No, Hero Points can’t be used to get rid of Shadow Points. =)

The One Ring has another mechanic called Hope Points which seem to be covered by Will and FP, so I decided not to include yet another new mechanic. In TOR, Shadow Points stand at 0 at the start of an adventure, and Hope is at max, and once Shadow Points rise to the same level as Hope, the PC experiences a short bout of Shadow sickness. Instead, we’re going to use Will (and not lose Will during the adventure).

The dwarves are speaking Westron, not Khuzdul.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:03, Fri 13 Sept 2019.

In reply to Loremaster (msg # 40):

Yeah, I caught that, and I only speak Dalish, Westron and the Dwarven secret languages. But he would still be interested if he can overhear them, because they are clearly Dwarves. Can he tell why they loo at him strangely?

There could be any number of reasons for looking at him. I lived in Hong Kong for a while, and there are quite a few non-Chinese living there, but if I saw another white person, they’d usually catch my attention.

Or maybe Mock is a dead ringer for a vicious Dwarf pirate terrorizing the Sea of Rhun, and they’re off to have you arrested and clapped in irons! =)

In reply to Loremaster (msg # 42):

Lol, unlikely. Dwarves on boats? Too damn unstable!

Love HK.  Visited a lot from 84-92 when I was living in Tokyo. V sad to see what’s happening.

It was actually my intention to have Gwydian be at the Silver Flagon, listening in, but I guess I got ahead of myself.

No worries, Gwydian. It’s perfectly fine to trail along after the group if they’ve caught your attention.

Yeah, Jody, my heart’s breaking for what’s happening now. I stayed long enough that I’m an HK permanent resident now, and I have in-laws and friends still there, so I have a strong personal connection to Hong Kong.

Where did you live in Japan? It’s such a beautiful country, and I think sometimes about trying to move there and work for a while. I’ve visited a few different places there, but there’s such geographic diversity and beauty in Japan.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:34, Fri 13 Sept 2019.

All Tokyo.  Traveled all over, but lived in MotoAzabu.

In response to some stuff Gwydian said earlier...

Its all good.  While I love the RP side I'm a numbers twink too.

Navarre is wearing leather (DR2) but he has a lot of gear.  I think he's at Medium with a backpack. My char sheet does show basic outdoor stuff including a First Aid kit.  I do not however have a light source or rope.  I think I was assuming others would have those.

Yes, in GURPS ranged weapons are hard mostly because the distance penalty gets steep very fast.  I think a distance of just 10 yards carries a -4.  That just about negates most Aiming bonuses for this TL.

I do have some cash left over which I am happy to use to fund group stuff whatever that may be.

Forgive my ignorance, whats going on in HK?

I always encourage people to take one melee weapon, one ranged weapon, and one unarmed weapon. It's not uncommon to be pinned down in one spot and only able to use ranged weapons, and not having ranged weapons in that situation can be serious. The range penalties are killer, though.

Hong Kong is being wracked by protests. It began with a Hong Kong guy who went to Taiwan with his girlfriend, killed her, and came back to Hong Kong. HK doesn't have an extradition treaty with Taiwan, so every time there's a situation like this, the authorities have to apply through lengthy legal channels. He's being held in HK right now on separate charges of using his dead girlfriend's credit or debit cards when he came back.

The chief executive of HK (head government leader, reports directly to Beijing) proposed an extradition treaty with Taiwan and included China for good measure. Democracy activists in HK saw it as one more way the HK government is gradually strengthening ties with the mainland (earlier proposed national education classes in schools and other measures have been defeated in the past, but other things like a high speed rail connection and a bridge to Macau and Zhuhai, both physical symbols that Hong Kong is tied to China), have gone through.

People started demonstrating in June, I think. At one point 2 million (out of a 7.something million population) hit the streets to protest, at least according to event organizers. It's gotten violent, too - protesters are throwing bricks at police, protesters locked down the HK airport for a couple of days by not letting passengers leave, police are ripping clothes off of protesters, one reporter had her eye badly damaged by bean bag rounds, police have been shooting tear gas into metro stations, and allegedly white-shirted triad members were given free reign to attack people in one district for about 45 minutes while the police were conveniently absent.

Some people have feared that we're headed for another Tienanmen Square. I think that's still on the table but unlikely. China cares about his global image, and they'll only send the military in if the protests are continuing and it's their last option.

The protesters have a series of demands: withdraw the bill, stop calling the earlier  more peaceful protests riots, release the people arrested during the protests, set up an investigation into police brutality, and give Hong Kongers universal voting rights. The CE finally came out and said the bill would be withdrawn after repeating several times that the bill was dead, but protesters are still going.

