Words of the Wise RPG, Adventure Session 1 Review

On the 1st of April in the Third Age 2948 in Middle Earth, it was time for the First Hunt of Spring. Hunting parties gathered inside the gates of Rhosgobel’s wooden palisade, a crowd gathered to celebrate the occasion and wish for a bountiful day. Children laughed and screamed as they chased each other through the assembled throng. Dogs barked in excitement, eager to be off. Woodsmoke added a pungent texture to the crisp morning air. In front of the gates, the chiefs of the village’s most prominent families drew their conversation to a close and bid each other good hunting. As they returned to the parties they are leading, the gates are unbarred and swung open to the sound of hunting horns and the cheers of the settlement. The cheering continued as the Woodmen departed on the first hunt of the year. Your company took its place in the procession, following Amalric, the leader of your party. Once you were outside the palisade he led you east, towards the forest. The day was overcast and dew was thick on the grass as you approached Mirkwood. The world had the feel of having not yet fully woken up. The Woodmen seemed in good spirits, competing with ever more outrageous claims of what they would bring back to the village at the end of the day. The hounds raced ahead, chasing each other through the meadow, periodically returning as though demanding that you try to keep up with them."

On the way into Mirkwood, your company walked alongside Amalric, his brother Evoric, Heva the wood-maiden, and Thorismund, a sad-faced hunter with grey hair. Bain tried to invite Thorismund into their company for an adventure, but the mention of last year's journey to Dol Guldur made him upset and he remained distant. Once under the eaves, the hunting party followed deer trails until they came upon tracks that led to a clearing where several deer were spotted. Amalric and his Woodmen chose to pursue the stag, while Dulindaer and the rest of you pursued three does. After spooking the deer accidentally, the chase led you on until you were able to drop two of the deer by bow. Soon afterwards, a hunting horn sounded nearby in a frantic signal of danger. You scouted the situation and found that the others had been attacked by 8 orcs. After a quick but fierce fight, you killed the orcs. Unfortunately Balgleir was wounded, and Evoric was badly hurt with several arrows in his side.

As soon as possible, your hunting party moved back toward Rhosgobel, seeking the protection of the Brown Hay, the magical hedge around the village. On the way back, Avina noticed tracks of almost two score of orcs that had passed to the north earlier. When arriving in Rhosgobel, you heard word from other parties that some had been attacked as well by orcs. Your company made a report to Radagast, who was concerned enough about the orcs being seen in Mirkwood again that he wrote a letter to the Elven-king Thranduil and delivered it to you to take on a mission to him of great importance. He muttered about the danger of the Beast of Mirkwood and a secret of the Woodmen that is able to keep the darkness of Mirkwood at bay. Some of you sought out the head chieftain, the Eagle, to gather information, while others asked Thorismund about the secret. The companions learned it was a special light called the Lamp of Balthi which hangs in the Great Hall of Woodmen-Town. After the wizardly influence of Radagast is felt, healing was extraordinarily effective. Everyone gets some rest.