Ready-To-Run Adventures

Minas-Brethil
Introduction

Phillip Gladney ©1999

Minas Brethil

High upon a bleak,

windswept hill in
southern Rhudaur lies the
ruin of Minas Brethil.
Dominating the nearby
river valley, the castle
stands as a testament to
the fallen glory of the
elder days of Arnor. It
commands a great view of
the Mitheithel River, the
untilled farmlands to the
south and the "hedge-
wall" of Cardolan, better Download the map
known as the Hagavorl.
Rising approximately one hundred and eighty feet above the sparse trees of the
river valley, it can be seen for miles. Now, however, all that is left of the once
mighty fortress are a few broken walls and crumbling towers. Ivy covers the stone
walls and weeds grow in the courtyard where children once played. An ominous
sense of gloom pervades the air, reminding one of the tragedies that occurred here
in Ages Past. Yet there is still beauty present, for flowers bloom in the overgrown
gardens and small animals can be seen scurrying from stone to stone. Be not
deceived, however, for Minas Brethil has become home to an unseen evil. The
Dead walk the halls below the decaying edifice.

History
Minas Brethil was once the ancestral home of the Melosse family. A wise and
benevolent House, their Lords ruled much of the area of southern Rhudaur known
as the Angle until the Great Northern War. The Aran-onen-Egladil (S. "Lord of the
Angle") was one of the five Great Nobles of Rhudaur and consequently one of the
most powerful men in the realm. The Melosse lands, while not as large as the
holdings of some of the northern noble families, were the most economically
important, since they provided much of the grain and almost all of the wool that
sustained Rhudaur. The Angle also saw a fair amount of mercantile traffic and
those tolls along with the taxes of the relatively prosperous common folk made the
Lords of Minas Brethil quite rich. This wealth and influence manifested itself, for
the heads of the Melosse family often counseled the King and served in powerful
positions. Frequently the Aran-onen-Egladil also claimed the second most powerful
title in Rhudaur, that of Warden.

So it was in the early years of the Fourteenth century when Rhudaur began its
descent into depravity and its alliance with Angmar. Celebindel Melosse was Lord
of the Angle and served as Warden of Rhudaur. Aldor was his king and a pawn of
the Witch-king. Celebindel saw the evil of Angmar for what it was and did not
succumb to the subtle temptations it offered like so many of his brethren.
Celebindel rebelled against his corrupt King and took with him many of the
Northron mercenaries who had served under him as Warden. He repeatedly
rebuffed the attempts by the Rhudauri leaders at reclaiming his strategic lands.
Constantly skirmishing tribal Dunlendings and mercenaries from the other side of
the Misty Mountains, the Lord of the Angle held out until the First Northern War
began in 1352. This year saw the largest orcish military presence in Rhudaur since
the War between the Elves and Sauron in the Second Age. The Witch-king pushed
his main army into Eredoriath all the way to Amon Sul where a great battle was
fought. This all had little to do with the Angle except that the Witch-king's line of
supply went over the Last Bridge. Fearing a threat from the southern Angle to his
exposed supply line, the Necromancers chief lieutenant sent a small fraction of his
army (a few thousand Orcs and Men) towards Fennas Drunin to eliminate this
menace to his flank. Celebindel, knowing the futility of resistance, sent the non-
combatants of the region south into Cardolan. He then proceeded to fight a delaying
action, allowing many of the commoners to flee to safety. Eventually the forces of
Angmar, under a general named Urvacs, forced Celebindel and the remnants of his
army to retreat to Minas Brethil. The Angmarim and Orcs besieged the castle and
began constructing engines of war. The ensuing siege was short and bloody as the
army from Angmar destroyed the front gate at great cost and poured through the
breaches into the bailey. The survivors holed up in the tower, but within a week and
a half the catapults and onagers reduced the defensibility of Celebindel's last refuge
enough to allow a single siege tower to overthrow the defenders on the roof.
Celebindel, his sons and a small percentage of his original army were captured and
brought before the priests of the Witch-king. The statue of the founder of House
Melosse that had for so long stood in the middle of the bailey was thrown down
and a stone altar was erected in its place. Over the course of the next few days all of
the captives were sacrificed on the altar to the ritual chanting of the warrior-priests
of Angmar. The last to be sacrificed were Celebindel's sons followed by Celebindel
himself. Cursing the men who had allied themselves to the Witch-king, the last
Lord of the Angle died on the altar by the sacrificial knives of his enemy's priests.

