Post by deadeyethingy on Oct 5, 2004 1:38:24 GMT 1
While virtually all of Middle-Earth failed to see the warning signs, a few acute members of the noble race of Elves recognized the signs for what they were: the shadow was rising.
Looking back through the great tomes of Elvish and Numenorean history, one notes a set of important events: A grey pilgrim, intent on investigating the rumors of a dark presence in the Mirkwood, discovers a formidable power in Dol Guldur. Gathering together his closest allies, Mithrandir guided the wise Elrond and the clairvoyant Galadriel to the fell hillock and there cast out the darkness. By then, their suspicions had been aroused - the shadow had returned... But they gathered together in council with the wisest among them, Curunír of the White, and yet this would later prove to be a great error. But for a time, while those whose suspicions lingered sought to justify their fears, the rest of Middle Earth slept. However, this tale, as told in other sources is not for the retelling here. Rather, our tale begins where this one leaves off - and so that is how we come to the Third Age and The War of the Ring!
In preparation for a war as yet unnamed, the Southrons and Easterlings begin to mobilize for war. The territories south of Mordor swell with the numbers of dark-hearted humans pledged to the sigil of the Eye. In North and South Rhun, the great Mumakil are seen heading West. Of the Free-People, only the Elves are cognizant of the threat, however, their numbers are limited, and worse, their inclination is to return to the Western Lands, far beyond the sea. Yet, a few among them including the Maia Olórin (who is known as the Grey Pilgrim to the Northmen, Mithrandir to the Elves and Gandalf to the Shire folk) understand the gathering darkness and so begin a desperate search for a way to stem the coming tide. The Fellowship is created in Rivendell but it would seem the quest for the Ring is doomed.
Upon immediately leaving Elrond's haven, they are beset upon by dark riders (gaining 3 corruption). Strider takes over as guide to the Fellowship as Gandalf moves South through Moria. It is rumored that Saruman has declared Orthanc/Isengard agains the free-people and the Pilgrim is needed to bolster the defenses of Rohan. Strider locates some Athelas, (-2 corruption) and they proceed East to the Goblin gate.
However, their plans are confounded when numerous Nazgul upon their fell beasts swoop in above the Goblin Gate and halt the fellowship's progress. They try to hide again, and proceed forward, but a Sauron's minions are everywhere. In a desperate fight to gain freedom the Fellowship loses Gimli, but they press on towards Mordor. (Unfortunatley, Sauron is crafty and manages to put the heat on the FSP and for much of the remainder of the Game they are forced to remain in the Goblin Gate. Card play over several turns forces the FSP to take corruption after Corruption.)
More Shadow forces appear in Mordor, the South, Moria and in Angmar. Gandalf arrives in Rohan and prepares defenses at the Fords of Isen. However, the crafty machinations of Wormtongue prevent the Rohirrim from declaring an open war. Urukai and Warg Riders are seen mustering at Orthanc. To counteract the betrayal of his onetime friend and mentor, Gandalf adopts the White and leaves Rohan for Gondor.
By now, the Elves are fully at war. Strider and Legolas break from the Fellowship and head West to aid the Elves of the Woodland Realm. With a small contingent of Elves, they manage to take Dol Guldur. However, the Shadow will not allow this, and so dispatches a host of Easterlings, now at war, led by the foul Nazgul to retake the stronghold. Meanwhile, Sauron moves his minions into Lorien and lays siege - but the elves hold out time and time again.
Even while the Shadow continues to grow in Mt. Gundabad and in Angmar (once home to the Witch King), both the Northmen and the Dwarves remain unwilling to go to war. The host of Easterlings, headed by the dread Nazgul and the Mumakil, arrive in the Mirkwood and lay siege to Dol Guldur. Although Strider and Legolas hold out for a short while, inflicing their fair share of casualties upon the shadow, they eventually fall. The King of Gondor and the North has fallen!
Still, the Fellowship cannot move - so in a desperate attempt to buy Frodo time, Merry, Pippin and Boromir leave the Fellowship to aid the Free People. An incredible array of Shadow Army forces cover Middle Earth (Musters and deadly hunt tile-pulling has ruled the day for the Shadow Player). Gandalf the White musters a formidable host in Minas Tirith (Gondor is now at War) and heads East into Ithillian - taking it quickly by force. The few remaining Elves in Lorien continue to hold out, but aside from Cirdan in the Grey-Havens, the Elves have either left Middle Earth or are dead at the hands of shadow armies. Merry takes command of a small contingent of Dwarves out of Erebor (Lonely Mtn) to fight against the growing Easterling hordes. Boromir races south - and with Gandalf and Co railing at the door of Mordor, the Fellowship (lead by Gollum) are able to move out of the Goblin Gate at last.
Gandalf and his Gondor soldiers, aided by Faramir, take Minas Morgul! But the shadow grows long all about them....
And that is where the tale ends. So while the FP has 2 VP (out of needed 4 to win) by taking and holding Minas Morgul, and the SA had been denied any FP settlements, their armies in the north were poised to take Rivendell and much of the Dalelands. Also, Saruman was gathering a vast host at Orthanc and was preparing to move into Rohan - and I fear Helm's Deep would soon fall. Likewise, Lorien was cut off from nearly all support and it would not be long before it too fell. The FSP had managed to get 1/2-way to Mordor, but had sustained a whopping 8 corruption along the way... needless to say, it was NOT looking good for the Free People of Middle Earth.
That was a first time-play, and as the FP (my wife played the SA) I could have made some smarter moves. But we were having fun figuring things out and playing the cards and what-not. Plus I got some bad action dice rolls which hindered my FSP progress for about 4 turns. The game lasted 3 hours - and we had to cut for bed. I think it would have wrapped up within another hour or so, and I can see it dropping to less than 3 with a few plays under our belts. And I can't wait to get to em!!!
