Stories with Dice
Stories with Dice is an actual-play podcast where a fellowship of everyday gamers explores fantastical worlds, distant futures, and parallel realities through tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) from Free League Publishing, Chaosium, Modiphius Entertainment, and more.
Join us at our virtual table as we play Mysteries of the Loop, our Tales from the Loop series; explore the Arthurian mythos in The Sword Campaign, the first part of our Great Pendragon Campaign; chart the stars in Star Trek: Magellan, our Star Trek Adventures series; and sail the seas in Dark Blue Sea, our Mutant: Year Zero campaign. Stories from other worlds are coming soon, including The One Ring, The Electric State, Legend of the Five Rings, Twilight: 2000, and so much more.
We’re not voice actors, professional entertainers, or trained performers—just friends from around the globe sharing virtual dice, stories, and a laugh or two as the game unfolds.
Stories with Dice
The Fellowship of the North S1 E12 Fly, You Fools: An Actual Play of The One Ring
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The Company has freed the prisoners and stands against Goblins and their Queen—the Fang of the North, a dread Hound of the Witch-king. The battle will test their courage, and before the day is done, Aidannion will face the Dark Whisper once more.
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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. Hello and thanks for listening. We're playing the One Ring from Free League, and this is episode twelve. Fly You Fools. We're gonna drop right back into the action. You are locked in combat in a vast cavern. Fires rage around you, and the air hangs thick with smoke. You've freed and armed the prisoners you came to rescue, but at a heavy cost. Assel is wounded from a great fall, Baranwin is weary. A warg, as large as a horse, steps from the shadows, spits out a half-eaten corpse, and lets out an earth-shattering howl. Goblins, orcs, and hillmen shudder in terror. And our tale resumes as a wild wolf emerges at the warg's side, smaller and leaner, her coat dark and unkempt. But it is the warg who commands the cavern. Her fur is ashen gray like a death shroud, and a pale yellow light glows in her one good eye, while the other is dimmed by a scar from some long forgotten battle.
SPEAKER_04Her dagger-long fangs glint in the firelight as she speaks. My teeth have crushed the bones of princes of Arnor. I have devoured the flesh of elves. I will feast upon your bodies while they are yet warm. For I am Gareth, the first hound of the Witch King, the Fang of the North. All scatter like leaves before my might. And then the goblins and the orcs unleash this bone-chilling howl as she lunges at the company.
SPEAKER_06I'm gonna roll a die here to find out which one of you lucky chaps is gonna get the short end of the stick. Buranwin. Oh, and the Fang of the North has failed. However, the Fang of the North gets two attacks. So the Fang of the North has failed again. So the the Fang of the North has lunged at Buranwyn, trying to bite her, and then trying to slash her with her mighty claws. But Buranwyn is deft on her feet and dodging out of the way.
SPEAKER_01I know all their tricks.
SPEAKER_06You know all their tricks.
SPEAKER_01After the second attack, I yell at everyone, we need to get out of here. Get the villagers out.
SPEAKER_06So this goblin shoots an arrow up at Idanian, and the arrow just flies right over your shoulder, hits the stone pillar, and snaps in half. This wild wolf is also gonna go for Berenwin, and you hear it snarl and say, Mother! I smell our brother on this one. Someone doesn't like you, Charlotte. I'm being bullied. It's right, you don't like the balls anyway, so it's fine. The Lore Master is rolling badly. I disagree, the Lore Master is rolling wonderfully. So that that wild wolf snaps its jaws at you, but fails to connect with your flesh. That was a success against Halberin, so that orc soldier slashes you with his scimitar. How does the orc soldier have so many dice? For three damage, yes, his scimitar is favored. Okay. Now we're at the top of the round. Does anyone want to change their stances before we move on? I think Ed should go to defensive.
SPEAKER_01I think Ed should also go to defensive.
SPEAKER_03You're right. Which is what I'm gonna do. So I'm gonna go defensive and try and I guess fight a retreat to the stairs, I suppose. That's where we need to go.
SPEAKER_06You target target that orc soldier and you make a roll, and if the roll succeeds, you're not doing any damage against him. You're I'm just escaping combat.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, kind of like moving back. Because I I guess we're kind of like defensively retreating as opposed to like hitting and running away. I mean, that's the Right, right.
SPEAKER_06It's like a fighting retreat where you're not really concerned with actually connecting with the enemy, just like keeping him from killing you while you run.
SPEAKER_03I mean, running is a strong term. I'm not trying to run.
SPEAKER_00But yeah. You fools. Fly you fools, you're right. I mean, in terms of power level, I think this this work is probably like a bad rock for us.
