Darkness and the road north...

[tomcat]

With the evening setting in of the 17th day since they had left Fornost, Fengel stripped one of their captives and hastily dressed in his garb. The fabrics were strange but the Eothraim ignored the fact and continued on with his dressing. In no time at all, he had completely changed and made a passable Easterling. His hair was a bit too long and blonde, but it would not matter in the darkness that had settled in with the night.

The day had been spent watching the lands and the castle to try and develop a pattern in their watch. Little was determined as the guards on the castle ramparts rarely showed themselves and when they did, it was atop different towers. The randomness would make it easier for the Eothraim to scout the castle walls - unless it was coordinated to look random. The Company hoped for the former.

It was strange to see the castle so 'unmanned'. They were on the very door step of the land of Angmar and all expected to see great hosts moving north and south - the terrible armies of the Witch-king. But it was not the case, the lands were empty about them and the castle looked only moderately guarded. Was it true then that the plague that had brought such hardship to the peoples of the south also afflicted the population that resided in this terrible land? Dirnhael wondered. But then the many years of war with Angmar had only included a few 'great' battles. The Witch-king instead had used attrition to slowly destroy the Dunedain of the North - and he still was. Dirnhael realized that is was working still - Arthedain now could just guard her borders, borders that were slowly collapsing upon themselves. Cardolan to the south could not even make a showing of force with its disparate folk. Only Gondor to the far south maintained great strength... at least that is what was said by the travelers from the south lands.

Dirnhael shook off the gloomy thoughts as he nodded at the three men who would ride out from their encampment. Fengel would go alone to try and reconnoiter the castle walls, to see if they were accessible besides through the main gate. The other two, Durgil and his scout, would ride towards the north to see if any trail has been made by an entourage that may have departed already - an entourage that would contain Camentir.

"Be back before dawn," was the spoken command as the men rode off.

OOC:

Tests needed:
Fengel
- I need a Stealth (Sneak) test roll... I will roll an Opposed Observe roll
- I need a Observe (Spot) test TN 17... remember your Night-eyes Edge

Durgil
- I need a Stealth (Sneak) test roll... I will roll an Opposed Observe roll
- I need a Observe (Spot) test TN 17... you may have a +3 affinity bonus from the other scout
- If Observe is successful, I will need a Track roll TN 20.. again, you may have the +3 affinity bonus for your partner

Any questions, gimme a shout...

[GandalfOfBorg]

Quietly through the night, Durgil and his companion follow Fengel and then split off onto their separate task, hoping to avoid any encounters with men from the tower.

Stealth (Sneak) - (5+2)+3+2=12
TN 17 Observe (Spot) - (6+3)+3+2+3=17

OOC: Durgil doesn't have the Track skill (yet).
If the test is still allowed via the scout with him, then...
TN 20 Track - (6+6+5)+X=17+X

[tomcat]

The men on the towers above look out through the crenelations, into the night, keeping watch. Below them two swift but silent forms move north, searching. Fortunately for Durgil and his companion, the darkness works on their side.

They continue north, circling round the castle looking for any track or road that would reveal itself. In this, the darkness worked against them, but the ever diligent Dunedain had success at last. There, on the snow-covered earth, were tracks... many tracks. It appeared to be a main route into the region around Barad Eldanar. Unfortunately, there was no way of knowing which tracks were coming and which were going. Durgil dismounted to take a closer look, but still he came up with nothing.

He looked to his companion who just shook his head and whispered to Durgil, "The captain may be gone or he may be here! We will never know by these tracks."

But then his scout posed the question, "Do you wish to ride north to see if there are any upon th road?"

Opposed Observe Test TN 12 +5 Darkness TN 17
Roll(2d6)+4: 4,5,+4 Total:13 FAILED

[GandalfOfBorg]

Durgil was conflicted.  On one hand he could ride off, following these tracks, in search of Camentir.  On the other, the two were ill-equipped to deal with much in the cold and dark of these lands.  Standing rigidly straight against the darkness and the weight of the decision, he finally answered.  "No.  As much as my heart wants to go, I think more's the likely we would either find nothing or more than we bargained.  Let us return to camp to see what Fengel has determined."

