shores. I I have heard that it is beautiful beyond measure.

SPEAKER_00 6:38

It is indeed, with the colors of autumn, the smell of the sea, and all ruins of the Alps. I still miss it. Even if it has just been a few weeks, feels like an age. I hope to visit one day.

SPEAKER_05 6:55

Perhaps after we retake my family's estates at some future point. I will I will repay your kindness by visiting you at your home, if that is what you wish.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

Yes, everyone is welcome to the shores.

SPEAKER_05 7:10

And for you, what what do you deem is most important in your life, I Daniel of Linden? Crush your enemies to see them driven before you.

SPEAKER_00 7:23

Sorry, I just couldn't have. That's okay.

SPEAKER_05 7:42

An elf of a scholar, but yeah. Stealing that from me. Is that your is that your final answer? Are you gonna go with that to crush your enemies?

SPEAKER_00 8:02

No, I'm I'm I'm seeking the wisdom of my people and all the people of Middle Earth. And seeking the ancient ruins of Eriador and and any other kingdom in in Middle Earth. Because it's important to keep the past and to learn from the past to understand what we are gonna be probably fighting in the future. This is not over. Not at all. So yes, wisdom and knowledge is what drives me.

SPEAKER_05 8:36

Well said. Well said, Idanion of Linden. This fight is far from over. And just think, if we were to reclaim my family's estate, our guard would be renewed. What of you, Buranwin? You have been quiet this evening.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Lost in thought is all. What is most important to you in this life? To protect the weakened challenge the shadow. And in doing so, hopefully I can find a place or a mission where I can put my strength to more than just survival.

SPEAKER_05 9:10

With folks such as these in the wilds, I have I have hope. Hope for the future. Hope for the Weather Hills, hope for my estate. I thank you for your company and for this and for this fine meal. I will see you in the morning. And he turned he and his men turn in. Is there anything you guys want to do or discuss before you turn in?

SPEAKER_03 9:32

I mean I guess the disc the decision is do we want to continue on to Weathertop or just cut across country now? Seeing as we're at the top of the bend of the of the road and we just cut straight up. I think we might as well just go, no.

SPEAKER_01 9:46

Alright, so if we go to Weathertop from here, we're just gonna be doubling back anyway and adding like seven days onto our trip. And for what benefit? You'd be able to heal the fatigue that you've got, I guess. Like mechanically speaking, it'd only be like one fatigue on a prolonged rest.

SPEAKER_05 10:02

Yeah? Mechanically speaking, it would be the prolonged rest would let you recover one fatigue, and then you would all roll travel to try to see if you can recover more. But we'd only get the one, potentially two or three back.

unknown 10:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

One guaranteed. And like we're sitting at what three right now. Yeah. So we could just No, I don't I don't know if it's worth it, because then we're just gonna have to backtrack and potentially run into more issues. I I'm of a mind that we just start heading north now. Cut across country.

SPEAKER_03 10:33

Cut out the green j.

SPEAKER_01 10:34

How how does everyone else feel about that? A Danny and Asshole, you've been quiet?

SPEAKER_02 10:40

Yeah, if it's uh yeah, if that's the decision of the majority of the party, I'm happy to uh navigate from here.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

Uh do you have any misgivings about that? Anything holding you back?

SPEAKER_02 10:51

Yeah, if everybody's happy to forego the chance for a prolonged rest.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

It'll it'll save us a week on this trip.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

I'll take some bearings and uh plot a course.

SPEAKER_05 11:01

Okay. In the morning, Herival bids you farewell and wishes you success in your errand. He tells you that he hopes your paths will cross again. Leave word with Barleyman Butterbur at the prancing pony, he says, and we will arrange to meet you at Weathertop. With that he and his company turn east toward the last bridge. The day is overcast. As you break camp and resume your journey, a light drizzle begins to fall. Assel, you may use your useful item on this marching test, but Yep. Great success. You ride north for four days, keeping the weather hills to your west. There is no road to follow, only game trails winding through the untamed wilds. Here and there the broken crowns of old watchtowers rise above the treeless heights. Each day reveals another stretch of lonely wilderness, and each hollow hides the remnants of ruins half swallowed by the land. Silence presses close, broken only by the creak of leather, the steady beat of horse hooves on the trail, and the distant cry of a lone hawk wheeling high above. Ed, roll a D six for the event target and then make a favored feet die roll to determine the event.