SPEAKER_05Not like well, I don't. Nope, that is a failure. Why are you rolling so little dice? Oh, because when you're defensive, you get use of dice doing combat. Shall I also wounded?
SPEAKER_01No, I'm weary. No, asshole is wounded. I'm not lucky enough to be wounded. Give it a minute. Seriously, when I'm wounded, I get more dice. Cool. Stick around up front. Alright. Uh I'm weary. I'm not miserable. I'm using a whole point.
SPEAKER_06So you you're staying in defensive, right, and you're just trying to escape as well? Is that what you're doing?
SPEAKER_01Pretty much, yep. A fighting retreat, well, defensive retreat to try and get the people out of here first, and then we'll follow behind and go from there.
SPEAKER_00But if I remember well, the the Beatles years they were on the other side, no, of this circle. We are on one side, on the n let's say on the north side, and the they are on the south fighting this hillman.
SPEAKER_01That's failure.
SPEAKER_00That is a failure. Assel.
SPEAKER_01So, like, as we do this, can we still move back but still have them pressed against us?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, let's say that. That's fine. I will allow it. It's cool.
SPEAKER_01If I'm trying to fall back and still defend, I'm I'm still taking steps back.
SPEAKER_06Dear. Assol can't take any steps back. Dear. We can't be spout with him.
SPEAKER_00I Danyan. So what they can see is that the the fang of the north is attacking Belangwin, right? So he's next to her. Yep. So I'm gonna do is like shoot at the at the work just to try to help her disengage.
SPEAKER_01I will use What about shooting at uh assol's goblin since he wasn't able to uh move with us? He's kind of on his own now, an island in the storm.
SPEAKER_06Are you shouting this to Idanian?
unknownYes.
SPEAKER_01Shoot the goblin. Help asshole! Shoot the goblin!
SPEAKER_00In that case, I will change my target to to this other okay. This guy right here, yep. Yes. You should see it, right? How do you change? Okay. So I have nothing, I think. Ah, special success. Yes, very nice. Great success. So I'll do a you know heavy blow. Yep. Just extra damage. Oh, you've killed him.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I mean, we're just like kind of like cannon for Idanyan to just kill everything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, just just call me general. I'll direct this fight.
SPEAKER_06Alright, so that orc soldier steps forward as you're st as you're stepping back and he thrusts his scimitar in at you, but you easily deflect it out of the way with your sword. Oh. This orc soldier has thrust his scimitar across your or he has slashed his scimitar across your chest, and you now need to make a protection test. And Halbrin is wounded. He takes three damage and roll on that injury, make that injury roll so we see how many, how many days your wound takes to heal.
SPEAKER_01One. You guys had all the luck. Six.
SPEAKER_06So your wound will take six days to heal. It's a severe injury. It is you're it's like cut right through your armor. Nasty, nasty wound.
SPEAKER_01So, what are the villagers doing right now while all this is going on?
SPEAKER_06I'm gonna I'm I'm basically doing it at the at the end of the round. I figure out what they do before you guys start your next round, but you're just about through overwhelming the Hillman guards. And some of them are making for the stairs already.
SPEAKER_01I think when it's uh Asl and Idanian's turn, Asle should go and catch Idanian while Idanian jumps into the loving arms of Asl.
SPEAKER_06So this goblin appears up at the ledge where Asil had fallen and where you guys had climbed down, and he cuts the rope, Idanion. You don't know that elves can fly. We shall see.
SPEAKER_01Only if he's a fool.
SPEAKER_06Once again, the mighty Fang of the North has missed trying to take a bite out of Baranwin. And this time he's spending a point of hate as he tries to slash her with his claws. And that is a great success. He knocks you right to the ground, and you've taken ten damage. But I'm sorry, you haven't been wounded, apparently. Nope. I know you've been asking for it. I got four endurance left. You might be wounded soon. She might be unconscious soon. Goody. Asshole, this wild wolf leaps at you, but misses, trying to take a chunk out of your thigh. Alberin.
SPEAKER_03Okay, well, I guess. So I can either go defensive or I could just go into rearwood, but that's just like run like hell, basically.
SPEAKER_01Staying defensive.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's that's what I was thinking. Because I need to make sure we kind of all back up. But if Assoll is on the other side, my fellow ranger is now being cut off from us. Yeah. Okay, I guess. Or no.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_03It gives them one less die to attack. Something that also gives you one less die. Yeah, it also gives us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, our attacks are hindered, but our defenses are increased. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Honestly, I think we should hold our ground.
SPEAKER_03Hold your ground! You're up there!