"May the light of Elbereth shine upon your path, Camentir," Durgil thought as he and the scout mounted their horses and carefully picked their path back to others.

Stealth (Sneak) - (6+4)+3+2=15

[cbl62]

Fengel rode in silence with Durgil and his scout until they split just outside the keep. As they each went in different directions, Fengel bid them a farewell with a wave and rode off into the night towards the darkness around the castle walls. He was tense, and felt tight, but in a good way. All his senses seemed to come alive.

Stealth Roll: Roll(2d6)+3: 4,4,+3 Total:11

Spot Roll: Roll(2d6)+7 (+3 bonus, +2 Specialty and +2 Night Eyed): 5,5,+7 Total:17 SUCCESS

[tomcat]

OOC:

The guards attempt to see Fengel - Opposed Observe Test TN 11 +5 Darkness. Because he is circumventing the whole castle and there are many eyes that could see, I am going to give an affinity business of +1 per soldier or +6
Roll(2d6)+10: 1,3,+10 Total:14 FAILED

Fengel rides about the castle keeping close to the broken terrain to conceal his outline even though the darkness is deep. The EOthraim's eyes, well adjusted for night time, were not hindered by the same darkness. He watched the towers and saw a total of six guards on patrol (the red dots)and the gates still wide open. The master of the Keep must have felt confidant to not secure his hold.

Lastly, the night-eyes of Fengel saw that on the northwest side of the keep had great patches of ivy growing from the bottom of the walls to the crenelations (the blue arrow). Leafless due to winter, the creeper ivy still made a lattice up the back side of the keep. It had had many years of growth with thick vines that intertwined on itself - an almost perfect ladder. The fact that the moat was frozen over as well made for a perfect place to enter the keep.

The Eothraim wondered if it were something that Dirnhael would consider. Well, only one way to find out, he would have to ride back to the encampment.

[cbl62]

Fengel completed his circumvention of the castle walls, careful to stay close to the shadows that clung to the stone where it touched ground. The center tower was empty of guardsmen, but the two on the far wall could present a problem, or even perhaps if one left the post and took the center tower as watch. He tried to hurry as best he could without giving himself away, anxious to report what he had seen to Dirnhael.

Fengel backtracked around the castle the way he had arrived, as he had had success there. He hoped the guards were as unaware on the return as they were the first time.

Stealth roll (Sneak): Roll(2d6)+3: 2,5,+3 Total:10

[sdrotar]

OOC: What's the current status and composition of our party? How many men are there, and how healthy are they? How many are warriors (especially archers), as opposed to "support" personnel?

I'll stop asking annoying questions now. LOL

[cbl62]

OOC: What's the current status and composition of our party? How many men are there, and how healthy are they? How many are warriors (especially archers), as opposed to "support" personnel?

I'll stop asking annoying questions now. LOL

OOCDirnhael: It's not our guys I'm worried about, its what Doug has in the castle that will pop up out of the walls, the corridors, the moat, and the horse barn that worry me. Trust me, I've played with him live for 10 years...it can get real ugly. :D    :!:

[tomcat]

OOC: What's the current status and composition of our party? How many men are there, and how healthy are they? How many are warriors (especially archers), as opposed to "support" personnel?

I'll stop asking annoying questions now. LOL

OOC:

Here is the count of the Host:

Dirnhael *
Fengel *
Durgil *
Edrahil
Lunduf
Daelhun *

1 Stonesmith
1 Healer
1 Rogue *
6 Warriors *

Total 15

* - all are equipped with Bows of some sort as a secondary weapon.

OOC Dirnhael: It's not our guys I'm worried about, its what Doug has in the castle that will pop up out of the walls, the corridors, the moat, and the horse barn that worry me. Trust me, I've played with him live for 10 years...it can get real ugly.

