Out of Character thread

[Vladim]

@thesloth I am not sure if you saw, but there's a bit of a discussion on how to proceed. Since Dahr-Ol's life is on the line, I wouldn't mind if you also gave everyone your opinion-especially in the matter of who should attempt to heal Dahr-Ol, and if they should roll for it or use a trait for auto-success.

I know it's meta-gaming of course, but I feel like this is one of those cases where fun >> no metagaming, plus I think other players may feel a bit unsure on trying something risky if the stakes are Dahr-Ol's life.

[Vladim]

@BlueTrillium I am good with your idea for a Pay the Price (the not-quite-dead corpse, whether through natural or supernatural means) so if you want to take Endure Harm, go for it!

[thesloth]

I was going over the mission from Radagast, since we were trying to decide just how much we needed to do to fulfill his mission. He wants the exact location of the fortress, and whatever information we can gather about it's leader. We could track the lone survivor back and potentially gain enough information to meet his needs from that.

I would recommend that on our way out, we try to leave a couple clever trail markers and definitely a marker of some sort where we beached our boat so that the trail can be found again if a war party is formed.

[Modest_Proposal]

Yeah. At this point, we haven’t even confirmed the existence of the fortress, nor its capabilities. The orcs could just as easily be coming from a small outpost or be part of a roaming band.

We could try and track down the lost island merchants. If they live, they may have facilities for healing our companions and would know much about the nearby situation.

Hopeful we can gain useful info from the dying man.

Edited April 8 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)

[thesloth]

Radagast said the eagles saw the fortress and he believes them. So its existence isn't in doubt for him. It's location and and purpose for being here now is what he wanted.

But the river folk definitely would be a worthwhile visit if we can find them.

[thesloth]

@Vladim marked my wound on the sheet as Y/T for (Yes but treated) since editing the sheet on my phone is a bit wierd.

[thesloth]

@Vladim how much about the various breeds of orc do we as players know? Or would a lore check be in order?

[Vladim]

43 minutes ago, thesloth said:

@Vladim how much about the various breeds of orc do we as players know? Or would a lore check be in order?

I think Shadow-lore would give you auto-successes and/or some background knowledge, but what specifically do you want to know?

[Modest_Proposal]

The song skill check I just made isn't really for anything in particular, unless you want to use it (I can't image for what, since it's not exactly an inspirational song).

Edited April 14 by Modest_Proposal (see edit history)

[thesloth]

I'm curious how much Dahr-Ol might know about the Snaga vs the Black Uruk.

Is the Snaga actually tracking by scent? Is the Black Uruk definitely a Mordor orc? Those two questions specifically.

 

@Modest_Proposal it certainly does capture the mood though.

[Vladim]

13 hours ago, thesloth said:

I'm curious how much Dahr-Ol might know about the Snaga vs the Black Uruk.

Is the Snaga actually tracking by scent? Is the Black Uruk definitely a Mordor orc? Those two questions specifically.

 

@Modest_Proposal it certainly does capture the mood though.

Yes and yes! Dahr-Ol has Shadow-lore so he should know it (no roll required).

He probably knows a thing or two about Mordor too, but perhaps more rumour and legend than detailed knowledge (since we're in Wilderland and have never journeyed that far). Maybe Annungil told a tale of two!

[thesloth]

I'll toss an official post in later for it.

Edited April 14 by thesloth (see edit history)

[Suzuki Stumpy]

In response to Elfwynns comments about the old tales of men on the river … would Barin know enough about that to recount the tale given his folklore trait?

[Vladim]

9 minutes ago, Suzuki Stumpy said:

In response to Elfwynns comments about the old tales of men on the river … would Barin know enough about that to recount the tale given his folklore trait?

I am... not sure. Perhaps from a mechanics point of view, yes (because of folk-lore as you point out) but from an in-world lore point of view I hesitate... not because I am unwilling but because I think this story has been created by @thesloth and I may not know it fully. It may be referencing Dahr-Ol's backstory (Dahr-Ol of the Beornings - Myth-Weavers Lethe) but I am not 100% sure.

But I am happy if you and @thesloth want to talk about it and work out the details. It sounds like a cool story!

[thesloth]

Sort of. I'm talking about the slaying of Isildur, but I'm assuming that in a thousand years of oral retelling all we really have is the broad strokes and some propaganda.

I assume from the view point of Mordor that was a great victory. I figure they probably don't mention that he wasn't really running from the battlefield, just from an ambush.

So add a thousand years of oral retelling, remove any mention of the One Ring because that is too deep a secret for my people to know, and presto you have a legend you can motivate your Black Uruks and your Hill people with:

"The Anduin was a place of a mighty victory long ago. Our people killed one of the first Kings of Gondor, as he tried to flee across it. Got him right in the back with a black arrow. The Anduin belongs to the Orcs! And tonight we kill men there again!"

 

Although Elfwynn could talk the slaying of Oghma, that wouldn't be a motivator for the forces of Mordor. One of their own betrayed the sorcerers and got away with it is bad propaganda. That kind of story you would trot out when you're planning a raid on the Beornings: "3 fat pigs and a barrel of ale to the crew what brings down the traitor when we hit them Beornings tonight. You'll recognize him easy enough... He carries a Long Bearded Axe like the Hill people make.... He's the one what killed Oghma. Took the chief's head to old Beorn as a present. Don't you worry about the Bear Lord though... scouts say he is a day away holding court at some village. He won't be back until it's too late for the traitor."