Right you are, my good Elf, and many thanks!
Although he insists on spending most of his time scouting up and down the caravan, politely inquiring after any minor ills and injuries among the dwarves that were too minor to be healed magically, Miron makes a point of checking in on Lorliana several times.
Once the caravan has been squared away, however, the ranger makes a point of talking to the dwarves about the traps they’re using. If they are willing to speak with him, he would like to closely inspect their craftsmanship and perhaps have a talk with one of their trap specialists. He is, of course, happy to offer up his own knowledge of herbology or trapmaking in return, but he readily admits that his own knowledge is almost nonexistent and largely limited to crude hunting aids.
Deor will likewise try to spend time with Lorliana- although his grandfathers taught him well all the details of Rohan’s role in the War, he’s rather ignorant of the roles of the other nations, and Lorliana seems like just the person to clear it all up. He’ll also cheerfully teach her the beginnings of the magical traditions around the campfire at night.
The trap experts are Frenin and Krenin. A father and son team it turns out though to Miron they could have been brothers. They are rather proud of the barbwire and caltrops and especially their spring loaded leg traps. They explain some of the uses but not how they make the leg traps. The Dwarves are not too interested in letting Miron examine them however.
Lorliana can explain much about the war and how it was much more wide spread than just Gondor and Minas Tirith. She speaks of the valiant stand by the men of Dale, how the Dwarves rallied down the mountain out of previously unknown exits. How a small group from Laketown paddled up by night and ambushed the Orc camp in the morning. She speaks of King Dain’s last fight. This gets the Dwarves attention to and even Gwaelur who is please to hear she got correct.
She talks of how Thranduil and Celeborn worked with the Beornings and woodmen and how even Radagast the Brown came forth with thousands of birds to aid them in their fight. Beorn’s grandson fell fighting but his young son went berserk as a great bear and wreaked great havoc on the attacking Goblins. She speaks of the scouring of the Shire and the fact the lords of Dorwinion managed to hold out against the Easterlings with the aid of the Elves of Rhûn. It is told that at first they offered to surrender and offered a great tribute of wine and food. But the wine and food was drugged and that night the men and women of Dorwinion went among the sleeping enemy and ensured they would trouble them no more. The elves in the meantime sailed down to the Easterlings’ ports and burnt their remaining ships and wooden docks and set flaming arrows into their towns along the southern shores. The local Dwarves supplied a small independent city-state with a huge amount of excellent armor and weapons for future considerations, an unheard of act for Dwarves at the time. They themselves even sent 100 Dwarves in extremely heavy plated armour to reinforce the city-state’s heavy infantry.
Lorliana throws herself into the studies that Deor is providing. She is very bright and actually appears to have some aptitude.
Forgot to suggest earlier: could someone please Detect Magic on this loot? Thanks.
Ghân appreciates Miron’s value to the party and his attention to our customers.
Nevertheless a single Goodberry cures 1hp of damage and Ghân has about 200 of them. No wound is too minor! 
Post 389:
Ghân casts his [COLOR=“Blue”]Detect Magic and while he finds nothing on the Orcs combined with Deor’s Dragon Light, they locate all of the magic arrows and bullets that were used. [/COLOR]
Gilraen has also been producing Goodberries nightly. A decent amount have gone for food, but there is still an excess amount. She makes roughly 15 per day using 3 spells each night.
July 24[sup]th[/sup]: Is a sunny day and only in the 70s. A very nice day and a nice break from the heat.
Lorliana speaks a little of Tharbad, “Some soldiers, a few mariners and many engineers are stationed there. The land where Tharbad stood was marshy, so great drainage works and dikes are being rebuilt in order to rebuild the city and docks capable of receiving seagoing ships. A fortress has been built on raised earthworks. The great Bridge of Tharbad was erected to span the Greyflood. The North-South Road led to the bridge on elevated causeways on either side. I look forward to seeing the Great Reunited Bridge.”
