Ghâ will cast Predict Weather as usual, then load the rest of his spells.
He asks Renee if Athelas (Ghân calls this Kingsfoil) can be used for powerful healing - isn’t it rather luxurious to use it for a cold?
Renee replies to Ghân, "Since the King’s return, Athelas grows throughout Minas Tirith and Gondor again. Nearly every gardener tries to keep some. My instructors did mention that I seem to have an exceptional knack with it, both growing and using it. I understand Elfstan’s family famously have it growing about their holes and some can be found in the gardens of Bag End. "
Thoroncir asks, “Is it OK if I continue to use the two magic items? The bow is far more valuable than I realized.”
The weather today should be cloudy going to clear by 10am. Cool throughout the day with a high of 73°
Ghân is delighted to hear that Kingsfoil is doing so well. 
He reassures Throroncir that it’s best by far if the party use the items they find.
Obviously if another member of the party would like the Chain or Bow, Thoroncir should share. But otherwise keep on fighting with them! 
Ghân will cast any spare Goodberry spells from last night, then, given there are no storms forecast, Ghan is loading:
1st
Detect Magic
Entangle
Faerie Fire
Locate Animals
Speak to Animals
Predict Weather*
Purify Water
2nd
Barkskin
Cure Light Wounds
Goodberry
Heat Metal
Slow Poison
3rd
Summon Insects
Neutralise Poison
Plant Growth
I don’t even bother with leather. That armouring belt we picked up on our previous mission is more to my liking. The lighter I can go, the better I like it - even though the chain mail is much lighter than standard.
I have no need for either item, and it would seem that they are best suited to your needs. My vote would go for you keeping them unless someone else feels they need them.
Brin: The magical items are of minimal use to me, also. While protection from rust is a bonus, I’ll only opt for metal armors if I know I’ll be marching into a large battle as infantry or cavalry. It is more of a hindrance to me than a benefit in my normal duties as a scout. As for the bow, it appears to be equivalent to my own longbow, with a tradeoff between range for penetration. I’ll stick with range. Thanks for your consideration.
Trying to play this correctly: forgive me **EH ** if this is wrong.
Thoroncir says to Brin, “Well then, I shall carry both and if we expect a large battle, I will give you the magic chain wear. I doubt mine would fit you. At least not as well”
After the rain yesterday, Elfstan is especially thankful for his Elven cloak. He gets prepared for the day’s march and then wonders if there is time for a second breakfast before the Big Folk are ready to travel.
The party proceeds for about two hours to where Riglo last found the tracks. The trackers find fresh signs of orc activity from the night before. Considering the heavy rain lasted until 9pm we know it was after that. The Hawks are in the air looking for activity.
Riglo asks, “Ghân and Fang could you please check the area for strange scents.” Mulligan escorts Ghân as an additional protector.
Brin discovers a fresh set of strange tracks. The three trackers confer and determine the biped creature was without a tail and needed at least a 20’ run to take off, at least from the ground. Based on this it would probably be 7’ tall if of human proportions. There is still no recognitions of the claw marks.
Fang makes a discovery using his nose. It is a small pit in some heavier scrub and a pile of dead orcs are in it. The top one has been dead less than a day and must be from last night. This orc has had its heart ripped out. It appears all the orcs have had their hearts ripped out. The previous orc has probably been in the pit from shortly before Riglo last visited the area.
Renee, “Judging from what you described and the condition of these orcs, I fear we are dealing with an ancient vampire. These are the normally reclusive servants of Morgoth from the first age. They are not the restless dead, but rather foul bat like spirits with grasping clawing arms and wings. They are swift and intelligent. They may have some magic.
There were rumors that a small group was chased out of Minas Morgul a few decades back.
Some were rumored to have shape shifting abilities and are usually female in form. Don’t be fooled, they are ancient monsters, Demons if you will. Expect deceit, seduction and illusion. They like to eat the fresh hearts out of their victims.
As far as I know, they do not reproduce, so if it is one of Morgoth’s servants, it is truly ancient.
Morgoth used them as messengers and to spread fear. Apparently like the Balrogs and Dragons, they did not often work for or with Sauron.
Just a note, Lúthien once disguised herself as one, I know little more beyond that.”
Urrk!
A Vampire you say, one of “HIS” messengers.
Running around this particular bit of countryside, you say.
Oh crumbs.
Elfstan: “That’s bad, isn’t it?”
Totally out of game but, I have far too many Vampires in my life right now. I read this response and thought I had opened up the Conspiracy game thread by mistake and when looking for who made the slip. Vampires, crumbs…sigh.
VAMPIRE? Did you know that this is what we would be hunting before we headed this way? Hmm, I don’t know much about Vampires, but everyone stay close together. If we are going to have any chance of fighting them off we will need numbers on our side.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to fight them off?
To answer Gwaelur’s question, “I understand magical arrows may hurt them and I believe I may be able to provide some protection from them. Actually as I think about it, maybe not. Not a creature that is safe for experiments.”
Riglo, “I never even heard of these things. I mean I’ve heard of Vampires, but not these Morgoth Vampires. By Elbereth, I know not what to do. We could leave quietly and report back or we could ignore the creature and try to track the orcs and do something about them. My original plan was to leave the creature and the orcs to your company and to continue my scouting east.”
Brin pales considerably, and begins looking for some wild belladonna.
Yes, I, d_odds, knows that is for lycanthropes.
Miron doesn’t seem to be particularly unnerved by the possibility of tangling with the undead, but several moments of introspection bring a scowl to his features that remains throughout the discussion. When the chance presents itself, he pulls Renee aside and sharply whispers “Ma’am, do you believe yourself to be capable of reliably discerning a shapeshifted vampire from an ordinary person or creature? Brin’s new polecat is so cute, and if I was intent on lulling a group into letting their guard down long enough to messily rip their hearts from their chests, such a creature is exactly the kind of form I would consider taking.”
I was considering having Miron get suspicious of our new hobbit members, too, but I thought that would be a little too Mafia-esque.
Renee first reminds Miron, “The ancient vampire in question is not among the undead, but a far deadlier elf-bane. An evil spirit type.”
She continues, "I am sure that Missy would know if the polecat or any party member was a shape shifter vampire of either sort. Additionally they do not to my knowledge have the ability to be that small. They might be able to be as small as a wolf, but Fang has been with us far too long and Missy says he is OK for a canine.
Should we investigate or leave the area? We could return to Minas Tirith for more information."
Ghân mutters to Elfstan that a Goodberry counts as a full meal and asks how many the hobbit wants for his second breakfast.
Ghân asks Renee to confirm if his Flame Blade (which works well v regular Undead) is not useful against this Vampire.
Also Fang speaks Wolf, which is presumably another sign he’s not the shapeshifter - since the Vampires only take the shape, not the language?
If the estimable Riglo is planning to continue scouting separately, then Ghân votes to return for more information before going on this unusual Vampire hunt.
Renee just doesn’t know, but she thinks the Flame Blade would work.
Riglo, “If you want me to go along I will, but honestly I am a very specialized Orc hunter and tracker. If you plan to return and leave this monster here, it might be prudent for me to return with you. I am not sure I want an Ancient Vampire between me and the only help nearby. I will be honest, the only time I came face to face with the restless dead, I ran and I ran fast. Renee makes this sound far worse and something even the elves would fear.”