Fire and Shadow

An Adventure for The One Ring

1. INTRODUCTION AND Darkening of Mirkwood. Maybe the

BACKGROUND
This supplement is a fan-made
adventure,designed for The One Ring game
published by Cubicle7, written by Tom Bombadil
(tomfish), contributor to the Cubicle7 The One
Ring forum.
It can be the start of a greater campaign, or played
as a stand-alone adventure. Depending on the
Loremaster, it will span three or four gaming
sessions of 4-5 hours.
The action is set in Dale and its immediate
surrounding areas, around the year 2946 with no
significant traveling.
adventure could be used in the context of that
campaign with minor adaptations.
Adaptation notes will be mentioned
whenever necessary. It is not absolutely
necessary that prince Bain is recently born,
but it would add to the drama of the
adventure as you will see in chapter 5.
The thread behind this adventure is to show how
smaller evil (pettiness, greed and revenge)
support in the end the greater influence of the
Shadow in the world.

For the sake of atmosphere and scenario, we

assumed that at the time the town is not fully
rebuilt and still has areas where Dalemen are not
fully comfortable wandering at night, but this can
be circumvented very easily.

The Dale fan-supplement by Richard Harrison will

prove a very valuable resource for Loremasters
wishing to let their players explore the setting
more.

Important Note : in terms of World Events

consistency there is a minor issue in this
adventure which involves the wife and son of
King Bard. In R. Harrison's Dale supplement,
by 2946, King Bard has already wedded his
wife named Hella, and prince Bain is recently
born. In Darkening of Mirkwood, King Bard
marries only in 2949 with Una of Dorwinion,
and prince Bain is born later in that year.
The adventure was written and played before
that supplement came out, and is therefore
consistent with the former scenario (Bard
married to Hella, Bain born in 2946).

By pure coincidence, the characters “Iele”

and “Faenuriel” together bear strong
similarities with the character “Valids” in the
1.1 ADVENTURE OVERVIEW

We learn how Faenuriel, a young lady from the Long Lake region, was enslaved, and nourished a deep desire
for revenge upon the Heirs of Girion, aided by a Secret Shadow. Here is how the adventure could be run :

A night at the farm

The Company spends the night in a farm west of Dale, and is awoken by smell of smoke and cries for help.
They spend long hours trying to contain the fire and save an entire village from losing precious livestock and
a year's harvest.

Unbeknown to the heroes, it is Iele who starts the fire under the guidance of Faënuriel, driven by revenge.

Finding the hero's sons

Ragnald, lord of the village and war veteran (and a Heir of Girion), is under shock and his wife Dimradel ask
the company to get their two sons back home to help rebuild the farm and manage the village. The heroes
reach Dale and must convince the authorities to remove the two sons from their military duties, and have
them come back to their parents. The company is temporarily hired to replace the two sons, in charge of
guarding an isolated tower where Elior, Astrologer of the King (and also Heir of Girion), resides.

A shape in the dark

As the company gets organized to fulfil their duties, a cloaked person (Faënuriel) approaches the tower in the
early hours of the morning, stares at the tower for a while before disappearing. The company gets a chance
to observe Faenuriel and maybe interact with her so that fragments of her story and motivations are
revealed.

A moment later the company is called to the top of the tower for a fire had started from the roof, this time
easily contained. The heroes may have seen a winged figure flying in the night but are not sure. Elior asks the
company to pursue the cloaked shape.

Witch-hunt in Dale

Based on the observations they have made, the company must find the trace of Faenuriel in Dale. Realizing
she is followed, she sets up a trap in a part of the city that has not yet been rebuilt. She is confronted by the
heroes, but eludes her pursuers.

The Chamber of the Queen

The heroes find evidence that Faenuriel is set for revenge against the remaining Heirs of Girion, and that the
last one on the list is King Bard himself. They think she is a witch, capable of turning into a Giant Bat, and see
a winged figure flying in the night towards the Highest Tower of the Royal Palace - the Queen's and Prince
Bain's apartments.

They need to persuade the Palace Guards to let them in, and arrive in the apartments with Faenuriel crying on
the floor. The Secret Shadow Iele uses Faenuriel's desire for revenge for an even darker purpose, trying to
kidnap Prince Bain, newborn son of King Bard. Faenuriel does not want to hurt a child and tries to prevent
Iele, who pushes her away.

The heroes arrive barely in time to fight against Iele and save Prince Bain. They get an opportunity to hear
Faenuriel's true story before the King's Guards take her away.

Epilogue : A Royal Judgement

Faenuriel is confronted to royal judgment, facing a sentence of death. Players may act on her behalf or against
her, depending on their understanding of her sad story.

1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE ADVENTURE : A TALE OF SACRIFICE AND REVENGE

1.2.1 A rumor turned true

« Par la suite, il prit l’habitude de se glisser la nuit hors de la grande porte et de venir à Dale, d’où il
enlevait les gens, particulièrement des jeunes filles, pour les dévorer… » (find original english Tolkien
quote)

The background of this adventure goes back to the time when Smaug the Great was dwelling in Erebor, and
the entire region around the Long Lake felt under constant threat of his raids.

Before the dragon fell under Bard's arrow, rumors occasionally surfaced among the people of Esgaroth,
speaking of maidens from nearby lands who had to be sacrificed to appease the Beast and keep him in under
the Mountain. Red-haired girls were sometimes viewed as dragon-blooded by the most superstitious folks
and called "dragon-brides", although this was only evoked in whispers.

Gautarr, an unscrupulous merchant of the Long Lake heard these rumors (which were indeed false), and saw
in them the opportunity to make some easy money, as trade routes in the region became less and less
travelled, and business was difficult. He bribed some Lake Town soldiers and officials, and organized a small
militia bearing the mark of former Dale lords : broaches, cloaks and helms he found while searching the
ruined city for tradeable artefacts.

The militia occasionally convened secretly and used their official attire and stamped papers to impress
isolated communities, calling themselves the "Heirs of Girion". That, a bit of gold and the threat of having the
Dragon destroy whole villages were enough persuade some families to part with their daughters, especially
the redheads.

