The One Ring RPG -Hands-of-the-White-Wizard

CHAPT E R 5the quest ofmoria“... they are crebain out of Fangorn and Dunland. I do not know what they are about: possibly there is some trouble away south from which they are fleeing, but I think they are spying out the land…”— The Fellowship of the Ring™

CHAPTER 598n this adventure, the Player-heroes are sent in search of strange tidings out of Fangorn Forest. They discover some desperate, starving Dwarves, the survivors of Balin’s Expedition. Saruman sends the Player-heroes north to Moria, to learn what can be known about the remaining Dwarves and the lost Ring-lore of the city…This adventure takes place in the year 2994.part 1: a favour for a neighbourSaruman — visibly irritated — summons the Player-heroes to Isengard. This time, he meets them at the gates of the fortress, and does not invite them in.“A minor errand, compared to some of the great tasks I have entrusted to you. There are trespassers, I am informed by a neighbour, in the Forest of Fangorn. Most likely Orcs from the Misty Mountains. You are to ride around the northern edge of the forest, and look for signs of these troublemakers. Find them, then bring them back here so I may question them.”If pressed about this neighbour, Saruman is evasive and claims that the request comes from “an old creature — a mere curiosity of Middle-earth — that cares nothing for anything beyond his borders.” He continues, with an air of dismissal: “This… thing, called Treebeard by the uncouth, suspects that the trespassers are servants of Isengard, so he brought his complaint to me. Of course, this is nonsense; I haven’t sent anyone into Fangorn recently. Still, there’s no advantage in ignoring Treebeard. He is slow but stubborn, and that would only push him to come knocking at my door sooner or later.”If the Player-heroes don’t inquire about the source of the complaint, Saruman refrains from mentioning Treebeard unless his Shadow is 10 or higher; in that case, he grandly complains about the Ents in a way that hints at his growing suspicion.Saruman does warn the Player-heroes to be careful of the forest. They need only make a show of patrolling the forest edges, and for no reason they are to light no fire under the Treebeard

The Quest of Moria99shadow of the trees, nor are they to cut any living wood. They certainly should also avoid the forest at night, especially the darker dales in the foothills of the Mountains.Horses are provided to carry the Player-heroes swiftly north along the Westemnet.scouting the forest eavesDay after day, the endless grey-green expanse of the forest of Fangorn rolls by as the Player-heroes ride north. The Company pass by some Rohirrim settlements, although this region is only lightly populated; most of the folk of Rohan dwell in the south. These are lonely lands that few call home.If the Player-heroes scout the forest edge, they find nothing but fallen branches and old gnarled trees heavy with ivy and old man’s beard, but cannot shake the feeling that they are being watched by unseen eyes. They cross the fords of the Entwash first, then the Limlight, and, coming to the shoulder of Fangorn, turn westward toward the distant peaks of the Misty Mountains.At last, along the northern edge of the woods, the Playerheroes find a clue to their quarry — the corpses of a halfdozen Orcs, hacked apart by axes and left for the crows. There’s also a pile of stones — a hastily but well-built burial cairn. Dwarves, or any other Player-hero with at least two ranks in CRAFT, can guess it is Dwarf-work. (Opening the cairn without cause is a Misdeed worth 1 Shadow point; it contains the corpse of a Dwarf-woman.)A roll of HUNTING lets the Player-heroes find the trail of the intruders. From their deep, booted footprints, they are likely Dwarves. It looks like they were heading for the forest’s eastern edge, but have now turned back and are heading west along the northern border of Fangorn. There are other tracks, too — more Orcs.OUR FRIEND LIGHTROOTIf the Company met and befriended the Ent Lightroot in the previous adventure, they may be much more familiar with the shepherds of the trees of Fangorn. If they are still in touch with the Ent, he tells them that intruders with axes have trespassed in the north of Fangorn, but they are lost in the dark groves and may soon fall victim to the Huorns. Lightroot does not know if these intruders are servants of Saruman or not, but they are certainly two-legged outsiders and so the Player-heroes may be able to resolve the problem more swiftly than the Ents. Lightroot can lead the Player-heroes directly to the Black Glen and can sing the Huorns to sleep while the Company deal with the intruders (see page 100).

CHAPTER 5100following the trailAs the Player-heroes follow the trail of the intruders, they encounter a band of Orcs. A successful AWARENESS roll from the Company’s Look-out allows the Player-heroes to come upon the Orcs in daylight, and have the advantage of the sun above the Misty Mountains. On a failure, the Orcs ambush in the twilight after the sun has sunk into the west. There are two Orc Soldiers and one Goblin Archerfor each Player-hero.One or more ranks in BATTLE suggest that these Orcs are the rear-guard of a larger force ahead. However, the next day the Player-heroes see no sign of more Orcs — but do come across an oddly churned up section of ground, a great swathe of mud and broken earth. It’s as if some giant had dragged his plough across the ground (or as if a host of trees marched out of the forest, smashed a band of Orcs, and then returned to Fangorn, which is exactly what happened.)Continuing on the track of the Dwarves, the Player-heroes discover it plunges into the forest. There’s a minor pass in the mountains, near the springs of Limlight, and it looks like the Dwarves are heading that way.the black glenWeirdly, there’s a wide and clear path through the forest of Fangorn, as if the trees have been herded aside. The branches overhead intertwine, making the path into a dark tunnel, but it continues straight and true towards the pass for more than a mile — then abruptly twists down a steep slope, leading the Company into a marshy glen. This is the Black Glen, an ancient haunt of the Huorns.Dark and twisted trees, their tangled branches eerily like hands, like faces, grow from the black mud. It’s airless under the trees, and deathly quiet — although a successful AWARENESS roll allows a Player-hero to detect a distant tapping, like someone striking their fists against a hollow tree (the noise of the Dwarves trapped inside a hollow stump). Worse, it’s almost impossible to turn back — the ground seems to sink and slip under the feet of the Player-heroes, causing them to slide down the muddy slope. Hoary tree-roots buried beneath the muck trip and catch those trying to escape.Lurking in the glen are violent and murderous Huorns— one for every two Player-heroes (use the stats of Lightroot, on page 84). Many, many more Huorns lurk in the forest around the Black Glen, and they quickly join the fray if the battle goes on more than a few rounds.PRISONERS OF THE HUORNSSix Dwarves have been captured by the Huorns, and they are imprisoned in a hollow stump, capped with a heavy stone. Pushing the stone aside or smashing the stump open frees the Dwarves; the Player-heroes can do this as they fight (using a main action and with a successful ATHLETICS roll), or they can wait until they have defeated or driven away the Huorns. The Dwarves start hammering on the stump as soon as they hear the voices of the Player-heroes in the Black Glen.(If the Player-heroes are on the verge of being overwhelmed by Huorns, then have Lightroot or another Ent — maybe even Treebeard himself — appear on the top of the hill, and trumpet a command in Entish to send the Huorns back to sleep. The Ent does not interact with the Player-heroes — all Fangorn wants is for Saruman’s servants to collect these Dwarven trespassers.)part 2: the tale of the dwarvesThe rescued Dwarves are in a sorry state — they are starving, battered, haunted and broken. It’s not just their imprisonment by the Huorns. These poor Dwarves have clearly been through a nightmarish ordeal. With successful HEALINGand ENHEARTEN rolls, the Player-heroes can restore the six Dwarves to some measure of health. Their leader, Nidi, introduces her companions — her cousin Sidi, and their friends Lofar, Lomar and Ljomi, and Vignir.(If the Player-heroes played through The Disaster of the Gladden Fields, they may already know Nidi. If for some reason she died during that adventure, have Sidi take her place as the leader of the Dwarves).They were on a long journey — a Quest — in the Mountains when they were attacked by Orcs and… other things. They tried to escape, but the Orcs pursued them, blocking the route to the Ford of the Beornings, forcing them south until they hid in this forest. The Dwarves have no idea where they are — the lands of the southern Anduin are unknown to them, and they have never heard of Fangorn Forest (or Saruman, for that matter).

The Quest of Moria101If there are Dwarves in the Company, or the Player-heroes win Nidi’s trust, she admits that she and her companions were part of an expedition led by the famous Balin, one of the companions of the great Thorin Oakenshield. Balin led them south to the fabled lost city of Moria, hoping to retake it from the Orcs who stole it from the Dwarves a thousand years ago. Alas! Nidi and her companions were separated from the rest of the expedition when Orcs attacked. Unable to fight their way back to Balin’s Halls, they fled in the hopes of fetching aid.(Especially heroic Player-heroes may immediately assume that the right thing to do is charge off and bring help to those poor beleaguered Dwarves in Moria. If that’s the case, the Loremaster may gently remind the Player-heroes that Saruman ordered them to bring the intruders back to Isengard, but skip onto Part 3 if they rush off heroically. Nidi gives them the information contained in Nidi’s Account, on page 102, before they go.)recuperation in isengardIn Isengard, Saruman’s servants tend to the Dwarves’ injuries, and the Wizard himself interviews Nidi. After a few days, the Dwarf is much recovered, and greets the Player-heroes as friends, promising them that she is eternally at their service for rescuing her from the dreadful forest.She draws maps of the explored region of Moria from memory, and briefly describes the history of the expedition. (If you have Moria: Through the Doors of Durin, the chronology on page 8 applies here).

CHAPTER 5102NIDI’S ACCOUNT♦ Balin’s company arrived in Moria five years ago, in 2989 (according to the Tale of Years, the expedition is either already destroyed, or about to be overcome; the Player-heroes don’t know this, of course.)♦ In the first few years, the colony prospered. They drove Orcs out of the eastern halls and secured the East-gate of Moria.♦ In the third year of the colony, more Orcs attacked in the Dimrill Dale, trapping the Dwarves in Moria. The eastern halls were lost; Balin and company retreated to the well-defended Twenty-first Hall and held out against this renewed assault.♦ Balin and his followers searched for ancient treasures, including the Axe of Durin. Some dared hope that such weapons could save the colony, and hold back the attacking Orcs. Others guessed that Balin sought some prize that could justify the huge expense and loss of life incurred so far — if Moria could not be reclaimed, then at least they could return to Erebor with some worthy prize.♦ Now, among Balin’s followers was an eccentric Dwarf named Finir. He was among the greatest metallurgists of Erebor, an expert in alloys and esoteric metalworking techniques. It was his grandfather who made the fabled Black Arrow that brought down the Dragon, forged of a rare alloy. He studied among the masters of the Blue Mountains until he learned of Balin’s plans to return to Moria; he immediately travelled to Erebor to join the expedition, in the hopes of being able to work with Mithril.♦ With the East-gate held by Orcs, Balin looked west. If the Dwarves could reach the Hollin-gate of West Moria, they could bring supplies and help from the outside world, maybe even reinforcements from the Blue Mountains. Nidi and his companions were chosen to be part of this second expedition. Finir volunteered to go, over Balin’s objections, for the smiths of West Moria were said to possess techniques learned from the Elves that no other Dwarves mastered. A successful INSIGHTroll lets the Player-heroes guess that Saruman extensively questioned Nidi and the other survivors about Finir, which is why the Dwarf sprang to Nidi’s mind.♦ They set off down the long dark road, but were waylaid by Orcs. Nidi and the rest were separated in the caverns and got lost. They tried to find their way back to the Twenty-first Hall, but ended up climbing high into the upper Levels and emerging in the mountains above the city through a Goblin-cave. Wargs found their trail, and the Orcs pursued them.♦ Nidi does not know the fate of Balin, or Ori, or Finir — but she prays they are all still alive.the counselof the white wizardSaruman summons the Player-heroes before him. It is clear that he is displeased.Use Saruman’s current Shadow total as a guide to how to play this scene.♦ If it is below 10, then Saruman is concerned that the Dwarves might have stirred up evil, and his primary concern is determining the state of Moria — and rescuing Balin’s company, if possible. He mutters that this is another example of the folly of witless fools, and if only they’d listen to him, the world would be more orderly. Retrieving Ring-lore is a secondary matter for him.♦ If it is between 10 and 15, then play Saruman as paranoid and nervous. He paces back and forth furiously, muttering about how Gandalf is plotting against him again, or how this is all a scheme to damage Saruman’s own reputation. He sends the Player-heroes north to counter the Grey Wizard’s meddling as much as anything else.♦ If it is 16 or more, then Saruman is cold and determined; he already knows that victory can come only by allying with Mordor and, in the confusion of the war, seizing the Ruling Ring. To this end, he seeks the Ring-lore of Moria above all else.“Our Dwarf guest was guarded in her speech, but she revealed much in her thought. As you may have guessed, she and her companions dared enter Moria — and they were not alone. It seems a great many Dwarves attempted to reclaim that ancient fastness, under the leadership of Balin son of Fundin. Of him I have heard much. He is a creature of Gandalf the Grey; long have they conspired together.There is much that worries me in this. The Dwarves of Moria were close allies of the Elves of Eregion — the Ring-smiths of old. It is written that Narvi of Moria was high in the esteem of Celebrimbor himself. I have long suspected that lore is preserved in the ruins of Khazad-dûm — and the Dwarf spoke of this smith Finir searching for the chambers of Narvi.”Saruman seizes the arm of one of the Player-heroes.“I fear most of the Dwarves are dead, but that will not be an end to it. Go to Moria, and find what the Dwarves uncovered in the darkness under the mountain.”(Again, the Loremaster should adjust Saruman’s speech based on his Shadow total; if he still retains some measure of hope, then he is more optimistic about the prospect of rescuing Balin, although he remains convinced that the expedition is doomed).

The Quest of Moria103The Dwarves will not accompany the Player-heroes to Moria — Saruman says that he will see them returned safely to Erebor, where they may inform King Dáin of the fate of the Moria colony (if Saruman’s Shadow by the end of the campaign is 15 or less, he keeps his word. Otherwise, the Dwarves are set labouring in the pits of Isengard until the survivors are found by the Ents in T.A. 3017.)So, the tasks before the Company are:♦ Travel to Moria and learn the fate of Balin’s colony, offering what aid they can.♦ Searching for any lost lore — and finding Finir if they can.DOOM!Here, the tale of the Player-heroes scrapes against Tolkien’s tale of years. Balin’s expedition is almost certainly doomed, and while there is a chance that the Player-heroes can avert this fate, it is extremely unlikely. However, if the Player-heroes are determined to save the expedition, let them try: should they perish, this adventure can serve as a perfectly good ending to the campaign.THE STATE OF MORIAGorgol, son of Bolg now commands the Orcs of Moria. This mighty Orc is the grandson of Azog, who was slain by King Dáin in the Battle of Dimrill Dale; his father Bolg fell at the Battle of Five Armies. Gorgol swore he would have his revenge on the Longbeards. It took him many years to secure his control over the Goblins of Mount Gundabad. By the 2950s, Gorgol was the mightiest of the warlords of the Misty Mountain, but Erebor had grown too strong for him to dare starting a war with Dáin’s kingdom.When word reached Gorgol that some of the hated companions of Thorin Oakenshield were close at hand and, more, had dared trespass in his grandfather’s kingdom, he gathered a host of his most loyal Orcs and marched south with great haste. They seized the Eastgate and the Dimrill Dale, trapping Balin’s company underground. For more than a year, Gorgol besieged the Dwarves, cutting off any attempts at escape. In the end, Balin was caught when he dared go down to the Mirrormere in search of guidance.Gorgol has yet to return to his halls in Gundabad. For many years, Moria was under the control of Orcchieftains who paid tribute to Gorgol, the most prominent of which was Malech One-Eye. However, under Malech’s neglectful rule, all manner of trespassers and troublemakers have taken up residence in the Mines of Moria. Not only hateful stinking Dwarves, but strange mad fire-cultists, and even some slimy Orcs from Mordor. (Of course Gorgol’s going to do his bit in the War — when Barad-dûr calls, Gundabad will answer and all that — but he’s damned if he’s going to hand over the mines and all their potential wealth to some pushdog whelp from Lugbúrz. Moria belongs to him! To the line of Azog!) So, even once the Dwarves are all dead, Gorgol intends to remain in Moria and clean house.part 3: to moriaSetting out from Isengard (or from the northern edge of Fangorn, if the Player-heroes go directly after meeting Nidi), the Player-heroes face a choice. How do they intend to enter Moria? The East-gate in Dimrill Dale is well known. Nidi mentioned that Balin knew of a door on the west side of the Mountains, the Doors of Durin, although that entrance is remembered only by the Dwarves and the Wise. Nidi also spoke of a Goblin-cave that connected to Moria, although she could not recall exactly where this entrance lies. So, do the Player-heroes head for the Dimrill Dale, or go up into the mountains in search of a mysterious cave? Or do they cross the Misty Mountains and seek the Doors of Durin?

