Fishing for Trouble

Osgiliath: Beside the Great River

This section of the ruined city must surely have been the home of some wealthy lord of lady, for the remnants of what was once a great home can still be seen. Tall pillars of marble and limestone lay broken and weathered, and underfoot well placed cobblestone lay a testiment to the skill of Gondor that they remain. Built right along the Anduin banks, the cobblestones extend right to the water\'s edge, no doubt a high-point for those who once lived hither. South and west the remainder of the ruins can be seen, darkened even in the light of day, and there is was that the majority of structures were built. North and west the lands of Anorien take over the ruinous scenery, stretching far as the eye can see.

[Bor(#30834)]

As if a single massive cloud had descended over Osgiliath to protect the eyes of Valar from the bloodshed and hatred below, today marks a week of near pervasive darkness. The sun shines only in certain areas and by nightfall, what can be seen of the sky is midnight black. Gondor’s power wanes by the day, by the hour, by the minute.

But her men soldier on regardless. They sleep little and eat less, they fight and they die. The days seem unchanging and their hopes of rescue slimmer and slimmer.

Here is a small group, led by an intrepid Ranger, who seek to alleviate the hunger issue. They come to fish, but it could never be that simple, could it?

There is already a small fire going next to the river bank, carefully tended by one Scout of Ithilien, who is making sure that it does not smoke. Set on the fire is a metal pot filled with water, strips of cloth already boiling in it.

The Scout, Ceredir, is next to this fire, and he has a knife out and is gutting fish. He looks up briefly to the fire, and then to the Ranger and the rest of the men here.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] His wounds have been bandaged but his joints are still sore. That however, does not stop the Elder Shaman of Mordor from leading a small band of uruks towards the men who are fishing. He snarls angrily, for he recognizes one of them as the one whose companion...well, never mind. \"Do not stop until all are slain,\" he hisses.

[Hanomir(#22346)] The wound upon another scout\'s arm tingles slightly. Hanomir absent-mindedly rubs it as he glances around at the area, weary and hungry. He gets to his feet again, and resumes helping Ceredir with the things he is doing, remaining silent. He glances up, frowning slightly.

Hanomir glances at Ceredir, before approaching him, \"I am sure I just heard a noise...\" He whispered to the other scout, eyes fixed on the direction the noise came from, both hands lowering slightly, closer to the sheath of his sword.

[Bor(#30834)]

\"Orc,\" says the Ranger, his eyes like beads away from the flowing river.

\"Weapons!\"

Once of secrecy and stealth, the predator not the prey, the men of Ithilien have quickly adapted to these surroundings.

At Hanomir\'s whispered words to him, Ceredir glances up sharply. And then the Ranger\'s warning cuts through the air, and Ceredir is on his feet, dagger in hand, dripping with fish guts, too. \"Hanomir...go help them. I\'ll stay here and try to...\" he frowns and looks at the pot of boiling cloth strips and the pile of fish. \"Try to have something to bring back.\"

[Hanomir(#22346)] As soon as Hanomir hears the word \'orc\', his sword is halfway out of his sheath. At the ranger\'s command, he climbs to his feet, drawing the sword completely out and held, ready for combat. He glances at Ceredir, nodding slightly, muttering, \"Stay safe.\" He then retreats back to the rest of the group, eyes scanning the ruins ahead for any sign of the approaching orcs.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] Bugdobuuk screeches and raises his club. The first he spots the one called Ceredir. He rushes forward, raises the club, and without a word brings it towards the man\'s arm. At the same time one of the other orcs rushes forward and tries to defile the pot and fish.

Bugdobuuk attacks you with his Club!...

...and he misses!

The screech, perhaps, gives away the onrushing orc. That and the sight of the angry beast and his companions rushing toward him. Ceredir jumps out of the way of the club just in time, the weapon making a swooshing noise as it misses him arm. And then the Scout stabs toward the orc\'s mid-section with his blade. The pot of boiling cloth trips tips over, spilling boiling water, perhaps--if they are not careful--onto the feet of those orcs trying to defile it.

You attack Bugdobuuk with your Dagger...

[Combat(#13388)->Ceredir]

Your attack against Bugdobuuk lightly wounds him!

[Hanomir(#22346)] As he reaches the safety of the others, he turns, eyes widening in time to see a bunch of orcs enter, the lead narrowly missing Ceredir. At the signal of the ranger, he sheaths his sword and wields his bow, notching an arrow. Aiming carefully, he sends it flying towards Bugdobuuk, hoping to hit an orc behind should it miss.

