Cereidh bows deeply. "Times are changing, and I can only hope we find some gold in the torrent, as well. Thank you. For the food and the hospitality."
After saying your goodbyes, you travel due south through the harvested east middle vale for about twenty five miles. At the end of the day, you arrive at the Old Ford. The crossings of the Old Ford are kept by Beornings charging a small toll.
Findegil hails the Beornings.
"Hail, sons of the Vale! We come from the house of Beorn after his hospitality!"
Findegil walks forward, confident that they will not stop the company for a toll.
After crossing the river, the travel becomes harder in places. The route passes through several marshy sections, and you can see that the road – such as it is – is supported by piled stones. In some places, though, the old road has succumbed to the bog, and you must follow a newer, more winding path that navigates around muddy pools and bog land. Sometimes you come upon lines of stones or even walls that mark some ancient border. The Beornings keep the road in repair as best they can, but they cannot build as well as Men once did.
After six days, you arrive in a region marked by ancient walls and ruined arches. Most of these walls fell long ago and there are hardly more than two or three stones still piled on each other, but it is clear from marks in the ground and the old lines of the path that a town once stood here.
The road leads to what must have once been a wide square in the heart of the town; from the marks of fire-pits, other travelers have made camp here in the past, and there is a mountain-brook nearby to provide water. It looks like a good camp-site.
"A town of man, built in the Third Age. And others have also seen that this would be a fine site to camp."
"It looks like their hospitality is still good. And who are we to decline such an invitation?" Comfortable in the comfortable weather, Cereidh starts to set up camp.
Krogen has seemed distracted as they travel
Cereidh looks at Krogen. Frowns. Look at the firepit. Looks back. "Krogen, would you mind helping me find fuel for a fire? The rest of you can find something to do, I'm sure."
"I've an eerie feeling about this place, as if evil lingers here still. Let's look for another campsite." Mal suggests.
After awhile of searching around, Mal finds another campsite.
After passing through the ruins of the town, you enter the foothills of the Misty Mountains. The caravan should be nearby.
Later, you encounter a pony that has obviously escaped its harness and fled in terror. The pony has a Goblin-arrow sticking out of its hind-quarters.
As twilight comes closer, you spot a big bonfire on a nearby hilltop – you have found the caravan, and just in the nick of time! Dindy and his guards have taken refuge in an old ringfort on the hilltop, and the Goblins are coming...
There are five travellers in the ringfort. There is no time for proper introductions, so the caravan leader (Iwgar) hastily greets the company and explains the situation. The caravan leader and guide, Iwgar is a Beorning who travelled west. He wears a cockle-shell in his hat. He led the caravan over the mountains, and is the best warrior and guide in the party. Unfortunately, a poisoned Goblin-arrow caught him in the flank last night, and he is clearly suffering from it.
The 'Ringfort' is too grand a term – this old fortification consists of a ring-shaped earthen bank around the hilltop. There was once a small settlement here, possibly a watch on the pass or a shepherds’ cabin, but it has long since vanished leaving only a few stones as traces. The earthen bank is still in moderately good condition, and will give you an advantage when it comes to defense. There are only two easy approaches up to the ringfort, so the Goblins will have to come up those mountain paths, and as long as you defend these approaches, you stand a good chance of holding the fort against the enemy.
Poor Dindy (Dinodas Brandybuck) is exhausted and terrified by his ordeal, and even the news that his brother sent the company to find him brings him little relief. He is polite, in the way that only a desperate, terrified Hobbit can be. “I’m most grateful that you could stop in for tea! Very grateful indeed! But as we’ve got some uninvited guests coming, I do hope you’ll excuse me while I hide under these boxes!” It is clear that Dindy will be of little use in the coming battle, so Iwgar has ordered him to keep the fire in the middle of the ringfort blazing.
Three young men (Andy Blackthorn, Bill the Bowman, Tom Lumpyface) from Bree-land, in the West, were hired to protect the caravan. None are experienced warriors, and they are all harrowed by the Goblin attack. They have all sustained some cuts and injuries, and are clearly very tired, but they can still fight.