The maidens to be sacrificed left their home with tears in their eyes, terrified, but feeling they were acting for
the greater good of their communities.

In the end of course, sacrifice to the dragon never happened, as this was just a ploy to sell slaves. Noble-
blooded redhead maidens would be paid for at the highest price by a nomad tribe Prince passing through the
Grey Narrows, an Easterling war chieftain or a Viglunding leader in Northern Anduin.

This business became extremely profitable, and worth taking a few risks. However Gautarr always was very
cautious, and his "interventions" were seldom so as to not to draw the attention of the Esgaroth authorities.
But, for every other year during twenty springs, families were ripped off from one of their children. Lucky he
was that Smaug was not very active during that time, which reinforced the belief that maiden sacrifice was
indeed effective.

When the dragon set Esgaroth in flames, Gautarr fled to the south with a lot of the wealth he had
accumulated. His acolytes were not so lucky and either perished or followed the Mayor of Laketown into the
desert.

1.2.2 Burning lies

Faënuriel was the daughter of Adran and Nimloth, rich farmers in a small community twenty leagues east of
the Long Lake. A red-headed girl with a sweet face, she had only heard about the dragon in legends on the day
six horsemen dressed in black came to the farmstead where she lived, on the eve of her sixteenth birthday.

They impressed her parents with their respectable attire, presents, and official-looking documents bearing
the seal of Esgaroth. The Heirs of Girion they called themselves, inheritors of the Last King of Dale's vow to
protect the greater interests of inhabitants of the Long Lake against the dragon.

As Ardan and Nimloth refused to have their daughter delivered to the beast, Gautarr warned them that the
dragon had bat spies who would eventually indicate to the dragon farmsteads and holdings where young
maidens lived. They had seen those bats recently, they knew they were around : it was time to deliver a
dragon-bride to the Beast before he would fully awaken.

Seeing her parents torn between two cruel choices, Faenuriel decided that her sacrifice would be the lesser
evil, as she was brought upon noble values, and she was brave. But when she saw the horsemen grinning, a
few hours after she bid farewell to her home, she understood something was wrong. She tried to escape but
was subdued, blindfolded, gagged and tied. No one dared touch her as she would lose a lot of value, but she
heard cruel remarks and sordid jokes which to this day resonate in her heart.

Little does she remember about being sold as a slave, and she had no idea where she had been taken, only
that it was far away from home. Her master* was cruel, and she was part of a harem where all other girls saw
her as a witch, and treated her accordingly. She endured bravely for many years : pain, humiliation, loss of
innocence did not weaken her, only strengthened her desire for revenge. Often she tried to escape, and often
she was caught.

1.2.3 A fiery revenge

Growing in beauty and character, Faënuriel slowly became the favorite of her Master 1, and befriended
the Blind Elder, an old woman who had the sinister but feared reputation of talking to the Spirits of the Dead,
and was even seen once inhabited by one. Faënuriel slowly learned through her the Arts of invocation, and
regularly summoned large Bats leaving in nearby mountains to practice her skills. "Some Bats carry the souls
of our Deads", said the Blind Elder, "Some Bats carry the souls of things which walked the Earth a long time
ago". Faënuriel felt she could communicate with Bats, and little by little, Bats seemed to respond as if they
understood her will.

1
Intentionally left in the ambiguity, but Viglund (see HotW page 29) at a time where he was not yet the ruler of Northern Anduin
Vales could be a good candidate.
One night, a Giant Bat the size of a tall woman came, and bowed in submission ; Iele was her name. She was
awakened by Faenuriel and they communicated together in thoughts. They became bonded, as Iele was in fact
a Secret Shadow, exerting a growing influence on the thoughts of Faënuriel.

The life of Faenuriel was still harsh and full of misery, but in her growing power she found relief, and
nurtured dark thoughts, subtly encouraged by Iele who drew strength from them whenever they could meet
in the darkest hours of the night.

When news of the dragon's demise finally reached the ears of Faënuriel, she also heard that Dale was being
rebuilt by King Bard, the heir of Girion. At the mention of that title, she knew her remorseless urge for
revenge would soon come to a conclusion.

Aided by Iele, she managed to set fire to the village where she had been enslaved for many years, and flew
away, born in the arms of the Secret Shadow, at the horror of the villagers who thought Faënuriel had
transformed into a winged demon. They flew long over forests and plains, and aided by bats they eventually
found their way back to Dale.

Faënuriel was full of hatred for the "Heirs of Girion", looking at the years of the misery she had endured for
nothing, if their own enrichment. She was bitter, without resources but in Iele she had found a powerful
friend.

She patiently hid in the shadows of the city, watching it slowly rise from its ruins. Whenever she could, she
tried to understand who the Heirs of Girion were, and carefully planned her vengeance - not knowing she and
her family had been deceived by unscrupulous men usurpation of that name.

Iele did not come with her in the city as she would attract too much attention, but often they would meet on
the rocky foothills of the Lonely Mountain, near a small cave where Faenuriel lived. At night, Iele brought her
some game she had hunted, and Faenuriel would exchange with her whatever news she had gathered in town.

Girion had indeed many heirs, many of whom fought and died, either in the fires of Esgaroth or on the slopes
of the Lonely Mountain, in the Battle of the Five Armies. After a few months, without raising attention,
Faënuriel found who were the ones who had survived : Ragnad, Elior, Elstan, and of course King Bard.

(Of course, Faenuriel does not know that the true Heirs of Girion had nothing to do with the bandits who usurped
their bloodline to commit their felony).

Upon those names she vowed revenge : if it was their bloodline who encouraged young women's sacrifice to
dragon fire, then in fire they shall perish !
2. ADVENTURE ! A NIGHT AT THE FARM

Advice on how to play the adventure : as it is the case for many written adventures, a certain sequence of events
is described below. That means that the adventure should not be blocked because of failed rolls, for instance. It
should be advised that whenever applicable, a failed roll does not lead to a definitive failure of the action, more
to a complication in the storyline (additional effort, cost, risks, etc.). The description below is mostly sequential,
but feel free to move away from it if your players propose creative solutions, alternatives, etc. Keep mostly in
mind the motivations of the different protagonists, especially those of Faenuriel, and key elements of the
background story, and do not be afraid to leave the path !

