Tolkien

Tolkien QuestTM
Random Number Table

The Legend of
Weathertop
by
Heike Kubasch
System Designer: S. Coleman Charlton
Illustrations by James Holloway and Jessica Ney

IRON CROWN ENTERPRISES holds the exclusive
worldwide license for FANTASY ROLE PLAYING and
ADULT BOARD GAMES based on THE LORD OF THE
RINGS and THE HOBBIT.
ISBN: 0-441-08686-0
®1985 TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES, a division of

ELAN MERCHANDISING, Inc., Berkeley, CA.
The Legend of Weathertop, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings,
and all characters and places therein are trademark properties of
TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES.
Distributed by The Berkley Publishing Group,
200 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.
All Rights Reserved.
BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE
TOLKIEN QUEST™ GAME SYSTEM
Based on the works of the greatest fantasy writer of all
time, Tolkien Quest gamebooks invite the reader into the
world of brave and cruel Men, Hobbits and Elves, Orcs and
Trolls, and Wizards both good and evil. The continent of
Middle-earth, rich in adventure and conflict, provides the
perfect background for solo adventures. Welcome to the
fantasy and thrill of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth!
THE MAPBOARD
The mapboard provided with this book gives an overview
of part of the area in which your adventures will take place.
This map shows what you know about the area, but it does
not tell you everything that may happen.
Each space on the mapboard is labeled with a number and
a letter (i.e., 1A, IB, ... , 2B, 2C, ... , etc.). Each of these
labels refers to a section of the text, with the same number
and letter, near the beginning of the book. This “Location
Text” tells you what you find and directs you to further
“Encounter Text” that provides choices and more detailed
information to guide you in your adventures.
Keep track of your location on the mapboard during play.
This is done by remembering the label of your location, by
using any small playing piece (i.e., a coin) to mark your
location, or by tracing your path with a crayon or
greasepencil.
THE GAMEBOOK
The gamebook describes hazards, situations, and loca-
tions that may be encountered during your adventures. As
you read the text sections, choices will be given as to what
actions to take. The text section you read will depend on the
space you move into on the mapboard, the directions in the
text, and whether the actions you attempt succeed or fail.
As mentioned earlier, Location Text sections are in the
beginning of the gamebook and match the spaces on the
mapboard. These sections are labeled with a number
followed by a letter. Encounter Text sections are toward the
back of the gamebook and are listed by three-digit numbers
only (e.g., “365”). Read the Location Text as you move into
the matching space on the mapboard, and read the
Encounter Text only when told to do so by the text.
Often Encounter Text will direct your “movement” in
areas that are not represented on your mapboard. In these
cases, it can be very useful for you to keep track of what you
encounter and where you go (i.e., you should record and
map your path of travel).
PICKING A NUMBER
Many times during your adventures in this book you will
need to pick a number (between 2 and 12). There are several
ways to do this:
1) Turn to the Random Number Table on the inside front
cover of this book, use a pencil (or pen or similar object),
close your eyes, and touch the Random Number Table
with the pencil. The number touched is the number
which you have picked. If your pencil falls on a line, just
repeat the process.
2) Flip to a random page in the book and look at the small
boxed number in the inside, bottom corner of the page.
This number is the number which you have picked.
3) If you have two six-sided dice, roll them. The result is the
number which you have picked. (You can also roll one
six-sided die twice and add the results.)
Often you will be instructed to pick a number and add a
"bonus”. When this happens, treat results of more than 12 as
“12” and treat results of less than 2 as “2”.
CHOOSING A SYSTEM
Before starting to play, decide whether you want to use
the Basic Tolkien Quest System or the Advanced Tolkien
Quest System, both included in this book. If you have never
read one of these gamebooks and have never played role
playing games, we suggest that you use the Basic System
and the pre-created character provided. After you have
mastered that, use the Advanced System and create your
own character.
CHOOSING A CHARACTER
There are three ways to choose a character:
1) You can use the completely created character provided at
the beginning of the book.
2) You can create your own character using the simple
Tolkien Quest character development system included in
this book.
3) You can create your own character using MERP, the
Middle-earth Role Playing System (an ICE production
not included in this gamebook). When using MERP,
ignore the Action Tables and Combat Tables provided at
the end of this gamebook. Instead, use the guidelines and
tables provided in MERP to resolve “actions” and
“combat” (see Optional Rules).
STARTING TO PLAY
After choosing a character to play and a system to use,
start your adventures by reading the Prologue found after the
rules section. From this point on read sections as indicated
by the text. When told to move on, read text sections
corresponding to spaces on the mapboard.
THE BASIC SYSTEM
MOVING ON
When the text tells you to move on, you may choose to
move into any one of the spaces on the mapboard adjacent to
the space you are in. Then read the matching Location Text.
This text can of course lead to more detailed adventures by
directing you to a section of Encounter Text. When the text
tells you to move on in a random direction, proceed as if the
text just says move on.
When moving into a space where you have already been,
ignore any text references to conditions which no longer
exist. For example, if you defeat a Troll in a space, leave the
space and later return, you do not have to fight the same
Troll again.
TIME
When using the Basic System, do not keep track of
time. When the text indicates a choice of encounters based
upon time, read the text associated with the earliest time.
DAMAGE AND HEALING
As you adventure, you will take damage from fights,
traps, falls, etc. You must keep track of this damage in terms
of a total amount of damage taken (record the total in the
damage taken space on your Character Record). Only your
damage taken total changes during play; your Endurance
does not change.
If your damage taken exceeds your Endurance (see your
Character Record), you are unconscious. If this occurred
during a fight, you are defeated and must proceed as the text
indicates. Otherwise, you are dead; your adventure is over
and you may begin again from the start. If the text indicates
that you “wake up”, change your damage taken so that it
equals your Endurance.
Each time you read a section of text that you have not
read before and that does not require you to pick a number,
or fight, or take an action, you may “rest”, automatically
reducing your damage taken by one.
FIGHTING
Fighting consists of a series of “rounds”. During each
“round”, you attack your opponent or you attempt to flee and
your opponent attacks you. Missile attacks and your Missile
OB are not used in the Basic System.
If you choose to fight an opponent or the text indicates
that you must fight, the combat is resolved in the following
fashion:
1) You attack (see below) your opponent and then he attacks
you. If you are surprised, reverse the order of the attacks
for the rest of the combat.
2) Repeat step 1, a round of the fight, until one of the
following conditions occur:
a) One of you is killed (a “K” result on the Combat
Table).
b) One of you has more damage taken than Endurance.
That combatant is unconscious and is defeated. (This
can also occur due to a “U” result on the Combat
Table.)
c) You successfully run away. At the beginning of any
round of combat, you may elect not to attack for that
round. After your opponent makes his attack for that
round, you may attempt to run away (use the Action
Table):
• If you are successful, the fight ends and you follow
the text instructions or move on in a random
direction.
• If you are unsuccessful, you are still engaged and
must begin another round of the fight. (However,
you may attempt to run away again).
After a fight, the text will indicate what you are to do.
Process for Resolving An “Attack”:
1) Subtract the defender’s Defensive Bonus (DB) from the
attacker’s Melee Offensive Bonus (OB) and pick a
number.
2) Using the Combat Table on the last page of this book,
cross-index the number picked (in the vertical row on the
left side of the table) and the difference between the OB
and the DB (in the horizontal column at the top of the
table).
3) The result is the amount of damage that the defender
takes that round (increase his damage taken by that
amount). The special results “U” and “K” end the combat
immediately with the defender being knocked out (U,
Unconscious) or more rarely, killed (K).
Fighting More than One Opponent
If the text indicates that you must fight more than one
opponent in a given situation, “fight” the first one. If you
defeat the first one, then fight the next one. Continue this
process until you have defeated all of the opponents or you
are defeated or you have successfully run away.
EQUIPMENT
Whenever you acquire money and equipment, record
them on your Character Record in the spaces provided.
Silver pieces are “money” and may be used during your
adventures to pay for food, lodging, transport, bribes, etc.
Certain equipment may affect your abilities. If you wish,
refer to the Advanced System for the effects of armor and
weapons.
TAKING AN ACTION
When the text directs you to take an action, refer to the
Action Table on the next to the last page in the book. Choose
one of the actions listed and follow the directions given.
Sometimes these directions will require you to use the
“bonuses” listed on your Character Record.
CREATING YOUR TOLKIEN QUEST
CHARACTER
If you do not want to create your own character, use the
pre-created character found near the front of this book. If
you decide to create your own character, you must follow
the directions given in this section. Keep track of your
character on the Character Record found near the front of
this book. It is advisable to enter information in pencil so
that it can be erased and updated. If necessary, you may copy
or photocopy this Character Record for your own use.
As you go through this character creation process, refer to
the pre-created character in the front of the book as an
example.
STATS
Your character starts with certain mental and physical
attributes called “stats” (short for statistics): Strength (St),
Agility (Ag), and Intelligence (In). Before beginning this
adventure, determine the values of these stats. Pick a
number three times and assign one to each of the three stats
(the choice is yours). Then record them in the Stat Value
column on your Character Record.
Stat Bonuses
Each stat (St, Ag, In) may give a “bonus” when perfor-
ming certain activities; keep in mind that these “bonuses”
can be negative (or zero) as well as positive.
Each stat of 2-4 gives a bonus of -1
Each stat of 5-8 gives a bonus of 0
Each stat of 9-10 gives a bonus of +1
Each stat of 11-12 gives a bonus of +2
Record these bonuses in the Stat Bonus column next to
the Stat Values on your Character Record.
ENDURANCE
Your Strength stat determines the Endurance of your
character. During combat you will take damage due to
shock, pain, bleeding, etc. If this damage exceeds your
Endurance, you will fall unconscious (pass out). Your
Endurance is equal to twice your Strength stat plus 20;
record this on your Character Record.
SKILLS
The following 8 “skills” affect your chances of
accomplishing certain actions during your adventures.
1) Melee OB Skill: This skill reflects your ability to attack
in melee (hand-to-hand) combat. OB stands for
“Offensive Bonus”.
2) Missile OB Skill: This skill reflects your ability to attack
using a missile such as a thrown spear or a bow. OB
stands for “Offensive Bonus”. (This skill is not used with
the Basic System.)
3) General Skill: Use this skill when directed to perform
general activities by the text, including: Climb, Track,
Hunt, Ride, and Swim actions.
4) Trickery Skill: Use this skill when trying to move
without being seen or heard (i.e., sneaking), trying to
steal or take something held or protected by an opponent,
picking a lock, escaping from bonds, and many other
similar activities.
5) Perception Skill: This skill reflects how much informa-
tion you gather through observation and exploration. It
also reflects your ability to talk and negotiate with beings
you meet during your adventures.
6) Magical Skill: This skill reflects your affinity with magic
and spells. Use this skill when you try to cast a spell and
when indicated by the text.
7) Running Skill: This skill reflects your chances of running
away from danger.
8) DB Skill: This skill reflects your ability to avoid attacks.
DB stands for Defensive Bonus.
Skill Bonuses
For each of these skills, you will have a Skill Bonus. Use
your Skill Bonuses when you attempt certain actions; keep
in mind that these “bonuses” can be negative as well as
positive.
When you start your character, you have a total of six
“+1 bonuses” to assign to your skills; the choice is yours
(see below). These bonuses may not be assigned to your
“DB” skill or your “Running” skill.
You may assign more than one “+1 bonuses” to any
given skill, but no more than three to any one skill. Thus,
two “ +1 bonuses” assigned to a skill will be a “ +2 bonus”,
and three “+1 bonuses” will be a “+3 bonus”. These bonuses
should be recorded in the appropriate spaces in the Skill
Bonus column on your Character Record.
If you do not assign any “+1 bonuses” to a skill, record a
“-2 bonus” in the appropriate space. The “DB” and
“Running” skills do not receive this “-2 bonus”; instead they
are “0”.
Applying Stat Bonuses to Skills

In the Skill section on your Character Record you will
find a Stat Bonus column. Each space has a stat abbreviation
next to it; in each space record the stat bonus corresponding
to the abbreviation. (Refer to the pre-created character if you
need help in following these instructions.)
TOTAL BONUSES
At this point, you should have a bonus recorded in each
Stat Bonus space and each Skill Bonus space. Keep in mind
that these “bonuses” can be negative as well as positive. For
each skill, add the two bonuses and record the total in the
appropriate TOTAL BONUS space.
When the text instructs you to “add your bonus”, it refers
to these Total Bonuses.
During play you may acquire equipment or abilities that
may affect your bonuses. Use the Equipment Bonuses and
Special & Temporary Bonuses spaces to record these
bonuses. Of course, some of the Total Bonuses will have to
be recalculated when this occurs.
SPELLS
You may decide to use the Optional Spell Rules. If so, for
every “+1 bonus” that you do not assign to a skill, you may
“learn” two spells that you may cast during play (see
Optional Rules).
THE ADVANCED SYSTEM
The Advanced System is similar to the Basic System in
many respects but allows for more variety and action op-
tions. If you are going to use the Basic System do not
read any further.
MOVING ON
When the text tells you to move on, follow the same
process described in the Basic System: choose any one of
the spaces on the mapboard adjacent to the space you are in
and read the Location Text section corresponding to that
space.
Moving On in a Random Direction
If the text tells you to move on in a random direction,
you must move on to a randomly selected adjacent space.
Outdoors, this space is selected by picking a number which
corresponds to a specific space as indicated in the diagram
below. If you cannot move in a direction due to an obstacle
(river, edge of map, etc.), pick another number.(You start in
the center space of the diagram below.)
TIME
Keeping track of time adds a great deal of flavor and
excitement to the use of this gamebook, but it does require
that you keep a running total of the amount of time that
passes. If you desire an easier adventure, just use the
gamebook as directed and ignore the text passages and rules
referring to time (see the Basic System).
Passage of time will be abbreviated at the beginning of
each text section as: Time: #, where # is the number of
minutes. As you read each text section, add this amount to
your time total.
Double these time figures when you move on in a
random direction.
NIGHTTIME
This gamebook assumes that the adventures take place
during the daytime and that you rest at night. Nighttime
starts when your time total reaches 13+ hours (780 +
minutes) and you read a section of text that does not require
you to pick a number, fight, or take an action.
At this point, you must rest: mark down that 1 day has
passed and restart your time total to 0. You must also “eat a
meal” (mark one meal used on your character record). If you
do not have a meal, you may not heal any damage that night
and you must increase your damage taken by 5. After all
this is done, just proceed normally.
DAMAGE AND HEALING

Keep track of damage taken as indicated in the Basic
System. If your damage taken exceeds your Endurance (see
your Character Record), you are unconscious. If this occurs
during a fight, you are defeated and must proceed as the text
indicates. Otherwise, you remain unconscious until you heal
enough so that your damage taken drops below your
Endurance. If the text indicates that you wake up after a
fight, reduce your damage taken to equal your Endurance.
Do not use the Basic System rule for healing. Each time
you read a section of text that does not require you to pick a
number, fight, or take an action, you may reduce your
damage taken by 3 for each hour you spend “resting”. At
night, if you rest and eat a meal, you may reduce your
damage taken by 15.
EQUIPMENT
You may only wear: 1 suit of armor, 1 dagger (on belt), 1
cloak, 1 backpack, and 1 belt and pouch.
In addition, you may carry a number of pieces of
equipment equal to your Strength stat; this total may include
a maximum of 3 weapons. If you lose your backpack, this
number is reduced by half (round up), and you lose any
excess equipment along with the backpack.
Certain special items indicated by the text may be ob-
tained that do not follow these restrictions.
Armor has the following effects on your skill bonuses:
Plate Armor: +3 to DB; -3 to Trickery, Running, and
Magical bonuses
Chain Armor: +2 to DB; -2 to Trickery, Running, and
Magical bonuses
Leather Armor: +1 to DB; -1 to Trickery and Running
bonuses
Shield: +1 to DB; -1 to Magical bonus
If you damage an opponent, your weapon can provide
additional damage. (This additional damage applies to each
attack only when a damage result of 1 or more is obtained.)
For example: Using the Combat Table, you inflict “8”
damage on your opponent. If you are using a sword (+1 to
damage), your opponent actually takes 9 damage points
(“8” +1). If you are using a Battle-axe (+2 to damage), he
would take 10 damage points (“8” + 2).
Sword ................................. +1
Mace ............................... ... +2 (only if opponent is wearing
Spear.................................. .+0 chain or plate armor)
Dagger ..................................-1
Warhammer ........................ +2 (but -1 to OB)
Battle-axe ........................... +2
Quarterstaff......................... +1
Two-Handed Sword ………+3 (but -1 to OB)
Bare-Handed........................ -3 (and -2 to OB)
The following weapons may be used once in a given
combat as a missile attack (OB modifications are given in
parentheses): battle-axe(-4), warhammer(-2), dagger(-l)
spear(-l), sword(-3), mace(-3). In such a case, the weapon
may not be used in melee and may only be recovered if you
defeat your opponent.
A bow may only be used in missile combat (see step 1
under Fighting), never in melee combat.
A shield may not be used with the following weapons:
bow, battle-axe, quarterstaff, or two-handed sword.
TAKING AN ACTION
When the text directs you to take an action, refer to the
Action Table on the next to the last page in the book. Choose
one of the actions listed and follow the directions given.
FIGHTING
Fighting consists of a series of “rounds”. During each
“round”, you attack your opponent or you attempt to flee
and your opponent attacks you.
If you choose to fight an opponent or the text indicates
that you “must fight”, the combat is resolved in the
following fashion:
1) If you are surprised, proceed directly to step 3; other-
wise, you may make a missile attack if able (see the at-
tack resolution explanation). If your opponent is not
surprised (i.e., he is aware of you), he will then make a
missile attack against you if able (the text will specify if
your opponent can make missile attacks).
2) No one is surprised for the remainder of the combat.
Your opponent will attempt to force melee (hand-to-
hand combat). You may attempt a Run Past action (see
the Action Table). If successful, proceed to step 1;
otherwise, proceed to step 3. This completes one round
of the fight.
3) You are engaged in melee. You make a melee attack
against your opponent, and he makes a melee attack
against you. If you are surprised, reverse the order of the
attacks for the rest of the combat. This completes one
round of the fight.
4) Repeat rounds of the fight until one of the following
conditions occur:
a) One of you is killed (a “K” result on the Combat Table)
b) of you has more Damage Taken than Endurance.
That combatant is unconscious and is defeated. (This
can also occur due to a “U” result on the Combat
Table.)
c) You successfully run away. At the beginning of any
round of combat, you may elect not to attack for that
round. After your opponent makes his attack for that
round, you may attempt to Run Past (use the Action
Table):
• If you are successful, the fight ends (follow text
instructions or move on in a random direction.)
• If you are unsuccessful, you are still engaged and
must begin another round of the fight at step 3.
(However, you may attempt to run away again).
Resolve individual attacks as indicated in the Basic
System. Using the Combat Table on the last page of this
book, cross-index the difference in OB and DB with a
number picked. Be sure to add your character’s Missile OB
for missile attacks and Melee OB for melee attacks.
OPTIONAL RULES
These rules are included to allow the development of
more complete Middle-earth characters and to add certain
elements of fantastic realism to your adventures.
ADDITIONAL TERRAIN AND MOVEMENT RULES
Roads, Paths, and Trails
Using roads (also applies to paths and trails) can affect
the passage of time. If the text or the mapboard indicates that
there is a road between the space you are in and an adjacent
space, you may choose one of the following options:
1) Use the road to move on to that space; in which case, use
the time given in parentheses (e.g., for Time: 20(5) use 5
minutes).
2) Move on to that space but not use the road, in which case
use the normal time passage.
This choice can be important because often your adventures
will vary depending upon whether or not you are traveling
on the road.
Travel on Horseback
If you have a horse and want to move on, pick a number
and add your General Bonus. If the result is more than 6,
reduce the “time used” (Time: #) for the next space by half
(round up). Otherwise, use normal time passage. If the space
moved into is indoors, woods, or river, normal time passage
is always used.
Hunting & Foraging
If you are outdoors in a space containing woods or rough
terrain, you may attempt to get a meal by hunting &
foraging. Pick a number and add your general bonus. If the
result is more than 7, you obtain one meal. In any case, you
use 40 minutes of time.
MOVING AT NIGHT
If you wish to continue to move and adventure at night,
you will have the following disadvantages:
1) The amount of time required for any outdoor activity is
tripled (except for text passages involving fighting).
2) Treat all outdoor move on instructions as move on in a
random direction.
3) All of your bonuses are temporarily halved (round
down).
4) Instead of healing damage taken, you take 1 point of
damage for each hour of activity.
Until you “rest” (as described in the normal night rules),
disadvantages #3 and #4 above will continue to apply. When
you rest after having activity during the “night”, your “time
total” for the “next day” is restarted at: your old time total -
900 (treat negative results as 0).
UNMODIFIED PICKED NUMBERS
In many situations, you are instructed to: Pick a number and
add your xxxx bonus. If you have a very large bonus, this can
often result in automatic success in certain activities. To
avoid this, use the following rule: whenever you pick a
number and it is a “2”, do not add any bonuses. That is, 2’s
are never modified and always give a 2 result.
EXPERIENCE POINTS
After certain text passages, you will see Exp Pt: #. This is
the number of “Experience Points” you receive. Keep a
running total of points in the space provided on your
Character Record. You may only receive experience points
for a given text passage once.
These points have no affect on the abilities of your
character until you have successfully completed this
adventure and wish to start another Tolkien Quest
gamebook with the same character.
If you are using a Tolkien Quest system character, for
every 150 experience points received you may assign an
additional +1 bonus to any of the allowed skills (the limit of
+ 3 for a skill bonus doesn’t apply, see “Creating Your Own
Character”) or you may choose two more spells that you
may cast or you may pick a number and increase your
endurance by that amount.
If you are using MERP, 150 experience points is
equivalent to 5000 MERP experience points.
RACE
You may choose one of the Middle-earth races for your
character with the following results:
Man: Increase your General bonus by 1.
Elf: When underground, decrease your Perception by 1 and
your Magical bonus by 1. When outdoors, increase your
Perception by 1 and your Magical bonus by 1. Ignore
disadvantages #1, #2, and #3 under the “Moving at
Night” rules.
Dwarf: When underground, increase your Perception bonus
by 1 and your General bonus by 1. Decrease your
Running bonus by 1. Ignore disadvantage #1 and #3
under the “Moving at Night” rules. Dwarves may not
“learn” spells #7, #11, and #15.
Hobbit: Increase your Trickery bonus by 2. Decrease your
Melee OB by 2. Ignore disadvantage #1 and #3 under the
“Moving at Night” rules. Hobbits may not “learn” spells
#3, #5, #7, #11, and #15
CASTING SPELLS
For every “+1 bonus” that you do not assign to a skill
during the character creation process, you may “learn” two
of the spells described below. Once a spell is “learned”, your
character “knows” it and is able to cast it within the
restrictions given.
If you want to cast a spell, pick a number and add your
Magical bonus. If the result is more than 6, the spell has
been successfully cast. (Refer to the spell description for the
effects.) Otherwise, the spell does not have an effect. You
must “know” a spell in order to cast it.
Each time you successfully cast a spell, your damage
taken is increased by the number given in parentheses in the
spell description. This reflects the strain of casting spells.
If involved in a fight, you may only attempt one spell
each time a missile would normally be fired; spells are
useless in melee.
Unless stated otherwise, the effects of a spell last for one
action, one activity, or one fight.
Spell Descriptions
1) Item Analysis (3): When indicated by the text, you may
cast this spell and “analyze” an item (follow the direc-
tions given in the text).
2) Balance (2): Increases your General bonus by +2 for one
activity to be attempted at the current text location.
3) Calm (5): May only be cast against one animal or nor-
mal being at a time (Man, Elf, Dwarf, Hobbit, Orc,
Troll, etc.). Pick a number and add your Magical
bonus. If the result is more than 7, the foe is “calmed”
and will not attack unless you attack him or attempt to
steal from him. Otherwise, the encounter proceeds
normally.
4) Camouflage (3): For the purposes of one action, this
spell increases your Trickery bonus by +2.
5) Charm Animal (6): You may cast this spell against any
hostile normal “animal” (bear, wolf, snake, etc.). The
animal will follow you (record its OB, DB, and
Endurance) and will fight any foe you desire it to. After
it has fought once (one “fight”) for you, the animal will
leave. You may only have one animal “charmed” at a
time.
6) Clairvoyance (5): When given a choice of two or more
text sections to read, you may read two of them and then
proceed to whichever one you want.
7) Fire Bolt (6): This spell may be used during combat
when you would normally make a missile attack. Pick a
number twice and add the two results plus double your
Magical bonus; this result is the amount of damage
taken by your opponent.
8) Healing (0): Reduces the amount of time required to
heal 3 points of damage from 60 minutes to 20 minutes.
Using this spell and then resting for a “night” heals all
damage.
9) Luck (5): When you cast this spell just after you have
picked a number, you may ignore the number picked
and pick a number again.
10) Protection from Magic (4): When the text indicates
that an opponent is casting a spell, you may cast this
spell. The number picked to resolve the spell will be
decreased by your Magical bonus.
11) Shield (4): If cast at the beginning of a fight, this spell
will increase your DB by +2. It may not be used if a
normal shield is being used.
12) Speed (3): This spell may be cast whenever you attempt
to Run Away or Run Past. Your Running bonus is
increased by +2 for such attempts.
13) Strength (6): When cast at the beginning of a fight, this
spell doubles the damage you give with melee attacks
for the remainder of the fight.
14) Sustain Self (2): When cast, this spell has the same ef-
fect as eating a meal.
15) Telekinesis (5): You may cast this spell when faced
with an opponent who is unaware of you. Make a Steal
& Take action (see Action Table), adding your Magical
bonus rather than your Trickery bonus. If you are
unsuccessful (a result of 8 or less), your opponent is
aware of you and you must take an action.
AN OPTIONAL COMBAT FORMULA
For people who prefer formulas to tables, the following
formula approximates the Combat Table results. Using the
formula results in slightly more damage than using the
Table.
• If the number picked is “2”, automatic no damage.
• If the number picked is “12”, automatic “U” plus
normal damage taken.
Damage taken by defender =
Number picked - 4 + attacker’s OB - defender’s DB
• If damage taken is 9 or more = “U”
• If damage taken is 11 or more = “K”
USING MERP WITH THIS GAMEBOOK
Middle-earth Role Playing is ICE’s fantasy role playing
(FRP) system for J.R.R. Tolkien’s world of Middle-earth.
We do not have room in this gamebook to describe its
contents. Instead we will give guidelines in this section on
how to use this gamebook with a MERP character.
Since MERP is a completely general FRP system, be
very flexible when using it with this gamebook. Just use the
mechanisms provided by MERP and your own common
sense, and most situations will be easily resolved. Below we
provide guidelines for situations which will arise most often
in these gamebooks.
Fighting
When the text indicates that you must fight, just use the
normal MERP combat system, your character’s MERP
combat stats, and your opponent’s MERP combat stats (as
given in the MERP Stats Table found in the rear of this
book).
Like normal Tolkien Quest fights, fights resolved using
MERP normally end in one of 3 ways: you are defeated,
your opponent is defeated, or you successfully run away.
Either you or your opponent is “defeated” when you are
rendered unconscious, killed, or incapacitated.
You may run away by making a MERP “medium”
moving maneuver (add your appropriate Moving Maneuver
Bonus) resulting in “100” or more. These results are
cumulative from round to round; thus you might be able to
run away over the course of several rounds. For example, a
result of “60” on the first round and a “50” on the second
round would mean that you successfully “run away” at the
end of the second round).
Taking Damage
Often the text will instruct you to increase your damage
taken by a certain amount. Here are some suggestions for
translating that damage into MERP damage (Pick a
Number will be referred to as “2-12”):
Tolkien Quest Damage MERP Damage