SPEAKER_03 12:36

Kenoki, let's have a five.

SPEAKER_05 12:40

Ooh, a five. That is the hunter. We'll call that a four. Okay, and we get up you have a plus one from your fellowship phase bonus, so that's a five. So that is Ooh, that is a mishap. Okay. Hey. Sorry. Everyone gains two fatigue for this part of the journey, except of course for Halbrin.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

I love great. This is like I love wandering around in the world. It's great. It's wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 13:10

You know, I don't know if we can be friends anymore. Give me your hunting role, Branwin.

SPEAKER_05 13:15

And I'm gonna put you on the spot here a little bit to help make something to help turn this event into it into something. Something good, I hope. It's a mishap, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 13:25

It's a good mishap. You know what? I might use hope. Okay. I have I have an ill feeling about going out on this hunt and trying to rally myself. It's like, nope, it's all in my mind. I've got this, my friends are counting on me.

SPEAKER_05 13:43

Look at that. Okay. A great success with a with a Gandalf, right? So you're out foraging for food and and and fresh water, and you find enough to sustain the company. What lucky break or clever action lets you gather these supplies that and that eases the journey and avoids a terrible mishap?

SPEAKER_01 14:06

As I was walking down by the river, there was a log that was fallen. It seemed sturdy enough, but uh when I went to go step like it was big enough that I had to step on it to step over it. And when I stepped on it, my foot I I heard splintering, my foot went through it and it was stuck for a moment. But by the time I was able to get my foot out, I looked in a hole and I found a trove of stashed food from some travelers in the past, as well as some mushrooms growing around it. That's wonderful. I love that.

SPEAKER_05 14:38

Alright, so yeah, you return to the company with mushrooms and and and dried provisions, and no additional fatigue for you. Heck yeah. Give us your marching test again. Yeah, would be successful. The game trail dwindles, and the woods press closer around you, so that for the next three days you must dismount and guide your horses. The clouds at last begin to part, and the lingering drizzle finally stops. Now I'm rolling the event target this time, so we have the lookout, and the journey event is a joyful sight. There's no fatigue gain for this event, so I Danyan, give us your awareness test. If the roll succeeds, everyone in the company regains one point of hope. Failure. Sorry. Your keen eyes glimpse a sunwashed clearing ahead, and there, motionless as carved ivory, stands a white stag of rare and noble bearing. But your misplaced step breaks a twig with a sudden crack. The stag startles, head rising swiftly in alarm, and then it vanishes into the deep green shadows. Since he failed the roll and startled the stag, no one regains hope. It looks like Tony is no longer your most valuable player.

SPEAKER_03 16:18

I mean, I think it looks like Assel's our well, I think Pete's our most valuable player at Snow.

SPEAKER_05 16:24

I know he's about to he's about to make another roll here. The final role, I think. Two eyes of Sauron, come on. You watch a filthy mouse. Success. That's another three days of travel, and if all goes well, you should reach the standing stones just before nightfall. The event target is the scout, and the event is a mishap. Halbon, go ahead and give us your explore role.

SPEAKER_03 16:54

I think I'm gonna there's nothing nothing more I can kind of use, so I'm just gonna do a straight roll. No hope for me. See what happens. Oh a great success.

SPEAKER_05 17:07

It's amazing. Guided by your skill and sure footed judgment, the company strides on swiftly and unhindered toward the standing stones now visible on the distant rise. So what hazard do you perceive or quietly divert the company from that keeps your progress unbroken?