2.1 A WELL DESERVED REST (An introduction)

The adventure starts a couple of days walk West from Dale, in a fortified village named Shieldwall (see Dale
Supplement page 6).
The company arrives after an exhausting journey, either from the Grey narrows, or from the Northern part of
the Wood-Elves Kingdom, in need for rest.
Shieldwall is ruled by Ragnald, Warden of the Narrows, a veteran from the battle of the Five Armies and
friend of King Bard’s. The main building consists of a large fortified farm, rebuilt and reoccupied since a few
years, including a traditional longhouse.
The company decides to stop there for the night. The village sees merchants (especially dwarves) on a regular
basis, and for an affordable price, they are offered a rest in the farm, amongst other travellers.
After a good meal and exchange of news with their hosts (Lord Ragnald and his wife Dimradel) the weary
travelers retire to the common room they share for the night, and fall asleep.

2.2 FIRE ! (A test of skills)

The heroes are awakened brutally in the middle of the night by shouts of “Fire ! Fire !”. All need to make an
Awareness test (TN16) unless they have explicitly decided to set a watch (TN12). Succeeding the test means
that a smell of smoke has awoken them. A superior success allows to warn an asleep comrade who failed his
test, an extraordinary success allows to warn all comrades.
If more than half of the heroes succeed the test, the Fire Intensity indicator will start at 1, instead of 3.

The heroes will likely intervene to avoid the fire from progressing. The following table indicates the extent of
fire progression in the farm. Take note of the maximum level reached during the fire sequence.

Fire Intensity table

1-2 A room upstairs is on fire

3-4 Fire extends : several parts of the main building are burning.

5-6 The stables and barn have caught fire, the released animals roam in the yard, some structures
are starting to fall. On any Eye result of any kind, the player receives 1-6 Endurance damage,
halved and rounded down if wearing a helmet.

7-8 Fire gains the main courtyard, a century-old oak in the middle of the court begins to catch fire,
floors emit thick smoke. On any Eye result of any kind, the player receive 1-6 Endurance
damage and must roll for Protection or be Wounded.
9-10 Structures are collapsing one after the other, exit is extremely difficult. All players suffer 1-6
Endurance damage per Round. On an Eye result a villager or a couple of animals are trapped
and will die unless rescued in the next round.

For combatting fire, rounds of roughly 5 minutes are organized.

The following rules apply :

● At the beginning of each new round, fire intensity gains +1 (not on the first round).

● All actions take one round, unless a superior success is achieved (two actions allowed), exceptional
success (three actions). Failure does not mean that the action fails but that it takes longer than
expected.

● It is possible to do a prolonged action to lessen the TN (use multiple rounds for the same action).

● Heroes who have been drinking the previous evening will be considered Weary for the first two
rounds.

● When fire intensity reaches 10, the farm cannot be saved any more.

● TN of all actions is 10+fire intensity unless otherwise noted.

To stop the fire the company must :

● Find water sources (Search or Persuade to get the information from a panicked villager).
Failure : takes 3 rounds instead of 1. Eye : Oil spilled on the floor, Fire Intensity +1.

● Find blankets or sand bags (Search or Persuade to get the information from a panicked villager)
Failure : takes 3 rounds instead of 1. Eye : Bags contain sawdust, not sand ! Fire Intensity +1.

● Mobilize villagers (Inspire or Persuade).

Failure : takes 3 rounds instead of 1. Eye : Villagers flee, Battle tests at TN +2.

● Organize villagers to combat fire (Battle, 2 rounds) if mobilized.

Failure : takes 3 rounds instead of 1. Eye : Oil spilled on the floor, Fire Intensity +1.

They can also :

● Find out a way to block fire progression (Craft). Success stops fire progression for one round.
Superior success for two rounds. Extraordinary success for five rounds.

● Find out if people or animals are trapped (Awareness, Intuition) Ragnald and Dimradel are indeed
a trapped upstairs, and will die unless rescued by the adventurers. If fire intensity reaches 5 or more,
 animals are also trapped inside the stables.

Note if fire has reached intensity 4 or more, Ragnald is prostrated and will not move. His wife is
terrified and cries for help. Ragnald is talking nonsense, his eyes wide open in terror. A TN14 Riddle or
TN16 Healing test will reveal that he is suffering from a panic attack due to the fire, a probable result
of seeing Lake Town destroyed under dragon fire a few years ago.

● Rescue trapped people (Athletics, 2 rounds) or animals (Athletics, Battle, 2 rounds)

Note : these are only indications and you should leave it free for your players to come up with creative ideas
ans skill suggestions. Ideally the fire should do some damage but not permanent one, unless players are very
unlucky with their rolls. They should in any case feel pressurized to avoid a complete disaster. Innovative use
of traits should be rewarded.

2.3 ASHES (A TRANSITION)

The farm will take as many months to recover from the fire as the maximum Fire Intensity it has reached
during the night. If the fire has reached an intensity of 10, the whole farm has been destroyed and the
Shieldwall community will have to move to another settlement, and ask for the protection of King Bard.

Rescuing Ragnald and Dimradel, protecting their livestock and organizing the firefighting should be worth 1
supplementary Experience Point per player at the end of the session if fire intensity has been kept under level
9.

Once the fire has been extinguished and the company has recovered from the stress, Lady Dimradel comes to
them, tears in her eyes. She thanks the heroes for the role they have played in saving the farm, and very
humbly calls for their help : her husband seems to be in a state of shock and cannot run the farm any more.
She needs her two sons Deldred and Ferilmar to be called back to Shieldwall. They are currently residing in
Dale, serving as soldiers in the service of the King.

She is not in a position to provide any reward to the heroes, and calls only to their sense of compassion. If
they accept her request, she urges them to make haste, providing them with sufficient provisions for the short
journey to the city, and necessary ponies / horses.

Note : Refusing this desperate plea for help is worth a Shadow Point, and could also be a showstopper for the
adventure, unless heroes have other motivations to go to Dale. If heroes accept, they may later come back to
Shieldwall and establish that place as a Sanctuary.

