Elfstan will volunteer to go with Gil-Gandel if needed.
Deor has some skill with fires- he’ll build a roaring one for light and comfort, as well as a small, hot one with lots of coals. He’ll also endeavor to leave a few long, strong sticks with one end in the fire and one well out of it, making easy torches should anyone need them.
The party splits in two, The very fast horses ride out with Gil-Gandel & Elfstan on Cúran and Gilraen and a confused but not too unhappy Thoroncir. He is confused as to how to hold on to her in a way that would not be to forward but insure he does not fall off and of course at the same time he is nearly overwhelmed by sitting so close to her and actually holding on to her and hoping he does not embarrass himself by falling off and wait we need to find the horses and bring them back and wait what did Gilraen just say, oh yeah, I am along as I can talk to horses and I should be calling for them. Oh that wasn’t Gilraen was that, it was actually Elfstan or Mulligan, what is that strange sound in my ears. Right Elfstan is here not Mulligan and I think that sound is my heart beating too swiftly. Count slowly to ten and calm down. 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10 ahhh.
He pulls himself together and calls to the horses that all is safer and it is safer with the party (herd) than out here where the wargs might be.
Deor gets a goodly fire going and with Gwaelur’s help, Curunauth adds some special fuel that with Gwaelur’s small bellows gets nice blue flames going. Gwaelur is sad to say that at the moment his anvil is running loose. Ghân is tending Gwaelur’s remaining Pony. Gorbo is trying to watch everywhere and telling Lorliana and then Deor what to do.
Very funny. You made my day, What Exit? 
Thoroncir rides on, peering through the gloomy forest and calling to the horses. He feels a delightfully contradictory sense of both unease and elation at having Gilraen so close at, er, um, hand.
Never mind, I see that I am helping already.
It helps if as you read that, you read the words faster and faster like a panic attack. Then read the numbers as getting slower and then steadier. Hopefully I conveyed that.
Sorry NAF1138, I just assumed that Gwaelur would be happy to help.
He was, and I posted to that effect then noticed there was more on the page. Not a thing.
When Gorbo seems to have a spare split-second, Miron will quietly step close enough to the hobbit to harshly whisper “What should I be doing? I would usually check the perimeter or scout for any remaining enemies, but I get the feeling that an individual probably shouldn’t leave the immediate comforts of a nice, toasty conflagration.”
Gorbo, “Eh? Oh, I umm guess you should use those sharp eyes and ears to keep alert. Be ready for wargs. Fenrig doesn’t smell any but with the nasty stench werewolf death it would be masked anyway. We should probably start digging a grave. I think the dogs can do much of it. Personally I’m worried and a bit sick. If I had been alone Beast would be dead and I might be stuck in a tree for a long time.”
First found of the equines is Gwaelur’s Pony. It is busy munching away on some tasty looking flowers. Thoroncir tells him, “stay put, we’ll be back”. Kali calls out for the horses and the group is happy to hear Scout and Miron’s horse call back. They continue calling for Lorliana’s horse. There is still no reply. This might become a job for the trackers. Gil-Gandel decides to send Gilraen and Thoroncir back with the three found. Thoroncir rides Scout back. Gil-Gandel continues with Elfstan looking for the missing horse. He gives up after another half hour. He has found no signs of the horse.
Nearly an hour passes at the camp before Gil-Gandel returns. No wargs have struck.
Curunauth has been working with Gwaelur*. He explains, "I am using the fresh blood of this foul beast to complete my long enchantment on this blade. This knife shall now be a wolf’s bane. That is evil wolves of course glancing to Ghân and Fang. Using this part of the brain and this odd bit of guts it should detect the presence of evil wargs and werewolves. Though I won’t know how well for a long time. I expect to see a greenish glow rather than blue. I’ll be at this the rest of the night. It is something similar I will be doing to Thoroncir’s blade. Speaking of which, bring it over and I will begin some basic work on it.”
- The anvil was of course in the camp. It would not be on the pony at night. My silly mistake.
This is where I make a mental note to stand Curunauth a stoup or two of good wine when we reach Imladris, and listen very carefully to anything he might have to say about manufacturing yew bowstaves.
Sir Thoroncir will turn over his Numenorean blade to Curunauth, and asks to borrow one of Gil-Gandel’s or Miron’s spare swords, just in case the party is once again attacked during the night. If anyone (particularly our spellcasters) wishes to go back to sleep, he will stand the next watch.
Deor would like to get back to sleep, now that the excitement’s over. He watches with interest, though, as Curunauth weaves his magics into the sword and knife.
Here, Thoroncir, have my long sword - I don’t seem to use it much. I have my shortie for emergencies (and can flame it if necessary).
Curunauth, “Good Thoroncir, stand watch over here and help me out. Use my Long sword for now, it is quite a bit better than yours currently anyway. I’ll have both yours and my long knife handy and red hot as a bonus. You should be involved in the re-forging process anyway for best results.”
Lorliana, “Curunauth, may we call you Curu? You may call me Lorli my brothers do. Can you tell us more about the forging techniques and those you have studied?”
Curu, “Curu is fine Lorli. I knew a pretty Elf maid names Lorli years ago. She left and went over the sea though before any of you in this party were born.”
He spends the night talking about his craft and the techniques of Gondolin and Eregion or Hollin.
**Does the party wait for daylight for tracking the stray horse or right it off or attempt to send Miron and Ghân out now at 3am? **
Could Brownie take a cast about and see if there’s any sign of the stray?
I’m sure if Deor were awake, he’d vote for waiting 'til the morning for any serious tracking. Folca will be able to give us a big advantage if we do. Still, there’s a risk that we’ll lose the horse if we do, either due to it getting lost or possibly eaten. But after the last time we sent people out at night away from camp straight after an attack, I’m quite skeptical of the notion.
Ghân is comfortable asking Brownie to look for the missing horse.
He warns Brownie to be aware that wargs may be about…
Brownie will search and he will stay out of reach of any wargs.
Brownie returns after 45 minutes. He has found the horse but it has fallen into a deep gully and it is injured badly.
In talking to Ghân they determine that the gully is about 30 minutes away. The horse but have been in a full gallop.
Hmmm. Thoroncir is willing to try to go and recover the horse. If it can’t be healed, it should be put down to end its suffering. If healable, we’ll need either lots of rope or a levitation spell to get it out of the gully, I expect.