Are we even allowed a write-in?

Edit: also @agumentic I think you have too many actions with Baran in your plan. He only has 3 and you seem to have given him 5.
Pretty sure we're always allowed a write-in, and I asked about the viability of Old Hope before, with response being that yes, we can extort our people to return to it.
The Old Hope, that the Enemy may be defeated and death overthrown, is still known to some few among the Wise. They may be questioned on it, but your people know of the Old Hope — they just no longer believe in it, seeing as they do the seeming insurmountability of the Enemy. You may exhort them to return to it, but who knows if this will work?
Here's the quote.

Two of those actions are general actions, where I break one Baran AP into 3 more choices from the list.
 
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Finrod's answer can be applicable if worded correctly.

Because ultimately he is convinced that the war is doomed and that the Noldor will lose hard and the world itself will be filled with less and less grace even in victory. Morgoth's spiteful victory is inevitable because he has corrupted all of Arda.

He puts his hope in the Creator and his plans for the Secondborn. Where he believes that Elves are doomed to be wretches forever chained in this world alongside Morgoth. But that men will be truly freed from his corruption upon death and that in the end, when all things seems lost that the spirits of the Secondborn shall return and save them all.

So I can see how parts of it might be hopeful. But the problematic parts are the ones about Morgoth's victory being inevitable and him being everywhere and everything.
 
Ok, here's the final Phone a Finrod plan. I've added Belen to building the Wise hall. If anyone thinks the leaders would be more effective somewhere else, I can change that. Otherwise the actions are set.
[X] Plan Phone a Finrod
-[] The Starmoon: When your elven visitors speak of the Moon, they speak also of Ithildin, the starmoon, the script of living light with which they write upon their blades and their doors and their armor, which protects them always and garbs them in the light of the moon. You could learn of Ithildin, though it would take time, they say. (May Upgrade The Moon Way to The Path of the Moon)
--[] Send the Wise:
You send several of the Wise to study and learn this art from the elves. It will take time. (Requires 5 turns, moderate chance of success)
-[] The Sons Of Fire: You ask the Feanorians to aid you in all your endeavors for the next year, to lend their wisdom and expertise to all your tasks. (The Ambarussa bonus is doubled next year, and applies to Diplomacy and Combat as well)
-[] Greet Them: You send someone to welcome your cousins to the new land.
--[] Baran
-[] Trade With Them: Your people remember the dwarves your ancient fathers met, a short and stout people with a love of coin. If their cousins are anything similar, they will value wealth over flinging dirt. (-1 Wealth)
--[] Baran
-[] Send Word To Finrod: The Elf-King may be busy with his people in Nargothrond, but mayhap he will want to know a mighty army of men has arrived in Ossiriand.
--[] Belen
-[] The Hope of the Elves: You send one of your wisest to speak with Finrod, the Elf-Friend. He knows your people well, and may tell you something of hope, and how their hearts have withstood the dark this long. (???)
--[] Belen
--[] Baran
-[] Send Someone To The Green Elves: A force this large and numerous is no doubt upsetting and frightening the reclusive Laiquendi. You send someone to ascertain how they are doing and act as a liason between them and the tall men of Marach.
--[] Halbeth
-[] The Wise are petitioning you to build a hall where they could gather and speak their stories.
--[] Belen
-[] Send a messenger to the north, to meet the Noldor and the other sons of Feanor.
-[] You send a messenger to Finrod asking him for some of the mighty horses his people ride, that your own people may learn to ride.
-[] Send a messenger to the mountains of the east, to meet the dwarves.
 
I don't think that's how it works.
How else would it work? We can apply leaders to general choices, and one leader AP translates into 3 choices from the list of general actions. The obvious conclusion is then that we can spend a leader AP on the general choices, and get 3 actions there with his/her personal attention. @Telamon can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
 
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How else would it work? We can apply leaders to general choices, and one leader AP translates into 3 choices from the list of general actions. The obvious conclusion is then that we can spend a leader AP on the general choices, and get 3 actions there with his/her personal attention. @Telamon can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.

Yes, you get 3 general choices and can then spend an AP to get three more. It would theoretically be possible to spend all your AP and do all the general choices at once.

I don't advise this, but it would be possible.
 
