Beneath the ruined Númenórean tower Ithildir notices a casket which appears to have something moving within it. As the fellowship prepares to face whatever fearful thing has awoken in the tomb they try to find respite with the grumpiest geezer in Eriador…

Session Log

Boron reaches the fellowship at the ruined tower having arrived in Bree and received Nob’s note just days after the fellowship departed. With the keen stone-sense of the dwarf to aid in their investigation the fellowship ventures into the tomb beneath the tower to find the source of the scratching Ithildir heard.

They find the scratching coming from an ancient Númenórean casket marked as containing Gwendaith, a hero who has been buried here for around three thousand years, and the casket appears to have been sealed for that entire time. Boron believes the casket will not hold it much longer, so together the fellowship pushes a large boulder the size of a small boulder atop the casket to buy some time.

Seeking a safe place for the night before facing whatever terror resides within Gwendaith’s casket the fellowship backtracks to Farrell’s Farm, but they find the welcome there less than warm. It takes Nob’s charm and Ithildir’s song to convince Farrell to treat them as guests, and even then the hospitality is wanting. Seeing that Tarandis is likely to stab someone if Farrell keeps up his gruff the fellowship sets off early the next morning, but not before Farrell can complain of how poorly he slept due to dark dreams of a dark hill rising over him and crashing like a wave.

Knowing that creatures of shadow often shun the light Boron enlarges the hole in the ceiling of the cellar to open most of it to the sky. With every advantage they can think of established Nob, Tarandis, and Ithildir ready their weapons as Boron pushes away the stone.

From inside the casket rises the mummified corpse of Gwendaith, animated by a cruel spirit. Everyone stands firm in the face of the dread that emanates from the creature, and the undead prove to be short work for Nob, the wielder of Estelang, The Unyielding Hope.

The tower settled, the fellowship returns to Bree with the survivors of the bandits. They enjoy the domestic simplicity of Nob’s home and family before Gandalf returns to hear of their journey. Even the Grey Wizard does not know the location of Amon Guruthos, but he promises to find what he can, perhaps in the libraries of Isengard…’