Year 2947: Theft of the Moon

[Vladim]

Well met Cilderic and to all as well. I have traveled from west to east much further ahead of your group. I have crossed the high pass near the Carrock about forty miles from the Old Ford and where River Anduin meet. I have not seen those you describe. While I know of the Vale of Anduin well, it bodes well that you travel in numbers. Passage through the land of the Beorns and Woodmen is dangerous at best. Seven days travel and Falrock near the northern entrance of Mirkwood and the Forest Gate as the Elven-Path and the enchanted river merge. I agree with the woman. There is a chance of rendezvous with more strength in numbers. It's best if we move swiftly throughout Anduin.

[Vladim]

The Pursuit of the Moon

In order to catch up to the thieves, a trail must first be located, and a Forced March must be attempted to catch up. The tracks must be checked daily, and the forced march attempted daily as well. Your successes lower the Lead, and your failures increase it - including Travel Rolls. Each hazard episode also adds to the Lead.

The Journey itself is 130 miles, with two Travel Checks at TN12, taking 7 days(4 with Forced March). The path to Falrock leads from Stonyford, north and crossing at the Old Ford, then north again until the Falrock itself. Do not roll the Travel Rolls yet.

Mechanics:

Finding Tracks: A Hunting Test, [TN16] - however for this instance, due to it being night, you must roll the Feat Die(d12) twice, and take the worse result.

Forced March: In this instance, it is a [TN14] Athletics roll. Each character must make this roll. Success inflicts 1 point of Fatigue, Great or higher gives no fatigue, failure gives two.

Lead: The Thieves begin with 10 Lead. If you reach Lead 0, then the Company has caught up. Should the Lead reach 15, the Thieves have escaped to the Falrock.
Lowering Lead: Each success on Athletics Test per her per day, one success on Hunting each day(any number of characters may roll)
Increasing Lead: Encountering Hazards, Failing a Travel Roll, Failing an Athletics Roll, Failing a Hunting Roll. Failures with a Eye of Sauron will add 2. There is one Hazard which adds 3. A Revelation Episode (if one triggers) adds 3.

[Vladim]

Cilderic nodded at Aerwyn as if the introduction as stated was enough and then turned to Guthred. "I agree with The Bride. It would be best not to take the chance that in our haste we miss our quarry should they turn aside or double back." Cilderic watched Guthred for any reaction on his face before continuing,"I have no desire to walk into an ambush. We have a skilled tracker among us. Let us find the trail and march through the night."

In truth, Cilderic didn't know who to trust in this increasingly unpredictable group. Several among this party were not mentioned by Radagast, and Cilderic would rather trust the hunting skills of his fellow Woodswoman than blindly march towards a potential trap.

Ensuring that he knew where Cheek was in the group (partially to ensure his safety, and partially because he had heard tales of Hobbits and their curiosity), Cilderic prepared to move out again. "Let us not tarry - with every minute we discuss, our goal slips farther away"

[Vladim]

Gramtyng didnt think this was the best of ideas, setting out in the dark after the thieves - it would be much easier to catch up to them once dawn broke, in his view. Still, it didnt seem like the others wanted to wait so he went along with it; he'd taken to composing a new song about the Moon for next year's festival, and gotten a decent way into it, whistling quietly as he walked, when Guthred spoke and altered them to the presence of the elf. As the others spoke, the Rohirrim eyed the elf warily; Certainly, elves were no friends of the Shadow, but this timing was a bit off. Still, it was no reason to be rude. "Greetings. I am Gramtyng, son of Fastred - a Minstrel of the Mark." He turned to Idunn and the others: "I think it would be better to ambush them midway between the Falrock and here. After all, there's only one crossing here - the Old Ford. Could set our ambush a short way out of it; and if they're using boats, either way they'd need to disembark and carry them over - not to mention going upstream." He shrugged: "There may BE no trail if they've got boats... But if you want to try trackin', then lets spread out and search."

[Vladim]

Idunn felt the burden of responsibility weigh heavily upon her. She knew, after all, that she was probably the group’s most capable tracker, although in the past she had only used her skills in the forest, for the hunt. She also knew that she could not disappoint her friends, her cousin and Hartfast. Thus, she quietly nodded in agreement with her companions. Nevertheless, she had to admit that her friend, Gramtyng, had a point.

’Gramtyng is right.’ she said, indirectly admitting that she had not thought about the thieves using the river. ’But I will go ahead and track nonetheless. If I find nothing, then we can consider his plan.’ With those few words, she took a lit torch and started searching, carefully moving in the darkness to seek the elusive tracks. It took time and persistence, but she was eventually able to discover something...

'Here!' she cried, alerting her companions to her discovery. 'I think I found it!'

