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Post by waysoftheearth on May 28, 2011 0:41:04 GMT -6
Meanwhile, the main strength of the company search out a good defensible spot upon which to strike a camp. There is counsel traded as to whether or not a camp should be struck at all.
It is decided that the decision shall await whatever intelligence the scouting party might return with. The hirelings eye the entrance to the Mines nervously, wondering perhaps whether the scouts will return at all...
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2011 16:36:01 GMT -6
Legandir watches the scouting party disappear into the dark maw of Moria. Some inner struggle plays across his face, and he glances back at the trees of the outside world before plunging after them. "I did not come this far to balk at the gate", he mutters to himself.
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 28, 2011 19:04:11 GMT -6
Legandir watches the scouting party disappear into the dark maw of Moria. Some inner struggle plays across his face, and he glances back at the trees of the outside world before plunging after them. " I did not come this far to balk at the gate", he mutters to himself. [Legandir, goto the Durin's Way thread and follow after the others...]
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on May 30, 2011 6:36:50 GMT -6
From here he surveys the lay of the little wind-sheltered valley is thus:
############################################################## #############################`#################################### ############|########``Y`````'###################################### #########`Y`|`````Y````````Y```Y````################################### ######``Y``Y\```Y``````Y`````````Y````Y```Y```Y`````###################### ###X``Y``Y```---------.`Y``Y`````````````````````Y````````################## ##Y`Y`````Y`Y````Y`````\----------.```Y``````Y````````````````############# ###``Y```Y`````````````Y`Y``````Y``\------.``````````````````````############ ###`Y``Y`````Y```Y```Y```````Y`````````Y**`\``````````````````````########## ######```Y``Y```````Y```````Y````Y``````````\``````````````````````########### ###########``````Y````Y``````````````````````\``````````````````````########## #############Y``````````Y````````````````**```|````````````````````############ #################````Y``````````*``****````````\``````````````################## #####################`````Y``````````****``**```|````````%##################### ##########################`Y``````*```****``**``|`%%%%%%%\\\################ ##########################%%%%%%%%`````````=%%%%\||||||||\\\\############### # ########################////||||%%%%%%%%%=%`||`\`||`||||\\\\############## `E #####################////```||||`/|||||`%=``||`\`\\\\\`\\\\############# N+S ###################///////|||||/|||////`=`\\\\\`|``||||\\\\\\\######## `W ##################//||/|///||/|||||////`=`\\\||\\`||||\\\\\||`\######## Misty Moutains % Precipice (overlooking Eregion) = Gate Stair \ Sirannon (The Gate Stream) Y Holly trees * Company members Lady Éohild suggest, " I propose this spot X (see map above) here for a camp in this small valley. We have the mountains to our backs and some trees for shelter. We need to care for our horses, as our lives may depend on them. We can change our plans later, when the scouting party returns, if we think it better inside the Hollin Gate. But lets get ready now if we need to camp outside, or darkness will get upon us before we know it." OOC: Is there food for the horses to eat here, like grass and plants, so we can camp for a while here?
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Post by ragnorakk on May 30, 2011 16:54:19 GMT -6
Celglin accedes to the Lady of Rohan's plans. "Let a few of us remain near the entrance though, to relay from the scouting party if required."
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 31, 2011 1:09:46 GMT -6
The company sets about establishing a camp at the northern end of the valley, nested up against the protective rim of the mountain side.
Few tools or supplies for carpentry or shelters of any sort were brought hither, so the camp is little more than an area of ground cleared of fallen debris with piles of packs dumped around the bases of trees.
The animals are tethered in the farthest corner, nearer to the Gate Stream and allowed to graze on the mosses and grasses there, and to drink from chill running water, while some of the hirelings sit down under the Holly Trees to rest their weary legs while they wait...
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Post by waysoftheearth on May 31, 2011 1:13:38 GMT -6
In truth the camp occupies this much space...
############################################################## #############################@## <-- Hollin Gate ############### ############|########``Y`````'###################################### #########`Y`|`````Y````````Y```Y````################################### ######``Y``Y\```Y``````Y`````````Y````Y```Y```Y`````###################### ###```Y``Y``/---------.`Y``Y`````````````````````Y````````################## ##Y`Y`CampY/Y````Y`````\----------.```Y``````Y````````````````############# ###``Y```Y/````````````Y`Y``````Y``\------.``````````````````````############ ###`Y``Y`/```Y```Y```Y```````Y`````````Y```\``````````````````````########## ######``/Y``Y```````Y```````Y````Y``````````\``````````````````````########### ###########``````Y````Y``````````````````````\``````````````````````########## #############Y``````````Y`````````````````````|````````````````````############ #################````Y`````````````````````````\``````````````################## #####################`````Y`````````````````````|````````%##################### ##########################`Y````````````````````|`%%%%%%%\\\################ ##########################%%%%%%%%`````````=%%%%\||||||||\\\\############### # ########################////||||%%%%%%%%%=%`||`\`||`||||\\\\############## `E #####################////```||||`/|||||`%=``||`\`\\\\\`\\\\############# N+S ###################///////|||||/|||////`=`\\\\\`|``||||\\\\\\\######## `W ##################//||/|///||/|||||////`=`\\\||\\`||||\\\\\||`\#######
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Post by crusssdaddy on May 31, 2011 10:07:13 GMT -6
If there is daylight remaining, Arbenbard and Nat go to the far side of the valley to examine the walls closely for signs of entrances, carvings, worked stone, habitation, etc. They begin at the end of the precipice in the SE corner and move counter-clockwise.