Looking back through the great tomes of Elvish and Numenorean history, one notes a set of important events: A grey pilgrim, intent on investigating the rumors of a dark presence in the Mirkwood, discovers a formidable power in Dol Guldur. Gathering together his closest allies, Mithrandir guided the wise Elrond and the clairvoyant Galadriel to the fell hillock and there cast out the darkness. By then, their suspicions had been aroused - the shadow had returned... But they gathered together in council with the wisest among them, Curunír of the White, and yet this would later prove to be a great error. But for a time, while those whose suspicions lingered sought to justify their fears, the rest of Middle Earth slept. However, this tale, as told in other sources is not for the retelling here. Rather, our tale begins where this one leaves off - and so that is how we come to the Third Age and The War of the Ring!
In preparation for a war as yet unnamed, the Southrons and Easterlings begin to mobilize for war. The territories south of Mordor swell with the numbers of dark-hearted humans pledged to the sigil of the Eye. In North and South Rhun, the great Mumakil are seen heading West. Of the Free-People, only the Elves are cognizant of the threat, however, their numbers are limited, and worse, their inclination is to return to the Western Lands, far beyond the sea. Yet, a few among them including the Maia Olórin (who is known as the Grey Pilgrim to the Northmen, Mithrandir to the Elves and Gandalf to the Shire folk) understand the gathering darkness and so begin a desperate search for a way to stem the coming tide. The Fellowship is created in Rivendell but it would seem the quest for the Ring is doomed.
Upon immediately leaving Elrond's haven, they are beset upon by dark riders (gaining 3 corruption). Strider takes over as guide to the Fellowship as Gandalf moves South through Moria. It is rumored that Saruman has declared Orthanc/Isengard agains the free-people and the Pilgrim is needed to bolster the defenses of Rohan. Strider locates some Athelas, (-2 corruption) and they proceed East to the Goblin gate.
However, their plans are confounded when numerous Nazgul upon their fell beasts swoop in above the Goblin Gate and halt the fellowship's progress. They try to hide again, and proceed forward, but a Sauron's minions are everywhere. In a desperate fight to gain freedom the Fellowship loses Gimli, but they press on towards Mordor. (Unfortunatley, Sauron is crafty and manages to put the heat on the FSP and for much of the remainder of the Game they are forced to remain in the Goblin Gate. Card play over several turns forces the FSP to take corruption after Corruption.)
More Shadow forces appear in Mordor, the South, Moria and in Angmar. Gandalf arrives in Rohan and prepares defenses at the Fords of Isen. However, the crafty machinations of Wormtongue prevent the Rohirrim from declaring an open war. Urukai and Warg Riders are seen mustering at Orthanc. To counteract the betrayal of his onetime friend and mentor, Gandalf adopts the White and leaves Rohan for Gondor.
By now, the Elves are fully at war. Strider and Legolas break from the Fellowship and head West to aid the Elves of the Woodland Realm. With a small contingent of Elves, they manage to take Dol Guldur. However, the Shadow will not allow this, and so dispatches a host of Easterlings, now at war, led by the foul Nazgul to retake the stronghold. Meanwhile, Sauron moves his minions into Lorien and lays siege - but the elves hold out time and time again.
Even while the Shadow continues to grow in Mt. Gundabad and in Angmar (once home to the Witch King), both the Northmen and the Dwarves remain unwilling to go to war. The host of Easterlings, headed by the dread Nazgul and the Mumakil, arrive in the Mirkwood and lay siege to Dol Guldur. Although Strider and Legolas hold out for a short while, inflicing their fair share of casualties upon the shadow, they eventually fall. The King of Gondor and the North has fallen!
Still, the Fellowship cannot move - so in a desperate attempt to buy Frodo time, Merry, Pippin and Boromir leave the Fellowship to aid the Free People. An incredible array of Shadow Army forces cover Middle Earth (Musters and deadly hunt tile-pulling has ruled the day for the Shadow Player). Gandalf the White musters a formidable host in Minas Tirith (Gondor is now at War) and heads East into Ithillian - taking it quickly by force. The few remaining Elves in Lorien continue to hold out, but aside from Cirdan in the Grey-Havens, the Elves have either left Middle Earth or are dead at the hands of shadow armies. Merry takes command of a small contingent of Dwarves out of Erebor (Lonely Mtn) to fight against the growing Easterling hordes. Boromir races south - and with Gandalf and Co railing at the door of Mordor, the Fellowship (lead by Gollum) are able to move out of the Goblin Gate at last.
Gandalf and his Gondor soldiers, aided by Faramir, take Minas Morgul! But the shadow grows long all about them....
And that is where the tale ends. So while the FP has 2 VP (out of needed 4 to win) by taking and holding Minas Morgul, and the SA had been denied any FP settlements, their armies in the north were poised to take Rivendell and much of the Dalelands. Also, Saruman was gathering a vast host at Orthanc and was preparing to move into Rohan - and I fear Helm's Deep would soon fall. Likewise, Lorien was cut off from nearly all support and it would not be long before it too fell. The FSP had managed to get 1/2-way to Mordor, but had sustained a whopping 8 corruption along the way... needless to say, it was NOT looking good for the Free People of Middle Earth.
That was a first time-play, and as the FP (my wife played the SA) I could have made some smarter moves. But we were having fun figuring things out and playing the cards and what-not. Plus I got some bad action dice rolls which hindered my FSP progress for about 4 turns. The game lasted 3 hours - and we had to cut for bed. I think it would have wrapped up within another hour or so, and I can see it dropping to less than 3 with a few plays under our belts. And I can't wait to get to em!!!