Taken
A fixed number The same number of MERP

concussion hits
(2-12) once A MERP “A”
Critical Strike + 1-10
hits
(2-12) twice A MERP “C” Critical
Strike + 1-10 hits
(2-12) 3 times A MERP “E” Critical
Strike + 1-10 hits
The type of “Critical Strike” can be determined by the

situation (e.g., for a fall, use “impact” criticals, for fire, use
“heat” criticals, etc.). When in doubt, use “unbalancing”
criticals.
Magic Items
An item with a +1 bonus in Tolkien Quest should have a
+5 bonus in MERP, and vice-versa.
Resistance Rolls
The Tolkien Quest system uses the Magical bonus to
resolve situations that would require “Resistance Rolls”
(RR’s) in MERP. When you encounter these situations,
follow the MERP RR procedure, using the bonus ap-
propriate for the situation (e.g., use the Poison RR bonus
versus poisons). When in doubt (with regards to spells)
assume that they are Essence spells.
If the RR involves an opponent or a trap, use the levels
given in the MERP Stats Table as the attack level for the
RR. Otherwise, use an attack level of 3.
If you fail an RR, follow the instructions indicated by the
lowest of the ranges given. If you successfully resist, follow
the instructions indicated by the highest of the ranges given.
If three ranges are given and you resist, use the highest
range. If three ranges are given and you fail an initial RR,
make a second RR. If you fail the second, use the lowest
range. If you resist on the second RR, use the middle range.
Using Bonuses
During play you are often instructed to “pick a number
and add your xxxx bonus”, where xxxx is Running, General,
Trickery, Perception, or Magical. Then you are given two or
more possible places to “turn to” based upon the result.
When using MERP, use these corresponding MERP
“Skill Bonuses” instead of the bonus indicated:
Tolkien Quest MERP Skill Bonus
Bonus
Running Moving Maneuver based upon armor worn
General Climb, Ride, Swim, or Track
Trickery Ambush, Stalk/Hide, Pick Lock, or Disarm
Trap
Perception Perception, Leadership & Influence
Magical Read Runes, Use Item, or Make a
Resistance Roll
The circumstances of the text passage usually make the
specific MERP bonus obvious (e.g., if the passage says you
are attempting to “swim”, you use the MERP Swim Skill
Bonus). If it is not obvious, use the one that seems most
appropriate.
When you use a MERP Skill Bonus, divide by 10 (round
down). For example, a MERP Swim Skill Bonus of 36 used
in this gamebook would be a +3 General bonus (in
appropriate situations).
PROLOGUE
You wearily make camp in the barren wilderness. The night
is warm, and you stare dreamily at the stars overhead, thinking
about your quest. Many dusty leagues are behind you, and still
the road stretches before you. You drift off to sleep slowly.
You dream of your mentor, Eldamar, calling you into his
room. He greets you courteously and gestures for you to
approach his desk. Before him lies an ancient, yellowed
manuscript covered with a faded, flowing script.
“I found this in the archives this morning. It lay between the
pages of an ancient history of Númenor. To the best of my
knowledge, no man has laid eyes upon this manuscript for
several centuries.” You strain to make out the writing on the
yellowed pages, but it is too faded for you to catch anything but
an occasional word of Quenya. A crudely drawn, faded map lies
nearby. Eldamar smiles at your eagerness.
“From what I can decipher, the manuscript is an account of
the siege of Amon Sûl by the forces of the Witch-king of
Angmar. It appears to have been written by someone who
managed to survive the battle.”
“One of the seeing-stones was lost at Amon Sûl” you add,
proud of your knowledge. “They say that it was taken to
Angmar’
“Well” says Eldamar, “that is only legend. This manuscript,
however, says little of the Palantir. It speaks instead of
something called the Staff of Truth, an heirloom of the Kings of
ancient Arnor. The commander of the garrison knew that there
was no hope against the forces of Angmar, and while he dared
not touch the Palantir, he ordered the author of the manuscript
to conceal the precious Staff of Truth in one of the many caves
below Weathertop, then he fled to tell the men of Arnor where
the Staff lay. Apparently he escaped and came to Arthedain
where he recorded his tale. In the confusion of the fall of the
Cardolan and the battles that followed, the scripture must have
been lost. The Wise have long thought that the Staff was
destroyed when Amon Sûl fell. The author was cautious,
perhaps fearing treachery, and is vague about the precise
location of the Staff. The only clue to its whereabouts is a riddle
in this passage.”
Here Eldamar took up the faded page before him and read:
“During the night, we repelled three additional onslaughts

of the Orcs and Men of Angmar. The tower still stood, but we
knew in our hearts that we would soon be overwhelmed by the
armies of the north. My captain called me before him. He bade
me to take one of our greatest treasures, the Staff of Truth, and
to conceal it in the caverns below Weathertop where a special
place had been prepared. Few if any knew of those caves, and
most of those were doomed to die in the battle. He gave me a
crude map and ordered me to bring word of my quest to
Arthedain.
I took the Staff and went down to the ancient caverns made
by the Edain before they first crossed the mountains to the west.
I found them full of dangers and pitfalls. Little did we know of
the foul creatures that dwelt below our fair tower. I hid the Staff
in the center of the deepest caverns and wrote this riddle to
guide the right person to its whereabouts.”
“Let him who seeks to recover the staff beware,
For snares and trap lie everywhere,
The ceilings’ legs stand two by two
And in between them runs the blue”
The guardian will surrender the Staff only to the pure in
heart. If you succeed you need no longer fear; the Staff will act
as a guide and lead you to safety.”
“The riddle is the only clue that we have about the location
of the Staff of Truth” Eldamar concludes. “The Staff has many
powers. It is an unerring guide in the wilderness and can only be
carried without assistance by the pure of heart. The Staff is said
to be six feet long and made of white wood, and its top is set
with a deep blue sapphire. Someone must go to Weathertop,
search for the Staff of Truth, and bring it to the King.”
Eldamar looks directly at you when he says this. You have a
feeling that he wants you to go. You are delighted by his trust,
but at the same time frightened at the thought of such a long and
arduous journey.
“I will provide you with maps and supplies for the journey;
the healers will give you a pouch of herbs. Scribes will copy
this map and clue and give you a map of Weathertop. The
journey, although trying, should be quite safe.”
You are comforted by Eldamar’s words and feel the first
stirrings of excitement. You will be the first person in almost
two thousand years to see the caves beneath Weathertop,
previously thought to be the merest shadow of a rumor. Of
course Eldamar is correct: there is little danger on the road,
where you will be as safe as on the streets of Minas Tirith.
You quickly ready yourself for the journey. Eldamar gives
you food, some money and a map of the western lands. He also
provides you with writing materials so that you can make a map
of the caverns. The Healers give you a small pouch of herbs,
cautioning you only to use them in the direst of emergencies.
The journey to Weathertop is long, tiring, and uneventful.
Throughout the entire trip you contemplate the bizarre and
mysterious clue that you have committed to memory, but you
are no wiser. Still you think to yourself as you approach the
ancient hill, you have plenty of time in which to search.
When you awaken from your dreams, it is a hot, sunny

morning late in the summer. The countryside around you is
desolate and barren, seemingly devoid of all animal and human
life. Weathertop lies just north of the Great East Road, and the
thousand foot slopes seem steep and daunting. Tumbled rocks,
long grass, and patches of brush and trees cover the sides. You
can see no trace of a cave, and you realize uncomfortably that it
might take weeks to find the entrance to caverns that have been
concealed for centuries.
You have the following equipment: a backpack, 10 meals,
20 silver pieces, a dagger, and a pouch of herbs containing three
doses of healing herbs (when used, pick a number and reduce
your damage taken by that amount). You also start with one of
the following pieces of equipment (your choice): leather armor,
a shield, a sword, a mace, a spear, a warhammer, a quarterstaff,
or a bow and 12 arrows. Record your equipment on your
character record.
You may now begin your search for an entrance to the
caverns of Weathertop in one of the following spaces on the
map: 1D, 5A, 10G, or 15D. Read the text section for the space
chosen and proceed from there.
Note: Passages marked with a † are from The Hobbit,

