Guilin's Company

[tomcat]

Smoke rose from two distinct mounds of dead orcs and Hill-men. The people of Fennin Dorath could not bring themselves to allow men to be burnt with orcs. Fortunately for Celdrahil and Dirnhael, the work was not yet done - there were still some bodies of the Enemy that they might examine for clues. Otherwise, the small town looked as if it was a normal day as fishermen and craftsmen went about their business.

Guilin, along with a company of strong men, saw to the work of cleaning up the dead - and for laying their own folk to rest. He saw the two Dúnedain ride into the town and went to greet them.

"Well met again," he said as Dirnhael slid from his saddle. "How fares your friend? I hope the graces have been good and spared him."

[Telcontar]

"He is better, thank you for the assistance of your healers. So Guilin, now that we have the light of day to see by any new information to add to what we already know?"

[tomcat]

The hunter-commander looked to Celdrahil, "I can tell no more other than these are North-men out of Rhudaur. I can only assume that the Orcs, too, are out of the fallen realm. Most likely they are part of the Witch-king's hordes that still raid south into Cardolan. I sent two boats up the river - scouts from my company. They are good hunters and so should be able to get close to the confluence of the Glanduin and maybe gather information of the raiders' movements. I want to know if they move back across the river and also to see if there are any encampments close under the banner of the Gibbet King."

The sound of a heavy body being tossed on the pyre interrupted Guilin, but then he turned back to the companions, "They left this morning so I do not expect to hear from them for a day or two."

Celdrahil noticed that folks gathered at the periphery of the three men's conversation - there was young and old, women-folk and men-folk. All looked to these Dúnedain with a hint of hope on their faces and each seemed to be waiting for instructions. Guilin continued, unaware of the gathering, "We have broken down all the rafts we could haul ashore so as to not allow them to be used again for any purpose. The raiders last night were well ordered and fearless, so the Gibbet King must be fortifying his lead over both men and orc. Their weapons were of good quality, although they were nasty in their creation with barbs and saw-like edges - no honorable weapons, these. I can only assume this renegade king cannot muster enough strength to attack the city directly, but he has enough to harass the outlying towns and travelers. I believe it will not be long until he recruits more through his reputation and poses a true threat to Tharbad. After all, there is some dark power that supports him - we all felt its evil chill last night when we rode after our attackers."

[Telcontar]

Celdrahil listened to Guilin and nodded where appropriate while he surveyed all that was around him. "There is no doubt that unless something happens to significantly change the situation then another attack will follow. You and your folk must consider what courses of action are before you. Is there a place in the city that you could retire to should the need arise? Either way there are a few things we can do to make your position here stronger. The first thing will be to construct and prepare some obstacles, sweat is cheap when its alternative is blood.  Rising a ditch around the landward sides of the town would help and along the river spear risers."

Celdrahil traced in the ground two 'X's and a line between them. "Two crosses for support, and along the long line sharpened stakes. So that if they roll the points are still up. Attached to this you can affix the orc's weapons so that their own tools work against them. These will help to defend your redoubt. The obstacles alone are worthless unless they are watched and guarded by men. I suggest you establish a watch, organize the men into watches with older and experienced men to lead them and organized so that the duty can rotate among many to keep the impact low on both sleep and working, but all ready to assemble when the hue and cry is raised. A watch upon the river and a patrol to scout further afield should help give you early warning of an approach. As for the Gibbet King...that will require a plan of more depth and cunning."

Celdrahil smiled, "The day shall come again my friends, the day shall come again."

Though perhaps they did not know it, Celdrahil echoed the famous words of Hurin Thalion as he fought singlehandedly against the servants of the nameless enemy.

He bent and grabbing a handful of dirt rubbing it in his hands as he stood. "This is good ground, brave men hold it. Brave men will keep it."

[tomcat]

Tom, that was an awesome post!

[sdrotar]

Dirnhael listened intently. He was an excellent swordsman and had turned out to be a fine leader in battle, but he wasn't a trained soldier by any means -- the methodology of warfare was not his strength.
Fortunately for him -- and the village -- it seemed that strength was indeed Celdrahil's.

Dirnhael nodded at Celdrahil's final comment, glancing down at the wet soil. These were the lands of his birth; the lands he grew up in. He would not let them fall; not when such a price had been paid to keep them over the years.

"It is best to plan a defense, and the one my companion has suggested seems quite sound," Dirnhael finally said. "But while we try to prevent the spread of this Gibbet King's infection upon our lands, perhaps it is time to consider an offensive of our own -- show our enemies that we will not cower, waiting only for the next attack."

