Taking the Bait

[Eclecticon]

That's a very nice roll, Matt - well done for making it when you did. 

EDIT: I'm going to give him an AP for the Great Success despite the fact that he already has two noted down in Perception and he doesn't have a relevant Trait, just because it's a plot-critical check. 

[Telcontar]

  paul, are you waiting on us? If you've left us with something to action or discuss I've missed the que.

[Eclecticon]

If you guys are ready to return to the main force and tell Grimbeorn where you've found the wargs, I'm happy to move on.  But this:

... the shadows of a score or more sails, and beyond them rises the faintest hint of what may be a column of smoke.

... is significant.

[Telcontar]

  i took that bit to be narrative device and foreshadowing not character knowledge because I dont have eyes of greatness even among the first born.

[Eclecticon]

I re-read what I wrote and you're right - it's not clear that this is something Gwaithlim has actually seen, which was the intent. 

Whoops.

[Telcontar]

  I didnt think it was player knoweldge which is why i asked. Let's see what Matt does then.

[Eclecticon]

Your willingness to oblige me is appreciated, and will be remembered come XP time.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Ignoring their present situation, Gwaithlim is distracted by a portent of ill-boding.  "Hark!" calls the noble elf. "Mine eyes may cheat me but yonder," he points to the far off horizon.  "Luindis, do you see what that? Pray it be figment of visions for it is not a sight common this side of the falls away south."

[Eclecticon]

Let's see what she can see!  She'll need at least a great success to match him:

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 2d6 : 3, 2, total 5

[Eclecticon]

Luindîs slaps the taller Elf playfully on his arm as she says "Fie, falcon-eyed one!  Mine are eyes of Mirkwood's owls: better than yours in the dimness, but hardly fit for seeing across the whole wide world!" 

Her light demeanour slips away, however, as she then asks "But if your eyes do not deceive you, what does this sight mean?  What folk are these that would set so many sails upon the river?  And what shall we do about the foes here and now?"


Tom, I know Hathcyn has already put his two cents in, and they're sensible cents at that.  But Luindîs doesn't feel like a conclusion has been reached yet.  She'll probably follow Esgalwen's lead, once the Ranger weighs in on the issue.

[Telcontar]

  knowing about the situation I dont think changes his current course of action. The people are already in motion and the watgs are found. The boat people are a new issue but little he can do at present.

[tomcat]

I have been thinking about what Esgalwen would add to all of this, but she feels so out of 'command' - that this would be choices of the Beornings. That said, I will give my character's input.
Esgalwen listened as Gwaithlim revealed what his eyes did see - sails upon the Anduin and fires alit upon the land. Such things harkened back to the days in Gondor when the southern city of Pelargir did need defend against the plunderers of Umbar.

"Hathcyn, we know where the wargs sleep and our host still follows far behind, but it is evident that something new threatens the vale. Is that the Old Ford that burns? Boatmen lay siege to some residence along the river and though we can do little to stop them, for our numbers, still we can discern this new threat and bring the news to Grimbeorn.

"It is apparent that this attack out of the mountains by orc and warg is either to distract or support the efforts of others. Maybe the Vigs? Maybe the Toft-men flying banners of Mogdred? We cannot know lest we make haste to see this new danger. Is there a way to send word to Grimbeorn to alert him to these threats? Gwaithlim, can your winged friends take a message? Hathcyn, can you run to him in your night-form?"

The Ranger was torn, as it seemed that the enemy had, in every way, slowed them and hampered their decisions, even as they burn rick, cot, and stable.

[tomcat]

Correct me if I am wrong, but this is how I map this and how Esgalwen interprets it:

We crossed the river at the Old Ford and moved south where we came upon a battle fought by Beornings and orc warg-riders and wargs. We learned that Grimbeorn had either fought off and pursued - or retreated - to the the settlement, where they were placed under a dweamor. We followed after Grimbeorn which took us further south, yes?

From there, we moved north back towards the Old Ford, scouting before the host? Is the Old Ford what could be assumed is burning? If we moved south, then Stony Ford sits along the river and it could be the location of another attack.

If Esgalwen knew where they were, she might be able to conceptualize the purpose of their enemy. If the Vigs are working with Orcs of the Mountains, or those of the Upper Vales, it would be apparent that they are hampering Grimbeorn's forces down south, cutting us off at the Ford, and perhaps it or the Carrock burns.

[Telcontar]

  further points of clarification.

Are the boats moving down the river south or up river north?

We are on the west side of the river?

Are the boats attacking at Old Ford, carrock or somewhere else?

How far are we from the river?

This will drive what Hathcyn says and does next.

[tomcat]

To your second question, Tom - I can pretty much guarantee we are on the west side of the Anduin. We crossed it in the first thread of this chapter. Paul wrote we moved south, but I do not know the direction from there.