SPEAKER_00No, because yeah, I know, I know, but I'm trying to cover you, but I mean I think you're losing one die and on the defense. And you know, they they might just wear you down and not be able to leave. Either we commit or and you know, Asal is behind, so it's gonna be hard for him to leave. So either we sacrifice him, which you know that would give us some super nice shadow points to all of us, or we just commit and cross our fingers and hopefully eagles survive on time and save us and take us away from this cavern.
SPEAKER_03Should we look to the north? Oh wait, no one's coming. Yeah, I'd have to stay defensive and just try and work back. That's all I can do.
SPEAKER_06Okay, and as so as you as you make try to continue to make a defensive retreat, you see sort of out of the corner of your eye, a surge of these prisoners are now coming around to the opposite side of the orcs to help you. They've they've now defeated all the Hillman guards, so give yourself a bonus die.
SPEAKER_03If I if I was to go into forward into into open sorts, and instead of attacking, I make an inhalant roll to then do that, and then if I guess if Charlotte goes into open asshole has four endurance left. I mean I do like the idea, because then it gives us all bonus of one die. Yeah, that's what I'm gonna do.
SPEAKER_00But then they need to be on the uh they need to be forward. I think we can commit.
SPEAKER_06Well, if your role produces any sixes, then anyone in open stance gains the same bonus. And if there are more than two success icons, the bonus is applied to everyone fighting in a close combat stance.
SPEAKER_00So we could even consider perhaps the the town people. I think I mean everyone getting a plus one is more powerful than one attack.
SPEAKER_03Let's do it. And I'm gonna spend a point of hope. So you've changed your stance to open.
SPEAKER_06To open, okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Plus you get the plus one for the villagers helping. I get the plus one for the village.
SPEAKER_06Is everyone else staying in defensive or are you changing your stances? Staying defensive. And I failed. So what do you what do you say, Alburn?
SPEAKER_03So so I kind of like go I kind of like step forward holding sort of like my wound, like bleeding all over the floor and all over my hands, and I kind of raise my sword and I shout at them. I can't remember the name of the kid. Freyick. Freyek? For Freyek. Get them, get them, but obviously I'm not in a position to do it. Yeah, so I'm not really convinced of myself. But I try. It's faltering, it's I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm breathing really heavily, and it doesn't really kind of like go off as I intend it to. And I stepped forward as well, meaning that I'm now more open to attack. Do your worst, Worst. Branwin.
SPEAKER_01Alright. I'm going to change my target to the Great Worg. Obviously, the more threat, but I am still undefensive, so not going to do much.
SPEAKER_06And I'm still trying to You have that bonus die which cancels out your penalty for being in defensive.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I and I am still trying to fall back. Stakes are high. I'm using a hope point. Fuck you.
SPEAKER_06I have Sauron. Tell us what happens here.
SPEAKER_01I try and push forward with my shield a little bit to create some room, and the boss on the shield gets caught on one of their fangs and just gets deflected.
SPEAKER_06See what we get. Ooh. Another eye of Sauron. I think the dice are telling me that you all want to die here in this cavern. So what what before we move on to I Danian? So what exactly did you do, Assel? You have your sword out, right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I basically just waved it towards the the wild wolf, but was so far away from it, it was just bemused at what I was doing.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, he's he snarls and snirks at you. Is that the best the rangers have?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so Daniel will shoot at the big big back bat wolf to help. And you remember you have a you have a bonus die. Thank you for reminding me. Oh fuck's sake. Oh another eye. Three eyes.
SPEAKER_06Three eyes in a row. Tell us what happened. What happened to your arrow, I Danian?
SPEAKER_00Well, I guess. I get the I think I'm about to shoot and I see Branguin and Asalde are faltering, and then my my my mind, you know, my body goes feeble. I lose hope in this second. Yeah, right before shooting. I feel like but then I recover myself, but it's too late. The arrow is out and just go against the wall. Say good night, Alburn.
SPEAKER_03Good, Alburn. I'm sure it'll be fine.
SPEAKER_06I'm sure it'll be fine. Ooh, he fails with a Gandalf. The tide has turned, perhaps. So this orc soldier swings his scimitar at you and you ease you like lift up your your sword and deflect his blow. Oh, a Gandalf on the next orc soldier. As soon as you deflect one scimitar, you swivel around and deflect the next one with your sword. One at a time, lads, one at a time. I Danyan, an arrow whizzes past your ear, missing you completely, but just by inches. Get ready to carry Baranwin home.
SPEAKER_03I mean that means we have to get out of the mouth of the uh the wolf, right?
SPEAKER_01I don't like your attitude.
