Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
:: smacks lips and wipes drool away; turns over and resumes snoring ::
Having finished his first breakfast, Elfstan tries to see if he can spot any of the wargs as they circle the group.
“So, now that we have daylight and a falcon flying overhead to keep an eye on things, what’s the chance of our archers making pincushions of these wargs?”
Gwaelur would be more than happy to help cut stakes if he were awake. But he didn’t sleep last night, so is catching some zzz’s now. You might want to let him sleep a bit so he is fresh for battle. Maybe not. Gwaelur is asleep and doesn’t really know the dangers the party is facing.
What the wargs did not plan for was the invisible eye in the sky. Folca and thus Deor follow a warg back about ½ mile to where a large group of wargs wait and nap. There are 14 wargs here and of course 6 keeping the party on edge. 20 Wargs is a dangerous number.
Gorbo, “I’m sorry about this. I never seen nothing like this. I’d heard there was a werewolf somewhere around here, but the pack of wargs organized like this is not something I ever learned. I guess my swift path was not a safe path.”
So how far out are the circling wargs? It seems like it’s time to start cutting their number.
Elfstan pulls Gil-Gandel aside for a few words.
The wargs are about 200 yards out.
Just how smart are Tolkien’s wargs, to the extent our PCs would understand it? I guess I always assumed they were about as smart as a wolf today (and are these the big, mean wolves of the books, incidentally, or the lizardlike critters of the movies?). These wargs seem very smart indeed, to be maintaining a continuous watch on the party for many hours, and having what appears to be a well-organized watch-and-sleep cycle. I have to wonder if some unseen evil mage is guiding them.
As mentioned in the setup thread, please just ignore that PM that I sent to you, Malacandra.
With breakfast and daylight and the setup thread clearing his head, Elfstan remembers something he has read.
“The wargs that Old Bilbo wrote about in ‘There and Back Again’ could speak to each other. They set guards at the bottom of trees and tried to keep the dwarves confined until goblins could come to help. I guess it shouldn’t surprise us that these wargs are taking turns watching us. It makes me think that we should do something before they can. They may have more evil creatures on the way to help them.”
“Yes. Miron, Elfstan, Mulligan - let us prepare to sneak up on them.”
I assume the wargs are downwind, the better to catch our scent. In that case, let us first take turns relieving ourselves to give them something more to smell*, and also add (without being too obvious) some greener wood to the fire, so that our scent will be less noticeable amid the “noise”.
I make no apologies for indelicacy before the Princess. Any daughter of House Telcontar doubtless has a practical head on her shoulders.
We had better rouse Gwaelur, preferably with a hobbit-cooked breakfast ready. I’m sure he is hardy enough to stand being shorted a few hours sleep. Stand to, all.
If we’re discussing taking potshots, I wonder if we shouldn’t make the most of our shots, even more than usual. Could Ghan cover our archer’s arrows in the same paralyzing toxins he uses on his own darts?
I think I would like more specific instructions for this one. Who goes and who stays? Is it one group or more than one?
Sir Thoroncir rises from his uneasy bed, yawns and scratches his chin, glad that everyone survived the night. After a hearty breakfast and with a smile from sweet Gilraen, he’s ready for anything. If Gil-Gandel, Miron, Elfstan and Mulligan intend to sally forth against the wargs, the Sea-Knight (and Gwaelur, he trusts) will remain to protect the others.
I’m sure the DM has ruled he can’t.
Once he has recovered his spells, Ghân offers to cover the Scouts when they retreat back to camp.
My thoughts, their leader met a sticky end last night and they are unsure what to do next, although I am sure they would enjoy turning us into a meal.
20 Wargs is a problem though.
I think the best thing we can do is lessen their numbers and drive them off. If we can take them all out, so much the better, but that is quite the feat. I would guess that if they lost half their number, they would consider us a too much hard work to deal with and slink off elsewhere.
I will be sticking with the sling to deal with them, and I expect the washing up done by the time I get back. 
By about 9 am the party is up and armored and ready.
Curu is keeping his knife ready and Folca is still observing.
Gilraen requests that Miron send Swiftwing out on a higher and further scouting mission to look to see if the wargs have help coming.
Elfstan is ready to follow Gil-Gandel’s lead. He will save the six bullets from Mulligan for times when he feels he has an excellent shot or if the situation is really dire. He doesn’t want to waste them on a miss though.
Gwaelur is up and refreshed. He thanks everyone for letting him sleep in. He will be happy to take any tact that the party deems appropriate…as long as he gets to cut into at least one warg with his axes. 
Deor readies himself, keep a very close eye on the circling wargs, preparing to call out if the foray needs to run back.
The two hobbits and the two elves will advance slowly through cover, spacing themselves fifteen yards apart in a rough line abreast, Elfstan - me - Mulligan - Miron. We want to be just within optimum range with a clear shot to at least one warg. Meanwhile I want the rest of the party formed up ready to charge down in support. I’ll hum a couple of short, distinctive tunes which will be the trumpet calls for “Scouts, rally to the main body” and “Main body, charge!” - let everyone take notice, if you hear my trumpet then move quickly and decisively. (If I can’t trumpet for any reason, I’ll ululate loudly instead. )
Once any scout has the desired line of sight, stop and wait one minute before opening fire. Any other scouts, on seeing the fall of shot (and hearing yelping wargs, I hope!) remain in cover holding your fire. You should be able to deduce who has opened fire and be ready to give him cover if he is spotted by the enemy. Ideally the wargs will get hit repeatedly from several different directions before they succeed in locating all of us - if you start to come under pressure, skid up a tree if there is one handy and you can make it, otherwise withdraw in good order and take any fire opportunities you get.
The rest of you, be ready to make the wargs very sorry if we succeed in goading them within range.
Sounds like a plan. Thoroncir is ready, willing and able.