Ready-To-Run Adventures

Encounters in the Northern Angle

Phillip Gladney ©1999

Any encounters in the northern half of the Angle, that area comprising the border
and enemy occupied regions, will most likely be with one of the opposing factions
in the continuous border war. Hillmen raiders, Dunlending marauders, Red Lance
long-range patrols and Orcish scouting parties can all be encountered with some
degree of regularity. Occasionally, beleaguered travelers may be rescued by a
wandering party of elves or a band of Arthedain's famous Rangers. Wild animals
are also prevalent and seen fairly often in this locale since there are so few hunters
to keep their numbers down.
Encounters should be rolled for every 8 miles or every 4 hours, whichever is the
most relevant.

Encounters
Base 15% chance
Roll Encounter Number encountered
01-03 Natural Hazard *
04-10 Wolves 7-15
11-13 Crebain 100-200
14-17 Bears 1-2
18-21 Wargs 5-10
22-25 Elk/Moose 1-60
26-30 Losrandir 60-200
31-32 Boars 1-3
33-34 Dangerous Snakes 1-4
35-40 Other animals **
41-50 Hillmen raiding party 5-10
Dunlending
51-60 10-15
marauders
61-65 Merchants/Peddlers 1-4
66-74 Red Lance patrol 5
75-83 Orcish patrol 5
84-86 Forest Trolls 1-4
87-88 Hill Trolls 1-3
89-90 Stone Trolls 1-2
91-93 Dwarves 5-8
 94-96 Hobbits 2-6
97-98 Rangers of Arthedain 2-5
99 Elves of Rivendell 1-5
00 Special **
*There is no number encountered for this entry
**The number encountered is determined by the choice of encounter and entirely
up to the GM

