The One Ring, Strider Mode: Episode 5

The journey is over, so the first thing I’ll do is make one more Travel check to see if Ûrdis clears any fatigue. This will be more difficult since Ûrdis is weary. Not even close, Ûrdis is still weary.

As Ûrdis and Bella trudge across the causeway, they can see the crumbling remnants of towers on either side of the river, and a massive castle that is also in dire need of repair. Directly ahead, however, is a freshly built gatehouse. A squat, ugly thing, but clearly manned by two armed soldiers.
“I thought you said this was place was a ruin,” mutters Bella as the guards notice them.
“It is a ruin,” Ûrdis whispers back. “That is not the same as abandoned.
As they reach the gatehouse, one of the soldiers approaches, with the swagger that small-minded Men have when they wield unearned authority. The other holds a pike in his hand, and his expression says he has used it before.

“Halt,” says the first guard, “and state your business, by order of Captain of the Haven.”
Ûrdis dislikes the man’s tone, but she has no reason to start a fight. “My name is Farril,” she says, giving an alias that has served her well in the past. “This is my companion—”
“Llewella Hornblower,” Bella chimes in with maybe a bit too much enthusiasm. “My friends call me Lew.”
“Right,” says the guard, his eyes suspicious. “I ask again, what business does an elf and a halfling have in Tharbad?”
“We are seeking a company of Dwarves who may have passed this way,” replies Ûrdis. “They have taken something of ours.” Over the years, she has found that Men are more likely to trust a story about grudges than anything else.
“Very well. First, you must pay the toll.” He gestures to a sign over the gatehouse that lists a number of rules set in place by Captain Gurnow. The fifth reads “Tolls must be Paid by Peddlars, Merchants, Tinker-smiths, Treasure Hunters, Knights-errant, Messengers and all other Strangers.”
“Very well,” Ûrdis says, and fishes a number of coins out of her purse to pay their way. “Where might we find lodging?” The guard gives directions to the Bridge Inn, and lets them on their way.
The outer district of the city is mainly ruins and overgrown fields, filled with sheep and goats contentedly grazing between the remains of the outer wall and the slightly better maintained inner wall.

Has Ûrdis been to Tharbad before? I’ll say it has middling chances, and roll on the Telling Table. The dice say no.

Ûrdis is in a foul mood as they enter the city itself. With their hoods drawn, they pass for a woman and child, and so avoid anymore suspicious glances. Even so, the people of Tharbad look uneasy. Ûrdis nods at the tall tower looming in front of them. “That,” she mutters, “once guarded the mightiest structures west of the Misty Mountains. Even in the Golden Wood, we heard tell of the Great Bridge of Tharbad. Now, nothing but dusty ruin and greedy Men.”
Bella glances up at her with concern written across her brows. “You don’t think much of them, do you?”
Ûrdis sniffs as she avoids a muddy puddle, if mud is truly what is in it. “I have met some incredible Men in my time,” she admits. “People of valor and wisdom. I suspect that this Captain Gurnow is not one of them.”
The Bridge Inn turns out to be the crumbling remains of what was once a grand house, perhaps a mansion, directly in the shadow of the tower. Bella glances back at the tower, as if worried it may fall and crush the inn, but follows dutifully.
“WELCOME to the BRIDGE INN!” One of the largest men Ûrdis has ever seen bellows in their ears as soon as they pass through the doorway, his broken-toothed mouth frozen in a ghastly grin. “I’m always DELIGHTED to have NEW GUESTS!”
The Man introduces himself, with fearful enthusiasm, as Timothy Titus, proprietor of the Bridge Inn. Once they have ascertained that he is not actually attempting to murder them, they are able to hire a room and dinner.

We’ll take one Prolonged Rest, which clears a single point of Fatigue. Ûrdis is no longer weary, but is still burdened.

The room is small, with a single bed. It is very large, but certainly big enough to accommodate one elf and one hobbit. Hardly unusual sleeping arrangements, but as they brush the travel dust off their clothes and get ready to sleep, Ûrdis feels intensely aware of their nearness.
That night, in bed, Ûrdis listens to the sound of Bella’s breathing. The scent of the oil that the hobbit works through her hair each night fills her nostrils.
The next morning, Bella notices how uncomfortable Ûrdis has become. “Well,” she says, as they eat a surprisingly well-made breakfast in the inn’s common room, “here we are. I’ve got Brandy to find, and you have your mission, right?”
Ûrdis nods, pushing some toast around her plate. The two part ways in awkward silence.

To find out how to get information on Rakdo among the streets of Tharbad, I’ll make a Scan roll. It’s a favored skill, and I’ll invoke her Keen-Eyed feature to gain inspiration and spend a Hope point to take an extra 2d. I rolled a Gandalf rune plus two sixes, which makes this a massive and magical success, which I guess means I don’t use up that Hope point? I’ll spend the Successes to go quietly and make haste, so it happens quickly.