Over the next two centuries Minas Brethil and the vale it stands in have been
deserted. Stories of Undead coupled with the overall lack of population in this
region have been more than enough to keep people from returning to this fertile
valley. Occasionally shepherds will wander into the valley looking for fodder for
their sheep or shelter from a storm. Sometimes those shepherds do not return.
These disappearances and the strange lights emanating from the burned out castle
are all the proof the residents of the Angle need to spread rumors about its
haunting. Everyone living in this area will warn travelers of the tragic history of
this castle and advise them to stay away.

The Plot
For years the Witch-king has coveted the lands of the Angle. He knows how
strategic the area is and would dearly love to possess it. The rulers of Arthedain and
the Elves of Rivendell also know how important the Angle is and are determined to
keep it from the hands of Sauron's lieutenant. Years ago Ermegil Stonearm, the
present king of Rhudaur, controlled most of the Angle including Fennas Drunin. He
invaded with a fairly large army and even had the advantage of surprise, but was
rebuffed by the Cantons of Feotar under the leadership of Bemakinda. This war
lasted several years and cost Ermegil much respect within the circles of Rhudaur
and Angmar. Ermegil has desired vengeance for those affronts ever since. Soon he
will have a chance to make amends.

Ermegil will have an opportunity for another fight because some information has
reached the ears of the Witch-king, which makes this area more strategic than many
think, including the rulers of the Free Peoples. An Orcish scouting party seeking
refuge from the sun discovered a large cavern system underneath Minas Brethil.
Minas Brethil was a regular resting-place for Angmarean reconnaissance parties for
some time (this explains the mysterious lights), however the underground caves
were found only recently. This system extends for a few miles towards the
Mitheithel River and is known to no one except the scouting party that found it and
the Witch-king's closest advisors. Engineers working for Angmar quickly grasped
the implications of this and began a plan to enlarge these caverns. If they succeed in
creating a tunnel underneath the otherwise uncrossable river it could mean disaster
for the inhabitants of Cardolan. Unfortunately for the original scouting party, Minas
Brethil has some indigenous dangers of its own. The Undead spirit of the last ruler
of the En Egladil and his followers has taken up residence in the forgotten caverns.
The result of the unholy rituals centuries before is now being realized and they will
have to be dealt with before any construction can begin, however, the Witch-king
has prepared a special means of dealing with this obstacle.

Normally the only places to cross the Hoarwell south of Angmar are the Last
Bridge and Fennas Drunin. These two places are always either watched or
defended. A secret tunnel underneath the rough waterway would enable the forces
of Angmar to invade Cardolan without having to take Fennas Drunin or cross the
Last Bridge. The Witch-king has devoted a lot of time to this endeavor and is
determined for it to succeed. To this end he has developed a grand scheme to divert
attention away from this particular location so his minions can work unhindered. If
word of this plot were to reach the ears of Elrond or Argeleb they would react with
alarming speed to counter it. He does not want this to happen, for if he can build a
passage under the river at Minas Brethil Cardolan is doomed.

