USH'S LORD OF THE RINGS GAME PART 3- The Tournament and the Traitor

Talin, once again confident in his status of strength as a Dwarf, decides to lift the rock into his arms and move quickly!

Just give Anglomir one more day.

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Murder people- well, it seems the Stewards have effectively expelled you with some haste. They didn't want you to stick around, for some reason.

I could think of a reason or two... other than being outsiders that aren't, you know, Arnorian.

They could be pulling the whole 'We're in the middle of a Tournament and we don't want everyone to panic and not spend money and compete in contests so nothing happened!' card.

That or they're genuinely freaked out and this poor murder victim is someone terribly important.

What skills are used for sneaking?

Stalk/Hide.

Gwilwileth's has the highest score in that.

Well now! If she wants to peek in at what is going on...

Gwil will!

A task of medium difficulty- meaning no bonus or penalty to your roll. generally speaking your target for complete success on such a roll is 110. It's ALWAYS 110 regardless of difficulty- difficulty adjusts your roll. However, that's only for full success; there are gradients below (and indeed above).

Your Stalk/Hide is 35, so you want a 75 or higher to get that full success... 78 rolled! Woo! You get some xp for that, too...

Quietly, on an upper balcony, you have crept over, Gwil. And you are there when Prince Elendur arrives...

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I'll stretch this race out a tad to give Anglomir just a little more of a chance...

Talin is making very hard Constitution rolls, at -20. He has to succeed three to make it!

Menelacar is making medium Constitution rolls. he has to succeed at five!

As you have no skill to add on, difficulty is reduced to 80.

The winner... well, it is down to who takes the fewest total rolls to get there!

First rolls...

Talin rolls 45, for a 40. Fail, but not a cock up.

Menelacar rolls 56 for a 71. Likewise!

Bjorstrad, going fast, rolls 63 for a... 63! But no progress from him either.

Marcus, going slow, rolls 09! Dropped!

Stumbling along one step at a time, this race can appear to go on forever, even though in real life it lasts less than a minute.

Second rolls...

Talin rolls 53. Still not one thrid there yet.

Menelacar rolls 98! Success! 1 out of five!

Bjorstrad rolls 39. No progress, and Menelacar has the lead as Marcus picks up his rock...

Next set of rolls...

Talon rolls 30, not there yet

Menelacar rolls 77 for an 92! Success, an two out of five! Clearly in the lead!

Bjorstrad rolls 84 for a 104. That is one ouf of five for him; he's on your tail.

Marcus rolls 31, no good.

And now another set!

Talin- short legs clearly not helping him- rolls a 23.

Menelacar rolls a 66 for a 81, 3 out of five! Going great!

Bjorstrad rolld 57 for a 77.. just short...

PLACES (after four rolls)

Menelacar: 3 out of 5

Talin: 0 out of 3

Bjorstrad: 1 out of 5

Marcus: 0 out of 5.

Menelacar is over halfway!

It's not a sprinting kind of race, you understand. More a stumbling one.

Silent and gracefully, Gwilwileth climbs her way up onto the upper balcony. Briefly she peers into the room beyond the balcony, but pulls herself back when she sees whom she is eavesdropping on.

Content that she knows who she is listening to, she stays out of sight and listens intently.

Oh! Anglomir will bask in his minor triumph of the Lift competition, then take the cautious route with the Carry. Slow and steady wins the race!

Elven senses are very acute; you pick out the conversation easily.

Most of it is routine. It seems the dead Dunadan is a friend of the Prince's. They want to break the news to him, and also get him to identify the body- his name was Erathran.

It's the tail end of the conversation that peaks your interest.

"We found this on the body," says one of the stewards, showing him a piece of paper. Elendur balks for a moment.

"Burn it," he says. And he strides away.

Let's make up Anglomir's rolls! Four to do...

A 95! Success right from the off!

A 22. No good. A 40. And a 28. Good start but your legs gave out quickly, and you are trying to get your wind back!

Revised placings:

Menelacar: 3 out of 5

Talin: 0 out of 3

Bjorstrad: 1 out of 5

Anglomir: 1 out of 5

Marcus: 0 out of 5.

At this point, does anyone want to change tactics?

Interesting.... should we approach the Prince or try to get the peek on the paper?

Hmm, that didn't go so well...

Is it possible to go slower?

Nope! The rolls are hard, especially for you as they are Constitution based. Not that you are in any way lacking in Constitution compared to the average man, just that this test is to the limits.

Also, Dunedain are irritatingly good in this department...

Another two rolls then, as the contest continues!

Talin rolls 85... finally a success! And he's made up a lot of ground as he suddenly breaks into a fast trot covering the first third of the ground...

Menelacar rolls... a 6! Fumble, as the rock goes down! Eeek!

Anglomir rolls a 47, still struggling on.

Bjorstrad rolls a 40, nothing from him either.

But Marcus is going for it! 76 becomes an 81, and progress!

Second set of rolls...

Talin rolls 62; he comes to a halt.

Menelacar recovers his rock.

a 53 from Anglomir is no progress.

But a 77 from Bjorstrad is! he is closing on Menelacar and gors a little ahead of Talin!

37 from Marcus does nothing.

Placings:

Menelacar: 3 out of 5

Bjorstrad: 1 out of 5

Talin: 1 out of 3

Anglomir: 1 out of 5

Marcus: 1 out of 5.

(There is a fair amount of in-race betting going on from some of the common folk...)

Anglomir struggles with the rock, making great effort to keep it in his arms as he tries to keep moving forward.

No changes of tactics here thank you!

Gwilwileth will attempt to peer in to see what is being done with the paper.