SPEAKER_06Hold on. Actually, the Fang of the North will spend a point of hate to use its strike fear ability. The warg throws back its head and howls, smoke and fire framing its towering form. It bears its fangs and its breath rolls over you hot and foul, as it growls that if this is all the free peoples can muster, then the north will belong to it once again. Everyone, please make a valor test. There you go. Run away fail. Everyone who fails gains two shadow points. Goody. And you cannot spend any hope for the rest of this encounter. Awesome. And then it's gonna swipe for its second action, swipe at I d at Berenwin with its claws.
SPEAKER_03No. I'm miserable. What? You're miserable? No, I'm miserable. My thing is going over my hope.
SPEAKER_06My shadow's flying my hope. I'm losing. How? And it misses you, Buranwin. So that wild wolf tries to take another chunk of flesh from Asle, and Asl deftly deflects his jaws away.
SPEAKER_03Well, I guess I'm going back to defensive.
SPEAKER_01Come on, villagers, do your thing.
SPEAKER_06There's eight of them left. And they do not kill anyone. Halburn, you may go.
SPEAKER_03I'm gonna attack the one that I'm fighting. I'm gonna spell it at the point of hope. I can't. He's given me that I can't do that. No, you can't. You can't spend it. I've just got the villagers, that's all. Okay. Let's see what happens. Great success. I will do a heavy blow. Deals ten damage. You have killed him. Phew. And then I look at I I yeah, I basically having gone from defensive to try and do a very feeble in Han of the villagers, I kind of just give up on sort of actually using my words, and I just basically cleave the guy's head in with my with my sword. And then look at the other one that was attacking me. Covered in blood, my own blood, the orc's blood, and just look at it with his feverish kind of eyes. Excellent.
SPEAKER_06You you you feel like perhaps he he might be now afraid of you. That'd be nice. Branwin.
SPEAKER_01Hey combat. Villager negation, but no use of hope. Because the GM hates us. The GM hates no one. So he will send off a little bit, but uh can't take a step back.
SPEAKER_02Okay. Still wafting that sword around? Does any good. Gandalf. Yep. 12 damage. It needs to do a protection.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. He's dead.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'm guessing the blow from Halberand slightly distracted the wolf, and as I saw its attention go to one side, I just lunged in. Um put all my weight behind the sword. Nice.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so we'll shoot again to the Fang of the North.
SPEAKER_03Fang of the North We can turn the tide, come on.
SPEAKER_00I still have one bonus die, right? Correct. Success. Cheo choo che One arrow sticks to the height of this ugly war. And my hope regain. Yes, we can do this.
SPEAKER_06When Asle brings down the wild wolf, the fang of the north turns on him at once, teeth bared. You will pay for that, ranger in blood. Then an elf arrow thuds into her flank. She whirls, lifting her gaze through the fire and smoke and fair. Fixes I Danyan with a low rumbling growl. Does he have good leap?
SPEAKER_03No.
SPEAKER_06He does have he does have a great leap ability, yes.
SPEAKER_03Suddenly he's in Idanyan's in forward and we're in rearwood.
SPEAKER_06Alright, so this orc soldier steps forward, visibly shaken by the death of its comrade and by the crazed look in your eye, Halburn, and he he sort of timidly swings his sword. His heart is not in it anymore. He timidly swings that sword at you, and you easily just with a flick of your wrist, just deflect it with your own blade.
SPEAKER_03Probably ranting about my blood, your blood, everyone's blood. It's my eyes like the shadow's taking over the hope. It's like probably come on!
SPEAKER_06I Danian takes three damage from a goblin arrow, and he needs to make a protection test. Protection test. Oh Idanion is wounded. Make an injury roll. How do you guys keep getting so lucky? So that arrow yeah, that arrow sticks right into your right into your chest, and it's a severe wound that's gonna last for four days. Ooh, I Danyon should be miserable.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I don't know why I'm not miserable.
SPEAKER_06I think you have to manually select it. Okay. I'm miserable now. We're all miserable. Oh indeed. Fang of the North turns his attention to Assel. Your life is mine. Apparently not. It failed again. That wafting sword put it off again. Yep, and here come the claws. We should say, oh, this is the second one. Also a failure. And you can hear now from the darkness of the tunnels a horn blows, a goblin horn, echoing against the chamber walls. It's an alarm. The alarm has been sounded. Yeah. Um I are gonna go and you say I hate you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I'm gonna go into forward stance. Uh and I'm going to attack the orque.
SPEAKER_06Wow, everyone is wounded except for Buranwin.
SPEAKER_01One person who needs to be wounded.
SPEAKER_06Yes.
SPEAKER_03Always wound a Bayorning. I'm severely losing it now. I've got another heavy blow. Whoa, ten damage. Alright. Shall we say you just slice this guy's head right from off his shoulders? I kind of like just get really, really angry. I'm like, ah, my blood, your blood, everyone's blood. And I just like rush into him. I probably grab him. I probably like kick him down, and I just start hacking into his neck, blood pouring everywhere, the head just goes flying, and then I just look at the wall, going, You're next!