®1966 by J.R.R. Tolkien, and The Lord of the Rings,
®1965 by J.R.R. Tolkien.
MAP 1
MAP 2
LOCATION TEXT, OUTDOOR MAP
Read only the text for the location that you are in.
1A Time: 10
The ground is covered with patches of grass, rocks, and
wildflowers. On the northern slope of Weathertop you can see a
great green bank, the sole remains of the ancient Dúnedain road
to the tower of Amon Sûl. A trail lies a short distance to the
north. Nearby you see a small caravan and the short, stocky
figures of Dwarves moving about. If you approach them, turn
to 187; otherwise move on.
1B Time: 20
The wilderness beside the road reveals nothing of interest
(unless your hobby is botany). Wildflowers and blueberry
bushes enliven the tumbled boulders. You see swallows circl-
ing above you and hear the cries of crows in the distance. Tales
of the War of the Ring, where Crebain acted as spies, come to
mind, and you are suddenly wary. Move on.
1C Time: 10
The terrain is similar to the barren wilderness that surrounds
most of Weathertop. Long grass hinders your passage, and
emptiness surrounds you. Pausing in your search, you hear the
faintest trickling of water. Thirsty and hot, you decide it might
be wise to find the spring. If you explore, turn to 137;
otherwise, move on.
1D Time: 15
The land around you is an empty wilderness; not even a squirrel
stirs to keep you company. The only sounds you hear are the
soft breeze and your own footsteps. A small copse of birch lies
to the northeast. Your explorations reveal nothing but a few
sun-ripened blackberries, which you pause to pick. Pick a
number; if 6-12 turn to 412; otherwise, move on.
1E Time: 20
Low bushes and small rocks cover the area. The ground is dry
and you find no sign of footprints. You stop to scan the road
hoping to see some traveller, but you spy no one. Lonely, you
continue your search. Move on.
1F Time: 25
Low-growing thorny vines and shrubs hinder your passage and
tear at your clothes. You hear a soft rustling and turn to see a
blackbird break cover and fly away.
You stop to scan the sides of Weathertop, searching the one
thousand foot high side for some sign of a cave, but you see
nothing unusual: only grass, brush, small patches of trees, and
piles of rocks. You begin to wonder what your chances of
finding a cave are. Move on.
1G Time: 20
A pile of large stone blocks, perhaps ruins of Amon Sûl, lies
before you. Bushes and vines with long thorns partially obscure
the rocks. Studying the stones, you begin to have the faintest
idea of how beautiful Amon Sûl must have been long ago;
many of the stones are still white, smooth, and beautifully
shaped. Saddened, you continue your search. Move on.
2A Time: 15
The ground is covered by a wide variety of flowers, enlivening
the desolation, and making the area seem a bit more friendly.
You begin to cheer up and stop to admire the wildflowers.
Move on.
2B Time: 15
A small stand of oak trees provides some welcome shade from
the hot summer sun. The air is cool beneath the trees, and the
carpeted ground is pleasant to walk on. You pause beneath the
shade for a drink and a short rest. Refreshed, you continue your
quest. Move on.
2C Time: 20
The ground is covered by low scrub and tall grasses, which
hinder your progress. You feel as if you are wading through a
sea of grass and brush, isolated and adrift in miles of
wilderness. Move on.
2D Time: 15
A large pile of rockslooms before you,beside the bank of the
Dúnedain road. Perhaps the blocks came from the ancient
defenses of the road spiraling around Amon Sûl. If you explore,
turn to 104; otherwise, move on.
2E Time: 20
Briars tear at your clothes and scratch your legs, while gnats
and mosquitoes move in for the kill. You are hot, tired, and
irritable. You notice a small shady patch of forest to the
southwest and are tempted to head for the cooler shade. Pick a
number and add your Perception bonus; if 7-12, turn to 271;
otherwise, move on.
2F Time: 10
Vines and briars have been replaced by a large, flat rock worn
smooth by time. It makes the perfect picnic spot. Pick a
number and add your Perception bonus; if 6-12, turn to 325;
otherwise, move on.
2G Time: 10
A solitary larch offers some shade from the sun, and long grass
covers the surrounding earth. A few wildflowers grow among
the grass. You hear the scurrying of some startled animal a few
feet away. Move on.
3A Time: 10 (5)
The ground is covered by long grass and wildflowers. A hawk
circles in the sky above, searching for prey. You look at the
bulk of Weathertop, and try not to think of how long it might
take you to find the cave. You notice some clear tracks running
along a trail that goes to the northeast (4A). Move on.
3B Time: 25
Preoccupied by some tracks, you pay little attention to your
footing. Pick a number and add your Perception Bonus; if 2-8,
you step in a hidden hole and twist your ankle. Increase your
damage taken by 3; if 9 or more, your ankle is fine.
More attention reveals that you are in the midst of a rabbit
warren. Pick a number and add your General Bonus; if 2-5,
turn to 278; if 6 or more, turn to 420.
3C Time: 10
Long grass and wildflowers obscure the ground and conceal a
few small rocks. To the east you can see the bank of the old
road; you recall the past glories of the tower, and its sad fall.
You wonder if it will really be you who brings the Staff of Truth
to light after so many centuries of obscurity. Move on.
3D Time: 15
Large square-shaped rocks and unformed boulders lie piled in a
heap on the low slope of Weathertop. Some of the rocks look as
if they could be from the ruins of Amon Sûl. They are
overgrown with brambles and other thorny vines, which slow
your search. If you explore, turn to 552; otherwise, move on.
3E Time: 20
Small rocks and boulders lie strewn among the low growing
bushes and vines. The bank of the old road rises beside you, the
road is the easiest route to the summit (4D). The side of the hill
is steep, and your passage is difficult. Pick a number and add
your Perception bonus; if 6-12, turn to 325; otherwise, move
on.
3F Time: 15
You enter a small wood of oak and maple, enjoying the cool
shade. The ground is soft and springy, covered by dead leaves.
The wind carries the sound of voices. You stop, scarcely daring
to breathe. The sounds become clearer; two men converse in a
strange language as horses whinny nearby. If you investigate
the sounds, turn to 197; if you move away, turn to 129.
3G Time: 15
The branches of the oaks and maples form a wonderful screen
from the hot sun. As you stop to enjoy the shade, you hear
voices and the jingling of a horse’s harness. Pick a number and
add your Perception bonus; if 6-12, turn to 271; otherwise,
move on.
4A Time: 10 (5)
Long grasses and wildflowers giveway to a small patch of
woods in the north and east. You hear the rustling of an animal,
perhaps a rabbit or a squirrel, from the forest. The sight of the
trees reassures you, making you feel less isolated. You notice
some clear tracks running southwest (3A) and northeast (5B).
Move on.
4B Time: 15
The woods are quiet except for the soft rustling of the wind and
the branches. Oak, ash, and maple trees surround you; their
leaves make a pleasant carpet for you to walk on. As you
wander through the trees, you notice that the ground begins to
slope upwards; before you looms the rugged wall of the
mountain. Move on.
4C Time: 15
A stand of woods lies directly to the east. Small rocks and
boulders lie tumbled among the long grasses and vines. You
notice a slight ridge in the ground, perhaps the remains of an
ancient road that once spiraled around the hill. You check the
terrain against your map, but it shows only the old Dúnedain
road. Move on.
4D Time: 20
You are somewhat out of breath from trekking around on the
slopes of Weathertop. You pause for a short drink in the hot
sun, resting on a boulder. Stones and vines almost obscure an
old spiral road that once led to the summit of Weathertop. You
recall the ancient Edain, who may have dwelled upon the hill,
using it as both a fortress and a temple. Move on.
4E Time: 15
A small pile of rocks and block-like stones are piled on what
was once an ancient spiral road. A small patch of trees stands
directly to the east. Crebain — large, evil blackbirds — circle in
the sky above you. Pick a number and add your Perception
bonus; if 6-12, turn to 271; otherwise, move on.
4F Time: 15
The forest is cool. Interlacing branches of oak and maple screen
out the sun. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus; if
6-12, turn to 325; otherwise, move on.
4G Time: 20
You are on the lower slopes of Weathertop. To the east, the
ground gradually becomes level. Vines and brush cover the
sides of the hill, forcing you to wade through a tangled sea of
briars. The sun is hot and the air oppressive; you find yourself
hoping for a summer shower to cool things off. Move on.
5A Time: 15
Tumbled rocks are strewn among the long grass and
wildflowers; the desolation of Eriador lies all around you. With
longing eyes, you study the small stand of woods just to the
east; the shade looks very inviting. Move on.
5B Time: 15 (10)
You walk through the woods carefully to avoid slipping on the
side of the hill. The ground is free of undergrowth, and the air
smells pleasant. You walk through the trees slowly, happy to be
out of the hot sun. You stop to watch two squirrels chase one
another, pleased to see other living creatures. Through the trees,
you can see the bulk of Weathertop rise to the northeast. You
notice that the ground is covered with tracks made by many
careless feet, forming a crude trail. The trail runs southwest
(4A) and northwest (6A). Move on.
5C Time: 20
You find that this side of Weathertop is steep, except for the
ridge of the old road. A large pile of rocks, covered with vines,
blocks your path. Gratefully you pause to rest and catch your
breath and to enjoy the faint breeze. You survey the slopes
dismally, trying to calculate how many weeks it might take you
to find a cave. If you explore, turn to 152; otherwise, move on.
5D Time: 20
You pause in your search and realize that you are halfway up
the slope of the hill. Small rocks and stones hidden in the long
grass make the going difficult, and you frequently slip and fall.
You climb up the ancient bank of the Dúnedain road, which
though overgrown with weeds is still easier to walk up than the
sides of the hill. The view of the landscape is splendid; you can
see for miles, but the only living thing visible at the moment are
a few Crebain circling lazily overhead. Move on.
5E Time: 15
You continue to walk among long grass and rocks. A pile of
rubble lies to the north, and a small cliff covered with fallen
rocks and vines rises to the northeast. Tired by your search, you
turn to study the road, and a movement captures your eye. Turn
to 465.
5F Time: 15
The slopes are covered by large clumps of vines and tumbled,
broken rocks. The tangles could conceal any number of long
lost caves. Your optimism begins to return, and you study the
pile eagerly. If you explore, turn to 363; otherwise, move on.
5G Time: 15
The sides of the hill slope towards level ground in the east. You
find a flat boulder free of vines and stop to rest. The sun is
exceptionally hot, and the gnats persistent; you grow weary. As
you drink from your waterskin, you moodily wonder if the
endless desolation is beginning to take its toll on your mind and
body. Move on.
6A Time: 10 (5)
Weathertop rises to the east, its slope covered with long grass
and rocks. You walk along, waving at gnats and slapping at
mosquitoes, debating whether or not to seek the shade of the
small stands of trees to the southeast and northeast. Tracks
cover the ground and form a trail that runs southeast (5B) and
northeast (7B). Move on.
6B Time: 15
You make your weary way among the long grass and rocks on
the middle slopes of Weathertop. A grove of trees lies to the
southwest .You find your mind wandering from your quest; you
are sick of the hot sun, the gnats, and the endless grass, vines
and rocks. You find yourself longing desperately for
companionship if only for a moment, for anything to cheer you
along your way. Move on.
6C Time: 10
You are near the summit of Weathertop; you can see the
remains of the old road very clearly, despite the obscuring
grasses and rocks. The bank of the old Dúnedain road also
looms ahead of you. The wind tears at your clothes, making you
shiver. A few steps to the northeast will bring you directly to the
summit, and perhaps closer to your goal. Move on.
6D Time: 10
You are standing at the summit of Weathertop! A large pile of
square blocks and stones lies before you, near the remains of the
ancient Dúnedain road. You wonder if this structure is
coincidence or evidence of some great intent. Perhaps the
stones were strategically placed there to block an escape route
or to close off an entry during the last battle? They straddle a
large portion of the bank, concealing its sides. Who knows what
else they might hide? If you explore, turn to 548; otherwise,
move on.
6E Time: 20
The top of the hill lies to the northwest. A steep slope is strewn
with rocks that could only have come from the ruined towers.
Overgrown with vines, a large pile of smooth rocks lies at the
bottom of a small cliff face. If you explore, turn to 142\
otherwise, move on.
6F Time: 20
A cliff face and the summit lie directly to the west and
northwest. The steep slopes are covered with rocks, grass, and
brush. You scan the cliff face anxiously searching for some
clue. In the distance, the sheer rock face is full of dark,
mysterious nooks. Move on.
6G Time: 15
The slopes of Weathertop level out to the east. The sides of the
hill above you are covered with rocks, long grass, and small
groves of trees. The quest for the caves looks to be more
challenging than you expected. After all, you think to yourself,
if no one else has found the cave mouth in thousands of years,
how can I? But you must try. Move on.
7A Time: 15
You are standing before the western slopes of Weathertop. The
sides of the hill look depressingly high, and you cannot see the
summit. The hill is covered with long grass and rocks, and you
hear the distant cry of some bird. A copse of trees stands to the
northeast, and another somewhat further to the southeast. Move
on.
7B Time: 25 (10)
This portion of the lower slopes is covered by brambles which
tear your clothes and scratch your legs and arms as you reach
out to pluck a few berries. A rabbit, startled by your presence,
dashes off into the underbrush. Tracks cover the ground,
forming a trail that runs southwest (6A) and northwest (8A).
Move on.
7C Time: 20
The slope becomes increasingly steep near the summit, flat-
tening somewhat where it is intersected by the remains of an old
road. Blocks of stone from the ruined tower and ancient
defenses lie tumbled on the slopes. If you explore, turn to 336;
otherwise, move on.
7D Time: 15
You are standing at the edge of the southwestern summit of
Weathertop, commanding a wonderful view of the surrounding
countryside. You note that you seem to be the only living
creature around for miles. In the distance you see the blue
glimmer of the foothills of the Misty Mountains, and the dark,
ominous hills of the Trollshaws. The ruins of an ancient fortress
lie to the northeast. All around you lie scattered stones that must
have once been part of the great Tower. Turn to 465.
7E Time: 10
The sides of the hill drop off sharply to the east; you can see the
grey smudges of the Barrow-downs in the distance. The town of
Bree is hidden by a line of hills running to the east. Even the
Great East Road looks deserted; you see no indication of any
other travellers. Move on.
7F Time: 15
The steep slope levels off as it meets the curve of the old road.
Blocks of stone lie in a tumbled heap amid the tall grass. You
wander around morosely, depressed by the landscape. You idly
kick one of the blocks. The only thing you see is a scurrying
lizard. If you explore, turn to 180; otherwise, move on.
7G Time: 20
Rocks, brush, and vines lie tangled in heaps, tripping you and
hindering your passage. The slopes are very steep, and you are
forced to move slowly for fear of twisting an ankle. Your
clothing is ripped and torn by long, sharp thorns and you are
bleeding from several small scratches. Move on.
8A Time: 10 (5)
You are on the lower western slopes of Weathertop. A grove of
trees lies directly to the east. A cool breeze brings the song of a
blackbird and the faint scent of wildflowers. A crude trail runs
southeast (7B) and northwest (9A). Move on.
8B Time: 20
The trees provide wonderful shade from the hot summer sun,
shutting out the hot rays almost completely. The slopes of the
hill are very steep, and you slip and slide along, tripping
occasionally over exposed tree roots. Move on.
8C Time: 15
You stand at the edge of the western summit of Weathertop, and
see miles of empty, hilly countryside, and in the distance, a
glimmer of the Misty Mountains. The ancient ruins of the tower
of Amon Sûl lie directly to the east. Move on.
8D Time: 15
The broken and tumbled ruins of Amon Sul lie all around you.
The western hills are covered with a soft haze; you can barely
make out the tough knuckles of land known as the
Barrow-downs. You pull out your map, searching for some clue
or hint, and begin to study the ancient ruins. It is still possible to
make out the old foundations of the fortress and tower. The
stone blocks are smooth and regular, but many are broken and
lie scattered upon the ground. You are overcome by a sense of
desperation. If you explore, turn to 517; otherwise, move on.
8E Time: 20
The steep slope is covered with long grass and broken rocks
from the tower. You stop frequently, studying the slopes for any
sign of a cave but see nothing. A small patch of woods lies
directly to the northeast. Move on.
8F Time: 20
The slopes of Weathertop continue their steep ascent, and you
stop to rest on the remains of the ancient road. A small, shady
patch of woods stands to the northwest. Move on.
8G Time: 15
The lower slope of the hill is covered with brush, vines, and
rocks. All around you can see similarly desolate countryside.
You find yourself wishing for a cool breeze and a stream to
wade in. Move on.
9A Time: 10 (5)
The earth is covered with long grass and wildflowers which
have been trampled in places, forming a trail of sorts. The trail
runs southeast (8A) and northeast (10A). Move on.
9B Time: 20
The slopes are covered with a large pile of broken rocks and
tangled vines. The hill is steep and you frequently slip on loose
gravel, scraping your knees and hands badly. The cries of the
Crebain above you seem to mock you, making light of your
efforts. If you explore, turn to 113; otherwise, move on.
9C Time: 20
You find yourself wading through a sea of long grass, tangled
vines, and rocks. The heat, the gnats, and the terrain are
beginning to tire you. Your steps become slower. If you
explore, turn to 113; otherwise, move on.
9D Time: 15
The summit of Weathertop commands not only a beautiful view
of the countryside, but invites a cool breeze as well. You sit
down gratefully on an ancient block and relax for a few
minutes. You thoughtfully study the ruins of the once proud
tower, casting an eye over the ruins and searching for a clue. If
you explore, turn to 392; otherwise, move on.
9E Time: 15
You stand at the edge of the summit. Directly to the east and on
the lower slopes stands a small patch of oak and beech trees.
The ruins of the tower are all around you, recalling the glories
of the Kingdom of Arnor. You contemplate the ruin sadly,
tracing the ancient foundations in your mind’s eye, looking for
a cellar entrance. If you explore, turn to 535; otherwise, move
on.
9F Time: 15
The forest is dim and cool. Beech maple, and oak provide
welcome shade. You hear the soft trickling of water and
discover a small spring. You realize that this grove would make
an excellent campsite. Pick a number; if 2-7 turn to 178;
otherwise, move on.
9G Time: 15
This section of the lower slopes is covered with scattered rocks
and boulders which are overgrown with brush and vines, often
obscuring the ground. The only sounds are those of the wind
and your footsteps. Weathertop raises its stern face before you,
tantalizing you to unlock its secret. Pick a number; if 2-7 turn
to 178; otherwise, move on.
10A Time: 10 (5)
The ground is covered with long grass, wildflowers and brush.
A wide swath of the ground has been carelessly trampled, and
flowers lie brutally crushed. It looks as if a large party of
careless people rushed through here recently. Trails lead to the
southwest (9A), northeast (11B), northwest (11A), and east
(10B). If you explore, turn to 113; otherwise, move on.
10B Time: 20
This area of Weathertop is completely covered by large heaps
of boulders, rock, gravel, brush and vines. You are in constant
danger of slipping on loose rocks and gravel and scrape your
knee once or twice. If you explore, turn to 233; otherwise,
move on.
10C Time: 20
The steep slopes are covered with rocks, many of them from the
ruined tower. Thorny vines tear at your clothes and scratch your
ankles, threatening to trip you. You step back in surprise as a
snake slithers into the undergrowth. If you explore, turn to 113;
otherwise, move on.
10D Time: 10
You are standing at the northern edge of the summit of
Weathertop. On the slopes below, you can see a small grove of
trees. If you explore, turn to 237; otherwise, move on.
10E Time: 10
The remains of the old road are clearly visible on the contours
of the slope. A few rocks lie scattered among the long grass and
wildflowers, and a patch of woods stands to the southeast. A
soft breeze ruffles your clothes and refreshes you. Move on.
10F Time: 20
Long grass and wildflowers meet a grove of trees to the south.
The forest is pleasant and shady, a wonderful relief from the hot
sun. Somewhere to the north you hear the trickling sound of
running water, making you suddenly very thirsty. You stop
briefly for a drink and to refill your waterskin. Pick a number; if
2-7 turn to 178; otherwise, move on.
10G Time: 10
This portion of the lower slopes is gentle and levels off
gradually. The ground is covered with long grass and flowers; a
small stand of beech and oak rises to the south. Move on.
11A Time: 10 (5)
The faces of Weathertop rise before you, looking larger than
ever. The slopes are covered with rocks, long grass, brush and
vines. As you study the hill, you can see the faint ridges of an
ancient road, partially obscured in places. A trail runs southeast
(10A) and east (11B). Move on.
11B Time: 10 (5)
The lower part of the slope is covered with long grass and
rocks, with an occasional patch of brush. A small wood lies a
short distance away to the east; the air is hot and humid.
Crebain circle above you, the air full of their harsh cries.
Several trails intersect in this area and run to the southeast
(10B), southwest (10A), west (11 A), and northwest (12A). If
11C Time: 20
You continue to wade through a sea of grass and brush, tripping
over an occasional rock hidden by the grass. A group of rocks
and boulders lies heaped to the east. Curious, you move closer,
searching for some clue, but see nothing out of the ordinary. If
11D Time: 20
The light beneath the trees is dim, and the air is cooler. Exposed
rocks and boulders lie piled between the trees. The woods
nearby look ancient and somehow mysterious; rocks, boulders,
and broken stone blocks are heaped in tantalizing piles. If you
11E Time: 15
Piles of broken rocks and boulders are scattered on the steep
slopes. You realize with dismay that any one of them is large
enough to conceal a cave entrance. You should have asked for
Eldamar to provide you with several men to help move the
heavy rocks and boulders, you now think ruefully. You wonder
how many caves you simply cannot find. If you explore, turn to
201; otherwise, move on.
11F Time: 20
Long grass and brush covers the steep slope, slowing your
search. A small patch of forest lies to the south. You step in
some animal burrow, twisting your ankle. Nursing your injury,
you limp on. Move on.
11G Time: 10
The lower slope of Weathertop is covered with long grass and
weeds. You are reassured by the surrounding terrain — it could
not possibly conceal a cave. Your search narrows. Move on.
12A Time: 5 (5)
The ground is relatively level and is covered with long grass
and wildflowers. Weathertop raises its huge bulk to the east; its
sides looking dishearteningly steep. You see a small trail in the
area, running southeast (11B) and northwest (13A). Move on.
12B Time: 15
You slip among the loose gravel on the lower slopes. An
interesting, almost sculpted group of rocks and boulders stands
to the southeast. If you explore, turn to 492; otherwise, move
on.
12C Time: 10
You are standing at the edge of a leafy, shady forest to the
south. The sun is very hot, and you are beginning to find the
sight of the long dry grass oppressive. Move on.
12D Time: 15
The vista of long grass and wildflowers is enlivened only by
some thorny patches of brush, vines, and some scattered
boulders. A small copse of trees lies to the southwest. If you
12E Time: 20
The slopes are heaped with a large pile of exposed rocks and
tumbled boulders. You climb among the rocks, startling a
basking grasshopper. You pause frequently to admire the view,
trying to imagine what the peak was like thousands of years
ago, when people worshipped and watched from the peak. If
12F Time: 10
The slope of the hill gradually levels off. Nothing here but rocks
and wind. Move on.
12G Time: 10
The eastern slope of Weathertop looms above you, like the hot
sun. The heat is oppressive. You scan the sides of the hill,
searching for a cave entrance. Although you see several
promising piles of rocks and boulders, and note clumps of trees
and brush, you can find no sign of the caves. Move on.
13A Time: 10 (5)
Weathertop lies to the southeast; a clump of trees stands
directly to the east. The ground is covered by long dry grass and
vines that do their best to trip you. You notice a small trail
running southeast (12A). Move on.
13B Time: 10
The forest is primarily composed of oak and maple trees, which
offer welcome relief from the heat. You sit between the roots of
an ancient tree gazing at the sky through the interlacing
branches. A cool breeze hits your face. Pick a number; if 7-12
13C Time: 15
You are standing on the western slopes of Weathertop. The
sides of the hill are steep; you are forced to move slowly. The
terrain soon has you thoroughly tired and ready for a short rest.
Move on.
13D Time: 20
You find yourself wading through clumps of vines and brush.
You are hot and sweating; the gnats move in for the kill. You
bat them away with an irritated hand. Pick a number and add
your Perception Bonus; if 6-12 turn to 412; otherwise, move
on.
13E Time: 20
You almost twist your ankle several times, tripping on hidden
rocks. Although the sides of the hill are steep, you can see no
sign of a cave. Move on.
13F Time: 10
The ground is covered with grass and wildflowers. You turn
and study the slopes; they look both high and steep, and ready
to challenge your most determined efforts. Move on.
13G Time: 10
You are tired and hungry from your search. Pick a number; if
8-12 turn to 462; otherwise, move on.
14A Time: 5
A small copse of trees lies to the southeast, their branches
rustling in the breeze. Pick a number; if 9-12 turn to 474;
otherwise, move on.
14B Time: 10
Rubble from the ruined tower lies piled in a heap before you, a
reminder of the ancient glories of Arnor. A small grove of trees
lies to the southwest, an oasis in the desolate wilderness. Pick a
number; if 8-12 turn to 474; otherwise, move on.
14C Time: 10
You are standing on the northern slopes of Weathertop. When
you scan the sides of the hill, you can see no sign of any sort of
cave. Move on.
14D Time: 10
Rubble and exposed rocks are scattered on this section of the
northern slopes. You see two short, squat figures in the distance
to the east. When you wave at them, they turn and run off. If you
pursue the figures, turn to 188; otherwise, move on.
14E Time: 5
The slope of the hill gradually levels out at this point. Long
grass, wildflowers, and rocks cover the ground. Move on.
14F Time: 10
More rocks and boulders are piled in a large heap. You hear the
rustling of a startled bird or rabbit but see no signs of the
caverns. Pick a number; if 7-12 turn to 462; otherwise, move
on.
14G Time: 10
All around you, the countryside seems desolate and barren in
spite of the warm summer sunshine. Long grass and vines cover
the ground. Pick a number; if 9-12 turn to 462; otherwise,
move on.
15A Time: 5
Your eyes comb the surrounding countryside and the slopes of
Weathertop. You see no life anywhere except for some birds
circling in the sky. Pick a number; if 10-12 turn to 474;
otherwise, move on.
15B Time: 10
Long grass and weeds surround you. Black crows circle in the
sky, the air full of their harsh cries. Pick a number; if 10-12
15C Time: 10
The land around you is bleak and empty, the hot sun oppressive.
The northern slopes of Weathertop are covered with long grass,
brush, rubble, and small patches of trees. You can see no sign of
a cave. Move on.
15D Time: 10
You are standing at the base of the northern slopes of
Weathertop. The sides of the hill are steep; blocks of rubble
from the old tower lie heaped upon the slopes. You realize with
a sinking heart that your search could take weeks. After all, who
knows how many others have undertaken such a mission — and
failed? Move on.
15E Time: 10
You find yourself wading through a sea of dry grass and weeds
in the hot sun. The ever present Crebain circle in the air above
you. Move on.
15F Time: 10
You trip over low, thorny vines growing among the grass.
Angry, you rise to your feet. Move on.
15G Time: 10
Dry grass and weeds cover the rocky earth. The land around
you seems almost empty of all life. Pick a number; if 9-12 turn
LOCATION TEXT, INDOOR MAP
30A Time: 10
You are standing in a rectangular room lined with eight
columns and four doors. When you try to open the doors
leading to 30B and 33A, you find that they are jammed. The
walls are covered with beautiful, intricate swirling patterns, and
the marble columns are spiral-shaped. The walkway outside
and the room itself match your map exactly. You have finally
reached the ages-old hiding place of the Staff of Truth!
• If you return to the landing outside, turn to 443.
• If the amount of time that has passed since you began this
adventure is more than 7 days, turn to 394.
• Otherwise, turn to 368.
30B Time: 15
You are in a long, narrow corridor; the walls are covered with
wonderful patterns. The passage is dark and stuffy, and the air
close. The corridor makes a ninety degree turn and has doors at
either end (to spaces 30A and 30C). The door to space 30A is
completely jammed and cannot be opened. Move on.
30C Time: 10
You are standing in a square chamber with eight perfectly
smooth columns. A thick layer of dust covers everything,
making you sneeze. Four doors open from the room. Move on.
30D Time: 5
You are standing on a bridge that leads from the stone structure
across an underground river that serves as a moat. On the other
side of the bridge, the exit tunnel is collapsed and filled with
tons of boulders. Move on.
31A Time: 10
You are in a hallway with two rooms opening from it on
opposite sides and doors at either end. The stonework on the
walls is smooth and beautiful but holds no clue to the location
of the Staff. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus: if
2-6, turn to 433; if 7-12, turn to 282.
31B Time: 5
The room is filled with a soft light. Three trees grow in a row in
the center; the walls are covered with spiral carvings. If you
31C Time: 10
A featureless corridor bends at a ninety degree angle and opens
into a small room fill with seven spiral columns. Everything is
unusually clean and orderly; it looks as if the Edain might
return at anytime. If you explore, turn to 161; otherwise, Move
on.
32A Time: 5
The room is filled with a soft light. Three trees grow in a row in
the center; elaborate spiral carvings adorn the walls. If you
32B Time: 15
You are in a large circular room. Thirteen columns hold up the
ceiling. A small pool filled with clear water rests at the center.
The bottom of the pool is lined with beautiful white stones. The
walls are covered with intricate, curved designs; four doors
neatly divide the walls into quarters. If you explore, turn to 401;
otherwise, move on.
32C Time: 10
A featureless corridor bends at a ninety degree angle and opens
into a small room filled with seven spiral columns. You cannot
find even a trace of dust anywhere. At the rear of the room, a
small door opens onto a tiny cubbyhole containing a well; you
can hear the sound of rapidly moving water coming from the
bottom. You shine light from your gem down the shaft, but
catch only the faintest glimmer of the water. If you climb down
and explore the well, turn to 487; otherwise, move on.
33A Time: 15
You are in a long, narrow corridor; the walls are also covered
with wonderful patterns. Dark and stuffy, its air oppressive, the
passage makes a ninety degree turn and has doors at either end
(to spaces 30A and 33B). The door to space 30A is completely
jammed; you cannot open it. Move on.
33B Time: 10
You are standing in a square chamber with eight perfectly
smooth columns. A thick layer of dust has settled over
everything, making you sneeze. Four doors open from the
room. Move on.
33C Time: 5
You are in a short corridor of stone, with a door at either end.
Move on.
33D Time: 5
You are standing on a bridge that crosses over an underground
river that serves as a moat. On the other side of the bridge, a
collapsed exit tunnel has filled with tons of boulders. Move on.
34A Time: 5
The smooth stone bridge spans an open area bisected by a small
stream. You pause to examine the stonework; it is thousands of
years old, but still in perfect condition. If you climb down and
explore the stream and open area, turn to 241; otherwise,
Move on.
34B Time: 20
The doors open soundlessly. You are in a huge chamber with
nine massive columns illuminated by a beautiful clear light.
The first thing you see are several trees, lush with foliage,
growing in the light. Turn to 247.
34C Time: 5
Move on.
35A Time: 15
You are in a long, narrow corridor; the walls are covered with
wonderful, intricate patterns. The passage is dark and cool, and
the air thick with musty odors. The passage makes a ninety
degree turn and has doors at either end (to spaces 30C and 35B).
Move on.
35B Time: 10
Everything in the room is covered with a thick layer of dust,
which rises in clouds as you move, making you choke and
cough. Eight columns line the walls and four doors lead from
the room. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus (also
add 5 if you have been to this room before):
• If 2-9, turn to 395.
• If 10-12, turn to 431.
35C Time: 5
You stand on a bridge over an underground river that serves as a
moat. On the other side of the bridge, an exit tunnel has
collasped and is blocked by tons of boulders. Move on.
35D Time: 10
You are in a short corridor lined with stones that were once
white, but are now covered with centuries of greying grime.
Your passage leaves footprints on the dust in the floor. Two
rooms open off of the corridor on opposite sides; doors stand at
either end. If you explore, turn to 313; otherwise, move on.
36A Time: 5
Move on.
36B Time: 10
You are in a smooth, featureless chamber, containing a small
square pool. The chamber looks as if no one has stepped into it
for thousands of years. The water looks unusually clear and
bright; you wonder if it is enchanted. If you explore, turn to
36C Time: 10
You are in a short corridor which bends at a right angle and
opens into a small room filled with seven columns. Intricate
patterns cover the floor. If you explore, turn to 275; otherwise,
move on.
36D Time: 5
A short corridor opens into a small, square room. Three little
shrubs with dark green leaves and silver berries grow in the
center of the room. You study the walls and floor, but the
carvings are hidden under a thick layer of dirt and grime. If you
37A Time: 15
You are in a room bisected by a narrow stream which flows
directly through into the pool at the center of the room. Twelve
spiral columns surround the pool; beautiful carvings cover the
wall. If you explore, turn to 300; otherwise, move on.
37B Time: 10
You are in a small, square chamber. A small square of stones in
the center apparently marks the location of an ancient pool, but
the water vanished long ago. If you explore, turn to 454;
otherwise, move on.
37C Time: 10
The walls of the room are covered with beautiful carvings that
exercise a magnetic attraction. Even the seven columns are
closely covered with intricate patterns. Fascinated, you pause in
your search, trying to decipher the designs. If you explore, turn
37D Time: 5
Your feet disturb the centuries of dust covering the floor of the
small chamber. In the dim light of your torch, you see three
small shrubs, each with silver green leaves and berries that look
black in the light. If you explore, turn to 106; otherwise, move
on.
38A Time: 15
You are in a long, narrow corridor; the walls are also covered
with wonderful patterns. The dark, stuffy passage makes a
ninety degree turn and has doors at either end (to spaces 33B
and 35B). Move on.
ENCOUNTER TEXT
100 Time: 10
You are unconscious. Pick a number:
• If 2-7, you are killed and your quest is over.
• If 8-12, turn to 347.
101 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 2
You drop to the floor and wait. The bats grow calm and fly
away, bored with the sport. You resolve to be more careful
about the alcoves you peer into in the future.
• If you go down the stairs, turn to 123.
• If you go up the stairs, turn to 414.
102 Time: 5
The Wight stands directly in front of you. You are surprised
and must fight. Turn to 230.
103 Time: 10
Bruised and shaken, you are at the bottom of the pit. High
above, you can see the Hobbit in the faint glimmer of the
torchlight. He lowers a rope to you. “I’ve secured it’’ he calls
out to you. Turn to 405.
104 Time: 80
You clamber up among the rocks, slipping on loose stones, and
scratching your hand on brambles. You spend more than an
hour searching for traces of a cave but find nothing. Move on.
Back on the bridge, you find Ham waiting with a concerned
look on his face, “That looked really dangerous. I’m glad I
didn’t have to do it.” Move on.
106 Time: 10
You reach out and break off a small branch of the tree. To your
horror, the leaves immediately turn brown and the berries
become a dark purple. The rest of the tree, you note to your
relief, seems unaffected. You hesitantly sniff at the berries, but
they have no scent.
• If you eat one of the berries, turn to 258.
• If you examine them further, pick a number and add your
Perception bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 211.
• If 6-12, turn to 402.
• Otherwise, move on.
You have managed to kill the Orc, but you hear the angry
sounds of his brethren approaching fast. You have little hope of
escaping; you are lost! Turn to 207.
As you examine the stone you realize that the work is new, and
due to its crude quality probably done by the Orcs. For some
reason they have blocked off a section of the passages. Perhaps
something that the Orcs fear lies behind the wall; perhaps
additional caverns containing the Staff of Truth stand behind
the stonework!
• If you are alone, turn to 216.
• If you are not alone, turn to 270.
109 Time: 5
You feel something slimy and strong close around your leg and
begin pulling you under. You try to slash at the creature, but
after a while more tentacles wrap themselves tightly around
your arms and legs and drag you below the water. You are the
victim of a Kraken. Your quest is over.
110 Time: 5
Cautiously, you peer into the darkness. You can dimly discern a
set of ancient stone steps, descending into the depths of the hill.
The stones are crumbling, damp and worn. Perhaps no one has
been here since the fall of Amon Sûl. All around you, you hear
only silence. You pull out your map, but see no stairs marked
upon it.
The staircase draws you. The steps, though treacherous, clearly
lead down, and you try to remember a mysterious clue in the
manuscript. Turn to 323.
111 Time: 5
You and Ham scramble out onto the landing, shaking, wet and
exhausted. Turn to 340.
112 Time: 20
Slowly and carefully you descend using the rings. The
centuries, you notice, have not diminished their strength; they
seem as firm as the day they were built. The Hobbit follows you
more slowly, pausing several times, obviously afraid of falling.
You call words of encouragement to him, and he manages to
gather his courage to complete the descent. Turn to 359.
113 Time: 30
You notice that the brush has been carelessly trampled in many
places. Someone or something has traveled through this area
repeatedly — and recently! Pick a number and add your
Perception bonus:
• If 2-7, move on.
• If 8-12, turn to 354.
You hold out your hand and the Staff gently floats over to you,
landing softly in your palm. It feels intensely alive. You hear a
voice in your mind, “Your quest is over. You have succeeded
beyond your wildest dreams. Do you want me to transport you
to the surface right now?”
• If you say “yes”, turn to 181.
The needle is poisoned. Pick a number and increase your
damage taken by three times that amount. Turn to 375.
116 Time: 10
You run through the long grass, trying not to trip over vines,
dodging around boulders, and scaling low, rocky rises. The two
men pursue you, shouting. Your flight is slowed by the long
grass and the treacherous vines, which constantly threaten to
trip you. You notice that the men are closing on you, and when
you put out an extra burst of speed, you slip on a patch of
gravel. Before you can recover the two men are upon you, their
weapons drawn. You are surprised and must fight the
Haradrim. Turn to 542.
You tell them about your quest, realizing that Dwarves know
quite a bit about caves. They seem interested, and one of the
Dwarves takes your map and studies it, stroking his beard. Then
he looks at the hill.
“There are rumors of some sort about the caves, though we
usually don’t go in much for Mannish tales.” Pick a number:
• If 2-6, turn to 459.
• If 7-12, turn to 295.
118 Time: 10
The corridor continues straight for some distance until it
intersects with a large cavern. Turn to 293.
119 Time: 245 Exp Pt: 2
When the water touches your lips, you fall into a deep and
dreamless sleep. When you awaken several hours have passed.
Ham looks pale and frightened. “I couldn’t wake you.” he says.
Decrease your damage taken by 8. Move on.
120 Time: 5
The Hobbit says, “I’m not going to climb around on that
haunted hillside. I’ll hide inside until you get help from Bree, or
come back.” He then disappears back into the cavern entrance.
Move on.
Your ruse almost works. You clear the chasm in a beautiful
leap, only to be followed by the Troll, who also manages to
make it with little trouble. You frantically try to evade him but
know you have no choice: you will have to fight the Troll. Turn
to 242.
122 Time: 10
You climb up the shaft quickly and nimbly in spite of the cold,
and are soon at the top. Move on.
123 Time: 10
You are standing on an ancient stone stairway, with steps
leading up (west) and down (east). A narrow passage runs off to
the south.
• If you go south, turn to 518.
124 Time: 15
The icy water gradually saps your strength, and it becomes
more and more impossible for you to swim another stroke. As
you slip into unconsciousness, you realize that your quest is
over.
125 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 15
Your blows sting the bear. Startled by your fierce attack, the
bear abandons his supper plans and lumbers off in search of
easier prey. Move on.
Studying the pile, you see that you could easily remove the
vines and brush that conceal the entrance. With some care, you
could even avoid making noise.
• If you carefully and quietly move through the entrance, turn
to 538.
• If you boldly and quickly march through the entrance, turn to
224.
127 Time: 10
With a last desperate effort, you manage to hoist yourself up
just as the Orcs round the corner. You lie motionless in the
darkness, too frightened even to breathe. The Orcs search the
passage thoroughly, but never look into the alcove. After a
while they give up, and move to another section of the caverns
to continue their search.
“Wait!” whispers the voice. “They could come back any mo-
ment. We shall have to wait a few hours for things to quiet
down.” He silences your words of thanks, and you settle down
in the darkness to wait, wondering who your unseen helper is.
Turn to 500.
128 Time: 10
Relieved, you decide that the cavern is a good place to rest. You
have a drink; Hamwich is hungry again. Shrugging off your
pack, you sit down to have a snack. Suddenly, Hamwich yells.
You turn and see a large black spider climbing out of the pit,
also interested in a bit of lunch — you and Ham! You watch in
horrified fascination as it scuttles towards you, realizing that it
is faster than you. Turn to 257.
129 Time: 10
You decide to retreat a few steps to reconsider the situation; you
had not expected to find such strangers camped on Weathertop.
Pick a number and add your Running Bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 447.
• If 6-12, turn to 260.
When you awaken, the Skeleton lies in pieces, defeated by your
doughty companion. You shakily get to your feet and continue.
You may take the Skeleton’s mace and shield if you wish. Your
damage taken is one less than your endurance. Turn to 528.
131 Time: 5
You turn just as one of the men is raising a club. You must fight
the two Haradrim! You are surprised; turn to 542.
132 Time: 30
You notice faint tracks on the ground surrounding the pile of
rocks; you follow them for a few feet, but soon lose the trail.
Your search of the rocks is fruitless as well. Move on.
133 Time: 5
You feel a protrusion on the bottom of the streambed and pull
up an old rusty, worthless sword that must have been there for
hundreds of years. Turn to 300.
Ham points out a slender wire leading to the walls. He
disconnects it deftly, pointing to holes in the wall that contain
crossbows. You study the holes; the crossbows are of Dúnedain
make, placed there to protect the ancient Edain holy place.
Turn to 484.
135 Time: 10
You shiver, for the air is damp and cool. You are in a cavern
with a stairway leading up (west) and a passage leading east.
• If you go east, turn to 441.
You start to fight, but before you get in more than a few blows
the Orcs overwhelm you with sheer numbers. Pick a number
and add your General bonus:
• If 2-7, you are knocked out; turn to 347.
• If 8-12, you break away from the fray; turn to 305.
137 Time: 30
The ground is dry and dusty, and you quench your thirst at a
small spring, stopping to refill your waterskin. The sun is
unusually bright and hot, the water refreshing. You notice the
blackened remains of a campfire, perhaps from a group of
travellers with aims similar to yours. You continue to explore
but find no tracks. Move on.
138 Time: 255
You stumble in your anxiety to escape. You get to your feet just
as the gates rumble into place over the doorways. Your horror
turns to relief as you see that Ham has managed to escape.
“Don’t worry,” he comforts you. “There’s bound to be some
sort of lever to raise the gates.” The Hobbit begins to search the
passageway, and you resign yourself to a long wait. After
several hours, Ham discovers the lever behind a panel in one of
the doorways (35D). With a mighty effort, he manages to force
one of the levers up enough for you to slip under the gate.
Together, you manage to raise the gates most of the way. You
note the position of the protruding tile carefully, so that you can
avoid it in the future. Ignore the trap if you reenter space 35B in
the future. Move on.
139 Time: 5
One of your captors rises and comes towards you with a drawn
dagger. As he bends over you and raises the dagger, he says the
last words you will ever hear, “We have decided that you are
too dangerous to have around.” You are killed, your quest is
over.
140 Time: 20
You quickly light a torch and plunge into the mouth of the cave.
The passage is narrow and the air is dank and close. Still you
press on, eager to find the Staff. After several yards, the tunnel
narrows till it becomes a fissure in the rock. You have reached a
dead end. Move on.
141 Time: 10
After a few minutes, your hand begins to swell and throb
painfully. Weak and shaking, you collapse onto the ground,
expecting the worst. Pick a number:
• If 2, turn to 294.
• If 3-5, turn to 227.
• If 6-10, turn to 537.
• If 11-12, turn to 286.
142 Time: 20
The cliff seems to be the most promising prospect for a cave
entrance that you have seen yet; only a few vines and a tough
climb stand in your way.
• If you climb the cliff, Pick a number and add your General
bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 472.
• If 8-12, turn to 223.
143 Time: 60
The rooms contain nothing more exciting than rotting clothes,
furniture, and barrels. This area also does not correspond with
anything that lies on your map. When you return to the outer
room, turn to 256.
144 Time: 5
You manage to recover and begin to continue down. Increase
your damage taken by 3. Turn to 231.
145 Time: 15 Exp Pt: 10
The ground around your feet is littered with the bodies of your
fallen foes. You sheath your weapon with a feeling of
satisfaction. You wonder if the Crebain attacked you out of
spite or for some darker purpose. Distant black specks circle in
the sky, and the wind brings their faint cries. The Crebain
maintain a respectful distance, however, and do not approach.
Move on.
146 Time: 5
The tunnel ends in a small cavern with passages leaving to the
north (sloping up), the east (sloping down), and the west
(sloping up). The cavern is filled with cold air; you both step
back involuntarily, shivering.
• If you go north, turn to 341.
• If you go west, turn to 174.
147 Time: 5
You are once more on the slopes of Weathertop (space 10B).
You realize that if you reenter the Orc tunnel, you will have to
fight all of the Orcs, not just a few isolated guards. Pick a
number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 337.
• If 6-12, turn to 199.
148 Time: 10
Full of revulsion to the Kraken’s attack, you realize that you
cannot recross the water at this time The walkway crosses a
narrow moat to a door into the stone structure. You move to the
heavy wooden door on the other side of the walkway and force
it open with all your might.
You are now in space 30A on the insert map. Follow the
directions given and the move on rules given in the rules section
at the beginning of the book, turn to 30A in the location text
section.
You fall, hitting the stone floor below, twisting your ankle. Pick
a number and increase your damage taken by that amount.
Bruised and weak, you get to your feet, shouting for Hamwich.
You hear nothing, and when you look up, you see only
darkness; the stone ceiling has closed above you. Then you see
Ham climbing down a set of steel rings set in the wall.
“Careful!” you call to him. Turn to 359.
150 Time: 5
As you approach the trees, you sense a magical quality about
them. Turn to 440.
151 Time: 15
You find nothing unusual. Turn to 300.
152 Time: 40
You search the rocks thoroughly, for what seems like hours.
You are frustrated by rocks that are too large and heavy for you
to move. Pick a number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 201.
• If 6-12, turn to 132.
153 Time: 5
You are debating the merits of leaping over the narrow chasm
with your companion when he gives a yell of warning, and pulls
you away from the edge of the chasm. You hear a loud roar and
see a huge black shape coming towards you out of the darkness.
Though your experience is limited, you are fairly certain from
its size and ferocity that the creature is some sort of a Troll, and
that he is very hungry. He is waving a huge, primitive club at
you. Your only hope is to fight the beast or outwit it.
• If you fight the Troll, turn to 242.
• If you try to trick the Troll into falling into the chasm, pick a
number and add your Trickery bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 550.
• If 4-7, turn to 121.
• If 8-12 turn to 250.
154 Time: 5
After a few moments, you see the Hobbit cautiously sneak back
towards you. His hands are empty, and he looks terrified. Turn
to 316.
155 Time: 5
You spin around and attempt to run down a passage. Pick a
number and add your Running bonus:
• 2-6, turn to 494.
• 7-12, turn to 341.
You have escaped the Orcs, but have found no sign of the Staff
of Truth. Your mind is racing with the various possibilities.
Should you reenter the Orc caverns again and risk capture?
Should you go to Bree after all, and get help? At this point you
feel that going to Bree would be admitting failure. While you
turn over the various possibilities in your mind, you notice that
the Orc tunnels look nothing like the layout on your map.
Perhaps there is another entrance to the caverns beneath
Weathertop? You are in space 10B.
• If you reenter the Orc tunnels immediately, turn to 290.
• If you wait several hours and then reenter the tunnels, turn to
224.
• If you go to Bree and get help, turn to 503.
• If you search for another entrance, move on.
Fascinated, you drop to your knees to study the engravings.
They seem to contain some message for you to decipher. On a
hunch, you place your hand on the center of one of the more
prominent carvings. There is a soft click, and a section of the
floor at the center of the chamber slides away, Turn to 263.
158 Time: 10
The creature turns out to be a Kraken. You try to slash at the
creature, but after a while more tentacles wrap themselves
tightly around your arms and legs and drag you below the
water. You are the victim of a Kraken! Your quest is over.
159 Time: 10
Wary of traps, you pull the bag out of the cubbyhole using the
end of your walking stick. You are lucky to have used the stick,
since several small darts are sticking to it. Turn to 375.
160 Time: 5
As you reach to grasp the rock, you see a snake and desperately
jerk your hand away. Pick a number and add your General
bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 191.
• If 8-12, turn to 252.
161 Time: 15
You find nothing more, move on.
162 Time: 15
You walk along a tunnel heading east that descends slowly and
steadily. The walls, you notice, are damp and the floor slippery;
you are forced to walk more carefully. Turn to 353.
163 Time: 5
Before you can make a choice about your direction, you hear a
soft rustling sound. As you turn, you feel a heavy, sudden blow
on the back of your head. The last thing that you see in the
darkness is the hideous, grinning face of an Orc. Turn to 347.
164 Time: 5
You must decide what to do with your finds.
• If you take everything for yourself, turn to 397.
• If you decide to split the things with Ham, turn to 489.
165 Time: 15
You take too much time crossing the water; the Kraken attacks
again, pulling at your ankles with the force of five men. You
must fight the Kraken. If you have already fought the Kraken,
you may add +2 to your DB for this fight. Turn to 240.
166 Time: 20
You are numb with anguish and disappointed that you have
failed. You sit huddled miserably on the ground, recalling all
the hardships of the quest from its very beginning. Pick a
• If 2-6, turn to 554.
• If 7-12, turn to 283.
167 Time: 5
You are at a loss as to which direction to take. Frustrated, you
feel that you have come no closer to finding the Staff of truth.
The Hobbit, whose courage seems to have increased volumes
since leaving the Orcs behind, is oblivious to your
preoccupation. He is already busy examining the carving on the
floor and walls and peering down the various passageways.
“Look at this.” he calls.
The floor of the circular chamber is covered with beautiful
carvings in wonderful condition, despite their age. Pick a
number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 411.
• If 7-12, turn to 157.
168 Time: 20
You climb among the rocks, nearly twisting your ankle several
times. You can find no sign of a cave. Move on.
169 Time: 10
You come to a door which opens off to the east; the corridor
runs north and south. The door is heavy, its hinges rusted, but it
is slightly ajar. You can probably squeeze through if you want
to.
• If you go through the door, turn to 452.
Shoving your doubts aside, you fill your drinking cup with the
clear water. It has a refreshing taste unlike anything you have
ever tasted before. You feel a faint tingling sensation
throughout your entire body. If you have not already drunk
from this pool today, reduce your damage taken by 12. You are
refreshed and invigorated. You pass the cup to the Hobbit, who
drinks it somewhat more cautiously. He smiles benignly, and
the lines of exhaustion and weariness leave his face. You
quickly fill a waterskin to take to the healers of Gondor. When
you take a second drink nothing happens, and you speculate
that the water may be usable only once per day. Turn to 401.
You watch in fascination as life returns to the squat limbs. The
figure speaks in a hoarse, rough voice, “What do you seek?”
• If you attack the figure, turn to 338.
• If you answer the figure, turn to 449.
172 Time: 5
Your companion tries to help you up. Pick a number and add
your General bonus:
• 2-3, turn to 522.
• 4-12, turn to 284.
173 Time: 15
You try to recall everything you know about herblore, but are
still unable to identify the tree.
• If you eat a berry, turn to 398.
174 Time: 5
You enter a cavern with a huge pit in the middle and passages
exiting to the east and the west. The east passage slopes down
slightly. Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 455.
• If 6-12, turn to 128.
175 Time: 20
The Hobbit leads you down several narrow corridors. You both
pause frequently to listen for the sounds of pursuit or alarm, but
you hear nothing, not even the sounds of heavy, Orc breathing.
Your companion seems to know the layout of the tunnels
thoroughly from his weeks underground. Soon you are standing
in a dead-end passage. The wall in the rear consists of small
stones held in place by some sort of mudlike mortar.
“I bet the Orcs built this wall. I’ve heard stories about the men
who used to live here. They wouldn’t build anything this poor.
Anyway, I’ve often wondered what’s behind this.” You are
inclined to agree with the Hobbit’s assessment of the wall. For
some reason, the Orcs seem to fear what lies behind it.
Together, you select a spot where the wall looks weakest and
carefully begin prying out the stones. The work is not difficult,
and you soon have a hole large enough for both of you to crawl
through. You prudently put some of the stones back into the
hole behind you, blocking up the tunnel. With a little luck, the
occasional passing Orc won’t notice that the tunnel has been
disturbed. Turn to 414.
The needle is poisoned. Pick a number and increase your
damage taken by twice that amount. Turn to 375.
177 Time: 10
Startled by your fall and frightened of the men, you run wildly
through the woods and are soon in the open terrain. You hear
the sounds of pursuit behind you and when you turn, you see
that both men are following you. Pick a number and add your
running bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 116.
• If 7-12, turn to 349.
178 Time: 10
Suddenly you hear a soft rustling; you freeze in fear as a large
grey wolf comes into the clearing. The wolf is aware of you.
Pick a number; if 2-6 turn to 384; otherwise, Take an action.
(WOLF OB:2 DB:0 EP:10)
• If you defeat the wolf, turn to 486.
• If the wolf defeats you, turn to 244.
• If you successfully run away, turn to 264.
179 Time: 15
You find nothing. Turn to 265.
180 Time: 30
Your search brings you nothing except cuts, scrapes and
frustration. Move on.
181 Time: 5 Exp Pt: l
Suddenly, the staff disappears from your hands and reappears in
the hands of the figure. He says, “You left your faithful
companion in the chamber outside this room, promising to
return; and yet you just told the staff to take you immediately to
the surface. A worthy recipient of the staff would never do such
a thing.” Turn to 390.
182 Time: 10
You leap over the chasm and enter a dark passageway. It
gradually slopes downwards, and you take this as a hopeful
sign. In the dim torchlight, you can see that the walls were
carved long ago with primitive stone tools, perhaps by the
earliest of the Edain. Turn to 341.
183 Time: 5
Before you can recover, a soft voice whispers “In here, hurry!”
• If you decide to trust the voice, turn to 192.
184 Time: 10
Trees around the pool have lovely silvery green leaves, deep
brown bark, and white berries. You slowly advance to the pool,
eager to unlock the mysteries of the chamber. The pool is filled
with bright, clear water that looks fresh. The bottom is lined
with tiles carved out of some sort of blue stone.
• If you drink some water from the pool, turn to 437.
• If you explore the bottom of the pool, turn to 308.
• If you pick some fruit from the trees, turn to 469.
185 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 12
Panting you stare at the Orc crumpled at your feet. He had a
spear, which you may take if you want. Turn to 322.
186 Time: 10
You are swept off your feet but somehow manage to recover.
You begin to think that it might be madness to continue
downstream. Increase your damage taken by 5.
• If you continue downstream, pick a number and add your
General bonus:
• If 2-7 turn to 208.
• If 8-12, turn to 460.
• If you climb up the shaft, turn to 335.
187 Time: 15
When you approach the camp, you see that they’ve drawn their
wagons to the side of the road, and that one Dwarf is tending a
campfire. The Dwarves are obviously preparing for a meal.
You slow your footsteps, and hesitant about intruding, try not to
stare at their broad-bladed axes, gleaming chainmail, and long
beards. The Dwarves look at you curiously, but their greetings
are friendly enough. They courteously invite you to share their
meal. If you accept their offer, turn to 508; otherwise, turn to
317.
188 Time: 10
You pursue the figures, running due east, but you soon lose
track of them in the barren wilderness. You stop to search the
ground for footprints, but find none on the barren earth. Move
on.
189 Time: 15
The passage continues for several feet, and bends to the west.
You pause frequently to listen for the sounds of moving Orcs,
but hear nothing. The passage ends in a large cavern. You stop
and cautiously peer in. To your horror, the cavern is filled with
sleeping Orcs. You freeze and remain motionless — until you
determine that all of the Orcs seem to be sound asleep and
unaware of you.
• If you attack the Orcs, turn to 292.
• If you leave quietly, turn to 404.
190 Time: 5
Slain by the horde of blood-thristy Orcs, your quest is over.
Jerking away from the snake, you fall down the cliff, bruising
yourself badly. Increase your damage taken by 4 and move on.
192 Time: 10
You quickly slip into a dark narrow tunnel while the sounds of
the Orcs get louder. You can hear them shouting. A hand seizes
your arm and pulls you along, dragging you into a side passage.
“Climb up here, quick, and be quiet!” Pick a number and add
your General bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 540.
• If 8-12, turn to 545.
193 Time: 25
Your progress is slower than you expected; you keep slipping
on loose rocks and boulders. Scratched and bruised, you make it
to the top of the pile, but still no closer to finding the entrance to
a cave. When you look at the pile, you realize that you will have
to move some of the rocks in order to make a thorough search
for a cave entrance. If you remove the stones, turn to 209;
otherwise, move on.
194 Time: 15
You begin to relax when you see the man pour the wine. You
are relieved by their friendly gesture, being thirsty after your
long search.
• If you accept the drink, turn to 477.
• If you refuse, turn to 379.
195 Time: 10
When you peer down the western corridor, it turns out to be a
staircase completely blocked by rubble. You surmise that it
may have once led to the top of Amon Sûl. The other passages
seem to continue indefinitely, although it is difficult to tell in
the wavering torchlight. Turn to 256.
196 Time: 10
You turn a corner and suddenly find eight Orcs before you, their
scimitars and clubs raised in anger. One calls out, “Surrender,
slaves, or die!”
• If you surrender, turn to 254.
• If you fight, turn to 522.
197 Time: 15
You move quietly through the trees without making a sound
and are soon at the edge of the camp. You station yourself
behind a tree and study the strangers.
The two men are short and swarthy, and dressed in loose,
flowing clothing unfamiliar to you. Both are carrying curved
scimitars. They are seated around a small campfire; six horses
are tethered close by. Two small strangely-carved statues lie
before the fire; the men are paying the figures homage. Though
you strain to catch their words, the language is completely
foreign. From what you have heard, the men might be
Haradrim, but you are not sure. You recall hearing tales of the
men of the South who fought with Sauron in the War of the
Ring. Pick a number and add your Trickery bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 428.
• If 6-12, turn to 330.
198 Time: 5
The last thing you see as you fall is the Troll turning to strike
Hamwich, who was sneaking up to attack him from behind.
After the Troll connects with his huge club, Hamwich bounces
off the far wall and lies still. You meet your end as the Troll’s
lunch. Better luck next time. Your quest ends here.
199 Time: 10
You turn to see six Orcs making an ineffective attempt to sneak
up on you. You may fight or flee.
(Each of 6 ORCS OB:0 DB:0 EP:20)
• If you flee immediately, pick a number and add your Running
bonus:
• If 2-4, turn to 337.
• If 5-12, turn to 297.
• If the Orcs defeat you, turn to 100.
• If you defeat the Orcs, turn to 485.
You approach carefully, holding onto your torches. Hamwich
flounders on the sticky web, slowing your progress. The cave
smells horribly and contains a few bones and other grisly
reminders. You are surprised at what the spider managed to
acquire; you speculate that he may have combed the ruin and
filched the treasures. There are some bright golden coins,
stamped by the kingdom of Arnor, and some tarnished silver
and copper pieces. You also discover a set of two beautifully
worked golden goblets set with jewels, obviously treasures of
Amon Sûl. You and the Hobbit each take one. The Hobbit also
finds a beautifully worked dagger and a couple of gold rings. In
the meantime, you discover a finely worked belt of mithril set
with emeralds. When you put it on, you immediately feel
stronger and faster. Add +1 to your DB, OB, and General
Bonus at all times. You also find a strong, light coil of Elven
rope. Well satisfied with your haul, you climb up the cliff and
return to the cavern. Turn to 476.
201 Time: 35
Your footing is very uncertain. Pick a number and add your
General Bonus:
• If 7 or more, move on.
• If 2-6, your efforts start a small landslide, and you slip from
the pile and fall with a crash to the ground. Increase your
damage taken by 5. Move on.
202 Time: 10
You walk along the ledge beside the underground river,
mentally bemoaning your ill luck. You realize it might take
days to get out of this complex of tunnels. Turn to 376.
203 Time: 5
The Hobbit pulls out a small book and begins leafing through it.
Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 218.
• If 6-12, turn to 391.
204 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 5
When you awaken, your ears are ringing and you have the worst
headache of your life. You groan involuntarily, and one of the
men looks over at you. Slowly he gets up.
“Sorry, we can’t have you spoiling all our plans to find the
Staff. Our friends should be back soon” You listen to his words
with a sinking feeling; you have failed in your quest and are too
weak and sick to attempt an escape from your bonds. Your
captors speak in voices too low to hear, and then one of them
laughs. Pick a number:
• If 2-3, turn to 139.
• If 4-12, turn to 466.
205 Time: 5
The passage bends and so that heads to the west and to the
south.
You hear a soft “thonk!” as three bolts are fired from a trap
mechanism concealed in the wall. Make 3 attacks against
yourself using the following bonus: OB: 2.
Ham points out a tripwire which you both overlooked and he
neatly disconnects it, muttering under his breath about his
stupidity. The bolts were all aimed at chest level on a human, so
they flew over the Hobbit’s head. Turn to 484.
207 Time: 10
You run for your life down the corridor, terrified of being
captured by the Orcs. Confused, you accidently take a wrong
turn to avoid a couple of Orcs close behind you, their hot,
stinking breath at your back. Suddenly you are in an unfamilar
part of the tunnels. You continue to run, hoping for the best.
Behind you, you can hear the footsteps of the Orcs getting
closer. In the excitement you stumble and fall to your knees.
• If you are alone, turn to 183.
• If you are not alone, turn to 172.
208 Time: 10
You are swept below the surface of the icy water and die a
watery death. Your quest is over.
209 Time: 90
Full of optimism, you begin to lift some rocks from a likely
looking spot. The rocks are heavy, and you are soon sweaty and
tired. Doggedly determined, you continue your task, pausing
only to take a short drink of water now and again. As you lift a
particularly large and heavy rock, you find a gap in the stone.
Eagerly you peer in; it is probably a cave. With renewed vigor,
you quickly remove the other rocks that seem to be blocking the
entrance. Soon you have made a hole wide enough for you to
crawl through. If you enter the cave, turn to 310; otherwise,
move on.
210 Time: 5
As you move along, the silence is shattered as you trip over a
tiny spur of rock on the floor. You fall with a loud crash. Turn
to 318.
211 Time: 15
Try though you might, you cannot recall any mention of the
purple berries in your herblore. You may pick up to 6 berries.
212 Time: 5
As you probe your stick meets something. When you bring the
gem close to the water, you see a broad stepping stone just
below the surface. In the light you can discern several such
stones, barely visible in the dark water. The Hobbit gives a cry
of joy.
• If you search further, turn to 340.
• If you begin to wade across, turn to 453.
213 Time: 10
The passage opens up into a cavern so black, that in the faint
light of your torch it is impossible for you to guess its size. You
can only determine that the rushing sound is coming from
somewhere in the cavern. Cautiously, you move forward,
heading in the general direction of the noise. The noise
increases, and your steps become slower and slower, until you
see an area of blackness ahead of you on the floor. You are
standing in front of a narrow chasm, and the noise seems to be
emanating from its depth. You kneel at the edge and lower your
torch, but the cleft seems bottomless. You can see a passage
heading east. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 409.
• If 6-12, turn to 153.
214 Time: 5
The water is very cool as you wade in, but the depth does not
exceed 3 feet. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 151.
• If 8-11, turn to 524.
• If 12, turn to 133.
215 Time: 10
Ham tries valiantly to save you, but he is cut down by a single
sword swing. The Haradrim feed both of you to the Kraken.
Your quest is over.
216 Time: 5
Your train of thought is broken by a faint rustling sound. You
turn suddenly and are confronted by a small, emaciated Hobbit.
• If you talk, turn to 316.
As you flee, you hear the Haradrim say, “Run coward. We have
your prize!” Then the Haradrim quickly leave with the staff.
Turn to 166.
218 Time: 5
Ham says, “Your answer is better than anything I can think of.”
But when you give your answer to the Wight, he lets out a cry of
delight. “Wrong! The answer was ‘a mountain’!” The ghastly
Wight seizes you and Ham in his icy grasp. You will never be
warm again! Your quest is over.
You also find and pick up the 5.5’ white staff with the pale blue
gem. It tingles softly in your hand.
• If you examine the staff, turn to 456.
• If you “know” the “item analysis” spell and cast it, turn to
279.
• If you start to leave the caverns hack the way you came, turn
to 372.
220 Time: 10
You reach an intersection with passages running north (slopes
down), south, and west.
221 Time: 10
You approach the point at which the stream disappears into the
wall. Through the now waist-deep water, you can make out a
faint glow coming from the opening into which the stream
disappears.
• If you decide to swim through the opening, turn to 273.
222 Time: 10
With some effort, you manage to lower the lever and the gates
rumble into place. With another push you manage to raise the
gates once more. Move on.
223 Time: 35
You find the cliff trickier than it looked. The vines are flimsy,
and the rocks have a tendency to slip away beneath your feet.
When you pause to catch your breath, you see a small gap that
might possibly be a cave. You carefully remove the rocks until
you have an entrance just wide enough for you to crawl
through. If you enter the cave turn to 523; otherwise, move on.
224 Time: 10
Pushing your doubts and misgivings to the side, you enter the
passage. It is very dark, and the air is heavy with the smell of
Orcs. The passage widens and you soon come to an
intersection. Pick a number and add your Perception:
• If 2-5, turn to 163.
• If 6-12, turn to 356.
225 Time: 15
You cannot see much of the passage in the dim light but are
vaguely comforted that it is going up. Afraid of traps and unsure
of your footing, you walk slowly while Ham keeps a sharp eye
on the floor. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-8, turn to 345.
• If 9-12, turn to 280.
226 Time: 5
You are both relieved to reach the other shore and lie gasping
and panting, exhausted by the crossing. Looking back you see
what appears to be the tip of a tentacle of a Kraken. Then you
hear a rough laugh, and look to see two swarthy warriors,
obviously Haradrim, coming towards you across the walkway
leading to the stone structure.
• If you flee back across the water, turn to 419.
• If you wait to face them, turn to 243.
227 Time: 250 Exp Pt: 5
You spend several hours in painful agony as a result of the
snakebite. Increase your damage taken by 12; move on.
Your spell determines that the amulet detects and analyzes the
nature of poisons when it comes within one foot of such
dangerous substances. A useful item to have, depending on the
company you keep. Move on.
229 Time: 15
You dexterously manage to recover your footing and nimbly
climb to the top of the shaft. The Hobbit recoils the rope, and
soon you are on your way again. Move on.
230 Time: 5
The Wight is terrifying and seems to grow larger as you attack.
For every other attack that you make, you may also make an
attack for Ham’s sling (OB: 1).
(WIGHT OB:3 DB:3 EP:45)
• If you defeat the Wight, turn to 515.
• If the Wight defeats you, turn to 386.
231 Time: 15
You make it to the bottom and begin to explore. After a while,
you realize that you are merely exploring stalagmites. The
surface of both the open area and the stream bed are solid rock.
You must climb back up. Pick a number and add your General
bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 403.
• If 4-12, turn to 105.
232 Time: 20
You slowly begin to climb the steel rings, carefully holding
onto your torch. Somehow you manage to make it to the top
without losing the torch and begin to shine it around on the
ceiling. You see a small lever. As you reach out to flip it, the
ceiling slides away. After you climb into the room above, the
floor slides shut. Turn to 256.
233 Time: 20
You clamber among the rocks and trip over the tangled vines.
You notice that the vines and brambles have been trampled and
crushed. Eagerly you study the pattern; it seems to focus upon a
pile of rocks and vines. The trail is quite obvious, once you look
for it. Turning your attention to the pile of rocks, you can just
make out a small black hole that could be the entrance to a cave.
Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 544.
• If 8-12, turn to 410.
234 Time: 10
The Orcs rush forward and grab you, slapping you silent. You
are bound and knocked unconscious by a crushing head blow.
Turn to 347.
235 Time: 5
The needle is poisoned, and you have failed to resist it. You are
dead. Your quest is over.
236 Time: 30
“The thing must have it’s lair somewhere in the pit” says the
Hobbit. You both examine the edges of the pit wall and see a
small dark cave just below the web. “I’ll bet it has all sorts of
treasure in it!” says the Hobbit. You smile at his optimism. Still,
you never can tell what the spider might have acquired over the
years, so you climb down. Turn to 200.
237 Time: 20
You find nothing except some faint tracks on the ground. The
trail disappears in the ruins. Move on.
You reach Ham just as he is about to slip below the surface.
Struggling against the icy current with your limp burden, you
finally grab onto a ledge of sorts.
Ham is unconscious. You uncork the little bottle of brandy that
Eldamar packed for emergencies. In a few minutes, Ham opens
his eyes, coughing up water. You take stock of your situation:
most of your food is ruined (you have at most 2 meals), your
map is soaked, you are cold and waterlogged, and you are also
no closer to finding the Staff. Ham continues to thank you
profusely for rescuing him from the underground stream. “I
can’t swim a stroke,” he confides to you. “I just think it’s
completely unnatural, don’t you?”
• If you stay and rest, turn to 320.
• If you keep moving, turn to 480.
As you reach up to grasp an overhead rock, you feel a sharp
pain in your hand. You quickly pull your hand back. To your
dismay, you notice that you are bleeding from two small
punctures; you have been bitten by a snake. Desperate, you tear
your tunic, cut the wound, and attempt to suck out the poison.
Finally, you tie a crude tourniquet around your hand and try to
remain quiet. Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 141.
• If 6-12, turn to 286.
240 Time: 5
You are locked in deadly struggle with the Kraken, the dark
water threatening to engulf you at any moment. You struggle to
fight and breathe.
(KRAKEN OB:4 DB:1 EP:23)
• If you defeat the Kraken, turn to 326.