CHAPTER 5104wargs!If the Player-heroes stay east of the Mountains, they encounter packs of Wargs. These demonic wolves are hunting Nidi and other escapees from Moria. There are three Wild Wolves for each Player-hero, plus one Wolf-chieftain (see The One Ring, pages 156 and 157). If the Player-heroes hide from the Wargs, they overhear them talking with their Goblin allies by night about the current state of Moria (see sidebar on page 103).entering moriaThere are several ways the Player-heroes may take to enter the Black Chasm: these are detailed below.THE EAST-GATEThe Dimrill Gate is guarded by Gorgol’s troops. By night, there are Goblin Archers and scouts throughout the Dale, but the gate itself is surprisingly unwatched, as the sentries are more focussed on watching for would-be escapees from within instead of enemies from without; sneaking in requires a STEALTH roll, and the Player-heroes lose (1d) unless they have some way to distract or eliminate the archers.By day, a Watch-troll named Pestle is stationed just inside the shadow of the gates, wielding a club decorated with many bells so it sounds the alarm even as it’s beating intruders to a fine paste. Sneaking past him requires a simple STEALTH roll; if failed, the Player-heroes must fight him — a Cave-troll Slinker (see The One Ring, page 152). If you’re using the Eye Awareness rules, every time Pestle attacks with his Club he also raises the Eye Awareness of the Company by 1.THE WEST-GATEIn this time, the Gate-stream of the Sirannon has been dammed, creating an artificial lake whose waters lap at the very threshold of the Doors of Durin. The doors can still be opened — they can be forced open from the inside, or opened by one who knows the password (Saruman, of course, knows this secret word, and will entrust it to the Player-heroes if they intend to make for the West-gate). However, to reach the doors, the Player-heroes must wade along the edge of the lake. The slope gives way in places, forcing the Playerheroes to swim.Worse, lurking in the lake is the Watcher in the Water. This horror from the deep attacks anyone who comes near the doors. An AWARENESS roll lets Player-heroes spot ripples in the lake, or a foulness on the wind, that suggests there’s something lurking nearby. A STEALTH roll lets them reach the Doors of Durin safely — but the Watcher always attacks when the doors open.THE WATCHER IN THE WATERSecretive, WatchfulATTRIBUTE LEVEL10ENDURANCE100MIGHT3HATE10PARRY—ARMOUR4COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Tentacle 3 (8/16, Seize)FELL ABILITIES: Denizen of the Dark. All attack rolls are Favoured while in darkness.Foul Reek. Spend 1 Hate to cause all combatants engaged with the Watcher in the Water to lose (1d) on all attacks for the round.Hate Sunlight. The Watcher in the Water loses 1 Hate at the start of each round it is exposed to the full light of the sun.Hideous Toughness. The creature is unaffected by unarmed attacks. Additionally, when an attack inflicts damage to the creature that would cause it to go to zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then, if the creature is still alive its Endurance score is set back at half its maximum rating.Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.Long Arms. Spend 1 Hate to attack any Player-hero, in any combat stance, including rearward (same as Great Leap).Many Arms. The Watcher in the Water makes one additional attack each round. Each time it receives a Wound, however, for the rest of the fight the Watcher in the Water can make one less attack than those normally allowed (three attacks if Wounded once, two attacks if Wounded twice).

The Quest of Moria105THE GOBLIN-CAVEFinding the Goblin-cave amid the mountains requires a Skill Endeavour using ATHLETICS, EXPLORE, HUNTING, or TRAVEL. The Resistance is 6; the time limit is 5 in Summer, 4 in Spring or Autumn, and 3 in Winter. For every Skill roll during the Endeavour, each Player-hero gains 1 Fatigue. A roll failed with an means the Player-heroes either run into Wargs or Orcs, or suffer some other misfortune like falling into a ravine or running low on supplies.If the Player-heroes exceed the allotted time limit, then a blizzard blows down from the north; they may continue to search for the cave, but for every Skill roll each Player-hero now gains 2 Fatigue instead of 1, and also suffers a moderate Endurance loss from extreme cold.If the Player-heroes find the right cave — identifiable by fresh Goblin footprints near the entrance — then in the dark recesses right at the back they can discover a cunning false door with a SCAN roll. Opening it reveals a passageway that worms endlessly through the mountains, barely wide enough in places for a Goblin to crawl through. The passage ends in a side tunnel off the straight Road connecting Old Moria to the east and the Dwarrowdelf to the west (see also Moria: Through the Doors of Durin, page 132).OTHER WAYS INMoria: Through the Doors of Durin describes other routes into Moria, such as the secret Dimrill Door and Tarloch’s Hall (pages 77 and 128, respectively). If the Player-heroes discovered these routes in a previous adventure, then they can use them instead.part 4: in the long darkOnce the Player-heroes have gained entry to Moria, a choice is before them. They know that Balin’s company were under siege in the Twenty-first Hall, which according to Nidi’s Map is located in the western portion of the Dwarrowdelf, the ancient city of the Dwarves near the East-gate. They also know that Finir set off down the underground Road, heading for West Moria near the Hollin-gate.Where do the Player-heroes go? Do they seek out Balin’s refuge to the east (see Drums in the Deep, below), or set out west in search of Finir (see Finir and the Ring-smiths, on page 108)?The Loremaster can use the tables on pages 72–73 to improvise encounters along the Company’s underground trek (again, Moria: Through the Doors of Durin offers more detailed rules for underground journeys). Moria is more dangerous in this era, so all rolls on the Hazard table are Ill-favoured.The number of Hazard rolls required to reach a destination is noted in the table below.ENTRY POINTTO THE TWENTYFIRST HALLTO FINIR’S HIDING PLACEEast-gate or Dimrill Door 2 4Goblin-cave 3 3West-gate 4 2

CHAPTER 5106drums in the deepThe Dwarves numbered their halls in the order they were built, so the first hall is just inside the eastern gate, the second beyond the first, and so forth. Each hall was the seat of a great family or guild; it was not just a single chamber, but a complex of rooms centred around a grand feast-hall or council. Pile the Golden Hall of Meduseld upon itself seven times, and you scarcely equal the size and grandeur of the least of the Halls of the Dwarves.The Twenty-first Hall of Moria lies high up on the western side of the Dwarrowdelf. It is near to the underground City Gate that leads to the long Road through the dark, and next to the Chamber of Mazarbul, the Dwarven hall of records….As the Player-heroes make their way through the ruined wonders of Moria, they hear a strange sound in the distance. At first it is faint, and might be mistaken for their own heartbeats, but it grows louder and louder as they draw closer to the Twenty-first Hall.It is the sound of drums. Drums in the deep.Ahead, the corridor the Company is traversing widens into a gallery overlooking a great chasm, a void in the heart of the mountain. Far below, torches burn in the dark, revealing

The Quest of Moria107a matching gallery on the opposite side of the chasm, parallel to the one the Player-heroes stand in. There, a multitude of Orcs charges eagerly forward. The sound of beating war-drums echoes up from the depths but is drowned out as the Orcs bash their swords against their shields, creating a deafening clamour. Then, the chanting begins: GOR-GOL! GOR-GOL! GOR-GOL!If the Player-heroes are unfamiliar with the name, a successful LORE roll guesses that it’s likely the name of an Orcish warlord.THEY ARE COMING!The corridor ends in a staircase that wends upward until the Player-heroes reach a narrow passage above the east gate of the Twenty-first Hall. From two tall, narrow windows, they see a large number of Orcs and Trolls smashing and hewing at a stone door on the northern wall of the hall.Directing the assault is a terrifying Great Orc — Gorgol, Son of Bolg, ruler of the Orcs of Moria and lord of Mount Gundabad (see Moria: Through the Doors of Durin, page 54). In one hand he wields the scimitar of his grandfather Azog, a sorcerous blade forged in Carn Dûm. In the other, he tosses a small leather pouch that jingles when caught — containing a few coins of little worth, to be given to the last Dwarf alive in Moria.The doors leading to the Chamber of Mazarbul are breaking! The Orcs bare their fangs, anticipating the slaughter to come! It’s clear that this is the last stand of the Dwarves in Moria, and that they face overwhelming odds.What do the Player-heroes do?♦ Attack Gorgol: This is undeniably the most heroic action, but also the most perilous. If the Player-heroes attack Gorgol, the attention of the Orcs turns away from the doors, giving the Dwarves a chance to escape. The downside is that the Player-heroes face the full wrath of the Orcs, with little hope of survival. At best, one or two Player-heroes could remain behind to hold the passageway while the rest flee — but make no mistake, this option means the deaths of some of the Company. There’s Gorgol himself, two Great Orc Bodyguards for each Player-hero, plus countless Orc Guards(and maybe even one or more Great Cave-trolls).If by some miracle the Player-heroes manage to slay Gorgol, then the Orcs are thrown into disarray and terror, especially as the various Orc-chieftains who serve Gorgol start squabbling among themselves over who’s going to be the new overlord. Slaying Gorgol right at the moment of his triumph could change the course of history and save Balin’s expedition from destruction!♦ Aid the Dwarves: More reasonable options include: circling around to another, more lightly defended entrance to the Twenty-first Hall, and helping the Dwarves escape through there; dividing the Orc forces once they begin their assault, or causing confusion once the doors are breached, giving the Dwarves a chance at a counterattack. There is no chance of saving the expedition as a whole, but a few Dwarves might make it out alive. If the Player-heroes choose this option, they must face one Great Orc Bodyguardfor each Player-hero, plus a rabble of Goblin Archers and Orc Soldiers (at least one of each for every Player-hero). Defeating those foes lets a handful of Dwarves flee.♦ Sneak Away: Alas, some fates cannot be averted. Did Dáin Ironfoot not say that another power must come to Moria before it can be reclaimed by the Dwarves? Turning their backs on Balin’s expedition is potentially a Misdeed worth 3 Shadow points, but is it not better to be burdened with regret and live? After all, the Player-heroes were sent to discover the fate of the expedition, not save it…GORGOLBold, CunningATTRIBUTE LEVEL8ENDURANCE60MIGHT2HATE8PARRY+4ARMOUR4COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Scimitar of Azog 3 (6/20, Break Shield and Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Hatred (Dwarves). All attack rolls are Favoured against Dwarves.Hate Sunlight. Gorgol loses 1 Hate at the start of each round he is exposed to the full light of the sun.Horrible Strength. If Gorgol scores a Piercing Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.Snake-like Speed. When targeted by an attack, spend 1 Hate to make the attack roll Ill-favoured.Yell of Triumph. Spend 1 Hate to restore 1 Hate to all other Orcs in the fight.

CHAPTER 5108finir and the ring-smithsIn Eregion of old dwelt the Ring-makers, and chief among them was Celebrimbor. Now Celebrimbor was a friend of the Dwarves, and from them he learned much craft, and he shared with them a part of his knowledge. Indeed, the Dwarves believe that the First of the Seven, the ring of Durin III, was given to him by the Elves and not by Sauron, and so it is unsullied by the Enemy’s influence.After the fall of Eregion, the Dwarves of Moria closed the doors of their city for many centuries and hid themselves away from the surface world. In the fortress of West Moria, closest to Eregion, the Dwarf-smiths continued to experiment with the making of rings, even though they lacked the wisdom and knowledge of the High Elves. (Moria: Through the Doors of Durin contains more information on their folly, including the sealed tomb that was once the Citadel of the Ring-smiths.)Most of this lore was lost in the long decline of Khazaddûm, or destroyed in the tumult of its fall. But a little was preserved, hidden away in old tomes and cryptic inscriptions. In his search, the smith Finir found one such cache of lore…FINIROf the ‘mad smith’ of Balin’s Expedition, a little more may be said here. As Nidi said, he was the talented scion of a line of master-smiths, and lived in honour in the Blue Mountains until he heard rumour of Balin’s Expedition. The thought of being the first Dwarf in a thousand years to work unsullied Mithril — to smelt it, to refine it, to alloy it with other metals — that thought consumed him.When the expedition of Balin arrived in Moria, it was Finir who pushed for them to explore deeper and deeper into the mines. His obsession grew with each passing month, until the other Dwarves feared he would harm himself if they did not bring him some ore to experiment upon. He claimed that the mountain was calling to him, that the ancient forge-fires of Moria yearned to be relit by his hands. Balin tolerated Finir’s eccentricities, for the colony needed his talents to repair and restore the damaged sections of Moria, but the other Dwarves never trusted or liked him.When Balin first sent Óin in search of the upper armouries of the Third Deep, in the Third Year of the Colony, Finir begged to be allowed to go to West Moria and look for the Chambers of Narvi. Balin refused him then, unwilling to risk the colony’s master-smith on such an errand. However, after Balin’s death, with the colony in desperate straits, no-one dared gainsay Finir when he demanded to be included in another expedition west with Nidi.SEARCHING FOR FINIRNidi’s map shows that they last saw the master-smith in West Moria. The western portion of Khazad-dûm was a stronghold in its own right, a Dwarf-hold equal to any of the halls in the Blue Mountains or Iron Hills. It was so far from the Dwarrowdelf and so prosperous for a time that its Lords grew haughty, and considered themselves princes, second only to the Kings.Today, West Moria is an eerie place. The Orcs have not made as much mischief here as they have in the east; the citadel has been stripped of many of its treasures, but overall is much more intact. Gilt and gemstones still glimmer in the dark, waiting to be discovered by keen-eyed treasure hunters.Searching for Finir is accomplished with a Laborious (Resistance 6) Skill Endeavour using EXPLORE, HUNTING, SCAN or TRAVEL. The time limit is 5 if the Playerheroes entered via the West-gate, and 4 otherwise. For every Skill roll, also roll on the Moria Hazards table (page 73). If the Player-heroes fail the Skill Endeavour, they still find Finir but will be penalised in Part 6 (the Loremaster should make a note of it).Eventually, the Player-heroes find a few Dwarf-runes freshly chalked on one wall — an F-rune and an arrow.Following that passageway leads the Player-heroes to the Crypt of the Smiths (see next page).FINIR’S CAMPThe Player-heroes find Finir at the entrance to the Crypt, a massive door of marble, sealed for a thousand years (see location #2 of the Crypt of the Smiths). Finir has been hewing away at it, and he has nearly broken through. He has established a small camp in a side room — a cache of supplies, a bedroll, and access to a clean-water well. (The waters of West Moria are cleaner than those of the eastern city).Finir initially (and not unreasonably) assumes the Playerheroes are Orcs, and lies in wait in the shadows with his mattock readied. Unless the Player-heroes announce themselves, or succeed at an AWARENESS roll to spot the lurking Dwarf, then Finir strikes at the lead traveller with all his might, inflicting a grievous Endurance loss (consider it as from falling).Finir has been alone in this section of Moria for weeks, although he is surprised that so much time has passed. He Finir the MastersmithOCCUPATION: Metallurgist, SmithDISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Secretive, Wilful

