Gryfflet, returning to Minas Tirith from an errand elsewhere, manages to overcome a momentary confusion over how to get back to the upper city and returns to the High Hall where Ioreth is worried about Faramir's condition and laments the lack of a King who could help him. Gandalf hears her and decides to fetch Aragorn, which means we get to be him in a Session Play. Pausing only to deal with the avalanche of bogus Quests that accompany this particular mechanic, we discover that we have a limited time to skulk through the city without being spotted by strangely alert Scholars. Hilarity ensues as we try to work out any possible reason for so many Scholars to be wandering the city but luckily we are not expected to run the whole way. We regain our kingly dignity in time to greet Prince Imrahil who escorts us to Faramir's side. We examine first him, then Éowyn, then Merry: all of them are suffering from the Black Breath for which we need athelas. Once we explain to Ioreth what that is she dashes off in search of some, and Gandalf sends us, back in the persona of Gryfflet, in search of some more. Aragorn snags us on our way out and gives us some extra tasks, including removing some inappropriate medicine, identifying patients who need his particular care, and comforting those who are too far gone for any healing. Gryfflet sets about these tasks with the appropriate solemnity, somewhat glad that it takes some time to find the required number of victims of the Black Breath. On our way back to Aragorn we encounter Bergil who is trying to find more athelas, since true to the books he has already given some to Aragorn, so we volunteer to scour the upper city. We discover some plants growing wild, and some dried leaves in the pockets of random passers-by, and bring them back to Bergil who is appropriately grateful. We also return to Aragorn and after a little confusion join him in the treatment of Faramir, Éowyn, and Merry, after which we head out of the city to join him at his Pavilion. We spot many familiar names, and some less familiar, before reporting to Aragorn and Éomer who have been awaiting our arrival. Our first task is to dispose of the corpse of the Witch-king's mount, with the minor complication that some of those scholars from the city wish to examine it, so we remove its head for study and help Gandalf deliver it to the Houses of Lore. Next we set to the process of tidying up after the battle: there is an Orc captain who refuses to acknowledge defeat, there are stories yet to be told, and there are still people missing. Aragorn tasks us with tracking down various of the latter, including the sons of Duinhir who were killed by a Mûmak, and to collect various people for a council on our way. Duinhir himself feels unable to bear the thought of identifying his sons, so we have to search a pile of dead bodies looking for two that we recognise: not Gryfflet's favourite task ever. He is slightly cheered to find Elfhelm and Daervunn still alive, and directs them to Aragorn's Pavilion. He is even happier to run into Legolas and Gimli who have been to visit Merry. This brings us to the end of the session.
"I want to go just to find out!"
"That's all I get?"
"You gotta watch out for those Knowing Scholars, right? Those folks are not to be trusted!"
"Do i have to kill him?"
"I'm here to prevent medical malpractice!"
"I'm just going to go door to door!"
"Look at how noisome the corpse is!"
"He turned red-headed as soon as I searched him!"
"No, you don't have to come, they don't care about you!"
We were kept very busy this week scurrying around the city, but we discuss as ever the difficulties and pitfalls of adaptations and how LOTRO manages to navigate around them. Someone asked a question about the Kalevala so we discussed poetry for a brief moment.