[Telcontar]

Celdrahil smiled at the suggestion of his friend. "An excellant idea. Guilin, do youhave men among you who know the countryside or perhaps the likely place this band of men from Rhudaur may be encamped? A surprise raid of our own would perhaps be a great shock to the fighting spirit of our foe and a boon to our own if executed well."

The Gondorian looked across the river, " do you have a skiff and a skilled boatman at hand? I would like to see the spot on the far side where the enemy assembled before making their attack last night."

[tomcat]

Guilin nodded at Celdrahil and Dirnhael's instructions of defense. The northern nobles knew what war was about and he would see the tasks done. To Celdrahil's final words, "Aye, there are many sound river-men here - fishers and trappers. There are some among us who used to hunt the east side of the river where the two meet. So, yes, we can take you across and guide you. I may know of a few places that would suit as mustering points."

[Telcontar]

Celdrahil nodded. "Good. What of the hinterland? Are there many folk outside of the villages or have the raiders driven them in?"

Celdrahil looked at the river and pondered a moment. " Have you any river barges? When I came north I traveled a bit in Cardolan and met some of the river folk. They had large barges that could be poled up and down the river, they were wide, but low to the water. Perhaps such a craft could be outfitted as a platform from archers and move to other spots along the river to aid in the defense or to assemble the people. There is work for all friend Guilin."

Celdrahil for the first time addressed the assembled people that had gathered around him.

"From this moment until such time as its enemies shall have been driven from the soil of your lands all Folk must join in the struggle. Our times are no longer such that large bodies of trained and equiped men are kept by the King for the common good and the common defense. If you are to have lives worth living as free peoples, you must take that responsability into your own hands. All must pull together."

Celdrahil's voice rose and grew hard and firm. He grew to his full stature and his mail glimmered in the light of the day. His grey eyes seemed to gaze deeply, all whom he addressed would have sworn he spoke directly to them alone.

"The women must prepare arrows and stores of food, the old men must exhort the younger to uphold the traditions of their people. The children must gather lint and prepare bandages. The men, the men must bend their minds to equal parts working and war. Long cold vigilant nights at the watch must be paired with equal long hard days of toil and work. An age has passed where in an idylic past filled with peace and prosperity our forebearers lived for many long years, long years even as recounted by my folk. Let us not bemoan the fact, rend our garments and rub ash in our hair. Let us instead embrace the times in which we live, the times that have been given to us. Stand up up with plow shears in one hand, and a bow in the other. The shadow will find then that it has not conquered, it has not beaten us. Within our breast beats the heart of the Edain of old, eternal foe of the nameless enemy and any other spiteful twisted princeling of that malignant power. We are men, and middle-earth is ours. Our king struggles, but he shall not when he returns find his people despairing of hope or not awaiting his return, as long as that shall be. Here we stand and this I swear unto you, the day shall come again but we must stand guard through the long watches of this night. Will you stand?"

Celdrahil in a flash drew the blade at his side. "Swear it by the steel of the King, neither shadow or despair will claim you. THE DAY SHALL COME AGAIN!"

Celdrahil in that moment thanked Ilvutar and the blessings of his education in the house of his father. In this moment so far in time and place, but so similiar in circumstances that the oath of Hurin Thalion lived again on the lips of men.

[tomcat]

Again, very nice post, Tom.



Dirnhael looked at Celdrahil with wide-eyes - the man knew how to inspire.

It was evident in the people around the two Dúnedain that they felt the same, for smiles broadened on faces and shoulders straightened. Men clapped their fellows on the back and not a few shouts of Huzzah! were heard.

"This shall be done!" said Guillin with a keen look in his eye. "We shall stand and we shall make the Mountain-men rue their leader for his bringing them here." He pointed to two hardy looking men and gave them instructions, essentially ordered by Celdrahil. Once done, he said to his new friends, "Come, let us go to the tavern and take drink and get out of this beastly sun. We will discuss these other things you ask, Lord Celdrahil."

The trio moved away from the river where the battle had raged the night prior, and made their way up a deeply rutted dirt road to a small airy tavern. The squat building was built of brick and wood with a grey slate roof. The many glass windows that adorned it - at least those that had not been broken out since the town's struggles began - were all open to allow the summer breeze to fill the main room. They walked in and made their way to said chamber.

The room was lit from the outside sunlight, its floor covered in sawdust to absorb the spills of food and ale. Hounds lay about, as men and women took breaks from their daily tasks. A large black and white spotted dog approached Dirnhael and sniffed at him. The Dúnadan scratched at its head and it loped away to find a new place to beg. The three companions sat at a table.

