Strayed Captain

Having lent hands and legs all over Dunland it’s time to return to Tâl Methedras and inform Lheu Brenin of your deeds and the overall situation. Except it won’t go the way it’s planned.

When you first went to Tûr Morva it was to gain the favour and support of the Falcon-clan residing therein. You and the Rangers had to do some menial work and then you were sent to scout and help throughout Dunland and bring back some news. So now you’re back. Lheu is happy to see you and right off the bat he has a new task for you. There is still the Emissary of Isengard in the jail and someone should question him. On your way to the cell you’ll meet with Lothrandir (that’s the Ranger from Forochel in case you forgot) when you get to the cell you’ll find that the Emissary is dead. „And so are you“, say the guards that were escorting you. Fortunately and as always you prove to be a better fighter and kill the guards. But you are captured nonetheless. While Lheu assures you that he likes the Rangers he cannot stand against Saruman having learned that almost all of Dunland has been taken over. And you are taken to Isengard.

This was a very interesting twist in the story and while the execution isn’t flawless I really liked it. You and Lothrandir arrive to Isengard and are handed over to the Uruks that Saruman have been breeding. One in particular, Morflak, has been assigned to “take care” of you. You are taken down into the Pits where you are handed to another Uruk, Fâsh, who is overseeing the underground areas. And you are also given your personal Uruk Overseer (it’s a pet, technically) who gives you orders and “rewards”. If you didn’t like working for the Dunlendings you are not going to like working for the Uruks. Carrying barrels of weapons, cleaning slop in the kitchen over and over and killing rats (that quest is called “Kill Ten Rats”).

Now a bit to the aforementioned execution (of the captivity that is). The Pits of Isengard are basically just another quest hub, you complete quests, gain XP and so on. And while you are imprisoned you are still keeping all your gear and can even leave (though only by mapping out and returing via an item called the Reminder of Captivity). This I guess is what most people didn’t like, on the other hand stripping you of all your equipment might have been even worse. For me personally doing all those quests was enough to made me feel like a prisoner and slave. Not to be a totally worthless experience you’ll end up with a nice and shiny ragged prisoner’s outfit (with a large White Hand painted on the back). From time to time you’ll also encounter an Uruk who doesn’t particulalrly like you and attacks you (and your Overseer won’t help you), if you kill the Uruk you will get a speed buff (to Flee the Scene) that helps running around the Pits, it stacks with other buffs so if you’re a Warden you’ll run really, really fast.

Of course our story cannot end in the Pits. While doing the slave work a task takes us to the dungeons where Baldgar, a man from Rohan, is imprisoned but since you are guarded you cannot speak with him, yet. And you got better things to do anyway – you are being taken into the Tower for questioning. The Uruks don’t dare to go deep inside though and so you can do a bit of exploring before meeting with Saruman. It looks great inside. Anyway, questioning: Saruman wants you to stop whatever foolish things you have been pursuing until now, join him in his glorious mission and tell him everything about the Ring (not that you can, I don’t think our characters have ever been told about it). Saruman’s voice is compelling but you are able to resist it. And here comes another surprise – Gun Ain enters the scene, having fled Forochel she somehow joined Saruman (hers were the foot tracks you have found at Tâl Methedras) and is now really happy to have found you and Lothrandir, though she cannot hurt either of you yet. Since the questioning didn’t go as planned you are sent back to the Uruks but having proven yourself you are now going to serve directly under Morflak (though still being overseen by his lackey) and on the surface where the Sun occasionally shines. Even the work gets better – you are to remind some Uruks that who is the boss (Morflak is) which means killing them and killing Uruks is always fun. Then there is picking some food and helping with the construction of siege weapons to which is dedicated a large part of the surface. After that it’s back underground, but this time while bringing “food” to the dungeons you are able to speak with Baldgar, he points out there is another prisoner in the cell next to him, Acca, former servant of Saruman, who claims to know some secrets about Isengard.

But first Acca tells you his story – which happens to be a session play as Grima Wormtongue: you find yourself in Isengard while it still was a garden and trees were growing everywhere. First you witness a meeting between Saruman and Radagast and then it skips ahead to the arrival of Gandalf and his capture. Acca felt sorry for Gandalf and brought him some extra food. You (i.e. Grima) witnessed this and while Acca asked you not to tell you can guess what happened. Grima went straight to Saruman and Acca ended up in prison. Obviously he’s not happy with that. He tells you about a secret a way from the Ring of Isengard and Baldgar provides another part of the plan to escape. Saruman has been experimenting with explosives and since Uruks aren’t good on keeping stuff in order you can snatch some leftovers from around. The explosives are to be put under a great siege weapon to create a distraction. Next thing is to obtain keys from the jailor and then it’s up to the surface. Unfortunately you cannot rescue Lothrandir as he is likely kept in the Tower. On the surface, having nowhere to go anyway Acca volunteers to set off the explosives. Nothing seems to happen though. When you go investigating you’ll find angry Morflak standing over Acca’s body. All is not lost however and while you are keeping the Uruk occupied Baldgar goes to finish Acca’s task. And then it all fades to black.

You wake up in Gravenwood which is as far as Baldgar was able to carry you. While you made it out of Isengard this was the end for him. You leave his body and make it back to the Rohirrim camp where some of the Rangers were able to escape from Tûr Morva. Saeradan is glad to see you alive and briefs you on the situation. Not many have escaped, Radanir had returned but Braigiar fell while the two of them were fighting their way out. (Braigiar was one of Golodir’s company, you could have met him in Gabilshathûr, the Dwarven city in Angmar). After you recover from inprisonment it is time to return to Tûr Morva for the third time and exact some well deserved revenge. You are joined by Théodred and a few of his men, the Ranger Radanir and Seren, old Dunlending woman who has been expelled from the Falcon-clan. Before striking the village directly some preparations need to be made. Some of the Rohirrim went scouting and didn’t return so they need to be found, one of them went to the western shore of the lake – you know, to the place where you put all those traps. Ouch. The other you find lying on the ground near the village, poisoned. There’s also some provision stealing and Dunlending killing. And also recovering Braigiar’s body – once you find him Théodred appears and carries him out of the village himself. After you’ve done all the work there is one last task – defeat the champions of the village, the ones you yourself helped train. Of course you didn’t teach them all the tricks. Finally it is time to raid the village and rescue the prisoners. Freeing is successful, killing Lheu Brenin not so much. The Dunlendings still outnumber you and if you’d killed him you wouldn’t have made it out alive. And you cannot pursue them either as the tunnels beneath the village go far and deep and the Dunlendings know them better than you.

And so ends one of the best and the longest of Epic Books which started in Enedwaith and took you through Dunland. After that a new one starts: the Rangers do once again part ways with you, they are very thankful for all you have done but they’ll send you to help Théodred while they try to make the way south. As a reward you will get a full Ranger outfit (either the standard white/green or the Grey Company pieces). Even though you say farewell you will meet two of the Rangers again in the Gap of Rohan. Nonetheless it is time to leave Dunland behind and enter the Gap of Rohan.

Next time: Heathfells