SPEAKER_06This is not the Lord of the Rings you remember from your childhood.
SPEAKER_01Halburn, maintain your composure. You can't do anything if you're in a frenzy. I'm still doing the defensive thing that I do. Fuck you.
SPEAKER_06Another eye. So what happened, Bernanwin?
SPEAKER_01After the swipe, I see it start to turn towards Asil, and I take a swing at it but graze its back. Defense, defense, defense.
SPEAKER_00Go full, Nuts.
SPEAKER_02What just that was a failure, which just happened, asshole. The wolf snail turned its attention to me, and I just waved the sword in front of its nose, effectively. Just trying to use it to maintain the distance rather than actually make an attack.
SPEAKER_00I will shoot again to the big big black wolf. A miserable. I still have a plus one die, no? Yes. Success. Ooh, a success. Alright.
SPEAKER_01I Danians want to kill this war just from like three damage at a time.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. Yep, so you've got another arrow sticks in his rump and he just goes, ah. Ooh, okay. So that goblin archer up on that ledge shoots at you again, I Danion, and misses. The arrow flies, you just duck a little bit, it goes right over your head. So the Fang of the North lunges at Asshole with its enormous maw and just gets a mouthful of stone. And then he tries to swipe him with his claws. Oh sh. Sugar honey iced tea? That is a heavy blow. That is a heavy blow. Asl needs to make a protection test. Oh no. You've taken ten damage from the claw. Oh shugar honey ice tea again. Asle has a second wound. No. Flies across the floor like a ragdoll. Exactly. The fang of the north snaps down and tears up dirt and stone instead of your flesh. And with a roar that shakes the cavern she rears back and lashes out with her massive claw, raking it across your side. The blow lifts you off your feet and hurls you through the air, sending you crashing to the ground at Baranwin's feet. So you are unconscious and in danger of dying.
SPEAKER_03At that point, I shout Brother No! I'm gonna steam into the um into the walk. You go forward. Yeah, I'm on forward. I just go now to the thing.
SPEAKER_01And I shout back, get him out of here! Let's talk about our stances here. We what are Okay, so he asshole's been downed. What does that mean?
SPEAKER_06So he's considered to be dying. Dying heroes must receive a successful healing roll within approximately one hour, or they die. Okay, so we have thing. So if the roll is successful, if the healing roll is successful, that's when you roll the injury uh to see how long it takes for the wound to heal. So that's what that means, Charlotte.
SPEAKER_01Alright, so now as we start this round seeing this happen, do I go into a berserker fury and potentially die in the process as well? Or am I able to keep my head above me? I think that should be left to the dice. Nope, I maintain my defensive stance. Cooler heads prevail. Alright, Ed. What are you gonna do?
SPEAKER_03I'm gonna still steep in, shouting. Protect asshole! And I'm gonna whack this thing. Okay. I am going to be bold and swift in doing so. And I'm going. So I mean I can use. No, because it only works for skills, it doesn't work for combat, right? Yeah. Okay. Oh, it doesn't matter. I'm gonna spend a point of uh hope.
SPEAKER_06But if you want to jump on its back, I'd let you roll athletics, and then I would let you make that distinctive. Uh you could use your just Oh no, because you can't use your hopes, so it doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_03No. Oh yeah, I can't use my hopes, so I'm just gonna like steam in and attack it. So that is it. Hopefully providing some some leeway between me and the other two while they either retreat or figure out what they're gonna do.
SPEAKER_06But if you do want to jump on its back, if you succeed in an athletics test, you will essentially be riding this beast like a horse, and I would let your attack be favored, plus you still have the bonus die. I mean, why not?
SPEAKER_03Why do you put it that way? I mean, if you're gonna put it that way, I'd be like, okay, let me uh make it. It just sounds cool. I mean, make an athletics roll, but I still can't use foot, but let's give it a go.
SPEAKER_01Right at like Nicholas Rad's a cave troll.
SPEAKER_00That was cool.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Do I get the plus one? No, yes.
SPEAKER_06Okay, no, you do. Okay. Yes, a great success. Oh, nice. Okay, so the great success is that means you rolled one success icon, right? Yeah. Correct. Okay. So that gives you one bonus die plus the bonus die you're already getting, plus your roll is favored. So you have two bonus dice and your roll is favored to attack.
SPEAKER_03So two bonus dice uh my roll is favored. Yeah, as I jump on its back, I'm just gonna stick.
SPEAKER_05Oh, you a heavy blow. Very nice. Great success. Ten damage. Protection roll against 18, please.