[X]Plan Narn I Chîn Marach
--[] The Gardens of Lorien: Irmo, called also Lorien, is the lord of dreams and visions, and in his gardens, he and his wife Este tend to the wounds of all the world. Among the Eldar there are plants and arts and ways brought over the sea from Valinor, which may heal both body and spirit. Este weeps for all the Children of Illuvatar, and her tears may heal our wounds. (May Upgrade The Healing Way to The Path of the Grey)
--[] Send the Wise: You send several of the Wise to study and learn this art from the elves. It will take time. (Requires 5 turns, moderate chance of success)
--[] The Defiance: Mayhap you cannot lift the shadow from their hearts, but you may be able to turn them against it. Your people did not give in for a dozen lifetimes of the Great Flight -- why should they succumb to fear now that it is ended. The Enemy has followed us here -- so what? The Enemy is master of the world -- so what? We will spit in his eye all the same, and go grinning to our deaths. (???)
--[] Belen
[] The Sons Of Fire: You ask the Feanorians to aid you in all your endeavors for the next year, to lend their wisdom and expertise to all your tasks. (The Ambarussa bonus is doubled next year, and applies to Diplomacy and Combat as well)
[] Trade With Them: Your people remember the dwarves your ancient fathers met, a short and stout people with a love of coin. If their cousins are anything similar, they will value wealth over flinging dirt. (-1 Wealth)
--[] Baran
[] Greet Them: You send someone to welcome your cousins to the new land.
--[] Baran
[] Send Someone To The Green Elves: A force this large and numerous is no doubt upsetting and frightening the reclusive Laiquendi. You send someone to ascertain how they are doing and act as a liason between them and the tall men of Marach.
--[] Halbeth
[] Send Word To Finrod: The Elf-King may be busy with his people in Nargothrond, but mayhap he will want to know a mighty army of men has arrived in Ossiriand.
-- [] Baran
[] Share Knowledge: You tell the House of Marach of everything you have learned since coming here -- from the history of the elves to the tales of the Valar and the Enemy.
--[] Belen
[] Speak With Marach: You invite the boisterous and golden-haired leader of the tall men to speak with you in your newly-built home.
--[] There are some among the Wise whose voices are deep and whose words cut the soul with their beauty. Their music is an echo of the First. (Chance of recruiting a bard leader)
--[] Belen(free action)
--[] You send the Wise among them to collect their stories and tales of the past year, adding them to the collected stories of the House. (chance of improving quality of the Chronicle)
--[] You give extra rations to the hunters and the scouts, that the people may be better defended and protected in the days to come. (Requires an extra month of food)(Hunters are more effective)(Increase the influence of the Hunters)
--[] You increase the number of hunters out on the plains, that you might gather more food this year. (Hunters gather more food)(Increased Hunter influence)(The tribe is less defended)

It's unlikely that choosing Belen for the Starmoon or The Dreaming will net results in time for us to put his knowledge to use, since he will be leaving next turn to learn. And we have only three(two without this one) turns to raise the host. So he'd probably return after the host already departs. Better instead to send the Wise to learn healing for future conflicts and wars, so that our people can recover easier.

The Defiance isn't to everyone's tastes, but I do believe that it's the human way and that it needn't be a bad way. To Man, whose memories are short, whose lives are mere blinks in the eye of the Eldar, what good will knowing that God exists do when the only God we know is the Nameless, the Shadow?

Defiance could be overcoming the trials and tribulations, and going on to forge our own happiness in spite of all the world throws at us. It could mean not wavering in the face of great fear and if it came to it of spitting in its face and going out in a blaze. I just like it, I suppose.

Also both Halbeth and Belen have a +20 Diplomacy modifier, which they probably need if they are to sway people's minds. If however we roll for Wisdom, Halbeth is at a -80 modifier and Belen has a +40 Modifier. Worst case, Halbeth fails her roll and Belen doesn't. This way it covers the bases, since we don't know what exactly the roll will be. If it's Lore Belen has a +60 modifier, Halbeth has no bonus.

The Sons of Fire of course for the double Diplomacy & Combat since getting the House of Marach on our side is a must as well as smoothing things out with the petty dwarves.

Baran leading the negotiations with the petty dwarves and the Marachians makes sense since he is the heir of the folk of Bëor, Belen sharing info with them also makes sense since he is our main advisor.

I did make a slight change so that we Greet Them instead of making the journey to Finrod. And it makes more sense to share our knowledge than trinkets that aren't even ours or made by our hands. Especially when the House of Marach will probably get Wealth too, as elves come to meet them.And since the Laiquendi gave us our first real treasure, I do hope to at least prove true friends and help them with the new arrivals. It just feels Tolkienesque.

