Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

“...in the Riddermark of Rohan the Rohirrim, the Horse-lords, dwell, and there are no horses like those that are bred in that great vale between the Misty Mountains and the White.” - From The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Othniel
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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Othniel » Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:48 am

"I wonder if you don't strike at the truth, Torwin." Istril's words are thoughtful as if she's pondering the same thing. "Perhaps a smaller group of Dunlendings wishing to provoke outright war to motivate their people to fight? It wouldn't hurt to get Grimborn's thoughts on the matter as well."

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Vardaen » Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:51 pm

"Agreed."

Hereweald is in agreement.

He doesn't much more to say for the moment. He just gives a grin to the company.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Wbweather » Thu Dec 05, 2019 6:32 am

You set up camp and rest your horses, getting something to eat before seeking out Grimborn to get what information you can from him. You find the Lord of Grimslade sitting by his tent and entroduce yourselves, mentioning that you are just come from Edoras.

"Then Thengel knows about the kidnapping already?" he asks.

You explain to him that you met Rynelda earlier that morning and were on your way to meat the Marshall when you heard word of what had happened.

"So we will have to see if Thengel sends more men", he says.

He then fill you in on the details of what has happened.

A week ago, Éogar left his home in Helm’s Deep to travel to the Dunlendish West-march, the land between the rivers Adorn and Isen, to prepare for the spring’s first patrol of the marches in the name of the King of the Mark. He rode out with Mildryd Shielding, at the head of a selection of men from his personal éored, and his wife Esfled.

All in all, Éogar crossed into the West-march with about sixty Riders. Two days after their departure, they stopped in a cool, wooded valley of waterfalls and green shade, deep in the
folds of the hills and lower slopes of Thrihyrne, about 20 miles south of the Gap of Rohan. As they were setting up their camp, night fell and a thick fog descended on them from the mountains, shutting out the light of the stars and moon and drowning everything in an unnatural
silence.

The Riders of Westfold could not see anything beyond arm’s length. Then the horses began to whinny for no apparent reason and the camp was sent into confusion. Esfled was gone! But in the dark fog there was little that could be done...

After some frantic searching, Éogar’s scouts discovered the tracks of a group of men, a warband that evidently penetrated the encampment hiding in the fog and left after having taken Esfled with them. Judging from the tracks and the direction they took after leaving, the kidnappers were men from the westernmost marches, members of the Dunlendish Gáesela.

Éogar and his Riders immediately followed the tracks, often losing the trail and then finding it again. The trail seemed to be going more south than west, and eventually led them to the edges of a forest, the Derne Wood, covering a line of low hills. By then three days had passed.

One day ago Éogar sent a messenger carrying word for Grimborn, Lord of Grimslade to gather his men and call for reinforcements in case they encountered trouble with locals.

Grimborn is now gathering Riders at the Fords of Isen. Unless he hears a command from Thengel King, in three days he will join Éogar and ride south upon the Westmarch in force.

Grimborn says the Dunlendings of West-march must have gone mad to take the Lady of Westfold. They must be taught a lesson, and Grimborn will make sure it will be a lesson they won’t forget soon.

"So it seems you have come at the right time. You may rest here with us for a few days. Hopefully Éogar will find his wife if he has not already. Then we shall bring a fight to the Dunlendings like they have not seen in living memory."

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Blubbo_Baggins » Mon Dec 09, 2019 5:57 pm

"Ah," says Torwin, "if it was indeed the Dunlendings, it is a shame. From recent interactions I've had, I had hoped that things might change on the Westmark for the better. I just wonder how the Dunlendings were able to see through the fog if the Riders were not; and moreover, how were they able to find the Marshal's wife. This sounds like foul wizardry to me, and not the work of simple tribesmen."

He looks at the others for a moment, then turns back to Grimborn, "Have further messages arrived from the Marshal? If not, would it be of value for the three of us to depart early to find the Marshal's company and their status, and to return here with a report?"

Torwin did not know what to think; perhaps it was a story as simple as had been shared. But the fog gave him real concern that there was much more going on here than a simple Dunlending raid. He now hoped that the three of them might reach the Marshal before the rest of Grimborn's forces, that they might counsel caution and wisdom, rather than a rash act of vengeance directed at possibly the wrong target.

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Vardaen » Fri Dec 13, 2019 7:07 pm

"We can not hope that the grudges of the past are put down because we personally met a man or two of Dunland who was a decent fellow. They are still wild and dangerous people as a whole, and it will take more than a few coins from the King's Treasury to make them forgot the bloodshed from both sides." He nods to Grimborn to agree with Torwin's words of an early start.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Othniel » Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:01 pm

"I agree as well." Istril watches the face of Grimborn, as she chooses her words carefully. "I wonder if these Dunlendings are not being put up to these acts of mischief."

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Blubbo_Baggins » Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:18 pm

"It could be acts of mischief they desired to do, but that some other power has supported them," replies Torwin. "Either way, we will know more when we are on the front."

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Wbweather » Mon Dec 23, 2019 5:26 am

"My experience is that it doesn't take much to put a Dunlending up to mischief, they seem rather happy to partake in it as much as they can. If you have met some that appeared otherwise, then I'll just have to take your word for it. As to how they were able to plan and carry out the capture of Lady Esfled, well that I cannot even guess at. Now if you wish to ride after the Marshal, I won't try and stop you. I assume he is still near the Derne Wood. However, I would rather you stay and join our force. Nothing will strike fear into those Dunlendings than the sight of several hundred mounted horsemen riding down on them."

With that, Grimborn seems to leave your company the choice of what you want to do. You can stay and join the larger force, riding forth in 2 days times to join the Marshal and likely bring the wrath of the Rohirrim down upon the Dunlendings, or else head south before the entire company in search of Éogar and perhaps find a more peaceful resolution to the situation.

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Othniel » Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:45 pm

"We should go now," Istril urges the others. "If a peaceful resolution can be sought, I would chance it. At the very least, we may prove to be effective scouts for the larger force."

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Chapter 3: Red Days Rising

Post by Vardaen » Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:36 pm

"Maybe he's right, maybe we should ride with our country men and teach the Dunlendings a lesson. I too have seen their barbaric ways all too much. Those we worked with were the exception more than the rule. All men are prone to good and ill, and the Dunlendings seem more ill than most." He is conflicted, he would do either.

So he looks at Torwin. "You know my thoughts, and Istrils. What say your Torwin?" He leaves the deciding choice up to Torwin.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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