First Age Gank Squad vs The Lord of the Rings

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

In honor of the previous Gank Squad threads..........



Feanor & his 7 sons
Fingolfin
Finrod Felagund
Beleg Strongbow
Ecthelion of the Fountain
Mablung of the Heavy Hand

& a couple of Elf-friends

Hurin Thalion
Beren Erchamion
Turin Turambar

Total of 16 First Age warriors.

Equipment: Turin gets Gurthang, Beleg gets Anguirel its twin, along with their usual set-ups. Everyone else gets their standard war gear. They are provided with horses and appropriate supplies.

Scenario: The Gank Squad teleports into Hobbiton the same day Frodo and Sam were leaving. After scaring Gandalf and informing him they’ll be taking the Ring, they proceed and MUST travel to each location the Hobbits/Fellowship did in the books (Bree, the Barrowdowna, meeting Tom Bombadil, Weathertop, etc.....). All the way to Rivendale, Moria, Galadriel’s place, etc......to Mt Doom. They are protected from the Ring’s influence for one years time, at which point it will start effecting them as it does everyone. Their goal is to get to Mt Doom and cast it in, traveling the same path the Fellowship did (which also means separating at the river Boromir was killed at).

Gank Squad victory is achieved by taking the Ring from Hobbiton to Mount Doom in one years’ time.

How does this go? Who carries it? What happens when they separate? How do they react to this new world? What kind of chats do they have with surviving First Agers and Second Agers that still linger?

If Gank Squad wins they’re told they’ll each get one Eru approved gift/wish, so they are not likely to betray each other.

[Pendaran]

I was going to say "massive infighting" but considering one Eru approved wish= the Silmarillions, even Feanor should be able to mostly keep THE RAGE (tm) in check in the name of getting the jewels back.

Otherwise, they clear this pretty damn easily, and it certainly doesn't take them anywhere near the one year limit on the ring not influencing them. Beren or Finrod are probably the ringbearers all the same.

Feanor likely whinges at various points that he could just casually unforge the ring and end run the whole problem if he wasn't so keen on getting that wish. (He probably could casually unforge the ring).

When they have to separate, the Sam and Frodo should be Finrod and Beleg. Between Beleg's stealth and Finrod's illusions they just ninja their way over to Mount Doom to cast the ring in. Since the one year influence protection will in no way be up, they have no problems hucking it in.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

I was going to say "massive infighting" but considering one Eru approved wish= the Silmarillions, even Feanor should be able to mostly keep THE RAGE (tm) in check in the name of getting the jewels back.

Otherwise, they clear this pretty damn easily, and it certainly doesn't take them anywhere near the one year limit on the ring not influencing them. Beren or Finrod are probably the ringbearers all the same.

Feanor likely whinges at various points that he could just casually unforge the ring and end run the whole problem if he wasn't so keen on getting that wish. (He probably could casually unforge the ring).

When they have to separate, the Sam and Frodo should be Finrod and Beleg. Between Beleg's stealth and Finrod's illusions they just ninja their way over to Mount Doom to cast the ring in. Since the one year influence protection will in no way be up, they have no problems hucking it in.

Who’s taking a crack at Durin’s Bane?

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Who’s taking a crack at Durin’s Bane?

Depends on who sees it first, frankly.

At which point:

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Hmm, what about Suaruman?

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Hmm, what about Suaruman?

You've got spellsingers capable of duking it out with Sauron on the dregs of vitality. As soon as he tries to accost them as they trek through the mountains he gets put down. Really, this trip is less a challenge for them and more a challenge for their enemies.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

You've got spellsingers capable of duking it out with Sauron on the dregs of vitality. As soon as he tries to accost them as they trek through the mountains he gets put down. Really, this trip is less a challenge for them and more a challenge for their enemies.

The Nazgul might still pose a threat, perhaps? The whole no man can kill me thing the Witch King has probably extends to Elven men too.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The Nazgul might still pose a threat, perhaps? The whole no man can kill me thing the Witch King has probably extends to Elven men too.

So, the movie kinda..

Look, we're gonna incur the wrath of Sharpandpointies if we discuss how horrid the movies were.

Basically, the blade Merry stabbed the Witch-King with, was a Barrows-blade, old blades enchanted with powerful magics, designed to fight evil and were particularly (perhaps specifically) effective against the Wraiths. When Merry stabbed the Witch King in the book, the blade and its magics broke the curse stripping him of invincibility and the ability to move; so he was able to be killed.

In the movie it was more... well.

Peter Jackson is a hack, *cough*

Again, the First Age Elves/Men are going to roflstomp the Ring Wraith.

[Harbinger19]

The Nazgul were believed by Gandalf (when mounted) to be greater than Aragorn + Glorfindel, the latter of whom kind of suicide tackled a Balrog off a cliff. They also fought Gandalf at Weathertop in the book 5 on one and while it’s noted they wanted no part of him in daylight they drove him off after nightfall.

