Fria Ligans forum

What is a ‘normal’ rate of accumulating Shadowpoints? We are early in the campaign and I realize that the PC’s are still very vulnerable to Shadow. Any suggestions on how to best pace this? I don’t want to cripple them too fast with too many flaws and/or Shadowscars.

On an older thread I found a reference to an example event in chapter eight on “The World” removing shadow. I was unable to find it. Which page I should look…

I don't remember there being a recommended pacing.

It depends on your tone. Some do hardly any at the beginning (1or 2 per adventure) since there's very little they can do to pass, then add more on later. Others just whack it on.

It just depends on taste. It'll also vary by adventure - one doing stuff with undead will have tons, then one with bandits will have hardly any, if any at all.

Sorry I can't help more specifically, but it really does depend on taste, tone and how advanced your characters are.

We had a moderate upward curve in the first 10 to 15 sessions, partly because we were new to the system and needed to learn the mechanics. Now we collect shadow points at a rate of 1-2 per session, with a relief of only 1 or 2 per fellowship phase – we are definitely going down into the shadow. Yuletide has just passed, and most of us have a scar or waiting for a chance to get one. We have learned to spend hope not quite as freely as we did in the beginning.

There isn't official guidance on Shadow per adventure as it will naturally differ based on the adventure type - a diplomatic quest to the Grey havens will be low/no shadow while a descent in to an undead haunted old fortress in Angmar will have lots of Shadow.

I tend to go light on Shadow until the PCs have wisdom or valour at rank 2, then its open season.

This is for two reasons:

1) Theme: earlier heroes tend not to be taking on frightening/magical challenges and it lets me introduce a growing threat from the Shadow.
2) Mechanics: starting heroes are very likely to fail Shadow tests even if they spend hope, as they're 1d (2d with Hope) against a TN of generally 14-18.

Once they've got wisdom or valour at rank 2, they've at least had a chance to get a virtue that helps with these tests, or bought valour to rank 2 to help against Dread tests.

You can see a similar philosophy in the official materials: here's a spreadsheet with a summary of the Shadow gains in Tales from the Lone Lands.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

p193 for the Shadow reducing event. Similar examples crops elsewhere in other materials, such as returning a dwarf's remain in Moria or meeting Arwen in Rivendell to remove a Shadow scar.

Your post mentions a spreadsheet, but there's no spreadsheet or link or showing. I think something went wrong with your post, because the final paragraph seems disjointed from the rest?

Your post mentions a spreadsheet, but there's no spreadsheet or link or showing. I think something went wrong with your post, because the final paragraph seems disjointed from the rest?

Apologies, left off the link! Edited it in.