You hear the sound of a few orcs. You think you heard, “Did you hear something?”
The party is now approaching you. They do have to pass the two alcoves on the way.
If the doors are opening towards me, slip a couple of daggers under the door to wedge it, then head back towards the party checking the two alcoves on the way.
Did I not see anything in the alcoves on the way up?
The hallway is dark until the party enters the far end, too dark for Hobbit eyes. The alcoves however appeared empty.
The party makes it to the first alcove; Mulligan, Brin and Ghân quickly check it out with Ghân behind, holding the bauble of light aloft.
Brin first determines that other than our halfling friend, some orcs had gone into the alcove and apparently through the wall. Gil-Gandel has Ghân come closer and quickly picks out the outline of a carefully concealed door, or if you prefer a secret door. Mulligan begins checking and Gil-Gandel asks Gwaelur to help and gets back to the darkened passage to readjust his eyes.
Mulligan and Gwaelur determine that it is a simple pivot door. Push on the left side and the door pivots in the middle along the vertical access. It is cunningly made and well disguised.
Gil-Gandel is listening at the double doors at this point.
Thoroncir stands watchfully by, still musing over Renee and the light of Earendil.
Ghân stands ready with the light, the same spells and Fang by his side.
I guess I have somewhere else to slip down and explore then.
I hope the Orcs behind the double doors are feeling generous and decide to wait a little while.
Wish I’d prepared Wizard Lock this morning. Ah, well.
Well, I guess if Gil-Gandel is keeping an ear on the double doors, I will take a brief look through the secret door.
Anyone want to come with me?
I suggest we belay that. There may be an enemy behind us if we leave the secret door for now; there is an enemy behind us if we leave the double doors. Better we go and answer the orcs’ rhetorical question in the affirmative. Form up in battle order, boot the doors open and introduce any orcs the other side to the business end of an arrow storm, to begin with. That’s my recommendation, blunt and somewhat gung-ho though it appear. 
Fine by Ghân.
(If the alarm has not been raised, now is our best chance to take the orcs in small groups.)
Ok,
Let me wedge the secret door shut and then we can go play. 
Honestly some people are in just too much of a hurry.
Thoroncir, emboldened by the first round of combat, is all for pressing forward.
I believe I will be attempting to stay invisible in the upcoming fight, although I will take offensive action if required.
However, I will be probably better off wedging other doors shut from the area we are about to head into.
I will try to remain invisible in this fight, since we have so many Goodberries that it’s not a big deal if we have a little bit of healing. However, if there are any spellcasters or Hunter-Killers (or just more than fifteen orcs), I’ll let fly with one or two Sleeps, on spellcasters if they’re unlikely to make their save or on orcs if the stronger enemies are likely to be unaffected.
Mulligan and Gwaelur figure out how best to wedge and jammed the secret door. The ballet line forms up.
Thoroncir . Gwaelur . Theogrim
. . . . Brin . . . . . . . Gil-Gandel . . . . . . . Ghân Fang
Renee
Thoroncir and Theogrim throw open the doors, Mulligan swiftly races to the left and Deor cautiously to the right a few steps.
Another basically round chamber, 100’ across. There is a fire pit in the middle, double doors nearly directly across the room. Inside is 10 orcs, 3 have scale mail (G Pen) on and 3 are putting it on and 2 are almost directly in front of the door wearing leather and 2 more are near the other doors, one in leather and one not in armor.
Brin fires at an orc out of armor and hits it with ease, slaying it.
Gil-Gandel’s arrow strikes home in one of the nearby ones, injuring it seriously. 6
Gwaelur bolt strikes an armored opponent at 30’ and punches hard through his thigh. The orc has taken 7 from the excellent point blank shot.
Thoroncir steps up and hits the one Gil-Gandel hit, it drops.
The healthy orc swings on Theogrim with a short sword, he hits for 3
Theogrim appears to sever a major artery on the orc in return with the great two-handed sword. 10
Ghân saves his darts and spells for now, keeping the light aloft.
The 3 armored orcs charge the party, spears out. Brin and Gil-Gandel grin as the orcs move closer; the remaining 2 partially armored drop their loose armor and grab their spears to charge.
Gwaelur tosses his crossbow to the left rear and pulls out his little axe as he calls it and shield. Of course the little axe is 3’ and weight 7½ pounds.
Gil-Gandel fires on the injured charging orc, as soon as it gets about 10’ away, he drops it cold.
Brin takes his second shot on an armored orc. He hits and it drops.
Ghân fires one dart at barely armored charging orc one handed. He misses.
Fang growls.
The three orcs impact on the front three, Gwaelur is hit, but his tough Dwarven banded stops the blow. Thoroncir is missed and Theogrim is hit hard for another 10 (13 total)
Renee cure lights Theogrim for 12 (1 total)
Gil-Gandel hits the armored one on Gwaelur at extremely close range, the arrow imbeds into the orcs open screaming mouth. The orc dies of extreme wood poisoning.
Mulligan has raced to the other doors. One orc is opening the door and calling for help, the other orc has turned to race back to help his fellows. He decides to remain invisible but follow the fleeing orc. Deor moves further away from the orcs.
Gwaelur’s swift war shield pounds the orc on Theogrim onto the ground as the other wounded orc collapses in a puddle of blood. Gil-Gandel fires across the room at the fleeing unarmored orc and misses but Brin hits and it drops.
Thoroncir hits his orc and drops it.
Theogrim leaps forward and delivers a great over-handed swipe to the orc wearing leather. His crushing and slicing blow cleaves deeply into its shoulder. The dead orc must be kicked off the sword.
Gwaelur uses his axe to ensure two of the downed orcs are dead and yells Khazad-Dum and charges forward, follow me brave party. He swiftly overtakes Theogrim who runs to get back in position. Deor happily falls in behind Fang saying hello to Fang and Ghân and Renee.
Now things get more complicated, Mulligan has already discovered that down the passages about 20’ there are two 6’ passages running to the left and right. The main passage runs on and is lit by torches. Mulligan sees a pair of doors 80’ beyond the cross passages and the doors are opening.
Hmm. Could be better. We better start thinking about where we make our stand if Mulligan doesn’t catch his orc. The passage that Mulligan just took off down might make a good spot, or else around the corner where we just came from.
Actually Brin dropped your orc before he could flee.
You went out the door to look ahead and found an intersection.
Oh. So there’s no alarm sounded. Good!
Should we forge on ahead, or check out that secret door behind us?
The orcs got the door open and one was yelling.
Apparently, reading comprehension is not one of my strongest points. 