SPEAKER_03One dear. I'm screaming like a madman, just plunging the sword into between its um shoulder blades, down into sort of like its flank and haunches, and just describe how you have killed the fang of the north. Yes, as I said, as I was on it, I was like just stabbing it down with my sword, and I guess just as I'm doing it, it's trying to like push me off. It's kind of like pushing up against the sides of the um of the of the of the dome, and I guess as I do that, I just manage to catch its neck, and I kind of shove my sword down its sort of shoulder and it's straight into its heart, and then we both gonna collapse down onto the floor. Okay. Um I'm gonna roll a die here to see if it lands on you.
SPEAKER_06I mean, clearly it's going to write. So And I'll do it out in the open too. I don't like that.
SPEAKER_03How are you supposed to fudge the dice marker?
SPEAKER_06It actually won't let me do it out in the open. Oh well, for some reason. Okay. We trust up. One, two, three, roll the die. Yeah, Ed, you roll the die. One, two, three, it lands on you. Four, five, six, it does not land on you. There you go. So, yeah, so you're the the the beast is going down, it's making this horrible death cry as as as you plunge your sword deep into its flesh, puncturing its heart. All this blood is splattering all over your face and everywhere, and it just collapses, and you manage to jump off of it before it hits the ground.
SPEAKER_03I lay there for like what feels like 30 years, but it's probably more like three seconds, just breathing really heavily. And then just kind of look up, pull my sword out of it, look at Baranwin, Assel, and I guess look up at Idania, and then go, and then the rest of them, perhaps we should leave.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, so that that goblin archer up on the ledge shrieks, shrieks, the queen, the queen is dead! And it just disappears down that little tunnel. And then you start to hear like goblins chattering, the queen, the queen, they've killed the queen. Yeah, we have.
SPEAKER_01My turn. I am going to give Halberin a good nod with a smile while like leaning on my axe. We determined this before that taking trophies from creatures that we dispatch is not a shadow mark for me. Because we do that in my homeland. Correct. So I'm gonna go over with the blunt side of my axe, gonna knock one of its teeth out, clean it off on the hem of my shirt, and then hand it to Halberin.
SPEAKER_00Okay. And I will come down carefully from this okay, from the top of the column. And I will go next to Asal and I will Because I think Berenguin is a better healer than me, right?
SPEAKER_01I think so.
SPEAKER_00But I will help you. I will I swear next to I I I will try to support you. I don't know if I can help you on healing him and stabilizing him. You might also spot the uh ring that I've got.
SPEAKER_02What ring? Did you have did you wear the ring or did you just put it in your package? I didn't wear it, I've I've got it.
SPEAKER_01What did that mean?
SPEAKER_02Maybe on a chain. So it's okay.
SPEAKER_06It's like a chain around your neck, perhaps.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_06With an unidentified ring. Yeah, you're you're not you're not sure what that ring does.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I got I got two in healing, but it's not favored.
SPEAKER_00Me neither, but I have one, but I will I I will help you. Can I can I provide support for the healing?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you would have to spend hope, and then could I spend hope as well? Which which I can do, I guess. Wait, sorry, what was that at? Mine's favored. Do you have one or two? Okay, then you're a better healer.
SPEAKER_03And I still have one draft at the uh King's Wall. Okay.
SPEAKER_00So then in that case I will support you, and I kinda spend hope now, right?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, yeah. The combat is over, so you're no longer daunted. Yeah, so I use one hope to help you out. Alora.
SPEAKER_01So we can only have one person helping, right?
SPEAKER_00We can't like all Correct. I can do it, it's fine.
SPEAKER_03I guess you kind of all hacking away at the creature, and I just sort of like stumble forward.
SPEAKER_00And then helping you.
SPEAKER_03I throw my sword down, I just lean next to um Assel, and I pull out the king's foil, and I start to look him over to see what it what what what what's punctured and what's not, and I will do a healing task.
SPEAKER_01You have a one of one of life for me. Cool. While they're doing that, I'm gonna go over to the villagers and see how they're faring, see if there's anything that I can do to help them to get out of here quick, like bind any like light wounds or whatever. Okay. Like general first aid. Yeah. How do how do I use the uh the king's roll? But just add it button and stuff. It does automatically. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it should add it should add it automatically. So you should be rolling three dice from that and then four, and then an additional one from Idanion. So total you should be rolling four six-sided dice. So yeah, so if you just click on the healing roll, it automatic it's automatically adding the three. So then just give yourself the bonus panel, the bonus die from Idanion, yep.
SPEAKER_03Okay, cool. And can I spend a point of hope? Yes, of course. Excellent. Which would then a success.
