LotR - Adventure - Ruins of Annuminas (Decipher) (Decipher).pdf - Adventure - Dihercen

T HE R UINS OF

A NNÚMINAS

An Adventure For

The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game

A UTHOR : Scott Metzger

D EVELOPMENT : Jeff Tidball

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

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

other locations without permission.

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

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

T HE R UINS OF A NNÚMINAS

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

T HE R UINS OF A NNÚMINAS

‘The Ruins of Annúminas’ is an adventure for The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game set

in Eriador in the years leading up to the War of the Ring (TA 2953–3018). It will challenge a

group of four to five beginning heroes, who should be close allies of the Rangers of the North.

If the company consists of more than five heroes, or heroes with more than 5 advancements

and/or superior weaponry, the Narrator should increase the number of opponents, their skill

level, or their weaponry.

Access to the map of the Shire in the Maps of Middle-earth boxed set may prove useful for

the Narrator, as most of the places referenced appear on it. It is not, however, absolutely

necessary for play, as the general lay of the land is less important than the action that occurs.

B ACKGROUND

In recent months the Rangers of the North have spotted unsavoury Men surveying the

ruins of Annúminas. Less than ten days ago a large number of Dunlendings passed through

Bree on their way up the Greenway. The Rangers are certain they are bandits planning to

ransack the sacred ruins. Pelegond is the Ranger captain who watches over this region. His

men are already occupied, so he has gathered a fellowship of young Rangers and their

allies—the player characters—to stop the bandits.

What’s been happening is that, encouraged by Saruman’s promises of rewards for

information and relics from the North, two separate groups of Dunlending bandits—the

‘Hawks’ and the ‘Hunters’—have gone up the Greenway. The Hawks set out first, the

Hunters one day behind. They cut cross-country, following the east bank of the Brandywine.

West of the North Downs sinister wolves on the hunt ambushed the groups and dragged off

victims to devour. The Hawks reached Lake Evendim first, excavating the eastern shore. The

Hunters arrived two days later, digging into a great burial mound. The rival bands were wary

of each other and even fought a nighttime skirmish, but soon the Dunlendings uncovered

dangers greater than each other. . . .

A CT I: G ATHERED BY P ELEGOND

However they have come to his attention, Pelegond gathers the PCs in the forest outside

the village of Archet, just north of Bree. Pelegond warns the heroes that a darkness is

descending upon Eriador. ‘Long have my folk guarded the lands of Old Arnor, keeping at bay

Orcs and foes darker still from the evil lands between Carn Dûm and the Misty Mountains.

But our numbers are too few to patrol all paths, and now our friend the Grey Wizard has

asked us to expand our watch to include the Shire, too. In recent days intruders from the

South have passed through Bree on their way to the ruins of Annúminas, the old capital. We

fear they are bandits or, worse, grave looters.’

—2—

T HE R UINS OF A NNÚMINAS

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

He explains there are no available Rangers to send to the ruins and asks the heroes to

accept this quest, ‘If not out of friendship for me, then out of honour for that long-lost

kingdom and respect for her sacred ruins.’ The task is to track down the bandits, take back any

treasures they have looted, and drive them away from the ruins. Pelegond gladly answers any

questions put to him as follows:

Who are these Men from the South? ‘Throughout the past month Rangers have spotted

unsavoury individuals scouting the Hills of Evendim. They always fled south when chased.

Less than ten days ago, whole groups of similar Men passed through Bree along the Greenway.

They are wild in feature and accoutrement, and dark of hair and eye, so we suspect they may

be dispossessed Dunlendings from Enedwaith.’

How many are they? ‘We have no true count. They came in several waves, whether in

alliance we cannot say. Informers in Bree say they number at least a dozen and perhaps twice

that many. No armour was seen, but most bore weapons.’

Where were they going? ‘They headed north from Bree on the Greenway. They surely

did not stay on that path, for Rangers guard it vigilantly. They likely cut across the open

country to the River Brandywine. If these Men are in league with those we found scouting

Lake Evendim then they are certainly marching to the ruins of Annúminas. The ruins are now

buried and overgrown, but they could be plundered still, and much of what they contain

should lay buried until claimed by a rightful heir of the line of Kings.’

Can we keep what we find? ‘If you find that the intruders from the South have looted the

ruins, try to take back what they have stolen. Bring the plunder to me in Archet; I will return

here at the end of this month. You may use what items you recover, but true relics must be

stored safely in Rivendell until claimed by the rightful heir of Arnor.’

Can you aid us? ‘I cannot go with you, for I must hasten to Rivendell to meet in council

with my brethren. I have torches in plenty you make take, and also three sprigs of athelas,

which can heal your injuries (see page 125 of the core rulebook). And to each of you I give a

large skin of water and cram bread for ten days.’

A CT II: J OURNEY , S EARCH , AND

C ONFRONTATION

In this section the characters track the Dunlendings to the Hills of Evendim. The journey

from Chetwood up the Greenway and west to Lake Evendim is about 200 miles. The terrain is

mostly thicketed scrub grassland dotted with stunted woods (average ground), though within

a dozen miles of Annúminas the terrain becomes hilly (rough ground). Fresh water should be

plentiful on the journey, though food may be limited. Pelegond suggests—if asked—that the

heroes follow the Greenway north out of Chetwood and look for the bandits’ tracks away from

the old road, or hike cross-country north-west of Chetwood and hope to spot their trail in the

open countryside. The former course is longer but surer, the latter swifter but less certain.