The Quest of Moria109thought it only a few days, alone in the dark. He assumes that Balin sent the Company. Or Dáin, or Thorin, or Thráin. It doesn’t matter. Only the work matters.He is clearly deranged, his eyes too bright, his gaze darting around like he’s watching an invisible insect, his hair and beard rank and matted. “I’m nearly through,” he hisses, “the Tomb of the Smiths. The guild of smiths, all the way back to Durin’s day. To Narvi. Secrets buried with them. We must finish the work.”Finir should be portrayed in a way that subtly reminds the Player-heroes of Saruman. If the Loremaster used any verbal tics or gestures when portraying the White Wizard, these should be replicated here — perhaps exaggerated — to highlight Finir’s arrogance and secretiveness. The overall aim is to convey that Finir is displaying the flaws associated with someone who is prideful and keeps his true intentions hidden.Here are some questions that the Player-heroes may likely ask Finir:♦ What happened to Óin and the other Dwarves? Finir shrugs; they went away somewhere. Off into the dark. He doesn’t know where. It doesn’t matter. The work is all that’s important. The work will save the expedition.♦ What work? The making of Rings. The High Elves started the craft, but the High Elves are all gone now, and the Elves of Mirkwood know nothing of the work. The metal doesn’t call to them like it sings to Finir. No, the Dwarves must finish the work. The glories of the past must be preserved, restored, made imperishable, eternal, the passing years bent into a Ring. There are secrets in the tombs beyond the door, he knows it. The old smiths call to him.♦ How do we get out of here? Finir doesn’t know. Or care. Finding the Rings, that matters.Finir also refuses to accompany the Player-heroes out of Moria, not until he’s had a chance to search the Tombs. The Playerheroes can force him to accompany them (a Misdeed), or they can indulge the Dwarf and fulfil Saruman’s commands by searching the Crypt for ring-lore.part 5: the crypt of the smithsRUMOURThe Dwarves build tombs to house their dead, and they dwelt in Moria long before mortal Men came to these lands. Can you imagine how many tombs they built under the mountain? A whole city of the dead!OLD LOREThe smiths of West Moria learned much from the Elves, and jealously they guarded their craft. Certain secrets were passed from master to apprentice only on the master’s deathbed, and there are many tales of masters who — though deathly ill or mortally wounded — hung on just long enough to whisper a few words into the ear of their eager heirs. Indeed, one tale speaks of a master who perished while his apprentice was away on a journey, and when the apprentice returned home, a voice spoke from the tomb…backgroundThe Guild of Smiths was one of the ancient craft-guilds of the city of the Dwarrowdelf, responsible for the instruction and verification of all metal-workers. The guild-master was as wealthy and well-respected as any prince in Durin’s house. During the Second Age, when the Dwarves grew in friendship with the Elves of Eregion, a second guild-hall was built in West Moria. Adjoining this guild-hall was a crypt where the masters of the guild were laid to rest.After the fall of Eregion and the War of the Elves and Sauron, the Dwarves became insular, and closed their doors. Narvi and a few other Dwarves continued to research into Ring-lore for a time (see Moria: Through the Doors of Durin, page 141), but their efforts foundered. It was not until the last years of Moria, when the shadow of Angmar grew and

CHAPTER 5110the North-kingdom collapsed, that some Dwarves returned to the work of the Ring-smiths and tried again to forge new Rings of Power. They continued these efforts even as the heat from the Balrog’s flames eclipsed the heat of their forges.The secret shame of the Ring-smiths was that those who made their rings became Ring-wights, undead creatures chained to the rotting husk of their bodies, hungry for the life of the living. Most of the Ring-wights were locked away in a secret prison in their hidden Citadel, but one lies here, in the Crypt of the Smiths.locations1. RUBBLE-STREWN HALLThis corridor was once part of the grand guild-hall; most of the structure was destroyed in the chaotic years after the Fall of Moria, or despoiled by Orcs. The corridor is mostly blocked by rubble.2. FINIR’S CAMPFinir makes camp in this little room; it was once a guard-post, and the remains of a stone bench and arrow-slits are still visible. Fresh water flows from a pipe into a circular basin, trickling down from far above. There are no light sources here or anywhere else in the complex, save Finir’s dwindling supply of candles and whatever the Player-heroes brought with them.3. THE DOORThe massive stone door to the tomb was locked and barred when West Moria was abandoned — and molten lead poured into the lock mechanism to keep it sealed. The Dwarves never intended to return here. Finir has been hewing and hacking at the door to break it open, but it’s hard work and Finir’s half-starved. The Player-heroes can force the door open with a Simple (Resistance 3) Skill Endeavour using ATHLETICS or CRAFT rolls, but it takes time, and each Skill roll causes the Player-hero who makes it to gain 1 Fatigue.4. THE CEREMONIAL CHAMBERHere, the master-smiths of old were prepared for burial. The funerary rites of the Dwarves are not for outsiders; the walls are covered in carvings and hieroglyphs in their secret tongue. A stone slab in the middle of the room was once used for the laying-out of the dead; chests at the side of the room contain various ritual relics, including silver bowls and ewers for washing the dead. These chests are unlooted — they count as a Lesser Hoard, but each Player-hero who loots them gains 1 Shadow point (Greed) (in addition to any other Shadow gain from Greed resulting from the Magical Treasure rolls).An ancient anvil, cracked down the middle, stands on one side of the far door; on the wall opposite hangs a blacksmith’s hammer. Any non-Dwarf passing between the two is seized with the unnatural conviction that they are about to be struck with the hammer, their skull crushed against the THE CRYPT OF THE SMITHS123 4 5687

The Quest of Moria111unyielding anvil. A Player-hero must succeed at a WISDOMroll to enter the chamber; if this roll is failed, the Player-hero loses 1 Hope and only a successful ENHEARTEN roll from a companion allows for another attempt. Enemies must spend 1 Hate to brave the anvil door.5. THE TOMBS OF THE SMITHSThe tombs of the smiths stand here in orderly ranks, their bodies locked away in stone until the doom that awaits the Dwarves at the world’s end comes to pass. Most of the tombs are identical, with only the runes denoting the name and lifespan of the smith and the inset bronze panels depicting their masterworks differing from tomb to tomb.Looting these tombs causes the Player-heroes to gain 2 Shadow points (Greed) (in addition to any other Shadow gain from Greed), but yields Magical Treasure comparable to a Greater Hoard.6. THE EMPTY TOMBSA successful SCAN roll or a laborious search of the whole complex discovers that the tombs in a section of the Crypt are empty — while there are names graven on the lids, no date of death is given, and the bronze panels depict abstract patterns of lines and curves, not images of the works of the deceased. If opened, there are no bones nor grave-goods within. These smiths are interred elsewhere — see Moria: Through the Doors of Durin, page 144. Successful LORE or RIDDLE rolls suggest that the bodies of these smiths could not be recovered.Comparing the dates on these tombs to the other ones suggests that these empty tombs were built in the middle years of the Third Age, in the centuries leading up to the fall of Moria.7. THE RING-WIGHT’S TOMBOne tomb is different from all the rest. There is a name and date of death engraved on the lid — Kinir son of Minir, T.A. 1407–1682 — suggesting there is a body interred within. However, the bronze panels on the side are the same abstract designs found on the empty tombs, implying that whatever works this smith made are secret, forbidden, or deliberately forgotten.As the name may suggest, Kinir is an ancestor of Finir — both genius and madness run deep in their bloodline.The discovery of the tomb of Kinir triggers the events described in The Siege of the Crypt (see page 112). If they open this tomb, Kinir the Ring-wight rises and attacks.Kinir

CHAPTER 51128. THE SECRET DOORAt the back of the crypt is a hidden door, discoverable with a successful SCAN roll — or instantly visible to one wearing the magic ring from Kinir’s tomb. This door was used by the Dwarven servants who tended the tombs, and leads up to a side corridor several levels above the crypt.schemes and troubleSEARCHING FOR RING-LOREFinir refuses to leave the crypt until he’s searched it for Ringlore. What do the Player-heroes do?♦ If they force him to give up his quest and accompany them to Isengard, then they must overpower him. Use the stats of a Southerner Champion holding a Mattock (7/18, Break Shield) instead of the normal weapons.♦ If they let Finir search the tombs by himself, then it takes him several hours to find the Ring-wight’s crypt. Run The Siege of the Crypt while this is going on. Once he finds Kinir’s tomb, Finir opens it and is slain by the Ring-wight unless the Player-heroes step in to protect him.♦ If the Player-heroes search the tombs, they can likely find the right tomb much more quickly.THE SIEGE OF THE CRYPTThey are coming, again! Depending on events earlier in the adventure, these may be Orc scouts investigating the disturbance at the West-gate, or Gorgol’s forces pursuing the intruders who disrupted the attack at the Chamber of Mazarbul.The Orcs swarm in through the same door that the Playerheroes used to reach the crypt. They attack in waves:♦ 1st Wave: One Goblin Archer and two Orc Soldiers for each Player-hero, who balk at passing the anvil door.♦ 2nd Wave: Two Orc Guards for each Player-hero plus an Orc-chieftain arrive; the Orc-chieftain’s Yell of Triumph forces the rabble through the door.♦ 3rd Wave: The drums begin beating in the distance, echoing through the empty halls, summoning reinforcements. A Great Cave-troll arrives, accompanied by one Orc Guard for each Player-hero.♦ 4th Wave: Either Gorgol or a Great Orc Chief, accompanied by two Great Orc Bodyguards for each Player-hero.Between each wave, there’s a brief break — enough time for the Player-heroes to tend to their wounds or take a short rest. The Player-heroes can use this time to continue the search or flee the crypt.There are far too many Orcs for the Player-heroes to defeat. Escape is the only option, or they will eventually be overwhelmed and slaughtered amid the tombs.THE RING OF THE SMITHIf the Ring-wight is slain, the Player-heroes may take Kinir’s ring. Finir tries to snatch it if no-one else claims it. The Ring of the Smith is a heavy circle of solid Mithril, adorned with three blazing sapphires. It grants the Blessings of CRAFT and LOREto the wearer, giving them the knowledge and power needed to forge yet more magic rings.KINIR THE RING-WIGHTDoleful, DreadfulATTRIBUTE LEVEL7ENDURANCE50MIGHT2HATE7PARRY—ARMOUR4COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Ancient Hammer 3 (6/16, Break Shield)FELL ABILITIES: Deathless. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound. When an attack inflicts damage to the creature that would cause it to go to zero Endurance, spend 1 Hate to bring the creature back to full Endurance again. This ability is ineffective against Player-heroes wielding a magical weapon enchanted with spells for the Bane of the Undead.Dreadful Spells. Spend 1 Hate to make one Playerhero gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery). Targets who fail their Shadow Test or who are Miserable fall victim to Moria-madness, seeing the city as it was in the days of old, not its present fallen state. A victim of Moria-madness may only be restored to reality with an ENHEARTEN roll from a companion (who must spend their main action to do so, if in combat). Otherwise, they wander blinded by glory for one hour.Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of each round it is exposed to the full light of the sun.Heartless. The creature is not affected by the Intimidate Foes combat task, unless a Magical Success is obtained.Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of the battle, all Player-heroes in sight of one or more creatures with this ability gain 3 Shadow points (Dread). Those who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot spend Hope for the rest of the fight.

The Quest of Moria113part 6: escaping moriaHow do the Player-heroes escape Moria? They cannot use the entrance they used as their exit; whichever way they came is blocked by a host of pursuing Orcs. So, if they entered using the hidden Goblin-cave, they must exit via the East or Westgate, with Orcs on their heels throughout.The escape is conducted as a Skill Endeavour. The Resistance depends on which exit the Player-heroes are using, assuming they’re fleeing from the Crypt.♦ West-gate: Resistance 3♦ Goblin-cave or Another Exit: Resistance 6♦ East-gate: Resistance 9The Time Limit depends on circumstances.♦ The Player-heroes crept in and out with minimal delay: 6♦ The Player-heroes have lingered or suffered some delay: 5♦ The Orcs are on their heels: 4Each failed roll means a roll on the Moria Hazard table (page 73) or a brief combat with some Orcs.If the Skill Endeavour fails, then the Player-heroes are caught and slaughtered in the dark — unless they have some way to save themselves, like one of them making a heroic sacrifice or the players coming up with a brilliant and unexpected way to evade the Orcs.Alternatively, the Player-heroes may be given the chance to fight Gorgol and his bodyguards, and if they manage to slay Gorgol in combat, the Orcs are so dismayed the Playerheroes can escape in the confusion.a darkness in the sunlightAssuming the Player-heroes survive their ordeal in Moria, they stumble out into the stark light of day and stagger down the mountain slope towards safety. What have they brought out of Moria?♦ If Finir is still alive, then he intends to return with Nidi (if she lives) and bring word of the fate of the expedition to Dáin — but do the Player-heroes let him go?♦ If the Player-heroes have found the Ring of the Smith, then Finir claims it as his inheritance by right of both blood and heritage — he is a Dwarven master-smith and a descendant of the ring-smith Kinir. Do the Player-heroes let him keep it? If they try to keep the ring from him (a Misdeed worth 3 Shadow points), Finir attacks — do they slay him, or drive him away while sparing his life (in which case, he’ll stalk them obsessively)?♦ What was the fate of Balin’s expedition? Did everyone perish in the dark, or were the Player-heroes able to rescue some of the Dwarves?♦ What of loyal Nidi? Did she survive yet another expedition into Moria, or has her luck run out at last? If she’s alive, how does she react to the Player-heroes’ decisions?♦ Finally, what Ring-lore do the Player-heroes bring back to Saruman?A FIERY MIRACLEIf the Player-heroes are about to be overwhelmed, then the Balrog — Durin’s Bane itself! — may appear in the distance, the red flames of its fiery mane flickering in the dark. The Orcs flee in terror; so should the Player-heroes!THE CHOICES OF SARUMAN, PART V♦ Raise Saruman’s Shadow by the fixed amount decided at the start of the campaign (1, 2, or 3; see The Fall of Saruman, on page 17).♦ If the Player-heroes committed Misdeeds over the course of the adventure collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more, raise Saruman’s Shadow by 1 point.♦ If none of Balin’s company survived, raise Saruman’s Shadow by 1.♦ If Finir is slain, raise Saruman’s Shadow by 1.♦ If the Player-heroes bring the Ring of the Smiths back to Saruman, increase his Shadow by 2.