SPEAKER_03 17:30

So I guess we start getting into the the the hills themselves, right, in the north downs. We sort of kind of go from from Rudol's kind of like flat rocky kind of things into the tree line and then making our way into sort of like the um into the hills. So instead of cutting straight across, I notice that there is the sort of like the from the from the from the north downs, they're kind of like hilly, rocky kind of hills, aren't they? So there's water the the small little streams and waterfalls coming from the high ground into the lower ground, and I manage to navigate around sort of like boggy, swampy kind of like areas, which allows us to kind of skip around. And in fact, we find an old part of a of a maybe an old road that may have once been here, and we use that for firm footing. Yeah, like an old like cart rut road, yeah. Yeah, yeah. That that might have been here from you know ages past, and that the land has retained most of it, but allows us to kind of like skip through and maybe have maybe a shortcut around instead of having to go around the bog, we go through the bog over the actual road. Which might have been at one point a raised bridge, but the land has kind of since swallowed most of it.

SPEAKER_05 18:44

Excellent. So, and uh ahead of you as you get to the crest of that hill where the standing stones are, it rises up above a you know a small wood, and its summit is mostly bare, but for tufts of grass clinging to the thin rocky soil, and at its crown are five shadowed stones, thrust upward like the teeth of some long dead beast. Four stand close together in a crooked, menacing row, while the fifth is shorter and thicker and leans apart from them like a solitary fang shattered from a jaw.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Baranwin has the question. Yes. Okay, so my useful item with the backpack, does that do anything on our typical travel rolls?

SPEAKER_05 19:31

So at the end of the journey, which is right now, you can roll travel, and that will the adjustable backpack will give you a bonus die to make that roll. And depending on the quality of your success, you'll be able to remove one, two, or three fatigue points.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

I had a successful travel roll.

SPEAKER_05 19:51

Just a regular success?

SPEAKER_01 19:53

Just a regular success.

SPEAKER_05 19:54

So you can remove one fatigue point?

SPEAKER_01 19:56

Hell yeah.

SPEAKER_05 19:58

Asshole, you can remove one? Mark, can I make the roll and if I get extra successes, pass them to others? I will say yes. Idanion has failed, so go right ahead and maybe help him out.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

So I get one egg I don't recover, I just have five, Todd.

SPEAKER_05 20:13

Okay, so uh Halbrin has has turned your failure into a success, Idanion, so you can remove one fatigue point.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

So whatever they had before, just one less, okay. Yep. Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 20:25

You're welcome.

SPEAKER_03 20:27

So what are you doing? or the path up the like kind of animal path up there, and have a look around, I guess.

SPEAKER_05 20:37

As you tie up your horses and climb the path toward the summit, a foul stench of decaying carcasses rises to meet you, and the air hums with the droning of countless flies. Then, at the crest of the hill you see it, a dense swirling cloud of flies buzzing above a pit dug into the very center of the stone circle.

SPEAKER_01 21:08

I'm gonna peer into the pit.

SPEAKER_05 21:10

Okay. In the pit you see the mangled remains of two horses and two men, savagely slain and partly devoured.

SPEAKER_01 21:23

From this distance, can I make out what possibly could have done this? Like how how far well, I guess first question, how far is it to the bottom of the pit?

SPEAKER_05 21:34

It's not very far. You could jump down without without a problem, without getting hurt. It's about the it's about the the height of a of a grown man.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Okay, so then second question would be can I see what potentially caused their demises and like the true patterns without getting closer? Because this is fucking disgusting. It is disgusting.

SPEAKER_05 21:58

Yeah, so you have enemy. lore wargs so and you've had many dealings with wargs and and and other wolf kind so yes they were they were eaten by by a warg a very large warg larger than any that you have ever come across and you also recognize the half burnt remains of the horse's bridle as having belonged to the men of dale that you crossed the mountains with and these were the ones that that I actually crossed with and not those that died on the way.

SPEAKER_01 22:37

Correct this is not a good place while I'm saying that I want to look around to see if I can discern like potentially if there's multiple wargs or if it's just one like by the size of their footprints and whatnot. Okay why don't you give me a hunting rule? That I can do and great succeeding.

SPEAKER_05 23:01

So with that great success you find not only foot the the prints of a pack of wargs but also goblins and alongside a massive paw print indicating that one of the one of those wargs in that pack was of an enormous size. What are the rest of you guys doing while Berenwin is doing this?