• If the Kraken defeats you, turn to 268.
241 Time: 20
You pull some rope out of your backpack. After securing it, you
carefully begin lowering yourself down. Pick a number and
add your General bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 403.
• If 4-7, turn to 549.
• If 8-12, turn to 231.
242 Time: 5
The troll is over 12 feet tall and wields a huge club. He seems to
be extremely vicious but slow. For every other attack that you
make, you may also make an attack for Ham’s sling (OB: 2).
(TROLL OB:3 DB:0 EP:45)
• If you defeat the Troll, turn to 482.
• If the Troll defeats you, pick a number:
• If 2-4, turn to 198.
• If 5-6, turn to 369.
• If 7-12, turn to 432.
• If you successfully run away, pick a number:
• If 2-7, turn to 359.
• If 8-12, turn to 182.
243 Time: 5
The Haradrim’s dark leather armor shines in the light of the
gem. They look as if they consider you mildly amusing sport.
As they slowly approach, you can see the greed in their eyes as
they see the glowing jewel in your hand. You must fight or
outwit the Haradrim.
• If you try to maneuver so that the Haradrim are very close to
the water (and the Kraken), turn to 277.
• If you place your back to the water so that they can only
attack you one at a time, turn to 436.
244 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 5
The last thing you remember is the wolf standing over you.
When you awaken sometime later you are alone. For some
reason or other, you are alive and uneaten, although bruised and
bleeding. However, 6 of your meals are gone. Move on.
245 Time: 5
The figure grows dark and larger as he says, “The staff reveals
that you killed helpless prisoners during your adventures. A
worthy recipient of the staff would never do such a
blood-thristy thing, regardless of the provocation.” Turn to
390.
246 Time: 10
You rub your sore wrists and ankles in an attempt to restore the
circulation. You are stiff and aching from lying in an
uncomfortable position for several hours, but the stiffness eases
after you take a few steps. Silently, the Hobbit leads you
through the dark and twisting passages. Pick a number:
• If 2-3, turn to 196.
• If 4-12, turn to 175.
247 Time: 10
The entire chamber seems full of magic; the air is fresh and
clean and filled with the fresh sweet scent of trees. You turn
your attention to the contents of the chamber.
• If you have not yet encountered Haradrim inside this stone
structure (the two outside on the landing do not count), turn
to 519.
248 Time: 5
The tunnel ends in a small cavern with passages leading to the
north (sloping up), the east (sloping down), and the west
(sloping up).
249 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 10
You are finally holding the true Staff in your hands; its white
wood feels warm and the deep blue gem shines with a clear
light. You gaze at the staff in concentration, trying to discern its
mysterious powers, yet they remain wrapped in enigma. You
sense that the Staff will guide you safely to Gondor but that its
powers are not for you to command. “Let us go home,” you tell
the Staff.
497.
250 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 30
You rush around the cavern with the Troll in pursuit, getting
him angrier and angrier, until he loses what little wits he seems
to have had in the first place. When you think the time has
come, you run toward the chasm, and leap just as his huge
hands are ready to close on you. Your timing is perfect. As the
beast teeters on the edge, Hamwich rushes up from behind and
shoves the Troll just enough to make him lose his balance. He
falls into the chasm with a loud roar. You hear him hit the
bottom with a distant thud.
It takes you a few minutes to catch your breath and to recover
from the shock and fear. Hamwich, buoyant as ever, leads you
to the circular chamber. “We must have overlooked its lair.
Aah, there it is” he says, pointing to a tunnel in a particularly
dark corner. You get to your feet slowly, wondering if the
Hobbit is really the coward he claims to be. You’re having
trouble keeping up with him. Turn to 532.
The berry is sweet and juicy, and you would gladly eat more.
After a few minutes you feel a strange rushing sensation. You
add +1 to your Perception bonus for the next day. You may pick
up to 6 more berries. Move on.
252 Time: 20
You manage to grab onto a bush and get down safely. Move on.
You and Ham are alone in the room. The aquamarine gem
glows softly and feels warm in your hand. It gives you a sense
of confidence and comfort.
254 Time: 10
The Orcs grab you and the Hobbit. One Orc raises his dagger,
laughing hideously, and says, “Sorry fools, I meant to say,
surrender and die!” The dagger falls! Your quest is over.
255 Time: 35
You find the shade a welcome relief after climbing around in
the hot sun for so many hours. You are naturally drawn to the
pile of boulders and exposed rocks; they look very promising.
As you study the rocks, however, you cannot see any sort of a
cave entrance.
• If you explore the rocks, pick a number and add your General
bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 193.
• If 6-12, turn to 380.
256 Time: 15
You are in a large circular room, with four rooms and four
passages opening off of it. The passages head north, south, east,
and west, with one room between each set of passages. The
floor is covered with intricate carvings.
• If you explore the large room, turn to 167.
• If you explore the 4 small rooms, turn to 424.
257 Time: 5
The spider is more than seven feet long and very quick. You
must fight the spider. If you attempt to run away during the
fight, subtract 2 from your number picked. For every other
attack that you make, you may also make an attack for Ham’s
sling (OB: 1).
(SPIDER OB: 3 DB:1 EP:20)
• If you defeat the spider, turn to 319.
• If the spider defeats you, pick a number:
• If 2-3, turn to 450.
• If 4-7, turn to 298.
• If 8-12, turn to 352.
• If you successfully run away, pick a number:
• If 2-7, turn to 135.
• If 8-12, turn to 476.
You cautiously swallow a purple berry, hoping that the Edain
didn’t grow poison in their ancient holy place. In a few minutes,
you are full of boundless optimism and euphoria. You feel
wonderful, but the berry clouds your good judgment and
Perception. Ham seems to enjoy your cheerful conversation
though. Subtract one from all your bonuses for the next day.
You can pick up to 6 berries. Move on.
259 Time: 10
The passage bends so that it heads to the south (slopes up) and
to the east.
260 Time: 15
You quietly leave the forest, deciding it is best to reconsider the
situation. On the surface, there is of course no reason why the
men should not be camped on Weathertop; they could simply
be a group of travellers. Yet you have a feeling that they are
camped upon Weathertop for the same reason you are — they
want the Staff of Truth! Their foreign language also makes you
uneasy; it seems harsh and unpleasant.
• If you sneak back and observe the men, turn to 197.
261 Time: 5
You are awakened by a cry. You see two Orcs standing over
what appears to be a dead Hobbit and the body of a dead Orc.
One of the Orcs points to you and says, “Your friend killed
Uglak trying to rescue you. I think it will be safer for us guards
if you died with your friend during the rescue attempt.” The
other Orc laughs as the first Orc raises his dagger. The last thing
you see is the hideous, grinning face of the Orc. Your quest is
over.
262 Time: 5
The ledge runs along the edge of the river for about 30 feet and
then ends. South of this point, a sheer wall lines the river’s
edge. Since Ham refuses to swim, you must head back the way
you came. Turn to 480.
263 Time: 5
Beneath you lies another circular chamber; steel rings in the
wall offer a means of descent. You realize that you have
probably discovered a secret Dúnedain chamber. You shine
your torch into the chamber, but the light is too dim for you to
discern much.
• If you descend into the lower chamber, turn to 112.
• Otherwise, the opening closes, turn to 256.
For a moment you are so filled with shock, that you can only
stare at the wolf in horror. You turn and run, expecting to feel
its slavering jaws close around your legs at any moment. You
run for quite some time, glancing anxiously over your shoulder.
The wolf does not pursue you; he was probably only curious
and not hungry. Move on in a random direction.
265 Time: 5
The passage dead ends after a short distance.
• If you search the deadend, turn to 179.
• If you retrace your steps, turn to 387.
266 Time: 5
Suddenly, you hear a sharp crack; the edge of the pit gives way
and you see Hamwich fall. You lunge forward to catch him and
miss. His scream abruptly stops. Then, after a tense moment,
you hear him yelling. “I’m caught in some sort of net! I’m
stuck! I’ll need help to get out!” Relieved by your friend’s
narrow escape, you slowly begin climbing down the cliff face;
there are plenty of handholds. Turn to 546.
267 Time: 10
You notice that the tunnel soon begins to level off and then
continues straight for some distance. You gradually become
frustrated — you are no closer to the Staff of Truth than before!
You debate turning back and decide to ask Ham his opinion.
Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 530.
• If 7-12, turn to 442.
268 Time: 10
You slash frantically at the tentacles desperately trying to get
the creature to loosen its hold. Your efforts have little effect,
and slowly and inexorably the Kraken pulls you under the
water. Beside you Ham stabs fiercely at the creature, and one of
the tentacles loosens its grip. Hastily, you claw your way back
towards the landing, but another tentacle leaps out from the
water and wraps itself around your waist. Quickly and
efficiently it drags you below the surface to a watery grave.
Your quest is over.
269 Time: 10
You are in a cavern with a hole in the ceiling and a straight,
man-made tunnel running south. The room is empty; a hole in
the ceiling is too high to reach. When you decide to leave, turn
to 293.
Youu quickly choose a section of the wall and carefully begin
removing the stones. You work as quietly and as quickly as you
dare, afraid of rousing the Orcs. Finally you manage to make a
small hole large enough for both of you to crawl through. You
take the precaution of pushing the stones through the hole so
that you can seal the hole behind you. Turn to 414.
271 Time: 15
You hear the whinny of a horse and the voices of men. Quickly
you turn, expecting to see a group of travellers, but see no one.
All around, the slopes are devoid of life except for some
Crebain circling overhead. When you stop to listen, you
determine that the sounds are coming from a nearby copse of
trees (3F). You strain to catch the voices, but they are too faint
for you to understand. Move on.
272 Time: 70
After an hour and a half of tense, cautious labor, you open up
the entrance to the tunnel. You take a deep breath and slip into
the narrow passage. The air is close and heavy with a filthy,
fetid odor. The passage widens after the first few feet. Turn to
322.
As you get ready to dive into the water, Ham says, “I’ve gotten
wet enough for one day. I’ll wait for you here.” Half-jokingly
he adds, “Don’t forget to come back for me!”
You tie a rope around your waist and secure the other end to a
column. Waving goodbye to the Hobbit, you leave him on the
bank with the assurance that you will return swiftly. The current
carries you into a tunnel that slopes down, and you land in a
large pool with a splash.
Spluttering you get to your feet and untie the rope. The chamber
is a stark contrast to the beauty above, the domed walls of the
chamber are made of rough grey stones. You feel that you are at
the very core of the caverns of Weathertop. An ancient barrow,
shaped like a beehive stands before you. An odd, stone figure of
a squat little man stands guarding the barrow.
You slowly wade out of the pool, studying the barrow and the
statue, fearing another Wight. As you approach the barrow the
stone figure begins to stir.
• If you attack, turn to 338.
• If you wait, turn to 171.
You are less than thrilled by the prospect of trading riddles with
this chilling creature but have little choice. “Very well” you
say, “we will play the game.”
“A nose of steel, Works afield, Breaks but remains unbroken.”
he hisses at you. For a moment, your mind refuses to work.
“A plowshare!” pipes up the Hobbit, while you are still
scratching your head. A frigid sigh escapes from the Wight;
Ham has frustrated the evil thing!
Before you can think of a riddle, the Hobbit begins to recite.
“Big as house, Grey as a mouse, I make the earth shake!” † “An
Oliphant”, the Wight hisses back, frigidly delighted. After
thinking for a few moments, the Wight poses a riddle:
“What has roots nobody sees,
Is taller than trees,
Up, up it goes,
And yet it never grows?” †
Determine your answer and turn to 399.
You are soon covered with grime from your search. The
columns though decorative, do not offer a clue as to the purpose
of the room. As you run your hand over a particularly lovely
carving on the central columns, it moves slightly beneath your
hand. You carefully twist the carving, and a section of the
column pops out. Excited, you peer into the hole. You see a
small leather bag.
• If you remove the bag, pick a number and add your
Perception:
• If 2-6, turn to 333.
• If 7-12, turn to 159.
276 Time: 5
Danger comes upon you unawares. You hear a loud “Clack!”
and see a black figure emerge from a shadowy alcove you had
not noticed. You are surprised. Turn to 463.
You tell Ham to stay behind you and to break up and drop a
couple of your meals into the water. Hoping that the food will
attract the Kraken to the area, you back up to the water and
maneuver so that the Haradrim are approaching you along the
edge of the landing near the section of water in which the food
has been dumped. As the Haradrim approach you along the
edge of the water, you wait for the Kraken to appear. Pick a
• If 2-3, turn to 364.
• If 4-6, turn to 302.
• If 7-10, turn to 393.
• If 11-12, turn to 526.
You walk more carefully, trying to avoid the rabbit holes.
Suddenly, something seizes your ankle, pulling you off your
feet. As you attempt to rise, you realize that your ankle is caught
in a neat snare, but you can free yourself easily enough.
Increase your damage taken by 2. If you explore further, turn to
You cast your spell, eager to discover the legendary powers of
the Staff of Truth. You find that the Staff detects food and water
(useful if you’re a Hobbit), and can act as a light source three
times a day. You are disappointed; surely the great Staff of
Truth has more powers than that. You hold it at arm’s length,
studying it. It is five and a half feet tall, and tipped with a lovely
pale blue gem. You study the jewel, trying to fathom the staff’s
secrets. Perhaps its powers are protected from detection, you
think to yourself. You try to recall Eldamar’s description of the
staff. Pick a number and add your Perception:
• If 2-7, turn to 498.
• If 8-12, turn to 281.
You walk along slowly, with Ham slightly in the lead. At
almost the same moment, you both stop, sensing that something
is wrong. Ham bends over, and you see him carefully
disconnect a string or wire stretched out on the floor. He trots
over to some holes in the wall and shines his torch in them.
“Crossbow bolts” he says. “Quite a nasty trap if you ask me.”
You agree wholeheartedly with him, grateful for his sharp eyes,
and continue your journey. Turn to 324.
All of Eldamar’s words come rushing back to you, as well as
your knowledge of the Dúnedain. You study the staff once
more; and note that the height is but five and a half feet instead
of the six feet that the Elves and men of Numenor favored. The
staff was also said to have a deep blue gem; this one is pale
blue. A suspicion begins to form in your mind that you may
have the wrong staff, but you are not sure.
• If you start back out of the caverns, turn to 372.
You move slowly and carefully, afraid of encountering ancient
traps or pitfalls. Your caution pays off when you hear a soft
click, and step back hastily. The floor tile in front of you slides
away, revealing a dark and narrow pit. Breathing a sigh of
relief, you and Ham cautiously walk around the trap and
continue on your way. Move on.
283 Time: 5
You recall Eldamar’s description of the Staff; six feet long and
tipped with a deep blue gem. The Staff you saw had a pale blue
gem and couldn’t have been more than five and a half feet long.
It was the wrong staff! Jubilantly you get to your feet. “Come
on” you say to Ham. “That wasn’t the real staff. It must still be
somewhere in one of the rooms.” You return to the room where
you fought the Haradrim; they are gone. Move on.
284 Time: 10
With the Hobbit’s aid, you leap to your feet. You and Hamwich
plunge onward quickly, attempting to evade any pursuers. Pick
a number and add your General bonus:
• 2-3, turn to 357.
• 4-12, turn to 529.
You and Ham have made it so far! Luck was with you.
However, the intense cold emitted by the Wight affects you;
increase your damage taken by 10. Turn to 162.
Weak and shaky, you sit on the ground cradling your throbbing,
swollen hand in your lap. As your past life flashes before your
eyes, you recall Eldamar’s lectures on the Flora and Fauna in
this section of the world. You try to remember the names of the
poisonous snakes and recall at least two. After about an hour
nothing more has happened; either your first aid measures
worked or the snake was non-poisonous. Move on.
287 Time: 45
The Crebain pursue you across the slopes, apparently enjoying
their little game. After some time, they get bored and fly off in
search of more interesting sport. Move on in a random
direction.
288 Time: 45
The stairs continue to go steadily down. You lose track of time
in the darkness; you have no idea whether minutes or hours
have passed since you began your descent. The stairs end in a
small, empty cavern. Turn to 135.
289 Time: 5
You get to your feet slowly and casually, carefully brushing
yourself off. The two men run up to you. You manage an
engaging smile and a friendly greeting. Somewhat uneasily,
they answer back.
“I am from Minas Tirith, and I was sent here to make a new map
of Weathertop. Don’t you find the ruins fascinating? I do!” you
say. The men relax visibly at your friendly words. They invite
you back to their camp for a drink.
• If you accept the invitation, turn to 490.
290 Time: 10
You have your doubts about reentering the tunnels, but you are
desperately eager to win the Staff of Truth, and you fear that the
treasure may be in the hands of the Orcs. Gathering your
courage, you take a deep breath, steeling yourself to face the
Orcs.
You cautiously sneak back down the tunnel, hoping that the
Orcs are not expecting you. You were mistaken; you run into 3
guards watching the entrance. You must fight the Orcs.
(Each of 3 ORCS OB:0 DB:0 EP:20)
• If the Orcs defeat you, turn to 347.
291 Time: 15
You turn and leave the forest, pleased to be free of the
Haradrim. Just as you reach the edge of the trees, you feel
something whistle by. Turning, you see the men racing toward
you with drawn weapons. They seem determined to capture you
or kill you. You are surprised; turn to 542.
292 Time: 10
You manage to kill four Orcs; but the rest overwhelm you with
sheer numbers. You are bound and knocked out. Turn to 100.
293 Time: 5
You enter a large cavern with passages leading north and south.
Moldering barrels of dried foodstuffs line the cavern walls.
294 Time: 5
Your tourniquet was ineffective against the adder’s deadly
poison. You die of snakebite — your mission uncompleted.
Tough luck adventurer, your quest ends.
295 Time: 30
“I think you would have your best success looking here and
here,” he says, pointing to two regions on your map (6E and
12E). “Those areas have excellent possibilities of having caves.
I’m sorry we can’t stay and help you search; this is an
interesting problem.” You thank the Dwarf profusely for his
help. Turn to 317.
296 Time: 5
Once again you are shaken awake. Pick a number:
• If 2-9, turn to 451.
• If 10-12, turn to 261.
You easily manage to outdistance your pursuers. When you
stop to rest, you decide to search for a less troublesome entrance
to the caverns below Weathertop. You are in space 10B, move
on.
298 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 6
You wake up in a dark cavern filled with a rushing noise.
Hamwich is bending over you cutting off strands of web. “Shh”
he whispers. “That creature hung you up to eat later. I dragged
you from the lair while it was somewhere else.” You get to your
feet, and look around. You have lost all of your equipment
except for what Hamwich has saved for you: your map, 4 meals,
and a dagger. Pick a number and increase your damage taken
by that amount. Turn to 476.
299 Time: 5
You stand on a small landing with a tunnel leading east, a ledge
running south along the edge of an underground river, and a
body of water to the west and north. You suspect that you have
come to the bottom of the caverns, but in the murky darkness it
is impossible to tell; the opposite shore could be ten yards or a
mile away for all you can see.
• If you start swimming across the water, turn to 109.
300 Time: 10
The room is bare except for the 12 columns, a few carvings on
the wall, and the stream. You admire the clear swift water of the
stream.
• If you drink from the stream, turn to 479.
• If you wade into the stream to examine it, turn to 214.
You stand on a 300 foot long landing along the bank of an
underground river. A tunnel opens off to the west. Even under
the light of the gem, the water is black and unwholesome.
Across its wide expanse, you can see a large square structure
fronted by a raised landing. The river seems to serve as a moat
for the structure.
The building’s blocks are smooth, square, and fit together
without mortar. A massive wooden door is placed in the center
of the structure; a walkway leads from it to the landing. You
feel a strange tingling; you instantly know in your heart that the
Staff of Truth lies somewhere in that ancient holy place. But
first you must cross the ominous expanse of water between you
and the bank. With no bridge and no boat, you have few
choices.
The inky black water gurgles softly as you kneel on the ledge to
study it more closely. You recall warnings about deep water
and step back to consider your options. Turn to 340.
302 Time: 5
The Kraken does not appear. You must fight the Haradrim. If
you attempt to run away during this fight, reduce your running
bonus by 2. Turn to 436.
303 Time: 90
The men refuse to answer all your questions when they awaken,
and you are unwilling to use torture. Turn to 531.
You hear directions from the staff in your mind. Turn to 557.
305 Time: 10
You take off wildly down the corridor, the ghoulish, gutteral
cries of the Orcs ringing in your ears. In your confusion you
realize that you have completely lost your sense of direction
and have no idea where you are. Pick a number and add your
Running bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 547.
• If 6-12, turn to 207.
You slip down the sides of the well, but somehow manage to
catch hold of the rope and recover. Increase your damage taken
by 6. Turn to 515.
307 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 17
You breathe a sigh of relief; you have killed the spider! You
glance about the web anxiously but see no other spiders. Pulling
Hamwich free of the web, you relight the torch. You see a small
dark cave on the cliff face. “That must be the thing’s lair.” you
say. “Come on!” Turn to 200.
308 Time: 10
You cautiously wade into the pool searching for a secret
compartment. You become very wet, but find nothing. Turn to
184.
You manage to break away, but as you and Ham move away
one of the tentacles lashs out and seizes the Staff, pulling it
below the surface of the water. Turn to 512.
Prudently, you light a torch and slip into the cave. The air is
dank and close. As far as you can tell, the passage continues
straight for some time, and no side passages lead from it. The
passageway slopes down into the hill and is just wide enough
for you to walk down. You pause occasionally to mark the wall
with chalk, for fear of getting lost. Your map gives no clue as to
where you might be. The passage bends sharply, and you see a
small figure cowering against the wall. You almost drop your
torch in your surprise. In the dim light, you see a small
emaciated Hobbit, who looks as if he hasn’t eaten or seen
daylight in a month. When you both recover from your
astonishment, the Hobbit begins to speak.
“My name is Hamwich Tunnelly. I escaped from the Orcs who
live in the caverns.” he says breathlessly. “I’ve been looking for
a way out for weeks!”
Terror grips your heart. “Are all the caves below Weathertop
full of Orcs?” you ask. You are not certain that you want to hear
the answer.
“No, just a few” replies the scrawny, bedraggled Hobbit.
“There aren’t many Orcs, and they’re scared to go into a lot of
the caves. That’s how I escaped.” Much relieved, you explain
your quest to the Hobbit, showing him your map of the caverns.
“That’s nothing like where the Orcs live.” says the Hobbit,
shaking his head. You realize that it might be useful to have a
guide of sorts to the caverns, and you offer him a job. He
accepts gratefully, and you give him some food to eat. The
starved Hobbit gobbles down half your food supply. Turn to
518.
311 Time: 5
After weighing the various risks, you decide to press on and
search for the Staff of Truth. You are unwilling to risk its
destruction at the hands of the Orcs. Move on.
312 Time: 10
You find nothing of interest in the chamber except for the pool
of water.
• If you drink from the pool, pick a number and add your
Magical bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 119.
• If 6-8, turn to 429.
• If 9-12, turn to 493.
313 Time: 15
You explore the passage raising clouds of ancient dust. The
walls are covered with grime, but you can see nothing unusual.
Move on.
314 Time: 10
The passage levels off after a short distance and then continues
straight. It ends in a cavern filled with a beautiful clear light.
Turn to 495.
315 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 30
You have temporarily defeated or dispelled the creature. You
feel awful; increase your damage taken by 6 due to the cold.
Slowly you get to your feet and go on your way. Turn to 162.
316 Time: 10
“Hamwich Tunnely at your service. I was captured by the Orcs
weeks ago, but I escaped. Only I’m afraid the entrance is
guarded, and I don’t want them to see me. Perhaps there’s a way
out beyond that wall.” You explain your quest for the Staff of
Truth to the Hobbit. “I’m certain that the Orcs don’t have
anything precious like that. If they did they’d talk about it. I’ve
never heard them mention it. The Orcs don’t come here. I think
they’re afraid. If you help me escape, I’ll help you try to find the
Staff.” Turn to 270.
317 Time: 20
The Dwarves have soon finished their meal and are on their
way. You wish them a pleasant journey and return to your
quest. Move on.
318 Time: 5
You hear the chilling calls of Orcs shouting to raise the alarm.
You must run or fight!
• If you decide to stand and fight, turn to 471.
• Otherwise, Pick a number and add your Running bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 305.
• If 7-12, turn to 536.
319 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 17
You have somehow killed the giant spider, though you have
little memory of the fight. Turn to 236.
320 Time: 5
After a few minutes, Ham begins to tremble and shake. You
realize that moving will help keep him warm. Turn to 480.
321 Time: 5
You whisper your answer to the Hobbit.
• If you or the Hobbit obtained a book called “The Complete
and Annotated Riddles of the Western Lands”, turn to 203.
322 Time: 10
You are at an intersection, with passages heading north, south,
and east. You see a glimmer of light to the east and think that
the southern tunnel seems a little less travelled. Pick a number
and add your Trickery bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 210.
• Otherwise:
323 Time: 10
As you move along the stairs, the Hobbit cautiously tests most
of the steps to see that they are sound. They are. A small alcove
to one side attracts your attention. It is more like an air shaft.
Without warning, you are surrounded by hundreds of tiny
claws, and the air is full of whirring. The Hobbit shrieks and
drops to the ground, covering his head with his hands. You
wave your hands in the air, frantically trying to beat off
hundreds of bats.
• If you try to avoid the bats, turn to 101.
• If you fight the bats, turn to 541.
324 Time: 10
The passage bends so that it heads to the west and to the south.
325 Time: 30
Stopping to catch your breath, you hear the faint sounds of
voices coming from the small patch of forest not far away.
{Space 3F) The voices sound harsh and unpleasant; their accent
and intonation is unfamiliar. Move on.
326 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 35
Somehow you manage to slash at the creature, cutting through
one of the tentacles. You slash at several other “arms” as they
seize you, and the creature backs off, content to call the
encounter a draw.
• If you head towards the stone structure, turn to 505.
• If you head towards the landing, turn to 111.
327 Time: 5
You enter a cavern with a narrow, jumpable chasm in the
middle and passages exiting to the east and west. You hear a
rushing sound coming from the chasm.
Your spell reveals that the book is magical, though in what way
you are not sure. The pendant will allow you to speak and
understand all languages. Turn to 164.
329 Time: 5
The passage stops abruptly, blocked by a wall of stone.
• If you search the corridor, turn to 108.
• If you head back the way you came, turn to 478.
330 Time: 10
You continue to watch the two men. Their actions, though not
overtly suspicious, still continue to make you uneasy.
They are still unaware of you.
• If you talk to the two men, turn to 534.
• Otherwise, take an action:
• If a fight results, turn to 542.
• If you outsmart your foes, turn to 531.
The Orc was ready for you. The last thing you remember is his
sword coming down on your head, as you fall to the ground
unconscious. Turn to 347.
332 Time: 10
This corridor has four rooms opening off of it. If you explore the
rooms, turn to 143; otherwise, turn to 256.
333 Time: 5
You reach for the bag, curious about its contents. You feel a
sharp pain in your hand, and see a tiny dart sticking in your
thumb. Pick a number and add your Magical bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 235.
• If 4-8, turn to 115.
• If 9-12, turn to 176.
334 Time: 10
You fight desperately against the creature, surprised that the
Staff does not somehow come to your aid. Maybe this staff is
not really the Staff of Truth. You scream as the tentacles wrap
themselves around your legs and body, dragging you to a
watery grave. Your quest is over.
335 Time: 25
The sides of the shaft are slippery, and you are numb with cold.
You ascend slowly and carefully, terrified of falling. Pick a
• If 2-3, turn to 457.
• If 4-8, turn to 418.
• If 9-12, turn to 122.
336 Time: 10
A particularly large pile of rocks perched precariously on the
slope catches your eye.
• If you climb among the rocks, pick a number and add your
General bonus:
• If 2-5 turn to 344.
• If 6-12 turn to 168.
You hear a rustling behind you. You turn just as six Orcs catch
you in a flying tackle. They grin with satisfaction as they tie you
securely, kicking and bruising you in the process. You take five
hits. The last thing you see before they knock you unconscious
is their smiling, fanged, faces. Turn to 347.
338 Time: 5
You move quickly to attack the figure. Before you close the
distance between you, you see a six foot long white staff with a
deep blue jewel appear in his hands. You hear a voice say,
“Such rashness does not show worthiness. To attack an
unknown, unarmed figure without provocation is the act of a
madman or a cutthroat.” Turn to 390.
You hear a splash behind you, and turn to see the Hobbit
disappear beneath the surface of the water. You run through the
water, searching for your companion. He bobs quickly to the
surface, and you see a slimy black tentacle wrapped around his
waist. You draw your weapon and begin slashing at the
monster. You must fight the Kraken. Since you are on the
stepping stones, add 2 to your DB for this fight only. Turn to
240.
340 Time: 5
From where you and Ham stand on the edge of the landing, the
water seems to be only two to three feet deep.
• If you wade into the water, turn to 407.
• If you search for a more shallow area, turn to 475.
• If you go down the passage to the west, turn to 484.
The tunnel opens into a small cavern filled with a soft, glowing
light. Passages exit to the west and south. The room is perfectly
symmetrical; the ceiling has been carved into a dome and is
covered with beautiful harmonious patterns. The light comes
from a crystal globe suspended from the ceiling with golden
chains. Stone benches are set in a circular pattern around a stone
table. When you search the room, you find that it contains
nothing else, but Hamwich just then calls you over the stone
table. Carved into its surface is a copy of your map! You are on
the right track. Excited and happy, you continue your journey.
342 Time: 5
You have been slain by the Skeleton! Better luck next time.
Your quest is over.
You manage to beat off the attack of what seems to be a Kraken.
You scramble back onto the landing just as more tentacles reach
for you. Turn to 299.
344 Time: 35
You slip and twist your ankle. Increase your damage taken by
4. Turn to 336.
You hear a soft “Thonk!” as three bolts are fired from a trap
mechanism concealed in the wall. Make 3 attacks against
yourself using the following bonus: OB: 2.
Ham points to a tripwire which you both overlooked. He neatly
disconnects it, muttering under his breath about his stupidity.
The bolts were all aimed at about chest level on a human, so
they flew over Ham’s head. Turn to 324.
346 Time: 5
You notice that the man’s hand passes over one of the cups for
just an instant; it could be nothing at all, or did he drop
something into the cup?
• If you accept the drink, turn to 477.
347 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 10
When you awaken, you are being carried through the caverns
by a small group of smelly, gruesome, fanged Orcs. You are
soon confused by the many twisting and turning passages. The
Orcs bring you into a cavern and drag you to the bottom step of
a throne of crude stones. On it sits an Orc only slightly larger
than his companions, but nonetheless terrifying. He is dressed
in chainmail and carries a gleaming scimitar; his claws and
fangs appear long and sharp. In his crude Common Speech, he
questions you about what you are doing in Weathertop. You
explain, trying to keep the fear out of your voice, that you were
exploring the ancient ruins out of curiosity. You apologize as
politely as you can for disturbing them. The Orc leader seems
unconvinced and begins to rifle through your possessions. They
seem pleased with your money and food, but with a curse of
disgust, take your pouch of herbs and fling it away into a far
corner of the room.
“We can always use an extra slave. Take him away.” With cries
of satisfaction and laughter Orcs seize you. You recoil from
their foul breath and sharp fangs, terrified of their cruel, curved
sabres and clawed hands. Delighted by your fear, they drag you
down the passage way. Turn to 435.
348 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 5
The Crebain attack you relentlessly, scratching and pecking at
your arms and legs. Finally you drop to the ground. When you
awaken, the Crebain are gone along with the weapon you were
using and some of your meals. Pick a number and lose that
many meals. Move on.
349 Time: 25
You run like a hare over the slopes of Weathertop, leaping over
rocks and avoiding the treacherous vines. Your opponents are
tenacious in their pursuit, however, and the three of you play
quite a game of hide and seek. They seem most eager to catch
up with you and have a chat. Fortunately, you manage to elude
them every time; the terrain of Weathertop is tougher on the
larger, heavier men. Finally, after what seems like an age, you
collapse on a convenient rock. You have outdistanced your
pursuers, but for how long? Perhaps four more men are on the
slopes searching for you; or maybe they are in the caverns
below the mountain at this moment, nearing the home of the
Staff of Truth. If so, then you better find the caverns soon and
reach the Staff before they do! Move on in a random direction.
350 Time: 15
You cautiously sneak back down the tunnel, relieved at your
narrow escape. You have avoided the Orcs for the time being.
As you backtrack you realize that the Orcs looked relatively
small and weak, and poorly armed. They certainly are not the
sort of Orcs who might possess great treasures like the Staff of
Truth. Perhaps, you think to yourself, the Orcs have never set
eyes upon the Staff and are completely unaware of its existence.
With a mixture of apprehension and optimism, you realize that
there could be any number of caverns beneath Weathertop,
made by man and nature. You pause and examine the walls of
the tunnel. Its rough natural rock formation bears no
resemblance to the orderly formations upon the map. To
complete your quest you decide to seek caves that have been
made by human hands. Turn to 322.
351 Time: 10
As the passage continues, you become increasingly uneasy, for
you sense that danger is very near. Your steps become even
slower, and you constantly glance behind you, afraid that
something will creep up to you out of the darkness. Suddenly a
figure materializes out of the shadows, but you are ready for it.
Turn to 463.
352 Time: 150 Exp Pt: 6
You awake as Ham is cutting the sticky strands that enfold you.
'"Don’t ask me how I killed the thing.” says Ham, breathing
heavily and gesturing at the spider’s body. “I don’t know
myself.” Turn to 236.
353 Time: 5
You come to an intersection with passages to the north (sloping
down), to the east (sloping down), and to the west (sloping up).
You shine your torch into the tunnels, but they all look the same
— dark.
354 Time: 20
The tracks begin to seem awfully familiar to you; they are just
like Orc tracks, matching them perfectly in every detail. You
are in a dilemma: should you continue to search for the Staff, in
spite of the Orcs, or should you go to Bree and find help. You
had not anticipated the presence of Orcs.
• If you decide to go to Bree for help, turn to 503;
355 Time: 5
The figure grows dark and larger as he says, “The staff reveals
that you and your faithful companion Ham found treasure
during your adventures, and you did not split it with him. A
worthy recipient of the staff would never do such a thing.” Turn
to 390.
356 Time: 5
You hear a noise behind you; spinning about, you see an Orc
raising his sword to attack you. You are surprised and must
fight the Orc:
(ORC OB:l DB:0 EP:24)
• If you defeat the Orc, turn to 185.
• If the Orc defeats you, turn to 347.
357 Time: 5
Your pursuers run you down. You are trapped. Turn to 522.
358 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 2
The last thing you remember before you lose consciousness is
the laughter of the Haradrim. When you awake they have
vanished with the Staff, Turn to 166.
359 Time: 5
You stand in a small, circular chamber. Steel rings leading up to
the ceiling are set in the wall glinting in the torchlight. They are
still bright and strong, centuries after their construction. There
is no doubt in both your minds that you have discovered a secret
chamber of the Dúnedain of Amon Sûl. The walls of the shaft
are perfectly smooth and circular, and a single passage leads out
to the east.
• If you climb up to the ceiling, turn to 232.
360 Time: 5
You slip and realize that you will never make it in time. You
spin and draw your weapon. Turn to 471.
361 Time: 10
You find the presence of Haradrim on Weathertop disturbing,
and are certain that they are up to no good. You refuse their
invitation to sit down but instead stand watching them. You
glance uneasily at the six horses, wondering where their
companions might be. Are they inside Weathertop?
After a few minutes of tense but seemingly casual conversation,
you say farewell and turn to go. Pick a number and add your
Perception bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 291.
• If 7-12, turn to 388.
Regardless of the cold, you are eager to complete your quest
and press on into the room. It is filled with a strange, eerie mist.
Before you proceed any further, you are gripped by a cold so
chilling that you collapse to the ground. Pick a number and add
your Magical bonus: If 2-7, increase your damage taken by 6; If
8-12, increase your damage taken by 3.
You stagger to your feet, numbed by shock, and cry out. Before
you looms a haggard figure clad in tattered finery and filthy
jewels, a Wight! He reaches an icy clawed hand toward you, but
you manage to step back. He seems to have a sword and shield,
but you realize that they are an illusion.
“Halt!” he hisses at you in a terrible voice. “No one passes
without my leave, for I am the guardian of the way.”
Considering the cold he commands, you are not inclined to
argue. “What do you wish of me?” you ask, trying to sound
brave and fearless.
The creature’s lips twist into a horrible smile. “A game, yes, a