Hanomir launches an arrow...

Ow! You\'ve been injured for 3 hp\'s by the bowshot.

ARB: Please RP this injury accordingly.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] Taking the light blow to his chest, the uruk growls and shakes his head as the orcs that approached the pot go running, their feet burning. Now he is left alone...and this makes him angry. Turning away from Ceredir he attempts to find another opponent. He decides to take the one who hit his own man. Laughing evilly, the orc rushes forward and with his club swings at the soldier\'s ribs.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Club, but he misses by a mile.

As the orc commander turns his attention to Hanomir, Ceredir\'s first instinct is to pursue the fleeing orc underlings. Two steps and he starts to run after them, then stops, letting the rest of the soldiers here take up the pursuit.

Instead, Ceredir turns back toward Bugdobuuk and Hanomir, and it is as he does so that an arrow grazes his upper left arm, slicing through his cloak and tunic and drawing a thin line of blood. The wound does not stop the Scout though--in fact, he doesn\'t even seem to feel it as he chases after the uruk now, shouting a challenge and trying to stab his pathetic fish gutting knife into the back of the mighty enemy warrior. A longsword hangs useless from Ceredir\'s side.

You attack Bugdobuuk with your Dagger...

[Combat(#13388)->Ceredir]

Your attack against Bugdobuuk moderately wounds him!

[Hanomir(#22346)] The scout\'s eyes widen in shock as the arrow catches Ceredir, but feels relieved when he sees it was nothing major. He then suddenly notices the orc he had aimed at charging at him. Hanomir jumps backwards, placing his bow back in his quiver. He redraws his longsword and sees Ceredir attack. Eager to repay Ceredir for the mistake, he adds an attack of his own, swinging at the orc\'s stomach.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword, but he misses by an arm\'s length.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] The orc snorts, taking another wound to his side. Blood now oozes from both wounds. He grits his teeth but ignores this warrior and focuses instead on the archer. \"Pitiful archer!\" he screeches, surprised at the change to longsword. His grin widens as he swings the club towards Hanomir\'s shoulder, a look of triumph on his face.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Club and lightly wounds him!

Hanomir swallows nervously as the orc turns to him, but pushes back his fear and takes the light blow to his shoulder, staggering back slightly. However, he grips his sword tightly and sends a stab for the orc\'s heart, glancing at Ceredir quickly as he does so, a look of apology present on his face.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword, but Bugdobuuk parries the attack with his Club!

\"Stop apologizing and fight!\" Ceredir now growls at Hanomir. For the moment, the uruk is out of reach of his now-bloodied dagger, so Ceredir hangs back, standing near the upturned cooking pot, which still has the cloths in it. The fire still burns, as well.

The Scout now ventures a quick glance over his shoulder to see how the rest of the company here is faring against the orcs--and whether more enemy are on their way to join the fight.

[Bor(#30834)]

\"Keep the ranks tight,\" yells the Ranger.

\"Don\'t let them escape!\"

And his sword plunges back into battle, the advantage theirs for now.

[Arashen(#24692)]

A flash of silver in the dark waters of the river marks the leap of a fish.

*Splash!*

Life continues in the swift currents of the Anduin though grim deeds play out on its banks.

[Hanomir(#22346)] \"I am fighting.\" Hanomir mutteres to himself, as he continues to try and fend off the orc. Suddenly, a couple of more scouts attacked the orc, and Hanomir takes the chance to fall back slightly and prepare himself properly. He sees a shield lying nearby and picks it up, holding it in his left arm. Seeing the orc he had been fighting with was now fully occupied with the other scouts, he now heads to help the group of orcs the majority of scouts were currently fighting.

[Bor(#30834)]

Dorc smiles wickedly as the orcs continue to press forth on the Gondorian party. There are two Uruk by his side, swinging wildly and spitting profusely.

His peripheral vision catches sight of Hanomir as he closes to assist and Dorc moves to cut him off. \"Come, meal. Come and meet your maker!,\" he yells, bringing to bear a large axe down upon Hanomir\'s chest.

Hanomir almost skids to a halt as an orc suddenly charges at him. Cursing under his breath, he raises his new shield in an auto reflex, feeling the material strain as it takes the blow. The vibrations also pass onto his hand, almost causing him to drop it. He merely grits his teeth and replies, \"Very well.\" He then swings at the orc\'s stomach.

