“Ceol, please take the strongbow, if you like, with my best wishes,” Thoroncir says. “I am already sufficiently encumbered with my lance, shield and longsword.”
He will begin breaking the other Uruk weapons if nobody else claims one.
Felareth shakes his head when asked if he wants to claim any of the Uruk equipment.
“Those swords are too big for me to yield with any effect. Too clumsy. And the armour is not my cup of tea either. Besides, taking that stuff would insult the kindness of the Dwarves who found and fitted this for me,” he said, tapping the breastplate of his armour.
“You were much smaller last we met, little Hejren. I’ve been away since shortly after the war so I understand your confusion. Now, if the rest of you are settled, it would be best we get on our way. I feel as though I have already spent too long tracking orcs though mountains.”
Ninthel brings her fingers to her lips and produces a piercing whistle. A large beast comes galloping from around the bend. To those who have journeyed to the farthest reaches of South Harad you may recognize it as an Okapi with coffee brown body and zebra-striped legs, though this one seems to be of a different species. It is a bit larger and of more athletic build with a pair of horns shaped like thorned sickles.
“This is Wraith. He has been my fine companion since my explorations in the south. He is swift and stealthy so I believe he will be able to keep up with your fine steeds.”
Ninthel swings up on to the beast’s back and waits for the rest of the party to make way.
Ceol hefts the strongbow, and tests its pull. “It seems to be a fine bow. I shall put it to more noble use than its previous owner did. I thank you, Thoroncir.”
When Ninthel whistles, and Wraith arrives, the Eorlingas (an expert in horses, after all) gives the animal a long, admiring look. “He is an impressive animal, Lady Ninthel. I’ve never seen such a creature before.”
Ghan is impressed with all the wondrous thigs he has seen on this adventure!
He is ready to do his part to defeat Saruman.
Shortly after the party gets going, Bitur & Grávund feel a disturbance in the machine. Bitur has the party halt and determines that Saruman is returning, as in materializing or solidifying or somehow pulling himself back together.
Distances and traveling at 95 miles per day.
150 From the Last Bridge to Mountain Pass
240 To the Old Ford (June 11+)
475 through Forest to River Running (June 12-16+)
950 roughly the total distance from Bridge to Petty Dwarves.
So optimally the party might make it in 10 days. This is 9 days after Saruman returns. (June 7)
70’ Wraith Ninthel . . . . . . 70’ Palafax Ghân
90’ Liessa Hejren . . . . . . .70’ Kali Gilraen & Felareth
Float Disk Gwaelur . . . . . . . . . . . Float Disk Bitur
. . . Fang & Anca . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grávund
75’ Baygir Thoroncir . . . . . 70’ Leofwin Ceol
June 7 Hejren Portent: 16
By the time the party makes camp that night, Bitur and helpers determine that Saruman is in the Southern Mountains of Rhûn and still in process of pulling himself together.
The next few days go by with much saddle weariness but taken care of by the party’s healers.
June 11 at camp Hejren Portents: 19 17
The party is about 10 miles from the Old Ford and it is 9:30pm so just dark.
A pair of bears come snuffling up.
Ghan will use a charge from his Rod Taurgol to cast ‘Speak with Animals’.
He assures the bears that we mean them no harm and asks if they need any help (or have seen anyone else nearby.)
The bears look pretty intelligent. One responds in a soft growl, “Oh good, you do speak. So many human types don’t. We think you’re riding into an ambush at the Fords. Many orcs and some men and at least 30 wargs. I hate wargs especially, we sent word to Elves but they won’t get word in time to matter.”
The smaller bear comes close and sniffs. He says, “Smell of brown magic guy, got magic berries?” and he points a single claw into his mouth.
Hejren happily feeds the bears some of the blueberries from her rations, then gently strokes their chins.
Thoroncir keeps an interested but wary eye on the bears, and keeps himself between them and the Princess Gilraen.
Gwaelur is fond of bears in a person at the zoo sort of way. Nevertheless he keeps his hand near his axe. Just in case.
Bitur addresses the bears:
“I don’t suppose you know of a way to get to the old forest road that avoids the Ford, do you? We could make a wide berth north, which might allow us to skirt the River Loudwater entirely, but I wonder if it’ll be too much delay.”
“Or, perhaps, a way to bypass the place where they’re setting the ambush?”
Ghan casts Goodberry and offers the bears some.
He compliments the bears on their knowledge and reassures the party that these are allies.
Next Ghan agrees with the questions already asked and continues to translate.
The bigger bear says, “All other ways are far out of way.”
Felareth eyed the bears warily when they first appeared; after all, they lookedlike they were big enough to swallow him whole. He relaxed a bit when Ghan started to speak with them and offered them berries. Maybe things would go well.
He turned and scanned the area, watching for anything that might be spying - crebain perhaps, or rats?
Seems like we have to go through the ambush area.
We should scout out the ambush and see if we can’t use the lack of surprise to our advantage. We may be able to pick them off stealthily and quietly get past without causing a big scene.
“I can make one person invisible, so they can scout without being seen. They still need to move quietly, and if there are any creatures with a good sense of smell, they’d have to be downwind to reduce the chance of being detected by smell.”
Ghan can cast Pass Without Trace.
The last time he scouted, he was generously lent Elven Cloak and Boots (or similar…)
Ghan asks the bears if they would like to fight alongside the party.
Bears both say, “No, far too many guarding Ford.”