game! We will play a little game!” Each word releases puffs of
cold air that force you back. “What sort of game?” you ask,
failing to keep the fear out of your voice.
“Riddles” he says icily. “If you lose... I will devour you! If you
win, I will let you pass.”
• If you play the riddle game, turn to 274.
• If you try to run away from the Wight, turn to 155.
• If you try and run past the Wight, turn to 416.
You climb up the pile of rocks searching for an entrance to the
caves. Pick a number and add your Perception Bonus:
• If 2-8, turn to 239.
• If 9 or more, turn to 160.
As you back along the edge and the Haradrim advance, a
horrible thought comes to mind: what if the Kraken grabs you
too? Even as you begin to edge away from the water in response
to this thought, a mass of tentacles erupt from the water and
grab you and the two Haradrim. Hindered by their heavy armor,
the Haradrim are quickly pulled in and under the water. But you
have a chance to pull free before being drowned. Pick a
• If 2-6, turn to 268.
• If 7-12, you pull away, turn to 148.
365 Time: 10
You turn down the unknown passage, relieved that the dangers
will be illuminated clearly. At least nothing can creep up out of
the darkness, and any other chasms you find will be lighted, so
you need not fall into them unaware.You soon have cause to
thank the lady. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 206.
• If 8-12, turn to 484.
366 Time: 15 Exp Pt: 10
When you answer, “A mountain” the Wight gives a cry of
despair. At this point, Ham steps forward and asks:
“A box without hinges, key, or lid,
Yet golden treasure inside is hid” †
The Wight, puzzled by his riddle, considers it for quite some
time. Finally, Ham becomes impatient and yells, “Answer now,
or let us by!” The Wight glows bright for a moment and then
vanishes with a shriek. The mist clears and the room becomes
warmer.
Ham says with smug satisfaction, “The answer was Eggs. I read
that one in a book written by my fifth cousin, the famous Bilbo
Baggins. It was titled, ‘There and Back Again’. I guess the
Wight isn’t familiar with classics of literature.” Turn to 162.
You make it to the top of the shaft with no trouble. Move on.
You are fascinated by the room. With a thrill, you realize that
you are probably standing in one of the oldest mannish
structures upon Middle-earth. You study the walls, admiring
the way the heavy stone blocks fit together without mortar.
Amazingly, the walls show little sign of decay, and except for
the dust are in perfect condition. You wonder if it is magic or
skill that has preserved the walls.
• If the amount of time that has passed since you began this
adventure is more than 4 days, turn to 502.
369 Time: 150 Exp Pt: 5
Hamwich is bending over you. “Shh!” he whispers. “I dragged
you from the lair while it was chuckling over your belongings.
We can’t get back to the surface without going past it again. I
think we better go that way.” He points to a dark tunnel. “Come
on. Watch out for the chasm.” You get to your feet slowly and
follow your companion. You have lost all of your equipment
except for what Hamwich has saved for you: your map, 2 meals,
and a dagger. Pick a number and decrease your hits taken by
that amount. Turn to 182.
You begin to examine the walls of the chamber, searching for a
secret compartment. Your efforts are rewarded; a section of the
wall swings outward revealing a small cubbyhole. In it are the
remains of some ancient and rotting robes, some thickly
encrusted black ornaments, and some gold jewelry. You find a
small gold circlet, some gold bracelets, and a short golden rod
set with a round green gem, worth about two hundred gold
pieces. All of the pieces are elaborately worked. You examine
your discoveries thoroughly, but cannot detect any hint of
magic about them.
• If you pocket all of your discoveries, turn to 514.
• If you split them with Ham, turn to 406.
371 Time: 10
You step into the shallow pool, touching the tiles with your
hand. You are soon thoroughly soaked but satisfied that none of
the tiles conceal a secret compartment. Turn to 401.
372 Time: 10
You and Ham leave the Holy place, confidently and proudly
holding the Staff in your hand, secure in the knowledge that it
will guide you safely out of the caverns. You walk to the edge
of the water with no fear from whatever creatures may dwell
beneath the surface.
Your idyllic reverie is shattered by the sound of black tentacles
whipping out of the water towards you. You must fight the
Kraken of the deeps.
(KRAKEN OB:4 DB:1 EP:23)
• If you defeat the Kraken, turn to 434.
• If the Kraken defeats you, turn to 334.
373 Time: 20
When you are almost at the top of the shaft, you lose your
footing and start to fall. Pick a number and add your general
bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 491.
• If 4-8, turn to 510.
• If 9-12, turn to 229.
374 Time: 25
You stretch a few times to remove the stiffness from your
limbs, and then you are underway. The Hobbit leads you
through the dark and smelly tunnels, pausing frequently to
listen for the sounds of Orcs. Luck seems to be with you; the
Orcs appear to be sleeping particularly soundly after this
night’s earlier adventures. After a time the Hobbit’s steps
become slower and even more careful. You are approaching the
exit. Together you creep down the narrow passage, fully
expecting to meet Orc guards. The Orcs are too careless even
for that, and a few minutes later you are standing in the bright
mid-morning sunlight on the slopes of Weathertop (space 10B).
You have confirmed the rumours of caverns beneath
Weathertop, but are no closer to finding the Staff of Truth.
You pull out your tattered map and study it. It shows no sign of
an entrance to the caverns.
• If you decide to return to Bree for help, turn to 503.
• If you decide to return to the Orc caverns, turn to 175.
• If you decide to search for another entrance, turn to 120.
375 Time: 10
The leather crumbles and cracks at your touch and some ancient
golden jewelry falls to the floor. You quickly retrieve it; there is
a golden necklace and three bracelets, all intricately worked.
• If you pocket all of your discoveries, turn to 514.
• If you split them with Ham, turn to 406.
376 Time: 5
You are at an intersection where a ledge runs north and south
along the edge of an underground river. In addition, a passage
slopes up to the east.
377 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 10
The bear is larger and fiercer than you anticipated, and your
puny attacks serve only to irritate him. He charges you, with
surprising speed, pinning you to the ground. The last thing you
remember is the bear’s foul breath and hungry eyes. Your quest
is over.
378 Time: 10
It is impossible to see much in the torchlight. You move along
carefully, until you find yourself on a small landing. Pick a
• If 2-6, turn to 382.
• If 7-12, turn to 299.
You refuse the cup of wine that the men offer you, explaining
that wine makes you sleepy. They seem to accept your
explanation at face value and do not press you to drink. The
men seem very courteous, and you feel slightly guilty for
suspecting them of treachery. Still, Weathertop is a long way
from the mens’ homes in Harad, and relations between Gondor
and that country have not been exactly friendly during recent
centuries. So you try to maintain your guard and watch them
closely.
One of the men seems particularly interested in the history of
Gondor. Speaking in a heavily-accented Westron, he engages
your attention with several interesting and well-informed
questions about the recent war, queries which seem harmless
enough. He is voluble in his criticism of his King, who sided
with Sauron against Gondor, and you find him very
sympathetic. He notices your glance at the horses.
“Our friends are off exploring” he says. “They will be back
soon.” Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-5 turn to 539.
• If 6-12, turn to 131.
380 Time: 30
The pile of boulders is large, and it could take you several hours
to explore it thoroughly. Carefully you begin to climb,
searching for a clue. The gnats and mosquitoes are relentless,
and you are hot, scratched, and irritable by the time you make it
to the top of the pile. Frustrated you keep searching, beginning
a careful descent.
Luck is with you; you notice a dark shadow behind some vines
where there should be rocks. Eagerly, you tear away the vines,
and uncover a small cave mouth. If you enter the cave, turn to
381 Time: 5
You come to an intersection with passageways running north,
south, and east. Pick a number and add your Trickery bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 210.
• Otherwise:
382 Time: 5
You lose your footing on the wet surface of the landing and slip
into the water. Before you can climb out, you feel something
slimy and strong close around your leg, pulling you under. You
scream for help and draw your weapon. You must fight the
tentacle that is attacking you; you may not attempt to run away:
(TENTACLE OB:2 DB:0 EP:10)
• If you defeat the tentacle, turn to 343.
• If the tentacle defeats you, turn to 158.
• If you have not defeated the tentacle after you have made 3
attacks, turn to 158.
383 Time: 5
You decide to explore the dark passageway, curious about what
it might hold. The passage is straight and smooth, and the
rushing noise becomes gradually louder. You find the sound
puzzling and are unable to identify it. Turn to 213.
384 Time: 10
You freeze as the “wolf” ambles up to you. Suddenly, you
realize that the creature is actually a large dog that means you
no harm. Move on.
As you draw your weapon to attack, the woman says, “You are
very young and very rash for someone who has undertaken such
a grand and ambitious quest.” As she tosses you a glowing gem
she remarks, “However, you have done well so far. Take this.
Perhaps with it you can find the way to true enlightenment and
peace of mind.” Then she dives into the pool and is gone. Turn
to 253.
386 Time: 5
The Wight seems to vanish into the mist. Then you feel its icy
hands on your back and hear its gloating voice. You fall into
unconsciousness, a victim of the Wight’s icy grasp. Your quest
is over.
387 Time: 10
The passage leads into a large, empty cavern, seemingly unused
by the Orcs; passages leave to the east and west.
388 Time: 10
You hear a faint rustling behind you and whirl to see the men
charging. They seem determined to capture you or kill you. You
are prepared for them; add +1 to your Melee OB for this fight
only. Turn to 542.
389 Time: 15
The Hobbit flounders and falls several times, during the
crossing, and you are obliged to retrieve him. Finally you set
him on your shoulders and carry him across; it saves you both a
lot of trouble. Turn to 226.
The figure raises the staff above his head and says, “You are
unworthy. Leave and never return. Tell the King to send a
worthy carrier for the Staff.” You see a blinding flash of light,
and you appear outside on the top of Weathertop. Ham is
standing beside you with a dazed look on his face. All the
money and equipment you gained inside are gone. Your quest
is over.
391 Time: 5
Suddenly Ham jumps up and shouts, “No, no, you’re wrong!
The answer is ‘a mountain’!”
• If you agree with Ham and give his answer to the Wight, turn
to 366.
• If you insist upon giving your answer, turn to 218.
You explore the summit of Weathertop, spending a long time
among the ruins of the ancient tower. You can still see the
original layout of the tower from the ruins that remain. Still,
even with the help of your map, you are none the wiser. Your
search is unsuccessful, though you note that the piles of broken
stone may cover an entrance to the ancient cellars. Move on.
Two tentacles erupt out of the water and grab one of the
Haradrim, dragging him and his heavy armor under very
quickly. However, his companion moves away from the edge of
the landing as he advances towards you. He seems to be very
angry. You must fight the remaining Haradrim. Turn to 436.
You search the entire stone structure that is detailed on your
map. You find nothing; it appears that the Haradrim have
already cleaned the place out, taking everything. Your quest is
over.
395 Time: 5
One of the tiles beneath your feet sinks slightly, and you hear a
rumbling noise. Heavy iron gates begin to sink across the four
doorways. Frantically, you dive towards one of the doorways in
a desperate attempt to escape. Pick a number and add your
General bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 138.
• If 7-12, turn to 430.
396 Time: 5
The cavern may have once been a storage chamber; rotting,
stinking barrels remain partially intact. A glance within them
reveals ancient food, desiccated and shriveled beyond
recognition. Turn to 414.
397 Time: 5
Ham looks hurt, but he says nothing. Turn to 169.
Ignoring any misgivings, you quickly pop a berry into your
mouth. After a few moments, you notice that your reflexes
seem quicker. Add + 2 to your General bonus for the next day.
You are pleased with your discovery and may, if you wish, pick
some additional berries (up to 4). Move on.
399 Time: 10
As you ponder the riddle, the Wight seems to grow more and
more excited.
• If your answer was “a mountain", turn to 366.
400 Time: 5
You continue to plunge your walking stick into the inky black
water but meet with no success. On your sixth or seventh
attempt, a black tentacle lashes out from below the surface and
wraps itself around your ankle. It quickly jerks you off your feet
and pulls you into the shallow water at the edge of the landing.
Ham slashes at the rubbery hide, but to little effect. You must
fight the Kraken. Since you are at the edge of the landing, add 3
to your DB for this fight only. Turn to 240.
401 Time: 25
You explore the room thoroughly, studying the carvings on the
wall, deciding that they are decorative rather than informative.
You turn your attention to the pool in the center of the room.
The water is clear and bright, and completely free of any dust or
dirt. The bottom of the pool is lined with beautifully carved tiles
of white marble.
• If you drink some water from the pool, turn to 170.
• If you enter the pool to examine the tiles, turn to 371.
402 Time: 10
You recall that the healers of Minas Tirith steep withered purple
berries in boiling water and administer the drink to people with
high fevers. This could possibly be the same berry, enchanted in
some way to grow deep beneath the earth. You may pick up to 6
berries.
403 Time: 5
You lose your grip on the rope. You plummet down and are
killed. Your quest is over.
404 Time: 5
Cautiously you back down the corridor. Pick a number and add
your Trickery bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 210.
• If 6-12, turn to 350.
405 Time: 10
Tying the rope around your waist, you begin the long climb.
Pick a number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 373.
• If 6-12, turn to 367.
406 Time: 5
Ham thanks you profusely, and stuffs his share into his pockets.
Move on.
407 Time: 10
You wade into the water, followed by Ham. The water comes to
your waist and to the Hobbit’s neck. You are not far from the
bank when you feel a slimy tentacle close around your ankle. A
Kraken has a hold on you! You must fight the Kraken and you
may not “run away" due to the deep water. Turn to 240.
Full of hope and optimism, you advance to the pool. A long
white staff tipped with a pale blue gem lies at the bottom.
Reverently you reach forward into the water and gently lift the
staff out. It tingles softly in your hand.
• If you examine the staff, turn to 456.
279.
• If you start to leave the caverns back the way you came, turn
to 372.
409 Time: 5
“It must be an underground stream.” you say. “The chasm
seems to go on forever.” Shining your light across the chasm,
you note that though deep, it is not particularly wide. Even the
Hobbit could easily jump across. You see a passage leading east
from the cavern, and you are just about to discuss the crossing
with the Hobbit, when you are startled by a loud fierce roar.
A large black shape comes rushing towards you. The Hobbit
shrieks and drops his torch, searching for a hiding place. To
your horror you realize that the creature is a Troll, who seems
intent on having you and the Hobbit for supper. You are
surprised.
• If you fight the Troll, turn to 242.
• If you try to trick the Troll into falling into the chasm, pick a
• If 2-4, turn to 550.
• If 5-8, turn to 121.
• If 9-12, turn to 250.
Excited, you move closer; the rocks and vines are obscuring
what looks like a small cave. Suddenly, you freeze, and a chill
feeling seems to overcome your entire body. In your mind, you
hear the tales of the Rangers of Ithilien, describing such caves.
You have found the entrance to the caverns below Weathertop,
but you come to the horrible realization that they are probably
inhabited by Orcs!
• If you decide to go to Bree for help, turn to 503;
• If you enter the cave, turn to 126.
The Hobbit is fascinated by the carvings on the floor. You join
your companion in trying to decipher the unusual spiral
carvings. When you kneel over a particularly beautiful piece of
work, you hear a soft click. The stone floor slides from under
your feet, and you fall through space into the darkness. Pick a
• If 2-5, turn to 149.
• If 6-12, turn to 473.
412 Time: 20
As you walk along, you notice that some of the vines have been
trampled recently, in much the same way that you are doing in
your search. On a patch of dry ground you find a clear footprint
made by a soft-soled boot. You wonder who left the footprint
and if he has come to explore Weathertop, like you. Move on.
413 Time: 15
The tunnel goes on for some distance, sloping steadily
downward. Turn to 146.
414 Time: 15
In the dim torchlight, you can see that you are in a large cavern.
The floor is covered by heaps of crumbling stone blocks; you
carefully make your way among them. A dim pool of shadows
in the western end hints at some sort of a passage or tunnel. You
advance cautiously, uncertain what may lie here. The tunnel is
dark and musty. At the eastern end of the cavern, you see a
staircase leading down.
• If you decide to explore the cavern, turn to 396.
• If you go westward down the tunnel, turn to 553.
You pick yourself up off the floor, rubbing your new bruises.
After you retrieve your torch, you take a brief tour of the
cavern; it is large and irregularly shaped, and obviously of
natural origins. You shine your torch around and are startled to
see a tiny figure huddled against one of the walls of the cavern.
After a moment of surprise, you realize that it is a shivering,
terrified Hobbit. You approach him cautiously, lest he run
away. He seems to relax as he sees you.
“Thank heavens you are not an Orc!” the Hobbit gasps. He is