July 25[sup]th[/sup]: A cloudy day that will see thunderstorms in the afternoon and then clear by evening. It starts cool but will heat up at night.
As the party now approaches the causeways to Tharbad they find the road is of neat set clean stone in excellent condition. It is 15’ wide and slightly raised at this point. The roads appears to run straight and true for a good distance and a few 100 yards ahead is a 30’ tall square stone tower that is gleaming white. The party approaches what Mulligan and Elfstan explain is the Southern most of the King’s Inns. Each has a guard tower with strong thick walls and a stone inn attached. They provide a clean inexpensive safe place to sleep and optionally barracks for the King’s patrols. Each is run by a trusted family and usually has a Patrol Captain technically in charge.
Gilraen explains, “Good Safe Roads, Strong Alliances with Good People, a Large Well Armored Cavalry and a Strong and Fast Navy are the four Cornerstones of a long lasting reunited Kingdom.” You hear every stressed capitol letter and can tell she is reciting something she has heard many times.
Haro explains, “The King’s Inns run every 15 miles from here north to Fornost. Additionally between Bree and Weathetop they are spaced every 12 miles. Many are still under construction though and from what I hear, eventually they will go south to Rohan and Isengard and East all the way to the River Running.”
The King’s Inn is 7 miles from the Bridge and from this point on 3-foot tall mile markers are in place. At the 1 mile marker the road elevates further and the causeways begin. It starts climbing a bit up to a great stone bridge of a 350’ across and 45’ wide. It is as much as 45’ above the water. The center span is actually 45’ long. There are buildings and part of the town on the bridge itself. It is said that the engineers diverted the river itself to build the 12 great support pillars.
The town is walled and on both sides of the Bridge. Both sides also wind down to where a great port is being built. A forestry project is visible to the North East along the marshes. The town is mostly of stone and looks like it can support hundreds of residents if not thousands. Nearly any service is available in the town and of course this is where the Dwarves will take your leave.
Thank you, glee. I’d obviously overlooked that.
The King’s Inns are an interesting idea. Any historical precedent for that - the Romans, maybe? Also sounds a bit like the small stone strongholds that one of the English kings - Edward III? - erected all over Wales to help pacify its people.
Thoroncir looks around Tharbad with great interest. He warmly bids farewell to Haro, Bammar and the other Dwarves when it is time for parting. If there’s time, he will check among the mariners of the port to see if any are from Linhir, or are soon going there; if so, he will write a letter to his parents and pay for its delivery. He will also provide a report on the party’s recent battle with the orcs and wargs to the city garrison’s commander.
If there’s anything Gilraen would like to see in the city, he will be glad to accompany her.
Ghân is impressed by the stonework. He can cast Stone Shape (allows precision work, including minor repairs).
He asks Thoroncir to offer this service on his behalf to the appropriate official.
Gilraen does wish to meet with the Lord Mayor Ianthír (Bridge Lord). She explains, “He was a Ranger of the North and the son of my Father’s most loyal friend Halbarad. He had served for a time in Dol Amroth and was the most qualified to rebuild Tharbad as a trade town, regional center and port. He took his name when he accepted the Lordship of the this region. I have several messages for him.”
To the rest of the party, “Please join us, I believe he will put us all up for the night. He has some spare buildings near his hall on the Bridge itself.”
Gilraen delivers her messages and lets Lord Ianthír know that Haro’s troop is in town. He is happy with the news that Thoroncir brings of the Orcs being crushed.
Lord Ianthír says, “We knew they were in the area but they have been very cautious and hide behind Dunland lands. I think you got most of the wargs and maybe a third of the orcs. This should make the road safer for years. My thanks, I do not have the men to patrol more than 10 miles south of the King’s Inn.”
“We do have some port experts from Linhir, you’ll find them on the north shore just west of the bridge. Few boats however head out at this time, for letters you are better off leaving them with me and I will send them south eventually.”
