It's all gone Sau-wrong

I fear the title of this post might have given the game away on what's about to happen, but let's pretend that it hasn't.

Anyway, after last week's Amon Hen debacle, Matt and I returned to the Quest of the Ringbearer, playing two scenarios following Frodo and Sam as they pass through the Emyn Muil, encountering  Gollum, and into the Dead Marshes.

The first scenario was a very simple affair of Gollum trying to sneak up on the sleeping Hobbits in a bid to regain the Ring.

Unfortunately, Gollum woke the Hobbits almost immediately, which led to a strange game of cat and mouse as he tried to get the drop on one of them with his slightly larger movement.

Meanwhile, the Hobbits chucked stones at him to minimal effect.

Ultimately, both of these strategies came to naught and the two sides closed and combat was joined.

Gollum was the superior combatant, but the Hobbits had a larger store of Might and Fate points to tip the balance.

Unfortunately for the Hobbits, a slight flaw in the game is that Might points can do nothing if your opponent keeps rolling sixes and has a higher Fight value, and Fate points run out quickly, even if you pass the roll.

Sam fell first, shortly followed by Frodo.

Technically, this should have ended the campaign there and then, but in desperate bid to keep things alive (quite literally) we decided that Gollum was 'tamed' despite winning the scenario, and would now lead the group into the Dead Marshes.

Unfortunately for them, the Dead Marshes were being patrolled by a Ringwraith on a Fell Beast, and numerous undead spirits of those killed in the War of the Last Alliance.

The only thing the Hobbits had going for them was the fact that they had control over their actions, whilst the forces of evil were utilising the sentries rules, meaning that they would only head in the right direction 50% of the time.

The Hobbits had a long way to travel on very little legs and made for the biggest gap in the enemy lines caused by random movement.

However, risks needed to be taken and soon some of the Dead Marsh Spectres were heading right for them.

Gollum and Sam both competed to prove themselves most loyal to the master, and ran interference for Frodo, driving off the spirits.

The Hobbits also found that through combining their efforts they could bring down the Spectres one at a time.

However, whilst Frodo and Sam were largely resistant to the lure of the Spectres' ghost lights, Gollum was less resolute and was drawn away from protecting Frodo, leaving the Hobbits in trouble.

As the Ringwraith finally located the Ring and closed in, Sam was brought down by a Spectre and Frodo succumbed to the Rings power and was drawn to his death in the marsh.

The Ring is either lost in the depths of the swamp, found by the Nazgul and returned to Sauron, or possibly, and this is my favourite outcome, Gollum managed to get away with it and takes it back beneath the Misty Mountains.

Either way, Middle Earth is screwed.

Thanks Matt!

What now for the Quest?

I think I have to declare the Quest over. There's only so far creative rewriting can take you.

However, I have enjoyed playing the scenarios and using them as an impetus to paint miniatures from the range. Therefore, as long as Matt is willing, I think I'd like to keep playing but no longer track points, also that each scenario is just played as written.

On top of this, we can still play Gondor at War and War in Rohan as standalone campaigns.

One day I'll return for another shot at the grand campaign, but not right now...

...it's too soon.