Welcome to the battle report for Hollin Gate. Wherein our heroes have taken upon themselves the task of saving Middle Earth from an otherworldly invasion - this time from within Moria itself! The ancient dwarven kingdom has become a portal into the "Upside Down" dimension. A dark place where certain doom and probable woe is certain to befall our heroes. And this time the Dark Powers may get away with it with no meddling kids on BMX bikes to stand in their way.
Summary
The Fellowship must defeat the Chaos Warriors, Beastmen and the Mythos creatures that were summoned from the gate. Tuddle the Hobbit reads a passage from the Book of Pickles that the Gate of Hollin was built by the dwarves with two special pillars on either side of it, that when destroyed will bring down the mountainside to bury and block the gate in time of war. The Fellowship and their Azer allies must destroy the pillars and save Middle Earth from an extra-dimensional tentacle filled invasion! Tuddle also finds that his lucky charm - Clam Shell of the Grey Havens is making a curious sound when held up to his ear... like soothing distant waves of happier times. Poppy says: Cthulhic-creatures are arriving from the dark beyond, Tuddle! This is no time for calm introspection!
Left to Right: Lord Mysterion, Lord Obscuro
Voice from beyond the Dark Door: Whom do you serve?
Lord Mysterion:*bows low* I live for Chaos!~
Lord Obscuro: *kneels* What is thy bidding, my master?
Voice from beyond the Dark Door: Bring me forth into your world, that I may tip the scales of balance in favor of glorious Chaos.
Lord Mysterion: What of the reports of the rebel fleet massing near Sollust?
Voice from beyond the Dark Door: It is of no concern. Soon the Rebellion will be crushed and young Tuddle will be one of us. Your work here is finished, my friends. Go out to the command ship and await my orders.
Both Chaos Lords: Thy will be done, master...
Nine Beastmen are guarding the Gate of Hollin.
South of the Gate is a Summoning Circle. Lord Obscuro stands in its center cavorting about and making strange gestures. Is he summoning or just pop-locking?
'Cause I'm close to the edge
I'm trying not to lose my head
Ah-huh-huh-huh
It's like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
A closer view of the Chaos Warriors around the Summoning Circle.
Beastman 1: So, I hear the Emperor is coming... I got five muldoons its Cthulhu!
Beastmen
2: I bet its a Moon Beast! So, I will see your five muldoons and raise
you a mint copy of "Bored of the Rings".
On the left side of the battlefield is a small pool of water, a cluster of trees, bushes, and a sign post that says "This way to Stunties Bar & Grill". The sign looks ancient. I dont know if that place is still open. I think it might have been another food establishment that didnt survive the pandemic. Or maybe it was the disappearance of the dwarven race...
On the right side are some rocks, tree stumps, a ruin (Stunties Bar & Grill?) and a mausoleum of some sort. I wonder who is buried in there.
The Azer Chief and some of his fellows teleport into the upper right side of the board.
Azer Chief: OK boys, we are behind enemy lines. For the glory of the Plane of Elemental Fire... lets get to that gate and destroy it!
On the upper left side, another group of Azers are stealthily approaching the gate from the other side. One of them blows a warhorn! The others scold him.
Azer Hornblower: But I always blow my horn at setting forth, I will not go forth as a thief in the night.
Azer: Well, I guess thats one way to start the battle. We Azers never did make good ninjas...
Left to Right: Lady Elerina of Rivendell, Tuddles the Hobbit, Mortimer the Brown Wizard, Cosette the Paladin of Rohan, and Anais the Bodyguard of Elerina.
On the left side, our heroes decide to make their way to the small pond.
Im sure they got a hunch that Tuddle's clam shell lucky charm has
something to do with the water there.
Lady Elerina uses her Scrye spell. She can use it on 3 locations or persons. She can use it on the Pond, the Summoning Circle, the Gate, the Mausoleum, Lord Obscuro, or Lord Mysterion. She decides to mind-read the 2 Chaos Lords and the Summoning Circle.
Elerina hears Lord Obscuro's plans that he will stay at the Circle and continue summoning.
Elerina hears Lord Mysterion's plans to retreat to the Gate and command the Beastmen. And also to await and greet the coming Lord of Darkness...
Finally, Elerina turns her attention to the Circle and realizes it is magical and protects those of Evil Alignment with a reroll to failed To-Save rolls.
Left to Right: Sir Haystacks of Ringlo Vale, Poppy the Hobbit herbologist, Shrub Beard the Entling Mound, Baron Orson of Lebennin, and Kipper the Squire of Rohan.
They decide to go help out at the summoning circle while others instead decide to inspect the mausoleum.
Poppy: Pass the word, "we attack at noon", "wet hack moon", "purple monkey dishwasher"
Baron Orson: I bet theres some shiny treasure in there! Lets loot it!
Kipper the Squire: Hopefully its a magic weapon of some sort to help us destroy that gate!
A Night Gaunt flies out of the Mausoleum and perches on a nearby tree.
Kipper the Squire: A Night Gaunt! Valar help us. That thing is durable and it flies!
Baron Orson: *takes out his poisoned blade* Dont you worry, lad. I will kill it. You go search the tomb for something shiny.
Kipper the Squire finds the Tomb is heaped with gold coins and various treasures! But something else stirs in the dark corner... another Night Gaunt flies out!
Kipper the Squire: Next time, tell Elerina to use her Scrye powers on mausoleums!
Baron Orson: At least we found some treasure! Gives us incentive to win this battle, so we can go home with a nice reward. These Night Gaunts have probably been preying on poor travelers up and down Eriador and hoarding these treasures as trophies. Lets avenge them!
Shrub Beard, Sir Haystacks, and Poppy move towards the ruins. From there they can help out in the center and the summoning circle. Or they can take the high ground of the ruins. Or help the Baron and Kipper at the Mausoleum.
Mortimer inspects the pond and sees nothing special about it.
Mortimer: Hey Tuddle, I think this is a job for you.
Tuddle reads a passage from the Book of Pickles and finds a mention of the Watcher in the Water. Tuddle suddenly remembers he carries a lucky clam shell that he found on the beach in the Grey Havens when he was a boy. As Tuddle takes out his lucky shell, he spots a tiny cuttlefish like creature staring up at him in the water. He feels compelled to give his shell to the creature. If he does, he loses his Kismet ability. Does he give the shell? He does...
The cuttlefish grows to immense size in the blink on an eye! Tuddles gains a follower... a Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath. Instinctively, Anais steps up to guard Tuddle from the giant beast.
Tuddle: Its ok, Anais. I think its friendly... *mumbles* I hope its friendly...
Anais: Oh. Its just like fishing! You know... tall tales. The stories always say "that time the big fish got away." Well, this time you actually got him Tuddle!
The pond may be searched further. Tuddle finds a magic weapon.
Tuddle: Here you go Anais *hands her the magic sword* I hope this helps.
Anais:. Thank you Hobbit. I wont forget this! Its... a Sword of Grievous Strike! Or as some call it the Snicker-Snack Sword!
Tuddle: Oh, a Vorpal Sword.
Weapon of Grievous Strike: If the unmodified To-Hit roll is a 6, this attack negates the enemy To-Save.
Baron Orson stabs one of the Night Gaunts with his poisoned blade and slays it!
Baron Orson: You're no daisy... You're no daisy at all! Poor soul you were just too high strung...
~~~
Next Post: Part 2 of the Battle of Hollin
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