As for this turn, recruiting a new leader is a must. We need more action points and the Wise with their free action is the easiest choice to make. Hopefully in the next 2-3 turns by raising the Hunters influence, we'll be able to do the same for a new Ranger or Warrior.

And since this year was the rediscovery of the Daughters of Yavanna and our meeting with the Ambarussa, it makes the most sense to add it to our House Chronicle.

Raising our own House now seems a little selfish and self-serving, mostly from a narrative perspective, at least to me. Especially since the Wise and our Hunters don't yet have their own places. And if we can shorten the amount of turns our Hunters net us a free action point to pick another Leader I think it will be worth it.

Edit: I edited the plan after speakig with @wildwill. Defiance now only has Belen and his modifiers might be enough, sent Halbeth to the Green Elves and Baran to Finrod to tell him of the new arrival, besides him greeting the House of Marach.

I hope that's alright.

Esit2: added the option to Speak with Marach since it apparently doean't need an action point/leader.
 
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[X] Plan To Fight Fear
-[] The Old Hope: Even as you had fled through the countless miles and years, your people carried an old hope with you. A hope that the Nameless can be defied, that the Shadow is not eternal, and that one day the One will go into his world and fix all that has been marred. You extort your people to find heart in that old hope once again, for it is in these days it rings true most of all, with your flight over, your food plenty and the Enemy besieged in his lair by Eldar who believe in the One they call Eru.
--[] Baran
--[] Belen
-[] The Sons Of Fire: You ask the Feanorians to aid you in all your endeavors for the next year, to lend their wisdom and expertise to all your tasks. (The Ambarussa bonus is doubled next year, and applies to Diplomacy and Combat as well)
-[] Trade With Them: Your people remember the dwarves your ancient fathers met, a short and stout people with a love of coin. If their cousins are anything similar, they will value wealth over flinging dirt. (-1 Wealth)
--[] Halbeth
-[] Greet Them: You send someone to welcome your cousins to the new land.
--[] Baran
-[] Gift Them: You send someone with a few elven trinkets as a gift. Beauty like this does not exist beyond the mountains. Hopefully they will be suitably impressed.
-[] Speak With Marach: You invite the boisterous and golden-haired leader of the tall men to speak with you in your newly-built home.
-[] The Wise have stories to tell of times much like this, and troubles much like these. (Chance to gain a +20 to all rolls for a turn)
--[] Belen
-[] There are some among the Wise whose voices are deep and whose words cut the soul with their beauty. Their music is an echo of the First. (Chance of recruiting a bard leader)
--[] Belen

-[] You implore your people to find the strength to carry on. (Requires Baran)(Increases morale)
--[] Baran
-[] You give extra rations to the women and children, increasing the growth of the clan. (Requires an extra month of food)
-[]
You attempt to construct a great Hall in your burgeoning village, to serve as your seat and the seat of your children.
-[] More elves have followed Finrod, seeking to interact with these new men and trade with you. You order the women of the House to make a concerted effort to sew and weave more embroideries and trinkets that they might wish to trade for.
-[] You have the youngest and most able men of the tribe gathered and armed. These will not hunt, but rather protect the people of your tribe when the men are away. (Hunters may be displeased)
--[] Baran
-[] You increase the number of hunters out on the plains, that you might gather more food this year. (Hunters gather more food)(Increased Hunter influence)(The tribe is less defended)
--[] Baran


[X] Plan Recruiting Heroes, Keeping to the Old Ways
 
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This quest is really interesting and I want to follow it, though I won't truly come up with a plan of my own, but I'll enjoy seeing how other plans will lead to results.

Anyway, is there going to be some sort a ripple effect in Middle-Earth as a result of how our tribe of sons of Beor arrived? Will there be a possibility that the Kingdom of Gondor won't be formed or will our current camp capital grow into Minas Tirith? Is the same history inevitable? Of course Sauron will eventually rise after the fall of Morgoth, but will the Kingdoms of Men have a slightly different history than the one in the Silmarillion?
 