dirty, pale and very thin. “Have you got anything to eat or
drink?” You wordlessly pull out some food and water and hand
it to the Hobbit, who devours it gratefully. He perks up
remarkably — Hobbits are very resilient, you have heard —
and tells his story.
“My name is Hamwich Tunnely. I hale from Breeland” he
begins, breathless. “I’d been hearing all these stories about the
war and the adventures everyone had, and it came over me to do
something exciting like those other Hobbits. One of them even
wrote a book about his adventures! Anyway, I thought I’d start
out slow, because I didn’t rightly know where to have
adventures. So I went to the Captain of the Guard in Bree, and
he suggested Weathertop. He said that it wouldn’t be much of
an adventure, but it would get me the feel of the road and of
travelling. When I got here, I poked around for a bit. That’s
when I found the cave. Only I didn’t know it was full of Orcs.
Well not f-f-f-full really.” he stammers. “Only about fifteen of
the black-blooded beasts. Enough to make trouble at any rate. I
went blundering in and naturally they caught me. The Orcs
were going to use me as a slave, but I escaped. I’ve always been
a bit of a burglar. I spent days skulking in the caves, too scared
to use the main entrance. Finally I found a cavern that the Orcs
had blocked off. 1 broke through the wall, and I’ve been
wandering through the caves since. Seems like weeks! Except
for taking the stairs that go down, this cave is the furthest I
could get from the Orcs.”
You are astonished and fascinated by his tale, and full of
admiration for his plucky spirit. When you express concern
about the Orcs, he reassures you. “Don’t worry. I haven’t seen
an Orc in two days. They don’t like this part of the caves; it
frightens them.” You pull out your map and show it to the
Hobbit.
“No, the caves I saw don’t look like this at all; neither do the
Orc caverns. The Orcs live in natural caves, very ugly and
filthy; these on your map must have been carved by great men.
These manmade caves run through the whole place. We could
try the stairs that go down.”
“We must be in the ancient Dúnedain cellars of Amon Sûl!”
you exclaim. “Yes.” the Hobbit agrees. “I believe so. Why are
you so excited?” You briefly tell him of your quest for the Staff
of Truth.
“About this Staff of yours, you’ll need a burglar won’t you?”
Amused and pleased by his company, you agree with the
Hobbit. You wisely decide to sketch the caverns as you explore
them. Turn to 269.
416 Time: 5
You leap forward towards the passage heading east and try to
run past the Wight. Pick a number and add your Running
bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 481.
• If 7-10, turn to 494.
• If 11-12, turn to 285.
417 Time: 15
The passage continues downward. You sense in your mind and
body that you are getting closer to the Staff of Truth; a warmth
and a calm invades your every thought. You walk slowly, afraid
of what ancient pitfalls might lurk in the dark passage. The
torchlight is dim, enabling you to see only a few feet ahead of
you. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 276.
• If 8-12, turn to 351.
418 Time: 15
You slip, but manage to recover and climb to the top of the
shaft. You are exhausted but relieved. Increase your damage
taken by 3. Move on.
419 Time: 10
You splash back across the water, hoping that the Kraken will
not attack you. Pick a number:
• If 2-4, turn to 407.
• If 5-12, turn to 340.
Your search of the rabbit warren reveals about a half-dozen
cleverly concealed snares, some of them containing rabbits. (If
you feel sorry for the rabbits, you may remove the snares.)
When you stop to examine one of the snares, you notice that the
long grass has been trampled; you are not the only person to
have come here recently. Whoever it was has not bothered to
conceal their tracks; even with no tracking skills, you could
easily follow their trail southeast (4A). Move on.
421 Time: 10
The cavern is filled with some meager dried foodstuffs that look
as though they could be the remaining winter supplies of the
Orcs. Passages leave to the east and west.
422 Time: 5
You turn to face another group of Orcs approaching you and
find that you are surrounded by the grinning faces of Orcs who
seem to outnumber you ten to one. You feel a sharp blow on the
back of your head. Turn to 100.
423 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 25
You and your companion have made short work of your foes,
who lie bound and unconscious before you. You may slay them
or leave them. You find 2 suits of chainmail, 2 swords, 2
daggers, 5 meals, and 3 silver pieces. Turn to 408.
424 Time: 60
Together, you force open the ancient and rotting doors of the
four chambers. You find disintegrating barrels of desiccated
foodstuffs along with moldering and rotting cloth. You half-
expect to find a few skeletons, but are relieved to encounter
none. You can see no traces of a battle in these lower chambers.
It appears that the cellars of Amon Sûl escaped the notice of the
armies of the Witch-king. You feel a little more hopeful about
finding the Staff of Truth. Turn to 256.
425 Time: 15
After searching for quite a while, you are unable to find any
shallower water. Turn to 340.
426 Time: 15
You lose your footing on the slippery sides of the well, and
begin to slip. Pick a number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 457.
• If 4-9, turn to 306.
• If 10-12, turn to 515.
427 Time: 20
You search the ruins diligently, but can find nothing to help you
with your quest. Move on.
428 Time: 5
You accidently step on a branch; the loud crack reverberates
through the trees. Both men jump to their feet and look in your
direction.
• If you talk to the men, turn to 534.
• If you flee, turn to 177.
When the water touches your lips, you immediately fall into a
pleasant sleep and have the most wonderful dreams. You
awaken an hour later to find a concerned Hobbit staring at you.
Refreshed by the nap, you continue the quest. Decrease your
damage taken by 8. Move on.
430 Time: 5
You both manage to duck under the gate in the nick of time; all
four gates fall into place with an ominous clang. You wonder if
the room contains some great treasure since it is so well
protected. You realize that there must be some way to raise the
gates; you need only find it. You are in the space from which
you entered 35B. All entries to 35B are blocked until you find a
way to raise the gates. Move on.
You notice that one of the tiles of the floor seems to protrude
slightly. You bend down and with the help of the Hobbit, pry it
from the floor. A section of the stone floor beneath it is raised
slightly. “It looks like some sort of a trap.” you say and the
Hobbit nods in agreement. Stepping gingerly you discover three
more protruding tiles. The Hobbit points up at the top of the
doorway, and you see a dark crevice running its length. When
you stand on tiptoes, you can just make out the bottom edge of
an iron gate.
• If you search for the trap controls, turn to 521.
432 Time: 120 Exp Pt: 5
Hamwich is bending over you. “I managed to trick the Troll
into that chasm over there.” he says. “I’m glad you’re all right.
Let’s go find the thing’s lair. I saw a little tunnel in the corner of
the cavern.” You slowly follow your buoyant companion to the
chamber; you have trouble keeping up with the little fellow.
Pick a number and decrease your damage taken by that
amount. Turn to 532.
433 Time: 10
You walk along sneezing and coughing in the clouds of dust
that your movements have stirred. In your eagerness to finish
your quest you become careless; one of the tiles of the floor
slides away and you fall into a dark and narrow pit. Pick a
• If 2-4, turn to 491.
• If 5-8, turn to 439.
• If 9-12, turn to 448.
434 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 30
You fight for your life against the sweeping tentacles of the
Kraken. Suddenly the monster retreats and, seizing the Staff,
pulls it below the surface of the water, disappearing from sight.
Turn to 512.
435 Time: 250 Exp Pt: 5
The Orcs carry you bound and gagged through several
passageways till you lose all sense of direction. Finally they
drag you to a tiny, ghastly, foul smelling alcove, where they
chain you to the wall. Laughing, they return to their feasting
and leave you to your fate.
You pass several lonely, terrifying hours alone in the darkness,
recalling every horrible story that you ever heard about Orcs,
hoping that the tales were grossly exaggerated. Exhausted and
bruised, you finally fall into a fitful, restless sleep, haunted by
nightmares. Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 261.
• If 6-12, turn to 513.
436 Time: 5
Grinning and taunting you, the first Haradrim attacks swinging
his sword in vicious arcs. Fight the Haradrim one at a time.
Every other time that you attack, you may also make an attack
for Ham’s sling (OB: 2).
(Each of 2 HARADRIM OB:l DB:2 EP:26)
• If you defeat them, turn to 516.
• If they defeat you, turn to 511.
437 Time: 5
The water of the pool tastes clean and pleasant, but you feel
nothing unusual from your drink. Disappointed and relieved at
the same time, you continue your quest. Turn to 184.
438 Time: 15
You slowly begin walking down the southern branch of the
corridor in the darkness. You pause every few yards to listen for
the sounds of moving Orcs, eyeing the deep shadows with fear
and suspicion. Turn to 381.
You land hard at the bottom of the shaft, but are not seriously
injured. Pick a number and increase your damage taken by
twice that amount. Turn to 103.
440 Time: 5
You are fascinated by the strange trees that have been growing
undisturbed for thousands of years. The leaves are a silvery
grey and the bark a deep brown. Small white berries grow in
bunches of three from the branches, and the air is filled with a
faint, sweet scent. You are sorely tempted to pick some of the
fruit.
• If you pick some fruit, turn to 464.
441 Time: 20
The tunnel is rougher than the stairs and has apparently not
been used for thousands of years. You walk slowly, fearing
traps and pitfalls. The light from your torches is pitifully dim,
and you walk close together, seeking safety in numbers.
Gradually you notice an unusual rushing noise; it becomes
steadily louder as you proceed down the tunnel. Turn to 174.
442 Time: 10
As you stop to talk to Ham, you notice that the floor looks
strangely uneven. Rotting wooden boards cover a deep pit. You
hear the rushing sound that you had been too distracted to
notice; the pit opens up into an underground river or stream.
Perhaps the pit was once an ancient well; you don’t know.
Sobered by your experience, you vow to be more careful in the
future. The passage runs north and south.
443 Time: 5
You are standing on the landing in front of the stone structure.
Across the water to the west is another landing with a tunnel
exiting from it.
• If you wade west towards the other landing, turn to 419.
• Otherwise, turn to 30A.
Victory is yours; the Skeleton lies in pieces before you. The
Skeleton had a shield and a mace, which you may take. Turn to
528.
445 Time: 10
You are standing waist deep in a stream of icy, rapidly moving
water. The swift current almost knocks you off your feet. The
stream flows through an ancient tunnel. You have only enough
rope to go a few feet downstream; it is impossible to wade
through the upstream current. After a few minutes, you are
numb with cold and shivering. Increase your damage taken by
5.
• If you wade downstream, pick a number and add your
general bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 208.
• If 6-12, turn to 186.
• If you climb back up the well, turn to 335.
446 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 27
You have defeated the Orcs, but can hear the shouts of their
companions. If you remain any time at all, you will have to fight
another group of foul guards.
(Each of 5 ORCS OB:l DB:0 EP:25)
• If you leave immediately, turn to 147.
• Otherwise, you must fight,
• If the Orcs defeat you turn to 347.
447 Time: 15
Tense and confused, you carelessly trip on a tree root and fall
with a loud “Oof!” Then you hear the startled voices of the men
and their approaching footsteps.
• If you flee, turn to 177.
• If you wait and talk, turn to 289.
You manage to flip in the air and absorb some of the impact
with your legs and then rolling to the ground. Pick a number
and increase your damage taken by that amount. Turn to 103.
“I seek the Staff of Truth. I was sent to get it and bring it to my
King.” you answer. The figure turns and slowly waddles into
the barrow. You see the image of the staff appear on the wall.
The figure returns a few minutes later holding the Staff of white
wood; the blue gem at its tip glows softly. The figure holds the
staff tip-first towards you.
• If you did not split treasure with Ham when given the choice,
turn to 355.
• If you killed any opponents that you had taken prisoner, turn
to 245.
450 Time: 5
You fall before the spider’s fierce onslaught, providing him a
tasty meal. Better luck next time, adventurer! Your quest is
over.
451 Time: 5
The Hobbit quickly picks the lock on your chains. You are free!
You can try to slip out the entrance to the cavern, or you can
stay in the caverns and continue your search for the Staff of
Truth with the help of the Hobbit, who may not be very brave,
but seems to be a very good burglar. The only equipment that
you have is what the Hobbit brought you: your dagger, the map,
your herbs, and 5 unsavory meals.
• If you decide to stay in the caverns, turn to 246.
• If you decide to leave the caverns, turn to 374.
You and the Hobbit squeeze through the door; it is a very tight
fit. The air in the room is stale and musty; the cobwebbed
opening seems to have been left unused for the last millenium.
In the dim light of the torch, you can see some broken furniture,
a table, a couple of chairs, and the remains of an ancient bed. In
one corner of the room, you can also see a chest. Broken china
and rotting books from ruined shelves cover the floor. The
Hobbit goes to the corner and examines the chest.
“We could open it easily enough if you want.” Together, you
check for traps and then pry the lid off the chest. Your initial
search is disappointing; the chest contains some ancient and
rotting clothing and blankets. At the very bottom you find a
small leather packet. The leather cracks when you undo the
bindings. In it is a small, slim book, in surprisingly good
condition. The title is “The Complete and Annotated Riddles of
the Western Lands.” The Hobbit is delighted by the discovery,
and is soon leafing through the book. A further search of the
chest brings up a small pouch of fifty gold coins and a beautiful
pendant shaped in the Elven characters for “speech”.
• If you “know" the "item analysis" spell and cast it, turn to
328.
453 Time: 10
Holding the gem aloft, you cautiously begin stepping from one
stone to another, with the Hobbit close behind you. Pick a
number:
• If 2-4, turn to 339.
• If 5-12, turn to 389.
454 Time: 15
The ancient and grimy marble tiles are set solidly into the base
of the fountain, and you find nothing unusual in your search of
the room. Move on.
455 Time: 15
You cautiously make your way through the cavern uneasy
about the rushing sound. It becomes gradually louder as you
reach the center of the cave, where a deep and dark pit yawns.
The rushing sound is probably the noise of an underground
river or stream at the bottom of the pit. Curious, you shine your
light into the pit, but see only blackness. Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 266.
• If 6-12, turn to 128.
456 Time: 10
You examine the Staff, admiring the smooth wood and pale
blue gem that glows softly. Enchanted, you stare into the jewel,
trying to divine the item’s powers. Experimentally you hold the
staff at arm’s length, noting that it is about five and a half feet
tall. It continues to tingle pleasantly in your hand. You begin
pointing it in random directions, hoping it will direct you to the
safest exit. You ruefully wish that Eldamar had thought to
include some instructions on using the Staff of Truth. You try to
recall every detail of your conversation with Eldamar about the
Staff. Pick a number and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-8, turn to 498.
• If 9-12, turn to 281.
457 Time: 5
You find it impossible to maintain your hold on the slippery
sides of the well. As you fall, you realize with horror that the
rope has broken off of the rocky outcropping. You plummet to
the bottom of the well and are killed. Your quest is over.
458 Time: 5
As you pass out, you feel the Skeleton’s claws close about your
throat, choking you. You lose consciousness. Pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 342.
• If 6-12, turn to 130.
459 Time: 30
“If I were you” he says, “I would try my luck in these places.”
The Dwarf points to several areas on the map (5C, 7C, 12E, 6E,
and 11F). “Of course, I’ve never explored Weathertop, so I can
only guess.” Turn to 317.
460 Time: 5
You barely manage to retain your footing in the icy water. Turn
to 186.
461 Time: 5
As you start towards the Hobbit, he screams and runs away.
You realize that he was not threatening you, but that his scream
may have warned the Orcs. Pick a number:
• If 2-8, turn to 318.
• If 9-12, turn to 154.
462 Time: 15
Lazily, you notice that several birds are circling lower and
lower, perhaps in search of food. You pay them no attention,
until you feel something sharp jab you. Four Crebain sweep
towards you, jabbing with their beaks and scratching you with
their talons as they caw rauciously. Take an action.
(CREBAIN (all 4) OB:-3 DB:1 EP:5)
463 Time: 5
Your attacker is a large Skeleton armed with a mace and shield.
He does not look fast, but his eerie presence and lack of human
features is disconcerting. You must fight the skeleton.
(SKELETON OB:l DB:1 EP:21)
• If you defeat the Skeleton, turn to 444.
• If the Skeleton defeats you, turn to 458.
464 Time: 10
You carefully break off a small branch of the tree, holding your
breath in anticipation. Nothing happens. Gingerly you stare at
the branch in your hand. The berries and leaves have a faint
woodsy odor that somehow reminds you of spring and fall at
the same time. You wonder if it would be safe to taste one of the
berries or if it would be wiser to wait and have one of the
healers in Minas Tirith identify the plant.
• If you eat one of the berries, pick a number and add your
Magical bonus:
• If 2-7, turn to 506.
• If 8-12, turn to 251.
465 Time: 15
Through a gap in the trees, you see a group of Dwarves with
horse-drawn wagons setting up camp. If you want to go and talk
to the Dwarves, you must move down the hill (to space 1A).
Move on.
466 Time: 150
“We know about your quest, and since you’re so anxious to find
the entrance to the caves, we’ve decided to help you along. You
should enjoy the company of the Orcs.” The men cut the ropes
tying your legs and force you on a long walk along the northern
and eastern slopes of Weathertop. They stop near a cave mouth
and bind your legs securely.
“When they come out to hunt, our friends will get a nice
surprise.” You feel a blow from behind as you lose
consciousness. Turn to 347.
467 Time: 20
After sometime, your probing meets with success; you come
across some water that is no more than knee deep. Eagerly, you
motion Ham to the ledge. He scratches his head and looks
dubious. “Are you sure there isn’t a better way.” he asks. “I
don’t fancy getting wet to the waist.”
• If you search further, turn to 340.
• If you begin to wade across, turn to 520.
468 Time: 5
Slowly and carefully, you reach out and break off a small
branch of the tree. You both wince involuntarily at the loud
crack. The branch has a sharp, clean, spicy scent that you find
invigorating. You can not recall ever having seen such a tree
before.
• If you eat one of the berries, turn to 398.
• If you examine the branch further, pick a number and add
your General bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 173.
• If 6-12 turn to 470.
469 Time: 5
You break a branch of the tree, relishing the faint woodsy odor.
The berries are pure white and shiny, and look very appetizing.
• If you eat a berry, pick a number:
• If 2-5, turn to 506.
• If 6-12, turn to 251.
470 Time: 10
You remember old stories of a tree with fruit similar to this;
legend has it that the berries improve reflexes. The tree was
called Alvaren in the ancient stories, and its existence thought
only to be a rumor. The only way to confirm or dispel the rumor
is to eat a berry.
471 Time: 10
A dozen Orcs brandishing scimitars, maces, and clubs approach
you, grinning and slobbering with glee.
• If you surrender, turn to 234.
472 Time: 120
You almost lose your footing several times on the loose rocks
and gravel; the flimsy vines provide dangerous handholds.
Although you do your best to take care, you step upon a rock
that gives way. You slide down the cliff and hit your head,
losing consciousness.
When you awaken, you have a terrible headache and are
covered with bruises. Increase your damage taken by 4. You
get to your feet slowly, testing for broken bones, and are more
than a little surprised at still being in one piece. The dust from
the landslide has cleared, and you have no idea how long you
have been unconscious. You are stiff and sore and have some
difficulty moving. If you search here again, return to 142 and
subtract 2 from the number picked. Otherwise, move on.
You let out an involuntary scream as the floor slides from under
your feet. Through some miracle, you manage to catch hold of
the edge with your fingertips. You feel yourself slipping, and
your companion is too weak and small to keep you from falling.
The Hobbit quickly throws a rope under your shoulders and
loops it around a nearby stone block. He is just in time, for you
lose your grip just as he is finished. He rushes forward to help
pull you up with the rope, and slowly and laboriously you
manage to make your way to the solid floor. There you lie
panting with exhaustion. Turn to 263.
474 Time: 15
You wander through the area, trampling on weeds and slapping
at stinging insects. You hear a rustling in the brush and whirl in
time to see a large black bear break cover. The bear looks at
you, and rearing up on his haunches, growls hungrily. Take an
action.
(BEAR OB:2 DB:0 EP:15)