Part of the protests are fueled by anti-Communist party sentiment. Opponents of the protests say the protesters don't love their country and/or are being controlled by foreign and other corrupting/evil forces.

For one version of events, you can browse http://www.reddit.com/r/HongKong, although that subreddit is strongly pro-protests. So is http://www.reddit.com/r/China. The BBC has had more neutral coverage. For more of a pro-China perspective, you can look at http://www.reddit.com/r/Sina or http://www.reddit.com/r/Hong_Kong. The South China Morning Post has a slight pro-China bent, but it's been relatively objective: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong.

Tl;dr - Massive protests in Hong Kong against the government, future very uncertain.

It seems like we still have a few players working behind the scenes?

Yes, two, a Mirkwood elven archer and a Woodsman. As most of you were mostly ready, I decided to go ahead and start. If the other two finish soon, I'll look for a place to slot them in.

Ya, I've been a bit pokey in responding because I dont want to get too far ahead.  But I'll be posting soon.

Tent and group basics, which can both go on my mule, would be great. Rest on rations a good idea...and make sure you have your own gear from the list I posted earlier.

HK is both sad, but good. The fact that they can protest, and that the military have not already moved in, is indeed encouraging, though what is happening behind the scenes scares me and makes me glad I am far from there. But down under is never really that far from China.

I have a little under $100 left.  I'd be happy to donate to a tent and group basics.

In reply to Navarre Kodran (msg # 54):

Do you have a light source? A wineskin and Rations?

Sealed Oil Lamp, $20, 2 lbs, 24 hrs/pint -4 light penalty
Lantern, 24 hrs/pint, $20, 2 lbs, -4 Light Penalty (From Basic, but LT suggests these were covered Lamps)
Small Sealed Oil Lamp, 8 hrs/ 1/3 pint, $10, 1 lb, -4 Light penalty (GURPS Underground), Can be strapped to helmet.

Helment lamps are $100, so expensive.

Other than that, Group basics are $50, or $100 for expensive group basics that weight just 34 lbs, so I would suggest that. If someone can afford the Legionnaires Tent for $225, then we should be right. An expensive Legionnaires tent, $450 would weigh just 30 lbs instead of 45, but that would be too expensive, I imagine.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:32, Sat 14 Sept 2019.

My non combat gear is pretty sparse. I do have a water skin and three days of travelers rations. The highlight of my backpack is a first aid kit.

For now I'm happy to go without my own personal light source as long as we have several among the group.

I agree that group basics and a large tent would be nice. I'm happy to donate the bulk of the remainder of my cash towards that end.

In reply to Navarre Kodran (msg # 56):

Ok. I would not count on others light sources, and these are cheap. Better you spend $10 on one, $50 on the group basics and contribute $40 to the tent than going without, unless you have Night vision 8 or 9...

Speaking of which, GM is a Rugged version of

Small Sealed Oil Lamp, 8 hrs/ 1/3 pint, $10, 1 lb, -4 Light penalty (GURPS Underground), Can be strapped to helmet.

made of brass instead of ceramic, having the following stats, acceptable?

Small Rugged Sealed Oil Lamp, 8 hrs/ 1/3 pint, $20, 1.2 lb, -4 Light penalty (GURPS Underground), Can be strapped to helmet.

or

Small Expensive Rugged Sealed Oil Lamp, 8 hrs/ 1/3 pint, $30, 0.8 lb, -4 Light penalty (GURPS Underground), Can be strapped to helmet.

Both modifications from Low Tech.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:22, Sat 14 Sept 2019.

WOOT!!  100 posts!

Ok, I'll take a look at the numbers when I get home and add some light, then the group can have the rest.

Once we meet, find out where we’re going and what not (feel free to move that along or not, as far as I’m concerned), Gwydian will chip in at least a fair share towards the group provisions.

Skill of course, plays a big part in this too. Interesting to note, after 70 yards (-9 penalty) the increase in range is significant for each increase in penalty. Mock actually has a 50/50 chance at hitting an orc at 200 yards and doing an average of 10 points impaling damage with his crossbow. Better if he braces it...but hell, if braced and determined, he could target the vitals at 150 yards and still have a 50/50 chance! Of course he will take 9 seconds to winch the thing back and cock it again, but as a sniper weapon, it is pretty good. Even still, with orcs with move 7 he will get one more shot before those pesky orcs meet his axe...

Do most folk have a bow, or sling for Hobbits?

I've heartily enjoyed you guys' posting so far. Have a drink on me, gents!

I have a bow but I am only fair with it.

Sorry to hear about the strife in HK.

Gram does not carry one, no. But the axe on his belt looks balanced for throwing.

Thibault doesn't carry a ranged weapon. The one-eye sort of makes it pointless. He's not much of a fighter in any case.