CHAPT E R 6the ithil-stoneThe shadow of Mordor lengthens.Saruman dares use the Palantír of Orthanc,but becomes ensnared by Sauron,who has the Ithil-stone…— The Return of the King™

CHAPTER 6116his adventure takes place in or around the year 3,000 of the Third Age. Sauron has begun his final preparations: within a few short years, the War of the Ring shall begin, and the Shadow will fall over all the free lands of the West. All things shall be under the dominion of the Lidless Eye.Few obstacles remain in the path of Sauron’s conquest. Only Minas Tirith has the military might to resist; only the Great River of Anduin and the wide forest of Mirkwood present any physical obstacle to his armies. Once the Tower of Guard falls, once the crossings of the Great River are under Sauron’s control, then the hosts of Mordor can sweep west and north. Lórien will fall, and Dale and Erebor, and Rivendell, and Lindon — and Isengard.How can hope endure in the face of hate?EYE AWARENESSThis is an adventure about sneaking into Mordor. If there was ever a time to use the Eye Awareness rules, it’s now. There are two tables of potential Revelation episodes — one for while the Playerheroes are West of the River, and one for East of the Anduin.If Saruman’s Shadow is less than 16, then he puts some of his power into protecting the Playerheroes: increase the Company’s Hunt Threshold by +4 if Saruman’s Shadow is below 10, or by +2 if his Shadow is between 10 and 15.REVELATION EPISODES WEST OF THE ANDUINRoll a Success die or pick one of the following revelations.SUCCESS DIE REVELATION EPISODE1 Unstable Cask: One of the casks of blasting powder grows hot to the touch, and pungent yellow fumes gush from its mouth. The powder has undergone a chemical change and is now much more volatile and unstable. If jarred or dropped, it explodes spontaneously (see The Blasting Powder, on page 82).2 Wheeling Bats: Bats from the Misty Mountains circle overhead. If they spot the Player-heroes, they give their location away to Orcs.3 Wargs on the Wold: The Wargs have come south! They attack the Player-heroes (if they are on a boat, then the Wargs prowl along the riverbank, stalking them, their howls preventing anyone from sleeping).4 Premonitions of Fire: One of the Player-heroes has a nightmare about dying in fire or being crushed by an avalanche, gaining 3 Shadow points (Dread).5 A Misfortune on the Journey: The boat runs aground or sinks; if on the road, the Company are waylaid by bandits.6 Vengeful Foes: If there is anyone the Company offended over the course of the campaign (Toirlas of Crow Hall, for example, or Finir the Mastersmith), then that old foe happens to cross the Company’s path on the way. Failing that, wandering monsters suffice.

The Ithil-stone117part 1: the final summonsAs he has done many times before, Saruman calls the Playerheroes to attend him in Isengard.Where are the Player-heroes at this point in their careers? Decades have passed since they first entered the service of Orthanc. By now, mortals have grown old (unless they have the blood of Númenor) and even Dwarves are no longer young. How many of the original Player-heroes are left? How many are still loyal to their original patron?As the Company approaches Isengard, they see a veil of smoke hanging over the Wizard’s Vale. Describe the state of both Isengard and Saruman depending on Saruman’s current Shadow total.♦ Less than 10 Shadow: Isengard is a hive of activity. Men — mostly Dunlendings — labour in the forges; soldiers drill in the courtyard, their ironshod boots trampling the grass. The fortress has been restored and refortified. Saruman, bent by many cares, is more like an aged general than a Wizard. Agents bring him reports from across the land, from Edoras and Minas Tirith and further afield. But Saruman still greets the Player-heroes with the flicker of a smile.♦ 10–15 Shadow: Black smoke belches from the forges where Men and a few Orcs work, hammering out swords and axes. Isengard is preparing for war. Saruman maintains a veneer of authority and cool control, but there is terror in his eyes, like a cornered beast. He knows everything is slipping away, that these are the last fleeting minutes of dusk before a never-ending night.♦ 16+ Shadow: Isengard is an armed camp. There are as many Orcs as Men, and it is hard to tell which is which. Saruman seems haughty and remote, and the Playerheroes have the impression that he looks at them like pieces on a chessboard.

CHAPTER 6118Again, the Player-heroes are brought to Saruman’s study within the tower. On his desk are maps depicting the lands of Ithilien and the Mountains of Shadow.The Wizard sits down opposite the Player-heroes. “A Power is rising in Middle-earth, a power against which there can be no defence, against which force of arms and courage of spirit will not avail us. The Elves are fading, fleeing. The Dwarves, scattered. Mortal Men — perhaps, in time, with proper guidance, there might be a chance through them. My colleagues on the White Council — they refuse to look into the darkness. They prefer to cling to blind hope, to gamble on the whims of fate. They put their trust in the Valar, and the Valar will send no further help. We must take charge of our own destiny.”He spreads the maps of Ithilien and the Morgul Vale before them.“The Enemy must seize the crossings of the Great River at Osgiliath and Cair Andros. Without those crossings, all his armies are of little use. Gondor guards the crossings, so he must take Minas Tirith, too. This much is obvious.There are two gates from the Land of Shadow. The chief gate is at the Morannon, here, the Towers of the Teeth. There the Last Alliance challenged the Enemy at the Battle of Dagorlad. Now, should Sauron send an army out from that gate, the Men of Gondor have adequate time to prepare a defence. A few true-hearted warriors can hold the narrows against ten thousand, if they have time to prepare.”With a long fingernail, he traces the path from the Morannon through Ithilien, down to the shoulder of Emyn Arnen.“But there is another door to the Dark Land. The Morgul-road.”He taps the place marked Minas Ithil, and then draws a quick line down the road, as if cutting Ithilien in twain. “The Enemy controls the Tower of the Moon, and cloaks it in shadow. A great host could come down the Morgul-road, and thence to the Crossings with almost no warning. In days of old, the seeing stones might have provided some defence, but they cannot be used. This is my fear — that Sauron strikes like a serpent, winning the western shore with a sudden assault from the Morgul Vale.We must prevent this. The blasting powder I prepared is the key to the salvation of Middle-earth. If the Vale is choked with rubble, if the Morgul-road is blocked, then there can be no sudden attack. Instead, Sauron will have to grind Minas Tirith into submission through long war and siege — and that will take time. Time I shall use wisely.This, then, is the task I lay upon you. Make your way in secret to the Morgul Vale, and block the Morgul-road!”Likely questions:♦ How do we get past Minas Morgul? “The Enemy is not expecting anyone to sneak into Mordor. They will be watchful, of course, but with cunning and guile you will find a way. There are also scouts from Minas Tirith operating in Ithilien; Rangers, Men call them. They may be of aid — but they cannot be trusted entirely. Do not tell them your business.”♦ Won’t the Enemy clear the pass or just attack Minas Tirith directly? “With time, yes. Did you think Sauron the Terrible could be defeated by some little thing, by a single lucky stroke? These are not the days of Beren or Túrin Turambar. The Elder Days are gone, and the Middle Days are fading. This Age will turn on cunning, not courage.”♦ Where do we put the casks of blasting powder? “High above the Morgul-road is another, lesser pass — the Stairs of Cirith Ungol. There are two portions to Cirith Ungol — the steep straight stair, and the long winding stair. Near the base of the winding stair, the path comes close to a perilous cliff, looking down upon the Morgul-road. Eärnur’s Edge, Men call in. If the casks are lowered by ropes and planted along the face of the cliff, the ensuing landslide will block the narrowest point of the pass and seal the Morgul-road with enough debris that it will take many years to clear.”♦ How do we escape? “There are fuses supplied with the blasting powder. Set the casks, then fall back down the Vale. The blast and dust cloud should provide adequate cover.”preparations for the journeyA considerable quantity of the blasting powder is required to block the stair — the equivalent of 20 points of Load, as much as two stout ponies could comfortably bear. Saruman suggests taking a boat down the Entwash, then either braving the marshes or going cross-country to Cair Andros — but the route and method of travel is up to the Player-heroes. They have the full resources of Isengard to draw upon, with the caveat that they must obviously be as stealthy as possible, if they are to pass the sentries of Minas Morgul.REFUSING THE QUESTPlayer-heroes may balk at this perilous mission — especially if they are mortal heroes, and too old for such exertions. Others may decide that they have seen enough, and conclude that Saruman has fallen to madness or despair if he thinks that such a suicidal quest is the only way to resist the Enemy. If the players choose this, let them — but that betrayal tips Saruman over the edge. In his despair, he turns to the palantír for insight — and is caught by Sauron’s will, gaining 10 Shadow. It was the Playerheroes who doomed the White Wizard, in the end…

The Ithil-stone119The Player-heroes may take whatever gear they wish from the storehouses and foundries, in the form of up to two Useful Items each. The players do not need to specify which Skills these items apply to until they actually make the test (“aha! I brought rope!”).Saruman has procured a sturdy riverboat, with old Bar or some sullen Men of the Lake as crew; sturdy ponies are also available.departing isengardWhen the Company is ready to depart, servants bring the blasting powder up from the pits dug beneath the fortress. The powder is stored in four heavy metal casks (Load 8 each — 5 Load worth of powder, and 3 of cask). Within these sealed casks, the powder is protected from misfortune or stray sparks. The servants demonstrate (with an empty cask!) how to open the lid so a torch or fuse may be inserted. The powder can be decanted into sacks (reducing the Load to just that of the powder), but then there’s the risk of accident.Saruman watches the Playerheroes depart Isengard from the balcony of Orthanc, but he does not descend to bid them farewell or wish them good fortune. What use are empty words?visions of the white wizardSaruman, succumbing to temptation, watches the progress of the Player-heroes using the palantír. A Magical Success on an AWARENESS roll can sense the unseen eye watching them; even those who lack such supernatural perception may have the prickly sensation they are being watched. Saruman should be a presence in this adventure more than any other. The Player-heroes might glimpse an old man dressed in white, or dream of the Wizard, or hear his voice in the back of their minds.Similarly, as the adventure goes on, the Loremaster should emphasise the weight of the explosive casks, echoing the burden of the Ring on Frodo. Contrast the differing approaches of the two Wizards; Gandalf will put his faith in the rejection of dominion over others, in putting aside power, in simple folk, whereas Saruman trusts in power, in technology, in obedience and stratagems.

CHAPTER 6120part 2: the journey eastThe Company begin by travelling east on ponies. Even if they intend to take a boat down the Entwash and hence to the Anduin, they need to carry the powder casks to where the boat waits at the eastern edge of Fangorn.the raidersA day after leaving Isengard, their Look-out glimpses a sudden plume of black smoke not too far away. Raiders from Dunlandhave crossed the Isen and attacked an outpost of Rohan. Do the Player-heroes investigate, or keep moving?The Dunlendings are warriors from Crow Hall — a dozen Southerner Raiders led by a Southerner Champion. They are all young, their leader no more than twenty years old; the events of The Beast of Dunland are old tales to them, and even if the Player-heroes visited Crow Hall during There Let Them Lie Until the End, the raiders were but children then. The target of the raid is a stead where shepherds gather in winter, and where stocks of wool and hide are stored.As the Player-heroes arrive, they see that there are still a few Rohirrim fighting in one of the buildings, even as the thatched roof burns. The Dunlendings stand athwart the doorways, preventing the defenders from fleeing. A breeze from the east fills the air with burning red sparks.Do the Player-heroes intervene? If so, how? Do they attack the Dunlendings — or attempt to AWE or PERSUADE them as old friends of Crow Hall? Do they reveal Saruman’s influence over the tribes of Dunland?

The Ithil-stone121the river pathIf the Player-heroes choose the river route, then they can board the ship Saruman prepared for them near the spot where the Entwash exits the forest and wanders across the open plain. The boat is a sturdy, flat-bottomed ship — not swift, but well suited for navigating the marshes of the Mouths of Entwash.ENCOUNTERS ON THE OPEN RIVERFEAT DIE ENCOUNTERA Strange Encounter: In the dead of night, a bizarre creature — man-shaped, but only half-high, like an emaciated child — crawls onto the boat. It sneaks around and steals food and one or two useful items, muttering to itself: “gollum, gollum.” A successful AWARENESS roll from the Look-outs disturbs the creature before it steals anything; it slips over the rail and swims away.1 Eerie Willows: The Company encounter a stand of twisted willow trees. There is an unsettling air to the place; each Player-hero gains 1 Shadow point (Dread). The island vanishes the next morning.2 Fierce Storms: Wild winds roar down from the north, tossing the river. Each Player-hero must make an ATHLETICSroll; those who fail suffer a moderate Endurance loss from extreme cold.3 Tangling Roots: Strangely long roots from trees grab at the boat. If the Player-heroes have the friendship of an Ent like Lightroot, the roots release the boat; otherwise, they must be hewed apart, delaying passage by a day and causing everyone in the Company to gain 1 Fatigue.5 Leaking Timbers: The boat starts to leak. A CRAFT roll repairs the leak; otherwise, the boat must be abandoned before the Player-heroes reach their destination.4 Miserable Weather: Heavy rain, cold winds, and the unchanging landscape prey on the Company’s mood. Each Player-hero gains 1 Fatigue.6 Herdsmen Watering Their Flocks: The boat passes a group of Rohirrim herdsmen and their flocks of sheep or cattle. The herdsmen hail the boat. A RIDDLE roll is required to allay suspicion; failing increases the Eye Awareness of the Company by 1.7 A Body in the Water: A corpse floats by the boat. Roll a Success die: on a 1, the corpse is too rotten to tell; on a 2–3, he was a Dunlending Raider; on a 4–5, he was a Rohirrim peasant; on a 6, he was a Rider of Rohan.8 Fair Weather: Sunlight and fair winds make the journey pleasant, even tranquil. The urgency of their mission fades away.9 Traders on the River: The Company encounter another river-boat; a travelling merchant trading in tools and trinkets. The Player-heroes may each obtain 1 useful item if they have coin to spare.10 Spears in the Sun: In the distance, the Player-heroes glimpse a company of riders of Rohan, their polished spears flashing in the sun. They are young and brave and handsome, signifying hope for the coming Age of Men.A Dream of Better Days: The Player-heroes have a strangely vivid dream while sailing down the river. They imagine all the days of their life as tableaus on the banks of the river. Ahead is a region of darkness, but on the far side, they can glimpse the silver of the river and a green, bright country. Everyone in the Company regains 1 Hope.

CHAPTER 6122THE WETWANGThe river slows and broadens, and the eastern horizon seems to glimmer under the sun. This is the great confluence of the Entwash and the Anduin, the inland delta that makes the fens of Rohan. Small islands of mud and weeds appear in the water, mounds of silt anchored with greenery, until it looks as though the river has split into a thousand thousand channels. These are the Mouths of Entwash, the gateway to the fens of Wetwang.Just before the Entwash becomes a watery labyrinth, there is a small town and a mighty stone jetty attached to a crumbling fortress, built in ancient days when this was the Gondorian province of Calenardhon. Now the green flag and white horse fly over the towers, and the fort is called Walburg. The Player-heroes may disembark here and take the road, or follow the river into the perilous marshes.East of the fort, the landscape becomes beautiful but desolate. There’s no sign of any habitation, no signs of Elf or mortal at all save rare glimpses of hunters and trappers who seek the birds and eels that live here in great numbers.Navigating the Wetwang is difficult — what seems like a wide stream can suddenly soak away into the soil, leaving the boat entangled or trapped in the mud. Three EXPLORE rolls are needed; failure causes each Player-hero to gain 1 Fatigue, as they toil to pull the boat out of the mud, while a failure with an means the boat is caught inextricably and must be abandoned.ENCOUNTERS IN THE WETWANGFEAT DIE ENCOUNTERUnseen Shambler: Something huge and squamous moves through the mud. The Player-heroes catch a brief glimpse of a slimy monster, misshapen and huge, as it wades through the marsh. It does not attack, but its spiny back bumps against the boat, threatening to capsize it. How do the Player-heroes save the boat?1 Ghostly Miasmas: A choking mist rises from the marsh — not poisonous, but the wind is from the east, and carries with it some hint of the Dead Marshes. The travellers spot ghostly figures in the fog. Each Player-hero gains 2 Shadow points (Dread).2 Marsh Gas: Foul gas rises from the mud, causing each Player-hero to suffer a moderate Endurance loss from poison. Do the Player-heroes continue (risking poisoning or explosions) or find another route?3 Changing Terrain: Overnight, the landscape seems to change; previously clear streams are suddenly choked with mud or weeds, forcing the Company to backtrack. Each Player-hero gains 1 Fatigue.4 Tormented by Insects: Stinging flies fly up to bite the travellers, distracting them. Unless the Player-heroes can drive them away, all tasks lose (1d).5 Giant Leeches: Huge leeches as big as a halfling’s leg crawl out of the mud to feast on unwary heroes. Each Playerhero must make an AWARENESS roll; those who fail suffer a moderate Endurance loss from poison.6 Marshlights: Will-o-wisps dance over the marsh. Anyone with at least one rank in LORE recalls tales that these wisps lead to buried treasure. Do the Player-heroes follow the lights into the fens?7 Unearthly Ruin: The Company spot a strange structure, half-sunk into the marsh. Was it a tower raised by Gondor in days of old, a castle built by Dwarves exiled from Moria, or something older and stranger?8 A Strange Tree: The Company come across a truly bizarre dead tree by the water’s edge. It looks almost like a woman crouching, one willowy branch outstretched as if reaching for the river.9 Friendly Folk: People do dwell in these lands; some are akin to the Drúedain, while others fled Gondor in the days of the Wainriders and now fear the outside world. Still, with ENHEARTEN or PERSUADE, the Player-heroes can obtain shelter and aid from these Marsh-folk.10 Clear Waters: A stroke of luck — the boat happens upon an open channel, where the Entwash flows swift and straight into the mighty Anduin. All further journey-related tests gain (1d) until the Company disembark.Hidden from Sight: Thick mists rise, hiding the Company from view. Reduce their Eye Awareness score by 1.

