Chapter 2 - Dark of the Moon

[Blubbo_Baggins]

When Torwin sees this he shares it with the others. "These are not just hungry wolves. They are being led, I'm afraid, by something more foul. See these tracks?"

He points them out. "If I'm not mistaken they are a Warg. Let us sleep with bows and swords close by."

[Vardaen]

"Agreed, we need to be vigilant. No one goes off alone, let's set camp and get the fire going as good as we might. Watches are a must." Then he sets to doing as he suggests, checking the tracks again, and looking for any sort of place to set the camp that might give them just a bit of an edge.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Torwin also looks for a good spot; particularly one with a boulder, that might allow one or more of them to shoot arrows with a height advantage.

Action

Explore 1 (favoured), spend Hope if the search could help in anything that's coming up.

[Othniel]

"Very well, I will take the first watch," Istril agrees. Once the group finds a suitable camping spot, Istril will take her place and lay her bow across her lap with arrows ready to hand.

[Wbweather]

You find a suitable campsite near a small rock outcrop that allows you to gain a height advantage should enemies come. Istril stands watch as Hereweald and Torwin settle in. The air is cold and the temperature likely will drop as the day fades to darkness. You listen for the sound of wolves and fortunately do not hear any of the creature's howls.

Istril (Awareness):
Feat Die: 5*
Success Die: 3,4
Totaling: 12

GM

Okay, I need to know if you want to spend hope before we can continue. Of course, that kind of leads you. It determines what happens next.

[Othniel]

OOC

Seems like a good time to spend hope, so sure.

[Wbweather]

As she is listening Istil thinks she hears the sound of voices on the distant wind. She strains her ears. After a minute, she is about to dismiss this as a trick of the wind when she hears what is definitely the sound of men talking. The language is strange to her ears but the voices are close and appear to be trying to speak quietly as if not wanting to be heard.

She motions Hereweald and Torwin silently and points in the direction from which the voices came. Suddenly the company is alert. Everyone grabs their weapon. You take cover as quickly as you can. It seems to be just in time, because just as you all hide yourselves a dozen dunlending warriors enter your camp through the trees. They are armed and seem to be surprised that your camp is empty. It is obvious that they were planning on ambushing you.

They start discussing in earnest what they should do now. Your gear and horses are there for them to see and they know you must be close.

[Vardaen]

Call it Luck or Fate, or something more, but as Hereweald is alerted by Istril he grabs his blade and slips into the undergrowth near the camp. A dozen men, Dunlending warriors no less, is not a fight he expects the three of them could win. He glances at his companions, back at the horses and gear, and wonders if there isn't some sort of bluff they could use against the Dunlendings. What I wouldn't give for some friends at this moment. he thinks as he tries to size of the Dunlendings.

[Blubbo_Baggins]

Torwin knows they cannot leave their things, for all the weregild lay hidden there, and knowing a fight of 12 versus 3 could not go in their favor, begins chanting a song from his hiding space, a few yards distant from the others.

It is a song he heard Imhar and the Dunlendings sing, whilst they traveled together from Grimslade to Edoras. He hopes that the song opens the door for a conversation, and that somehow, these men know and respect the chieftain, for he does not see any other reason for them to not simply take the gold, leaving him and his companions dead or if they're lucky, alive.

Action

Song 3

[Othniel]

For her part, Istril remains near motionless, though her knuckles turn white with her grip upon her sword hilt.