Defend the indefensible

East Road - Eastern Shore of the Mitheithel

Looking westward toward the bridge, the river flows beneath three broad arches in its span. The rolling plains crossed by the road beyond have little but grass and occasional rocky outcroppings. The Weather hills are visible in the distant northwest, though. Looking east, wild forest and thickets lie across steep and rugged hills, both north and south of the road. The greater heights seem to be on the north side. These are the infamous Trollshaws, where trolls lurk in wait for victims by night, and hide from the sun in the deep thickets by day.

Contents:

Crude signpost

Obvious exits:

OOC DEtour, South, North, West, and East

[Frarin] Hardly a bird or animal crosses the long East Road where it runs through the land west of The Last Bridge. A light breeze whistles through the high grasses of the rolling plain, but otherwise all is still and silent, almost as if a lonely spirit lays upon the land. From the east, however, a small cloud of dust soon appears. After a time the dust rises above one of the great swells of land and passes a rocky outcropping until at last the heads of a small company of short figures can be seen. Soon more heads appear, and then the sturdy forms of ponies, and at last the group is identifiable, strange though it may seem. For it is a caravan of dwarves, some mounted, some walking. No wagons are there is their midst, nor indeed does there seem an abundance of supplies, and many among the company walk with obvious signs of injury.

One of these is the silver merchant Frarin. He walks with the aid of long, blue war hammer, leading behind him a grey pony packed with a few scant supplies. About his head is wrapped a dirty bandage and also is there one tied around his left hand, but most noticeable is his laboured walk, hunched over and eyes cast upon the ground, determined though his step may be.

[Ovor(#20753)]      One of the Dwarves on pony-back is the Thane Zinbar, Ovor. He is without any of his three Huskarls this day, for they seem to have spread themselves out through out the caravan to keep watch for any ambush attempts. The Thane himself still has his war hammer out, it not having been secured since the moment that the Dwarves had decided to begin their quest.

He urges the pony, bringing him along Frarin. Pausing a moment to dismount, he walks along side the silver merchant, nodding his head slightly. \"How\'re your wounds, son of Forli?\"

[Frarin] The sound of a pony nearing brings Frarin\'s head up and he nods to Ovor as the Thane dismounts. \"Healing, Thane,\" he says, voice rough. He raises his injured left hand to the bandage about his head, which covers most of the right side of his head and partially blocks the eye. \"A mallet, from one of the warg riders. But it did not break the cheek bone fortunately. I bind it only to keep the bruise from spreading.\" He coughs, however, and quickly places a hand on his chest, as if the action had pained him. \"But my chest, I cannot say. It has troubled me since the battle, but the healers have not the supplies to determine if it is a broken rib or otherwise.\"

Shaking his head, the silver merchant waves his hand as if banishing the thought. \"In Bree, we shall see in Bree. I am able enough to walk alone now and that is all I ask. How fared you in the battle, my lord? I have seen your men about, that is good they have all survived in good condition. Bree will need all of the trained soldiers it can find, I fear.\"

[Ovor(#20753)]      \"Well enough.\" Says the Thane, shrugging slightly before nodding. \"Ay, I am glad they have survived... though, I wish I had brought more of my Huskarls with me. I did not expect great battles.\" A few moments of silence as the Thane looks to Frarin at the cough, nodding slightly. \"Had I my healers with me, I would have them look at you.\"

Ovor nods slightly, glancing westward for several moments. \"What do you know of Bree? I do not know much about it I have never travelled there myself. In truth, I know little of this side of the Mountains, aside from some common knowledge.\"

[Frarin] \"Do not trouble the thought, lord,\" says Frarin soberly, without the lightness of tone or hint of smile to suggest he is not in earnest. \"Time is the best cure and I shall not worry myself with what might have been.\" He listens intently to Ovor\'s interest in Bree and casts his eyes westward as if searching the distant hills for sign of the town. \"I have been twice, my lord, though the last was many years ago. Bree is a strange land and its capital even more so. There can be found men and hobbits living together, and oftentimes also our brethren from the Blue Mountains or strange foreigners from the south. It lays at a crossroads of the road we travel now and another, older road running south to north which they call the Greenway. One a land of a kings.\"

He drops his gaze and shakes his head. \"But no more, the kingdoms of old are gone. Those is Bree have not the arms to defend themselves against the terror that bears down upon them.\"

[Ovor(#20753)]      \"Indeed? Hrm. Hobbits living with Men?\" The Thane shakes his head slightly before frowning a moment in thought. \"Perhaps we will meet some of our cousins from the Blue Mountains... I would feel better with Dwarves fighting with us to defend the township than Men or... Hobbits.\" The last is said as if laughter is held back at the idea.

\"Kingdoms rise and fall... it is a credit to them that they have lasted this long, ay? If they did not have some strength in arms, they would have vanished long ago.\" A brief pause. \"Crossroads, hm? Well, at we shall have no problem reaching it... baring further misfortune and favourable road. What else can you tell me about the area?\"

[Frarin] \"Yes, strength of arms, perhaps,\" says Frarin, his voice becoming thoughtful, as if suddenly recalling some distant memory. \"But strangers, men clad as if poor, have ever roamed their land without challenge. Bandits and thieves to trouble the old trading roads, I should think. Perhaps Bree\'s strength will show itself better, however, when the threat is more imminent.\"

The merchant shrugs and shakes his head at the Thane\'s last question. \"There is not much else to tell, my lord,\" he says with a short cough. \"Bree is a simple place, full of people who are not often troubled and take offence at the abnormal. They have grown to expect no real danger. The Trollshaws through which we passed are many miles away and Bree\'s nearest neighbour is the Shire of the halfings, which is even more absurd. That-\" he seems to struggle for a word \"-innocence is what so strongly urged my heart to ride west. Why the orcs of Moria, and indeed with such mighty numbers, should trouble themselves over Bree and the Shire, I cannot fathom.\"

