LotR - Adventure - Relics of the Dead (Decipher) (Decipher).pdf - Adventure - Dihercen

T HE R ELICS OF

THE D EAD

An Adventure For

The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game

A UTHOR : Kevin Madison

D EVELOPMENT : Jeff Tidball

This adventure is for use with The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game, published by Decipher, Inc. It is made freely available

in PDF format on the web through Decipher’s web presence at www.decipher.com and other sites, and may not be posted in

other locations without permission.

Towers, and the characters and places therin, are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises under

retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

T HE R ELICS OF THE D EAD

T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS R OLEPLAYING G AME

T HE R ELICS OF THE D EAD

‘The Relics of the Dead’ is an adventure for three to five characters, either newly created

or with one or two advancements. It could easily be adapted to handle characters of greater

experience by adding advancements to the heroes’ opponents. It will be helpful if the

fellowship includes one character with tracking ability and someone who speaks Dunlendish,

but neither is essential to the success of the adventure. The scenario takes place in north-west

Rohan, near where the Riddermark meets the southernmost tip of the Misty Mountains. It is

set in the year 3008 of the Third Age, ten years before the start of the War of the Ring, but

could be changed to any year between the time of Saruman’s corruption and the start of the

war in TA 3018.

‘The Relics of the Dead’ has been intentionally written in a loose format, without maps or

an inflexible structure, so individual Narrators can customise it to suit their players and

chronicles more easily. All combat statistics are found at the end of the scenario, rather than

interspersed in the encounters.

S YNOPSIS

The adventure begins with a series of Dunlending raids on the homesteads of the

Rohirrim of the north-west Riddermark. While raids by the Dunlendings are nothing new to

most of Rohan, Hill-men have never raided the area where the adventure is set with such

consistency and ferocity. In addition, the Dunlending attackers have been using unusual

weapons of a make unlike those they traditionally use. The characters are brought into the

adventure to discover the motive behind the raids and the source of the unusual weapons.

Their investigations lead them into the foothills and sparse forests at the tip of the Misty

Mountains where they encounter a group of injured Dunlendings whose leader, Rurik, reveals

that they were wounded in battle with a rival clan led by a man named Camrynn. Rurik

explains that Camrynn came to the region recently and allied himself with a powerful sorcerer.

Through this ally’s magic, Camrynn has managed to banish the ghost of King Beogrin, who

inhabited the ruins of an ancient Dunlending stronghold dating from before the defeat of

Sauron. With the ghost gone, Camrynn and his clan have taken residence in the stronghold

and armed themselves with its cache of ancient weapons.

Unfortunately, the ghost was not destroyed, only banished from the stronghold, and has

been taking out its murderous frustration on the surrounding Dunlending clans. Rurik had

gone to Camrynn, hoping to persuade him (by force if necessary) to abandon the stronghold.

Unfortunately, Camrynn’s forces were far stronger than his, and he was forced to flee. Rurik

provides the fellowship with directions to the ruined stronghold.

On the way to the camp, the characters are visited by the ghost in the dead of night. It

attacks any Dunlendings among them and tries to place any sword it can get its hands on in

the empty scabbard on its belt.

Upon reaching the stronghold, the characters must use stealth or guile to sneak into the

Dunlending camp. They must recover the sword from Camrynn’s waist and replace it in the

—2—

T HE R ELICS OF THE D EAD

T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS R OLEPLAYING G AME

ghost’s tomb. As soon as this is done, the ghost rushes into the camp and begins to slaughter

the Dunlendings, starting with Camrynn’s lackey, the hedge wizard Lod. This provides a

distraction so the PCs can make their escape, but leaves them with the question of who

Camrynn’s sorcerous ally was, seeing as Lod was clearly unable to control the ghost with his

own meagre abilities.

B EHIND THE S CENES

Camrynn’s clan is one of many Saruman is gathering to his fold. It was the White Wizard

who banished the ghost from the stronghold, and set the Dunlendings raiding the Rohirrim.

T HE S TORY OF B EOGRIN

Beogrin was a warrior king who ruled a modest kingdom at the base of the Misty

Mountains before the fall of Sauron at the end of the Second Age. His people were among

those who would eventually become the Dunlendings, though his subjects were more skilled at

metalworking than their descendants would be. Beogrin’s closest advisor was a noble named

Ethrog. Over time, Ethrog grew jealous of Beogrin and overthrew him. He seized control of

the court, stole Beogrin’s sword of office, and—unwilling to kill his former friend

outright—had Beogrin imprisoned.

Ethrog’s rule was despotic, and over time the people began to long for a return to

Beogrin’s rule. Fate intervened when Ethrog was accidentally killed while hunting. The people

freed Beogrin from his prison, presented him with his sword, and reinstated him as king. But

over the years of his imprisonment, Beogrin had nurtured a hatred of Ethrog, for usurping his

throne, and of the people, for doing nothing to prevent it. When he returned to power, by

then an old man, he undertook two grand projects. The first was to create an elaborate tomb

for himself, complete with a resting place for his sword, so that after his death no other would

ever take his place. The second was to spend his remaining years reigning as a bloody tyrant in

expression of his hatred for his people.

His hatred did not subside even with his death. It was not long after being entombed in

his sarcophagus that rumours of his vengeful apparition began to spread. Over time, all the

living inhabitants abandoned Beogrin’s stronghold to the malevolent phantom, and so it

remained until Camrynn’s coming.