The Ithil-stone123arrival at cair androsAt the end of the journey, the Company come to Cair Andros, about two weeks after they set out from Isengard. The island is a long narrow outcrop of stone, reminiscent of a mighty ship; huge fountains of white spray rise as its stony prow cuts through the onrushing river. The isle has long been a fortress of Gondor; tunnels and storehouses have been cut into the rock, and there are watchtowers, castles and other fortifications all along the isle, especially on the eastern side. Ancient steel chains run between the island and the shore, allowing the soldiers to block river traffic. If the Player-heroes are still on a boat, they must stop here.The whole island is under the jurisdiction of a military governor; it is forbidden for outsiders to land here without permission. On the western bank is a jetty and landing area, surrounded by what was once but an outpost, but in recent years has swelled into a mid-sized town — Ithilien was abandoned fifty years ago, and many of those who once dwelled across the river now live here.On the far side of the river, on the eastern bank, there is another jetty, but this one is heavily fortified.All travellers must stop on the west bank of the Anduin. Only those with good reason to visit the fortified island may land on Cair Andros itself; only the Rangers may cross into Ithilien.AGENTS OF THE WHITE WIZARDSaruman has agents in the garrison, and they have been watching for the approach of the Player-heroes. As soon as the Player-heroes arrive, they are met by a soldier of Gondor who introduces himself as Alagoson; he shows them a secret badge with the sign of the White Hand. He hands the Playerheroes a sealed letter, and tells them to present the document to the dock-master. It will get them onto Cair Andros.As Alagoson promised, the papers permit the Playerheroes to transfer their cargo — including the precious casks — to a ferry that crosses to the island shore. The Player-heroes have reached the mid-point of their journey.Traffic across the river to Ithilien is strictly controlled. Partly, this is to ensure spies and saboteurs from Mordor cannot cross; the Enemy has many Men in his service. But it also ensures unwary travellers do not stray into Ithilien. The abandoned garden province was once lush, and still appears to be a fair and inviting land — but it is a battleground. The Rangers of Ithilien command the ferries that cross to the eastern bank.Alagoson explains that there are troops coming from Minas Tirith — an unusually large war party. He does not know why the Tower is sending reinforcements or mounting an expedition into Ithilien, but there will be lots of soldiers and supplies crossing the River. He is confident of being able to sneak the Player-heroes in with the expedition — but the Company must wait on Cair Andros until the expedition arrives.THE ROADThe other path the Player-heroes might take is the land route to Minas Tirith — they could ride through the settled portion of Rohan, past Edoras and the Firien Wood to the borders of Gondor. They would then turn north at the Drúadan Forest, and make for Cair Andros.This route is arguably safer, and is certainly more crowded. There are two potential downsides to this path:♦ Firstly, there’s the risk of drawing attention from ordinary rogues and thieves. Greedy eyes see chests of treasure where others see metal casks containing unstable high explosive.♦ Second, and more worrisome — in this era, Sauron has more spies and watchers abroad, especially on such a vital artery as the Great Road. Increase any Eye Awareness gains by 1 if the Player-heroes are on the Road.An upside is that by now Théoden is king of Rohan, and a friend of Isengard; his chief concern is fighting against the encroaching Dunlendings from the west, and in this he receives wise counsel from Saruman, who through his magical arts can sometimes predict where the raiders will strike before they cross the border. Théoden owes several victories over the Dunlendings entirely to the wisdom of the White Wizard — how fortunate is Meduseld to have such an ally!

CHAPTER 6124WAITING FOR THE EXPEDITIONIf the Player-heroes choose to wait, then a Success die roll is required to determine the number of days they must stand by — and the Eye Awareness score increases by 2. If this takes the Company over their Hunt Threshold, then the Alagoson Arrested event must be played (see next page).While the island is dominated by the various military forts and watchtowers, there are areas of farmland, and plenty of places for the Player-heroes to shelter in comfort. Indeed, it’s obvious that the fortress is built for a much larger garrison; Gondor can only muster a fraction of the military force it once commanded. Alagoson visits the Player-heroes regularly, asking them questions about their service to Saruman and their errand in Ithilien. He can also be a source of information about the lands ahead (see The State of Ithilien in T.A. 3000, on page 127).Play up the feeling of delay, of frustration. Cair Andros is a fortress at war, but a lot of war is standing around in the damp, waiting for something — anything — to happen. Mention the constant brooding presence of Mordor; the eastern horizon is dominated by the distant shadow of the mountains, and the constant black fumes from Mount Doom. When it rains — and it rains a lot — the raindrops leave gritty black soot smeared over everything.At last — the host arrives from Minas Tirith, and it is a glorious sight indeed. Knights of the Citadel and Dol Amroth, mounted on fine warhorses from Rohan, with the banner of the White Tree fluttering in the breeze. At the head of the company rides the prince of Minas Tirith — Boromir, son of the steward. He is twenty-two years of age, but has already won acclaim for his heroic defence of Osgiliath.There is little time to prepare — the expedition arrives in the evening, and departs with the dawn, ferrying across to the far shore in the grey morning. Alagoson helps the Playerheroes slip into the host’s vanguard.REVEALING THE QUEST“‘Alas for the folly of these days!’ said Legolas. ‘Here all are enemies of the one Enemy, and yet I must walk blind…’”— The Fellowship of the Ring™Player-heroes may wonder why Saruman does not present this stratagem to the Steward Denethor, and say “I have a plan to safeguard your realm, shall we not work together on this endeavour?”There are several reasons why Saruman might keep his plan a secret from the Steward. Among them: pride, for Saruman considers himself the leader of the West and would not ask for permission from Denethor; paranoia, for fear that involving Gondor might let slip some information; the desire to keep his secrets held close, and fear that Gandalf might interfere and steal this triumph from him.However, none of these restrictions apply to the Player-heroes. Isengard is far away so they could, if they chose, go to the Lords of Gondor (Denethor or Boromir, or Húrin Snowhair — see next page) and explain their quest. This requires a Council — it is a Reasonable request to be granted passage into Ithilien, a Bold request to do so without telling the Lord what they intend to do there, and an Outrageous request to ask for troops or other aid from Gondor.Of the three likely lords who might be approached, Denethor is Reluctant for he fears provoking Minas Morgul, while Boromir is Open, and Húrin is even Friendly, for he welcomes anyone who might strike against Mordor.However, Saruman is watching the progress of the Company through his palantír, and if he sees them betray him, he grows wrathful and his Shadow is immediately increased by 3. The players perceive this as strange, unnatural events — black crows from Dunland circling around them, a bitterly cold wind howling from the west, a glimpse of a white-clad figure.Alagoson the SmugglerAlthough Ithilien is mostly abandoned, there are still a few hold-outs who live there, and they need supplies and goods from the hinterlands of Gondor. Similarly, there are things in Ithilien (furs and hides, fruit and spices, in particular) that cannot be obtained elsewhere. So, despite the Steward’s edicts, there’s still trade across the river, and a sizeable portion of that trade goes through the sticky hands of Alagoson of Cair Andros.His hands may be dirty, but he believes his heart is pure. He’s still a loyal man of Gondor — but a man must eat, after all, and what harm if he makes a little coin on the side while guarding Cair Andros.OCCUPATION: GuardDISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Grim, Secretive

The Ithil-stone125ALAGOSON ARRESTEDIf their Gondorian contact is arrested because of his illicit dealings (see above), then the Player-heroes have a choice. They can either slip into the host without Alagoson’s help with successful STEALTH rolls (Dwarves and Hobbits lose [1d], since their shapes are less likely to go unnoticed; failure means getting arrested), try to find another way across, or go to Húrin Snowhair, the commander of Cair Andros (see below).OTHER WAYS ACROSSImpatient or mistrustful Player-heroes may prefer not to wait for the distraction of the host from Minas Tirith, and seek another way across.♦ Stealing a Ferry-Boat: There are lots of boats on the shore of Cair Andros, from huge rafts used to HúrinHúrin SnowhairThe elderly commander of Cair Andros, Húrin is well respected both by those who serve under him, and those who rely on his wise counsel. All his life, Húrin has fought the long defeat — he’s watched the strength of Minas Tirith dwindle, watched the frontiers of Gondor roll back mile by mile, year by year. But perhaps the bitterest thought is that when the war does come, when the Enemy’s longanticipated assault begins, he will be too old to make a difference. His time as commander is coming to an end; it will be some other, younger warrior who faces the true test, and all Húrin’s deeds will amount to nothing of consequence.Maybe that’s why Húrin, long the dependable, steadfast shieldbearer of Gondor, has in his old age discovered an appetite for risk. In his secret heart, he wishes he could strike one real blow against the Enemy, and sometimes dreams of riding off to challenge the Witch-king of Minas Morgul as King Eärnur did in days of old. It was Húrin who encouraged Prince Boromir’s bold plan to attack the Crossings, and he’s looking for other ways to inflict more damage on Mordor before his watch is done.OCCUPATION: CommanderDISTINCTIVE FEATURES: Eager, Honourable transport horses and supplies, to small paddle-boats used by the Rangers. Some are kept under guard, but a STEALTH roll could liberate a usable boat. The key question is: what do the Player-heroes do about the guards?♦ Taking their own Boat: If the Player-heroes sailed their own boat all the way from Rohan, they can use it to cross the Anduin. It is forbidden to cross the Anduin without permission, so archers from Cair Andros will challenge the travellers unless they manage to cross unseen (again, with a STEALTH roll).♦ Persuasion: Honeyed are the tongues of Saruman’s servants. The Captain of Cair Andros is an aged Gondorian commander named Húrin Snowhair; a successful Council can convince him to allow the Playerheroes to cross (see Revealing the Quest, on the previous page), but they somehow need to gain access to the commander.♦ Travelling Elsewhere: See Bypassing Cair Andros, on page 126.

CHAPTER 6126bypassing cair androsIt is possible that the Player-heroes may decide to take a different route. The key question is ‘where do they cross the river?’ Crossing between Cair Andros and the southern edge of the Nindalf risks running into Ranger patrols along the shore. A landing further north means dragging those heavy casks over the marshes. Wait until the River brings them further south, and the Player-heroes must travel through Gondor in a time of rising tension, when strangers are less than welcome.The other danger is that the east bank is watched. The Rangers keep Orcs and other spies of the Enemy away from the sheltered Forest of Cormallen near Cair Andros, but if the Player-heroes land at another point on the Anduin, they may be watched by foes — unless they come up with a clever way of hiding their movements, increase their Eye Awareness by 2.REVELATION EPISODES EAST OF THE ANDUINRoll a Success die or pick one of the following revelations.SUCCESS DIE REVELATION EPISODE1 Unstable Cask: One of the casks of blasting powder grows hot to the touch, and pungent yellow fumes gush from its mouth. The powder has undergone a chemical change and is now much more volatile and unstable. If jarred or dropped, it explodes spontaneously (see The Blasting Powder, on page 82).2 Guided by Sinister Purpose: Orcs or other foes abroad in Ithilien seem to be guided to the Company’s trail. All STEALTH rolls are Ill-Favoured in Ithilien.3 The Malice of the Enemy: The Company come across a place of horror or despair — butchered Gondorian soldiers or captured prisoners, or a once-prosperous village now abandoned and overgrown. That would be disturbing enough, but a malign presence seems to fill the air. Each Player-hero gains 2 Shadow points (Dread).4 Patrol from Minas Ithil: Orcs bearing the sigil of the swollen moon search the forest for intruders.5 Strife Among Friends: The Player-heroes find themselves growing irritated with one another. Each Player-hero must choose: either swallow their malice, gaining 2 Shadow points (Sorcery), lose the benefits (but not the costs) of their Fellowship Focus for the rest of the adventure, or blame Saruman for their sorrows (increasing his Shadow by 1).6 The Probing Eye: The gaze of the Lidless Eye sweeps across the sky. Each Player-hero gains 1 Shadow point (Dread), and the Company’s Hunt Threshold is reduced by 1 while in Ithilien or the Morgul Vale.

The Ithil-stone127part 3: the crossing of ithilienSouth and east they stared to where, at the edge of the oncoming night, a dark line hung, like distant mountains of motionless smoke. Every now and again a tiny red gleam far away flickered upwards on the rim of earth and sky.— The Two Towers™The Player-heroes are now East of the Great River, and close to the border of the lands of the Enemy. The end of the quest is not far away — but many perils lie between them and the Morgul Vale.the state of ithilien in t.a. 3000Once the fair garden of Gondor, Ithilien was abandoned nearly a century ago when the depredations of Orcs grew too terrible to endure. Its inhabitants fled over the Anduin, save a few stubborn holdouts — and most of them left when Sauron returned. There are yet defiant folk in isolated places who refuse to leave their homes, but their numbers dwindle each year. The traces of this abandonment are everywhere — empty farmsteads that feel as if the inhabitants have just stepped out for a moment, tilled fields engulfed by weeds, herds of wild cattle, weeds growing over paved roads.Now, Ithilien is Gondor’s outer line of defence. The Enemy regularly probes the fortifications of Osgiliath and the other crossings of the Anduin (Cair Andros, and occasionally as far south as Pelargir). The Black Gate vomits armies of Orcs, Trolls and Easterlings, and they march south through Ithilien.The Rangers of Ithilien spy on the movements of the Enemy’s forces, harassing and sabotaging them when they can. A network of hidden fortresses and outposts ensures the Rangers can strike swiftly and then melt away into their concealed fastnesses. But the Rangers are not enough to stop all of the Enemy’s assaults, and in recent months a host of Uruks and Hill-trolls have encamped in the eastern ruins of Osgiliath and fortified their position, so they can make regular attacks on the surviving bridges.Boromir, at the behest of his father the Steward, intends to catch these Orcs unawares. By crossing at Cair Andros and travelling south at speed, he hopes to attack with such force that the Orcs are dismayed and defeated. It is a bold stratagem, at odds with Gondor’s traditional military approach of defending and slowly retreating. Not since the days of Last-king Eärnur has Gondor made such a direct attack against Mordor.the forest of cormallenA wood dominated by yellow-blossomed laburnum trees, and the black-trunks of lebethron, the Forest of Cormallen shrouds the eastern bank of the Anduin. There is a great green field, near the confluence of the waters where the host from Cair Andros musters.If the Player-heroes crossed with Boromir’s host, then they need to slip away into the trees. This can be accomplished with a STEALTH roll; failure means the Company are spotted and pursued by Rangers (see The Rangers of Ithilien, on page 129). The roll loses (1d) if the Company have ponies with them.ACCOMPANYING BOROMIRGlory-seeking Player-heroes may decide to cast away the quest laid upon them by Saruman, and instead accompany Boromir to Osgiliath. This is a suitably epic finale for the campaign — albeit not the one that Saruman intended. The casks of blasting powder can be profitably employed against the fortifications there. However, increase Saruman’s Shadow by 10 if the Playerheroes turn aside in this fashion (to signal the effects of their betrayal, see also Revealing the Quest, on page 124).