—3—

T HE R UINS OF A NNÚMINAS

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

F OLLOWING THE G REENWAY

The characters must first hike west through 10 miles of light woods (average ground) to

reach the Greenway heading north (easy ground). The Dunlendings walked up the Greenway

for 20 miles before cutting north-west through the open countryside. The characters must

find the place where their tracks leave the trail, requiring an extended combined Track (or

Search at a –2 penalty) skill test (1 hour time interval, 40 TN aggregate, +4 test bonus due to

the number of Dunlendings). Once the tracks are found, they can be followed from the

Greenway to the Brandywine River.

S EARCHING THE C OUNTRYSIDE

This route, through light woods and scrub grassland (average ground), shortens the

overland trek to Lake Evendim (only 160 miles total). However, there is no guarantee that

signs of the Dunlendings can be found in the open wilderness. After reaching the river, the

characters must drop to half-pace to search for tracks. This requires a combined Track (or

Search at a –2 penalty) skill test (TN 15, with a +4 test bonus due to the number of

Dunlendings). The time interval is 6 hours and the test can be repeated if failed according to

the normal rules for repeat attempts, though on a complete failure the party gets hopelessly

lost for one day, or two days on a disastrous failure.

T RACKING AND S URVIVING

Every day after they find the trail the characters must make a combined Track (or Search

at –2) test (TN 10, with the +4 bonus) to keep following the Dunlendings’ trail. The test can

be repeated according to the normal rules for repeat attempts, but each failure wastes one hour

of travel time. If the characters forage for food, make a combined Survival (Scrubland) test

(TN 10) with a time interval of one hour. This test cannot be repeated. The party finds

meagre sustenance for the day on a complete success, decent sustenance on superior, and

bountiful sustenance on extraordinary, but the party goes hungry on a failure. If ever the party

is completely out of food the characters suffer –2 on all Weariness tests and cannot recover

Weariness until they eat again.

W OLFPACK !

Halfway to Annúminas the characters enter the territory of a pack of sinister wolves.

Tainted by the Shadow, they are shrewder and more aggressive than normal wolves, and the

lead wolf rivals a Warg in malevolent power. They hunt at twilight and strike using hit-and-

run tactics. The pack leader only exposes himself to risk when necessary. The wolves are

voracious but not suicidal, fleeing when Injured or worse. The pack leader can regroup them

to strike again, and as long as he survives the pack does not give up hunting the party.

S INISTER W OLF

A TTRIBUTES : Bearing 6 (0), Nimbleness 7 (0), Perception 8 (+1), Strength 8 (+1), Vitality 7

(0), Wits 2 (–2)

—4—

T HE R UINS OF A NNÚMINAS

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

R EACTIONS : Stamina +2, Swiftness +2, Willpower +0, Wisdom +0

D EFENCE : 10

M OVEMENT R ATE : 9

S KILLS : Armed Combat: Natural Weapons (Fangs) +4, Intimidate (Fear) +2, Jump +4,

Observe (Smell) +4, Run +6, Stealth (Sneak) +8, Survival +4, Track (Scent) +4

S PECIAL A BILITIES : Natural Weapon (Fangs, 1d6+1), Snatch (may attempt to trip target as a

free action if bite attack hits)

S IZE : Medium

H EALTH : 8

P ACK L EADER

A TTRIBUTES : Bearing 8 (+1), Nimbleness 8 (+1), Perception 9 (+1), Strength 10 (+2), Vitality

8 (+1), Wits 4 (–1)

R EACTIONS : Stamina +4, Swiftness +3, Willpower +1, Wisdom +0

D EFENCE : 11

M OVEMENT R ATE : 9

S KILLS : Armed Combat: Natural Weapons (Fangs) +6, Intimidate (Fear) +4, Jump +6,

Observe (Smell) +4, Run +9, Stealth (Sneak) +9, Survival +5, Track (Scent) +4

S PECIAL A BILITIES : Natural Weapon (Fangs, 1d6+1), Snatch (may attempt to trip target as a

free action if bite attack hits)

S IZE : Medium

H EALTH : 10

C OURAGE : 1

N EARING L AKE E VENDIM

The characters must eventually cross the Brandywine River. A successful Search test

(TN 20) allows the company to find a suitable ford across the swift river. A TN 10 Sea-craft

test allows the party to build a suitable raft for one. Each increment of success at raft-making

past complete success adds capacity for one more aboard the craft. Otherwise the party must

swim across. This is a difficult task as the current is strong (+5 TN to Swim tests) and the

water wide (1,000 yards at the Bucklebury Ferry, though narrower further to the north).

Considering the modifier, swimmers must make three TN 15 tests, spend 10–15 minutes,

and make Weariness tests for an Extreme activity.

B LOODY B IVOUAC

Halfway between the river crossing and the hilltop excavation by the lakeshore is the site

where the Dunlending Hawks camped several days earlier. The rival Hunters launched a night

raid on the camp after they arrived, and in the skirmish several men were killed or injured. The

surviving Hawks fled, leaving their dead behind. The Hunters buried their dead at the site,

but the slain Hawks were stripped of possessions and left to rot on the ground. The Narrator

may wish to reward characters who take the time to bury the dead.

—5—

LotR - Adventure - Ruins of Annuminas (Decipher) (Decipher).pdf

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