As a group they would be a threat to some, but unfortunately they’re outnumbered and the Fingolfins & Feanors of the world can probably fight them all at once given the latter solo-fighting multiple Balrogs.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The Nazgul were believed by Gandalf (when mounted) to be greater than Aragorn + Glorfindel, the latter of whom kind of suicide tackled a Balrog off a cliff. They also fought Gandalf at Weathertop in the book 5 on one and while it’s noted they wanted no part of him in daylight they drove him off after nightfall.

As a group they would be a threat to some, but unfortunately they’re outnumbered and the Fingolfins & Feanors of the world can probably fight them all at once given the latter solo-fighting multiple Balrogs.

I mean, against the dude who had a soul so angry his body couldn't handle it so he died; alongside folks who could magick with the best of them... the Wraith are largely doomed.

[Harbinger19]

I mean, against the dude who had a soul so angry his body couldn't handle it so he died; alongside folks who could magick with the best of them... the Wraith are largely doomed.

I would agree with that. I more meant that if you had them gang up on Beleg or Hurin or Mablung they could arguably do some damage, but the Big Fs likely solo the lot of them.

Still I think it’s worth noting that the Nine don’t just keel over when throwing down with First Age Elf Lord and pseudo-Maiar types according to one of the latter. I’m not putting Glorfindel on the level of Finwe’s sons by any stretch but by presentation he’s at least playing the same sport as them if not in the same league.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

I would agree with that. I more meant that if you had them gang up on Beleg or Hurin or Mablung they could arguably do some damage, but the Big Fs likely solo the lot of them.

Still I think it’s worth noting that the Nine don’t just keel over when throwing down with First Age Elf Lord and pseudo-Maiar types according to one of the latter. I’m not putting Glorfindel on the level of Finwe’s sons by any stretch but by presentation he’s at least playing the same sport as them if not in the same league.

So I guess my thing is, we know powerful enough magic can help to unmake them... and at least several of these dudes piss magic on that level, to say nothing of First Age weapons.

[Sharpandpointies]

So, I'm pretty much in agreement with Pendaran on the How Too details here, though I suspect both of us would prefer the method noted on the old board of 'Fingolfin straps Ringbearer to his back then murders his way to Mt Doom.'

So, the movie kinda..

Look, we're gonna incur the wrath of Sharpandpointies if we discuss how horrid the movies were.

The whole business of treating the Prophecy of '...not by the hand of man shall he fall' as some kind of magical 'no man can hurt him' protection already has me sticking my nose in here.

So, small reminder.

Glorfindel was the guy who said that prophecy; it's not some magical protection placed on the Witch-King by Sauron. Glorfindel stated the prophecy, in fact, to stop Eärnur, King of Gondor, from pointlessly chasing the retreating Witch-King.

"Do not pursue him! He will not return to these lands. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man shall he fall."

Glorfindel, who has died and returned from the Halls of Mandos, is saying 'Yeah, I've seen this guy's future. He's going to get killed by a Hobbit and a woman. So no point in chasing him NOW.' It's a prediction, not a statement noting some kind of magical protection.

PLUS the stuff Cthulhu notes. :)

Personally? I've zero issue with dudes wielding weapons that harm Balrogs, that were made in the Undying Lands, that are the pinnacle of Noldor creation (this would be the swords weilded by Fëanor and his seven sons) smiting the crap out of the Nazgûl. Or people weilding swords that were made by Dwarves in the First Age, back when Dwarves were making stuff like Narsil (Telchar of Nogrod, don't you know, who also made possibly the most famous and potent knife ever, The Angrist, which also happens to be carried by one of Fëanor's sons) - the people using these particular weapons would be people like Finrod, as I recall, who had trade with Dwarves for gear and such, and the Dwarves really liked him (worth noting here that Finrod's own magical prowess is enough for him to briefly stand in a magical duel with Sauron). Or people carting a pair of swords that basically Cut Anything™, made of galvorn, the secret of one of the greatest smiths of the First Age (as I recall, we have Túrin with the Deathiron and Beleg with Anguirel), those I have no problem picturing ruining the Nazgûl's day.

Or maybe everyone could just stand back and let the greatest warrior of the First Age have at the Nazgûl with a weapon forged in Valinor that crippled Sauron's boss.

[Húrin] *watching the High King impale two Úlairi simultaneously with Ringil* Your brother is...impressive.

[Fëanor] *in a positive mood at the thought of the Simarils* He has his moments.

[Sharpandpointies]

Depends on who sees it first, frankly.

At which point:

Good one. ^_^

I'm actually picturing Dúrin's Bane realizing that both Fingolfin AND Fëanor are traipsing through his halls, and never coming out of his bedroom.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

I kind of want to be a fly in the wall for some of the conversations that will be had.