[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]
After a good cold drink from the well, refilling his water flask and making sure the former captives are comfortable, Thoroncir will volunteer to stand the night’s first watch at the cave mouth.
[/QUOTE]
Although the spellcasters (Deor and Ghân) need to rest throughout the night, perhaps we should have two on watch in each of three shifts?
Maybe a Fighter and a Flanker together?
Please feel free to volunteer!
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Ask the rescued captives if they know if the well is OK to use.
[/QUOTE]
Good idea, that elf!
Let’s also ask the captives all the questions we’re asking the orcs. They may have seen something, or just maybe understood some conversation…
[QUOTE=glee]
Ask the ‘previously paralysed’ captives the same questions we asked the Uruk-Hai:
Do this out of sight and hearing of the Uruk-Hai - and add these:
This is the ideal time for a Prisoner’s Dilemma - make it clear to each prisoner that if he answers, he will be rewarded, and those who don’t will face additional punishment for their non-cooperation. Then keep them apart.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
This is the ideal time for a Prisoner’s Dilemma - make it clear to each prisoner that if he answers, he will be rewarded, and those who don’t will face additional punishment for their non-cooperation. Then keep them apart.
[/QUOTE]
Although I like this idea, good luck in explaining ‘dilemma’ to orcs! 
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
This is the ideal time for a Prisoner’s Dilemma - make it clear to each prisoner that if he answers, he will be rewarded, and those who don’t will face additional punishment for their non-cooperation. Then keep them apart.
[/QUOTE]
Have you considered asking any of the Orc Women these questions, see if they know or are willing to reveal anything? They probably think the entire cavern has been invaded by a lot more people than we bought along. They may not, but they may have an idea of what is going on in the caves. Plus they may be scared enough that they will say something of use?
Sorry, not sure how Orc Tribes work in Middle Earth; Feel free to amend, or even let me know you big bunch o’ geeks.
Time to check out the important stuff, what supplies are in this cavern, anywhere else worth checking ie. Gash’s quarters and suggest setting up guards both at the cave mouth, over the prisoners and over the Orc Women and runts.
[QUOTE=CatInASuit]
Have you considered asking any of the Orc Women these questions, see if they know or are willing to reveal anything? They probably think the entire cavern has been invaded by a lot more people than we bought along. They may not, but they may have an idea of what is going on in the caves. Plus they may be scared enough that they will say something of use?
[/QUOTE]
Good idea.
[QUOTE=CatInASuit]
Time to check out the important stuff, what supplies are in this cavern, anywhere else worth checking ie. Gash’s quarters and suggest setting up guards both at the cave mouth, over the prisoners and over the Orc Women and runts.
[/QUOTE]
We need to have shifts for the night and the spellcasters need to rest.
So I think it’s two people over three shifts.
Maybe put the orc prisoners together (once we’ve interrogated them)…
The questioning of the Goblins, the females orcs and the rescued provides some information.
How many used to be here in total? (this is so we can check against numbers killed)
It appears from a variety of counts that you either got every last orc, goblin and Uruk-Hai or you missed one goblin scout.
Was Gash in charge? Did he report to anyone? (did he use ‘far speech’?)
Gash was in charge, and he led us goblins, the orcs where from the misty mountains, not far from Dunland. Picking have been slim and one captain agreed to lead his troop to the fine pickings that Gash promised and indeed things were good for a while, very good. The Uruks showed up and allowed us to make more daring raids but also increased our risk and led to our downfall. Besides they hogged the human flesh for both rape and food. The Uruk leader was the worst. He bullied, demanded and raped anything he chose. He took delight in torturing the small and the weak and cowed the goblin girls by cooking one of the runts alive. All fear him above the others and if given a chance even the goblin woman would quickly kill him. Indeed they beg for this boon.
Gash did not report to anyone, but the Uruk’s did.
Who?
Some Uruk leader that appears to be in the Dead Marshes or maybe out of Ered Lithui.
(Reminder all these term should come up in either Wikipedia or the Encyclopedia of Arda)
Gash may have used far speak or something similar. He would back a small pool, demand quiet, stroke his lizard and stare off into space.
Where did Gash sleep? (search it carefully for treasure)
He slept where the female slaves where kept with two goblin guards at all time and that lizard of his guarding him. (Search in the morning when spells are available I think?)