Ûrdis covers her ears with her hood and walks through the marketplace in town, eyes and ears attuned to gossip. As she goes, the shadows she steps into darken, hiding her presence from most.
Suddenly and unlooked for, she spies a familiar face in the crowd; a Ranger named Gwilleth, dressed in the livery of Gurnow’s guards.

Gwilleth is a character mentioned in Ruins of the Lost Realm who seems appropriate as somebody Ûrdis would be friendly with. What is Ûrdis and Gwilleth’s history? Action: Restore. Aspect: Open.

Several decades before, Ûrdis had happened upon Gwilleth after she had been separated from other Rangers in hostile country. The two traveled together for a time, and parted ways amiably.
Ûrdis makes an old Dúnedain birdcall from her watchful spot in a doorway. Gwilleth stops, and quickly walks over, her face betraying no surprise or confusion.
Once close enough, Ûrdis pulls back her hood enough for Gwilleth to recognize her. The two clasp hands in greeting. “What are you doing here?” whispers Gwilleth.
“I might ask the same of you, my friend. Why is a Ranger of the North masquerading as a common thug?”
Gwilleth sighs self-deprecatingly. “I’ll be happy to tell you all I know and more, but not here. Meet me in two hours, at the large pit to the East. You wont be able to miss it.”

True to her word, it doesn’t take long for Ûrdis to find the so-called Ghost Pit. Near the walls is a large circle of land with no grass, no grazing animals, not even the call of a bird or the buzzing of insects. At the center is a sunken, muddy spot of Earth. Nobody sane would come here casually. After a short waiting time, Gwilleth appears near an old home whose windows and doors are entirely filled with bricks.
“I am here on assignment,” explains the Ranger. “The self-proclaimed Captain is a bandit warlord who has claimed Tharbad for himself. The Rangers wanted him watched, so I have been his tracker.” Gurnow’s leadership of the city has kept it safe, but isolated; residents are not permitted to leave, and outsiders are heavily taxed.
Ûrdis then explains her own purpose; a creature called Rakdo appears to have discovered an ancient Elven artifact, and was last seen near Tharbad.

To figure out where Rakdo might be, I’ll ask a few Telling Table questions. First, is he still in the area around Tharbad? That seems Doubtful, and the die confirms it. Next, which direction has he gone? I’ll say 1-3 means East, 4-6 South, 7-9 West, 10-12 North. East, which leads towards the Misty Mountains, and Ûrdis’s birthplace.

“Yes,” said Gwilleth, “we heard of this Rakdo. He and a group of orcs were raiding the roads into the city, but eventually moved on. The last tracks of them I found were headed East, into the Swanfleet Marshes.”
And towards Eregion, her homeland. “Thank you, old friend. Be safe.”

Now, how is Bella doing? I’d say it’s Likely that she ran into some trouble, but the die say no. In that case, did she find information on Brandy? With Middling chances, the answer is yes.

Ûrdis returns to the inn, her mood more clouded than before. If Rakdo is heading towards Eregion, this lends credence to the claim that he really has the Dagorcalma, or some equally dangerous creation. Tracking him across the marshes would also be difficult; a warband of orcs could trample through the muck and their traces would vanish quickly.
Before long, Bella arrives as well, all in a tizzy. “Ûr—! I mean, Ferril, he was here! Brandy was here!”
Ûrdis pricks her ears up, allowing herself to get distracted from her current difficulty. “And? What’s the word?”

What is the word? Rolling on the Lore Table to find out. Action: Threaten. Aspect: Fierce.

“Well, the dwarves he was with didn’t get on too well with Captain Gurnow’s men. There was a full-on brawl, in fact. Broke more than a few kneecaps of those guards, apparently. Anyway, afterwards the Captain told the dwarves that if they ever came back he’d have them strung up by their thumbs, so they all made off.”
“And Brandy?”

Is he still in Tharbad? Yes.

“Well, Brandy, he was always smart. Read lots of old books in the library at Great Smials. When Captain Gurnow found out he’d picked up a bit of some old dead language, he sent Brandy to a big old library on the South side of the river. He might still be there now!”
Ûrdis pauses to take this information in. An expedition into the fens can’t be taken lightly; she’ll need time to prepare. And when she looks into Bella’s eyes, she cannot help but wish to aid her. And perhaps the library may have information that could help with her understanding of Dagorcalma?
“Very well. We will cross the river tomorrow, and look for your friend.”

It occurs to me that Captain Gurnow may have noticed an elf and a hobbit entering his city. I’d say it’s likely that he’ll try something. The telling table says yes.

Ûrdis and Bella pass some time in the marketplace, stocking up on supplies and “souvenirs” for Bella’s family back home. Unfortunately for the vendors, Bella is a ruthless haggler, and before long she has filled up her pack with various trinkets.
As the sun begins to set, two armed Men approach them; Ûrdis recognizes one as the guard who collected the toll when the first entered the city.
“The Captain of the Haven requests your attendance for dinner tonight,” says the familiar guard, his voice bored.
Ûrdis and Bella exchange glances. Over the past day they have each heard a great deal about Captain Gurnow, little of it good. As if sensing their hesitation, the other guard casually rests his hand on his sword hilt.
Bella smiles. “How could we possibly refuse?”

