Book 3: Chapter 2 - Into the Cold North

[Blubbo_Baggins]

"I agree with Hugo; I'll stay back with Hartley, while the two of you take the lead." Telurin wants to ensure he can protect the Hill-men if needed, and knows Hartley needs space for his bow if it comes to a fight.

OOC

Is Hwalda coming also? Or staying at the entrance of the tunnel?

[Muskrat]

Halleth nods, "Aye, that makes sense. I have experience maneuvering in tight spaces, but most folk my size don't do well in spaces so small."

[Wbweather]

“Yes, and I will, stay close behind with my bow at the ready. Let’s hope we have managed to reach this place undetected.” Hartley looks to the others to see if they are ready.

[Vardaen]

Some how, by fortune or fate, you have come all the way without raising the alarm. Pairing up hobbit and man, hobbit and elf, you move into the long black tunnel. There is no light save what light you bring with you. Hwalda lights a torch of her own as does Halleth. You start into the darkness, the cold stone on your feet echos with each boot. The tunnel is rough in places, smooth in others, and you stub a toe here or there, or catch your cloak on the wall, and always bang your head when the tunnel dips low. There is a smell of wet dog in the passage, and you see signs of hounds, a puddle or a pile, and some fur about.

Long is the passage in the dark, an hour or more, but you reach at long last a three way intersection. Left you see the passage is worked by hands, carved with tools and with a raised ceiling. To the right the tunnel goes on into more tunnels that you can not make out from here. However strait ahead, generally to the west, you hear the faint cries and weeping of children.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Telurin notices the signs of hound, or wolf, and makes quick assumptions about the place. When they come to the fork, he begins to wonder which direction they ought to go, until they hear the cries of children. Though all are surprised and happy to hear the sound, he puts his hand to his lips, as much to stop himself from exclaiming.

He whispers, "If we can hear them, soon they will be able to hear us. A plan is beginning to form in my mind - let me know what you," he says looking to his friends, and then the Hill-men.

"First, let Halleth and Hugo go ahead; they are stealthy and I trust will keep our presence hidden. If the women and children are guarded by orcs, or worse, we should know about it, and in the meantime not risk being spotted. The rest of us can stand here to guard the exit. If there seems to be no guard for the prisoners then the two of them can signal and we can all go to help free them, if they are chained or otherwise unable to leave under their own power.

I personally believe we came in through the Wargs' hole, and for that reason the captives cannot usually get out that way. Thus, we must at all times guard our exit. The Wargs must be on the hunt, or something, but I do not trust it to be long before they return."

[Muskrat]

Halleth thinks a moment, then nods and whispers in reply, "What you say makes good sense. And if there are wargs about, I would like to be out of her sooner rather than later.

[AndyDez]

Hugo dares no speech, but firmly nods in concurrence.

[Vardaen]

Hwalda chimes in, whispering, "I think you may be right, but for one thing." She holds a tuft of fur her a clenched hand and makes Freach and Eysslt look at it, "Take a look, what do you see?" Both gaze more deeply at the torn fur, then their eyes go wide. "Yes," says Hwalda, "This is wolfhound fur, the same sorts that we hill-men keep and pride ourselves on breeding." She let's that revelation sink in a moment.

[Muskrat]

Halleth frowns and whispers, "Traitors? Or did they come here voluntarily? Or maybe the wolf hounds followed to protect them? Alright, if the last was true, the orcs most likely would have killed them. But we don't know what it means--we can only speculate. But we should be prepared for the fact that some here may not want to be rescued and may alert the orckish guards. I still can't think of a better plan than for Hugo and I to go spy out the situation. Now we may want to eavesdrop on their conversation to find out who stands where."

[Blubbo_Baggins]

"That would be terrible to discover, that Hill-men are behind this," replies Telurin. "We will wait for you, while guarding the exit. And of course," he adds, "I always have light if all others go out." He nods to Hugo and Halleth, glad to have a plan of some kind. Too much of this journey north had had unexpected twists and turns.