Currently there are two obstacles to this plan. The fortresses Thuin Boid and
Harnalda stand in the way of the Witch-king's proposed path. These must both be
taken before any army from Angmar can pass into Cardolan. One, Thuin Boid, is
located rather near to the ruins of Minas Brethil and is the local seat of the so-called
government that presides over this border frontier. The other, Harnalda, defends the
other side of the Angle. It is not as strong or important as Thuin Boid and is
defended more lightly. Both are regular sites for skirmishes between the
mercenaries from Cardolan manning the castles and the Dunlending and Hillman
marauders who routinely raid south. The military advisors to the Witch-king
correctly believe that any attack on Harnalda would bring relief from Thuin Boid
and Fennas Drunin if it were large enough to attract attention. At the same time if it
were too large it would attract attention from places that the Witch-king would
rather leave alone, namely Rivendell and Fornost. For this reason the military
leaders of Angmar have decided to limit the members of this attacking force to men
under King Ermegil Stonearm. If a large amount of orcs were involved it would
alert the wrong individuals, letting them know that Angmar was somehow
involved. This also gives Ermegil a chance to prove himself worthy and seek
revenge for his past defeats. Stonearm's advance would look like any other
campaign directed towards the Angle.

While the army of Ermegil is drawing everyone's attention eastward, a small

number of handpicked servants of the Witch-king will move into the ruins of Minas
Brethil and begin work. The armies of Angmar will also begin mobilizing behind
this screen of border skirmishing for the future invasion of Cardolan. Obviously,
the most important aspect of this plan is the work at Minas Brethil. If the Witch-
kings troops do not have a passage across the river, all of this planning is for
naught. Being no fool, the Witch-king has assigned some of his most powerful
followers to this project. Utilizing the mining abilities of some of his more civilized
orcish tribes coupled with the woodland knowledge of the Hillmen, the leaders of
Angmar have assembled an impressive contingent. Led by a Logath Easterling
aristocrat with a reputation for success and including several users of magic, this
company numbers less than fifty and is well equipped to deal with the Undead that
walk the lower halls. They all know the price for failure and the rewards of success
and so will work together to accomplish the task set before them.

Knowing that a random border raid will not take everyone's attention away from
the eastern part of the Angle, the Witch-king has also sent other minions into
southern Rhudaur to help alienate some of the other factions that might cause
trouble. The Hobbits who dwell along the Bruinen are usually content to mind their
own affairs. Recently, however, they have acquired an unlikely group of allies who
would be greatly troubled by an invasion into Cardolan. A mid-sized number of
Dwarves from Khazad-Dum have made a mining colony in the eastern hills of the
Angle. They mine for iron and forge a small amount of weaponry for the men who
inhabit the En Egladil. Their colony, named Smallforge, is located near the largest
Hobbit settlement in the area and they enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with
the Halflings. The Dwarves provide the Hobbits with farm tools, arrowheads and
protection, while the Hobbits give the Dwarves provender and other supplies they
cannot create. Needless to say, any invasion into Cardolan would concern these
Dwarves and they would immediately send a messenger to their mountain home.
This would in turn instigate a reaction from the Dwarf Lords who would be worried
about their trade into Cardolan. In a worse case scenario for the Witch-king, they
would send an army to help in the defense of Tharbad and Cardolan. The Witch-
king is hoping that a fairly large number of wolves, led by one true Warg, will keep
the Hobbits and Dwarves occupied. These wolves will infiltrate the woodlands
where the two settlements are situated and create as much havoc as possible
without causing a mobilization of their military forces. The generals of Angmar
believe that this will be enough to focus their attention on the matters at hand,
instead of the greater picture.

The Northmen who live in Fennas Drunin would hopefully be drawn into battle at
Harnalda, but there is still a goodly population of Men who would stay. These older
mercenaries and militiamen might present a problem later in the campaign, so the
Witch-king's counselors have concluded that a resurgence of brigandage might
keep their concentration elsewhere. To this end he has ordered the Hillman who
have accompanied the contingent to Minas Brethil, to harass and attack the
caravans travelling the road to Thuin Boid for the defense of Harnalda. They will
also get supplies this way since the leading merchant in Fennas Drunin is a
powerful agent of Angmar. He will send the provisions the group at Minas Brethil
needs to Thuin Boid. He will also give the caravan information to his servants, who
will transport it to Minas Brethil. The Minas Brethil expedition will then attack the
caravan holding Harnalda's war provisions with accuracy and precision. The
Hillmen and Angmarim men-at-arms will not only receive the supplies they need
for the mining and construction projects, such as timber, nails, tools and food, but
also eliminate the mercenary guards who are not in allegiance with Angmar and
weaken Harnalda's overall defense.