[Arashen(#24692)]

The Ranger puts one boot on the orc fallen at his feet and tugs forth his blade, stuck in some boney protuberance deep in its body. Above his mask, steely eyes assess the situation.

His hard gaze falls upon the scout, Ceredir. \"Pack up,\" he orders, \"leave the fire lit.\"

And then he is away, bearing down on another orc. He lunges forward with his sword.

[Bor(#30834)]

Dorc jumps back to avoid the Scout\'s blow and raises his weapon to again strike, until his sight latches onto another who bears down upon him. He grunts, and screams. \"Wretched tarks! Fight fair!\"

And he can bring no attack to Hanomir now, forced to defend the second attacker instead. He shoots the broad side of the axe upwards in a hasty parry.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] The club in the Shaman\'s hand vibrates as he parries Hanomir\'s attack. He is stunned briefly, and can only watch as several orcs appear and join the fight. He bides his time, but finally sees an opening. Coming quietly behind the man, the great Uruk-Hai smiles, raises the club, and takes a swing at the dirty tark\'s skull.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Club, but Hanomir parries the attack with his Longsword!

Hanomir glances at the one who took over fighting the orc, nodding gratefully. He turned away and was about to charge when he finds himself face to face with the orc he had first fought, and his club was beginning to descend towards his head. His eyes widen, and he quickly raises his longsword, blocking the blow. He pushes back and brings the sword down in a diagonal motion from the orc\'s left shoulder to right hip.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword, but Bugdobuuk parries the attack with his Club!

The fight is now feet from the fire, bandages, and fish, threatening to spill backwards onto the precious supplies and crush them. So Ceredir, standing by the fire, now leaps forward from his position, coming at Bugdobuuk from behind and trying to push the uruk forward....by sticking a knife in his back if he can.

You attack Bugdobuuk with your Dagger...

[Combat(#13388)->Ceredir]

Your attack against Bugdobuuk badly wounds him!

[Arashen(#24692)]

Wrinkles crease the Ranger\'s eyes, as if he smiled behind his mask - but no mirth is held within those hard glittering depths. \"Filth! You have no honor and shall receive none from me!\" he cries

His sword is hastily deflected by Dorc\'s axe but he swings his blade downward and across to disengage it. Using the momentum of this action, he brings it in from the side, aimed at orc\'s neck.

[Bor(#30834)]

Dorc manages to turn his neck away from the blow, although only lamely. A cut gashes on his shoulder and he roars loudly and angrily at the Ranger.

\"Only a flesh wound!\" he snorts.

He comes then with an attack of his own, throwing the axe above his head and bringing it down with intent upon the Gondorian\'s crown.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] Bugdobuuk deflects Hanomir\'s attack but screams as a dagger is thrusted into his thigh as he turns. Watching as blood gushes forth and soaks through his cloak, he shakes his head. \"Die Tarks! May you burn in the hottest and deepest furnaces of the Eye, and suffer eternal torment and damnation in his dirtiest and most horrible dungeons!\" With a burst of strength, the Uruk-hai turns and brings the club towards Hanomir\'s face.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Club, but Hanomir parries the attack with his Longsword!

Hanomir pays no attention to the orc\'s insults, he raises his sword and parries the blow once more. However, the force of the blow knocks him backwards, causing him to lose his footing. However, he quickly sends a slash towards the orc\'s own legs, hoping to at least send him down to the ground as well.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword and lightly wounds him!

\"Yes sir!\" Ceredir shouts to indicate he has heard the ranger. As his knife slashes into the uruk\'s thigh, he jerks it out and staggers backwards, then hastily stoops to start collecting the fish in a cloth bag and the pot of cloth strips. Ceredir is vulnerable to attack as he kneels to do this, and keeps looking up nervously.

[Arashen(#24692)]

With a twirl of his cloak, the Ranger dances away from the blow - but not quick enough. The axe glances off his shoulder - slicing through leather armor to draw blood.

He ignores the pain and brings his sword in from below, point first to skewer the orc. \"Not even your foul bretheren will feast on your flesh this night you will rot where you lay - a feast for the crows.\"

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] \"I curse this club to the same fate as the tarks!\" The uruk screeches, buckling his club to his belt and swiftly removing his Battle Axe from its sheath. The blade gleams red in the light. This axe has seen so much death and blood is now drawn from the belt with a clink of metal. Will it commit yet another murder?

[Bor(#30834)]

\"For the crowwwwwws!\" comes the orc\'s terrible scream...