12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. The passage is of no use as an escape route in this situation, as the Goblins see better in the dark and would chase any would-be escapees on the hillside, but the discovery of the passageway is important nonetheless. Firstly, the Goblins might try to creep up the passageway and attack from the defenders’ rear, so the adventurer may wish to block the entrance with heavy stones. Alternatively, a brave adventurer could use the passageway to sneak out of the ringfort when battle is joined, and attack the Goblins from behind.
"From the spiders of my homeland to goblins. Let's hope that the fewer legs goes along with less ferocity in battle, hm?"
While it hasn't been long enough - nearly long enough - for Cereidh to remember her own terror at the tower in the Greenwood, there's been enough good food and sun for the fey light of adventure to resist, and even spark up in the face of, a coming battle.
She braids her hair back while ranging about the camp making preparations, a thin grim smile over her mouth.
Cereidh's expression sobers at Iwgar's state and she rummages through her pack in the hope of finding an antidote.
Thwarted in her attempt to help the Man, Cereidh tries to calm the poor pony by stroking its ears.
"Krogen, might you be handy with a bow? I imagine the Knight and Dwarf will want the glory of facing the truly ferocious goblins one at a time."
She looks around camp for a bow for one of her compatriots and more arrows for herself.
... She also goes to search for arrows to avoid retaliation by the pony.
Findegil is irked that he missed the signs of shadow taint - or these goblins. He knows enough to patch wounds, not to cure goblin poison.
But he grins when he finds an old and forgotten souterrain, running from the middle of the fort to somewhere outside the crumbling ringfort.
"Companions, we can block this against the goblins. Or one of us could wriggle out at a time to flank the little fiends! Regardless, I am content hold at the wall - it is where I can do the most good with bow and blade."
Earlier in the day, Mal points out tracks of goblins to foreshadow the coming battle.
===========
To Findegil, Mal offers, "I prefer bow and blade as well, but maybe there will be an opportunity for a sneak attack." He grins.
"Spares me the indignity, at least."
Now that Iwgar has been healed by Anar, he shares his simple plan: to keep the fire in the middle of the ringfort burning by Dindy, and to hold off the attackers for as long possible. The Goblins will mostly approach by the two easy paths up the hillside – Iwgar intended to split his forces between these two points, but now that the companions are here, they can take one side of the fort and he and the Breelanders will guard the other.
From your vantage point on the ringfort walls, you see Goblin-shapes sneaking through the dusk and hear the howling of wolves. There are lots of Goblins out there, mostly smaller scouts, but a few bigger brutes and Wolves.
"Well, I'm ready. But I get to hang back."
Before long passes, Findegil says:
"I say we leave the tunnel open then, but be ready to slay any goblins emerging from it."
"Iwgar, your plan is sound, though I caution that goblins will surely send light skirmishers to our flanks. One, perhaps two, warriors should be ready to face them. And of course, flight is a fool's folly by now. We win, or we perish. So we had best win!"
Cereidh grins in appreciation of the little pep-talk, although remembering her luck earlier in the day, decides to remain silent and look elvishly grave.
The enemy leader – a big Orc – shouts a threat to the defenders of the ringfort. “Rragh! Trapped in your little circle like rats in a grave! I am Ubhurz, and I am here to kill you – but if you throw out your swords and spears, and give up, then maybe Ubhurz will let some of you go!”
One of the Breelanders, young Andy Blackthorn, moves to throw his sword over the wall and surrender.
Standing in the gap nearest the orc leader, Findegil blows his hunting horn, drowning out the orcish speech.
He then speaks loudly and clearly.
"Hear me! I am Findegil, son of Durothil, knight of Minas Tirith, man of Gondor! I stand before you, and I will not surrender! Not now, not in any age to come! Orc, if you wish to live, throw down *your* weapons, and flee like the vermin you are! If you wish to die, come and face me! Free defenders, we will hold to victory!"