[Ovor(#20753)]      The Thane is silent, thoughtful, as Frarin speaks. He seems to mull the information over slowly in his mind before speaking again. \"Know you the layout of the township? If we are to defend it, we should set plans as early as possible... save any adjustments made when we arrive. It does us no good to make hasty plans.\"

The Thane shrugs to the comment on the orcs and their trek towards Bree and the Shire. \"Who knows the methods behind the madness that drives orcs and their foul kind? As long as they die like the rest, I do not trouble myself. Perhaps we will find one or two that are talkative before we slay them.\"

[Frarin] \"Defend it,\" Frarin repeats, though not as question. His echo of Ovor\'s words seem more like a statement and his tones suggests an undercurrent of some grim acceptance. \"To defend Bree, that is not an enviable task. The town was once a great centre of trade, but its population has declined and its glory waned. Even at its height, however, it was no capital of some great kingdom. The town is not designed for siege its walls are scant and ill-equipped for prolonged defence. And it is at a crossroads, no mountains to protect its sides. Only hills and, away to the west, a forest.\"

The silver merchant pauses in his speech, but his eyes are raised now to scour the road ahead, as if many thoughts besiege him. \"I was never instructed in military strategy, my lord. My skills are better suited to the road and to ambushes, when quick thinking is needed to defend only oneself and maybe a few others. So perhaps my mind is biased against accepting siege, but I would not stay put in the town. Evacuate the women and children and arm the men and able boys, then march to meet these orcs where the location is most advantageous.\"

[Ovor(#20753)]      \"Marching out against a superior foe is... not sound. Of course, that may change when we see how many men the township is willing to put forth to defend themselves, but I doubt it.\" The Thane frowns, stroking a hand through his beard. \"Not all of Zinbar are leather merchants -- we that are of the original families still pride ourselves on being warriors. If we had horsemen, if the Breemen have any, we could put them on hills to harass the orcs...\"

The Thane sighs slightly. \"If we had engines of war and sturdy allies, we could win this easily... this will take some thought.\" A brief pause. \"We could harass them the entire way, but we do not have much speed to get away from them if that is the case...\"

[Frarin] \"Nay, not to march and meet them upon a field of battle,\" says Frarin gruffly, as if keen not to be misunderstood. \"Forgive me, lord, I did not speak clearly. March to meet them where the land is most advantageous. Then, as you say, the Breemen could harass their enemies before the town is reached. But it would have to be done with all haste. I do not know this land well enough to judge whether horses are of great importance, or how many might be kept in Bree. There was a stable, I know, near the inn, but I could say no more.\"

His step slows for a moment as a deep breath brings about a troubled wheezing cough from Frarin\'s chest. He places a hand there to stay the pain and, after several steady breaths, continues. \"Engines of war and sturdy allies cannot be gained at this late hour, my lord. We would do well, you and I, to stay such thoughts of \'what if\' and consider what we /do/ have. Our caravan does not have the strength, for example, for another attack upon the orcs without aid from others. There are too many wounded among us to challenge even a scouting party and then there are the women and younglings to consider. Our best hope lies in reaching Bree as soon as possible.\"

[Ovor(#20753)]      The Thane frowns as Frarin\'s steps slow, and a hand is reached out to lightly rest on the dwarf\'s shoulder. \"You are sure you alright? It would be no trouble for you to ride my pony the rest of the way. It is yours, after all.\" A few moments before he nods to the rest of the silver merchant\'s comments.

\"Ay. We must reach the township then decide our defense there. At the very least, we should see if our cousins in Bundazanul will be willing to build wooden walls along the path of advance of the orcs. Delay them, you see? Any bowmen the folk of Bree have could hide behind them, harrassing with arrows before falling back by horse. That seems good now... but, strategy is better discussed when all involved are present, no?\"

[Frarin] \"I am not troubled, my lord,\" Frarin says, pride turning his face to stone as he visably makes an effort to straighten from his slouched walk. \"I shall ride my own pony shortly, that is, the pony that I lead,\" he says, nodding to Ovor\'s own pony and continuing, \"Polin is yours until this affair is at an end, my lord. As for Barim here, I have only been giving the poor beast a rest from his burden.\"

He nods to the Thane\'s proposed strategy. \"That is wise, Thane. Indeed, strategy is best left to be discussed by all those concerned. And perhaps especially so when there are those present whose profession is war, not merchanting.\" Bringing his grey pony to a halt, Frarin thrusts the haft of his war hammer into an iron ring on his belt and takes a hold of the pony\'s saddle. \"Now I think that I shall take your advice, my lord, and ride for a time. I cannot expect to arrive fresh at Bree, for there are many miles yet ahead and little time to cover them, but between myself and my pony, I would prefer myself to arrive the less weary. Brave beasts though they be, ponies are poor wielders of blade or hammer.\" Whether a light jest or not, Frarin does not smile at his comment, as if completely serious. And with that, he makes a great effort to heave himself up upon the pony\'s back and, after a few disrupted breaths, takes the reigns and prods the beast forward again.

[Ovor(#20753)]      A laugh comes from the Thane. \"Do not underestimate strategy when presented by one who\'s profession is not war. There are times that they see things others do not.\" A slight nod before he climbs atop his pony once more. \"Indeed, you speak the truth. I will be sure, also, to mention my idea at any council of war that is gathered when we arrive at Bree... I shall also discuss it privately with Thane Braldor before hand.\"