SPEAKER_00 23:23

I mean as an elf I'm probably taken back by the smell foul smell of death and and you know remains of whatever is there. So we'll probably just let them go there to the pit. I would probably go to the standing stones trying to gather knowledge I mean probably the I'm attracted to whatever signs I might have, whatever stories I might tell so we'll just probably just ignore them and move to the first stone there.

SPEAKER_05 23:53

Yeah so you find that the stones have runes carved into them give me a lore roll great success. Okay so with yeah with that great success you you know that these runes are written in the language of the hillfolk the hillmen of Rudar and the inscriptions have recently been defiled with scrawls and foul symbols and you know that these markings are an invocation in a debased dialect of the common tongue used by orcs and goblins praising the fang of the north do I know what is the fang of the north? No you don't not yet at least what about you, Halbrin and Assel?

SPEAKER_02 24:37

I'll be feeling quite uneasy about the place and scanning the horizon basically while everybody else is in Okay give me an awareness test. Yeah Gandalf of automatic success.

SPEAKER_05 24:51

Nice while you scan the horizon the clouds break for a moment and the last rays of the setting sun glint off blades in the tree line at the eastern base of the hill. Having come up from the south your horses are well away from the danger tied some distance from where the weapons now gleam in the fading light on seeing that I'll I'll basically point it out to Halbrand.

SPEAKER_03 25:22

Well if if Asl points it out to me I have a quick look around to see how easily defensible this location is or if it's not I mean looking at the map well you have the high ground yeah it looks like two paths in and it looks like it's harder around the other edges unless they're climbing and stuff. I guess while I'm looking at that I'm also my brain is kind of like worrying what do I know about the standing stones from my from my extensive traveling in the region? Give me a Laurel Was I asleep at school that day? I was indeed asleep during ranger training that day no idea.

SPEAKER_05 26:03

Okay yeah so all you can discern is that from the burnt bones and the grisly scene in the pit and there are other remains older remains of animals like you know boar and deer as well as what looks like maybe the bones of of men or dwarves.

SPEAKER_03 26:23

That these are offerings of some kind that's about that's about all you can discern from what what you've said already I'm kind of figuring that it was at some point the Hiltman of Rudars place to kind of like worship or to to to offer things and then the and whoever else have come along and defiled it and made it their own thing as opposed to what they used to use. Okay well I guess I I will say to the to the fellowship we have company Wargs and goblins all right well we've got two places to defend at least we have the high ground I kind of like unstring my bow uh or string my bow i'll I'll kind of go to the the the place on the hill that's looking towards where Assel saw the glints and stuff and I'll uh just keep an eye on that all right so are we splitting up into the two paths okay so where where is Assel looking right now that he's seeing the glimpse or the glimpse of the metal in the woods surrounding the standing stone the hill to the east so that eastern path so you guys came up the sort of southern path there and there's this other path that goes east into Rudar and that's where the that's where Acil spotted some glinting of weapons.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

I'm going to take a quick look at the southern path to see if I can see anything that we have to worry about. Because no point in separating ourselves if we don't have to I guess the good question would be how big is the plateau of the standing stones? It doesn't look massive it's not very massive. Alright so even if something did come up the other way that I didn't see we wouldn't it wouldn't take too long to close that distance. But yeah I would like to see if I can see anything from the southern path first before I join up with the eastern path.

SPEAKER_05 28:25

Okay. Give me an awareness role that's a failure.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

You see bumpus Alright not seeing anything there I'm going to head towards the other entrance where the rest are starting to form up I guess at this point we're all rear word aren't we would have technically have a chance to lose Savali.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

I should probably make sure my bow is equipped the only the only re you know for each player here in re in rear world must be at least two other adventurers in close combat distances. And enemies can outnumber adventurers by more than two to one.

SPEAKER_03 29:04

Oops oops sorry I think we hold them off at the up at the um thing you know they might kind of like come two by two in which case we're okay yeah like I I want to do an opening volley and then move towards defensive yeah and that's the flat but that means that we can never be more than two one behind because for each player hero in real world there must be at least two in the front so that means if we are two on the back we need to have four in the front because it means that you end up getting swamped and you can't then fire your bow which is Exactly anyone who's not laughing knows that uh once there's a bunch more people yeah there's no bow being shot so go ahead and make your opening volleys so for opening are we still considered rearward?