Cereidh moves to intercept Andy Blackthorn, hissing in an undertone, "Would you trust an orc's word over that of a knight of Gondor? Hold fast, young man, and you'll get a good story out of this someday."
Cereidh walks up behind Findegil, and shouts out to the orc. "Oh, are you too stupid to understand how a /bow/ works? Have the hordes not figured out this trick? Rush to close with my valiant friends here, my uglies, but I don't need to get any closer to kill you."
Young Andy Blackthorn is emboldened with the knight's strong words.
Until a roar of vile battle-cries and a hail of Goblin-arrows, the battle is joined. The goblins toss their spears at Iwgar and the Breelanders, and the Orc Soldiers do the same for the heroes. Then they swarm up and over the dirt walls and along the paths, attacking with their bent swords!
An orc spear clatters off the small cover of the ringfort and barely misses Cereidh.
An orc soldier charges up the small path and engages Findegil. There are four more behind that will loose spears at any companions that they can see.
Cereidh shoots into the cluster of orcs approaching Findegil.
Findegil steps forward into the gap, his horn now at his side.
I have emboldened them with words as far as I can. Now I must embolden them further with steel and deed, akin to the Kings of old!
Shield on arm, sword in the other, helm affixed, Findegil stands in the breach.
"Come then, orc wretches! Come and die by Gondor steel!"
Cereidh hits the lead orc. Then, Findegil hits and strikes again dropping the orc in front of him.
Mal shoot readies to shoot the next orc when he closes on Findegil, but the arrow flies wide.
The next orc closes and swings his bent sword at the Gondor knight who proves too elusive.
The two orcs behind the one in melee with Findegil throw spears at Cereidh and Mal.
The hail of Goblin-arrows continues. Anar gets a poisoned arrow in the shoulder.
Findegil grins.
Now I show them the worth of noble Gondor men!
He strikes at the orc directly in front of him, and feels a sting from hubris.
Cereidh grins, shooting at the orc who just unsuccessfully threw a spear at her.
Mal shoots another arrow at the orc in melee with Findegil.
Everyone misses the orc in melee with Findegil.
The orc swings his bent sword at the Gondor knight who proves too elusive.
The two orcs behind the one in melee with Findegil miss with spears at Cereidh and Mal.
The hail of Goblin-arrows continues. Findegil gets a poisoned arrow in the arm.
Cereidh considers shooting into the goblins instead but keeps up her assault on the orc she'd shot at last. She spares Findegil a concerned glance but assumes that the arrow's a relatively minor wound.
Cereidh scowls as the arrow falls pathetically short.
Findegil grits his teeth briefly as he feels the tainted arrow pierce the flesh of his shield arm, briefly left vulnerable as he blocked orc steel.
He does not pause. He cannot afford that luxury. Instead, he strikes at the orc!
Mal shoots another arrow at the orc in melee with Findegil.
Findegil draws blood. Everyone else misses the orc in melee with Findegil.
The orc swings his bent sword at the Gondor knight who proves too elusive.
The two orcs behind the one in melee with Findegil miss with spears at Cereidh and Mal.
The hail of Goblin-arrows continues. A poisoned arrow misses Mal.
Findegil follows up his cutting blow with another, though his aim is off.
Cereidh rips the spear out, considers throwing it back, but brings up her bow again on the same target.
Mal shoots another arrow at the orc in melee with Findegil but misses.
Findegil and Mal miss the orc in melee with Findegil, while Cereidh critically hits.
The next orc draws its weapon and advances to swing his bent sword at the Gondor knight who proves too elusive.
The last orc behind the one in melee with Findegil misses with its spears at Mal.
The hail of Goblin-arrows continues. A poisoned arrow pierces Findegil's shoulder.
As the orc falls, a goblin arrow strikes!
Once again, a goblin arrow wounds Findegil but does not afflict him further.
He retorts by slashing at a new orc foe.