Gondor Gambolling 10: in which Gryfflet isn't actually in Gondor at all
21Gryfflet has been contemplating the dancing lights in the Dead Marshes while wondering why he's even here. Talking to Artamir the Gondorian does not help, since he is unwilling to divulge his mission, but we decide that helping him on his way is the safer option. He grudgingly admits to having been sent by Denethor but wants us to clear out the menacing Orcs before revealing anything else. To this end we plunge into the marshes, slaughtering Orcs and picking up other quests as we go, giving us plentiful time to discuss some Lore. We find that the Orcs have orders, which we cannot read, so we redouble our efforts to discover their purpose while trying to understand some of the strange things we find. The sweet-smelling flowers are pleasant, the giant insects and lurking spirits of the dead rather less so, but at last Artamir relents and reveals that he is seeking an ancient banner. Gryfflet is dubious of Denethor's motive but agrees to help which leads him to the nearby Orc-camp wherein he achieves ultimate burglariousness by fulfilling all of his objectives without being spotted. Unfortunately while he is gone Artamir vanishes so Gryfflet has to track him down by slaughtering more Orcs and looting their bodies until he locates a map. Following the map takes us to the far reaches of the swamp where we dodge Orcs battling more gigantic insects to discover Artamir on the brink. We are just in time to save him, and he decides to go home while he still can, leaving us to contemplate his glowing supply pile, which turns out to be the key to another Session Play: this time we are Sam in the company of Frodo and Gollum as they traverse the Dead Marshes. We return to Edhellond as the session ends, ready to finally reach Dol Amroth.
"Rather glad not to have the Smell-O-Vision version of this!"
"What is that? Oh, that's a frog!"
"Do all Orcs do the butterfly when they swim?"
"What is especially deep about that cricket?"
"Those spirits obviously weigh a good deal less than a duck!"
"I don't know, man, I'm not buying it!"
"That was burglarious right there!"
"I think he became incandescent with rage!"
"Oh man, I think they killed the big one!"
"Frodo's running off!"
"Do you know where anybody is?"
Lore discussed this session ranged from the Music of the Ainur to the destiny of the Istari, on the way touching upon how the Ring affected the way its bearers aged.
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