[X] Preparing for the future
[] The Starmoon: When your elven visitors speak of the Moon, they speak also of Ithildin, the starmoon, the script of living light with which they write upon their blades and their doors and their armor, which protects them always and garbs them in the light of the moon. You could learn of Ithildin, though it would take time, they say. (May Upgrade The Moon Way to The Path of the Moon)
--[] Send the Wise:
You send several of the Wise to study and learn this art from the elves. It will take time. (Requires 5 turns, moderate chance of success)
[] The Gardens of Lorien: Irmo, called also Lorien, is the lord of dreams and visions, and in his gardens, he and his wife Este tend to the wounds of all the world. Among the Eldar there are plants and arts and ways brought over the sea from Valinor, which may heal both body and spirit. Este weeps for all the Children of Illuvatar, and her tears may heal our wounds. (May Upgrade The Healing Way to The Path of the Grey)
--[] Send the Wise:
You send several of the Wise to study and learn this art from the elves. It will take time. (Requires 5 turns, moderate chance of success)
Ignore these 2 if leaders are needed to start them.

[] The Hope of the Flame: There is a fearlessness in the eyes of Feanor's sons. Amrod and Amras move without fear of death, for it is beyond them. You send one of your wisest to question them on what gives them the fire to spit in the Enemy's eye. (???)
--[] Baren
--[] Balen

[] The Sons Of Fire: You ask the Feanorians to aid you in all your endeavors for the next year, to lend their wisdom and expertise to all your tasks. (The Ambarussa bonus is doubled next year, and applies to Diplomacy and Combat as well)

[] The skilled hunters among your tribe are few. You send the most skilled to train the rest in tracking and stalking their prey. (Chance of increased hunter effectiveness)
--[] Halbeth

[] Trade With Them: Your people remember the dwarves your ancient fathers met, a short and stout people with a love of coin. If their cousins are anything similar, they will value wealth over flinging dirt. (-1 Wealth)
--[] Baren
Morale is shaky and not taking one of these options reduces it and who knows what we get in return from the trade.

[] Greet Them: You send someone to welcome your cousins to the new land.
--[] Baren
[] Speak With Marach: You invite the boisterous and golden-haired leader of the tall men to speak with you in your newly-built home.
[] Gift Them: You send someone with a few elven trinkets as a gift. Beauty like this does not exist beyond the mountains. Hopefully they will be suitably impressed.
I think the fact we have a settlement is what would impress Marach the most and who knows some might like to settle down after the visist.

[] There are some among the Wise whose voices are deep and whose words cut the soul with their beauty. Their music is an echo of the First. (Chance of recruiting a bard leader)
--Belen(free wise action)
I think we are limited to 5 leaders and we have 3 now

[] The Wise seek to travel to the Garden, to learn the lore of the ents.
-[] Balen
The lore of the ents is something our allies do not have as far as i know so gaining it will help more then trying for one from the elves.

[] You attempt to construct a great Hall in your burgeoning village, to serve as your seat and the seat of your children.
I hope this gives us a free General Leadership action
[] You have seen the massive herds of the House of Marach, for you are not blind. You would have herds such as these. You begin attempting to increase the size of your people's herds.
herds will provide us with food and the skills needed to maintain them are also needed to raise horses.
[] You send a messenger to Finrod asking him for some of the mighty horses his people ride, that your own people may learn to ride.
if we get horses now the 100 men we going to send might ride into battle(and ride away if a retreat is needed)
 
[X] Plan Phone a Finrod

This plan is mostly to my liking because we aren't just jumping in to house Marach while ignoring rest of the world, they won't run away really.

At least warn Finrod of Marach arrival.
 
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Finrod's answer can be applicable if worded correctly.

Because ultimately he is convinced that the war is doomed and that the Noldor will lose hard and the world itself will be filled with less and less grace even in victory. Morgoth's spiteful victory is inevitable because he has corrupted all of Arda.

He puts his hope in the Creator and his plans for the Secondborn. Where he believes that Elves are doomed to be wretches forever chained in this world alongside Morgoth. But that men will be truly freed from his corruption upon death and that in the end, when all things seems lost that the spirits of the Secondborn shall return and save them all.

So I can see how parts of it might be hopeful. But the problematic parts are the ones about Morgoth's victory being inevitable and him being everywhere and everything.
The silver lining is that Morgoth is the ruination of all things, including himself and all that he fashions. The world becomes less monolithic, less perfect, but in the depths of time the ground down mountains become clay for the kilns and worm-wracked flesh becomes so much black soil. And Morgoth will rot away until he is a nameless shadow.

A good craftsman knows how to work with the flaws in the raw material of his trade. Knots in wood, impurities in bronze and glass, what have you. In time that is what we will be doing with, well, everything.

