IC Story Thread: Ch.1, Ad.3 - Black Hand

The main danger still being Astalor's blackspeech powers, Cirion tightens the belt once again on the sorcerer's mouth.
"You stay down!"

OOC:

rolling at advantage, as Astalor is outnumbered/in difficult position?

Rolls

Strength check (advantage) - (2d20H1+1)

(106) + 1 = 11

Sep 25, 2025 2:27 pm

OOC:

You only really need to make a check if Astalor tries to break out at this time. i.e. You don't need to make a check to maintain it.

And Astalor kind of send to recognize at this time that he is physically outmatched and isnt actively trying to break free at this time.

Sep 26, 2025 6:03 pm

OOC:

Duinhir is busy holding Astalor down, so I hope Eothain can handle the priest alone

Sep 29, 2025 7:34 pm

"Stop! Stop! I don't want to hurt you!" Éothain bonks the cultist on the head with his sword pommel.

Rolls

Non-lethal sword attack - (1d20+5, 1d8+5)

1d20+5 : (15) + 5 = 20

1d8+5 : (2) + 5 = 7

Sep 30, 2025 2:14 pm

With a well timed *Bonk!* the cultist collapses in a heap upon Eothain's toes.

The man who approached from the crowd, standing before you three , just sighs and shakes his head at the cult priest as his vehement struggle ends. But then he turns his attention to you.

"Very good... if His men were the danger, then surely the danger has passed.

Now, release Bangdu Caun. There is a mid-wife in the camp. She can see to his injuries?"

The man steps close to Astalor and Cirion and Duinhir and places his hands gently on their hands where they grip the sorcerer.

The other two men step close, hovering nearby, waiting to see if their would-be-leader is released.

Sep 30, 2025 2:58 pm

"It is good someone is close to help with his physical injuries. But is she familiar with sorcerous enchantments? He still sees enemies where there are none."

Last edited September 30, 2025 6:00 pm

Sep 30, 2025 4:14 pm

Cirion thinks fast, to try create an escape route for them and their prisoner.

"No! The sorcery has nested deep within Bangdu Caun's heart... It is only a matter of time before the black spell ruins him forever. Only the wisdom of the [Seeer of the Druedain]* can break this foul magic: it is far, but we must take him to her, if we want to save this man!! "

OOC:

*Cirion will invent a name and choose a faction that he would know to be likely friendly or neutral to these folks. In reality, the goal is to bring him to the Lady Blackbridge (back in Minas Tirith? or where they agreed to regroup?) - I will retcon if this sounds wrong for the lore

Rolls

Persuasion (Doubled) - (1d20+4)

(6) + 4 = 10

Oct 1, 2025 8:55 pm

OOC:

I think it would require a Knowledge check to pick a strategic party like that. These are people's who are of nations that Gondor is usually enemies with, and so you may not really know their allies.

Unless you do just want to go with the Druedain based on your own understanding as a player-character.

But I think you have also kind of "tipped your hand" in other ways...

The man places his hand on a hunting knife in a sheath at his belt and says, "Of course it is nested within him... His sorcery is his Power. It is to be Our Power. Bangdu Caun will FREE us with this Power!

Yet you call it foul, or ruinous??

It is everything we have been WAITING for...

He has summoned The Storm and lived! He has shown us his mastery over nature!

Now... if he can prove to us, his mastery over death? He will have proven he is beyond any doubt, The Black Hand! The Instrument of the Discordant One, that sought to grant Mankind their freedom in the Ages Long Ago before our making...

Release him. Do not stand in his path! Our path!"

The other two men, their cultist charge unconscious, step up to the three of you as well. One with a hatchet on his hip, the other a butcher's cleaver

And the other two or three folk - women and a young man, who linger still by the top of the stairs, are stirred by this man's words and they too begin to shuffle forward toward the platform.

"Release him! Let him speak!"

Oct 1, 2025 9:37 pm

OOC:

sure, let's keep it as the Druedain

Oct 6, 2025 8:45 pm

OOC:

Seems like we can't gaslight them anymore without releasing him. So it is either that or fight. Thoughts?

I'm leaning towards releasing him though that would send us back to scratch, and it could also end in a fight anyway

Oct 7, 2025 4:10 pm

OOC:

Yea, so by disrupting the ritual casting, and speaking out against him during the ritual, you guys convinced 2/3rds of the people gathered that... basically he's dangerous, and they're either scared or doubting him enough that, at the very least, they've left the courtyard here.

Maybe they will leave this place all together, you don't know. But at least they're not here now.

But there's still a portion - the 6 or so people remaining in this scene - whom were scared and confused at first but ... well, the dangerous magicks stopped, and they've traveled a long ways, and they would still really like for this guy to be who he said he was.

And they're trying to figure out a way to "see it through".

Oct 8, 2025 7:15 am

OOC:

I think releasing him is the best thing to do right now. We can apologize for our enthusiasm in "over-protecting" him and offer to help the crowd to show our sincerity.

For example, Éothain can use his Animal Handling skill to assist animal owners with any problems and secretly find information from the horses (especially any that belong to Bangdu Caun or the priests).

Oct 8, 2025 7:23 am

OOC:

OK we release him, and see how we can prevent him from rallying the villagers against us. Hopefully he is weakened. Best to release him in steps to see his intention.

"Very well. But I'll release his mouth gag first," he says. "Keep holding him, Duinhir."

He loosens the leather strap around his mouth, to allow him to speak.

OOC:

will tighten the strap again, if he starts casting spells in the black tongue!

Oct 8, 2025 3:47 pm

Éothain raises both arms and addresses the remainder of the crowd, trying to get their attention away from Cirion and Duinhir. "I apologize to all, especially Bangdu Caun, for my actions. I am a soldier, and I reacted as such when I thought he was under attack. I am unfamiliar with the ways of magic and misinterpreted what I saw."

Oct 8, 2025 9:42 pm

Duinhir still holds on to him as the gag is removed, ready for anything.

Oct 9, 2025 7:35 pm

Once the gag is loosened and he can speak, he growls indignantly, "You insolent swine! How DARE you lay your hands upon me in this way! Or even speak of me so!? WHERE ARE SAMIR AND HASHIM!!?", he screams at basically no one. Because the campers just look at each other unknowingly.

Then he tries to pull the belt off over his head so that he can't be muzzled so easily. He also violently thrashes trying to rend himself free of your grasp with some air of control.

OOC:

He's at least not going immediately to spellcasting and he's trying to free himself from your direct control.

If you don't let him go completely at this point, it will become apparent pretty quickly you're not really releasing him.

Oct 9, 2025 9:02 pm

Seeing how no words of spell is uttered from his mouth, Duinhir releases him.

Oct 10, 2025 3:38 pm

Cirion readies himself to fight the released man should he try anything.

Oct 14, 2025 3:38 pm

Once away from your control, Astalor goes to stand with the camp-folk between you and him (the other three of which - two women and a young man - have now joined you at the platform), and he turns and just stares at you three with an unconcealed, seething anger, his gritted teeth (and likely, his grievous wounds) the only thing holding him back from greater vitriol or possibly even action...

He growls, "What are your names!? Who are you?!", as he studies your clothes, armor, and weapons.

OOC:

If you want to lie, please roll a Deception.

Oct 15, 2025 3:43 am