What lizard?
The small color changing lizard that was always near him. We called him the Wizard Lizard.
What did Gash want to achieve?
Not sure, but he seemed to be trying to build power and maybe disrupt things.
Do they know of any similar bands?
Not down here, but the Uruks are up to something and something big is happening to the North.
Who was the deputy to Gash?
Shagra the Shaman. Even the Uruks feared and almost respected him.
How long has the band been here?
About three months.
Have they kept all the prisoners they captured, or do they send them on somewhere else?
Many prisoners have died, especially younger woman. The Uruk’s seem to enjoy the taste of man flesh.
You also gather the goblins are just your typical minor pawns in the game of life, living out their wretched lives the only way they know. Life was not so bad for a while, but this is more the luck they are use to. Besides it beats being at the mercy of the Uruks, though the Dwarf scares them. They have heard what Dwarves do to question and torture goblins. They were actually surprisingly cooperative.
The females seem completely cowed and slow witted. It sounds like the goblins and orcs prefer this. The runts could be a problem.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
How many used to be here in total? (this is so we can check against numbers killed)
It appears from a variety of counts that you either got every last orc, goblin and Uruk-Hai or you missed one goblin scout.
[/quote]
Could the goblin scout have been the single person we detected earlier going off down the side track?
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Was Gash in charge? Did he report to anyone? (did he use ‘far speech’?)
Gash was in charge, and he led us goblins, the orcs where from the misty mountains, not far from Dunland. … The Uruk leader was the worst. He bullied, demanded and raped anything he chose. He took delight in torturing the small and the weak and cowed the goblin girls by cooking one of the runts alive. …
[/quote]
Ghân is not wild about ‘frontier justice’. If we ask him, does the Uruk leader boast of his deeds? If so, does the party think we can morally execute him here?
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Gash did not report to anyone, but the Uruk’s did.
Who?
Some Uruk leader that appears to be in the Dead Marshes or maybe out of Ered Lithui.
(Reminder all these term should come up in either Wikipedia or the Encyclopedia of Arda)
Gash may have used far speak or something similar. He would back a small pool, demand quiet, stroke his lizard and stare off into space.
[/quote]
Aha! A chameleon familiar, no doubt … any sign of it? In the morning, can I use Locate Animals to search for it?
Presumably the pool is a scrying device (what level do you play Reflecting Pool at?)
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Where did Gash sleep? (search it carefully for treasure)
He slept where the female slaves where kept with two goblin guards at all time and that lizard of his guarding him. (Search in the morning when spells are available I think?)
[/quote]
Yes, wait until morning when we are healed and have spells.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Do they know of any similar bands?
Not down here, but the Uruks are up to something and something big is happening to the North.
[/quote]
Pass this on to Gimli when we can.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Who was the deputy to Gash?
Shagra the Shaman. Even the Uruks feared and almost respected him.
[/quote]
Search his area too, in the morning.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
You also gather the goblins are just your typical minor pawns in the game of life, living out their wretched lives the only way they know. Life was not so bad for a while, but this is more the luck they are use to.
[/quote]
Any chance they can do something constructive?
What if we bring them back to Minas Tirith - can they get labouring jobs?
[QUOTE=glee]
Ghân is not wild about ‘frontier justice’. If we ask him, does the Uruk leader boast of his deeds? If so, does the party think we can morally execute him here?
[/quote]
Since we are able with little risk to ourselves to deliver him to a suitable agent of the King, I do not think we can plead necessity. The Elves abominate such wicked creatures as these, but also, since we cannot give life to those who lose it undeservingly, neither should we be eager to deal out death to those who deserve it. Of all the wise sayings of the Grey Pilgrim, perhaps the wisest.
I will offer no pity to him in his sight, but I do pity him nonetheless. If old tales tell the truth (and to this even the Elves know not the answer), even this wicked Uruk was my brother in the distant past, until his father’s fathers were caught and ruined by the Black Traitor, on whose name be unceasing curses.
I guess you might find a chameleon, if you were lucky and it was close at hand.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Since we are able with little risk to ourselves to deliver him to a suitable agent of the King, I do not think we can plead necessity. The Elves abominate such wicked creatures as these, but also, since we cannot give life to those who lose it undeservingly, neither should we be eager to deal out death to those who deserve it. Of all the wise sayings of the Grey Pilgrim, perhaps the wisest.