If night approaches, they will make preparations to hunker down for the evening. They volunteer to take the first three-hour watch.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 1, 2011 6:06:08 GMT -6
There is ample daylight remaining -- Ardenbard judges it yet early afternoon.
With his guardian in tow, the Seer makes his survey of the valley's perimeter. This exercise takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. At the conclusion of this, Ardenbard surmises that the valley is completely natural in form, with the exception of the ledge cleared about Hollin Gate itself, and the Fall Stair, which were the craft of Elves, and Dwarves respectively, in the Second Age.
The only more recent signs he identifies is a single Orc glyph scratched upon a fist sized rock near the northern edge of the precipice. Ardenbard translates it as saying Thy Fink, though its meaning is a mystery.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2011 17:47:05 GMT -6
Largo gathers tinder and firewood from among the trees and underbrush and constructs a small campfire, then commences to sing a bawdy song about an army that was divided, then conquered...
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jun 2, 2011 3:01:22 GMT -6
Arbenbard goes to examine the rocks that flank the top of the stair. Choosing two of the largest that are most visible to anyone walking up to enter the valley, he scratches three Orcish glyphs on each:
"Danger" "Sickness" "Do not enter"
Returning to the camp, he reports to the others: "I have posted warnings in Orcish atop the stair... perhaps they shall buy us some time in the event of unwelcome visitors."
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Post by ragnorakk on Jun 2, 2011 5:52:01 GMT -6
"Lovely tune, Largo," says Celglin. "Many thanks!"
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 2, 2011 19:19:18 GMT -6
It has been almost half an hour now since the forward party vanished into the Underworld.
The basic camp has been established, and most of those outside are reclining beneath the Holly trees, chatting quietly amongst themselves, wondering how long they will have to wait for news.
Largo completed a melancholy verse about a long ago defeat, which has a few of the hirelings looking a bit nervous. The animals, too, seem a bit twitchy.
The afternoon begins to wane...
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 2, 2011 19:53:01 GMT -6
Soval and his company of mercenary fighters continue to maintain a watch, spaced out evenly around the camp perimeter.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jun 2, 2011 23:40:03 GMT -6
Arbenbard sends Nat to the top of the stair, on the lookout for anything of note beneath the precipice.
"Perhaps we should have someone watch just inside the gate..."
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jun 3, 2011 21:42:23 GMT -6
Arbenbard heads to the top of the stair to chat with Nat.
"Call if you need us!"
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jun 3, 2011 23:13:03 GMT -6
[OOC: The stair Arbenbard sent Nat to earlier was the stair into the valley, at the top of the precipice. He'd like to head over there to join him, in case anything dangerous comes out of Moria.]
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 4, 2011 3:58:35 GMT -6
Ardenbard leaves the guarded perimeter of the camp to join his Man, who is standing watch at the top of the Fall Stair, overlooking the river valley of the Sirannon. It is an expansive view out over the lands of Eregion, where nothing untoward is to be seen moving across the crag-lands. But when daylight fails there may well be a different tale to tell.
"A view worth seeing, eh?" shrugs Nat, when he notes his master approaching. He thumbs the stubble on his jaw thoughtfully as he surveys the stair once more. "No Man nor Orc will come upon us unseen in the night by this road, at least." he remarks, though the tenor of his voice hints he may not be quite as self assured as he would like to seem...
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 6, 2011 5:35:54 GMT -6
Soval is doing another circuit of the valley, more to keep his mind to a task than any real need for camp security -- the camp is just about as secure as it is going to get, he reckons.
As he passes by the eerie darkness of the Hollin Gate he hears a disturbing echo carry down... what is that? He's a Man who's heard more than his fair share of howling beast and clattering steel and he knows the sound o' fighting when its about. And by that racket it's assuredly about!
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Post by calithena on Jun 6, 2011 7:31:55 GMT -6
Cursing, Soval shouts back to the group in his strongest voice.
"The advance party is under attack! TO ARMS!"
As soon as anyone nearby arrives (some of his henchmen scouting with him, perhaps?) he will station one or more at the entrance, preferably with spears or pole arms. "If you hear the battle cry," he says, "pour in. But we can't block the narrow tunnel, or we may get the poor sods killed on their retreat. So wait here and attack anything not man, elf, hobbit, or dwarf that comes out."
Then he takes one or two (PCs and/or his own henchmen) with him into the tunnel, to scout things out and join the fight.