G ETTING THE C HARACTERS I NVOLVED

A Narrator might get the PCs involved in many different ways. The most obvious would

be for characters in service of the Rohirrim to be sent to investigate the raids and deal with the

problem. Optionally, characters passing through the area might encounter a series of

abandoned or destroyed homesteads, then come to Gramburg, learn of the raids, and be

implored to investigate. A more unusual approach might involve a complete party of

Dunlendings seeking to put an end to the ghost’s attacks on their people.

—3—

T HE R ELICS OF THE D EAD

T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS R OLEPLAYING G AME

A N OTE ON C OMBAT

It is suggested that the Narrator follow the optional rule for Combat Pacing on page 270

of the core rulebook when carrying out combat in this adventure. Combat with Camrynn and

Lod should be resolved as normal, but the remainder of Camrynn’s Dunlendings should be

treated as one or two success opponents for the sake of dramatic pacing and character

survivability.

A CT I: A RRIVAL IN G RAMBURG

This scene opens with the characters’ arrival in Gramburg. Alternatively, the adventure

could begin with the characters’ arrival at a recently raided homestead, where they get involved

in a fight with some Dunlending raiders—one per PC—left behind by the main raiding group.

G RAMBURG

The hold of Gramburg is a small wooden hall surrounded by a wooden palisade with a

series of small stables and an underground larder. It sits atop a small hill amongst the gently

rolling stony lands at the feet of the Misty Mountains. It was first settled around TA 2690

when it was named after Gram, the eighth King of the Mark. It has been burned several times

in the past, but the current structure has stood for nearly 300 years, since the reign of

Folcwine, fourteenth King of the Mark.

Gramburg serves as a place of refuge for the inhabitants of the region in times of war, but

has not seen use in quite some time. It is normally garrisoned by ten mounted soldiers, 30 men

and women who support them, and Hild, the captain of Gramburg. Currently, however, all

the homesteads of the region have been abandoned and the hold has a refugee population of

over 100, living in tents both inside and outside the palisade walls. In addition, a makeshift

corral has been built and divided into sections for horses, cows, and goats.

At Gramburg, the PCs meet Hild. Hild is typical of the Rohirrim, with long blond hair, a

cropped beard, and chainmail armour. One distinguishing feature is his propensity to speak of

Gramburg in terms of its history. For example: ‘We have not known such strife since our

founding in the reign of Gram himself!’

If the characters mingle amongst the refugees, they can exercise their roleplaying skills

and hear tales of woe that bring them up to date on the events that have transpired.

Regardless of its source, information that can be obtained in Gramburg includes:

! The Dunlending attacks began two months ago and have continued, on average,

once every three weeks.

! Four homesteads have been raided thus far, of the twelve or so in the region.

! The Dunlendings fight with weapons of higher quality than is typical,

Dunlending metalworking being nowhere near as refined as that of the Rohirrim.

Hild has a sword taken from a scout that one of his men killed. On a TN 10

—4—

T HE R ELICS OF THE D EAD

T HE L ORD OF THE R INGS R OLEPLAYING G AME

Smithcraft or relevant Lore skill relating to the Dunlendings or Rohirrim, they

can discern that the sword dates from before the fall of Sauron.

! The leader of the raiders is an immense, bearded man who wields a large sword.

! The raiders are aided by a fearsome wild sorcerer.

! Scouts have been unable to discern where the Dunlending camp is located.

After the characters have asked all the questions they wish to in Gramburg, they are

provided with horses of Rohan (if they have none) and a week’s provisions. If the characters

ask for additional aid, Hild insists he cannot spare any of his men, lest the Dunlendings attack

Gramburg.

A CT II: S TRANGE E NCOUNTERS

The nearest destroyed homestead is 18 miles away across rough ground. Typical of

north-west homesteads, which focus on livestock rather than the crops of the southerly

regions, this homestead was built around a central structure, with a large corral for livestock

nearby. The Dunlendings have razed everything to the ground. Only burnt remnants of the

structures remain. A search of the wreckage reveals that the livestock were slaughtered rather

than carried off. Little else can be discerned from the ashes.

To pick up the raiders’ trail requires a TN 15 Track test. However, the Narrator should

tell the players that it is only a TN 10 Tracking test. If the PCs’ Track results in less than 15,

but more than 10, they have picked up a trail, but it leads them into an ambush prepared by

the Dunlendings. If they succeed in rolling a 15 or higher, they see the ambush for what it is,

and can choose to follow the obvious trail to the ambush, or follow the more cunningly

concealed trail towards the stronghold. To follow either trail, the characters cannot move

faster than a Trot, if mounted, or a Jog, if on foot.

There are two other important encounters that should occur before the PCs arrive at the

ruined stronghold. The first is with the Dunlendings led by Rurik, who can identify the leader

of the raiders. The second is with the ghost of Beogrin, the former lord of the stronghold.

T HE A MBUSH

If the characters fail to detect that the trail is a trap, they are ambushed by seven

Dunlending warriors six miles from the homestead. Spotting the hidden attackers requires a

TN 15 Observe test unless the characters are actively looking for an ambush, in which case it

is TN 10. If the attackers are not seen they automatically have the initiative as described on

page 227 of the core rulebook. The attackers are armed with spears and swords, the latter of

which match the design of the weapon Hild’s men recovered.

R URIK ’ S B AND

About 21 miles out from Gramburg, in the direction of the stronghold, the characters

come upon Rurik and his band of 15 Dunlendings, seven of whom are too injured to walk on

—5—

LotR - Adventure - Relics of the Dead (Decipher) (Decipher).pdf

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