Am I that bad Carl? Not me!!  :D

[tomcat]

OOC:

Opposed Observe test TN 10 +5 Darkness = 15
Roll(2d6)+4: 5,4,+4 Total:13 FAILED

Quietly moving, Fengel rode back into the camp under the observation of the Dúnedain that stood watch. The area was dark, as Dirnhael ordered no fires to be burnt, but still the men grouped together under the starlit sky. Fengel dismounted and walked into the conversation - it appeared that Durgil and his scout had come back into the camp not long ago and were reporting their own finds.

The Éothraim strode up to the group; his comrades nodding at him, and listened to Durgil tell his details. Once finished, the others looked to Fengel and he quickly began to tell of his own findings. When done, it was Edrahil that spoke up.

"Interesting," he said matter-of-factly. "There is no apparent proof that Camentir has been moved out of the castle, but neither is there something that says that he is still there. Fengel has told us of an opportunity to secretly enter the keep..." the elf faded off. "Perhaps we could draw their eyes to the gates while a small band enters the keep by climbing the ivy. What say you Dirnhael? Distract them with some kind of 'show' of force... or surrender?"

All eyes fell on Dirnhael as he thought over the Sindar's words. Edrahil added one last comment, "If the castle is short-manned, they will not have sufficient force to protect both sides of the keep, would they?"

[sdrotar]

"We would still be outnumbered," said Dirnhael, "and we do not yet know if Camentir is even here, let alone where he might be kept in Barad Eldanar."

"We could attempt to distract their guards at the gate, but those men doing so would be placed at terrible risk, and it would alert the entire castle. It may be better to attempt to enter the castle unbeknownst to any of the guards."

Dirnhael assumed that reinforcements were coming, and their time was short.

"What say you?"

He looked around to his men for their thoughts.

[GandalfOfBorg]

"In my mind, we have three choices."

"First, is to attack now using whatever means necessary to gain the upper hand.  Doing this while in the dark will give us the advantage of surprise, especially if we can trick them to open the gates say with one of us dressed in their garb and having a small force approach from the rear."

"Second, is to wait and gather more information and possibly ambush a detachment that may lead Camentir away at a later time.  To me, this is too risky a venture in that reinforcements are more than likely on the way and if Camentir is already gone, he gets further away from our ability to help him."

"Third, bypass the tower altogether and continue further into the uncertainty of enemy territory with no further knowledge of the tower or any better clue to the whereabouts of our lord and captain.  This by and far is the worst choice, in my opinion."

Speaking in a lower voice, "The thought of losing any more in this venture does not sit well with me, but unseating a stronghold of the enemy, even temporarily, and possibly recovering Camentir at the same time is the best choice to me and should not be passed up."

[Stefan]

OOC: Nain's here too!!  Don't count the axe out yet.

Nain listened to the council in the background and piped up at the mention of attacking.

"We could have those of you with bows split up two per sentry and take them out using suprise while the rest of us who don't have them take the gate.  Assuming that the information that we captured is accurate we could take out half their force before they even knew we were here."

[tomcat]

"I know you hesitate in this decision Dirnhael, but both Durgil - in his first choice - and Nain are correct," said the Elf as he listened to their words.

"To not take advantage of upsetting the hold on your country's northern front, by taking this castle, seems foolish to me. As you know, I am no warrior, but I see an opportunity before us that pleads to be taken." Edrahil continued, "Think about the results... if we get the upper hand on the keep then we will expose new information and also find out if your captain is being held, or if he has been moved. If he has we could immediately abandon the keep to give chase. If he has not, then we will win his freedom. Then you can decide if we head south or if we attempt to hold the keep and send for aid. In either case, the answer to Camentir is found and we deal an important blow to the evil lord to the north!"

It was the first time, in a long time, that Dirnhael had seen his elven friend so resolute in his position. The last had been on the fields of Rhudaur when he and his comrades needed to decide on whether to split up and get the Ephanial flower to those in need in Fornost.

"But of course, you must make this decision."