IF there is no-one nearby and he gets no response, he will move cautiously into the tunnel, calling ahead. IF only one person shows up, he will send that person for help with the guard-the-tunnel-mouth instructions.
IF he encounters PCs fleeing on the path (looks like a couple of the elves are booking already) he will help them out and press forward right away, not worrying about the others, hoping to cover the wounded in their retreat. "How many are left?" "Are you allright?" "Cover the gate incase they break out after us!" type questions to the surviving PCs from below as they come.
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Post by ragnorakk on Jun 6, 2011 13:23:13 GMT -6
Celglin and his bodyguard will rush to the door, and wait outside to help hold off any foes that might emerge. "I doubt they've gone as far as the Great Stair..."
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 6, 2011 16:51:57 GMT -6
Soval raises the alarm and Celglin Half-Elven is first to arrive, along with his Man Dalain of Esgaroth.
Beranger of the North Downs is also quickly on the scene, and Einar of Swanfleet and Grim of Dunland are only half a minute away.
The others are rising from their ease, looking about in alarm, or else gathering up their gear.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 6, 2011 16:57:00 GMT -6
Soval posts Beranger by the entrance-way, and then instructs Celglin and Dalain to follow after him as he hastily passes through Hollin Gate.
Half a dozen paces inside, Soval immediately notes the quickening dark all about him. There is a great stair rising up and up ahead of him, but the sunlight scarcely reaches far enough for him to ascend.
Littered about the stair are the bodies of many fallen warriors of old.
Far ahead in the darkness he hears the echoes of battle!
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Post by calithena on Jun 6, 2011 17:11:44 GMT -6
Soval pauses, and as quickly as he can produces a lantern and lights it. (Switching to sword and lantern in hand.)
"Good Celglin," he asks as he works, "do your elf-kind senses make the tunnel clear, or blocked? Even my man-ears can tell there is battle ahead, and I would fain order reinforcements forward hard and fast, were I sure we would not lead to the death of our compatriots by blocking their path."
Unless Soval hears footsteps coming his way, or is told by Celglin that there is a likelihood that others are coming their way already, Soval will call back: "Our brothers are embattled! Come quickly, lest they fall to some black-hearted monster of the depths!"
And with that he will press forward with sword and lantern and as many men as he can muster to aid his fellows.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 7, 2011 6:13:05 GMT -6
It seems to take an age, but finally Soval has a fire to his lantern, by which time all five of his hardened mercenaries are on the scene, along with Celglin and Dalain.
"Come!" encourages Soval as he rushes onward into the Mines, sword and lantern in hand, his troop following dubiously after.
---
Soval, go to the Durin's Way thread (with your mercenaries in tow).
Celglin, you may also go to the Durin's Way thread (with Dalain in tow) if you so wish.
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Post by crusssdaddy on Jun 7, 2011 19:22:47 GMT -6
Arbenbard and Nat hear the commotion and return to camp.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 8, 2011 0:13:50 GMT -6
The camp is alive with activity now; all those capable fighters have hastily put on their mail, taken up shields and arms, and readied themselves for whatever threat might come spilling from Hollin Gate.
There is an anxious tension in the air...
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 14, 2011 2:45:44 GMT -6
Norin the Dwarf's head emerges from Hollin Gate for a moment: "Ymir! Prepare a healing brew! We have a wounded dwarf in here!" Evidently the scouting party are returned proper, with at least one wounded. As it would happen, Ymir the Dwarven physician was already making preparations for some earthy Dwarf tea, and now upon his master's call he hastens about his task, establishing a small camp-fire from a bundle of dry Holly tree twigs and branches, and then placing a small iron kettle-pot over the flames. "Bring the patient hither," he mutters to Burmon the Dwarf porter, "If he can safely be moved."Burmon grunts as he lifts himself off the ground and trudges toward the Hollin Gate suspiciously. However, by now almost half the company are milling just inside the door, so the Dwarf figures it can't be too dangerous, surely?
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 14, 2011 3:01:12 GMT -6
Sili allows Burmon to lead him back to the camp, where upon Ymir is preparing an invigorating draft. " Hepti, Vestri: bring torches... We're going back in!" Sili hoiks his thumb in the general direction of Hollin Gate as he gingerly sits himself down and then allows Ymir to peel back his mail and tisk over his scratches and grazes. "Found ourselves a couple of good bruises, by the look," mutters Ymir, hardly seeming to notice that they are connected to Sili. The physician swabs the swelling grazes down with a cold salve from his supplies, and then returns to his brew of scalding water, herbs and a few drops of herbaceous oils...
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jun 14, 2011 3:06:34 GMT -6
Before Ymir has his water boiled and his steamy brew concocted, Hepti and Vestri the Dwarves have their packs slung onto their back and have a torch each in hand, ready to be lit.
Though they are stout Dwarves each of them, they look none too eager to be hiking into the jaws of Moria.
"What was... in there?" asks Hepti, the younger of the pair, with an edge of nerves on his normally gruff voice.
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