Dwarf Quest 3 - Island of Mirdorog-Naht Part 1

Welcome to the long belated Dwarf Quest 3, an Oldhammer skirmish battle report.
When last we left you, 3 teams of Dwarf adventurers teamed up with Gondorian Wizards to teleport to 3 islands located to the west of Middle Earth.
This is the tale of team 3 led by Balin and Bugman, mighty heroes of Dwarvenkind.
We take you now to the action as our doughty adventurers materialize in a bright flash of light to find themselves on a somber rocky island...

Left to Right: Foaming Mad Furrikson, Balin, Napper, the Wizard Otto, Lobelia the Hobbit, Pickles the Master Mapper, Master Brewer Joseph Bugman, and Guts the Adventurer

Left to Right: Pickles, Master Brewer Joseph Bugman, and Guts the Adventurer

Bugman:  My psychiatrist tells me I should have a more positive outlook on life!  This place must be important!  I can feel it.

Pickles: (squints at his map) I think.... this might be Valinor!  The Blessed Isle!  OR... it could also be the... errr...  the Valley of Ultimate Darkness?  Now it says... we are in Hobb's End! 

Bugman: What is wrong with your map?

Pickles:  Ever since those Wizards came to Moria my map has been acting wierd.  Then again there must be spotty reception out here in the middle of nowhere.  My map is only showing 1 bar!

Guts: I dont think this is the Blessed Isle, where are the Valar - powerful majestic angelic beings?  And all the haughty hoity-toity Elves?  I got a baaaad feeling about this...

Bugman: Did George Lucas write your dialogue?

Left to Right: Wizard Otto, Lobelia the Hobbit

Lobelia:  So let me get this straight... you are the only one with the gizmo that can send us back to Moria?

Otto:  Yes, this Portkey is our only escape, and Im the only one who can use it.

Lobelia:  Guard the wizard at all costs!

Left to Right: Foaming Mad Furrikson, Balin, Napper

Balin:  Something whispers to me...  there are fell voices in the air.  Be on guard...

Chaos Dwarves:  Yes, milord...

A tall slender woman appears before our heroes

Bugman: Ahh, hello Lady of this lovely land!

The Pale Lady:  Welcome adventurers, you have journeyed far and are weary.  Follow me to your destiny...

Bugman: (to his fellow Dwarves)  See, what did I tell you negative nellies! 

Pickles: (scratches his chin and whispers)  ...the Isle of Mirdorog-Naht.  Thats where we are! I dont like the sound of this place at all...

Bugman: Nonsense, look we have a guide to escort us to our destiny!

The Pale Lady:  We have waited for you to arrive for a very long time.  Let me roll out the red carpet for you...

Bugman:  See!  Red Carpet treatment!  How grand!

Lobelia:  I think this red carpet is... red with blood?  I think this is a trap!

Bugman:  Nonsense!  Dont insult our kind hostess.

Lobelia:  (turns to see Balin looking disturbed)  Are you alright there Lord Balin?

Balin:  Do you hear the voices too?  The Raven King is here... has been here... is with us!  Im fine, Hobbit!  Its just beer withdrawal.

Lobelia:  (tugs Balin's sleeve) Umm, c'mon Mr Balin, the others are going that way, lets not get left behind now.

The Pale Lady leads the party to a stone door in the mountainside.

Bugman:  Hmmm... how do we open it?  I cant seem to do it.

The Pale Lady:  One of you can do it, it is foretold...

Bugman:  C'mon fellows, everyone line up and take turns trying to open it!

Guts:  Nope, I cant open it.

 Bugman:  Seems to be some inscriptions around the edges... ancient Dwarven!  I think it says "Welcome Angband emergency service entrance #66"  I wonder what that means?

The voices in Balin's head grow louder!
At first it was just the Raven King, promising him power and immortality.
But now, Balin the Lord of Moria can feel and hear whispers, and clawing, and gasping of countless beings behind the Door!
But something else is behind the door...  someone...
The Door of Night...
The Lord of Night...
It whispers... I will grant you all of Middle Earth, while I assail the Gates of the Valar itself!
Just open this small door...

Suddenly, a flash of light appears to the west!
As the light of teleportation fades, 5 warriors of Melnibone appear!

Citadel Code:  EC01 - Melnibonean Infantry

In the center is Yrkoon, sorceror noble of the Dragon Isle.
It is said he is the cousin of the albino Emperor of Melnibone.
Is he here as pennance for his crimes against his Emperor or is he here to gain something to use in his conspiracy against the rightful ruler of the Dragon Isles?

Yrkoon:  Someone has tripped our sensors!  Intruders upon the island!

Next to the Melniboneans, a legendary figure sits atop his noble steed.
It is Al-Pharazon, the Lord of Fallen Numenor!

Citadel Code: ME-81

It was his misdeeds which caused the great sinking of Numenor, the great island of the Dunedain which was also known as Atalante the "downfallen".
It was Sauron who poisoned King Al-Pharazon's mind to take Aman by force from the Elves and the Valar.
The Valar called upon Eru himself, who sank Numenor beneath the waves.
But a faithful remnant of Numenoreans led by Elendil and his sons Isildur and Anarion survived by sailing to the mainland of Middle Earth and founding Gondor and Arnor.
His people are in stasis awaiting the day when they are forgiven for their arrogance.
Only one of them has been awake all this time...
Lord Ar-Pharazon who has all this time been meditating and repenting in the Caves of the Forgotten, readying himself for the day of Dagor Dagorath.