SPEAKER_06Okay, so that is a success. You have saved your companion's life. It's all coming up Halberin Day for some reason.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it's that many dice would have sucked if it failed.
SPEAKER_06So, Assel, you're still unconscious. You're gonna come, you're gonna come back to consciousness in about an hour and at one endurance point. So go ahead and well, we rolled already. So, like, what was that rolled again? Was it a one? It was a one, yeah. Okay, so then we add ten to that, so it'll take eleven days for your injury to mend, minus the days removed by the healing roll. So ten, so ten days. And then finally the injury leaves a permanent mark, and those details are left up to you. It can be a scar, a limp, a missing finger, whatever it is you decide.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm guessing parallel claw marks across my chest.
SPEAKER_03I I guess then we need to leave.
SPEAKER_06Berenwin has tended to the to the injuries, and they weren't very serious of the prisoners that you rescued. There's about eight of them left. There were twelve in total. And so, yeah, so there's this staircase on the other side of the of the cavern that leads up to a tunnel. You're still hearing a horn blowing occasionally and some distant shouts of the goblins that appear to be terrified that you've killed the queen. Like i i from what you've gathered just from looking around this cavern, they worshipped her like a god, and you've now slain their god. So they're they're running for the hills, essentially. Think we should leave. Yeah, so what's your plan? Where are you? So you're you're leaving the cave complex, yes?
SPEAKER_03Either through the stairs or maybe through the where Fang came from. Maybe there's like a quick way out that way. Maybe there's treasure. Because we don't know which way either of them go, so we'll have to like just try and navigate back through the tunnels. Because I look up to the way we came.
SPEAKER_01I'm not climbing back up there. I don't know if we want to go into the cave that they just came from. That's probably her den or something.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01Whereas if we go along or if if we take the steps which look like they're well made, that has to be leading us out, okay? In the shortest way possible.
SPEAKER_00I would think. I agree. I agree with Berenwim. I think we are not in no shape of fighting the rest of the goblins. We should leave, recover our wounds, bring the villagers back, and then if needed, we can come back.
SPEAKER_06Well the goblins have retreated. Because you've got inside the cavern. You've killed their You've killed their queen, so they're they've run deeper into the into the tunnels, deeper into the cave system.
SPEAKER_03Pretty much routed them.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So Raymond, did you want to go and check if there is an exit that way? And we'll kind of prepare to go up the stairs with the consumer. Into the cave or up into the stairs? Into the cave. Just have a quick look, see if there's a way out there. If there isn't, then we'll have to go up the stairs.
SPEAKER_00All right, well, you're more injured than me. Perhaps I should go. Well, no, you're wounded. She's she is not.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06I'm just tired.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'll I'll go give it a quick checkout.
SPEAKER_06Okay, so you walk through this large opening. There are stalagtites and stalagmites as you're moving through this this enormous tunnel. And it branches one to the left and right. And both of these tunnels are dark. So you have a torch with you, I imagine. Which which one do you take?
SPEAKER_01Do I feel a breeze coming from any one of the paths? You do not.
SPEAKER_06I'm gonna take the right. Okay, so you take the right passage, and it leads to this this this large chamber. It's essentially empty except for a bunch of bones, and there's a tunnel that goes down deeper into the bowels of the earth.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna turn back round.
SPEAKER_06Okay. Do you take the the other chamber or the other passage, or do you go back to the your companions?
SPEAKER_01I'll I'll take the other one quickly just to see what's there.
SPEAKER_06Okay, so you go into the the you take the right passage, and there you see what was her lair. So there's like, you know, a place where she slept, and there are bones of another giant warg, just like just like her, and embedded into its skull is an enormous great spear. I'm gonna take it. Okay. And you know that this spear is of elven craftsmanship. They might want us back. Baranwin returns to the rest of you within with this elven greatspear. You've you've got all the prisoners ready to go.
SPEAKER_03I guess Idanion, would you like to go ahead and just make sure that the way is clear?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, I can't do that. Okay, so you I Danian, you start to move ahead to the passages. You can hear the distant beating of goblin feet echoing through the maze of tunnels going f getting further and further away. And as you round this one corner, a foul breeze stirs, and in it there seems to speak a fell voice, and it says No There is no escape for you, Hydan. Make a valor test. This is fun. Will you have succeeded with a Gandalf?
SPEAKER_00I disagree. We just defeated the Fang of the North. The hope is back for the people of Middle Earth. I will get through and I will raise my torch to to to and you know shake it around to multiply that.