Guilin looked at Celdrahil, "You asked of the hinterland. I must ask you, from which direction did you come? By way of Gondor to the south, or did you come from Arthedain? For surely, either way would show you that they lands are empty. We cling to our lives here in these once prosperous locations but Cardolan has never returned to the greatness that was before the war. Those who did not flee this region soon felt the deadly hand of sickness gripping at them. What might have been a revival in our numbers was soon ended. For certain you saw this when you came here?" Guilin took a pull of the foamy mug that was now in front of him, he then continued, "Anyway, there are some out beyond the walls of Tharbad...beyond the meager towns such as are that still litter the country, but for the most part these men are hunters, or shepherds. Or worse, they are now brigands that raid their own kin!" The archer spat.

"We can devise this battle barge that you suggest - there are such floating barges still tied up along our quays, probably more within Tharbad itself. Though to get aid from the city will be all but hopeless. They do not offer much anymore, in these times, to us or any other small village. We once paid great tributes to Tharbad to glean their protection... their business. Not any more!" Again Guilin spat into the thick sawdust that covered the floor. "If you wish to scout out the confluence, I can get us a small boat and a guide. Let me know when you would want to take up this journey."

[sdrotar]

Guilin looked at Celdrahil, "You asked of the hinterland. I must ask you, from which direction did you come? By way of Gondor to the south, or did you come from Arthedain? For surely, either way would show you that they lands are empty. We cling to our lives here in these once prosperous locations but Cardolan has never returned to the greatness that was before the war. Those who did not flee this region soon felt the deadly hand of sickness gripping at them. What might have been a revival in our numbers was soon ended. For certain you saw this when you came here?"

When Guilin looked to Dirnhael, the orphaned ward-turned-knight spoke with a faraway look in his eyes. "So long ago," he thought.
"I am from Cardolan," he said simply.
He recounted his days living with in the home of its steward; with young prince Angbor as almost a brother.

"I left Cardolan years ago, with Angbor -- and the Elf Edrahil, who is being attended to as we speak -- charged with finding a cure for the sickness that ravaged our lands. We found it, but at a terrible price. Angbor was lost, among others, and the disease's march had been too great already."

Dirnhael assumed that Guilin, given his questions, knew exactly what the illness had done to these lands. "If only we could have been faster," he replied, looking out the nearest window.

"Edrahil and Fengel -- the horse-lord that travels with us -- were part of that company... the only ones that returned from our quest. We were gathered in Fornost, joined by brother-in-law, our hearty Dwarven friend and, from Gondor, our clever wordsmith here," the latter directed at Celdrahil as the hint of a smile momentarily crossed his lips. "Once again, I am charged to find a cure for the darkness that encroaches upon my ancestral home -- I do not intend to fail it."

"These men are doughty and brave; I will -- and have --  staked my life upon their strength and loyalty, and that faith has always been rewarded."
He looked intently at Guilin.

"There is still light is this world, my friend. We shall help you find its warmth again."

[tomcat]

Guilin smiled at Dirnhael and then tossed back the rest of his beer, wiping the foam from his mouth as he finished. "Let us finish our drinks, then, my Lords, and we will see to finding a small craft to carry us over the river. Let us scout out these brigands and bring the sword to them instead of our people suffering!" The archer pointed to a young man of probably fifteen years, "Go to the docks, boy, and tell them to have a boat prepared with supplies to sustain us for a few days."



Okay, this is what Guilin has taken from your conversation - let me know if he is wrong. Also, let me know if you guys will be going alone or with others from your party. Also, I am going to have the boat prepared with gear (food, lanterns, camping gear, etc.) to accommodate several nights away.

[Telcontar]

  yes, this scout mission needs to happen. I think Guilin should prepare for it and start working on the other stuff. While he is getting everything ready I think we need to get the party together and discuss a comprehensive plan, or for us to move to Tharbad with the other group. Either way we need a multifaceted attack plan.

[tomcat]

I will be bringing these two arcs together as soon as I get some more dialogue between Durgil, Nain, and the Lord of the City.

[tomcat]

Preparations were made.

A couple small water craft that were light for travel but durable and not easy to sink, were loaded with gear that would accommodate a week's worth of travel. Guilin's people were thorough in their preparation, as most were hunters of the wild lands around them and knew that which men would need to survive. Celdrahil and Dirnhael also had a hand in the gathering and storing of wares, but came to a mutual agreement that it would be best for the Company to be gathered before they crossed. No sense in breaking their fellowship when all hands would be necessary.

When the boats were ready and the sun was past noon, the two Dúnedain took leave of Master Guilin and rode back towards Tharbad. They needed to find Durgil and Nain along with checking on the health of their Elven companion.



Let me know if you guys separate - Celdrahil to the city and Dirnhael to the Inn, or vice versa - or - you guys stay together and go first to one then the other.