By fighting Sauron once more and helping the Alliance he can earn forgiveness for his people and their awakening.
Today is the beginning!
Al-Pharazon and his elf allies are here because of rumors that evil has returned to threaten Middle Earth.

The Pale Lady: (turns to Otto the Wizard) Complications have arisen, but we must prevail in our plan!

The Pale Lady throws her head back in an evil maniacal laugh! 
And proceeds to do her big villain monologue reveal.
For the Pale Lady is Thuringwethil - The Vampire Countess of Tol Sirion!
Before the Mouth of Sauron was born, she was the herald of both Morgoth and Sauron.
Her name means "woman of the secret shadow".
Luthien disguised herself as Thuringwethil when she infiltrated Angband.

"Thuringwethil I am, who cast
a shadow o'er the face aghast
of the sallow moon in the doomed land
of shivering Beleriand."

Lobelia: (turns to Otto)  What does she mean?

Otto:  Im afraid my name is not Otto, little Hobbit.  My real name is Grima Wormtongue, the Raven King!  Balin!  Hear me!  For it was I, who called upon the powers of Chaos to resurrect you and your kin in Moria.  The Lords of Evil: Saruman, Sauron, and Morgoth wish you Dwarves no ill will!  In fact if you free Morgoth who lies behind this door, they will grant you the right to rule Moria as well as all your ancient strongholds. This prison was created by a Dwarven runesmith, an Elven sorcerer, and a Human Cleric when Morgoth was overthrown.  No one but a Dwarf, Elf, or Human of Kingly blood may open its seal.  You are of Durin's blood!  Open the Door of Night... and embrace your destiny! And the destiny of your people!


Bugman:  Dont listen to him, Balin!  Morgoth cannot be released! Not even for all of our fallen strongholds, nor the 7 Dwarven Rings of Power!  Balin stop walking towards that Door!

All the Dwarves lay hands on their weapons, but are unsure if they are drawing them to use on the evil wizard, the vampire, or even....  Balin himself!?  For it looks like he will succumb to the temptation of evil!  But at the last, Balin shakes his head and draws his axe up high!

Balin:  (turns to Grima Wormtongue) You!  You are the one who has been whispering evil thoughts into my mind!  I refuse your offers and the offers of your evil masters!  It is the might of the Dwarves and good Dwarven steel that will prevail!

Grima Wormtongue: Damn the stubborness and magic resistance of Dwarves!

Before Balin can slay the Wizard formerly known as Otto... he and the Pale Lady Thuringwethil disappear in a blaze of light.

Pickles:  (slaps his own face)  Mirdorog-Naht!  NO! It was just spelled backwards... WE ARE IN THANGORODRIM!!!!  The island prison fortress of Morgoth!  The Great Enemy!  You know... Sauron's master!

Overview of the board

Grima and Thuringwethil have teleported to the high point in the Northwest corner.

The heroes have banded together in the center.

There are 3 objectives which mark locations where hidden treasure might be found!

The first one is at the North East corner of the board.
Which is above the hidden door to Thangorodrim.

The second objective is in the north, next to a copse of trees!

The third objective is in the North West corner, high above where dark crystals hum with magic power. 
Do they power the prison that holds Ultimate Evil at bay?

Grima Wormtongue sends up a death eater symbol into the clouds!
An evil omen, and surely a beacon for evil forces to converge upon.

With Otto/Grima Wormtongue suddenly revealed as a traitor, the heroes have no way to escape the island as he was the only one with a Portkey.
So the Melnibonean leader Yrkoon must be kept alive while he powers up his spell to teleport all of them out.
He takes up a defensive position in the South East corner of the board with a little wall and one Melnibonean to guard him.
After 4 turns he rolls to see when his spell is completed.

In the meantime, the Dwarves decide to go treasure hunting and grab as many objectives as they can.

While Al-Pharazon and 3 Melniboneans head to the center of the board as a reserve.

The first evil reinforcements arrive! 
In the center is a Nurgle Chaos Champion, who is leading Chaos Thugs!

Overview of the Chaos Champion and his 8 thugs.

Plague for the Plague God!

Thuringwethil casts her own summoning spell and ancient skeletons appear in the center objective!

These old bones have lain here since before the sinking of Beleriand!
Time to rise again and trouble the world of the living!

Thuringwethil and Grima look down and see their plan unfolding.

Thuringwethil:  If Balin will not open the Door of Night willingly, he will be forced to do so!

Grima:  More forces of Chaos will appear every turn, our plan will not fail.

And right before the game begins proper, another die roll brings one more minion of evil to the table!
A Minotaur!


~~~

So the pre-game fluff is done.
The scenario is laid out.
The battle is coming!
Prepare for death or glory, maybe even some glorious deaths!

But yeah, Al-Pharazon is on the blog! 
Thuringwethil too.
Lots of Silmarillion goodness is being woven into the campaign.
You never know who else will be popping up!
Did someone say Stormcast would make great Valar? 
I certainly didnt say it....  ;p
Oh and dont get me started on Earendil the Mariner and his flying skyship!
Arkanaut Ironclad Im looking at you!
Oh and how bout that reveal?  Otto was Grima Wormtongue and is the Raven King.
He is most certainly a Mentat of House Istari and also the orchestrator of the plan to open the Door of Night.
He has certainly lived up to his name so far!


Next Post:  The Battle for Thangorodrim Begins!

Cheers,
Mar