If players ask for more indications on how to find her sons (and only in that case), they need to make sense
amidst a lot of information. Dimradel is clearly very stressed and talks all the time, often contradicting herself.
An easy (TN12) Riddle test can be performed by each character. Each success will bring one of the following
information :

● Her sons are serving among the King’s Guard

● Her two sons are twins and look very similar

● She agrees to write a note to justify the temporary revocation of her son’s duties

● They have been assigned to the protection of one close relative of the King
If players, in spite of Dimradel’s urges to reach Dale and recall her sons, wish to spend some time looking for
the causes of the fire, they may do the following by spending half a day in Shieldwall :

● Search for evidence : a Search test (TN10+maximum Fire Intensity) coupled with a Riddle test
(TN14) will reveal that fire has started from the attic above Ragnald and Dimradel’s room. Evidence
shows that the fire seems to have been started from the roof, which is very strange.

● Ask villagers : an Intuition test (TN14) allows them to detect a young kid who follows the heroes
while they look for information. The kid seems to be willing to talk but is very shy. He can be
persuaded into talking (Courtesy or Persuade, TN14) and will reveal that he has briefly seen a
shadowy figure on top of the house after he was awoken during the night, and that the figure
vanished a moment later.

Dimradel will push players to move quickly, always polite but insistent, and will be on their heels until they
leave.

3. FINDING THE HERO'S SONS

3.1 TO DALE (A short journey)

The company must make haste to reach Dale. It is an easy (TN12 Travel) Journey taking three days on foot or
one and a half day on horse. During the journey they get to see the Lonely Mountain.

LM Note : it would be a nice enhancement to subtly evoke the dragon‘s former presence in these lands.

If the heroes want to speed up, they can take an additional Athletics test (TN12) and halve their journey
time. It will cost them an automatic Fatigue point, and an additional one if they fail the Athletics test.

If they have decided to speed up their pace and not lose any time, heroes will reach Dale during the day and
entering the city will not prove difficult. Otherwise, they reach the city at night when the gates are closed, and
need either to sleep outside, or convince the city guards to let them in (Persuade TN14, single try allowed, no
need to play a formal encounter).

If asked, the guards will point the heroes to establishments such as King’s Rest Inn, The Plump Duck or the
Comfy Chair (Dale Supplement, page 18), although not all may be affordable to everyone, as Dale is becoming a
very expensive city.

Less fancy lodgings may be available in the lower, less rebuilt part of the city. But whenever they will travel at
night in these areas, the usual Scout of the party will have to make an Awareness test against TN14. If it fails,
it means that local thugs have spotted a few careless adventurers and will try to ambush them in a dark alley.
Count 1 thug per hero +1.

(Add Stats for thugs)

3.2 FINDING RAGNALD’S SONS

Depending on the information Dimradel has provided to them, finding the two sons may prove more or less
difficult (TN 12 with all information, TN14 with some information, TN16 with no information, skills used
could be Courtesy, Search, Persuade). The Dale supplement provides a lot of material for a more open
approach to this part of the adventure.

Looking for Deldred and Ferilmar will provide a unique opportunity to visit Dale. This is a good time for the
heroes to marvel at the colored marble streets, singing fountains and elegant towers of the royal Palace while
feeling the energy of Dalesmen, Dwarves and Merchants from foreign lands all congregated. Also, the toy and
food markets will surely attract the attention of the curious and the hungry, and the royal library may prove
irresistible to the scholars.

As Dale is a city bursting with animation, most people including the entrance town guards will not have a clue
who or where the two sons are.

Don’t make this part too long anyhow; if rolls are failed, heroes find the information but may have upset a
merchant or a city guard to be later seen in the adventure. Eventually the heroes will direct their feet towards
the Palace Guard. Upon hearing the name of the twins, the guards take them to Gunnar, the main Officer of
the Royal Guard, who will receive them in his study near the Palace’s entrance.

3.2.1 Meeting Gunnar (A formal Encounter)

Gunnar is a stern man, one of the survivor of the burning of Lake Town. He takes his duty very seriously, and
is not easily impressed. He has little time for secondary matters, and will expect to be briefed in a direct way.

He knows Ragnald and will react favorably if his name is mentioned early in the Encounter. However parting
with the twin brothers is difficult for him because they are in charge of guarding the tower where Elior
resides. Elior is the King’s Astrologer and a very influential person in the Court of Dale. Elior‘s tower is the
highest of Dale and is an ideal spot for stargazing, Yet it is in a part of town which has not been fully rebuilt,
and of dangerous reputation. Deldred and Ferilmar regularly escort Elior there from the Royal Palace, across
the city.

If players want to obtain from Gunnar the permission to free Deldred and Ferilmar from their duties, a formal
Encounter has to be performed. Count the number of successes of this Encounter to determine the outcomes
of the Encounter. The stake of the meeting is to determine how long the proceedings will take, and what will
be the counterpart.

Modifiers and TN for the Encounter

- Gunnar respects Valour and therefore the highest Valour counts as Base Encounter Threshold.
Gunnar has positive prejudice for Wood Elves, Dwarves and Dalesmen. +1 to Encounter threshold.

- Heroes show the written parchment given by Dimradel. +to1 the nEcounter threshold.

- Insight TN12 (can be used for bonus dice during the Encounter) : Gunnar is very predictable and
straightforward.

- Courtesy, Riddle TN18 : Gunnar is tired of all the Court talk he hears all day, he likes things straight and
simple.

- Awe, Song TN16 : Gunnar has survived the Battle of the Five Armies, he is not easily impressed by war
stories.

- Inspire and Persuade TN14 : A good argument makes a good case as far as Gunnar is concerned, and he can
be touched by displays of heroism and faith.
0 Gunnar has no time for these matters and asks that characters go through the formal hierarchy,
filling a written request and waiting for it to be properly processed. This will lead to the result
described in Entry 1-2, but with an additional delay of three days during which characters will
have to pay for their accommodations.

1-2 Gunnar listens but constantly interrupts characters, dealing with other matters. He agrees to
free Deldred and Ferilmar but at two conditions :

- a deposit of the equivalent 3 Treasure Points shall be made (which will be provided back to
the players when the two sons come back to Dale)

- the heroes shall take on the guarding duties of Deldred and Ferilmar during a few days, while
Gunnar finds a more suitable replacement.