CHAPTER 6128from the field of cormallen to morgul valeThe journey across the breadth of Ithilien is some thirty miles — two days of travel, through a mix of forest and overgrown farmland. Compared to many of the places the Player-heroes have gone in their service of Saruman, this is easy terrain. Were it not for the looming shadow of the Ephel Dúath and the oppressive darkness of the smoke-stained sky, this would be a beautiful land. As it is, it is melancholic, autumnal, and fading.A STEALTH roll from the Scout is required as the Company travel. If the roll fails, then the Player-heroes are spotted by Rangers of Ithilien. The Look-out may make an AWARENESS roll to spot these pursuers — otherwise, the Rangers stalk the Company unseen.ENCOUNTERS IN ITHILIENFEAT DIE ENCOUNTERTrap: One of the Player-heroes blunders into a spike-lined pit trap. An AWARENESS roll avoids the trap; otherwise, the Player-hero is Wounded.1 Shower of Ash and Sparks: Thunder rolls across the land, and the eastern sky flashes red. A while later, hot ash and burning cinders rain down, starting small forest fires — and igniting anything flammable. Each Player-hero suffers a moderate Endurance loss from fire.2 Orc Scavengers: The Company encounter a band of roaming Orcs (one Black Uruk Soldier for each Player-hero, see page 66).3 Treacherous Terrain: An unstable bridge over a ravine, a muddy hillside, a tangled forest — some terrain that would normally be quite passable, but not if the heroes are hauling heavy metal casks; an ATHLETICS roll is needed to avoid jarring or dropping one of them.4 Exposed Region: The terrain ahead is exposed and treeless. If the Company cross it, increase their Eye Awareness by 2.5 Impassable Terrain: The land ahead consists of a deep ravine, a forest of thorns or some other obstacle. Navigating it requires an EXPLORE roll; on a failure, each Player-hero gains 2 Fatigue.6 Ruined Watchtower: An old Gondorian tower. Roll a Success die: the tower is inhabited by Orcs (1–3), empty (4–5) or used as a Ranger-cache (6).7 Old Road: The Company come to an old road, leading towards Morgul Vale. Do they follow this clear path, or stay out of sight?8 Wild Beasts: A pack of wild dogs, the descendants of hounds left behind by those fleeing Ithilien, stalks the heroes. However, the beasts hate Orcs more than anything.9 Ruined Village: An old village, overgrown and empty — but there might still be useful supplies or tools left behind.10 Inhabited Farmstead: The Player-heroes come to one of the few farmsteads still inhabited; this fortified house is the home of Egeth, an old woman of Ithilien. While she refuses to leave, her daughter Heledirien is a Ranger and watches over her farmstead (see below).A Moment of Kindness: Have one of the players describe some minor kindness their hero does for one of the others. Either that Player-hero regains 1 Hope or the kind deed is spotted by any Rangers watching the Player-heroes, making them better disposed towards these intruders.

The Ithil-stone129the rangers of ithilienThe Rangers are sworn to protect Ithilien and slay any trespassers who enter this land without the Steward’s permission. If they happen upon the Player-heroes trespassing, there are several ways the scene can play out.♦ The Rangers confront and surround the Company as they travel through the woods.♦ The Rangers surround the Company as they sleep; unless woken by the Look-out, the Player-heroes are woken by knives at their throats.♦ The Rangers encounter the Company around the same time they run into the Swift Foes From Mordor (see page 130).The Ranger-company consists of two Rangers per Player-hero, plus their Captain, Heledirien.HELEDIRIEN’S CHALLENGEThis scene is played as a Council, albeit one with high stakes. If the Council ends in a disaster, then the Rangers attempt to slay the Player-heroes, believing them to be spies sent by the Enemy!Set the Resistance as follows:♦ Asking Heledirien to let them turn back and return to the west bank of the Anduin is a Reasonable request (Resistance 3). The Player-heroes can try sneaking back afterwards, but the delay increases Eye Awareness by +2.♦ Asking Heledirien to let the Company proceed is a Bold request (Resistance 6).♦ If the Company demand help from her, or demand that their mission be kept secret, the request is Outrageous (Resistance 9).COURTESY or RIDDLE works best for introductions, although dropping Saruman’s name works in concert with AWE (however, it also immediately raises Saruman’s Shadow by 3).If the Council is going badly, the Loremaster may consider having the Swift Foes From Mordor show up and give the Player-heroes a chance to fight side-by-side with the Rangers.Assuming she doesn’t have the Player-heroes murdered and buried in unmarked graves, then Heledirien invites them to rest under the protection of the Rangers for the evening. Possible topics of discussion include:♦ The Morgul Vale: Heledirien is one of the few folk of Gondor who have dared set foot within the Morgul Vale, creeping even as far as the foot of the pass of Cirith Ungol. She agrees that it would hugely benefit the fortune of Minas Tirith if the Morgul-road that RANGER OF ITHILIENStealthy, WaryATTRIBUTE LEVEL6ENDURANCE24MIGHT1RESOLVE6PARRY+1ARMOUR3COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Spear 3 (4/16, Pierce), Great Bow 3 (4/16, Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Fearless. A Ranger of Ithilien’s Might is considered 1 higher for the purpose of resisting the Intimidate Foes combat task.Wind-like Speed. When targeted by an attack, spend 1 Resolve to make the attack roll Ill-favoured.HeledirienHer kinfolk have dwelt in Ithilien since long before Elendil came over the sea. She fiercely loves the dryad loveliness of Ithilien, so she volunteered for the Rangers when she came of age. She takes every Orc trespass as a personal affront, making her seem blood-thirsty compared to the more restrained knights of the Tower. However, she can be soft-hearted too — she protects those who still dwell in Ithilien in defiance of the Steward’s command. How can she do otherwise? She understands all too well their desire to dwell in this beautiful land.HELEDIRIENFierce, True-heartedATTRIBUTE LEVEL7ENDURANCE28MIGHT1RESOLVE7PARRY+1ARMOUR3COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Spear 3 (4/16, Pierce), Great Bow 3 (4/16, Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Fearless. Heledirien’s Might is considered 1 higher for the purpose of resisting the Intimidate Foes combat task.Wind-like Speed. When targeted by an attack, spend 1 Resolve to make the attack roll Ill-favoured.Yell of Triumph. Spend 1 Resolve to restore 1 Resolve to all allies in the fight.

CHAPTER 6130runs through the vale were to be destroyed. In ages past, Isildur built the tower of Minas Ithil to guard the Morgul-road, for even then it was clear that it was a key route to the realm of the Enemy. Sauron and the Witch-king went to great effort to conquer Minas Ithil, partly to secure that road.She warns that the Morgul Vale is exceedingly perilous. The evil that dwells in Minas Morgul does not sleep, and is ever watchful. If the Player-heroes are discovered, there will be no escape for them. She fears they are throwing their lives away.♦ The Blasting Powder: Heledirien dislikes Saruman’s blasting powder. In Númenor of old, clever men invented similar weapons — and they led to disaster and the Downfall. Some tools should not be used.♦ Boromir’s Host: Heledirien can offer little help to the Company, for her Rangers are bound to watch the Road in case enemies issue forth from Mordor and go to Osgiliath. She knows Lord Boromir’s host intends to attack the Orcs there, so her Rangers must serve as rearguard.If the Player-heroes succeed especially well in the Council, then Heledirien offers to provide some aid. She could (choose one):♦ Allow the Company to take a Prolonged Rest under her protection.♦ Treat their Wounds.♦ Reduce the Company’s Eye Awareness by 2.swift foes from mordorAs Saruman feared, the Morgul-road allows the Enemy to respond swiftly to threats. Soon after Boromir’s host crossed the Anduin, foes marched out from the plain of Gorgoroth to counter this attack. The forces of Mordor lack cavalry in significant numbers (apart from a few steeds for the Nazgûl and other messengers, there are no horses in Mordor, and Sauron has yet to call up the bulk of his Easterlings; neither are there Wargs), but he has troops who can respond swiftly to an attack. Lightly-armoured Uruks, Hill-trolls who are maddened by sunlight instead of turned to stone, and flying insects the size of a Hobbit-child that buzz and swarm overhead, sheltering the fast-marching forces.There are several ways this encounter might play out:♦ The Player-heroes might see the swift-moving force as it marches down the Road towards Osgiliath; if they stay hidden, they can wait until it passes, or do battle with the enemies.♦ The Player-heroes might see the Rangers of Ithilien ambushing these swift foes. If they do not intervene, then the Rangers are all slain, but they deal enough damage to the forces from Mordor for it to be a pyrrhic victory.♦ If the Player-heroes have been captured by the Rangers of Ithilien, then the swift foes from Mordor might interrupt their conversation at just the wrong moment (or the right one, if the Player-heroes are about to be executed).Should the Player-heroes do battle with these foes, there are two Black Uruk Soldiers (see page 66) for each Player-hero, plus a Black Uruk Captain (use the stats of Baugrim on page 66) if the Player-heroes either attack in concert with the Rangers, or engage only a part of the host (say, if the heroes are spotted and pursued by a detachment of foes). If the Player-heroes stand athwart the Road and try to stop the host on their own, then they face double the Black Uruk Soldiers, and one Hill-troll (see below).The Loremaster should emphasise the chaotic nature of this battle. If the Rangers are involved, they do not stand in ranks out in the open; they are archers and skirmishers, attacking from cover, using their great bows.The most likely setting for this scene is at or near the Crossroads, where the roads between Osgiliath and Minas Ithil, and the long road between far-off Harad and the Morannon meet.HILL-TROLLFierce, StrongATTRIBUTE LEVEL8ENDURANCE60MIGHT2HATE8PARRY+2ARMOUR3COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Hammer 3 (8/16, Break Shield), Bite 2 (6/14, Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Hideous Toughness. The creature is unaffected by unarmed attacks. Additionally, when an attack inflicts damage to the creature that would cause it to go to zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then, if the creature is still alive its Endurance score is set back at half its maximum rating.Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of each round if it is exposed to the full light of the sun (this Fell Ability replaces the Trolls’ usual sunlight curse).Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.

The Ithil-stone131part 4: the morgul valeRUMOURThere’s a ghostly city in the hills, and only the dead go there. There, to wait until the Sun fails and the Moon is dead, and then there’ll be a black wind and all the stars will die, and that’ll be the end of everything. And on that day, the gates of the city will open, and he’ll ride forth to claim the dead sea and withered land. At least, that’s what I’ve heard.OLD LOREMinas Ithil, the Tower of the Moon became Minas Morgul, the Tower of Dark Sorcery. No man has passed through the Morgul-gate since King Eärnur’s day, and he never returned.backgroundImlad Morgul is a pass that runs through the Mountains of Shadow. Its western end is guarded by the Tower of the Moon, Minas Ithil — or so it was called when it was built by Isildur. Indeed, in the early years of the South-kingdom, Minas Ithil was considered the greater of the two fortresses, for it was here that the Prince of Gondor had his throne, and here the first White Tree flourished for a time.However, the Seventh King, Ostoher, preferred the sun, and he greatly expanded and improved the fortress of Minas Anor, making it into a summer-city where the kings dwelt from time to time. It may be that this was a sign of the slow decline of the Men of the West, that they turned away from their vigil over the Land of Mordor.Minas Ithil became a fortress of scholars, of healers, and of stargazers. Strange and fey were the folk of that city, burdened by the constant presence of the Shadow, but many of the greatest champions of Gondor came of their line. Armies from Minas Ithil fought in the many wars that beset the realm. During the Kinstrife, enemies of King Eldacar sought to make Minas Ithil their capital, but they were rejected, and fled instead to Umbar.The folk of Ithilien and Minas Ithil in particular suffered greatly in the Plague that followed; it is said that so many perished that whole districts of the city were afterwards abandoned and never entered again. Minas Ithil was besieged during the attacks of the Wainriders, but the city was well guarded by the narrow pass, and endured. Still, by now only a handful of folk still dwelt here; the City of the Moon was in eclipse, and would soon fall into shadow.In the Year 2000 of the Third Age, the Nine Ringwraiths gathered for the first time under the command of their Captain, the Witch-king of Angmar, and laid siege to Minas Ithil. This was not a conquest through force of arms, but through sheer terror. No living man dared stand against the Nazgûl; no army or supplies could cross the bridge while the wraiths held it. The few defenders behind the walls endured for two years until starvation and despair drove them to madness, and they threw open the gates and invited the Witch-king to enter.The city was corrupted, and became Minas Morgul, the Tower of Dark Sorcery, a skull grinning across the marshes. For a thousand years it has stood, a ghastly mockery of its lost beauty, the former gaoler of Sauron turned into the citadel of his greatest servants. It is the city of the wraiths, and it commands the pass into the Dark Land.

CHAPTER 6132THE MORGUL VALE589147623locations1. THE ENTRANCE TO IMLAD MORGULA great shoulder of rock blocks the sight of the city from travellers until they are nearly upon it. Following the road, the Company behold a long valley, like a gulf of shadow, running between the forbidding mountains. A stream — the Morgulduin — runs through the valley; its waters are cold and clear, but seems to glow with an eerie light that somehow puts the Player-heroes in mind of luminescent glow-worms.There is no movement, no sound save the trickling of water and the sighing of the wind in the peaks. The atmosphere is not oppressive — it is alien and remote, as if the travellers have come to some place beyond the circles of the world, some unknown and airless realm.The sight is worth 2 Shadow points (Dread).2. THE FIELD OF BONESMany battles have been fought at Imlad Morgul. As the Playerheroes proceed down the path, they spot traces of these old wars. A fragment of bleached bone there, a shard of a broken sword there, scraps of armour there — as if the grey earth groans, too full of death to hold all the corpses who lie here. The further the Player-heroes go, the more remains they encounter, and the more disturbing and hallucinatory the scene becomes. Each Player-hero gains 3 Shadow points (Dread); those who fail their Shadow test panic and quail, or see their comrades as the walking dead, ghastly skeletons stumbling forwards on some utterly futile and long-forgotten purpose, and suffer a grievous Endurance loss from poison — they trip and fall on a rusty spear, or tumble down the rocks into the poisonous waters of Morgulduin.