Encounter Descriptions

 Natural hazard - this could entail any number of things ranging from a
violent tornado to a summer thunderstorm. Flash floods, avalanches, animal
stampedes and sudden snowstorms are also possibilities. If the GM desires
he can make this encounter more of a regional affectation such as a drought
or monsoon type conditions. This would affect the players in a general sense
in that they would have to cope with the consequences of these catastrophes,
such as a lack of food or destroyed bridges and roads.
 Wolves - a roving pack of wolves on the hunt for food is a frequent
encounter in the wilds of Eriador. These packs will not directly attack groups
of more than a few individuals, however if they sense or smell wounded
members of a party, they would probably shadow the party for several days
in the hopes of getting an easy kill. The near constant howls of a wolf pack
in the middle of the night can be very disturbing. A normal pack will consist
of between 7-15 wolves led by an alpha male.
 Crebain - there are always several flocks of crebain flying throughout
southern Rhudaur and the Angle. Most are just looking for food, however
some flocks have been summoned by dark spell casters and sent on more
devious missions. An encounter with a band of these flying creatures will
most certainly portent some bad event, whether they be observing the party
for one of the more powerful users of magic or merely waiting for the right
moment to swoop down and attack. Wise characters would do well to avoid
any meeting whatsoever with these evil avians.
 Bears - this encounter will only happen during the spring, summer and
autumn months, unless the characters decide to camp in a cave during
winter. Usually only one bear will be encountered, but sometimes a mother
will have a cub or two with her. These are the worst times to meet a bear, as
the female will be very aggressive and twice as powerful. In the event of a
chance meeting with this group, GM's should add to the overall Hits of the
mother and lessen the effects of any stunning critical. However, if there is an
Animist in the group, this would be a perfect opportunity to acquire some
young bears to train as pets or guardians.
 Wargs - similar to the pack of wolves described before, however there is one
major difference. This pack is led one or more true Wargs and consists
entirely of male wolves that have been kicked out of their packs by the alpha
male. Typically, to create a pack with which to perform whichever service
they have been commanded to do, a Warg will roam the countryside
attracting cast-off males. After enough have been collected, the Warg will
assume his mission and perform it or die trying, sacrificing as many wolves'
as necessary. Most often, the mission is merely to harass human settlements
and travelers, but sometimes the wolves are given more specific missions.
The intelligence of the Warg leader must not be overlooked when dealing
with this encounter, as the Warg will be knowledgeable about humanoid
behavior and their resultant strengths and weaknesses.
 Elk/Moose - Very often travelers will encounter one or more elk or moose in
their journeys through the wild. Elk tend to group in large number for
protection, while moose are more reclusive and usually feed alone. An
encounter with one of these large animals would be a perfect opportunity to
eat some fresh meat and procure some extra warmth or coin by curing their
thick pelts. These pelts are not necessarily expensive when sold, since there
are so many of them, but will put a few coppers in the money purse.
 Losrandir - by far the most numerous of the herd animals, these herbivores
are hunted by Hillmen, Dunlendings, Eriadorans and Northrons alike. The
meat they provide is considered a delicacy even though it is a little "gamey".
Their pelts, like those of the elk and moose, are not overly valuable but will
furnish the wearer with an extra measure of warmth during the winter
months.
 Boars - these wild animals scour the countryside in their hunt for food under
the ground. They are tough to kill and can be quite deadly to an
inexperienced hunter. A boar spear is usually required to finish one of these
powerful animals off. A dead boar will provide the party with a bounty of
flavorful meat as well as tusks, which can usually be sold to a shaman or
herbalist, who will then grind the tusk into dust for potions.
 Dangerous snakes - this rare encounter is of interest to the party in only a
few instances. They will only be encountered under certain circumstances,
such as sunning themselves on a rock that the party passes by or if the party
decides to explore a small cave in the hopes of camping there. Another great
use for this encounter is during the night when most of the party is asleep.
The snake, being attracted to the light, crawls into one the sleeping bags of
one of the party. The resulting pandemonium should be enough to wake up
all of the party members (hopefully someone will have an antidote for the
poison!). An experienced Animist could probably secure a small amount of
the snake's poison for future use.
 Other animals - this encounter is totally up to the discretion of the GM.
Some suggestions include rare, valuable animals, such as a mink, or perhaps
a trainable animal for use as a pet or familiar. Another example could be
various omens of good or bad luck, such as a flock of geese on its way south
 or a circling vulture. The group might even see a Great Eagle up in the sky.
This encounter should be more than just seeing a squirrel in the trees or
anything else that is commonplace in the wild and does not justify its own
description.
 Hillmen raiding party - Broggha, Targ-arm of the united Hillmen clans in
Rhudaur, regularly sends small bands of Hillmen south into the Angle. These
bands have dual purposes, the most important being information-gathering.
Broggha needs detailed information about the enemy forces in the Angle so
that he may determine his policy towards his fellow Rhudaurim.
Technically, he is a vassal of Ermegil Stonearm, however he does not trust
or owe any real allegiance to this man whom he despises. To protect himself
from subversion and misinformation on the part of Ermegil, he acquires
information on his own without any help or interference from Ermegil's
intelligence sources. These raiding bands also have free reign to plunder any
and everything in their path. Worked iron goods, money and slave-women
are all among the most prized possessions of the Hillmen and are always
taken back to the Trollshaws as spoils. Many of these goods cannot be
crafted by the Hillmen and so must be acquired elsewhere. If a party of
Hillmen detect a group of travelers and deem them to be weak enough to
attack, they will shadow the group until nightfall and make a nighttime
assault. If the group looks too powerful for the Hillmen to handle, they will
attempt to evade and hide from the group.