Ghân my offer his services in person to the Lord Ianthír, if he does, his offer is quickly accepted. He sends a lad to fetch a senior mason.
Gilraen and Lorliana wish to explore the city. They will both be thankful for escort. Sir Thoroncir has already offered and Lord Ianthír offers to escort the party on a personal tour. (It is good to travel with a Princess.)
Lorliana asks, “How Lady Ianthír is doing? We heard she had a difficult childbirth.”
lord Ianthír, “She is doing well, our healers have her on her feet and nursing normally. She is not fully recovered but she will and our fourth son is healthy and happy.”
The senior mason would like to know of Ghân, “Is your magic permanent? If so how much can you do? How many of these spells can you cast? How long can you say?”
Ghân is delighted to help.
He tells the Senior Mason that:
- Stone Shape is permanent
- he can use it over a specified area
- he can cast it 3 times per day (starting tomorrow)
- he can only stay as long as his party does (there is a caravan contract).
He adds that he can also Speak to Animals, if that will help anywhere.
Ghân will check how long he can stay with Gil-Gandel and Thoroncir.
The mason replies, "By Varda and Aulë, your visit will be a blessing indeed. Would you be willing to also inspect the draft animals. Our handlers are good, but I suspect you are far better. You are one of the Drúedain are you not? We can use as much help as you can give and any other help your friends can offer.
That slip of a girl that was with you, is she really one of the Princesses? Your party must be very important. I imagine you are escorting her to either Fornost or Rivendell. Did she really inherited her father’s healing hands?"
Ghân is happy to inspect the draft animals, as he can cast Speak to Animals today.
He can use some Goodberries if required.
He thanks the Mason for his kind words and confirms his origins.
He explains that he is escorting a caravan and can’t really talk about the people who have hired him.
Actually, the ring wasn’t found until post #430, so your idea was sound. It would be a good idea to detect magic on that ring.
Elfstan will stay with Gilraen and the party and hopes her invitation extended to Curunauth.
The small silver ring is not magic.
Lord Ianthír’s invote did extend to Curunauth.
Deor likewise offers his services to the Master Mason- Levitate might make short work of lifting keystones to arches and that sort of thing. He’ll spend the rest of the short stay here exploring the city, asking Lorliana to clarify the history in the area, continuing with her studies, and flying Folca in the fields for fun.
Gwaelur offers to treat the Dwarves to a round at the local pub in thanks for the helpful services they provided during the journey, and as a way of bidding farewell to the last Dwarves he is likely to see for a while.
Deor for 40 minutes can slowly lift up to 400 lbs of material. This proves useful. Ghân’s precision shaping also allows for some very tough repair work to be done far easier. Both find the work harder than expected however.
Lorliana will relate the little she knows of Tharbad. Most of its history is in the second age. It is obvious the city is being built as a very strong fortress. Probably the linchpin of developing the area. Many citizens of the town speak glowingly of the Lord Mayor and how it is wonderful that the tree farms and port are taking shape so well.
A shipwright out of Linhir is especially pleases with the seasoned cedar that is being recovered from the marshes of Swanfleet.
He is also pleased that a very promising strain of white oaks is growing well. “It will be decades before we can slowly harvest, but when we do, the ships we will build will astound you if I guess correctly.”
The Dwarves, being Dwarves of course accept Gwaelur’s and Gil-Gandel’s fine offer. Their are several taverns and inns in the town. A nice one is one the bridge itself with a view of Swanfleet or to the north side is a good workman’s bar.
I’ll join Gwaelur and the dwarves, it’s been a pleasure having their company. I shall have to scotch any rumours that I am near kindred to Legolas, if the subject comes up (indeed, we are not even distantly related) but my admiration for Dwarves is largely down to the example of his friendship with Gimli Elf-friend. I believe my purse is long enough for a small keg of something drinkable.