[Vladim]

Fundor noticed that several companions were confident on Idunn's skill on hunting, that's why he chooses to follow them on that point. And when the Woodwoman finally find footsteps of their target, he understand that they were right.
Well done, Idunn of the Woods land, your eyes are really accurate ! I'll go ahead now and try to find a faster past. I'll be back soon.
But due to the darkness, Fundor wasn't able to find any faster path and joined back the company, hoping that maybe Cilderic could do better than him.

[Vladim]

Guthred doesnt seem to be particularly happy about a stranger joining in, but does not voice his discontent - his furrowed brows, illuminated by the torch he holds, make it simple enough for anyone to discern his concern. What he is concerned with, of course, could be any number of things, from Aestid's safety, to the diplomatic impact of a hireling of the Viglundings ending up being a thief... As the other companions have greeting Aerwyn, he gruffly nodded his own hello and continued his search for tracks. "Cilderic is right. We've barely any time to lose, and we're wasting time arguing." He nods thoughtfully at Idunn's comment, but his face grows dark at Gramtyng's suggestion, and he growls back: "Cease your cawing... If they've actually went by boat..." He shook his head, and was about to say something else, but was interrupted. Hrmph or a similar sound signifying a grudging acceptance was heard as Idunn announced finding the tracks. "No boat for that rotten thief after all, then. Good work, girl." He lifted his torch higher, illuminating the tracks The Bride located, studying them with some wariness, before speaking to Aerwyn: "Beorn's lands are as safe as safe can get around Wilderland... But you're right, can never be too careful."

With the company having located the trail of the thieves, they'd picked up the pace - with Idunn, they didnt have to simply rush through the woods blindly, and despite Guthred's grumbling, they were making good time, though some delays were had. There'd come a time when the tracks curiously went for a loop, and the company came a small bog, the thieves tracks leading directly through it - Cilderic knew the way through, of course, but Guthred did not. That's when Cilderic's keen insight worked out for the group, and he discovered a way around the treacherous swamp, avoiding the loop the cunning thief had lead his group on. Guthred has plenty to say about Cenric's choice of terrain, though he at least vented his frustration quietly, and only those walking at his side would hear him. The company traveled through the night and well into the day, eventually coming across a group of trees overgrown with some manner of thorny vines, choking the life out of the trees and turning them into gnarled, twisted versions of their old selves. It was almost like a piece of Mirkwood suddenly sprang up, far from the edge of the woods. Finding their way through the mess of bramble and sharp branches would add quite a bit of time to their trip, but going around was not much of a solution, and would add a solid day to their travels.

[Vladim]

Travel up to this point had become arduous at best. Even more now that he followed the Fellowship through the swamp near Old Ford Road and the Vale of Anduin. Carrock that led into the River Anduin would be coming up soon, but that was farther northwest then they were now. To him it was as if they were in and around the older Greenwood Forest before the Necromancer and the darkness of Sauron had infected what was now Mirkwood during the beginning of the III Age.

As Warden, earning the companies respect had to come from more than sweet introductions and fast words of hellos. As Na'Enti fell in with the others, he could feel the eye of Sauron upon him and the group. Na'Enti knew that peril and danger could be around any turn ahead. No Aerwyn would speak when spoken to and help in anyway possible.

As travel continued further North, fatigue from the trek so far had fatigued the High Elf of Isladris, even more so than the journey to the present location now. Elves were not known for having the conditioning of a strong body, but his hope in such endeavors had been a blessing from Sindarian ways. "I feel the eye of darkness is upon us, we should prepare for danger ahead!"

Out of Character: Invoking Specialty (Shadow Lore and Enemy of Sauron)

[Vladim]

The Dead Woods

As the company entered the dead woods, the air was stifling, and any that have previously visited Mirkwood would find similarities between it and this - the very air was difficult to breathe, the atmosphere pressing down upon each of the companions, the hostility in the air almost palpable: Aerwyn's ominous words seemed to ring true, even with Guthred loudly dismissing it as superstition: the rough-mannered warrior held his spear tightly in one hand, an extinguished torch in the other, still glowing with embers. "Damn it..." The Viglunding growled. "Cant see past my bloody hand in this mist and these trees. Who's got a flint and tinder?" The Thane was right: while they walked, Cilderic and Fundor trying to figure out the best way forward, a fog descended upon them, snaking its way between the trees.

[Vladim]

Fundor isn't very fond of normal woods, tree branches are everywhere and make you fall when you look ahead or hurt you on the head when you look at your feet ! But this wood is really strange and he has never seen trees and vegetation like that. Breathing is difficult, he had to avoid sharp thorns and he had the feeling of being observed all the time.