• If you defeat the bear, turn to 125.
• If the bear defeats you, turn to 377.
475 Time: 10
You find a short stick on the landing and move cautiously to the
water’s edge. Slowly and experimentally, you lower the stick
into the water, probing for the bottom. You feel nothing. Very
carefully, you continue along the water’s edge, stopping to
probe its depth every few feet. Pick a number and add your
Perception bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 400.
• If 6-7, turn to 425.
• If 8-9, turn to 467.
• If 10-12, turn to 212.
476 Time: 10
You enter a cavern with a huge pit in the middle and passages
exiting to the east and the west. The east passage slopes down
slightly.
477 Time: 10
You accept the drink gladly. Soon the three of you are relaxing
and chatting like old friends. After a few minutes, however, the
faces of the two men blur. You begin to feel very sleepy indeed.
Although you try to stay awake, your eyes keep closing, and
you slump forward, out cold. Turn to 204.
478 Time: 10
The corridor runs north and south, curving slightly. A large
cavern opens to the west. Pick a number and add your Trickery
bonus:
• If 2-4, turn to 210.
• Otherwise:
• If you enter the cavern, turn to 421.
479 Time: 5
The water is cool and refreshing, but it does not seem to be
unusual. Turn to 300.
480 Time: 5
The ledge is about 8 feet wide and seems to be on the east edge
of the river. Thus, the ledge runs north and south. Due to
distance and the darkness, you cannot see the other side of the
river. For all you know, it could be a mile wide!
481 Time: 5
You run into the room, waving your weapon, hoping to hit the
creature by accident. Turn to 386.
482 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 30
You have permanently ruined the Troll’s lunch plans. It takes
you a few minutes to recover from the shock and fear.
Hamwich, as buoyant as ever, joins you. He is already shining
his torch around and exploring. You follow him, still slightly
dazed. He points to a tunnel in a dark corner of the cavern.
“That must be the lair.” he says. “Let’s go.” Turn to 532.
483 Time: 5
Losing your nerve when confronted by the Orc, you decide to
surrender. You drop your weapons and throw your hands up
into the air, saying, “I surrender.” in a nervous, squeaky voice.
The Orc is delighted by your compliance and loses no time
tying you securely. A few moments later, he is joined by some
companions. A sharp blow to the head knocks you out cold.
Turn to 347.
484 Time: 10
The passage you are in runs east and west. In the bright light of
the gem, you examine the walls and marvel at the ancient hands
that cut such sturdy, straight tunnels in the hard stone. Nowhere
can you see any sign of weakness or falling stones; the walls are
as sound as the day they were carved. Down the passage to the
east, the light glimmers, reflecting what seems to be water.
485 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 32
The bodies of your fallen foes litter Weathertop. You can
quickly grab a sword, a shield, and 3 silver pieces. You retreat
strategically to avoid any other search parties you might
encounter. Turn to 156.
486 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 10
The “wolf’ lies at your feet. However, upon close examination,
the poor creature is indeed an ill-kept large dog. Move on.
487 Time: 15
You pull some rope out of your backpack. Fastening it against a
rocky outcropping, you carefully begin lowering yourself down
the well. You find that the shaft is slicker than you imagined.
Pick a number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 457.
• If 4-7, turn to 426.
• If 8-12, turn to 515.
488 Time: 5
You step out into the daylight (at 10B). If you return to the
caves, turn to 224; otherwise, move on.
489 Time: 10
Amused by his enthusiasm, you let the Hobbit keep the book.
Excited, you put the pendant and your share of the coins in your
pocket. Pleased at these discoveries, you continue your quest.
Turn to 169.
490 Time: 35
The men offer you a seat by their campfire. After overcoming
their surprise, they seem friendly and inclined to talk. You take
the opportunity to study their strange garb and gear covertly; it
confirms your suspicions that they are Southrons. You remind
yourself that not all Southrons are necessarily evil. Still, hatred
of the Haradrim runs high in Gondor. You also question the
presence of six horses and wonder uneasily if the men have
companions, and if so, where are they? Could they already be
inside Weathertop? Are they too after the Staff of Truth?
The men enthusiastically describe the beauties of Weathertop,
and their manners are gracious and amiable. One of them opens
a wineskin and pours drinks for the three of you. Still somewhat
suspicious, you watch carefully while he pours. Pick a number
and add your Perception bonus:
• If 2-8, turn to 194.
• If 9-12, turn to 346.
491 Time: 5
Your fall breaks your back and fractures your skull; you die
instantly. Your quest is over.
492 Time: 25
Slowly and carefully, you begin to examine the pile of rocks.
After some time, you notice that the rocks appear to be covering
the mouth of a cave. You eagerly remove the remaining rocks
until a small cave mouth is revealed. Your heart is filled with
excitement. If you enter the cave, turn to 140; otherwise, move
on.
You fall asleep the instant you swallow the water. You have a
vision of yourself standing in a room surrounded by columns;
you hear the sound of rushing water. When you look down at
your feet, you see that you are standing in a clear stream of
running water. Decrease your damage taken by 8. Move on.
494 Time: 5
You feel a cold presence approaching you from behind.
• If you spin around to face the Wight, turn to 102.
• If you continue running away, turn to 386.
Enchanted and temporarily blinded by a bright light, you step
forward, happy to be free of the murky torchlight. The cavern
you see is natural, and beautifully colored rocks cover the
ceiling; passages exit to the north (sloping down), east (sloping
down), and west. A large pool of water occupies more than half
the room.
Enthroned like a precious jewel, a beautiful woman sits on a
pile of rough stones set in a circle near the pool. She holds a
beautiful glowing gem in her hands, and smiling at you,
beckons you to come forward.
• If you approach, turn to 509.
• If you decide to flee, turn to 220.
• If you decide to fight, turn to 385.
496 Time: 5
With some effort, you manage to raise the lever and nothing
happens. Turn to 222.
You cast your spell, hoping that the Staff will respond to magic.
Instead, you feel that it is laughing at you. “My powers are not
for you to know, young one. I will guide you safely to Bree and
to Minas Tirith; that is enough. You will have your reward.”
Vaguely disappointed, you abandon your attempts. Turn to
304.
498 Time: 15
You continue to study the staff, but cannot discern anymore of
its powers. You remember nothing in Eldamar’s words that
might help you.
• If you leave the caverns, turn to 372.
499 Time: 60 Exp Pt: 20
Since the Haradrim are wearing heavy armor, Ham is able to
dodge them and move next to the water. As the Haradrim close
in along the edge of the water, black tentacles erupt from the
water and grab the Haradrim, jerking them off their feet and
into the water. The Haradrim disappear beneath the surface and
never resurface. Ham quickly comes over to you and says, “Just
in case, I dropped food into the water early in the fight, hoping
to bring the Kraken close. It really did the trick” Your damage
taken is one less than your endurance. Turn to 148.
500 Time: 20
After what seems like an age, you hear your companion stirring.
He strikes a small flint and tinder, and in the faint light, you see
an emaciated Hobbit. “I am Hamwich Tunnelly, and I escaped
from the Orcs weeks ago, but I haven’t been able to get out.
What are you doing in the Orc caverns?” You pull out your map
and quickly explain the situation to him. “What you have
shown me is nothing like the Orc cavern. Wait, I know! The
Orcs have blocked off part of the caverns; they’re afraid to go
there. The Staff could be there.” You agree with the Hobbit’s
assessment of the situation and accept his services as a guide,
offering him food and water. The Hobbit quickly consumes half
your rations and, somewhat satisfied, quietly leads you through
the narrow tunnel, pausing now and again to listen for the
sounds of Orcs. Turn to 175.
Orc bodies lie all around you; your luck is incredible. You find
8 swords and 2 silver pieces on the bodies. Turn to 175.
502 Time: 5
You are interrupted by the faint jingling of armour, and you turn
to see two dark swarthy Haradrim enter the room (from space
31A). One of them carries a 5.5’ long staff tipped with a pale
blue gem. They seem as surprised to see you as you are to see
them. Angrily they draw their weapons, and drop the staff with
a clatter. You must fight the Haradrim; every other time you
make an attack, you may also make an attack for Ham’s sling
(OB: 2).
(Each of 2 HARADRIM OB:2 DB:1 EP:25)
Ignore further Haradrim encounters.
• If you defeat the Haradrim, turn to 556.
503 Time: 12 days Exp Pt: 30
You decide that discretion is the better part of valor and leave
Weathertop. You soon find yourself traveling west on the Great
East Road. In the five day journey to Bree, you see very few
people. Finally you reach the shelter of the Prancing Pony and
go to the Captain of the garrison. The Captain listens attentively
to your story and thanks you courteously for alerting him.
“My word, and I sent that very Hobbit off to adventure in the
mountain too! I never dreamed he would prove so valuable!”
exclaims the Captain. “We will organize an expedition to clear
the Orcs out of Weathertop. It shouldn’t take long. You can
come along if you like.”
You thankfully agree to his proposition. Two days later you are
back on the road to Weathertop. The King’s soldiers make short
shrift of the small band of fifteen or so Orcs that had made
Weathertop their home; black blood flows. The Captain and his
soldiers aid you in your search for the Staff. Together, you
discover the dark cellars below Weathertop. You follow a
well-worn stone staircase into the depths of the hill,
encountering ancient traps and pitfalls. Your quest leads you to
an underground river surrounding a stone structure. You cross
the riverbank with the King’s soldiers and explore the ages-old
structure from top to bottom. You find nothing except
footprints in the dust; clever thieves have preceded you. Your
quest is over; better luck next time.
504 Time: 10
You come to an intersection with passages running north, east
(sloping up) and west.
505 Time: 15
Exhausted by your struggle with the Kraken, you press on
towards the stone structure. Ham is on his last legs; you have to
virtually carry him. You are both exhausted, dripping wet and
cold. Pick a number and add your General bonus:
• If 2-4, turn to 165.
• If 5-13, turn to 226.
506 Time: 10
The berry tastes sweet and juicy. You wait a few minutes but
cannot feel any effects from the fruit. The Hobbit looks
immensely relieved, but you can’t help feeling a little
disappointed. Move on.
507 Time: 5
You enter the dark tunnel running east; it seems to slope down.
You are optimistic and expect to recover the Staff of Truth
soon. In the dim torchlight you note that the walls were carved
long ago, with primitive stone tools, perhaps by the earliest of
the Edain. Hamwich is remarkably cheerful and full of
conversation; you are glad to have his company. Turn to 146.
A few minutes later you are toasting bacon on a stick and
drinking hot tea. They give no indication of being interested in
your doings, which relieves you. They are on their way to the
Blue Mountains, and since they will be passing through Bree,
offer you a lift or to take a message.
“I’m from Minas Tirith” you explain when you refuse their
offer.
“You’ve come a long way just to visit Weathertop.” one of
them comments. You wonder if you should tell the Dwarves
about your quest; perhaps they could help you.
• If you decide to tell the Dwarves about your quest, turn to
117.
Awkwardly, you approach the lady.
“Greetings, searchers.” she says in the voice of one still
underwater, “I am a daughter of the waters and a friend of the
ancient men who made these caves. Your path lies to the east,
down to the waters that border most ancient and holy places.
You have passed through many dangers, and others still lie
ahead. Your greatest foe is the darkness; therefore, I give you
this.” She hands you the strange, glowing gem.
“Lady,” you ask, “Can you not tell us something of what lies
before us?”
She shakes her head slowly. “I know only that great evil lives in
the river you must cross, and that other evil awaits in the ancient
holy place on the other side. Avoid the deep water at all costs.
Heed the ancient warnings that the one who came before you
recorded, and seek the Staff with a pure heart. Once you have
found it, let its magic be your guide; it will see you safely out of
the caverns. When you are once more on the surface, the jewel
will be drawn to a river or stream, and thus it will return to me.
Farewell.” The woman dives into the pool and vanishes. Turn
to 253.
510 Time: 5
You fall again, pick a number and increase your damage taken
by that amount. Turn to 405.
You fought valiantly against your foes, but you have dropped
and hover near unconsciousness. Pick a number:
• If 2-6, turn to 215.
• If 7-12, turn to 499.
512 Time: 10
You have lost the Staff! Close to tears, you stagger back across
the walkway (you are now at 30A). “I don’t understand it” you
say. “The Staff should have guided us out safely.” Pick a
• If 2-6, turn to 554.
• If 7-12, turn to 283.
You awaken to feel something shake you. In the faint light of a
flint and tinder you find yourself staring at a small, emaciated
Hobbit.
“I can help you get away.” he whispers, finger to his lips. “I
haven’t had the courage to go near the entrance. I’m afraid that
it’s guarded and the Orcs will see me. With someone brave, like
you, both of us could manage.” The Hobbit pulls out your
weapons, some torches and your pouch of herbs. “I brought you
these. I’m a good burglar but a great coward.” You are touched
and relieved by the Hobbit’s offer of assistance. You ask if he
has heard anything of the Staff of Truth.
“I’m sure that the Orcs don’t have a treasure as valuable as that.
I’ve heard them talk about the hoard that their leader keeps.
They’ve never mentioned anything like a staff, and I’m sure
they’d talk about it if they had it. But the Orcs don’t live in all of
the caverns. They’ve blocked off one of the passages with
stones, and they’re afraid to go there. Could the Staff you’re
looking for be behind a wall of rocks?”
You find yourself agreeing with the Hobbit. If the Staff is in this
section of the caverns, you think that it is probably too well
hidden to be discovered by a group of Orcs. “How many Orcs
are there?” you ask.
“I’ve counted fifteen; they survive by hunting game around
Weathertop. They don’t seem interested in drawing attention to
themselves. The Orcs are still feasting. I will find something to
pick your lock with and then return”. With these words the
Hobbit vanishes into the darkness, and you are alone once
more. You soon fall asleep again. Pick a number:
• If 2, turn to 296.
• If 3-12, turn to 451.
514 Time: 5
Ham looks hurt that you did not give him any treasure, but he
says nothing. Move on.
515 Time: 20
You make it to the bottom of the well without a mishap and
carefully lower yourself into the water. Turn to 445.
516 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 25
Luck and skill were with you, with the help of your valiant
companion and his sling, you were able to defeat the Haradrim.
As you stop to catch your breath, black tentacles emerge from
the water and close around the Haradrim, dragging them into
the depths, Turn to 148.
517 Time: 30
It is difficult to believe that this barren ring of tumbled stones
was once a beautiful tower. You pull out the map, but can find
no clue that tells where the entrance might be. Rocks are
scattered all around you, some of them in large piles. You spend
quite some time searching, but find nothing. Perhaps the
entrance to the underpassages of Weathertop is concealed by
piles of stones too heavy for you to move. Move on.
518 Time: 15
You are in a passage that heads south and then bends sharply
(upward towards daylight) and north. Wisely, you decide to
sketch the caverns as you explore them.
• If you go south, you leave the caves and are in space 11D,
move on.
519 Time: 5
Two Haradrim are standing before a pool in the center of the
chamber, pulling a five and a half foot long white staff with a
pale blue gem out of the water. Their chainmail and weapons lie
on the ground next to the pool. They are unaware of you. Take
an action (you may not “steal & take”).
If your action results in a fight, every other time you make an
attack, you may also make an attack for Ham’s sling (OB: 2).
(Each of 2 HARADRIM OB:2 DB:0 EP:25)
Ignore encounters with Haradrim after this point.
520 Time: 10
Ham is hesitant about entering the black expanse, but also just
as hesitant about remaining on shore by himself. You carefully
help him into the water, and he shudders audibly. Holding the
gem aloft, you begin to wade towards the causeway. Pick a
number.
• If 2-6, turn to 551.
• If 7-12, turn to 389.
521 Time: 5
Just inside the doorway leading to 35D, you find a small panel.
Behind it is a lever.
• If you depress the lever, turn to 222.
• If you raise the lever, turn to 496.
522 Time: 10
You face the eight angry Orcs. You put your back to the wall
and face them one at a time, but it means that you may not run
away from this battle. Every other time that you attack, you may
also make an attack for the Hobbit. The Halfling uses a sling
(OB: l).
(Each of 8 ORCS OB:l DB:0 EP:20)
• If you are defeated, turn to 190.
The air from the cave is dank and musty. You take a deep breath
and crawl through the narrow mouth. Just inside, you pause to
light a torch. In the dim light, you can see that the cave is a
natural formation. You pull a piece of chalk out of your pocket
and mark the wall at intervals as you crawl along; you are
terrified of getting lost. The narrow tunnel continues for some
distance, sloping steadily down. You are forced to crawl
carefully. After some time, you discover no side passages, and
you begin to wonder whether or not you have reached a dead
end.
The incline becomes steeper. The sides of the tunnel are
covered with slippery moss and lichens. You are forced to slow
down to a snail’s pace to avoid slipping. When you finally slip,
you manage to catch hold of a small spur of rock, and find
yourself dangling in space. Your torch is lying on the ground
twenty feet below you, still burning. You seem to be suspended
over a large cavern. Throwing caution to the winds, you drop to
the floor of the cavern, acquiring a few additional bruises.
Increase your damage taken by 4; turn to 415.
524 Time: 10
As you wade downstream, you feel a tingling sensation in your
legs. The tingling gets stronger as you move downstream.
• If you get out of the stream, turn to 300.
• If you move further downstream, turn to 221.
525 Time: 10
Ham scratches his head and says, “Let me think for a minute.”
“We may not have a minute.” you reply. Pick a number:
• If 2-7, turn to 218.
• If 8-12, turn to 391.
526 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 20
A mass of tentacles erupt out of the water and grab both of the
Haradrim, dragging them into the water. Hindered by his armor,
one of them goes under immediately. The other puts up an
amazing struggle before being pulled under and drowned. Turn
to 148.
527 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 100
When you turn to thank the figure, you find that it has already
turned into stone. In your mind, you hear the soft voice of the
Staff, telling you the way to the surface and congratulating you
for passing the final test: you did not abandon your faithful
companion, Ham.
With a soft whoosh, you find yourself standing before the
astonished Hobbit. He cries out with delight when he sees the
real Staff in your hand. “You did it.” he cries. “We had a real
adventure, didn’t we? Now let’s go home and get something to
eat. I’m starving!” Turn to 249.
528 Time: 20
Still shaky and bruised from the fight, you continue down the
passageway, hoping you don’t meet any more Skeletons. You
slow down as you come to a curve, afraid of what might be
hiding around the bend. You sneak up and cautiously take a
peek but see nothing. With a sigh of relief, you continue to
creep along, imagining Skeletons in every black pool of
shadow. The Hobbit clings to your side, holding onto his sling
shot for dear life and hoping that he doesn’t have to use it.
After some time of creeping along in the darkness, the passage
begins to level out. Anxiously, you pull out your map and
search for a clue but find nothing. Ham comforts you, pointing
out that you haven’t come to a dead end yet, and sure enough it
begins to slope down once again. Turn to 314.
529 Time: 15
The Orc voices fade away. You have escaped! Suddenly,
Hamwich grabs your arm and whispers excitedly, “Over here! I
am sure this wall is the work of Orcs. The men who used to live
here never built anything this crude. See, the stones are loose! I
wonder what lays behind it.” Turn to 270.
530 Time: 5
Suddenly, you hear a sharp splintering noise and feel yourself
falling in space. Beside you, you hear Ham’s panicked cries; he
seems to be on the same sudden downward journey that you are.
Your trip ends when you plunge into black icy water. When you
surface, you hear Ham, yelling for help. You quickly strike out
in his general direction, remembering that most Hobbits not
only hate the water, but cannot swim. Pick a number and add
your General bonus:
• If 2-4, turn to 124.
• If 5-12, turn to 238.
531 Time: 20 Exp Pt: 25
Luck is with you; you have managed to defeat both Haradrim
warriors. You quickly search the unconscious bodies, looking
for some clue as to what brought them to Weathertop. Your
worst fears are confirmed; you find a map identical to your own
on one of the men. Apparently their companions are already
inside Weathertop searching for the Staff. You search their
camp, but it tells you nothing. You find 3 daggers, 2 swords, 1
shield, 10 meals, and 5 silver pieces (which you may
appropriate). The horses are of no use to you, so you chase them
off.
• If you wait to question the men, turn to 303.
• If you leave them bound and gagged, move on.
• If you decide to slay them, move on.
The tunnel stinks horribly of smelly, bloody Trolls, and you
both gag but continue. You both poke through the rotting bits of
straw and cloth eagerly searching for treasure. You find 3
golden coins stamped by the kingdom of Arnor and 23 pieces of
tarnished silver. You also discover two golden bowls set with
jewels, obviously treasures of Amon Sûl. You and the Hobbit
each take one. The Hobbit also finds a beautifully worked
wristband and a couple of gold rings. In the meantime you
discover a finely worked cloak. When you put it on, you
immediately feel stronger and faster. The cloak adds +1 to your
DB and Trickery bonus at all times. Well satisfied with your
find, you leave the lair and return to the cavern. Turn to 327.
533 Time: 15 Exp Pt: 10
You eye the bear warily, hoping he is not as hungry as he looks.
You back away cautiously, doing your best to seem nonchalant.
Suddenly he charges, chasing you across the slopes of
Weathertop. You run as fast as you can, and eventually find a
convenient tree. You shinny up its branches in record time,
perching among the very highest ones. The bear, unintimidated
by your acrobatics, climbs the tree and takes a few playful
swipes at you. Fortunately, you are just out of reach. The
branches, too weak to support the bear’s great weight, give way
with a shuddering crack and he falls to the ground with an angry
roar. Bruised and angry, he circles the tree a few times
scratching ominously at the bark, before retiring. You wait
some time before climbing down, looking around uneasily,
fully expecting the bear to reappear with slavering jaws. Move
on in a random direction.
534 Time: 15
You step out from the trees and greet the men in a friendly
voice. Both men jump to their feet, astonished, but nevertheless
give you a friendly hello. The men invite you to join them.
• If you accept their invitation, turn to 490.
535 Time: 25
You find no cellar or cavern entrance in this area of the summit.
Rocks and ruins are piled all around you, and you pause
frequently to enjoy the brisk, cool breeze and admire the view.
Move on.
536 Time: 5
You jump to your feet and hear the frightening sounds of Orcs
running toward you. To your astonishment, you can remember
the way you came. You turn and run down the tunnel towards
the exit, hoping for the best. Pick a number and add your
Running bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 207.
• If 6-12, turn 543.
537 Time: 200 Exp Pt: 3
You feel weak and shaky for a few hours. You were very lucky.
Increase your damage taken by 6; move on.
538 Time: 40
You spend almost half an hour gazing at the brush and vines
considering the best way to remove them. Finally you manage
to work up the courage to begin your first cautious moves. You
find your heart is racing and feel a tight band of tension grasp
your chest. Slowly and cautiously you work, freezing each time
you hear the brush rustling, half-expecting something to leap
out of the tunnel and seize you. Pick a number and add your
Trickery bonus:
• If 2-5, turn to 224.
• If 6-12, turn to 272.
539 Time: 5
You feel a sharp blow to the back of your head, everything turns
black, and you lose consciousness. You have been betrayed!
Turn to 204.
540 Time: 10
You desperately try to climb into the narrow alcove. It is about
six feet off the ground, and you are having some difficulty.
Your more nimble but unseen benefactor has already succeeded
and is urging you on with whispers. All the while the voices of
the Orcs are getting closer. Pick a number and add your
General bonus:
• If 2-6, turn to 360.
• If 7-12, turn to 127.
You make a stand against the bats; the ground all around you is
littered by the carcasses of the dead and dying bloodthirsty
creatures. The swarm eventually stops. Pick a number and
increase your damage taken by that amount.
542 Time: 10
As the Haradrim approach, you maneuver so that only one faces
you at a time. You must fight the Haradrim:
(Each of 2 Haradrim OB:2 DB:0 EP:27)
543 Time: 10
Fear lends speed to your feet. Your terror enables you to
out-distance the Orcs; you make it to the exit and are soon out in
the sunlight. You notice that they do not pursue you outdoors.
Exhausted and shaking, you collapse on a conveniently flat
rock to catch your breath and to recover your nerves. Turn to
156.
544 Time: 15
Excited, you move closer; the rocks and vines are obscuring
what looks like a small cave.
• If you remove the vines and rocks from the cave entrance turn
to 126.
With a quick easy motion, you swing yourself into the alcove
and lie there motionless, trying to control your panting breath.
Again and again, the Orcs charge down the passage past the
alcove where you are hiding; they seem unaware of the
existence of your refuge. At last they decide that you are not in
this particular passage, and move to another section of the
caverns to continue their search. You heartbeat slows as you
hear their footsteps fade into the distance.
You move to stretch, but your companion whispers “Wait.
They could come back any time. We will have to hide for a few
more hours till we’re safe.” You settle down for a long,
uncomfortable wait in the darkness, pondering the identity of
your companion. Why has he saved you? Turn to 500.
As you climb down the cliff face, you turn and look down,
trying to catch sight of your companion. You can see him below
you, struggling in some sort of net that seems to be suspended
over the chasm. A movement catches your eye, and in the dim
light you see a huge spider crawling towards Hamwich.
Horrified, you push off from the cliff face and land on the sticky
web, catching the spider’s attention. You must fight the spider.
Due to the web and your precarious footing, your OB and DB
are reduced by 1 for this fight. Turn to 257.
547 Time: 10
You run through the twisting tunnels desperately trying to
remember the way out, becoming hopelessly lost. As you round
a corner, you collide with an Orc. With a snarl, he draws his
weapon and moves to attack you. If you surrender, turn to 483;
otherwise you are surprised and must fight the Orc.
(ORC OB:0 DB:0 EP:20)
• If you defeat the Orc, turn to 107.
• If the Orc defeats you, turn to 331.
548 Time: 30
If there is a cave among the rocks, it is covered by stones too
large and heavy for you to move. When you stoop to examine
the ground, you find a small silver amulet attached to a broken
silver chain. The metal is still bright; it could not have been
lying out of doors long. The amulet is forged in the shape of two
coiled serpents; the device seems evil and strange to you.
228.
549 Time: 5
You lose your grip on the rope and begin to slip. Pick a number
and add your General bonus:
• If 2-3, turn to 403.
• If 4-9, turn to 144.
• If 10-12, turn to 231.
550 Time: 5
You move close to the edge of the chasm, attempting to get into
position to leap across just as the Troll closes with you. Rattled
by the Troll, you slip and your leap lacks the proper bounce to
clear the chasm. You and the Troll fall to your death, meeting a
tragic end. Your quest is over.
You wade through the black water, trying to pick out the
shallowest sections for your companion. You hear a splash, and
turn to see Ham floundering in a section of deep water. To your
horror, he suddenly vanishes below the surface. You dive
down, hoping that the gem will illuminate the blackness. Up
ahead, you see him struggling with a black tentacle wrapped
around his leg. You strike out for your companion, and begin to
slash at the tentacles. You must fight the Kraken. Since you are
in knee deep water, add 1 to your DB for this fight only. Turn to
240.
552 Time: 60
After searching for an hour, you are reasonably certain that the
pile of rocks and twisted vines does not cover the entrance to
the caverns. You are somewhat puzzled, however, for you find
that some of the vines have been disturbed; their stalks and
leaves torn and crushed, as if someone else had been searching
here recently. When you search the ground, you find no tracks
except your own. Move on.
553 Time: 10
The corridor soon bends so that it leads to the north and to the
east, stretching off into the darkness; the air is stuffy and musty.
You pause once to scramble over a pile of broken rock. You are
sure that you are in the ancient cellars of the tower of Amon Sûl.
Still, when you study the map, you are not sure that you are in
the right section of the cavern. Nevertheless, you are relieved to
leave the Orcs behind.
554 Time: 10
Despondent at your failure, you dare not try and leave to face
the tentacles of the Kraken. You see no hope but to continue to
explore the ancient complex and search for another exit or a
clue to where the Haradrim have gone. Move on.
555 Time: 10
The tunnel continues a short distance before it forks. The left
fork ends in a tiny, foul-smelling cavern that has some rusted
chains on the wall and a few bones scattered on the floor. This
is obviously where the Orcs keep prisoners. As you leave the
cavern, you notice a tripwire connected to a bell that has been
disconnected, perhaps the work of some clever prisoner who
managed to escape from the Orcs. The righthand fork of the
tunnel ends in a small empty cavern. It looks as if the Orcs
rarely visit this section of the caverns. Turn to 421.
556 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 25