SPEAKER_05 30:01

I don't think so no we just wherever we are and then Okay so then I'm going to put myself in defensive a start yeah and you'll I'll have to be there with you to make the numbers balance so we can keep someone at the back yeah yeah I'll join my ranger friend in open well obviously I see the warg so well wild wolf in this case you see red I see red and if it's red it's dead oh take that yeah filthy animal so Idanian still has to do his opening volley yeah yeah looks like Halbrin and Asle both failed so we'll just shoot at the arch archers failure okay so the goblins and the wild wolf charge up the steep path toward the hill's crown and you give them a volley Baranwin's arrow flies true striking the wolf but the shots for my Danyon, Halbarin and Asle whistle harmlessly for the goblins' heads. So you ready yourselves for close combat as the goblins and the wild wolf reach the top of the hill. The goblins are clad in wolf furs and each carries a shield crudely painted with the image of a wolf's head The wolf is mine Yeah success.

SPEAKER_03 31:35

Yeah so you slice into him right across his chest all right well let me attack this this fool of a goblin that's the one at the top I've got a special success ooh extraordinary extraordinary so I'm gonna go with yeah we're gonna go with a heavy blow. Okay. Oh you may explain to us how you've disemboweled this foul creature and sent him back to the abyss I I cut down on him he kind of rushes towards me and I I basically split his shoulder through lopping off his his left arm and leave him sprawling on the floor come on I shout from the top.

SPEAKER_05 32:25

Yes the wolf is mine because I have enemy lore wargs does that transfer over to wolves yeah wolves wild wolves are are akin to wargs so does that give me anything mechanical no it just lets you know that like they're afraid of fire it lets you know like you know if you're you could you could invoke that this that distinctive feature if you're rolling for like hunting because maybe you're hunting wargs or something and it would give you that that extra bonus if you're spending hope that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_01 32:58

I'm hunting wargs now. Alright I'm going to move cautiously up to the wolf wild wolf knowing knowing how they attack knowing their movements and with my shield raised obviously obviously and I'm going to try and take a swing at it with my axe in one-handed stance.

SPEAKER_05 33:21

Okay and he's spending a point of hate to make your attack ill favored then I'm spending a point of hope to say no you know what I'm not going to do that just yet make a protection roll that should have been ill favored you should have rolled two feet die. Well son of a bitch roll one feet and we'll see if it's worse than the roll that you made because you rolled a 10 so it's probably gonna be worse it's a six. Okay so no protection test for you.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

11 14 total and difficulty 15.

SPEAKER_05 34:05

Okay so you missed. As you go to attack him with your long hafted axe he just all of a sudden is is flanking you on the other side like just he just very quickly just moves out of the way of your of your axe. That was a nine not a six oh that was a nine yeah it was that changed things that does significantly so that's a hit yeah it's what triggers a piercing blow it is a a 10 and a Gandalf okay so at least the damage is done so six damage just no piercing okay yeah so he he moves very quickly out of out of the way but not fast enough and you still manage to graze him with the with your axe and he he he yelps as that blade sort of slices through his through his skin. Danyan so they've run up to the the hill and they've drawn these jagged knives except for this larger goblin here who has a scimitar.

SPEAKER_00 35:09

Okay so I will go the one that is in front of me just to slow them down so they don't reach if I manage to shoot anything straight oh I'm rolling so bad.

SPEAKER_05 35:22

That's a failure you take aim at the leader of the goblins a large snarling orc. He snaps his shield up just in time and your arrow funks solidly into the wood. Baring his teeth he lets out a low, savage growl take the elfling alive kill the others then he swings his scimitar at Halberin and he rolls an eye. Halberin takes three points of damage and now must make a protection test. Why is it me?

SPEAKER_03 35:54

Why is it always me?

SPEAKER_05 35:56

He just hurts me a little Halbern is protected you yeah so you so he thrust his his scimitar at you and what do you do? You're you deflecting it with your sword?

SPEAKER_03 36:07

Yeah I kind of I kind of use the sword to parry with it.