The Witch-king's plan is an intricate scheme, yet it is also well prepared. There is a
good chance his minions will succeed in their tasks and overthrow the Angle,
which is the last defense of Cardolan. His other agents have already weakened the
lost kingdom through constant warfare between the remaining Lords. They will not
be able to repel an invasion, even with help from Arthedain and the Gondorian
garrison at Tharbad, if the Witch-king can enter their land unannounced. Such is
the plight of Cardolan and its people.

Adventure Guidelines
This adventure will propel characters into the thick of one of the Witch-king's plans
for conquest. It is a good way for characters to meet powerful individuals in the
time around 1640. It also allows GM's to involve group members in large-scale
engagements and use War Law. The numbers of troops in both sides of the conflict
are not too great and a gamemaster should not have much trouble keeping up with
the battles. The major battle in this adventure would be located in and around
Harnalda but Minas Brethil could also be the site of a larger-than-normal conflict,
as both sides rush available troops to reinforce their armies. Since little has been
written about the Angle it would an exciting region to run a campaign in. More
would be learned of the relationship between the Northmen who protect the
Cantons and the Eriadorans who live there. The benefit of this particular war is that
it would never involve really large numbers of warriors on either side, while the
battles were fought both on the plains, where cavalry would dominate, and at
castles and towns, where siege strategies could come into play. The GM would
have a lot of freedom in directing this regional campaign. The gamemaster would
also have back-ups in case the characters are not successful, including Elves,
Dwarves or Rangers of Arthedain. These could come to aid the characters in
keeping the Witch-king's plot from succeeding, so no paradox would occur (in the
history of Middle-earth, the Witch-king never truly conquered Cardolan, although
the characters do not know that in their present time).

The Dwarven colony of Smallforge could be a means of showing how Dwarves

interact outside the refuge of their mountain fortresses. The only other instance of
small a Dwarven settlement is provided in the module Trolls of the Misty
Mountains™, and this settlement was already overrun by said Trolls. Adventure in
the Angle could show how a small Dwarven colony operates. They chose to move
here because of the constant conflict in the En Egladil. It is a perfect place for them
to do business since they have all the customers they need right in the area. They
would still be secretive, but adventurers helping them would have a way of meeting
more Dwarves in Khazad-Dum or elsewhere. This could in turn lead to more
adventures in other modules. Without any prior contact, how could adventurers
meet important Dwarven leaders and be allowed into any Dwarven settlements?
Becoming a Dwarf-friend is important for players if they plan on any adventures in
the Misty Mountains.

There are many and sundry possibilities in using this region for a "grand campaign.
" It is central to several areas well defined in already-published ICE source
material, including Rhudaur, Cardolan, the Misty Mountains, and Arthedain. The
plot is varied enough to provide several different outcomes within the confines of a
well-structured story line. Lead-ins from other campaigns can be very simple.
Mercenaries, merchants, and travelers would be a common sight in Fennas Drunin,
or even in the northern border areas (the Great Road, for instance).

Conclusion
The following several issues will provide specific adventures and more detailed
descriptions within the background, and will be released in a serial fashion. It is
suggested that since the release schedule of The Guild Companion is set, an
interested gamemaster should wait at least a couple of issues into the serial before
beginning a campaign (unless your group meets every 3 months or less). That is not
to say that a particularly ambitious gamemaster could not provide her own series of
prologue adventures to familiarize her group with the area.