5.3 Mountain Hall

The descent from the Pass to the eastern foothills is swift. The ground on this side seems to be less rocky, and drier. Your route to Mountain Hall now means following the foothills of the Mountains North again, about another days' journey. This allows you to bypass the swamp of the Gladden Fields to the north when you strike east for the Great River. With the Goblins of the Misty Mountains still in greatly reduced numbers, the region seems relatively safe - unless the Men of the Wood have become hostile as it seems.

Plot points/Scenes

• Party comes across troop of Men apparently headed East (stats below). If they have a good Scout, they are not initially detected and can attack.
• Troop is garbed like Woodmen but you don't recognize the language some use.
Man attempts to burn a pouch containing orders but is unsuccessful. However, the message is encoded.
• Encounter Woodman patrol as they are still at the site of the battle, and will question the party extensively on what happened and where the party comes from. This is particularly true if there are any Dwarves in the party.
• After a while, the patrol will escort the party to Mountain Hall .
• Party leader is Theodemir. If the party earns his trust, he tells them how they discovered the camp yesterday that was obviously hastily struck, and they tracked them here. They found a few supplies, but nothing else (no cipher key).
• Upon arrival at Mountain Hall the party has been expected as word was sent ahead. The leader Hartfast, son of Hartmunt waits and hails them as they arrive at the bridgegate.

Sub-Quests

• Loremaster Agsorn can suggest the note the Man tried to burn may be a cipher, and can describe how the cipher might work. However, without the key there is no way to crack the code.

• Party is told by Hartfast that the Dwarves are stealing their ore, and go to the mines to investigate.

• Party investigates the mines and discovers hidden chamber with Mannish mining gear. Ambushed while leaving, they capture one prisoner and take him to Hartfast.

• The prisoner only knows they got orders from someone named Nuri. Hartfast notes he is dressed as one of them but no one knows him, and suggests he be taken to Woodland Hall.

Backdrops

Locations

Mountain Hall

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Mine of Mountain Hall

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The mine of Mountain Hall is the reason for Mountain Hall being founded in the Misty Mountains, and it has been delved steadily ever since. Iron and other metals are mined and traded with both the Woodmen as well as with the Beornings in exchange for food and other goods.

Occasionally gold and even gemstones have been found in the mines, but this has never been the primary goal - this is more the desire of Dwarves than Men.

Information on Mountain Hall and its layout can be found in Tales from Wilderland p91.

Related Characters

• Hartfast, son of Hartmunt
• Theodemir

Related Locations

• Mountain Hall

Wild Man Warrior

Stats

AL	END	HAT	PRY	ARM
3	15	3	3	1d

Skills

Pers	Surv	Mov	Cust	Pcp	Voc
2	2	2	1	2	0

Wpn Skills	Abilities
Spear 2	Hatred (Elves)
Bow 2	Thrall (Spiders)
	Mirkwood-Dweller

About Enemy Stats

Attribute Level: Added every time enemy attempts a favored skill, and as a Damage bonus with Hard or Extreme success.
Endurance: Knocked out when reduced to zero.
Hate: Spent for special abilities. Weary when zero.
Parry: Used to calculate TN be hit.
Armor: Used for Protection Test when hit with Piercing Blow. Add AL to roll if underlined.
Skills: Skill group to be used for skill rolls.