And, for all that has been and will be lost ,a lot of good can be made in spite of him. The world was originally symmetrical, sterile in its beauty, as a forested plane with two lamps set upon it. Then those were broken and the world burned, he raised mountains to make his fortress... which was broken and built again, and more ranges thrown up by him or against him. Seas and jagged coastlines filled by the violence. Desert and snowscape were made by accident. The sun and the moon were cast into the sky out of a remnant of a remnant of the two lanterns.

These are the lasting flaws he wrought. Spite him not by trying to recapture what was lost but by carving more nuanced beauties from his failures.
 
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[X]Plan Narn I Chîn Marach

Do we really need two leaders for the fear though? I really wanna tell Finrod about Marach

I think Belen will be enough, so Halbeth can do something else.
 
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[x] Plan Hunting is All
-[x] You tell Belen and the Wise to study the arts of the Valar themselves, and perhaps find a path that even the elves have not walked. (???)

-[x] The Defiance: Mayhap you cannot lift the shadow from their hearts, but you may be able to turn them against it. Your people did not give in for a dozen lifetimes of the Great Flight -- why should they succumb to fear now that it is ended. The Enemy has followed us here -- so what? The Enemy is master of the world -- so what? We will spit in his eye all the same, and go grinning to our deaths. (???)
--[x] Belen

-[x] The Wood: Amras, youngest among the Feanorians, once rode on great hunts with the Huntsman of the Valar himself, Orome. He has a few tricks he can show even your hunters. The twin sons of Feanor know how to drive their prey before them, and how to bend the wood to their will. (Chance of learning a Cultural Lore)(Lose the Ambarussa bonus next turn)
--[x] Halbeth

-[x] Trade With Them: Your people remember the dwarves your ancient fathers met, a short and stout people with a love of coin. If their cousins are anything similar, they will value wealth over flinging dirt. (-1 Wealth)
--[x] Baran

-[x] Greet Them: You send someone to welcome your cousins to the new land.
--[x] Baran
-[x] Gift Them: You send someone with a few elven trinkets as a gift. Beauty like this does not exist beyond the mountains. Hopefully they will be suitably impressed.

-[x] There are some among the Wise whose voices are deep and whose words cut the soul with their beauty. Their music is an echo of the First. (Chance of recruiting a bard leader)
--[x] Belen(free action)

-[x] The Hunters are petitioning you to build a lodge on the outskirts of the village where they can gather, clean their kills, and set out on rangings.
--[x] Baran

-[x] You encourage the Hunters to get closer to the Elven visitors and learn their knowledge.
-[x] You increase the number of hunters out on the plains, that you might gather more food this year. (Hunters gather more food)(Increased Hunter influence)(The tribe is less defended)
-[x] You have seen the massive herds of the House of Marach, for you are not blind. You would have herds such as these. You begin attempting to increase the size of your people's herds.

For those interested in the mystery box and actually learning something from the twins. I have chosen hunting because that is what they are best known for and they get along well with Halbeth, who herself might benefit from it. The rest of the plan is made to synergize with that.
 
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I did make a slight change so that we Greet Them instead of making the journey to Finrod. And it makes more sense to share our knowledge than trinkets that aren't even ours or made by our hands. Especially when the House of Marach will probably get Wealth too, as elves come to meet them.And since the Laiquendi gave us our first real treasure, I do hope to at least prove true friends and help them with the new arrivals. It just feels Tolkienesque.

I mean yea it's nice to help them but don't we at least owe to Finrod a little to tell him about this, we did sworn ourselves to him and he is the one that originally welcomed us, it would be really inconsiderate of us not to tell him ourselves especially since we are going to the Green Elves as well to mediate any potential misunderstanding.
 
Do we really need two leaders for the fear though? I really wanna tell Finrod about Marach

I think Belen will be enough, so Halbeth can do something else.
It's mostly to cover our bases depending on what is rolled Diplomacy, Wisdom, Lore and just in case one of them rolls low the first and second time. Just to increse the odds.
 
It's mostly to cover our bases depending on what is rolled Diplomacy, Wisdom, Lore and just in case one of them rolls low the first and second time. Just to increse the odds.
I just think it's overly cautious. With two rolls and his bonuses Belen is likely to succeed. Halbeth's bonuses are presumably not a great fit for this anyway.

I can change the Greet Them to telling Finrod about it, if everyone wants that more. Should I go for it?
We really should greet them, we want a good relationship.
If you want Finrod, but don't want to switch Halbeth, I think dropping the Green elves would be better than not Greeting them.

Perhaps Finrod can Speak for them as he did with us, maybe.
 
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