I will offer no pity to him in his sight, but I do pity him nonetheless. If old tales tell the truth (and to this even the Elves know not the answer), even this wicked Uruk was my brother in the distant past, until his father’s fathers were caught and ruined by the Black Traitor, on whose name be unceasing curses.
[/quote]
Well said.
Could the goblin scout have been the single person we detected earlier going off down the side track?
Brin suspects we got him, but maybe not. Deor knows the Invisibility spells would end when Gash did.
(what level do you play Reflecting Pool at?)
You have no clue when a mage would get that or how. Deor does not know either.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
Could the goblin scout have been the single person we detected earlier going off down the side track?
Brin suspects we got him, but maybe not. Deor knows the Invisibility spells would end when Gash did.
[/QUOTE]
Noted.
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
(what level do you play Reflecting Pool at?)
You have no clue when a mage would get that or how. Deor does not know either.
[/QUOTE]
I was thinking of the Druid version of the spell…
[QUOTE=glee]
I was thinking of the Druid version of the spell…
[/QUOTE]
You have yet to learn it and are not sure how to, but you were not aware of mages having it. They seem to go for viewing globes more than pools. That is more of an Elf & Wose thing you think. You just don’t know.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
Since we are able with little risk to ourselves to deliver him to a suitable agent of the King, I do not think we can plead necessity. …[S]ince we cannot give life to those who lose it undeservingly, neither should we be eager to deal out death to those who deserve it. Of all the wise sayings of the Grey Pilgrim, perhaps the wisest…
[/QUOTE]
Agreed on both counts, and yet Gondor does not have vast prison camps for captured orcs. Other than the Easterlings after the fall of Sauron, I can’t recall prisoners in any significant numbers being taken by the forces of Gondor in LOTR. It was an old AD&D dilemma when I used to play - what to do with captive orcs, goblins, bugbears, etc., especially women and children? They are, by their nature, evil, and will always remain so. If released they will eventually commit crimes under the King’s law. And yet if captured I think it’s wrong to just put them to the sword.
In our current situation, with some reluctance, I think we ought to take our prisoners under guard to Minas Tirith, and let the King’s justice be done to them, whatever that may be.
Yes.
And let Deor leave the inspection of any magic items until we have a nice safe place to do it, with every single protective spell he and Ghan between them can think of, and Healers within easy summons. Nothing is lost by caution. 
[QUOTE=What Exit?]
You have yet to learn it and are not sure how to, but you were not aware of mages having it. They seem to go for viewing globes more than pools. That is more of an Elf & Wose thing you think. You just don’t know.
[/QUOTE]
Maybe someone in Minas Triith can help…
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir]
Agreed on both counts, and yet Gondor does not have vast prison camps for captured orcs. Other than the Easterlings after the fall of Sauron, I can’t recall prisoners in any significant numbers being taken by the forces of Gondor in LOTR. It was an old AD&D dilemma when I used to play - what to do with captive orcs, goblins, bugbears, etc., especially women and children? They are, by their nature, evil, and will always remain so. If released they will eventually commit crimes under the King’s law. And yet if captured I think it’s wrong to just put them to the sword.
In our current situation, with some reluctance, I think we ought to take our prisoners under guard to Minas Tirith, and let the King’s justice be done to them, whatever that may be.
[/QUOTE]
My school group are allowed to convert Evil monsters (those that surrender - the inherently evil ones always fight to the death) to Neutrality. They have to come up with a decent argument and find the monster a career.
For example, they told an Ogre that he didn’t have to sleep in ditches and kill travellers for food. They got him a job as a bouncer in a pub. 
[QUOTE=glee]
Well there might be a wandering monster on the way back, so why not load your combat spells, then once we’re safely in Minas Tirith, we can find out exactly what we’ve got.
(I’ll load a Detect Magic, so we can find out if any of the new stuff is magic.)
[/QUOTE]
Under What Exit?'s house rules, I can load [color=blue]Identify and Sleep, then cast two Sleeps if necessary on the way back. No loss.[/color]
Watch out! The orc women have "Craft Disturbing Mental Image!
And now, putting questions of Orc welfare and redemption on one side, Gil-Gandel takes his harp again:
"Sing, my tongue, in merry measure!
