Since I won't be there next week (There being a game, all being well), here's Olrin's immediate plans:

(1) Bully the Orc for info, and then kill it one way or the other.
(2) If we seem to be about to face overwhelming odds, we can retreat to the tower, and use the stone bench to seal the door, whilst we see if it's a battle we can win. If we probably cant, then using the key and the passwords for the doors, we know the Orcs have never been able to access the tunnels. We could sling ropes over the far side (to fake that we have exited that way), whilst in fact we are down under the tower taking our chances in the tunnels. At least one chamber is defensible from both directions if we need to rest, and with the tunnel having only one avenure of attack, we might be better able to deal with it.
(3) To keep the dammfool elf out of the line of fire until we can get it some medical attention.

Have fun!

Gear questions:
a) Is it 100g plus the usual free mundane stuff (armor + 2 weapons etc.), or 100g total for everything (presumably not counting background items and such)?
b) Is the adventure "animal accessible" (i.e. can we put most of our crap on a horse/donkey if weight is a problem), or should we gear with only what we can carry?
c) If we take herbs, do they have to be appropriate to the climate (I'm guessing t for Arnor, also c,e,f since I rolled an Umli and I could have "brought some with me")? My main concern here is whether the almighty fek nut or any of the other not-bleed-to-death herbs are available.

Uh, dude, whut? Man, like... wow... *IF*?

I didn't know how much he was trying to stick with/get away from the standard RM "herb junkies" scenario. The last time I played RM, we were running in some version of Dragonlance, and we weren't allowed to play channelers or healers at all. So as the party herbalist, I became very familiar with how useful they are and how they're one of your few defenses against the crit system.

I did roll an animist, since it seems like that's what slot you wanted filled, but at level 2 with surface/blood/bone ways, I'm still only doing weak utility caster stuff like "stop 1 bleed/rd", "heal 1d10 hits", "treat mild sunburn" etc. Hence the question about how much of the herb table is available for starting gear (since I'm assuming we're in the wrong climate to harvest most of that once I enter the game).

Dude, it was a HERB joke!

Anyhow, an anamist would be most welcome IMO as our mage is an injury magnet who won't stand behind shields!

"Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like, ah, your opinion, man."

Also, it's Rolemaster, so a sense of humor is kind of a liability (although I guess you still need one to fully appreciate the crit tables).

Not to mention how often rare races turn up!

Anyhow, if you're having Anamist, Bagsie the replacement mage!

(I'm the dwarf btw, and elcome aboard!)

a) the 100 gold is for everything you want to buy save for what you get from background points. weapons/shield/armor/herbs/food/equipment

b) Mostly it is animal accessible though we do go ruin devling and into tunnels where horses and such can not go. I would go with keeping your equipment on your person.

c) Everything is available as far as herbs go, though price is a factor when buying herbs. Some are very very expensive.

It is not that the elf doesn't stand behind a shield, the elf just gets hit a lot. Don't think a shield would stop a spider from above. Or a dark energy bolt that moves around those in front of you. I have already gone through 2 elves, poor Ashetar is on his last leg with the enemy comeing. Hardly any PP of body left or well hell any spells worth a crap at lvl 2. I already got number 3 ready to go. Another warrior to be exact so play on as I like to say.

Mages and animists have it hard until around lvl 6. There just isn't any spells worth anything until you get up to around 5 or 6. Just have to press through and hope your guy survives to see lvl 5 or 6. Though I do have a pile of characters ready to go.

"Hide behind the pile of dead bards!!!"

Bah, you best survive until next time I'm there so I can gloat!

Get behind the Ranger and sing my battle fanfare!