...and his last.

The point of the sword imbeds itself deep within the creature\'s belly and blood is spit from his mouth. He grunts and stares viciously at the Ranger. Then, he dies.

[Hanomir(#22346)] A wary look is upon his face as Hanomir slowly climbs to his feet, ignoring the slight numbness in both his arms. He eyes the axe with caution, before gritting his teeth and sending another slash at the orc.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword and moderately wounds him!

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] The slash across his face does not daunt the orc, despite his now failing health. Raising the axe high over his head, he lets blood and perspiration drip from his face for a brief moment. Then, wordlessly, he takes the mighty axe and sends the blade hurtling towards the tark\'s arm.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Club, but he misses by a mile.

[Arashen(#24692)]

The crow-food is already forgotten. The Ranger pauses to survey the battle. Watching for a brief moment, the fight between the scout Hanomir and his opponent, he nods his head in approval. \"Hold steady, lad!\"

He turns to glance behind him to Ceredir. \"Keep them from the fish and bandages. We won\'t leave here empty-handed.\"

[Hanomir(#22346)] Seeing the state of the orc boosts Hanomir\'s confidence, and he swerves out of the way of the attack. He then sends a sharp stab at the orc\'s heart, wanting to finish this creature off. However, he still holds his shield close, determined not to get overconfident.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword, but Bugdobuuk parries the attack with his Battle Axe!

The precious fish wrapped in a cloth and the bandages still in the metal pot, Ceredir now stands up, turning to search for where the Ranger is. \"Sir...\" he calls, taking a step toward the man. The fire is still lit.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] With much more ferocity the Uruk-hai growls and sends the axe once more towards the tark. Blood forms a puddle around him and his eyes droop from fatigue. He hopes beyond hope to break the human that has embarrassed him.

Bugdobuuk attacks Hanomir with his Battle Axe and badly wounds him!

[Arashen(#24692)]

Attention turned back to the battle before him, the Ranger does not turn back when addressed. \"Yes?\" he says through his mask, watching as another scout engaged with the enemy.

[Hanomir(#22346)] Before he can tell what is happening, burning pain erupts from his front as the axe slashes open his stomach. He cries out in agony as he falls to the ground. However, using all of his adrenaline, he sends a desperate stab at the orc, barely aware of where he was stabbing.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword and moderately wounds him!

Ceredir does not get to continue whatever he was going to request of the Ranger. There is fighting now immediately to his right, as the fight between Hanomir and the orc threatens to spill again into the fire and where the Scout stands. So, though it may seem like cowardice to some, the Scout does not come to Hanomir\'s aid, but rushes clear of the fight, still clutching fish and pot of bandages in one hand. The other hand holds his knife.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] Taking yet another hit to the side from the human the uruk decides he has but one more chance to do some damage. Quickly he thrusts his axe forward. His breath is short and uneven, his eyes glazed. The axe heads straight for not Hanomir, but the retreating Ceredir.

Bugdobuuk attacks you with his Battle Axe!...

...and he misses!

Hanomir crawls forward slightly as the orc attacks Ceredir, barely awake. He lifts his sword, and with the strength he has left, thrusts it at the orc\'s heart a final time.

Hanomir attacks Bugdobuuk with his Longsword, but he misses by a handspan.

The Scout is no coward, though: As soon as Bugdobuuk lifts his axe toward him, Ceredir backs up, knocking into men fighting behind them. There\'s not a lot of room, but it is enough: The axe thumps harmlessly at the Scout\'s feet, and the fish and bandages are still safe for now.

[Bugdobuuk(#29647)] With blood flowing freely and his old wounds opening, the Uruk-hai sinks to his knees. With a burst of strength he manages to push through the fighting and under some rubble, where he collapses, hidden from view of the nasty tarks.

Hanomir notices that the orc has retreated, and so makes his way to safety as well as possible. And that isn\'t very fast, and is almost like crawling. But he eventually reaches safety, and leans on a rock, barely conscious.

[Arashen(#24692)]

Calmly, the Ranger sheathes his sword and pulls his bow from his back. He nocks an arrow and pulls, sighting along the shaft. He aims at the sole fleeing orc and lets loose.

*WHOOSH*THWOK!*

The arrow sinks quivering into the bole of a tree and the orc makes good his escape.

Turning swiftly to the remaining scouts, he orders: \"Put out the fire and let us away, quickly ere others come!\" He strides off towards the ruins.