The Ithil-stone1333. THE MORGUL-ROADThe road that runs through the vale is narrow, and is forced to wind around the feet of the unclimbable mountains deeper in the pass. Here, though, it is straight and level, clearly the work of the master-masons of Gondor of old. The road’s surface is covered in a whitish dust that rises in little clouds whenever anyone steps on it; this dust chokes and stains any travellers on the road. It glows faintly in the dark; any Player-heroes who get covered in this dust lose (1d) on STEALTH rolls for the rest of the adventure, or until they find a way to clean their clothes.4. THE WHITE BRIDGEA once-beautiful bridge, now eerie and ghost-like, arches over the Morgulduin on the road to the White City. Carven figures, both bestial and human, guard the bridge; like the Watchers at Cirith Ungol, these statues cry out in alarm if any foes pass between them. Only a Magical success (or the intervention of Saruman) can silence this alarm if the Player-heroes trigger it.5. THE CITY OF THE RINGWRAITHSThe city of Minas Morgul is, alas, beyond the scope of this adventure. Should the Player-heroes foolishly follow in the footsteps of King Eärnur, they will perish as he did.6. GARDENS OF THE MOONFields of strange lilies and other white flowers grow here. These are corpse-flowers; they smell sweetly of rot, of decay, of alluring death. Any Player-heroes who come close to them gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery); those who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable are drawn towards the White Bridge and the city beyond, walking blindly until another Player-hero aids them with ENHEARTEN.7. THE FESTERING VALETo reach the foot of the Straight Stair, the Player-heroes must pass through this region of broken ground. The terrain is a nightmare of twisted stone, sucking mud, thorn-bushes and weirdly preserved ruined structures. It is as though the end of the world has come and gone here already, and all that remains is the blasted, desiccated remains of the past.8. THE STRAIGHT STAIRHere, the path diverges from the base of the valley and climbs up the mountainside. The stair is terribly steep; most of it is walkable, but in places the Player-heroes must climb (with ATHLETICS rolls needed to make progress). Up and up the path goes, a dizzying ascent into the eerie heights. In places it runs through a dark tunnel bored for hundreds of feet through solid rock. Then it begins to wind, and along its winding course it comes to…9. EÄRNUR’S EDGE“Here the huge cliff-face sloped backwards, and the path like a snake wound to and fro across it. At one point it crawled sideways right to the edge of the dark chasm, and Frodo glancing down saw below him as a vast deep pit the great ravine at the head of the Morgul Valley. Down in its depths glimmered like a glow-worm thread the wraith-road from the dead city to the Nameless Pass…”— The Two Towers™Here is the last glimpse of the Morgul Vale, before the Winding Stair climbs up and on to the peaks of Shadow, and the tunnel of Torech Ungol. If the cliffs below Eärnur’s Edge were destroyed, the narrow mouth of the Pass of Shadow would be blocked for a mortal lifetime!Call for an AWARENESS roll as the Player-heroes reach Eärnur’s Edge. Those who succeed notice that there is a huge spiderweb covering much of the cliff face below…schemes and troublesTHE SENTINEL GAZE OF MINAS ITHILAs the Company pass through the Morgul Vale, each of the Player-heroes is challenged. The topmost level of the great tower in the city rotates, swivelling back and forth like some watchful giant, and its gaze falls upon each Player-hero in turn. A Feat die roll is required to determine the sort of ordeal each Player-hero faces (or pick one that suits them best).FEAT DIE ORDEALRoll again (rerolling any results), but any roll required by the next ordeal is Ill-favoured1–2 Ordeal of Valour3–4 Ordeal of Wisdom5–6 Ordeal of Temptation7–10 Ordeal of ObstaclesRoll again (rerolling any results), but any roll required by the next ordeal is FavouredThe Loremaster must keep in mind the following:♦ Remember to track the Company’s Eye Awareness — the challenge here is to avoid notice.♦ This may be an excellent moment for Saruman to intercede — or betray the Company (see The Choices of Saruman, Final Part on page 138).♦ Intersperse these ordeals with the Terrors of the Vale.

CHAPTER 6134Ordeal of Valour: Some dreadful sight tests the Player-hero’s courage. It might be the sheer oppression of the Vale, the sight of the climb ahead, or a specific circumstance — for example, as the Company creep along, the tested Player-hero is separated from the rest and has the opportunity to sneak away home. The Player-hero gains 3 Shadow (Dread). Those who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable increase the Eye Awareness of the Company by 2.Ordeal of Wisdom: Malign spirits whisper dark words, and dreadful visions appear on the path; eldritch energies crawl through the air, hideous statues scan the landscape. The Playerhero might be seized with unnatural exhaustion, as Frodo was, or perceive the alien awareness behind the moonlit walls of Minas Morgul. The Player-hero gains 3 Shadow (Sorcery). Those who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable gain 4 Fatigue.Ordeals of Temptation: The Player-hero has a chance to flee the Vale, or to indulge their Shadow Path. A Treasure Hunter might glimpse the glint of gold amid the rocks, and a Scholar might hear whispering voices from Minas Morgul, calling them to glory. Simpler temptations also work — the Playerhero might be seized by the sudden thought that they could throw this heavy and foul-smelling cask into the waters of the Morgulduin. The Player-hero may choose to either gain 3 Shadow points (Greed) or give into temptation, increasing the Eye Awareness of the Company by 2.Ordeal of Obstacles: The Player-hero must overcome a physical barrier — climb over treacherous rocks, fight through a thicket of thorns, find the way ahead through the darkness. Failing whatever roll the Loremaster chooses (ATHLETICS, EXPLORE, SCAN, or STEALTH) causes a severe Endurance loss and increases the Eye Awareness of the Company by 1.TERRORS OF THE VALEHorrors lurk in the shadows of the Morgul Vale. Player-heroes sneaking through the rocky slopes above the Morgul-road risk encountering strange creatures. These are lesser perils, but may still cause delay or injury. Roll a Success die or choose one entry from the Morgul Vale Encounters table.MORGUL VALE ENCOUNTERSSUCCESS DIE ENCOUNTER1 A Hill-troll (see page 130)2–3 Morgul-wight (use the stats of a Barrow-wight)4–6 Orc Patrol (one Black Uruk Soldier per Player-hero)THE SECOND HOSTAs the Company sneak through the Vale, they hear the drums and thunderous clamour of a second, much larger host of Orcs, marching under the banner of the Lidless Eye. These are reinforcements for the faster host that the Company may have spotted — or fought — near the Crossroads (see Swift Foes From Mordor, on page 130); once this host passes through the Morgul Vale, they will head to Osgiliath and attack Boromir’s forces there.♦ Optionally, the arrival of these Orcs can draw the attention of Minas Morgul, reducing the Company’s Eye Awareness by 2.

The Ithil-stone135♦ Any Player-hero with at least one rank in BATTLE can instantly determine that this host is large enough to overwhelm Boromir’s forces and secure the Enemy’s hold on the east bank. However, if the Player-heroes can complete their task quickly, they could block the Road before the Orc army passes through — or, better yet, collapse the cliff onto the army marching far below.♦ The host consists of thousands of Orcs; far too many to fight.THE RINGWRAITHS RIDE FORTHIf the Player-heroes are detected in the Morgul Vale, one Ringwraith for each Player-hero (see below) rides forth to investigate — and at their head is the same Ringwraith that the Player-heroes may have encountered outside Moria (see The Disaster of the Gladden Fields, on page 71). This time, the Nazgûl are cloaked in black, and ride black horses — and here, within the borders of Sauron’s domain, they are much more powerful. The Nazgûl pursue the Player-heroes across the vale and up the Stair, intending to use their power of unreasoning fear and the Black Breath to drive the Playerheroes to their deaths over the cliff edge.

CHAPTER 6136Ringwraith“Nine (rings) he gave to Mortal Men, proud and great, and so ensnared them. Long ago they fell under the dominion of the One, and they became Ringwraiths, shadows under his great Shadow, his most terrible servants.”RINGWRAITHMerciless, ProudATTRIBUTE LEVEL7ENDURANCE60MIGHT2HATE7PARRY—ARMOUR3COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Long Sword 3 (5/18, Pierce), Black Dart 3 (4/16, Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Black Breath. At the start of the first round of the battle, all Player-heroes near one or more Ringwraiths gain 4 Shadow points (Dread). The VALOUR roll is Ill-favoured while in darkness. Those who fail their Shadow test fall unconscious for the rest of the fight. A successful HEALING roll from another Player-hero (who must spend their main action to do so) revives the target, who is daunted and cannot spend Hope for the rest of the fight. If the Shadow test failed with an , then the Player-hero has been stricken by the Black Shadow (see box).Deadly Voice. Once per round, spend 1 Hate to make all Player-heroes in sight gain 2 Shadow points (Dread). The VALOUR roll is Ill-favoured while in darkness. Those who fail their Shadow test or are Miserable are daunted and cannot spend Hope for the rest of the fight. Those who fail their Shadow test and are Miserable suffer the same effects as failing the Shadow test against the Black Breath (see above).Dwimmerlaik. The Ringwraith is immune to Endurance loss and Wounds from all sources of injury except fire and magical weapons, and can spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound from such weapons (unless they have been wrought for the Bane of the Undead). When an attack inflicts damage to the Ringwraith that would cause it to go to zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then, if the Ringwraith is still alive, its Endurance score is set back at half its maximum rating.Fear of Fire. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of each round it is engaged in close combat with an adversary wielding a torch or other sort of burning item.Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of each round if it is exposed to the full light of the sun.Heartless. The creature is not affected by the Intimidate Foes combat task, unless a Magical success is obtained.THE BLAST ON EÄRNUR’S EDGEThe Player-heroes have come to the place called Eärnur’s Edge. Here, the cliff drops precipitously into a deep ravine, with the Morgul-road running far below. Midway along this cliff is a spur of rock, twisted and agonised. There’s something almost human or giant-like about the formation, as if a man was trapped within the stone and was caught in the moment of fighting his way free. The spur is a hundred feet lower below the level of the Stair, so to plant the blasting charges, the Player-heroes must climb or rappel down the sheer cliff face, place the casks in the crevices of the rock, and then light the devilry of Orthanc.Planting the blasting powder is a Skill Endeavour.♦ Setting a fuse and igniting it with time to clear the immediate area is a Daunting goal (Resistance 9).♦ Planting the powder without a fuse (so someone must remain nearby to detonate the explosion) is a Laborious goal (Resistance 6).THE BLACK SHADOWA victim of the Black Shadow remains unconscious for a week or until they are revived with a Magical success on a HEALING roll (or with a normal success if using athelas). On each of these days, the victim gains 3 Shadow points (Dread) — or 2 Shadow points (Dread) if the victim is a Dwarf or an Elf — and cannot Harden Will.Should a stricken Player-hero’s Shadow score reach their maximum Hope rating during the malady, then the Player-hero slips into ever deeper dreams and eventually dies. If the Player-hero resists for the length of the malady, they finally overcome their sickness and wake up (but maintain the new Shadow score).

The Ithil-stone137The time limit is 4, or 3 if the Player-heroes have been detected and are being pursued by foes. If Saruman’s Shadow is 10 or less, increase the time limit by 1, as he sends a flock of Crebain to distract the forces of Minas Morgul. Appropriate Skills include ATHLETICS, CRAFT, or SCAN (to find the right crack).Lighting the Powder: If the Player-heroes manage to detonate the blasting powder, then they unleash the fires of doom. The Mountains of Shadow quake and quail as the thunderous blast shakes earth and sky. Far away across Gorgoroth, Orodruin roars in answer, flame spouting into the sky like dragonfire. With majestic, glacial slowness, the cliff face cracks, slips… and then it is like the Wrath of the Valar in the first days, like the Downfall of Númenor, as the world is shattered and remade. Millions of tonnes of stone cascade down into the Morgul Vale.If the Player-heroes time it correctly, the Orc army is engulfed and utterly destroyed.So too, alas, are any Player-heroes who do not have time to flee the cataclysm. But if they perish here, then they could not ask for a better cairn of stones, for few have won such a victory.The Sappers Discovered: If the Player-heroes fail to complete the Skill Endeavour in time, then pick one of the following horrible fates for them.♦ If they have already been spotted by the forces of Minas Morgul, then the Ringwraiths sweep up the Stair of Cirith Ungol like a black wind, and catch the Company at Eärnur’s Edge. It is still possible that the Player-heroes complete their quest — but likely, they will perish here.♦ If they have somehow escaped detection by Minas Morgul, then another foe — one unsuspected even by Saruman — finds them. Shelob, Daughter of Ungoliant, dwells not far from this spot, in the haunted tunnels of Torech Ungol, and she hungers for sweeter meat than Orc or fly. The Spider comes skittering across the cliff, clinging to the rockface, a horror of the ancient world beyond the designs or schemes of Saruman. Defeating Shelob is likely a task beyond the Player-heroes — although they could wound her enough to drive her away.ESCAPING THE MORGUL VALEShould any of the Company remain alive, they can flee the Morgul Vale in the confusion. If Saruman remains uncorrupted, then he can intervene to protect the survivors (see The Choices of Saruman, Final Part). If the Player-heroes lack the protection of Saruman, then they must fight or flee unaided; as this is likely the final scene of the campaign, it is an ideal time for heroic self-sacrifice.Either way, if the Player-heroes succeeded in their mission, describe the victory they have won, the injury they have SHELOBStealthy, SwiftATTRIBUTE LEVEL11ENDURANCE130MIGHT3HATE11PARRY—ARMOUR5COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Beak and Claws 3 (9/16, Seize), Sting 2 (9/14, Pierce)FELL ABILITIES: Beloved Flesh. Each time Shelob is Wounded, she also loses 1 Hate. In addition, whenever Shelob loses or spends Hate, increase that loss or expenditure by 1 for each Wound she has.Craven. When affected by the Intimidate Foe combat task, the creature also loses 1 Hate.Foul Reek. Spend 1 Hate to cause all Player-heroes engaged with Shelob to lose (1d) on all rolls for the round.Great Leap. Spend 1 Hate to attack any Player-hero, in any combat stance, including Rearward.Hate Sunlight. The creature loses 1 Hate at the start of each round if it is exposed to the full light of the sun.Hideous Toughness. The creature is unaffected by unarmed attacks. Additionally, when an attack inflicts damage to the creature that would cause it to go to zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then, if the creature is still alive its Endurance score is set back at half its maximum rating.Shelob Poisons. If an attack results in a Wound, the target immediately suffers a grievous Endurance loss from poison. If the poison reduces the target to zero Endurance, Shelob can choose that the target does not become Dying.Snake-like Speed. When targeted by an attack, spend 1 Hate to make the attack Ill-favoured.Thick Hide. Spend 1 Hate to gain (2d) on a Protection roll.Thing of Terror. At the start of the first round of battle all Player-heroes in sight gain 3 Shadow points (Dread). Those who fail their Shadow test are daunted and cannot spend Hope for the rest of the fight.inflicted on Sauron’s plans. The destruction of the Morgulroad delays his readiness for war by a crucial decade or more — giving time to rally defences, to prepare, to enjoy a few more precious years of peace. Whether they survived or perished, the Company have served the White Wizard well.