Ûrdis and Bella have already seen the so-called Red Palace many times during their wandering through Tharbad. By the standards of this ruined city, it is immeasurably grand, but it too is starting to crumble from age and neglect. However, Ûrdis can’t help but admire the masterful statues that guard the entrance, and notes Bella’s awe with bemusement.
If the exterior is fading, the interior is spoiled. The walls do little to keep out the damp that pervades the city, and the remains of dog-gnawed food scraps molder in the corners.
They are eventually led to a large feasting hall, which they hear before they see. The voices of drunken Men echo across the stone chamber, along with the growling and barking of hunting hounds.

At the front table sits a large, older Man who can only be Captain Gurnow. Bearded and balding, he sips from a large goblet with amusement on his face as he watches the others feasting. Next to him is a woman dressed in finery, her face a careful mask of quiet dignity; his wife, Lady Stock. Ûrdis spies Gwilleth at one of the side tables, and the two exchange a brief glance before pretending to be total strangers.
As they approach the table, Gurnow leans forward and looks the pair up and down. “So, you must be Farril. And this little lady is Llewella Hornblower, correct?”
Ûrdis nods, and bows politely. “That is correct, Lord Captain. We thank you for your hospitality.” Bella curtsies, only slightly exaggerating the movement.
Gurnow grunts in satisfaction at the show of respect. “I welcome you to Tharbad; I hope your stay here will be pleasant.” With formalities out of the way, he gestures to two open seats at either end of the high table, one of which has a wooden box placed upon the seat.

What does Gurnow want with them? Action: Leave. Aspect: Fell. Interesting.

The food is surprisingly well-made despite most of the diners’ poor table manners; Bella dives in with gusto. After several minutes of dry talk about the state of the roads and the progress of Tharbad’s finances, Lord Gurnow turns to Ûrdis. “I’ll be honest with you, it has been a long time since an elf has come around here. Some might say that it is an ill omen.”
Ûrdis feigns a smile. “I apologize for any consternation I may have caused. It was not my intention.”
“Of course not,” says Lady Stock, making eye contact with Ûrdis for the first time. “And yet, trouble seems to follow in the wake of your kind.”
It is impossible not to notice the scorn in the lady’s voice, but Ûrdis ignores it. She has been called worse things. “I assure you, I bring no such thing. And we will depart as soon as our business is concluded.”
“And what business might that be? Besides skulking in the shadows?” Gurnow’s eyes narrow, and Ûrdis realizes that she has underestimated this Man. Honesty may very well be the best policy here.

I don’t think I’ll use the Council rules here because they are confusing, so instead I’ll make a Courtesy check, and spend a Hope as well. Success!

Ûrdis thinks for a moment, and chooses her words carefully. “You are clearly well-informed, my lord. I am here hunting a beast that has been spotted near your lands, a creature by the name of Rakdo. My skulking has found that he has fled into the Swanfleet. By your leave, I will leave as soon as I am able, to resume the hunt.”
This seems to satisfy Gurnow. “Ah, a hunter then. Very well; you are welcome to stay another night, and then be on your way.” Not nearly as much time as she hoped for, but it would suffice. “And you, Miss Hornblower? Are you also hunting this beast?”
Bella looks up from a meatpie, and quickly dabs off her lips before speaking. “Yes. Well, no, your lordship. Farril and I met on the road, you see. But I’m actually here looking for… a friend.”
Gurnow strokes his beard thoughtfully. “Ah, that wouldn’t happen to be that queer halfling that rode in with those dwarves some weeks ago?”
“Yes sir! I actually heard tell that he might be working at the library?”
“Aye. When I heard he spoke the Old Tongue I gave him over to old Agna, across the river. Least I can do for Tharbad’s librarian.” His lips curl as he says those words, and he exchanges a chilly glance with his wife. This appears to have been a point of contention.
Bella visibly bristles at the phrasing that her friend was “given” to this Agna. “He’s no slave or prisoner, he’s a free hobbit of the Shire!”
Ûrdis shoots a warning glance at Bella from across the table. “So you say,” quips Gurnow. “But he clearly has value. Tell me, what is his freedom worth to you?”
Bella splutters at the bold-faced demand for ransom. Before she can reply, Gurnow continues. “I say we strike a bargain. There’s another beast lurking in the Swanfleet. The folks that dwell there call it the Ghost Bird. Can’t have something like that scaring off merchants and honest folk. Bring me its head, and you and your friend are free to go.”
This time Ûrdis speaks up. “I beg your pardon, but B— Llewella is no warrior.”
“Good thing she has you then, isn’t it?”

And with that, I have officially caught up to where I am now. As Ûrdis and Bella journey into the Swanfleet marshes together, I will post their continued adventures here. Thank you for reading!