Whispers in the Stone

Session Overview

Session number: 2 Title: Whispers in the Stone Date: April 2, 2965 TA Location(s): Starting in Bree Journey Length: 3 hexes Fellowship phase? yes

Major Events & Turning Points

The session started with a discussion with Balin who gave the fellowship the Rune Key which he obtained from Eledan Thornfoot, who found it in some old stone ruins in the South Downs along the Greenway. Prior to leaving Bree, Baran and Kadran approached them to offer thanks for their lives and promised any help they could offer whenever they desired. The party undertook a journey, with Studs as guide, and proceeded without incident.

Upon arrival to the south downs, the party quickly found the stone ruins. Studs ran around the outside, recognizing something familiar, but never really able to figure it out. All felt a sense of watchfulness, but not malice. As they investigated the ruins, Falm was able to discern the layout of the space. Goewen searched a cairn outside and discovered an old letter written to a family in Bree. The letter contained a pendant of unclear purpose, but was Goewen returned the letter and the pendant to the descendants of the original intended recipient.

Damirror and Flam cautiously approached the ruins, weary for any surprises or hidden foes. Darmirror caught brief glimpses of an unseen presence and possibly flickers of what the stones used to be, but nothing more. Falm noticed the carvings around the interior of dwarves and men, clearly celebrating peace and prosperity between the races. Eventually, while approaching the hearth, 3 ghostly figures emerged and stood looking down at the party. The were not threatening, but not accepting, either. Numerous attempts were made to communicate with the spirts to no avail. Goewen did learn their identity, or at least that of the captain, when showing them the letter and pendant, which confirmed the identity of Captain Heridon, who had commanded this fort many years ago. Eventually Flam drew out the Rune Key which caused the figures to stand tall and eventually to relax. Damirror learned that this was one of his ancient kinsman, a man of the north, and two of his scout. He learned of the fall of the fort to treachery from the neighboring kingdom and the oath sworn by the faithful captain and his scouts to guard this cache until other returned worthy to take on the task. The presence of another loyal man of the north, a dunedain, together with the rune key, reassured Captain Heriden that his task was complete and he could finally rest.

After the departure of the spirits, the party continued to look through out the entire structure, but it wasn't until they dug in the hearth that the uncovered the hidden cache. They opened the box and discover much more than they ever dreamed- they found the underside marked by the start of Feonor. This clearly dated back much further than the fall of Arnor, and instead likely predated the coming of the men of Numenor, possibly back to the Second Age and the time of Eregion. They found three ancient scrolls inside, along with a box with a Jewel. They discovered the scrolls to be written by Celebrimbor and Narvi themselves, but could not make out much else beyond a diagram of a ring. While they were still searching for traps or other overlooked things, they heard the sound of metal on metal and the approach of marching feet.

Goewen quickly slipped on her stealthy cloak and caught a quick glimpse outside of a small band of Orcs approaching. She managed to get a shot off when Studs came running out in a desperate attempt to distract the orc band to buy the fellowship some time. The orc archer immediately shot at Studs, but missed, maybe due to his brave but foolhardy ploy, allowing Goewen to get off another shot and kill the archer. A brief but violent hand to hand battle commenced, with Flam aquiting himself well with his axe, but oddly, Damirror struggling to hold his own. Eventually all Orcs were dead, Flam gathered the ears he could, and the party returned to Bree.

Back in Bree, they showed what they found in Celebrimbor's vault to Balin, who was awestruck. He was able to tell the party that this is a fragment of the information needed to craft a new ring of power, featuring the Jewel of Narvi, which would unify Elves and Dwarves in a spirit of creativity and endurance that would be a great blessing to all of Middle Earth. Balin wants nothing more than to find more information about the fragments. He suspects that more might be discovered at Ost-in-edhil, the ancient city of Celebrimbor and the famed Elven forges. Balin also knows that to forge this ring he needs one other thing, mithril, and also knows the only place to find it, Moria.

Player Spotlight

Damirror (Ranger): Calmed the spirits of Barad Celen

Goewen (Elf): Returned a letter and alerted the party to orcs

Flam (Dwarf of Durin's Folk): discovered the vault of Celebrimbor

Studs Terkel (Hobbit): Caught glimpses of home and managed to dodge an orc arrow

Mechanical Tracking

Advancement Points Awarded: 3 each

Shadow Points Gained (and by whom): none

Conditions (e.g. weary, wounded): none

Hope Points Gained or Spent: none

Threads to Follow Up On

  1. Baran and Kadran have offered help
  2. The family Noakes are looking for their relatives journal that might reveal more of the pendant they entrusted to Goewen.
  3. Search for the remaining fragment(s) that hold the secret of the crafting of the Ring of Accord
  4. Will Balin really ask them to go to Moria?!