Thanes meet

The sun is lowering into the west this afternoon the spring air is cool, though rain falls from the sky in copious ammounts. In Staddle, the majority of the hobbits are inside: only those that need to be out are out. Yet, there are more then hobbits here. In a small, empty area near the road, there is a small encampment of only four Dwarves.

One of these Dwarves is Ovor, Thane Zinbar. Two of his Huskarls stand near while the third seems to be tending a small fire. Of the rain the Thane gives no regard he merely gazes eastwards, smoke puffing up from him and his pipe.

Rainy days turn the streets and roads of Bree quite muddy, and few venture outside in these conditions. Yet, asmall group of dwarves can be seen coming down the road, at their head a blue cloaked dwarf. This is Thane Bundazanul, and he marches with fast pace to reach his destination. As Braldor notices the small encampment, he motions for the dwarves who come with him to move forth. Bright mail glints barely under cloaks, and battle axes are strapped on the backs of the dwarves: Thane Bundazanul clearly comes with some huskarls of his own.

It is the comming to attention of the two Huskarls that brings the Zinbar Thane\'s attention back from the east. The eyes flick over the Huskarls first before looking to Braldor. A bow of his head follows, as he places the head of his hammer on his foot. \"Thane! Greetings. May Mahal ensure your clan never wants.\"

Braldor waves to ovor as he approaches. \"Well met!\", he calls, as he continues his frantic pace towards Ovor. \"And may he also watch over yers. So, \'tis true\", he adds, as he nears Ovor, \"that Thane Zinbar would rather stay out in the rain than let the Breefolk have his mighty hammer?\"

A laugh is barked by the Thane, and he nods. \"Ay, it is so. I would not be... caught with my hammer tied to my belt should... trouble descend.\" A brief grin comes from Ovor, though his voice lowers as the other Thane is closer. \"What news is there from Bree? Have they decided to see wisdom, or are they still refusing to look into the face of fact?\"

\"I know not\", Braldor replies lowering his voice too. The Bundazanul huskarls sit near the fire while their Thane tends to business, happy to exchange some jokes with their Zinbar brethren. \"Folks of Bree are queer, but \'tis their country and we have to respect their rules, I guess\", Braldor adds, shrugging. \"Have you any news yerself?\"

The Zinbar Thane grunts. The two other Huskarls, with a slight wave from Ovor, join the others at the fire. \"That is true, but it still raises my choler that they act so.\" A brief shake of his head before he chuckles quietly. \"Actually, yes. From the east. Ran into at least one of those... Rangers, I think he called himself.

\"Let him know of the threat. Said he could gather three to five of his own people in the area to assist.\" A brief smile flickers on Ovor\'s face. \"Some manlings have sense. Know you anything of them, Thane?\" A brief pause. \"Also, are there any woodworkers amongst your number?\"

Braldor nods as Ovor speaks. \"Of these Rangers I have heard, yet I\'ve never had dealings with them. However, the people of Bree do not like them... strange stories they tell about \'em\", he says, shaking his head slightly. \"Yet, if they help against the coming tide of darkness, we shall be grateful... as should be the Breefolk\". His eyes turn to the east for a moment, ere he adds, \"Nay, no woodworkers from Bundazanul have come on this trip... yet perhaps one of the merchants may assist ye. What will ye be needing?\"

Ovor nods, a thoughtful look upon his face. \"Ay, the Ranger said as much of the Breefolk.\" A hand stroked through his beard for a few moments before he nods once more. \"Yet, I will not turn away help. As to woodworkers, I was hoping to put up some barricades along the road east, when the foe comes closer.\"

A slight snort from the Thane. \"I had orginally hoped to place men on horse from Bree behind them, with bows, to harass the orcs as they approached. But...\" Another snort. \"I may see if any of these Rangers would be willing to do so.\"

\"Aye, counting on the Breefolk right now is not wise\", Braldor replies, nodding, \"for they haven\'t made their minds on what to do. But there are only two ways out for them: to fight, or to flee their homes. We shall see what they choose\".

\"The silver merchant, Frarin of Barazin, is of the opinion that all but those willing to fight should flee. But where should they flee to?\" Ovor looks around for a few moments before looking back to Braldor. \"I see no great fastness here, no strong walls of stone to hold back the tides of the enemy.\"

He shakes his head, sighing slightly. \"Has there been any sign or word of any of our cousins out of the Ered Luin? I would rather trust sturdy Dwarves than manlings.\" A brief pause before he fishes a flask from his belt, offering it to the other Thane. \"A taste of home? Keeneye\'s Northern Brandy.\"

Braldor accepts with a nod, and takes a long pull before answering. \"True, our cousins from the Blue Mountains will come handy now. Yet no word has reached us from them... they are far, for one has to go through The Shire to reach them, and I doubt it can be done by any save one travelling swiftly by horse\", he adds, as his eyes turn again to the East.

\"And we have only ponies and I would not trust the Breemen to send a message. Not to mention the return travel would be slower than the message itself. Even if they could be ready within two days, how long do you think it would take, at hard march?\" An eyebrow is arched by Ovor before he looks East as well. \"This is not a sound place to defend. We need land to our advantage. A bottle-neck. A valley between hills, for instance.\"

\"We need someone who knows the terrain enough to locate such a place\", Braldor says, his eyes turning back to regard Ovor. \"And the only ones who know it well enough are the Breefolk themselves, or those Rangers, perhaps. As ye have no liking of the former\", he adds, with a dry chuckle, \"perhaps I ought to go and ask \'em, while you locate this Ranger ye spoke to and pose him the same question. Then, perhaps, we will know\"

The other Thane chuckles quietly, nodding. \"A sound a plan as any, Thane. I would trust more the Rangers than the Breefolk... those from Bree do not strike me as the kind to venture far beyond their townships. Yet, information from more than one source is good. We will see if their information is the same or different.\"

\"Indeed\", Braldor replies, nodding earnestly. \"And we should gather information fast, for I fear the orcs will be upon Bree and its surrounding towns soon\", he says, as he stands.

\"Ay, indeed. I have not mentioned them to the hobbits here, for I fear their reaction would be much the same as Bree... and I do need a place to stay.\" A brief grin is flashed by Zinbar. \"But, I will do my best to seek out the Ranger I spoke to. With any fortune, he will come to me rather than I searching for him. If Eriador is indeed their home, they can hide much better than I can look.\"

\"True indeed\", Braldor says. \"Well, I shall go to Bree then, and seek for this information. We shall meet here soon, Ovor. fare you well\", he adds and, after making sure his cloak is fastened tightly around him, he makes his way back to the road, the Bundazanul huskarls quickly forming around him.