SPEAKER_05 36:10

Kind of look at him having killed one goblin I'm like alright you're next a goblin rushes at Asil brandishing a jagged rusty knife he swings and misses but then a second goblin jabs Asle in the side for two endurance damage. And then the wild wolf lunges at Baradwin let it come so this wild wolf tries to bite at you but he's already been pretty badly wounded you easily deflect him before he bites you.

SPEAKER_01 36:42

Okay so before we start this round does anyone want to change their stance?

SPEAKER_03 36:47

Nope I'm good I think I'm going to move to open because opening volley defensive mode now the wolf has tried to attack me now I'm pissed off anyone else no yep I'm in open stance now yeah okay because I've got two on me so I'm less committed yeah okay halberin guess I'm gonna be uh attacking the um oh do I want to attack him or do I want to kind of inhearten pick no I think I'll just attack him right I guess I'm going after the big dude okay let's let's attack this guy I I think we're doing quite well so I'm gonna spend a point of hope ah I'm like a success oh wounded that guy tell us how you have killed him oh okay um so I guess as as as I kind of as he kind of comes over the the half corpse of the um of the goblin he kind of swings at me I take a step to the side I see there's like a chink in his if he's wearing armor or anything um and I grab his um his arm and I shove my sword into his armpit. Yeah he's wearing a male shirt yeah stick it in that kind of like loop where the mail shirt would be just stick it straight in there and then I kind of kick him back down the ramp. Nice okay for Ranwin.

SPEAKER_01 38:16

So I got the wolf and the goblin beside me so I'm going to continue going after the wolf which is wounded and probably near death I'm hoping I'm not putting anything special into this and I'm rolling and I'm damaging for six damage. Tell us how you kill him I take a low sweep of my axe pushing the head of the wolf with my shield connecting like a bit of a sucker punch to the left and taking my axe and cleaving down or swiping down to try and bury itself in its spine as it's falling down from the punch.

SPEAKER_05 38:57

Yeah okay you sever its spine in two and it just wakes one final yelp and then it just collapses to the ground.

SPEAKER_01 39:06

And then trying to pivot and face the goblin that has dared to come against me.

SPEAKER_02 39:13

Emboldened by what's going on around me take a big swing at the one in front of me that's a success. Alright tell us how you've killed him yeah I've just taken a big swing he's just hit me grazed me and I've stepped back and just with his guard is now open I've just taken a big swing across him and hacked into his side.

SPEAKER_05 39:40

Okay yeah he's got this massive wound in the side of his of his abdomen and just his his guts just spill out as his flesh opens up and he just he's like holding his his intestines in his hands as he crumples to the ground seeing that um only has one goblin no yes so I'm gonna target that one so she can help the others I'm gonna try to kill that one using my my cultural blessing. For our listeners a Danyan has a cultural blessing that allows him to spend one point of hope before a skill roll to achieve a magical success. That means the action automatically succeeds but he still rolls the dice to see if he gets a higher degree of success.

SPEAKER_00 40:33

That's a cool ability okay so tell us what this describe sort of this this this magical success of your of your arrow which kills this goblin outright well imagine that because they were moving around is just more me you know I'm running trying to position myself and it feels when I shoot the arrow that it's kind of combing in the air as I'm moving on the side and seeking this goblin and just basically hits him on the neck and dies.

SPEAKER_02 41:04

Elves and their bows nice I think we only have one goblin still standing he's gonna turn tail and run.

SPEAKER_05 41:22

So uh does anyone want to take a take a sh a pot shot at this fleeing goblin?

SPEAKER_03 41:28

Yeah I I kind of I've got a spear which I can throw so I'm gonna basically switch from my sword to my spear and I throw it at the goblin as he's running seems like the the right thing to do let's give that a go I want to chase him down let's throw that spear you almost had a Gandalf.

SPEAKER_05 41:51

Okay I will shoot but we're not use any fancy stuff great success excellent so with heavy blow I will use a heavy blow the goblin flees down the narrow path halbred's spear whistles over his head just as Idanian's arrow drives cleanly into the back of his skull the creature jerks, collapses and tumbles lifelessly down the hillside