"I have all the time for you, friend," smiled Esgalwen at Arbogast's request.

To his concern, "She uses sound judgment if this be her will. But what would hold you back? Is it family or home? Or do you feel the right not yours? I can definitely understand the former, but if the latter... well, Arbogast, you are soft in the head." Esgalwen gave him a smile, "Long have we been friends and keen is your wisdom. I have and would follow you anywhere, Fire-watcher. This task to which you would be appointed - yes, it will give you great responsibility, but it would also secure your house and see your wife and child set far from any danger. Do your job right and you will have one hundred men that will stand between them and harm... and one woman." Again the Ranger, smiled.

"So tell me... what gives you pause?"

"Good!" Rorin answers.  "We are of one mind in this, then, and I'll leave you with that thought.  Keep your eyes and ears open!  I know more of trade and the forge than I do of the Shadow, but I don't doubt that the enemies of the Free Peoples have their agents here, and I'm glad that your friends and mine are here to do what must be done." 

As the Elf muses on the unexpected subtlety of this supposedly plain-spoken Dwarf and the rest of the companions are plied with ale and food from all quarters, Hathcyn spies a face in the crowd that, for a moment, he cannot place and is gone by the time the memory stirs.  She has traded her travel-stained eastern clothes for the dress of the Vales and a cloak bearing the red circle of Mogdred's kingdom, but he is sure he is not mistaken: Athala of the Leofrings is here at Woodland Hall. 

Esgalwen, meanwhile, is brought forth from the pleasure of being feted by the reappearance of Arbogast at her side.  "My friend," he says with furrowed brow, "I seek your counsel when you can give it, for I have learned that Amaleoda means to put me forth as a candidate for War Leader and I know not whether I can accept." 

"You must speak with Luindis in matters elven within the bounds of the great wood.  For even in this day, I count near as much a stranger as another of the Free Peoples who wander upon King Thranduil's doorstep."  The old elf sits askance of the dwarf though at the notion of spying upon the Men here. "Now Rodin, you know as well as I that policy and petty squabbles mean little to my lord nor our companions outside anything that The Shadow might have it's fingers in.  Those stories and tidbits I will mostly be eager to share with any who would listen and act accordingly."

  that was but the sally of Hathcyns plan. The birth of the idea, now it must be cultivated and grown.

The people know the words of the song to be true and while the idea of an outsider being chief hasnt dawned on them yet they its a foundation based on truth and known expereince when it is revealed.

As all eyes are drawn to Hathcyn and Esgalwen becomes once again famed in song, Gwaithlim hears the coarse clearing of a throat near him.  Turning, he sees the abundantly-beared face of the Dwarf Rorin, his expression carefully neutral.  "Your pardon, master Elf," he says, "but I fear you have the advantage over me.  My business keeps me often on the western side of the great wood, and I don't know the court of the Elvenking as well as perhaps an envoy of the King Under the Mountain should.  I am Rorin, as you may know, son of Nói and oft called the Roadmaker by Men, though in truth there were many whose hands worked harder to rebuild that grand passage."

Gwaithlim, accustomed of old to Dwarves' blunt-spoken and straightforward natures, cannot help but be impressed by the smoothness with which this ambassador of the Naugrim guides him into walking alongside him, away from the thronging Woodmen.  "That's a little better.  We can hear ourselves think now.  And I think that you and I can mayhap help each other, for few eyes will be on the likes of us, who have no voice in what is to go on over the next few days, but can hear much that might be of interest to our friends, if not our lords."   

Well, that could've gone better!  Looks like lots of people are thinking 'how fortunate are we to have the friendship of this heavily-armed wanderer who will roll up, solve our problems and then leave again without stealing so much as a single chicken!' rather than 'Ætheldreám for War Leader!'. 

Quote from: tomcat on Apr 20, 2024, 05:55 AMShe sees herself in a land where she is ultimately a stranger and even though she has stepped up to face their challenges, she is still an outsider.

Not gonna lie - that's going to make things much harder!  But few things are impossible here.  As a certain wanderer might say, the board is set and the pieces are all in motion, though you don't necessarily see all of them yet.  Much can turn on seemingly small things. 

With that in mind, let's roll for Hathcyn's song - not to see how well it's received in the moment, but to see how well it plants the notion of 'well, she's pretty badass, why doesn't she lead us?' in the heads of the crowd.  I'm setting the TN a bit higher (at 16) to reflect the fact that she's an outsider.  Luindîs helping him out with backing vocals helps to carry the tune, but not really to cement the political idea:

  this was 100% an inspired thought from Hathcyn that wasnt a plan until it was.