 Dunlending marauders - of the seven Dunlending tribes currently dwelling
in middle Rhudaur, only five answered the call to war by the king. The other
two are very independent and have determined that now is a perfect time to
raid south into the Angle on their own. Rightfully believing that the invading
army of Ermegil will tax the ability of the "lower Angle dwellers" to defend
themselves to the limit, they feel that now is the best chance for some easy
booty. To this end, small bands of Dunlendings, usually representing one
family, or clan, within the tribe, have journeyed south to take what they can.
These groups travel during the day and sleep at night. They are typically
brave to the point of foolhardiness and will not shy away from a fight,
believing that they are more than a match for almost any other warrior. Only
the presence of heavily armored cavalry or elves will deter these boisterous
tribesmen from a battle. In battle, use the stats of the Dunlendings provided
in the master military table.
 Merchants/Peddlers - as time goes on this type of encounter is becoming a
rare sight. The merchants who ply their wares in this area have lost most of
the security they once had. There is no authority to handle bandits and
raiders as there once was during the days of Rhudaur's Dunadan lords.
Merchants now must fend for themselves. They only way of doing this is to
hire heavily armed guards, an expensive addition, or to create alliances with
the local Dunnish chieftains. These chieftains will then protect the merchants
while they are in the tribes' territory in return for excellent prices. This is a
rather symbiotic relationship, for without the traders the Dunlending tribes
 would have no way of obtaining needed goods. When a trader makes a deal
with the chieftain of a tribe, the chieftain will give the trader a swath of cloth
with the tribes' colors to denote the association with the tribe. By showing
these colors, usually some earthy colors in a plaid design, the trader is
protected from the raiders of that tribe. Some traders have partnerships with
many different tribes. Traveling back and forth between Fennas Drunin and
the Cantons, where the goods are purchased for sale, and northern Rhudaur,
where they are sold, the traders have come to know the area and the people
very well. They will deal with anyone who has coin and can be an excellent
source of information.
 Red Lance patrol - the patrols of the Red Lances are a frequent sight on the
border with Rhudaur. They protect the area from the raiders to the north and
generally try to keep the peace. Led by a sergeant they will question anybody
they encounter and deal harshly with all aggressive intruders.
 Orcish patrol - sent south into the Angle to observe and cause havoc, these
patrols sleep during the day and travel at night. Thus, they are encountered
rarely unless the party is also traveling at night. Sometimes the orcs will be
attracted to the campfire of some group of travelers, but usually they avoid
all human contact. They must complete their mission and do not have time
for any "diversions". Most of these orc patrols come from the ranks of
Hakknash's troops. Hakknash is the orcish warlord dwelling in northern
Rhudaur. He answers to Ermegil and sends his troops to fight in Rhudaur's
wars when paid. Right now his troops are massing at an old keep called
Herubar-Gular in anticipation of an assault on the Angle. The orcish patrols
are keeping him informed as to the whereabouts of the Angle's military
forces. When given the command he will use this information to strike south
into the weakest part of the Angle's border defenses.
 Forest, Hill and Stone Trolls - as the population of Trolls expands in the
Trollshaws, the local food supply is naturally overburdened. This forces the
weaker members of the community to hunt elsewhere for food. To the Trolls,
the most logical area to migrate to is the Angle, where sheep, one of the
staples of the Trolls' diet, are numberless (that is if the Trolls could count).
Hence, the Angle is the object of regular Troll migrations and will continue
to be as long as the Trollshaws are so heavily infested with the huge,
misshapen monsters. When a Troll or group of Trolls journeys south to feed,
they usually attempt to find some safe hiding place first. After that is
accomplished they will explore the nearby locale at night striving to find
food. If a suitable food source is found then they will make their lodgings
permanent. Fortunately for adventurers, when a Troll stays in one place for
awhile, they tend to accumulate things of value.
 Dwarves - encountered only in the southeast section of the Angle, these
dwarves would be from the settlement of Smallforge. Gruff and secretive to
unknown faces, they will be of little help unless the group is already fighting
some force of the enemy such as orcs or Dunlendings. If the dwarves
recognize the party or the party has proof of being dwarf-friends, the
 dwarves will be as friendly as can be and will invite the individuals to camp
with them. These dwarves are always performing some duty given them by
their Lord, be it scouting or escorting goods to Fennas Drunin for sale. If this
is the encounter determined by the encounter roll, and the characters are
outside the vicinity of the dwarves' refuge, re-roll.
 Hobbits - like the dwarves, the hobbits will only be encountered within the
nearby vicinity of their steadfast, Reedhaven, located along the Bruinen in
the southeast of the Angle. They will most likely be hunting or scouting the
area and will avoid contact with others. Also, like the dwarves, if this option
is chosen as the encounter and the party is not in the southeast region of the
Angle, re-roll.
 Rangers of Arthedain - a small group of Rangers under the leadership of
Raithorn operate in the Angle. They keep a watch on the affairs of the Free
Peoples there and work against the agents of the Witch-king. They could be
encountered anywhere in the entire region and would be most helpful to
parties in need of assistance.
 Elves of Rivendell - these elves operate much the same way as the Rangers,
except they answer to and provide information for Elrond instead of the
Arthadan king. Led by Elgladil, an experienced ranger, the elves monitor
enemy activity and help the residents of the southern Angle whenever
possible, many times without the residents' knowledge. They will normally
avoid all contact with humans using their enhanced stealth abilities to remain
unseen.
 Special - this encounter is up to the GM. The gamemaster may use it to
further his personal agenda or give the characters some special help. This
would be a perfect opportunity for the PC's to meet powerful characters in
the region. Adversely, if the party is relatively healthy and in need of a good
fight, a flying dragon or fell beast might be just the thing. Powerful Undead,
demons, enemy leaders with their entourages and Istari are also possibilities.