Next Encounters with Gunnar will be at unmodified TN levels.

3-4 Gunnar listens patiently and becomes friendlier as conversation progresses. He agrees to free
Deldred and Ferilmar but at one condition :

- the heroes shall take on the guarding duties of Deldred and Ferilmar during a few days, while
Gunnar finds a more suitable replacement.

Gunnar will also reveal that he heard that another fire has been declared in a nearby village,
Stenham, in circumstances ressembling oddly the one in Shieldwall. The lord of that village is
Elstan, another Heir of Girion (a fact Gunnar will not mention unless asked).

Next Encounters with Gunnar will be at TN levels -2, simple requests will auto succeed.

5-6 Gunnar is obviously impressed by the heroes and agrees to free Deldred and Ferilmar at no
condition. He politely asks the heroes if they would be willing to step in the twin‘s shoes for a
couple of days, against a reward of 2 Treasure Points.

Gunnar will also reveal that he heard that another fire has been declared in a nearby village East
of Dale, in circumstances ressembling oddly the one in Shieldwall. He says that once a
replacement has been found for Deldred and Ferilmar, he will trust the heroes with an
investigation on these matters.

Next Encounters with Gunnar will auto succeed.

After characters obtain the written order from Gunnar (either right now, or after a few days), they
are escorted accross town by two Royal Guards to the tower of the Elior, the King’s Astrologer. If
they ask why such an escort, they are explained that some parts of Dale are still too ruined to be
inhabited, and often used by brigands (or worse) as hideouts.

Example sequence for the encounter :

Gunnar sits at a desk full of papers. A broken shield hangs on the wall, bearing the old arms of Esgaroth.
As characters enter the room, he barely looks at them, and keeps writing with a quill on a large
parchment. “Who are you, foreigners ?” he says unceremoniously. Tolerance of the Encounter is fixed at
2.

- All characters roll Insight, providing an additional two bonus success die to the encounter.
 - Introduction of the company by the spokesman (Awe, superior success counting as 2)
Gunnar stops writing and is obviously impressed by the pedigree of the company. “You have my
attention, what brings you here ?”

- The spokesman tries to persuade Gunnar that Deldred and Ferilmar must be freed to come back to
their family in Shieldwall, stating that without them the farm cannot be run (Persuade, failure,
Tolerance down to 1). Gunnar agrees relectantly but states that a deposit must be made, and goes back
to his paperwork.

- Another character is willing to impress Gunnar with the tale of the fire in Shieldwall. She invokes the
Trait ‘Storyteller” and the Loremaster agrees to grant her an automatic success since she roleplays very
well the story. Gunnar stops writing, looks the characters in the eyes, and only asks the heroes that they
should replace the two brothers for a few days, no deposit required.

- The spokesman mentions that the company agrees, and tries to make a good lasting impression with
Gunnar, calling on the collaboration of the free people against the Shadow (Inspire, failure, Tolerance
set at 0). Gunnar is obviously not that impressed, and politely ends the meeting by calling the two
Guards who will escort the company to Elior’s tower.

4. A SHAPE IN THE DARK

4.1 RELEASING THE TWINS FROM THEIR OBLIGATIONS (A TRANSITION)

Note: this is mostly a transition sequence, not a specific challenge for the heroes.

The Astrologer’s Tower is situated in the eastern part of the city, a district not yet rebuilt but the
best spot for astronomical observations. Elior often spends two or three days in a row in his tower,
even though his appartments are at the Royal Palace. Although he despises having an escort, he
recognises that he is not always confortable walking alone in the dark streets of this part of town.

The company reaches the tower at dusk ; as expected, it is guarded by Deldred and Ferilmar. The
two Royal Guards who accompanied the heroes enter the tower with the twins, asking the company
to stay outside for a while, as Elior must be informed first of the situation.

If players express (unprompted) their wish to observe the tower in the meantime, or look for
anything unusual, they can make a TN16 Search test (TN12 if they have ability to see in the dark).
They find out that a few bats seem to have nested on top of the tower. Not the small, fly eating, bats,
but rather large bats the size of a dog.

After a few minutes the two Royal Guards come back with Deldred and Ferilmar. The twins come to
the company and ask about their parents, they seem obvisouly worried but also grateful.

A hero wishing to make the tale of how the adventurers managed to fight the fire may use Inspire
or Song to earn their respect. If heroes have managed to find the twins in two days or less since
they left Shieldwall, TN is 12, if more than two days TN is 14. On a success, Deldred and Ferilmar
will offer the heroes to be honored and rewarded appropriately, when the farm is rebuilt. Failure
means they are too worried and eager to leave to think about the part played by the heroes, and
make no such offer.
If asked about the large bats on top of the tower, Deldred and Ferilmar will say they had not noticed
them the previous nights, but will not care too much about them as large bats of the Lonely
Mountain sometimes nest near Dale, but do not attack people any more.

All characters are then given a black cloak bearing the arms of Dale, and a brooch, and are
asked to wear it while they are on duty.

The Royal Guards then end the meeting, as they have been diverted from their normal duties and
must bring back the twins to the Palace at once. They explain to the company that they are expected
to guard and escort Elior at all times, taking turns if necessary (the rest can stay and sleep in a small
room in the tower’s basement). Although Elior is not their direct superior, it is advisable that they
obey his orders, as he is very influencial with the King and should better not be displeased.

The company is very briefly and formally greeted by Elior, a tall old man of swarthy complexion,
white hair and barely discernable foreing accent (he actually has origins in Dorwinion). If the
company proves polite enough (Courtesy TN14) he may engage conversation a little more and will
reveal that he is a friend of Ragnad’s, and very saddened at the news of the fire at his home. Soon
Elior takes leave and goes back to his observatory.

4.2 A SHADOW OF THE PAST (An Encounter)

4.2.1 Meeting Faenuriel

One or two heroes should be on guard duty outside the tower during the night. If they have not
taken the chance before, they may observe the tower and maybe notice the large bats ( Search
TN14 this time, as there is more time for observation).