CHAPTER 6138THE CHOICES OF SARUMAN, FINAL PARTTo the dismay of those that stood by, about the body of Saruman a grey mist gathered, and rising slowly to a great height like smoke from a fire, as a pale shrouded figure it loomed over the Hill. For a moment it wavered, looking to the West, but out of the West came a cold wind, and it bent away, and with a sigh dissolved into nothing.Three possible fates await Saruman in this adventure, and his destiny is bound to that of the Player-heroes. The fate depends on Saruman’s Shadow score. In each case, Saruman dares to look in the Seeing Stone of Orthanc to bend his will upon the events in the Morgul Vale; in each case, he is caught by the dreadful power of Sauron, who possesses the Ithil-stone. But why Saruman contemplates his orb, and what it means for the Player-heroes, differs.In each case, it is up to the Loremaster to pick the most dramatic moment. Saruman’s fall should come at or very close to the climax of the scenario — as the Player-heroes sneak past Minas Morgul, as they plant the casks of blasting powder, or as the Ringwraiths appear…The Heroic Ending (Shadow 15 or less): In this scenario, through the kindness and heroic example of the Player-heroes, Saruman retains something of his wisdom and purpose. Here, Saruman puts forth all his strength to ward off some terrible fate. This might be:♦ The Player-heroes being spotted by the Enemy.♦ The Player-heroes failing the Skill Endeavour while planting the blasting powder.♦ The Ringwraiths appearing.The doomed heroes perceive a presence, unseen but shining brightly, and have the sudden impression that Saruman is with them — like Frodo on Amon Hen heard the Voice of Gandalf and saw the Eye of Sauron. The presence of the White Wizard saves them from whatever misfortune or folly was about to doom them. Maybe the gaze of the Lidless Eye is drawn away from the Player-heroes (countering a Revelation episode). Maybe the dropped cask of blasting powder miraculously catches on a rocky spike, or maybe Shelob recoils as she too senses the presence of an Istar.But there is a cost to this divine intervention — the rescued Player-hero senses the Eye turn its burning gaze full force on Saruman. The White Wizard wails, and immediately gains 10 Shadow — but at least the Player-heroes have escaped doom.Alternatively, if the Loremaster is willing to deviate wildly from Tolkien’s storyline, then if the Player-heroes manage to escape the vale without Saruman having to intercede, then the Wizard never needs to look into the palantír and so is never caught by Sauron’s will. Saruman remains unfallen! Through their courage and kindness, the Player-heroes have saved him from himself!The Despairing Ending (Shadow 16 to 20): In this scenario, Saruman does not intervene; instead, he falls to despair when it seems as if the Player-heroes are about to fail. As described above, the Player-heroes sense an unseen presence at a crucial moment of failure — but here, Saruman does not intervene. He merely withdraws, abandoning the Player-heroes to their doom. The West has failed, he seems to say, now all that remains is coming to an accommodation with the rising Shadow.Excellent times to stage this encounter include:♦ The Player-heroes being spotted by the Enemy.♦ The Player-heroes failing the Skill Endeavour while planting the blasting powder.♦ The Ringwraiths appearing.Saruman has lost all hope, but there might still be a chance. The Player-heroes can rise to the occasion, and do what the Wizard cannot. Or, perhaps they too despair in the face of darkness, and fall at the last.The Treacherous Ending (Shadow 21+): If Saruman has completely fallen to evil and malice, then this whole quest was a lie — the Player-heroes are his offering to Sauron, to show the loyalty of Isengard. Through the palantír, Orthanc speaks to Barad-dûr, warning the Dark Tower of the peril that even now threatens to choke the vital pass. Run this scene when the Player-heroes succeed at a critical test — maybe they just barely avoid being spotted, or they’re about to detonate the blasting powder and seal the pass. Just as the Player-heroes approach the threshold of victory, they sense the presence of Saruman projecting his thoughts through the palantír — and hear his cold laughter on the wind.That successful test is now a failure with woe. So, so much woe. The Player-heroes have been revealed to the Enemy, sacrificed to Sauron’s ambition.This scenario doesn’t necessarily mean that all the Playerheroes perish here — but if any of them are to survive, it will be on account of their own wit and luck, for Saruman has betrayed them and sold them out to Mordor.

The Ithil-stone139

CHAPTER 6140aftermathIf the survivors return to Isengard, then depending on circumstances, they may find Saruman to be a changed individual. He has fallen from the path of wisdom — but was this a slow and inevitable decline, or a misfortune born out of pride, or even misplaced courage?inevitable despairIf Saruman’s final Shadow is 16 or more, then later events transpire as related in The Lord of the Rings. Saruman comes to the conclusion that the Enemy cannot be defeated, and that therefore the wisest course of action is to ally with the Shadow. (“We can bide our time, we can keep our thoughts in our hearts, deploring maybe evils done by the way, but approving the high and ultimate purpose: Knowledge, Rule, Order; all the things that we have so far striven in vain to accomplish, hindered rather than helped by our weak or idle friends.”)In the years to come, the Wizard consolidates his power. If his Shadow is 20 or less, then the Player-heroes are offered places at his side in Isengard or sent as his agents to courts around the land. They likely end up as creatures like Gríma Wormtongue. Those he suspects of insufficient loyalty are dismissed from his service — but he invites them to send SARUMAN OF MANY COLOURS, REVEALEDCunning, Lordly, TraitorousATTRIBUTE LEVEL12ENDURANCE100MIGHT2HATE12PARRY+1ARMOUR1COMBAT PROFICIENCIES: Wizard’s Staff 4 (4/14, Knockback*)* The attack knocks back the target. Halve the total Endurance loss caused by the attack (rounding fractions up). A character who is knocked back must spend their next main action recovering their fighting position.FELL ABILITIES: A Mind of Metal and Wheels. Saruman is not affected by the Intimidate Foes combat task.Combat Sorcerer. Once per round, Saruman can cast his Dreadful Spells in place of one of his attacks. If he does so, he can cast the spell without expending Hate.Cunning Mind. While inside Orthanc, Saruman cannot be surprised and all his rolls are Favoured.Devilry of Saruman. Once per round, spend 1 Hate to cause a grievous Endurance loss from fire to one Playerhero engaged with Saruman, and a severe Endurance loss from fire to all other Player-heroes either in a Close Combat stance or Rearward stance (Loremaster’s choice). Targets who lose at least 1 Endurance are also set on fire, suffering a moderate Endurance loss at the end of each combat round, unless they put out the fire as their main action for the round.Dreadful Spells: The Voice of Saruman. Once per round, spend 1 Hate to make all Player-heroes who can hear Saruman gain 4 Shadow points (Sorcery). The WISDOM roll is Ill-favoured. Those who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable are enthralled and cannot attack Saruman for the rest of the fight, or until they suffer any Endurance loss. Those who fail their Shadow test and are Miserable suffer the same effects, and must spendtheir next main action to attack another Player-hero of the Loremaster’s choice (in any combat stance, including Rearward). Use the higher of the attacker’s Strength TN and the target’s Parry as the TN for the attack, and ignore any stance modifiers for this attack; the Loremaster chooses the weapon used for the attack and how to spend any Success icons ( ).A successful AWE or PERSUADE roll from a Player-hero who is not enthralled (and who must spend their main action to do so) breaks the enchantment.Dreadful Spells: The Will of Saruman. Once per round, spend 1 Hate to restore 1 Hate to all Saruman’s allies and make all Player-heroes in the fight gain 3 Shadow points (Sorcery). The WISDOM roll is Illfavoured. Those who fail their Shadow test or who are Miserable are Weary for the rest of the fight. Those who fail their Shadow test and are Miserable suffer the same effects, and cannot Harden Will for the rest of the fight.Dwimmer-crafty. If Saruman is not surprised, opening volleys against him are not possible, he acts first during each round of combat, and all attack rolls against him are Ill-favoured.Istar. Spend 1 Hate to cancel a Wound. When an attack inflicts damage to Saruman that would cause him to go to zero Endurance, it causes a Piercing Blow instead. Then, if Saruman is still alive, his Endurance score is set back at half its maximum rating.

The Ithil-stone141their children to Isengard for fostering and education, when they are ready.If Saruman’s Shadow is 21 or more, then he likely eliminates the surviving Player-heroes — he invites them to dine with him in the gardens of Isengard, just as he did when they first arrived to serve him all those years ago… but this time, the wine is poisoned. Should the Player-heroes become aware of the plot, Saruman will be forced to confront them directly.Saruman is assisted by one Black Uruk Soldier for each Player-hero, plus the Uruk-captain Gurthaur (use the stats of Baugrim and his soldiers, on page 66).hope unlooked-forIf Saruman’s final Shadow is 15 or less, then the players are to be commended — they have achieved an astoundingly unlikely deed, and saved the White Wizard from his own folly. And what are the consequences of this? With Saruman unfallen, then Gandalf is there to escort Frodo to Rivendell, and there is no knife in the dell at Weathertop. With no threat from Isengard and Dunland, with no Wormtongue whispering poison in Theoden’s ear, then Rohan’s full strength can be put to the aid of Minas Tirith. Maybe the knowledge of that stalwart ally puts Boromir’s fears to rest enough that he can resist the temptation of the Ring, and the Fellowship is never broken. Maybe it is Saruman the White who holds the gates of the city against the Witch-king, while Gandalf Greyhame helps guide Frodo into Mordor. Think on it! Prince Theodred riding to the defence of the White City with Boromir! Denethor, the last steward, solemnly surrendering his authority to the King Elessar and retiring with honour from his post. So much suffering would be spared… and the Shire would never be scoured.And at the end, at the Grey Havens — Saruman and Gandalf would ride to the last ship together, and return to the West. There would be no need for the Ringbearer to seek healing, and he might instead enjoy the fruits of his victory in the Shire.All this might come to pass though — if the deeds of the Player-heroes are enough to move the heart of Ilúvatar.epilogue: the last questionPick one of the surviving Player-heroes — ideally, the one who was most closely aligned with Saruman over the course of the campaign. Many years later, in the Year 3017 of the Third Age, that Player-hero hears a knock at their door. Gandalf the Grey stands on the threshold. He has travelled far and fast, on an urgent errand, but still he turns aside to ask one key question of the Player-hero.“For many years, you served Saruman. You know his mind as well as any living soul — and I need his wisdom and his Ring-lore more than ever. Tell me truthfully — can the White Wizard be trusted?”

indexAAdmiral’s Helm, The 94Admiral’s Sword, The 94Ancient Tower, The 50–52BBlack Glen, The 100Black Shadow, The 136Blasting Powder 82, 118–119, 136Bree 76–77CCair Andros 123Cormallen, the Forest of. See Forest of Cormallen, TheCrow Hall 27–28, 79Crypt of the Smiths, The 109–112DDimrill Gate, The 104Doors of Durin, The 104EEast-gate, The 104Elendilmir, The 69Enedwaith 43–44Eordscrafa, The 36–37Eye Awareness 116FForest of Cormallen, The 127GGirdle of Usapthon, The 85Goblin-cave, The 105Gore, The 43Gorge of Lamentation, The 43HHarper’s Hall, The 68–69Haunted Forest, The. See Girdle of Usapthon, TheHouse of Chimneys, The 58–59IImlad Morgul. See Morgul Vale, TheIsengard 12–16, 23- Ruin of Isengard, The 17–18Isildur, Treasures of. See Treasures of IsildurIthilien 127–130KKathuphazgân, The 42, 46, 55, 90LLedge of Woe, The 63–65Lond Daer 79MMagolach 87Minas Ithil 131Minas Morgul 131, 133Morgul Vale, The 131–133Moria 62–73, 103–113OOld Road, The 43Orthanc 14RRing of the Smith, The 112SSaruman 8–12, 23, 39, 42, 55, 72, 80, 95, 98, 102, 117, 138–141- Choices of Saruman, Part I, The 39- Choices of Saruman, Part II, The 55- Choices of Saruman, Part III, The 72- Choices of Saruman, Part IV, The 95- Choices of Saruman, Part V, The 113- Choices of Saruman, Final Part, The 138- Fall of Saruman, The 17–18- Roleplaying Saruman 11- Saruman as a Patron 10Silent Lands, The. See EnedwaithStar of Elendil, The. See Elendilmir, TheTTodden 46–48, 79Tomb of the Admiral, The 91–94Tower of the Moon, The. See Minas IthilTreasures of Isildur 69UUsapthon, the Girdle of. See Girdle of Usapthon, TheWWest-gate, The 104Wetwang, The 122LOREMASTER CHARACTERS AND ADVERSARIESAAlagoson the Smuggler 124Arcinyas the Healer 58, 65BBalrog, The 113Bar 16Baugrim 66Baugrim’s Black Uruks. See Black Uruk SoldierBeast of Dunland, The 38Beithir, The 45Beric Ashworth 78Black Uruk Soldier 66, 130, 141Boromir 124, 127Bugrag 61CCaelur the Minstrel 25, 58Corsairs of Umbar 78Cradoc, Old 47DDera 43Drustan the Mercenary 58Dunlending Thieves 43Dunrach, Captain of the Guard 27Dunwalla 30Durin’s Bane. See Balrog, TheEEdlenneth the Guard-Captain 16Erkenspere 43FFinir the Mastersmith 108GGambold 61Gandalf the Grey 141Giants 62Gildor Inglorion 52Gleodwyn 36Gorgol, Son of Bolg 107, 112Gorsad Crowlord 29, 80Great Eagles 71Gurnow 83Gurthaur 82, 141HHeledirien 129Hill-troll 130Huorns 100Húrin Snowhair 125KKinir the Ring-wight 112LLightroot 84, 99Lug, the Lord of the Lash 86MMagga 49Marsh-dwellers 84Midgewater Meg 77Minon the Ranger 77NNambar, the Sea-prince 46, 52, 78Nambaz 78Nazgûl. See RingwraithNeb 16Nerek, Captain 86Nidi the Treasure-hunter 65, 100PPestle 104RRaiders from Dunland 120Ranger of Ithilien 129Redtooth 62Ringwraith 66, 71, 136SSaruman of Many Colours, Revealed 140Scepa the Shepherd 34Sea-prince Guard 51Sellic 48, 78Shelob 137Snow-troll. See Beast of Dunland, TheTTabarn the Doorward 16Toirlas 35, 80Treebeard 98UUlfwart 78Urien Blackthorn 80Usapthon 87, 88VVila 30, 81WWatcher in the Water, The 104ZZoril 87TABLESBattle Outcome 81Encounters in Ithilien 128Encounters in the Wetwang 122Encounters on the Open River 121Morgul Vale Encounters 134Moria Hazards 73Moria Locations 72Revelation Episodes East of the Anduin 126Revelation Episodes West of the Anduin 116Wonders of Enedwaith 44

saruman’s shadow scorethe beast of dunland SHADOW TALLYFixed amount (see The Fall of Saruman, on page page 17) +1/2/3The Player-heroes committed Misdeeds collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more +1Vila is not sent to Isengard +1Scepa is killed +1Saruman loses influence over Crow Hall (Toirlas takes credit for slaying the beast, or remains under the influence of Dunrach and Dunwalla) +2the sea-prince of the shore SHADOW TALLYFixed amount +1/2/3The Player-heroes committed Misdeeds collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more +1The Player-heroes fail to discover the origin of the Sea-prince +1Gildor falls into the hands of the Númenóreans +2The Player-heroes bring Saruman the Sea-prince’s blue ring +1the disaster of the gladden fields SHADOW TALLYFixed amount +1/2/3The Player-heroes committed Misdeeds collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more +1Arcinyas is left behind +1The Company fails to recover the Elendilmir +2The Player-heroes accept the House of Chimneys as a boon +1The Company brings the bones back to Isengard. (If Saruman reaches Shadow 9 or more, this triggers the event The Burning of the Bones (page page 18). —there let them lie until the end SHADOW TALLYFixed amount +1/2/3The Player-heroes committed Misdeeds collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more +1One or both of Usapthon or Zoril survive +1The Kathuphazgân survives +2The Ents learn of Saruman’s blasting powder +1the quest of moria SHADOW TALLYFixed amount +1/2/3The Player-heroes committed Misdeeds collectively worth 4 Shadow points or more +1None of Balin’s company survive +1Finir is slain +1The Player-heroes bring the Ring of the Smiths back to Saruman +2the ithil-stone SHADOW TALLYThe Player-heroes refuse the quest +10