So I spent some time going over the idea of the game with the players, that they would be a decoy party trying to help the real party succeed. I emphasised to them that we would follow the books/movies to some degree, but there would be some variances. Reminded them that there would be situations that maybe pre-determined to some degree... like they will not be killing Smaug, even if they can. Some events and facts are written in stone.
We started off with where they left the last campaign, completing the task they had been doing for Elrond - gather the Regalia of Cardolan. This campaign had been centred around Bree and those characters had progressed to 11 th level. The restart saw them go back to 10th level and a few characters change to fit the story (extra hobbit for Samwise etc). They left Rivendell and were returning to Bree, deciding to rest on Weathertop along the way. When they climbed to the top they discovered 13 dead dwarves. One of the dwarves was clutching a scroll of parchment. The scroll turned out to be a fresh copy of a map to Erebor (a copy of the Hobbit map, one of the players was able to determine it was probably a copy due to its newness).
The location grew darker, and an ominous feeling overcame them all, Wis saves all around for fear. A Wraith like form appears and demands the map, more fear rolls. The dwarf survived the fear and strikes out at the wraith, hit it. The wraith dissipates in a cloud of fog. The party realises that a fog has suddenly moved around Weathertop, and the sound of clanking weapons and armour can he heard, getting closer.
A party of orcs and goblins appears out of the fog and attacks. Lead by a Great Orc of Gundabad. The party is quite well stocked with archers, so they quickly shoot out all the goblins before the melee gets started. The party is experienced and quickly overcomes the orcs. A funeral pyre is created for the dead. Remains of the dwarves are collected and returned to the Blue Mountains via indirect means (the players didn't loot it).
The next day they complete their journey to Bree. Here they ask if anyone knows anything about the dwarf party. It is discovered that they came through 2 days ago, but more interesting was that another party of 13 dwarves and a hobbit came through just under 2 weeks back, heading east. The hobbit is identified as a Mr Baggins, one of the hobbit characters vaguely knows him.
They decide to follow up what they have learned and setup a journey back to Rivendell, possibly to ask Glorfindel about the map (two of the players have him as a Patron). The journey to Rivendell results in two encounters. The first is with a party of 4 trolls, they detect three of the trolls in a wood, and realise there is a fourth somewhere. Skilled members of the party go out to find the missing troll while the rest hide. They find him suddenly and a melee begins, the trolls shouts for help. The Bard, back with the rest of the party, rolls a 20 on an attempt to mimic the trolls cry and distract the other 3 trolls, so it works. The single troll is defeated quickly. The bard and the other three trolls stumble around the forrest for 2 turns before he rolls poorly and is trapped. They rest of the players arrive to help, the other group returns, and the Loremaster gets totally lost in the woods, but is found later. The trolls are defeated.
They search and find a trail to a cave, find treasure (a longsword, a shortsword and 20 elf arrows, and a shadow point).
The second encounter was an experiment. I set up a large table area of different terrains, replicating the warg hunt in the movie (but no Radigast). They had to use the terrain to try to avoid the wolves and get to the far side and the safety of Rivendell. In one spot they find a tunnel which allows them to bypass a section of the map area and get behind the wargs, making it to safety... lots of group stealth rolls etc. The party turned out to be pretty stealthy.
They get to Rivendell, to find that the 13 dwarves and the hobbit had been there, but had left 2 days prior. Glorfindel listens to their story and asks them to wait whilst he consults with Elrond. Elrond summons them to a Council. Here he asks them to undertake a dangerous mission, he wants them to act as a decoy group for the main group. Travelling the path they are travelling and attempting to intercept any problems in an attempt to make it easier for them. The mechanic would be that both parties would generate encounters for their journey, but the players would then try to suck up one or two of the other parties encounters. (eg Rivendell to Beorn's House would result in 2 encounters for each party, the player party would try to intercept one of the encounters so the split would be 3 for them and only 1 for the real dwarves). Elrond promises that they will be rewarded with a single share of the quest (a 15th), and other unspecified rewards from powerful people. They have no choice in the matter of course.
Glorfindel gives them some minor gifts, lembas and herbs and elf cordials, and an impressive elf scarf of incredible beauty. They head out into the High Pass...
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