SPEAKER_06So you you raise your torch up and you sort of wave it around in the air in front of you, and you see just for a split second that that spirit of that wood elf that you saw at the standing stones. So it it was at first it was sort of this dark, sh shadowy shape that was darker than the darkness of the cavern. And then when you you disp you sort of dispel it like a like a like a mist, and and you see the wood elf again. And as soon as he realizes that you have seen his true form, once again, he just flees down one of the side tunnels.
SPEAKER_01If that doesn't deserve, like that RP, if that doesn't deserve an extra point of hope for I Danian, I don't know what does. Give yourself a point of hope back, I Danian.
SPEAKER_00Hey, thank you.
SPEAKER_06After about 20 more minutes, you guys are carrying, or the the prisoners are helping you carry Assel, who's who's still unconscious. You've you've now made it out of the cave. You're back in the hills of Rudar. Your horses are dead. They've been mauled. How dare you? They've been mauled and eaten by probably wild wolves. Where are you going? Apparently a long walk.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we cannot We're gonna have to go back down to Weathertop.
SPEAKER_00Or to Khan, no, we need to go to Crane to bring these villagers back to Oh yes. Yeah, that's for yeah.
SPEAKER_03We've gotta go back. Yeah, we've gotta go back a couple of days to take them back to the kids. Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
SPEAKER_00We are gonna be yeah, even if we are wounded, I think we should go back and probably rest together in Kran. It's the good thing to do.
SPEAKER_06You set out westward into the broken lands of Rudar. The ground is harsh, the sky unkind. After an hour, vassal, you come to. You are laid upon a stretcher of stretched hides borne on the shoulders of hillmen. Your companions walk beside you. Your wounds are bound and clean, but when you try to move, pain answers you at once. The journey passes without further peril. Wind and rain harry the company and slow your pace, but nothing else bars your way. Five days later you return to Crane. At the broken gates stands Frey's mother, the woman you saved from orcs who would have cooked her over their fires. She reached Crane safely a day and a half before your return. The captives are reunited with their children, and joy breaks through the weariness of the road as families embrace one another. The hillmen look on in wonder that two rangers of the north would set aside centuries of bitterness to come to their aid. Moved by this, they offer you shelter in their settlement for as long as you wish to remain. That night they lay out a feast, drawing from stores long hidden away for dire need, and share with you what little they have.
SPEAKER_03I guess I'll say that it doesn't matter who they are, they're good folk. And the Rangers will always help those who are good. And I guess we'll use that as sort of like motto, right? We suffer the loss of hope, so others don't have to. And so hopefully this means that they'll feel safer, that the that the walk will not bother them again, and the goblins and orcs will think twice about attacking their town. And of course, we're always grateful for the help that they gave us, so we obviously did it in turn. All the people should just get along. That's what we should do.
SPEAKER_00Not this one, but Zalboran has said this because he has this his uh distinctive feature is Mary. He's gonna you know cheer the children, cheer the families that have been reunited, and we have prevailed against the shadow. I mean, in this case, the goblins, the works, and any evilmen. And I will try to sing a song about the the courage of the of the of the of the people that help us also in the cavern, because it was not only us, and as Halvor has said, we all came together in the moment of need, and we fought side by side, like in ancient times when humans, dwarfs, and elves fought together against the evil forces. So I will just think about that and I will do it in you know in a mix of cindering and perhaps come on tongue for everyone to listen.
SPEAKER_06And so the Hillman beg your pardon for the lack of fresh meat. But over a humble feast of dried provisions and ale, while I Danian's hopeful songs rise softly against the night, they speak in low voices of what has come to pass. The shadow has begun to stir among their kin once more, calling to old fears and older hungers. Some answered it, but those in Crane resisted the call and were taken, bound and dragged away, meant to be given over to the fang of the north to state her endless hunger. And once again the Hillman thank you deeply and without ceremony, for their lives were spared and their children kept safe.
SPEAKER_01What was the kid's name again? Frick or Frick? Frank? Yeah, if it wasn't for your boy getting caught on the road all those months ago, this could have turned into a different story.
SPEAKER_06We did think our story had ended. We had dared to to to to change to try to change our fate. We thought we had lost if it was not for you.
SPEAKER_03I I I pat Assel and say that he is a messenger of the rangers, and I'm sure he will spread the word far and wide that you are on our side, and therefore any other rangers will not come and bother you. Yep. I'll stick to that as part of my mission.
SPEAKER_01When the four of us are alone, I uh bring up while we heal, we might as well stay here and help them rebuild a little bit, and maybe train them as best as we can to help help them provide their own defense in the future. And we need time to rest and recuperate. I don't want to see a montage coming up.
SPEAKER_06Montage of days going by as Askel's wound starts to mend and slowly, day by day, his strength returns, and you're helping them rebuild their palisades and strengthen those defenses, and teaching them some new defensive tactics and the same.