If attacked, the bats will fly away for a while, but come back after a few minutes.

A moment after midnight has been rung by city bells , a cloaked figure approaches the tower. The
figure stands in the shadows of nearby houses, silently observing. The moon is almost full so
darkness is not complete.

Note : The figure is Faenuriel (story detailed in the Background chapter), who instigated the
fire in Shieldwall and in Stenham (home to Heirs of Girion) with the aid of Iele the Secret
Shadow. Now she intends to bring the same fate to Elior, anotheir Heir of Girion.

The heroes on duty will remark the shadowy figure standing in the dark. The person is of human-
shaped and of average height, features are difficult to identify. A TN14 Awareness Test (any
present hero can make one) will reveal more. On any success the following will be revealed (one
information per success, two for superior success etc.) :

- The person has red hair

- The person seems to be murmuring something
- The person absolutely does not care for the guards, only for the tower
If the company wish to converse with Faenuriel they will realise she does not initially respond,
keeping her eyes on the Tower, but she can be brought to talk if threatened or impressed.

Modifiers and TN for the Encounter :

● The Encounter objectives for the players may be to politely (or less politely) turn Faenuriel
away, or learn why she is here.

● Faenuriel is determined and speaks truthfully. The reason she will talk to the characters is
to draw away their attention while Iele the Secret Shadow sets the top of Elior’s tower on
fire.

(Note : how actually Iele starts the fire should remain a mystery. Either she carries ancient
magical Firestones, or as a Spirit of Old she may know how to summon fire from the air, or she
simply carries torches with her)

● Faenuriel valors Wisdom, but has prejudice against any Dale or Esgaroth inhabitants (-1 to
Tolerance until she is convinced that heroes are not from these areas, if this is the case).

● Do not hesitate to roleplay Faenuriel and the whole encounter. Make her sound mysterious
and resolved. Faenuriel speaks sparsely, leaving long pauses between her sentences. Good
roleplay by characters should grant auto-successes if supported by relevant Traits, or
reduced TN’s.

- Insight TN18 (can be used for bonus dice during the Encounter) : Faenuriel’s face is mostly
hidden and it is dark.

- Song, Inspire TN16 : Faenuriel shows strong resolution and will not listen very long before
leaving.

- Awe, Courtesy, Persuade TN14

0 Faenuriel does not speak, and if threatened will slowly turn away, before disappearing
in the dark streets.

1-2 When asked about who she is and why she is there she responds slowly :

"My Name is Faenuriel, daughter of Ardan and Nimloth."

"This is the home of Elior the Astrologer, I believe. "

The characters notice (if not already done) that Faenuriel has red hair.

3-4 If asked about her motivations to come here at night, Faenuriel will reply (on top of
entry 1-2)

"I do not want to disturb Elior, I just want to make sure he is currently in his home."
 "I am, as it were, an old acquaintance."

"He will not remember me, but my path crossed that of the Heirs of Girion once, and
I look forward that it does so again, soon."

The characters notice (if not already done) that Faenuriel stares a lot at the tower.

5-6 Asked for more precisions, Faenuriel gets carried away by her speech and reveals more
than she ought.

"You see, the Heirs of Girion have caused a lot of pain to me and my family.They
shall not remain unpunished…"

Realizing that she said too much, she retreats quickly to the shadows.

The encounter is brief in any case, and Faenuriel leaves after a couple of minutes by a dark street
framed by several ruined buildings. If she is followed, she will be seen walking quickly, but not
running, and entering one old one-storey house. As Faenuriel has a few bats following her, any
attempt to use Stealth will be at TN18 (advice : do not roll openly).

4.2.2 Yet another fire

As soon as she leaves, the heroes which are not on duty (and sleep in the small basement room) will
be awoken by Elior. A fire is propagating into Elior’s observation chamber, but he comes down
asking for help in a very calm manner. Luckily the fire is not as strong as the one in Shieldwall and
is very easily contained (no tests required). Fire has clearly been started from the roof. Anyone
managing to climb up the roof (Athletics TN14) will notice that a few tiles have been removed, and
that large claws have left prints on the wooden frameworks.

As facts and observations are exchanged with Elior, it becomes clear that Faenuriel may have
something to do with this (especially if entry 5-6 has been reached above), and maybe also with the
fire in Shieldwall. If the Heirs of Girion are mentionned in the conversation Elior will find that very
odd (and may briefly explain to the players who they are, revealing also that the King himself is one
of the Heirs of Girion , see “Background” section,).

If players suspect that she is some kind of witch with magical abilities, all the better ! They should
draw the conclusions themselves but Elior will agree with them. In any case, he urges the
characters to find Faenuriel and bring her for interrogation as soon as possible, and authorizes
formally (and in writing if necessary) that they leave their guarding duties.

If players reach the conclusion that Faenuriel is a threat to the King himself and wish to go directly
to the Palace without following her, jump directly to Chapter 6 but make the confrontation more
challenging by adding a few of the adversaries in Chapter 5.
5. WITCH-HUNT IN DALE

5.1 FINDING FAENURIEL (A TEST OF SKILLS)

Faenuriel will stay in the eastern districts of Dale, where fewer people live and many
houses are still abandonned.

Unless she has been followed after leaving, Faenuriel needs to be found again. Depending
on your time and willingness to have the heroes explore Dale at night you can make the
hunt more or less easy for the party, knowing that in the end they need to know where
Faenuriel went, or at least understand that her next move will be to go to the King’s Palace.

Some ideas for the hunt and associated skills. Let your players be creative, but insist on the
urgency to find Faenuriel.

● The party has a Woodman Hound, who was present to the Encounter : Faenuriel’s
trail can be easily found (Hunt).

● A drunkard overhears the conversation of the heroes. He has seen the red-haired
girl with the old fashioned cloak, and asks for some gold coins (1 Treasure Point) to
reveal where she has hidden. Is he telling the truth ? (Persuade or Awe to
negociate, Insight to know if he is lying)

● One inn in the eastern district is open at night. A patron enters and mentions that
large bats were seen flying on top of an old house in the eastern district, some of
which have even attacked a dog ! The house description is provided (Lore to know
about the inn, Awe or Courtesy to engage conversation, Search to find the house)

Note : Success means characters have found the old house where Faenuriel resides in three
hours. Modulate superior successes or failures from that.