You and your companion have made short work of your foes,
who lie bound and unconscious before you. You may slay them
or leave them. You find 2 suits of chainmail, 2 swords, 2
daggers, 5 meals, and 3 silver pieces. Turn to 219.
557 Time: weeks Exp Pt: 50
You return to the water’s edge, no longer afraid of what might
lurk below the surface. You know that the Staff will protect you
from the dangers of the deep. Carefully, you place your
companion on your shoulders and step into the black water.
While you wade, you notice that the water becomes a little bit
lighter whenever the Staff touches its surface. You wade across
the black expanse without incident; the surface remains quiet
and black.
Instead of leading you to the passage, the Staff directs you to a
blank wall. You touch the stone lightly with the staff, and its
surface turns into a grey mist. Grabbing the Hobbit’s hand, you
plunge into the mists, following the glow of the Staff. A short
time later you emerge into the open air and are standing at the
base of Weathertop.
You and your companion laugh with delight and relief to see
the sky once more; even the heat that seemed once so
oppressive is welcome, and the once desolate wilderness seems
beautiful. The Staff leads you to the remains of the Haradrims’
food supplies; you have enough to make it to Bree.
At the first stream you come to on your journey to Bree, the
glowing gem given to you by the daughter of the waters falls
from your pouch and into the water. You smile, remembering
her last words to you; the gem is returning to its real owner.
The journey to Bree seems short with a companion and the Staff
to keep you company. Eyes widen when you arrive at Bree. The
Hobbits are overjoyed to see Ham again; his tongue rapidly
describes the adventures you encountered beneath the
mountain. People stare in amazement; you are soon enjoying a
wonderful meal at the Prancing Pony. Tomorrow you set out for
Minas Tirith. You invite Ham along, certain the King will thank
him. He shakes his head, refusing.
“I’ve had enough of travelling for a while.” he says, grinning at
you. “If you ever need a burglar, though, you know where to
find me.” With that, he returns to a bonechilling narration
(between bites of food) of his stay in the Orc caverns, holding
the other Hobbits and the men of Bree spellbound.
The Captain of the Guard offers you an escort, but you politely
refuse, knowing that the Staff will guard you on the road. You
travel along with a merry heart, the long journey easier for the
presence of the Staff. It seems to hum and sing as it comes
closer to Gondor, eager to be in the hands of the King once
more.
You reach Minas Tirith at a fortuitous time; the King has
returned from the wars in the east and you will be able to give
him the Staff personally. Eldamar beams with pride and delight
when you enter the ancient library. He is astonished to hear of
your adventures. “I thought fetching the Staff would be a
simple task. My pardon. But come, the King is waiting.” You
walk into the ancient audience chamber full of pride and
confidence. King Elessar accepts the Staff, thanking you
gravely and praising your courage and fortitude. In his hands
the Staff suddenly comes to life, glowing warmly and casting
all in the court with its beneficent glow.
“A faithful, resourceful servant like yourself is of great value to
the crown. I have many perilous missions that must be
undertaken in the years to come. Perhaps you will be able to get
your friend the burglar to help you on some of them.”
The King is very grateful for your services, and since you
cannot keep the Staff, he asks you to choose a reward from the
treasures of Gondor; you may choose two items from the
following list.
• Magic longsword of Westernesse (+1 to OB, +4 against
Wights and other evil creatures)
• Magic Chainmail (no penalties to bonuses)
• Magic Shield (+1 to normal DB and no penalties to bonuses)
• Magic Bow (+1 to normal OB)
• Quarterstaff (allows you to cast two spells per day that you
already “know” without increasing your damage taken)
• A pendant (allows you to cast “item analysis” twice per day
without increasing your damage taken).
• A ring (allows you to throw the spell “firebolt” once a day
without increasing your damage taken)
Needless to say, he also sends a generous reward to Hamwich
Tunnely esq., of Bree.
THE END
MERP STATS TABLE
ACTION TABLE
COMBAT TABLE

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Tolkien QuestTM

Random Number Table

System Designer: S. Coleman Charlton

Illustrations by James Holloway and Jessica Ney

®1985 TOLKIEN ENTERPRISES, a division of

All Rights Reserved.

BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK

Applying Stat Bonuses to Skills

DAMAGE AND HEALING

Tolkien Quest Damage MERP Damage

A fixed number The same number of MERP

The type of “Critical Strike” can be determined by the

“During the night, we repelled three additional onslaughts

When you awaken from your dreams, it is a hot, sunny

Note: Passages marked with a † are from The Hobbit,

• If you defeat the Kraken, turn to 326.

The creature’s lips twist into a horrible smile. “A game, yes, a

“Thank heavens you are not an Orc!” the Hobbit gasps. He is

(BEAR OB:2 DB:0 EP:15)

556 Time: 10 Exp Pt: 25

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