The dwarf had already heard of Mirkwood forest but he never entered it. Is it possible that this wood is a small neighbour parent of the Dark Forest ?

Still Fundor went ahead in order to find the best way to go through the quickest possible. More than once, his companions behind could hear bad words ...

[Vladim]

Coming to a misdirection upon the scent of the trail, Na'Enti pauses as he closes his eyes and for what seemed like a long year was in fact only moments. The high elf of Rivendell's life flashed before him. The War upon the Black Gates of Mordor, the many battles with orcs of the Long Winter and a deep orange eye blazing with fire. Sauron had found him and with Aerwyn were the others. Despair had struck fast in this blighted place. Then the many misdeeds of killing and the lure of power was being addressed at this very moment. Confusion and misdeeds throughout Aerwyns memories came rushing to his mind and flushing through his body all at once. The shadow had taken over for just a small moment in time. Opening his eyes, vertigo had settled in. Holding onto his spear this place is corrupting him. He knew the way to Falrock, why didn't they let him lead the way. 

[Vladim]

Cilderic had found a path originally around the marsh but he had then lead them into this accursed section of wood. Cilderic swore under his breath and tried to focus. He was tired...the trip so far had been rough on Cilderic as he scouted ahead and back in the darkness of the night. He had begun to feel the weariness start to set in just as they found themselves in this foggy and stifling wood.

After a while, Cilderic had to admit, he was failing to find a good path out of the wood. It didn't take long for Fundar to come back to the group and explain he had found a possible path however.

"Hmmm, interesting," Cilderic said to himself. "a woodsman fails to find the path out of the wood while the dwarf has no trouble locating a way out. This truly is a strange wood indeed"

With the oppression of the wood moving in on Cilderic, he began to focus on the pleasant parts of the wood and it seamed as if the wood had loosened its grip on him...at least for a little while..

[Vladim]

Fundor saw on Cilderic's face that he was disappointed to being outdone by a dwarf in exploring that forest. He understood as he would have also been frustrated if a Man, Elf or Hobbit would have found a way in a cave or mine while he wouldn't !
He had a grin and told :
It was by luck that i found that path ! I was tangled in the brush and more than fed up with that place and I had almost decided to return back when I felt a bit of air from my left. And after I put aside some vegetation, I saw that there is a passage, narrow but large enough to let us pass and it's going in the right direction.
Then Fundor showed the company the path he had found.

[Vladim]

As the company begins following the thieves’ trail, Idunn steels herself for the difficult journey ahead. At times like these, she looked to her dwarven companions, who seemed as tireless in marching forward as they were in battle, despite their burdens. Yet she is not gifted with such great endurance, and the march in the darkness takes its toll: she begins to tire, though she manages to stay on the trail, and not tarry behind too much.

During the journey, she stays close to Guthred, as the man knew this plays better than anyone else, save for their elven companion. She did not understand why the warrior was so disturbed when Gramtyng mentioned the boat, but it seemed that everyone was absolutely focused on the journey, so she did not press the matter. Sooner or later, though, they’d have to rest, so she could ask the Viglunding then.

[Vladim]

As the companions proceeded further into the dead woods, following a path that Fuldor had fortunately found, an eerie silence fell, only disturbed by the creaking of branches; no birds lives in this wood, no insect - much less any small animal. Not even spiderwebs could be seen. At times, the branches shifted almost as if alive, under no wind that the travelers could sense or hear, emitting a strange noise akin to deathly hoarse chuckling. Moss hung from the branches, perhaps the only living part of the woods, and vines stretches tree to tree, providing a canopy through which barely any daylight had fallen. No animal paths could be seen - even if there were any before these woods died out - only the curiously empty pathway that their dwarven scout had found lead the way the group was going. Any attempts to step off the path were problematic - the trees seemed to somehow thicken, the thorny vines blocking any chance to get past, the dead limbs scratching at the exposed faces and hands of any soul that dared venture off the path.

And then there was the fog... Ignoring everything, it snuck its way past the group, filling the path, and the woods as far as the eye could see. It was cold and made it hard to breathe; somewhere behind, the bard started coughing, but the sound was choked down, no echoes sounding. Finally, they'd made it to a small clearing perhaps forty feet across both ways, with seemingly no path leading beyond; that was when it happened. From the mist, moving in a bizarre, clumsy way, a massive tree lurched forward, as big as a troll, without so much as a sound, the mists coating it and granting it some concealment: the larger branches upon it rose into the air, and though some overlooked it, the others int he company noticed soon enough to tell their companions of the danger. The tree branch slammed into the ground, sending a shower of dirt upward, and a loud groan was heard as the trees around shuddered, the fog intensifying. Whatever this was, it had been angry: the battle has been joined.