Faenuriel will be in the old house until before dawn, preparing her plans to enter the King’s
Palace. If characters reach the house after dawn, the events in chapter 6 may have already
started, when they get to the Palace.

5.2 THE TRAP (A COMBAT)

Unless characters are very discrete and go unnoticed by Faenuriel’s bats (see above), she will be
aware when they come near the house and will have time to hide.

The window of the first floor is left opened, and the dancing shadows from a candle a discernable. If
players enter the house by the main door (broken and unlocked), they will see that the ceiling and
roof has partially collapsed in places (a TN12 Craft will help judge that the ceiling is still robust
enough to walk upon by the company, but barely more, and that the house was probably a winery
or some sort of store).

The heroes hear a woman speaking upstairs, but she stops almost immediately after they enter, and
the candle is blown out. A squeaking noise is heard, and then nothing. Darkness is almost complete,
except in rare places struck by moonlight. It is mostly silent, but noises of mice or rats are heard
from time to time. A ladder leads to the upper floor.

Note : players willing to climb from the outside to the first floor window need to perform a TN14
Athletics test. Players may also choose not to enter the house, and wait for Faenuriel to come out. She
will not do this as she will escape from the roof (see below).

If it is before dawn, Faenuriel is still there and hides in the attic right above the first floor (the
ladder to the attic has been removed). Iele is also here, unnoticeable, as are several Large Bats.

When several characters have reached the first floor. Faenuriel starts talking loud, without
revealing herself, although it is clear that her voice comes from the attic :

“Intruders, do not come between me and my fate. I wish you no harm, although you bear the arms of
those who once took me away from my family and cursed my life. Please leave at once.”

Players may wish to start reasoning Faenuriel, but the best they can achieve is to hear more of her
story (see Background, especially “Burning lies”). A TN14 Insight test will reveal that she seems to
be always struggling between vengeance and her natural inclination for forgiveness.

As the company becomes more pressing (they may for instance take the ladder to try and climb into
the attic, or make themselves more menacing), Faenuriel warns them, anxiously : “Do not bother
what is beyond your reach ! Please leave now !”.

As players climb up the ladder or start putting pressure on Faenuriel in a different way, large
barrels are pushed towards them and fall from the attic. All players present must succeed both an
Awareness TN14 and an Athletics TN14 test, on each failure the player loses 1d6 Endurance. On
an Eye the floor cracks under the weight of the barrel, and the player falls at the lower level. He /
she must make an additional TN14 Protection test or be Wounded.

All players are immediately attacked by a swarm of very agressive Large Bats coming from the
attic (one per player plus one, see Loremaster Guide for stats). Unless all players have avoided the
barrels or explicitely taken very special precautions, they do not have the initiative and make
their Battle test at TN18.

The bats will fight hard, biting, clawing and hitting with their wings, but after three rounds they will
suddenly fly away.

Faenuriel and Iele are not visible throughout the battle. A character managing somehow to enter
the attic during the fight will see that a portion of the roof above the attic is open to the sky. A
glance outside will reveal a pair of very large wings flying over Dale, going obviously in the
direction of the King’s Palace.

Even without this evidence, it should be clear that Faenuriel’s next target is the King himself, and
that she is on her way to the Royal Palace. If the heroes have not yet been able to find the evidence
they can search the attic.They find a list of names written on a sheep skin : Ragnad, Elior and Elstan
(from the burnt village mentionned by Gautarr) are all crossed. King Bard is the last one on the list...

6. TO THE CHAMBERS OF THE QUEEN

6.1 PURSUING THE GIANT BAT (A TEST OF SKILLS)

The players should have sufficient evidence of Faenuriel’s intentions. If they have been observing
well, they will be worried about this huge bat they have seen flying away.

Decision to pursue Faenuriel (or the bat) will be of course the player’s, but the timing is critical.

If players decide to run towards the Palace, they will arrive on time for the following. If they take
their time, they may arrive too late.

All players following the Giant Bat are allowed to make a TN14 Awareness test to notice her. If all
fail, they will not know where she is headed, and may only make their own deductions. On a success
they will see Iele flying in the night towards the King Palace. On a superior success they see that Iele
seems to be carrying Faenuriel (on her back, or clung to her claws, your choice).

Iele does not fly fast, but to follow her from the streets all will have to make three TN14 Athletics
test (3 successes needed to keep within close distance, otherwise the characters are “Late”). If they
do not run but walk, the heroes will be considered “Very Late”.

Characters will see (from close or from afar, depending on the success to the skill tests above) the
dark shape of the Giant Bat clinging to the highest balcony of the highest tower of the Palace, the
Tower of the Queen.

6.2 ENTERING THE TOWER (A MINI-ENCOUNTER)

It is probable that the heroes will want to try and stop Iele and Faenuriel to do whatever they
intend to, which they can only do by entering the Palace.

To enter the Palace, the company will have to persuade the two guards to let them in, knowing that
it is night and nobody is usually allowed to enter. Luckily the two guards are those who escorted
the heroes the day before, and if they were treated with respect, tests of Awe or Persuade will be
at TN14 (TN18 otherwise). You can choose to play this as a mini-encounter, with highest Valor of
the characters as maximum Tolerance.

Note : if no explanation is given as to why they have left the guarding duties at Elior’s tower, you can
make the life of the heroes a bit harder…

A failure after reaching the encounter’s Tolerance will mean that the guards will wake Gunnar
before allowing the heroes in. In that case, if heroes were “Late”, they are now “Very Late”, or if they
were “On time” they are now “Late”.

6.3 THE FATE OF PRINCE BAIN IS IN GOOD HANDS (A COMBAT)

After heroes have made their way to the Palace, they can easily find the tower where the Giant Bat
tried to enter by a balcony. They will have a headstart before the Palace Guards arrive.

Climbing to the top of the tower, they hear women’s cries and a lot of noises coming from a room on
the last floor.

