Gondor Gambolling 63: In which Gryfflet bids farewell to Far Anórien
10Gryfflet has been keeping Merry and Dernhelm company: the latter happy to keep silence while the former chafes to spy on Théoden's meeting. We have no need to sneak but do so anyway to keep in practice, and to take a roll-call of those presence. When Gryfflet reveals himself it turns out that we missed the main conversation in which the Woses agreed to guide the Rohirrim down the hidden paths, but Théoden graciously credits us with persuading them to help. Ghân-buri-Ghân asks us to clear the path of fallen stones and we decide to take care of that before visiting the Beacon Hills. We take advantage of the extreme lag to discuss some Lore while Gryfflet and his horse struggle through, then take our leave of Éomer while we finish up our backlog of side-quests. We have a couple of things to do here in the Forest before going west which allows us to discuss more Lore, and Gryfflet takes the momentous decision to recommence gaining experience which means that he levels up for the first time in ages. Herefara wants us to help him on one final patrol before he departs, which Gryfflet accepts eagerly. We visit two of the nearby Beacons and clear out some occupying Orcs while pondering some more Lore, then Herefara asks us to distract the blockading Variags to cover the departure. This concludes our work here in the Forest so we depart for the Beacon Hills. We have horse tracks to cover, Orc messengers to hinder, and a lost Rider to locate, of which the Orcs prove the most tedious since they are mounted and tend to take off over the hills when attacked, albeit less lethal than some whom we just avoid. It runs out the stranded Rider has found refuge in Ost Rimmon, where we also find some more Quests and the Riders Three whom we haven't seen since the Battle of the Hornburg. Gryfflet decides in the little time left to return to Drúadan Forest to hand in those Quests to clear his slate.
"She looks kind of grimy!"
"Tell you what, I'm going to be frisky!"
"I want to Session Play as Ar-Pharazôn!"
"Don't worry about that troll, he'll be fine!"
"Oh, he went away, like trees do!"
"Those dudes are out of control!"
"Bye, don't forget to write!"
"I put on my hat in the nick of time there!"
"I'm getting increasingly sympathetic with aching old people!"
Lore discussed this week covered the origin of the Dwarves and that of Trolls, the upcoming expansion which will allow us to visit Umbar, and appropriate levels of technology for Middle-earth at this time.