Ring, my harp, in joyful chords!
Peace and weal by heroes warded -
Shine the Light upon their swords.
"Guard the weak, the humble succour;
Evil smite with axe and sword!
Peace and weal today preserve
In Gondor’s land for Gondor’s lord.
"Sing, my tongue, the men of Gondor,
Mighty in the days of yore;
Glorious their new-raised Kingdom,
True-born sons of Numenor.
"Guard the weak…
"Sing, my tongue, the men of Arnor,
Northern line that did not fail;
Strong in chase and strong in battle,
Hardy are the men of Dale!
"Sing, my tongue, the knights of Rohan,
They who tame the noble steeds;
Wild and free, in battle lusty,
Numberless their valiant deeds.
"Sing, my tongue, the Men of Cunning,
Taught of those who serve the Flame [sup]1[/sup];
Lore to Morgul-spells opposing,
Grace and blessings on their name.
"Sing, my tongue, the wild Wood-Woses,
Men of low and humble birth;
Life-revering, simple-witted[sup]2[/sup],
Theirs the gifts of fruitful Earth.
"Sing, my tongue, the Pheriannath,
Children of a kindly land;
Great their heart though small their stature,
Soft their foot and deft their hand.
"Sing, my tongue, the sons of Durin,
Though of aspect stern and dour;
Strong as mountain’s heart undaunted,
And in friendship ever sure.
"Sing of Eru’s eldest Children,
Folk of song and gentle arts;
Silver-voiced and light as shadows,
Keen of aim with swift-winged darts.
"Sing the Free, the folk of valour,
Each to each their hands unite!
Dark defying, freedom winning,
Evermore defend the Right!
“Sing, my tongue, in merry measure!
Ring, my harp, in joyful chords!
Peace and weal by heroes warded -
Shine the Light upon their swords.”
[sup]1[/sup]“I am a servant of the Secret Fire”: Gandalf. Hence, the Istari, servants of the Fire, who taught wizardry to the Free.
[sup]2[/sup]A pun juxtaposing the popular conception of the Druedain as dull-witted on the one hand against the fact of their great knowledge of “simples” - that is, herbs of medicinal or magic virtue - on the other.
[QUOTE=Malacandra]
And now, putting questions of Orc welfare and redemption on one side, Gil-Gandel takes his harp again:
"Sing, my tongue, in merry measure!
Ring, my harp, in joyful chords!
Peace and weal by heroes warded -
Shine the Light upon their swords.
"Guard the weak, the humble succour;
Evil smite with axe and sword!
Peace and weal today preserve
In Gondor’s land for Gondor’s lord.
"Sing, my tongue, the men of Gondor,
Mighty in the days of yore;
Glorious their new-raised Kingdom,
True-born sons of Numenor.
"Guard the weak…
"Sing, my tongue, the men of Arnor,
Northern line that did not fail;
Strong in chase and strong in battle,
Hardy are the men of Dale!
"Sing, my tongue, the knights of Rohan,
They who tame the noble steeds;
Wild and free, in battle lusty,
Numberless their valiant deeds.
"Sing, my tongue, the Men of Cunning,
Taught of those who serve the Flame [sup]1[/sup];
Lore to Morgul-spells opposing,
Grace and blessings on their name.
"Sing, my tongue, the wild Wood-Woses,
Men of low and humble birth;
Life-revering, simple-witted[sup]2[/sup],
Theirs the gifts of fruitful Earth.
"Sing, my tongue, the Pheriannath,
Children of a kindly land;
Great their heart though small their stature,
Soft their foot and deft their hand.
"Sing, my tongue, the sons of Durin,
Though of aspect stern and dour;
Strong as mountain’s heart undaunted,
And in friendship ever sure.
"Sing of Eru’s eldest Children,
Folk of song and gentle arts;
Silver-voiced and light as shadows,
Keen of aim with swift-winged darts.
"Sing the Free, the folk of valour,
Each to each their hands unite!
Dark defying, freedom winning,
Evermore defend the Right!
“Sing, my tongue, in merry measure!
Ring, my harp, in joyful chords!
Peace and weal by heroes warded -
Shine the Light upon their swords.”
[/QUOTE]
Ghân, dozing quietly, listens in complete delight until the Wose verse is sung. He thinks deeply and decides … all is well.
He rolls over and starts snoring.