The door is locked but will not resist a determined shove. What characters see first is a fainted
woman lying on the floor : probably a nurse, judging from her attire.

Note : for all combat situations, use Secret Shadow (for Iele) and Large Bats stats from the Loremaster
Guide.

● If characters are “On time” (successfully ran to the Palace after noticing the Giant Bat,
convinced the guards to let them in) :

As they rush into the room they see the Giant Bat, Iele the Secret Shadow. Iele appears huge
and terrifying, and is clearly threatening Faenuriel who has only the time to scream “No, not
the baby, I would never hurt a baby ! You have taken too much hold on me !” before Iele
throws her claws at her. Faenuriel collapses on the floor, blood on her arms and face, as Iele
rushes into an adjoining chamber where Prince Bain (a baby of a few months) is heard
crying. The heroes can try and stop Iele before she gets to seize Prince Bain. After five
rounds, three Large bats come to support Iele and help her flee (with or without Prince
Bain).

● If characters are “Late”

As they rush into the room they see Faenuriel with blood on her body ( Healing TN12
reveals very large claw marks), next to the fainted nurse, and hear noises and baby cries
coming from an adjoining chamber. They discover Iele the Giant Bat holding Prince Bain in
her claws. They can attack Iele but must find a way to release her grasp on Prince Bain, and
keep him safe from harm. After two rounds, three Large bats come to support Iele and help
her flee (with or without Prince Bain).

Note : in case the heroes fight Iele, they will be joined after 3 rounds by four Royal Guards.
Seeing herself clearly outnumbered, Iele will attempt to flee, with or without Prince Bain.

● If characters are “Very Late”

As they rush into the room they see Faenuriel with blood on her body ( Healing TN12
reveals very large claw marks), next to the fainted nurse, and hear noises and baby cries
coming from the balcony. They discover Iele the Giant Bat holding Prince Bain in her claws,
a swarm of Bats flying around her. Iele is ready to fly away. The characters have only one
available action each, before Iele flies away with Prince Bain.
7. EPILOGUE

There are several possible endings to this story (and many more not listed here) :
7.1 IELE HAS ESCAPED WITH PRINCE BAIN : THE HUNT FOR THE PRINCE

In that case the most likely epilogue is that you adventure will end on a cliffhanger : as the Royal
Guards enter the room and realize Prince Bain is missing, they immediately suspect the heroes and
Faenuriel, unless the heroes are seen fighting against the Giant Bat. Faenuriel will always be
considered a suspect. All will be held in custody until King Bard is alerted, and he will come at once.
If heroes manage to explain well the situation they may get a chance to be authorized to pursue Iele.
A repented Faenuriel may prove invaluable in locating the Great Bat and knowing her thoughts.
This creates ground for another adventure taking place in the shadows of the lonely mountains, the
Hunt for the Prince. The motivations of Iele in capturing Bain may be varied : it could be that the
creature will want to simply drink the lifeblood of the child to grow stronger. Iele could desire to
make the child one of her minion, in which case she will feed him and raise him in her own twisted
way, far from the realms of Men. Or there could be a prophecy saying that Spirits of Old taking the
body of the Child of a King would be destined to rule the World… In any case, making her stop
whatever she has planned seems like a good idea to earn the trust of King Bard (who could also
accompany the heroes).

7.2 IELE HAS ESCAPED, WITHOUT PRINCE BAIN : THE TRIAL OF FAENURIEL (THE MOST
LIKELY CASE)

Depending if the heroes were seen battling the Great Bat or not, their story may be more or less
believable by the Guards. The fainted maid may be the only credible person who will have seen the
Giant Bat, but she may not trust what she saw. In any case Faenuriel will be considered a suspect
and brought for trial in front of the King. She will tell her sad story, recognize that she was the one
who set several buildings on fire out of revenge, and repent in front of the crowd. King Bard will
swear that the true Heirs of Girion had nothing to do with slavery and sacrifice to the dragons, and
actually fought against those practices, which will bring tears in her eyes. But, mistrusting her good
faith and willing to make an example, a very vigorous indictment will be made against her by the
royal provost, requesting that she be cast over the city walls onto the rocky slopes below, a fate
only destined to witches and betrayors. If heroes have heard and believed her repentance they may
intercede in her favour and plead for a lesser sentence, for crimes she has indeed committed, but
misguided by deceit. Depending on how well they play their role, they may win or antagonize the
crowd, and King Bard may think of them as true-hearted allies or deceitful strangers.
This could open to several other adventures : finding out about Iele’s origins, finding out about
Gautarr and the slave-sellers, infiltrating Northern or Easterling tribes to free other slaves.
7.3 THE HEROES HAVE DEFEATED IELE AND PRINCE BAIN IS ALIVE : THE CELEBRATION OF
THE HEROES

If heroes managed to defeat the Secret Shadow, her body will start burning slowly and turn to
ashes. It will be clear to all that they saved the Realm of Dale from a great sorrow. Although
Faenuriel will be suspected for her crimes, she may be given a chance to explain herself. The trial
scene above can be played with less intensity, and the speech of the Heroes will be heard with
greater respect by all. A Celebration will be given in honor of the Heroes, who will be able to make
King Bard a Patron, or establish a sanctuary in the Royal Palace of Dale. This honor should only be
given for heroes who have performed and behaved superbly.
This could open to the same adventures as the entry above.

7.4 REWARDS SUGGESTIONS (BASED ON 3 SESSIONS)

· 4 Experience Points for all heroes :

o +1 for avoiding fire to destroy the farm in Shieldwall

o +1 for preventing Iele to escape with Prince Bain
o +1 for defeating Iele

o +1 for defending Faenuriel rightly / successfully during the trial

· New trait “Honored by the King” (if heroes avoid capture of Prince Bain and talk well in front of
the King)
o The King grant the heroes the right to use his name to bring peace and justice.
o They can use this Trait in any situation where they want to impress / influence /
make good impression on someone by showing their connection to King Bard. The
further you get from Dale, the less chance this trait will bring any benefit.
o The trait can only be used once per adventure and per hero.
o To keep this Trait after a couple of years, heroes must come regularly to Dale to
rekindle the relationship with the King.